What to expect in week 1 -

What to expect Week 1
 
Week 1 of your meal plan can bring an array of emotions - from excitement to nervousness, you may have a million things going through your head, questions, feeling of ‘Is this normal?!’ and also determination to stay focused and on track to absolutely smash those exciting goals of yours! To help get your head in the game and hit the ground running tomorrow I have put together a list of FAQs to ease those nerves and have you excited, prepared and ready to tackle this week - because Week 1 can be the most challenging as your body adjusts to your new diet! 
 
A little more meal prep?
If you aren’t used to prepping your meals you might find this to be a bit of a challenge to begin with.. I PROMISE YOU once you form these habits you will save so much time each day when it comes to cooking your food, you will save time because everything will be ready to go, you will save money because you won’t have any wastage and you won’t need to pick up a quick snack when you are out AND, you will stay on track and in the direction of working towards your goals! Hang in there - soon you will be cutting your meal prep time in half!
 
Detox..
I am going to be honest with you - your first week you may experience some detox symptoms.. What I tell all of my clients is that this is completely normal and almost a good thing.. Think of it as your body literally getting rid of all the toxic waste in your body. Sometimes we do need to feel worse before we feel better - once the toxins are gone your body will be running on new, clean energy and functioning how it is supposed to - think weight loss, boundless energy, clear hair/skin/nails and so much more! So what does this detox phase feel like? Some people describe it as ‘flu-like’ symptoms - foggy brain, lack of energy, headache, poor digestion, a few breakouts.. Don’t let this scare you! This is just the first phase and I promise it will only get better from here! Just stick at it, ensure you are drinking lots of water, getting your sleep in, following your meal plan and email me if you do have any concerns. The worse you do feel, the better you will feel on the other side!
 
You may also feel hungrier or like you aren’t losing any weight at all.. Again, this is a part of this initial detox phase and it’s just a response of shock to your body - our bodies don’t like change so they may resist before they start responding how they should be (they can be stubborn buggers!!). 
 
Expensive Food Shop?
This may be the case depending on what you already had in your pantry.. The first food shop may cost a little more as you stock up on ALL of the ingredients.. Protein Powder, vitamins, herbs/ spices, Olive Oil etc, but these items last a while so this won’t be the case every week. 
 
Tips to saving money on your shop?

• Purchase meats from your local butcher. I find this a much more affordable way then the supermarket, they generally have certain cuts on special and you can ask your butcher where the meat comes from so it can be a healthier way too.
• Purchase fruit and veg in season - obviously this comes down to what I have in your meal plan but generally I will choose produce that is in season too. In season fruit and veg not only are fresher, they are cheaper as that’s what is currently growing.
• Buy in bulk; nuts, seeds, oats, grains, legumes.. All of these items will be cheaper if you purchase in bulk.
• Utilise places like Aldi for your shop.. Aldi does have a great range of your staple items that you can pick up for a fraction of the price; oats, chia seeds, nuts, natural peanut butter, frozen berries, eggs, frozen salmon portions.. I have even found Mojo Kombucha there! Don’t be afraid to shop around!

 
Comments and questions from those around you.
Hopefully you have a great support system around you but sometimes you may find people question why you are ‘on a diet’. Don’t feel you owe anyone an answer and just remember why you started the 8WT in the first place The best thing you can do for yourself is to invest in your health and the reason you have taken this step isn’t to explain your intentions to anyone else, it’s to feel and look your absolute best FOR YOU. 
 
The best way to approach this is to be positive and excited about this new approach to eating that you have taken on - educate and explain to others how great you are feeling and you never know, they might learn a thing or two from you about implementing a healthy lifestyle too!
 
To conclude
The first week will be the hardest. Please hang in there, trust us and share any difficulties or challenges that come your way. This is a lifestyle change and I promise you any detox symptoms or comments from others will be so worth it when you have reached those goals, developed long-term healthy habits and are feeling and looking your absolute best!

​Ruby xx