Page 20 of Big Girls Do It Stronger
Chapter 11
No More Stalls!
Jumpstart and Reset 2.0
This chapter is probably going to be a bit controversial, but I’ve decided I’m okay with that. Listen friends, I’m sharing with you what has worked for me, and for those who have tried this plan with me. Will it work foreveryone? I honestly doubt it, but since I’ve opened this big can of worms I think it’s important not to leave out any part of my journey and story.
There was a stretch of about two months when my weight loss was completely stalled. I think this was because of two things: A) I dramatically increased my physical activity and my body was trying to adjust, and B) my body just needed time to regroup.
I went through all my other tried-and-true stall-busters, and literally nothing was working. If I said I wasn’t discouraged I’d be lying, because I was. Even though I knew my body would eventually resume the downward trend, it was difficult to wait for physical, tangible results.
Finally, after much frustrating experimentation, I found something that worked. Subsequently, I’ve seen it work for some of my beta readers who were experiencing similarly frustrating stalls. What is that something? It is a 1–3 Day Fast.
Yes, I know ... I never liked the idea of fasting, but this really isn’t a true fast, more of a cleanse and a temporary plan modification. This isn’t something I would do all of the time, and by the end of day three I’m usually craving meat so badly I would almost go outside and find one of my chickens ... JUST KIDDING!
It is often not easy—but I also think fasting can be very healthy and effective. My thoughts on this have been borne out by several recent books and studies that show that doing this sort of cleanse or “fast” is great for you.
As always, before making any significant changes to your health and wellness plan, I suggest you consult with your doctor and talk about whether it is right for you.
**Please remember, you could just be slowed down but not totally stalled. If this is the case youwon’tneed to do this at all. The loss of a half-pound or pound—or even as much as two pounds per week—is perfect. Give your body time and grace. You’re doing great!***
Jasinda’s STALL-BUSTER Plan
This dietary adjustment can be done for 1–3 days. I usually go back to a BLACK PLATE day after this because my body will really need the fats.
Rules:
As little dairy as possible, none at all if you can manage it.
No meat of any kind.
As many veggies as possible.
Three “meals” and at least one snack every day. Most of the items on your plate are going to be totally neutral, with a few exceptions.
Example of a typical day in the stall-buster cycle:
BREAKFAST: Super veggie shake with Jay Robb protein powder and collagen, and one or two pieces of spouted bread with minimal almond butter
LUNCH: Large salad of kale and spinach with veggies, hemp seeds, nutritional yeast, non-dairy dressing, and FLAVORGOD seasoning, plus two Wasa crackers with Laughing Cow cheese on the side; sometimes I’ll add some egg whites as a side or add them into my salad. Mini smoothie of Jay Robb protein powder, almond milk or water, and berries.
SNACK: a nice big handful of almonds.
DINNER: Large salad with rice or another grain on the side, and a chocolate, okra (yes, I said okra) and PB smoothie.
PLEASE NOTE: I do not suggest eating this way beyond the three days of the stall-buster. I don’t think it is maintainable long-term, and it shouldonlybe used in the plan when you are in a long-term stall, or you feel like you’ve been “off the wagon” and need a cleanse or fast to heal your body before starting back into the program. This is a tool that I’ve also found works really well after a day where I’ve “celebrated” a little too much and I’m feeling really heavy or bloated ... you know, those days when you don’t feel like eating, but you know you need to.
The stall-buster can be used for just one meal or one day. This year I did this for breakfast and lunch after Thanksgiving, and it really helped me to get back into the gym. You’ll have lots of energy from the goodness in the all the greens and grains.
Just make sure you keep focusing on how your body is feeling. The longer I’ve been on the #WilderWay, the easier it is for me to listen to what my body needs. I often find myself crave my super veggie shakes loaded with kale, spinach, okra, and green apple. I can really tell when my body needs those extra nutrients.
It’s also important to repeat, as I said inBIG GIRLS DO IT RUNNING,that you still need to eat food at each meal. I don’t believe in replacing a meal with just a shake. Make sure you’re crunching and munching on something to keep your metabolism moving and your body digesting normally—as it was created to do.
The great thing about this mini-reset is that I don’t see the upward trending people often saw in earlier results of the program. This seems to really support the steady downward trend.
I also think it’s a great idea to be journaling—keep track of how your body feels during these new days. Tune into your body and treat it right.