It was a long 10 days, not so much because of the foods or because I was hungry, more because of the planning I had to do. Being responsible for only myself (and a dog who has had to have chicken noodle soup for dinner once or twice) allows me not to plan my meals out by the day, week or month. A detox diet does not have this flexibility. It requires planning ahead, early meal preparation and discipline to stick with the plan. I’m not great at any of those things. So this whole idea was good for me on many levels.
I signed up for this because of my sister’s influence. She and her husband did the same plan about 4-weeks earlier and loved it. My sis raved about it…so much so she said that by day 5 she “Felt light radiating from her body.” Based on that glowing recommendation combined with a general desire to be healthier and my trainer always saying a cleanse is necessary, I was all in.
And, to be perfectly honest, I did take a pause. After six and a half days, I felt good…not fantastic, but good. But I was frustrated with the rigid planning, strict diet, lack of exception for otherwise healthy people and I felt less than satisfied. I wanted to bite into something in which I could sink my teeth. So I took a pause and had wine and a meal not on the plan that included gluten and a piece of cheese. And, it was totally worth it. I felt rejuvenated and ready to tackle the last 4 days.
Overall, the food was delicious and plentiful. There were some items that I didn't care for (like raw onions) and I knew that going in, so I omitted or made substitutions. On the whole, most everything was very very good. The recipes were easy to follow, used common ingredients, made plenty to have leftovers and warmed up nicely when served leftover. Because we had to shop ahead, the refrigerator was packed! And, I mean packed. There were greens and fruits coming out of every space. That was pretty cool. The recipes did take some time to prepare but not an overly long time. I didn't make any of the juices because I don't have a juicer and juices in the blender are not quite the same. You could eat extra snacks if you got hungry, but truly I wasn't hungry. Fruits, veggies and beans fill you up!
As far as the actual cleansing of the colon…gross I know, I think it went well. I didn’t have any extreme bathroom instances but there were more instances than usual, which I suppose is a main goal of a cleanse. I did not have any bad experiences; no bloating or cramping or rushing to the la toilette. Phew! So I considered that a success and I wish not to speak about that anymore.
In the end, I do not feel the same light my sister did…it is not radiating from my body. But I do feel lighter, healthier, cleaner, fresher and I have more energy. I have a pep in my step. Maybe that is my version of the desired radiating light. I’m not sure if I lost weight because I never weigh myself but I definitely feel lighter. Other than wanting to sink my teeth into something, I didn’t have mad cravings for anything I couldn’t have. I never felt hungry but there were times I felt less than satisfied. I was less than satisfied but not in a way where I wanted to eat everything in sight; it was less than satisfied in a way where I wanted to bite into something kind of way. It was an odd feeling, but it passed, particularly after my non-detoxing meal.
I would recommend a detox of some kind to anyone who eats less than clean food, which is basically everyone. More specifically, I mean if you eat cheese, red meat, fried anything, candy, white bread or carby snacks, cake, cookies, pies, muffins, pancakes or anything else filled with gluten, mayo and/or if you drink soda (diet too), sugary juices and/or caffeine. Simply taking a break from processed foods and eating all natural, clean foods feels good. It really puts nutrition into perspective and teaches you to watch what you put into the one and only body you will ever have, unless you believe in reincarnation, in which case you might get another body...but you’d probably want to take care of that one too…anyway I digress.
Without sounding all hippy-chick, buzz-kill or granola, food can be evil. It can poison you slowly, make you fat, break out and age your skin, clog your arteries, keep you from sleeping and cause you to be sluggish. None of those things are attractive. At the same time food is delicious. I love it! I love cheese, sweets and wine. I love a good steak dinner and I love the Mexican Café. I love cooking and I love the social fun that goes with food…shopping, preparing, gathering, eating, talking and loving. So, what I’m really saying is learn to balance, as with everything else in life. Balance is the not so secret, secret.
For anyone interested in doing a cleanse and you want to know about my experience, here goes.
I've discovered the following.
1. I don't hate walnuts or raisins anymore.
2. I like cow's milk more than I thought.
3. I never want to be vegan.
4. You can pretty much add spinach to anything and not change the flavor. Truly. Do it…Mama’s your veggie picky children will never know.
5. You absolutely do lose cravings for white sugar when you eliminate it all together.
6. I still hate raw onions and tomatoes.
7. Caffeine = enemy but coffee and tea are delicious.
8. Unsweetened coconut flakes have to be sent from heaven.
9. Eating as much clean food really did teach me to eat less. You don’t need to eat until you are a stuffed pig.
10. If you exercise regularly, this diet can be a major adjustment. I felt weaker 5 days in and I was craving animal protein in the form of skim milk.
11. I never need to eat white bread or white pasta again. Whole wheat/grain is better.
12. Avocados can be a healthy substitute for a creamy dressing, can be sprinkled with lime juice, salt and pepper for a yummy and filling snack and added to any rice or pasta dish for a delicious twist.
13. The $350 Vita-mix blender is great. The lesser expensive Ninja did just about the same thing.
14. 1 frozen banana, 1 cup almond milk, 1 tablespoon of raw almond butter, 1 cup packed spinach and a few ice cubes, blended, is detoxing dessert in a cup. So so so good. Try it.
15. My favorite recipe was Lucky Soup. All vegan with collard greens, black-eyed peas, carrots, onions, and spices in vegetable stock. Delicious, very filling and boy taste-tested and approved. Recipe below, if interested.
16. This was a lovely reality-check, kick-start, back to neutral or whatever you want to call it for living healthier, taking more time to take care of my body and work on my planning deficiencies.
I knew these before but by going through this experience, they’ve been reiterated and confirmed.
1. Balance is the key to most things in life. I'm striving for balance, not extremes.
2. Your mind is your own best friend and worst enemy. Resistance is futile without a strong presence of mind.
3. You can do anything you set your mind to. Anything.
4. Wine is amazing, delicious, fantabulous and it's not worth the pain to cut it out.
5. Nothing smells quite as tantalizing as the smell of burgers cooking on a grill. Seriously almost brought tears to my eyes they smelled so good.
6. Even though I don't hate them anymore, adding raisins to cookies and muffins is a terrible idea.
7. Pinterest is my new addiction. It's practically kept me sane by providing recipes for me to look forward to making now that cleansing is done.
8. The ability to recognize the difference between real limitations, not giving up, quitting and realizing what is right for you is critically important.
9. Having a roommate who is an amazing cook without using recipes is a blessing and a curse.
10. It’s good to challenge yourself with new adventures and push yourself out of your comfort zone. The only failure is not trying.
11. I love being on a team. I did this with 2 friends and my sisters. Teamwork, togetherness and working towards a common goal, all awesome!
12. A healthy and balanced life style, great friends and family, good health, standing for something, a little planning, laughter, country music, a challenge, delicious food (cleanse food or not) and wine should make just about anybody happy…me included. J
Best to anyone planning a cleanse or detox. You can absolutely do it. Challenge yourself and do what’s right for your body. If you do, I think you will be happy with your results!
xoxo ~
Elizabeth
Lucky Soup
Serves 2
In the South, it’s believed that eating black-eyed peas + collard greens on New Year’s Day insures good luck for the year ahead. This soup can be eaten all winter long due to its simple and soothing qualities packed with nutrients. This soup also balances out the sweet tooth.
Ingredients:
½ medium onion (I used a sweet onion)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
2 carrots, chopped or cut in rounds (about 2 cups)
1 bunch of collard greens (about 3 leaves), stems removed (chop into bite-size pieces)
3 cups cooked black-eyed peas (2 15 oz. cans, drain, and rinse)
1 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano (or use dried)
3 cups of vegetable stock
1 Tbs. of apple cider vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions: In a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil for 3 minutes. Add carrots and sauté for 2 minutes. Add chopped collard greens into pot along with black-eyed peas and oregano. Add vegetable stock, bring to boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 20-25 minutes. Stir in apple cider vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Remove from heat and serve.
