Ayun is Back, and Her Update is EXCITING!
One of our FAVORITE things at team CleanFoodCrush is supporting our members in our private Challenge Groups.
And inside those groups, one of our FAVORITE things is seeing the AMAZING transformations that happen. We only share a small fraction of them here on the blog because the truth is, not everyone is comfortable sharing outside of the group.
We noticed Ayun shared a fantastic update (she’s lost over 37 pounds!) and we were so happy when she wanted to share her update on our blog. But it’s not just us that’s happy…
She’s literally Hula-Hooping to share her update!
We asked Ayun a few questions we thought you might like to know the answers to in case YOU have been wondering if this Clean Eating Challenge is for you. 💚
CFC: How long have you been following Rachel and CleanFoodCrush for now?
Ayun: After dabbling a bit with some of the free recipes on the blog back in 2018 I joined as a monthly member on December 1, 2020, and became an annual member on January 1, 2021
CFC: Have you been following the plans since your last update in September?
Ayun: Yes, it's a way of life now. I have also taken to heart the advice that those who meet with the greatest success here are the ones who don't follow it to the absolute letter - in other words, be flexible enough to enjoy your life.
That gets easier, I think, once you have a few months (and more than a few less pounds) under your belt. You can tell the difference between garbage store-bought cookies that are set out in the break room, and a delicious homemade sumthin' sumthin' you will truly savor every mouthful of.
In October, my husband and I flew to Savannah and took the train back to New York City, hopping off at several cities en route. I realized that sampling the local cuisine - shrimp and grits in Savannah, fried chicken in Charleston, a truly wonderful breakfast biscuit in Richmond with a friend I hadn't seen in nearly 20 years - was worthwhile, and that no one meal will ever cause me to blow up like Violet Beauregard in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I knew that walking my brains out, drinking lots of water, and eating clean for other meals would keep things balanced. (If you want recommendations for a good cauliflower crust pizza in Savannah, HMU!)
CFC: What kind of results have you seen since then?
Ayun: My scale was mighty dusty when I hopped on it this morning - I was amazed to see that a few more pounds had come off. There's a pair of skinny-legged pants I bought this spring that I wore on our trip down South and I've noticed they're getting pretty baggy in the legs and seat.
CFC: Have you lost more weight? If so, how much?
Ayun: The scale had a conversation with the calculator, and they report that I have lost 37.8 pounds.
CFC: How is your energy?
Ayun: If my energy is higher, I chalk it up to eating more protein, drinking more water, and laying off sugar and simple carbs. As someone who works in the arts, it's a bit hard to parse in a continuing pandemic.
CFC: Have you noticed an improvement in your skin, sleep, overall health?
Ayun: Having traveled through Asia, India, and Africa in my 20s sans sunscreen, and as someone whose last vice is rebelling against the commonly held advice regarding near-lifelong-secondary insomnia, those may be negligible, but I did have one benefit take me by surprise.
The day all the theaters closed in NYC I wiped out on 57th street, pulled a muscle in my hip, and spent the next 8.5 months suffering, wondering if I'd ever be able to get up from a squat or a lunge without grabbing onto whatever furniture was handy. I was weeping in my (virtual) yoga classes, b/c of the pain and frustration. I even had my doctor refer me to an orthopedic specialist (one visit with whom cost well more than an annual CFC membership, I might add. Don't get me started on our healthcare system.) Several weeks into my first month in Clean Food Crush, I realized that the horrible stabby pain in my hip was gone. I could sit on my haunches and bounce back up without thinking about it. Maintaining mobility is a major aging goal for me, and I am glad to have learned how nutrition and weight factor into this.
CFC: What are your favorite features of CleanFoodCrush and the 30 Day Clean Eating Challenge?
Ayun: The upbeat, supportive culture and the delicious recipes.
CFC: What keeps you inspired and motivated?
Ayun: Catching my reflection when I'm out and about.
CFC: {Swooning at that reply} Have any of your family or friends been inspired to join you on this journey?
Ayun: My husband has learned that Rachel's recipes are well within his culinary abilities, and if I'm out for the evening, or he is taking a turn at the stove, he goes recipe hunting on CFC. We hosted a Friendsgiving this year, and other than asking one friend to bring some dinner rolls for those who might miss 'em, the whole meal would've passed muster with CFC.
CFC: How have you changed your life for the better since you last shared an update with us?
Ayun: I have forged new ties in various creative communities and re-established some old connections, finally finished Creative, Not Famous: The Small Potato Manifesto, the book I have been writing for far longer than anticipated, and am now working on a follow-up workbook. And I've been reading a lot more! (I guess this non-physique-related update suggests I have started conceiving of my newly lean bod' as a matter of course, though I don't shy away from the compliments of those who haven't seen me in a while...)
CFC: Knowing what you know now, and having so much experience with Clean Eating, what would you tell your younger self?
Ayun: Technically, the breadbasket is "free", but is it, really?
CFC: Are there any words of encouragement or wisdom that you wish everyone had at the beginning of their journey?
Ayun: It seems that most participants, including me, arrive on CFC's doorstep feeling pretty disgusted with themselves, in one way or another. Leave it there, on the doorstep. Compassion is a much better look, and it always fits. Encourage others, and let yourself be encouraged by them. Congratulate them on their victories, and take pride in yours. Remember how you felt at every step along the way, and recognize those feelings in others.
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