Cut the Crap Challenge

March 26, 2010 | Filed in: Uncategorized

So here’s my big news!! I alluded to it last night – and promised to tell you about it today!

Over the past 4 months, I’ve found myself becoming a little bit lazy about food, and ~~making ridiculous excuses~~ saying things like:

“It’s vacation – it’s okay to splurge”
“Well, this weekend is ‘X Event’ – I shouldn’t try to change any habits now since the weekend will be crazy”
“It’s winter” (Not even joking – that’s been an excuse)

So I’ve decided to challenge myself for the next 20 days to really clean my act up.

Why? 90% of it has to do with the way I FEEL right now (gross, slow, lethargic, unhealthy), and 10% has to do with the way I LOOK right now (clothes are tight, and I feel a twinge of unhappiness when I see a picture of myself).

Before I go into the guidelines – I did want to give some props to Heather and Rose, because many of the rules I have below were tweaked from their Clean Life Challenge that I participated in, in May 2009. Thanks for the inspiration ladies!

Challenge Goal: CUT THE CRAP!

Caffeine

Drink no more than 12 ounces of coffee/day. I think this will be hardest on the weekends, where I bet if I measured – I probably have about 30 oz of coffee each day!

Dairy

No cheese WHATSOEVER. None. Zero.

Keep yogurt, eggs, and other dairy to a minimum, and if using milk – stick with almond milk.

Processed Foods/Fast Food/Eating Out

In a given week – If I haven’t gone grocery shopping, I tend to rely heavily on processed foods. My goal over the next 20 days is to STAY away from any ingredients I can’t pronounce, and try to eat lots of fresh produce and natural ingredients.

Sweeteners

No artificial sweetener since doing the Clean Life challenge, I don’t think this one will be too much of a challenge, if anything – it will apply more to packaged ingredients. .

No white sugar.

Bread

No white flour

Try to get whole wheat bread and other whole grains – really check the ingredient list!

Why I’m Doing this Challenge

I want to feel better, I’ve been feeling very gross (both inside and out) these past few months.
I want to stop my cheese addiction. Dairy does a number on my system, but I still eat cheese like it’s going out of style because I love the taste.
I want to be in the best shape possibly as I go into the final weeks of my marathon training.
I want to stop letting “having one glass of wine” turn in to 4 glasses.

The challenge will run TODAY through April 14th!

If you’d care to join me in the challenge – you are more than welcome, just let me know so I can link to you!! Here goes nothing!

PS – Those of you who guess I was going vegan – GOOD GUESS! I actually do have a Vegan Challenge idea, but I’m waiting to do that until after my marathon in May!

50 Comments so far
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Good for you girl. I cut out cheese when I was dieting for fitness show once and seriously saw results so fast. I don’t know if it was from the cheese exactly, but I loved it so much that I ate a TON of it. Good luck!!!

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Good luck Allison! I think I am all challenged out with Meatless March, but I am looking forward to reading your updates!

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I totally want to try this with you! I definitely need to cut back on the cheese and processed foods that I’ve come to rely on.

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you can do it! I’m doing something similar in March (trying to have better snacks, more veggies than fruits, and local foods), but I”m always up for new challenges!

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That sounds like such a good idea (for the short term at least!). I was going to jump on board, but I thought about a month without diet coke and it was like my heart was empty! I will totally do the vegan challenge with you later though

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this looks like a great plan~ looking forward to your success!!

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This sounds like a really great plan…and you know it will help you with marathon training by giving your body the fuel it needs to run properly!!! I can’t wait to follow along. I’ve been doing a kind of modified version of this plan, so I’m with you!
Courtney
adventures in tri-ing

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I’m having a hard time getting re-motivated so I’m super excited to see this! I will be participating!!!

BTW, I’ve followed your blog for a while – this may be the first time commenting though. I’ve thought about setting up a blog also. The only one I have (linked) is from when my dog had cancer and had his leg amputated.

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This sounds like a great plan! You’re going to feel great! Do you think you’ll substitute another, more natural sweetener for the white sugar? I’m trying to reduce my intake of white sugar, but it isn’t easy!!!

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Good luck! Why are you cutting out dairy though?

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Umm, ignore my last comment. I obviously did not read your entire post. Lol.

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oh yay! i decided to do something similar starting today so i’ll join for sure! i booked a flight this morning and am off to florida in 17 days so i want to get rid of my “winter weight” before then. best of luck to you lady!

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Good luck, sister! Your body will thank you for all the natural, “real” foods!

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your challenges are stupid. but i will attempt to join you anyways. however im not cutting out diet coke. dont even think about making me do it.

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I’ve totally been using “it’s winter” as an excuse too.. I don’t even know how to rationalize it out loud but it worked in my head. These past two weeks I’ve been eating out a ton and buying pre-made food, so I think I may jump on board with your challenge, except for the yogurt and eggs part. I’ll review the details again later when I’m not at work!

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Sounds great, Al…Good Luck darling!!! Have a fabulous weekend…I wish it was last Friday and we were all together!!

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Great challenge! I’m actually doing something very similar to this right now, while my goals are different, my reasons are the same. I feel SOO much better when I eat right (dairy doesn’t suit me either!) and my clothes are feeling the winter time splurges too

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I want to join! Well, this sounds like a lot of how I live my life anyway, but I love recommitting

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I am totally IN! I have a half mary on the 11th and a vacation on the 15th that I need to feel great for. I too have been saying “I won’t drink or eat crap”, and suddenly I’m at happy hour 3/5 days dipping into the bread basket and picking up pizza on the way home. MUST STOP! I even smoked a cigg?!?!?! Who is this person?? Thanks for starting the challenge–I don’t have a blog to link to. How could I blog when i spend so much time reading them?

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[...] my favorite Cleveland foodie blogger’s blog this morning I read about a 20 day Cut the Crap Challenge which begins today! What perfect timing [...]

I’m gonna give this a try! I’m new to this whole blogging thing, and love it! Just wanted to let you know that your Blog is Amazing, and a total highlight of my day! Good luck with the challenge!

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Good luck girl!! Sounds like a great (but tough) challenge! I can imagine you will feel so much better cutting out all the crap!! Looking forward to seeing your progress and how it makes you feel!

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Oooh can I join you?? I do so much better when I check in with a “friend”. I tried in March to cut out some crap, but haven’t done that well. So, as a fellow Cleveland blogging buddy, count me in for the next 20 days!

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Hi! Perfect timing.. just found your blog today and after going to an event last night and drinking really bad wine and eating really gross food I am joining in!
I have been using a lot of the same excuses you have. I want to lose 10lbs by june 4th. Hopefully this 20 day challenge will kick start that!
thank you.
please check out my new site and let me know what you think… i am new to the blogging world!
http://www.integrativehappiness.com
tiffany

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[...] – I left out the biggest part of the Cut the Crap Challenge (It was in there at one point, but I spent about 20 minutes fighting with the bullet points in this [...]

I’m in! the biggest thing for me is sweetners and processed foods. I’ve cut down a lot but could do more.

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good luck Allison! I wish i could do this with you, but putting my sweet tooth in time out would just backfire, lol

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I might try a variation on your plan – I seriously need to cut back on artificial sweeteners. I drink a ton of coffee too – ever since I got a coffee grinder, it’s been pretty ridiculous LOL! Good luck lady!

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I was vegan for 30 days in January-it was really hard towards the end-fun in the beginning, but its a lot of work and planning! So, I won’t be joining you-but I will be cutting down on my wine consumption. One glass at night has been turning into 3 or 4! Then I get all snacky-I really don’t need the extra calories! I am on my last 5 pounds to lose-& I really want them gone by May! GOOD LUCK!

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Love this. Totally want to join. First excuse thought? This is my hardest month of school ever. True, but excuses are still just that. I will consider jumping on board with this! I never felt as good as I did during the Cleaner Life Month.

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[...] 1 of the Cut the Crap Challenge down! So far so good! And look at all these lovely people who said they’d do the [...]

Good luck! Can’t wait to see how it goes.

[Reply]

[...] never tried these Giant Beans but I thought the sounded really good, and the ingredients were Cut the Crap Challenge [...]

[...] thing I’ve noticed with the Cut the Crap Challenge already – I’m getting back into the swing of eating oatmeal every morning – AND THAT – is a [...]

You go girl!! Don’t be TOO hard on yourself – you can still run 18 miles right now, so you can’t be too out of shape.

Love ya girl!

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I just discovered your blog from Beth’s at Dining and Dishing, and had to comment bc I want in on this challenge! Winter has kicked my butt into lethargy and I’m ready to get back to normal.:)

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[...] Cut the Crap challenge with dear ol’ Beth. Apparently it actually stems from another lovely blogger, so hey- more the merrier. I’m also lovingly referring to this in my own life as the BUCK UP [...]

[...] know what I’ve been noticing? The better I eat (thanks to Cutting the Crap), the more excited I am to blog about it! The crappier I eat & drink – I almost dread [...]

[...] I went out with friends to celebrate Kristin’s birthday. Thanks to the Cut the Crap Challenge – I had to sit and watch all of my friends enjoy an adult beverages, on this AMAZINGLY beautiful [...]

[...] was fantastic! (and I totally just “assumed” Cut the Crap Challenge [...]

[...] right. Some chips (surprisingly CTC approved!), some pickles, [...]

[...] breakfast (and I apparently didn’t take a picture of it). I had an Arnold Thin with PB and non-CTC approved sugar free jelly – let’s just call that [...]

[...] is definitely one of the nice things about the CTC challenge. I can eat a LOT of peanut butter and not feel guilty about the calorie [...]

[...] pictures of a glass of Sangria, that wasn’t even mine??? Can you tell I wanted to throw the CTC rules right out the [...]

[...] as well from the happy hours. WHO AM I??? I also told Allison at Green Dog Wine I would do the CUT THE CRAP CHALLENGE, and I was a major fail. So that, starts today through the rest of April and I am publishing this [...]

[...] right down to it, so I’m going to break out each component, and give you my thoughts on them! (Click here for a full description of the [...]

[...] know I was all over that cheese now that the CTC challenge is [...]

[...] also picked up these Veggie Slices, which happen to be on sale. Even though the CTC challenge is over – I’m trying to eat less cheese, so I thought – let’s try it [...]

[...] I had read about Kimi’s “17-day Diet” challenge recently and that intrigued me. Green Dog Wine also did that challenge, and has done others that sounded more up my alley like the “Cut the Crap [...]

[...] the crap challenge Allison over at Green Dog Wine announced her Cut The Crap Challenge yesterday. Her plan consists [...]

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Hiya!

I'm Allison, and welcome to Green Dog Wine! My love of food (AND WINE!) took the freshman 15, to the college 50 for me. This blog is about my weight loss maintenance & healthy lifestyle, and my love of food, wine, and dogs! Cheers!

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E-mail me at:
greendogwine@hotmail.com

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Challenge Goal: CUT THE CRAP!

Caffeine

Dairy

Processed Foods/Fast Food/Eating Out

Sweeteners

Bread

Why I’m Doing this Challenge

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