Life After the Reset

Life After the Reset

Hey Guys!

For those of you who started the 28 Day Reset with me on Jan 2nd, CONGRATS! We made it! I know it wasn’t easy. There were days when we all had temptations…but then…we got over the hump and well, look at us now.

28 days without gluten, dairy, alcohol, processed food, and added sugar. To be honest, I feel so good I kinda don’t want it to end. (Don’t you secretly feel this way too?)

I have NO ACNE right now and I feel sooooo confident with my skin that I don’t wear any concealer or foundation most days! I feel so much leaner all around, especially in my belly area. PLUS I have tons of energy. I love this feeling!

But…what now?

Today I’m gonna talk about how to transition back into “life after Reset” and how not to lose all of the hard work you just did!

I believe it’s a balance between what you want most, and what you want right now. If you can learn the difference between those two, set some boundaries for yourself, and remember all you learned about food, omissions, bloat, energy, sleep and fat loss, you’ll be able to keep your eyes on the prize, and not the fries.

TIPS FOR LIFE…AFTER THE RESET!

TIP #1: Decide which foods, if any, you want to slowly incorporate back into your life.

If you’re dying without Greek yogurt, nothing says you can’t add it back in (provided you’re not affected by dairy), and still be eating clean. No, you won’t technically be on the Reset anymore, but you don’t have to comply 100% to remain a fat-burning machine!

Follow the reset guidelines to food re-entry. Start with one food item and chart how you feel after adding it back in for one meal, then two meals, then throughout a day. Take a few days to do this before adding in another food item. This helps you discover any sensitivities.

If you’re in the clear, but you still want to stay, “mostly Reset,” decide which food(s) you’ll allow back in so that you’re specific. If you say: Greek yogurt and string cheese are the two dairy items I’ll add back in, and Ezekiel bread is a gluten I’ll allow, and chocolate rice cakes are a food with some sugar I’ll add in, you can live day-to-day within your own set guidelines.

You can eventually add more to your list, and even add in a few “occasional” foods like dark chocolate. But if you aren’t specific, life will seem like a Willy Wonka-house just waiting to be eaten.

TIP #2: Decide which percentage of your day, or week, you want to keep Reset.

If you want to stay 90% on plan, you’ll have to figure out which food item you’ll add back in, and how often. If you want to be closer to 50% – decide what that looks like for you.

Many people find they are just fine without dairy, for example, but can’t live without a little pasta from time to time. If gluten isn’t an issue for you, you can still build in a healthy pasta dish once per week, especially if having that meal keeps you from devouring a loaf of bread every Friday night.

50% for others of you might mean a few smaller indulgences, like 1/2 an ounce of dark chocolate every night and a low-carb tortilla at lunch so that you can have wraps instead of salads. If the rest of your day is Reset-friendly, there’s nothing wrong with creating a percentage and sticking to that goal from here on out.

The good news is, if you find yourself gaining weight, or feeling a little bloated, you can update, or improve, that percentage to give you the sweet spot, which is: clean eating + a bit of indulgence = the life you want. Remember how great you looked and felt while on the Reset! Less bloating, feeling lighter, clearer skin, flatter tummy, no stomach distress….those results happened in just 28 days! So ask yourself, is it worth it to go back to how you were? Or can you find a happy medium?

TIP #3: Ponder the question: “what do I want most?” and act accordingly.

Occasionally, what we want now is a bucket of French fries. But the majority of the time, what we want most is a happy, healthy body.

We battle with, “what we want now,” because it conflicts with what we want most. Our choices don’t always honor what we supremely want. Allow yourself a few, “right now,” decisions if in that moment it’s worth it, and truly what you want; agree to let the other wants go. So, if you’re out to dinner and everyone is raving about the gelato, and you really want to take part, do it. But if you’re at home wondering if you should eat peanut butter out of the jar for dinner, or make scrambled eggs with spinach, choose the latter, because chances are, you’re just hungry. And if you can hold out for 5 minutes and get something in your stomach, the 400+ calories-worth of peanut butter won’t seem worth it.

TIP #4: Learn how to order at restaurants.

Most places nowadays accommodate just about everything. If your firm desire is to eat out healthfully, then pick a place with a relatively clean menu, or with options!

You can always get a piece of protein grilled or sauteéd. Even fast-food restaurants offer grilled chicken salads or wraps. If you’re at a nice restaurant, ask for a grilled piece of fish or chicken with vegetables or a salad. Flavor things with mustard, salsa, hot sauce or vinegar. Pass on the bread and chips. They are empty calories.

Have tunnel vision for the healthy meal you wish to eat. Don’t cave in when you walk in and see nachos. Know that the healthy food you’re ordering will be special and different because you’re not cooking it for a change!

TIP #5: Decide if it’s a YOLO meal, and do it all the way without regret!

Sometimes, you’ll go to a restaurant or event where you just plain don’t want to eat clean, and that’s okay too! YOLO meals are part of life. They bring joy, celebration and experience to your life. But nothing sucks the joy out of a good YOLO meal like…regret.

One “bad” meal won’t make you fat, just like one healthy meal won’t make you skinny.

Life is about balance. If you’re doing better on most days than not, chances are, you’ll be just fine.  We only run into trouble when we bargain away our goals and turn one YOLO meal into 12, while allowing sneaky treats in throughout the day. Constantly check your percentage goals to keep you on track.

TIP #6: Log it!

If you need accountability, log your meals and all foods consumed into an app, or the Blogilates Meal Prep Planner. Just get it down where you can SEE it every day. Ink doesn’t lie, so if you need a “check yo-self before you wreck yo-self” moment, write down every bite you eat for one week and find where you need or want to fine-tune.

TIP #7: Stay away from the bad-stuff though, ok?

There are some foods that just aren’t good for you, and even though I believe in moderation, I think some foods are better off just left alone because they either set up a domino effect of poor choices, or, they really are just BAD.

Soda, in my opinion, is just straight up baaddd! Even diet soda guys – sorry! The chemicals and fake sugars they use serve no purpose, other than to make you crave more. I feel the same way about all sugary drinks, high-fructose corn syrup and GMO snack foods.

Do your best to draw the line somewhere. For you, it might mean all whole foods and everything organic. Others of you might allow in some non-organic produce but will say no to refined sugar. Some of you will struggle to give up your daily diet soda. But the key here is to find the line you will not cross, maybe take a few steps past it towards the cleaner side, and stick to it.

TIP #8: Know that food is life, but it doesn’t have to control your life!

Yes, we need it to survive. But we do not need to let it control every choice we make. If you’re constantly declining invitations to go out with friends based on food, you really need to ask yourself if it’s an issue keeping you from leading your best life, and if you’re unhappy as a result.

If you feel good about staying home Friday nights to cook healthy because you want to be up bright an early for your POP Pilates class, then stay home in your fuzzy slippers and OWN that decision. The trouble lies in how we feel about what we are doing.

If it feels good, and you’re making the choices you sincerely want to make. It’s very different than feeling trapped, scared, isolated or controlled.

If fear of making food choices, ordering, social engagements and eating in general, cause you to suffer emotionally, or physically, you may need to talk about your feelings with someone to ensure you have a healthy relationship with food. It’s very easy to allow guilt to creep in after triumphantly finishing a program such as the Reset. But we were not made to live in guilt, so identify your feelings and how they dictate your behavior, for better or for worse.

TIP #9: Eat before you go.

I know this sounds cliché, but sometimes you just have to go places with a satisfied tummy, especially if your friends pick a restaurant where everything is fried or covered in cheese. If you truly don’t want to eat what’s on the menu, eat before you go so that you don’t make a bad choice out of necessity.

Failing to plan is planning to fail. The kicker here is: don’t decline the invitation just because you don’t eat chicken wings. You can still go and have a great time! Maybe there’s a hummus appetizer you can try. Or maybe, you’ll just have fun with meaningful conversations. Regardless, don’t make the night about the food, make it about the company!

TIP #10: Stay active in the POPster community!

When you started the Reset, you joined one of the best communities on the planet. POPsters are here for the long haul! Continue trading your questions, best recipes, successes and failures with a group that lifts you up. Share your Reset-friendly finds with other POPsters, talk about your favorite lunches that fuel you until dinner, discuss meal prep and hold each other accountable. You have all the tools, PDFs, emails and grocery lists, so save them onto your computer, or print them out and put them in a folder to refer to any time you need a pick-me-up.

I am so proud of you all! I have no doubt you can, and will, continue on the Reset-friendly journey of your choosing if you believe it is possible!

Let me know how you guys did! Be sure to upload your before and after from the #28dayreset so I can see! Just tweet me or post on IG!

PS: Anyone who is reading this who hasn’t tried the 28 Day Reset Challenge – download my free PDF here.

 

42 thoughts on “Life After the Reset”

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  1. Karly says:

    I cannot even believe the transformation. I have tried to lose weight many times in the past. Some things were somewhat successful, but it just seemed that I kept hitting a brick wall over the last year or so. I was pretty desperate by the time I made the choice to try this program what helped me lose 21 pounds in about 6 weeks Watch the video on this website: http://leanbellybreakthrough1.club/lose-40pounds-fast

  2. Vivian says:

    Are your slim jewel timer bottles ever going to come back? I have one and LOVE the design and want to buy more!

  3. Cassie says:

    I absolutely love that you can do the 28 day reset pretty much anytime you’d like, and that it gives you the option to incorporate some foods back after it!

  4. rishandchips says:

    I’ve been needing the motivation to really get back to being healthy. And this challenge and community is great!! I’m going to be doing the 28 day reset and PIIT. I was wondering if you’ll be having a promo like you did back in January? Thank you so much!

  5. Natalie says:

    Hi, I’m a 13 year old girl and I was wondering what should I be eating and how much should i exercise each day?

    1. S says:

      Please don’t count calories. A WFPB diet is healthiest, but don’t obsess about it. Ignore the stuff that says that gluten is bad, it isn’t (unless you have celiac of course). Remember that you need calories and food in general to grow and be happy (and healthy). The recommendation for someone your age is an hour of physical activity most days.

  6. Erin says:

    Dont forget there is also gluten free pasta, such as brown rice/quinoa/lentil pasta, if you love pasta but are gluten sensitive. It honestly tastes the same!!

  7. Merel Gray says:

    I’m so thankful for the RESET! I participated because of my acne and it works!!! Now my skin is getting better and better.

    I did however eat brown rice over a week ago (it said I could or am I wrong?) at a time my skin was clear(yay!) for the first time since ever and I got my acne back the next day(boo). I continued with the reset and now it’s clear again. Is it too early to start adding back in some food groups? (Rice is def of the table now, though 😉 )

    Also, I lost 9 lbs. What?!?! I ate as much as I wanted and only worked out 4/5 days a week orso.

    Btw, this is a recipe everyone should try by Jamie Oliver. It’s amazing and reset-proof (not sponsored haha):
    http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/bread-recipes/super-food-protein-loaf/

  8. Amy says:

    I find this post scary because it’s like my sister wrote it. This is exactly how she eats; super restrictive then goes all out on treats one day. Except she is extremely physically and mentally unwell with an eating disorder. I really think you should be careful about publishing plans like these, at least start it with a warning about restrictive eating. For some people undertaking a plan like will be the road to an eating disorder.

    1. Amy says:

      *plan like this

  9. Silvia Calderón says:

    Last year, i didn´t take care of my body- or my health. But one week before new year, i decided to make a change. It wasn´t my 2017 resolution. I just felt like it was the time to do it. I had a relative who went through a long illness, so i guess that had to do. I started with the beginers calendar and the 28day reset. I’ve got to say, i didn´t feel like a challenge. I mean It was a reset but i actually enjoyed it. I’ve never been crazy about dairy except when it comes with pasta or something like that -pizzalover. But i reminded myself what i want most instead of what i wanted then. Now i feel much better, my skin is clearer and i love the workouts. I lost about 10 lbs. However, my goal is to be healthier, counting calories stresses me. I’ll keep gluten and dairy just for special occasions. A big thanks to Cassey for creating this big community and for being so inspiring!

  10. Phil says:

    Thanks Cassie! This looks like a great place to start. My goal is to reach my goal weight – 160lbs. I’m currently 185-190 by May/June.

  11. Summer says:

    I only lost about 4 lbs, however, my skin cleared up quite a bit and I noticed that I ended up less bloated than I was before in my tummy and I have less cellulite. My friend and sister did it with me and they both lost 8 lbs each. They say that I didn’t lose as much because my diet is already about 90% better than both of theirs, but I attribute it to not enough time in the gym. We all worked out about 2-4 times per week, and that really made a difference for them! I’m glad my body considers me healthy, but I was really hoping for a 10lb weightloss. Oh, well 🙂 I’m not quitting. I’m going back to my 80%/20% diet (that equates to one ‘yolo’ meal per week) and upping my weight training and time in the gym.

  12. Anna says:

    Am I the only one who feels the strength and power of this community getting stronger and stronger ? I love the idea that Cassey has brought us all to this one community and we inspire one another to work harder to reach for our goals. I joined the 28 reset just a couple of weeks ago and I made my Mum join as well since I was on holidays from college, you guys, I came back home today from holidays and saw a couple of my friends and they started telling me how well I look and that my skin is glowing !!! I have never had this experience before ! I cannot eat gluten anymore because it completely messes up my body and I need to be very careful with eating chocolate and sugar which is strange to me as I used to eat chocolate on daily bases. However I AM LOVING all the workouts even more than before and seeing results and feeling like I´ve got more energy than ever before keeps inspiring me to keep going. A big thanks to Cassey for creating blogilates because I would not be who I am today if it wouldnt be because of these workouts ! I am currently finishing college and daily pilates is like mind therapy ! And for all of you Popsters out there in the world, Thanks for the endless support ,we can do this !

    1. blogilates says:

      Aww! Well lemme tell you, I feel us getting closer together too. So it’s not just you!

  13. CutTheLoop says:

    I have decided that 2017 is gonna be the year I turn my life around so I can hopefully start my 30’ies as a better, healthier person. I couldn’t start in January as I was traveling a lot, but I will start tomorrow by buying healthy foods and start the reset and the beginner’s programme on Febuary 1st!
    Wish me luck <3

  14. Lisa Stockton says:

    I was ALL IN for this program! It came at the perfect time for me and I
    was so ready! After the first 5-6 days I noticed I was sleeping better
    and had more energy. So much that I was able to get up 30 minutes
    earlier and get in a short work-out before showering for work (I’m
    talking 4:30 am people!!). After about 2 weeks I wasn’t waking up with
    puffy eyes (my nightmare!!) or congestion. I’m fairly confident I must
    have an intolerance of some sort to one of the eliminated foods 🙁 At
    this time, I’m down almost 9lbs and tho I haven’t done my measurements
    yet, my clothes have told me there’s been some changes there too!
    Thanks for the inspiration! xo

    1. blogilates says:

      ahhhhh congrats!!!!

  15. Gail Hitze Wasmer says:

    I lost at least 10lbs, probably more, my jeans are loose and I’m on the innermost hole in my belt – and I didn’t work out as often as I should have. And I’m already gluten intolerant, so that was already cut out! It only goes to show how much garbage I had been eating over the past few months prior (you can still make lots of totally delicious but unhealthy baked goods with gluten free flours!!). I knew the reset would help me kickstart the healthier diet I already knew I needed, and I think cutting out added sugars was the biggest benefit. The Reset has made me become more creative in the kitchen, that’s for certain, and now I have new, healthy, yummy meals I can add to my rotation. I can only imagine how much more I’ll lose if I keep doing the reset even 75% of the time, plus working out!

  16. “But if you’re at home wondering if you should eat peanut butter out of the jar for dinner, or make scrambled eggs with spinach, choose the latter, because chances are, you’re just hungry. And if you can hold out for 5 minutes and get something in your stomach, the 400+ calories-worth of peanut butter won’t seem worth it.”

    OMG CASSEY I NEEDED TO HEAR THIS. You read my mind–nut butters are my culprit and I eat it straight from the jar. It’s why I took out all nuts and dairy and went completely paleo-keto for this entire month, and tomorrow is the last day of January so I’m going to finish strong and make it a 31 day reset! Slowly, I try incorporating nuts back into my routine and perhaps by the end of February I’ll experiment with dairy.

    I also agree with you on the whole “moderation” thing– here’s why i don’t believe in moderation, actually!
    http://thefitty.com/2014/04/19/i-dont-believe-in-moderation/

  17. ChelseaKarma says:

    Great post! It’s great to see information regarding nutrition and how much sugar in the foods we eat. I followed this program step by step and literally lost 5 lbs since Jan 4th. Thank you so much (: I’ve been also following a free program that’s been helping me achieve my goals, feel free to check it out 😀
    http://wp.me/p8jBMO-1Y

  18. tazkattoo says:

    Did the challenge along with Round 1 of PIIT. I have no idea how much weight I lost (in any), but I did lose ~2 inches each from my waist, hips, and chest. =) I also finally managed to break my bad habit of munching on cheese, so far the only dairy I have brought back in Greek yogurt and milk for my morning coffee (almond milk/coconut milk does not work as well in coffee IMHO). Crossing my fingers when I bring back some of the whole grains next week I get no reaction. If I do then I have to get the full Celiac panel/screening done (2 immediate family members have the disease).

    1. CutTheLoop says:

      Have you ever tried rice milk? I use it in my coffee and find that it gives it a nice and creamy taste.
      Good luck with the grains

      1. tazkattoo says:

        I haven’t tried rice milk. I will give it a shot to see how it handles coffee.

  19. Julie Stroobants says:

    This challenge really changed my way of cooking and eating. I have to be honest, I not fully stick to the rules of the 28resetchallenge. I ate french fries one time and I just can’t live without dark chocolate. BUT I did the full beginnersplan (I even did some video’s on the rest-day). My body has changed in ways that I thought was not even possible.. My booty is sooo sexy and my skin feels like a babybutt.
    About my way of cooking and eating: On sundays I made a weekplan with all my social and working activities (sometimes I had to stay at work for a meeting and then they offer food and I am not the type of person to decline food ‘because I am on the healthy track’) and so I checked when it was possible for me to control my food. I made a lot of Quinoa-salads and soup for lunch and when I came home, I made the most delicious and healthy food for me and my boyfriend!

    So basically my conclusion is that I lived this month like rules you describe in this blogpost! I didn’t do the resetchallenge to the fullest, but I learned how to control my health and my eatinghabits.
    For me personally, I learned (and I would never thought I would say this EVER) that I can live WITHOUT French fries (and living in Belgium the country of the french fries, that’s a miracle :D) and pasta. But on the other hand, chocolate I need.. I need to have a little piece of chocolate each day (in my granola, a little piece after lunch, a peanutchocolatebar during a movie).

    Thanks Cassey for the challenge! You really bring out the best in people!
    Keep up the good work and I am looking forward to the February-calender
    <3

    1. I can’t live without nuts but I survived an entire january without! And now I’m thinking, maybe I CAN live without ’em!

  20. André says:

    OMG, that’s my photo! I’m flattered but also a little shocked 😀 it’s so public 😀
    Thanks for the cool community =) I was/am in contact with nice people during the 28 days (so far).

  21. Chelsea Crawford says:

    I seriously ROCKED this challenge. I lost about 7lbs from Jan 1st and I feel so much better. I’m so excited to take this challenge to the next level for the coming months. Not to mention my boyfriend is loving my new body! Thanks Cassey! ?

    1. erin says:

      WOW!!! So cool!

    2. blogilates says:

      THAT IS AMAZING!!!! SO PROUD OF YOU!!!!

  22. Sheila says:

    Thank you for this!! After completing the challenge I don’t miss dairy or gluten. I already cut out a lot of dairy before the challenge and I can say that I will survive without it. I think the only time I’ll have gluten is on special occasions or if I’m traveling, because I’ve definitely noticed a difference and feel so much better without it!

    http://www.insearchofsheila.com

    1. blogilates says:

      I am so happy you feel this way!

    2. I cut dairy as well! Dairy is SO hard–I used to be such a cheese addict I’d eat it straight up as a meal.

  23. Abbey says:

    I have a question. I did the reset but I only got to day 21 because the fiber was starting to mess with my stomach. I tried putting some food back into my diet. The dairy didn’t cause me any issues but the gluten did. Before the reset i never had this many issues with gluten and I was wondering if I truly do have an intolerance to it or if its just because I haven’t had it in almost a month. By doing this reset did I make myself intolerant to Gluten?
    Please help I’m very confused.

    1. Deanne Estelle says:

      I’m guessing you had the sensitivity before, but your body didn’t notice it as much because it was “normal.” Doing the reset didn’t cause the intolerance, but by cutting gluten for a month, your body got unused to dealing with the effects, and now it recognizes the sensitivity more. Don’t hang me on it, but I’m guessing that’s what’s going on

      1. Erin Woodbury says:

        YEP! This is exactly right.

    2. blogilates says:

      This most likely means you have a sensitivity to gluten.

    3. Erin says:

      You definitely don’t become gluten sensitive by taking it out for a short time. Your body was so used to it, and all side-effects, that it was your normal. Maybe you had no side-effects, but your body adapted, or you might have had some minor ones but never noticed. That’s the whole point of an omission challenge. You’d never discover it otherwise:)

    4. tazkattoo says:

      To confirm it is the gluten I would strongly suggest that you talk to your doctor; confirmed diagnosis by a professional trumps self diagnosis. There is now a blood test to help diagnose celiac disease (note you must be eating gluten at the time for any diagnostic test to be effective). It is very important to understand if it is an intolerance or if it is the full auto-immune disease (celiac). The latter means that you likely have not been absorbing nutrients from your food; it also means that any immediate family has a 1 in 10 chance of having celiac and should be screened as well.

    5. Abbey says:

      Thank you! I will definitely talk to my doctor about it!