Last Tuesday, I started my first-ever real actually-mapped-out diet. A couple of weeks ago, I was waiting in my chiropractor’s office. I had some time, so I started reading Outdoor magazine. They had several articles on how to live more healthily (it was the January issue, so I suspect New Year’s resolutions played into the articles). One article was on getting more sleep, one on reducing stress, and such. One article was about a book called Clean. Clean was supposed to show you how to eat for four weeks, with the aim of flushing toxins such as pesticides from the body. The author of the article was an editor, and very skeptical. He tried it, and found it difficult for the first ten days or so, but he achieved dramatic results. Even though he was in shape and only 145 pounds, he lost about ten pounds and lowered his metabolic age from twenty-two to 1seventeen (he is thirty-five years old). He also said he felt much better, and really endorsed the diet. I was also skeptical, but I liked his results, and I liked the fact that the diet only lasts four weeks. So, I decided to give it a try.

I started at 174.0 pounds. I lost weight during the first week at a stunning rate; it was hard to believe the scale some mornings. After one week, I weighed in at 168.5, so I lost six pounds in one week (and my low weight during the week had dipped down to 167.5). I can’t claim any results yet as to feeling younger or seeing my skin look healthier, but it has only been one week. Some of the food cravings are subsiding – I am not feeling desperate for dessert now. That may change come next weekend (weekends are when Mer and I like to go out to eat, which is not really a great option on the Clean diet), but for now, everything is okay. Mer has joined me on the diet – she is a game sport.

The diet had me examine our environment, and since the book calls for drinking clean water, I had a top-of-the-line water filter installed for our drinking water, as well as a charcoal whole-house filter for our shower. Since Mer and I pretty much drink just water even when not on a diet, it seemed like a good investment. As usual, when I launch on a new thing, it costs us money. In addition to the water filter, I have been buying organic everything, which is really expensive. I plan on going back to “normal” food after February, so I think our budget can handle things for one month.

I’ll try to update on how things are going every week.