I am very proud to say I just completed my first week of the Mindful Living weight-loss protocol. The main reason I started was because I wanted to have more empathy for the clients I coach on a weekly basis. I wanted a chance to be in their shoes for a bit, so I could add more value as their coach. From the numbers my first week was a huge success. I lost 6 pounds of body fat and preserved all my lean mass.
Before I dive deep into my journey, I want to share with you what I ate every meal. Then I want to share my personal experiences on the protocol. I want to share the good, the bad, and the ugly. Before you continue reading it’s important to know that I am a co-owner of Mindful Living, so I am likely to have my cognitive biases. Anyways here is the typical meal plan I followed every day of week 1:
8:00 AM
- 2 Scrambled eggs
- 1 Orange Bipro with caffeine
11:30 AM
- 1 Lemon Bipro
1:30 PM
- 2 cups of broccoli
- 1 Protein shot with seltzer water
4:30 PM
- 1 Protein shot with seltzer water
8:00 PM
- 12 ounces of lean meat
- 2 cups of select vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, etc)
10:30 PM
– 1 Mocha Mindful Wafer
The Good:
I never felt hungry. My protocol made me consume some sort of protein every 3-4 hours. This kept me full throughout the day. This was surprising seeing as I was taking in way less calories than I was accustomed to. This is further proof that not all calories are created equally. I was glad I didn’t feel deprived of food or energy. In fact, after the 2nd day I got into ketosis and had more energy than ever!
The Bad:
Getting organized to eat mindful during the week was more difficult than expected. While the diet itself is easy to follow, it did take a lot of effort to stick to. I had to make sure I went shopping for my groceries ahead of time, so I always had my 2 cups of vegetables at lunch and dinner. I also had to slow down and cook my meat as opposed to eating out. When I was alone, eating home cooked meals was never a problem. However, when the office staff would get free food, I would struggle. One day a sales rep brought us pasta, and the next day another one brought us pizza. It took me tons of self-control and discipline to stick to my broccoli and protein soda while everyone else was enjoying free carbs.
The Ugly:
Before getting on protocol I ate out way too much. This was an expensive habit both for my health and my bank account. Now that I am preparing my own meals, I am seeing my self not only spending a lot of time cooking, but also cleaning. I must wash dishes every time I cook, and I absolutely hate doing so! Washing dishes is my least favorite part of Mindful Living.