We’re two thirds of the way. Well done!

I hope that by this point, your body begins to signal to you all the positive things that happen as a result of your actions.

Maybe your sleep improved. Maybe your energy during the day has gone up. Maybe your skin is more radiant.  Could it be your mind is more relaxed and focused?

How’s the desire for sweet food?

At this point, even though your body has a lot more repair to do, many participants already report that sweet craving has decreased a bit. And the craving for more sugar and more carbohydrates has moderated a bit.

But this does not happen to everyone. And does not happen absolutely.

Much of the repair, your body won’t even tell you. The repair you activated within your body is preserving your health right now, regardless of how you feel (but you may measure with tests!).

Breaking Moments

However improvement you might experience, breaking moments happen… and will happen.

Because sugar, unlike cigarette smoking, will always be around you.
Everyone around you eats it. Everyone around you offers some of that to you.

And you remember very well that just until recently, you ate those foods and drank those drinks. And no real disaster happened to your body. So a breaking point will arrive.

It’s normal.

Believe it or not, even I have moments of breaking but I prefer to see them as a slight stumble. And to get back to focus. That’s the most important thing and the “secret”.

What to Do

So what do you do when this moment comes and threatens to defeat you?

The first thing is to refocus on the rules.

It’s like driving a car. The natural tendency is for the car to stray, and you only need a nudge on the wheel to refocus on the road. Instead of refocusing the wheel on the road, now you refocus your mind on the rules.

And you know? We’re so stuck on what we can’t eat that we forget what we CAN eat. The freedom you have right now, in this challenge.

Certain fats and carbs – that most people limit because of calories and wouldn’t imagine pleasing themselves with- you can eat freely!
So when you focus on the rules, focus too on what you can eat freely.

A Fresh Angle for the Last Week

I remember watching “The Last Dance” about Michael Jordan’s career. Here’s a guy who is the most motivated ever, yet every week he needed to find a new spark of motivation. (From there came the “I took it personal” meme).

But if it wasn’t for “The Last Dance” documentary, you’d think that Michal was “naturally motivated”. Wouldn’t you?

A drop in motivation is part of the human challenges. If it happened to Michael Jordan or Elon Musk, it happens to everyone.

And it’s finding another fresh angle to spark motivation that makes another motivated week for you.

An angle that would put you with the right mindset for last seven days. Would could excite you? Here’s an idea.

The Process

Here’s a fresh angle I suggest for this week.  Remember you are in a process. Sure, the challenge is just 21 days. But many participants want to use this challenge as a tool to build a healthier lifestyle afterward. Don’t you want that?

The challenge is a tool to know yourself in the process. What’s difficult for you?

Which automatic thoughts come through your mind?

And when?

Is there a remark someone thrown at you that maybe broke you down a little?

Which “hot button” have they touched in you with this remark?

The whole challenge is a learning experience that will help you design YOUR ideal healthy lifestyle.

You also benefited because you experienced, learned, and take from the challenge what suits you for your path.

You Will Be Free

Remember that soon, when the challenge is over, the sweetness can return to your life. Gently and slowly, but it will return to places you set in advance. By conscious choice, and not an addiction.

Preventing Breaking Points

Still, even with a fresh positive perspective, breaking points will arrive.

And what can you do to prevent the next breaking point?

1. Let your mind speak and don’t resist the thoughts

We reach a breaking point after we believe the thoughts of the mind. Observe your thoughts: “maybe I should quit now?” “This is too difficult”.

Don’t resist these thoughts. It’s resistance that gives them power. These thoughts are 100% normal and happen to everyone, including me.

Don’t argue with these thoughts. Just be mindful of the thought, recognize it.

Listen to your breath, and let it pass. Then refocus on the challenge rules.

2. Make sure you always have something to snack when you need it.

Don’t assume you won’t have urges. The options you’ll have when the urge comes up may be unhealthy. So prepare healthy options before the urge comes.

…Your favorite nuts.

…The daily serving of approved fruit.

…Coconut chips.

Here’s another tool. When the desire arises and fights with your mind, simply plan and fantasize in your mind your next meal. Even if it’s a couple of hours away.

You are about to think that I’m the craziest person on the planet, but planning and imagining a later tasty meal satisfies the craving of the mind more than the actual eating.
Our minds trick us many times, so we can give a favor back. And of course, eat your planned meal!

Unless you want to cheat your mind all the way 🙂

You can use the recipes section or any combo of the food list to make your tempting dish.

Which leads to the next one…

3. Eat tempting dishes

Here are a few ideas:
• Have you checked the all substitutions in the shopping list?

• Have you tried to create a beautiful and tasty sandwich with a 10-minute tahini bread or almond bread?

• Have you tried hazelnut butter spreader over a healthy bread with cinnamon?

• If you’re bored with nuts, have you tried the same with salt and roasted?

• If you feel deprived, there’s a taste that you probably miss. Can you check if it’s already in the substitutions list? (or in the recipes?).

• Which one sauce that always improves your meal, and you stopped eating it during the challenge…could you buy commercial healthy versions?

• And what about taking a minute to design your dishes beautifully:
a piece of cheese, chopped vegetables, walnuts, next to a glass of red wine?

Tempting dishes sometimes require planning or activity. But they will help to prevent the breaking point.

4. Drink More Decaf Coffee or Tea for Pleasure

When craving something with taste or during work… or when you need a distraction..,
You can drink as many decaf drinks: decaf coffee, decaf black tea, and all other teas. These can give you satisfaction during the day.

They contain zero sugar and taste good.

5. Do a Non-Eating Activity

Get out of the kitchen and go do something more interesting than opening the fridge.

Have an energy slump? Try your favorite playlist of music. Or even a quick nap. Either will raise your energy and improve your mood.

Of course, if what bothers you is a true hunger, plan and eat a nourishing meal. A meal where you stop everything and take pleasure at every bite and moment.

Forgive Yourself

The biggest hammer hits ourselves is our inability to forgive ourselves and let go.

If you still break or had a breaking moment before, welcome to the human family. It happens to all of us. 

It’s normal, and it’s human.

And it doesn’t matter. 

What matters is the path and your ability to focus again.

What matter is your initial decision to take care of your body. That doesn’t change and will not change as long as you stick to long-term path.

As long as you re-focus and stop hammering yourself.

The education you acquired in this challenge can stay with you for the rest of your life. This doesn’t change either.

All the above is what truly matters. And not one donut will take that away from you.

Admittedly, multiple stumbles will completely disrupt the path.

But that is repairable with the correct actions.

Now stand back on your feet, dust off your knees, and get back to the five rules.

Let’s Refocus on the Rules

The rules are here to help you refocus every time you stray, even in your mind.

The five rules are:

1. We avoid sugar in all its forms and grains in all their forms. However, we can eat up to 1 slice of bread a day.

2. ​​When waking up, we drink 2-3 glasses of clean water. We continue with clean water drinks, including tea & coffee with clean water, throughout the day.

3. ​​We take supplements ​3 ​times a day as directed. We stick to the brands, doses, and timing for the supplements to help your body repair damage.

4. ​​We stick to a simple food list. The list includes foods we can eat freely in the challenge and ​​eat with restriction. We avoid foods that are ​”​out of the challenge​” list​​​​​.

5. ​When hungry, we eat freely repair fats and repair carbs from the “eat freely” list. We can eat up to three portions of repair protein a day.

You’re strong. You can do it.  I believe in you.