Juice FEAST!

A friend of mine challenged me to a 3-day juice cleanse, and I took her up on the offer! I figured it would be a great way to reset my system and cleanse my palate, as well as calm down some recent digestive issues. I've done the 3-week Clean Program in the past, and while this is much shorter, it involved drinking only fresh pressed vegetable and fruit juices. There are a few juice delivery services that ship via FedEx, but after hearing about the "juice lady" on the JohnJay and Rich morning radio show, I knew I needed to get in touch with Malynda Twitchell.

Malynda lives in the Phoenix area and juices all organic, raw produce in her super juicer every afternoon. She delivers these juice blends in glass mason jars tucked away in big white boxes. For people who choose to do only juice and no solid food, Malynda provides 4 4-quart jars - that's a gallon of juice daily! She offers different options for people who want to juice until dinner as well. For those of you who are wondering, Malynda charges $100 per day including delivery. This is pretty comparable to the Fed-ex delivered juice cleanses I found online, but I like working with Malynda because it's more fresh and local. When you think of the time and effort required to create a gallon of fresh juice per day from only organic produce, paying a pro is worth it. Malynda's working on a branding her juice under the name Akeso (meaning "healing goddess"); in the interim, contact her at veganperfection@gmail.com.

I believe that intermittent raw vegetable juicing can be a great way to give the digestive tract and vital organs a "break" while infusing the body with critical nutrients. While drinking only raw veggie juices long term does not provide enough protein/fat and certain nutrients, it can have wonderful therapeutic effects in the short-term. In fact, many practitioners have seen some remarkable results with juicing. However, I still believe that most people need some animal protein and fat in their diets, based on the research I have done and the experience of clients I have treated. If you want more information about the importance of animal proteins and fats, check out this great article by Dr. Ben Kim and this by Chet Day on Kim's website.

Juicing can also be a great way to add nutrients to your diet every day, even if you are eating a normal diet. You can purchase a juicer to juice at home, or you can buy juices through places like Whole Foods or other specialty stores. Make sure that if you make your own juice or choose your own flavor combination that you want your juice to be predominantly green veggie-based. You can add sweeter veggies and fruits such as beet, carrot, apple, or pear for flavor, but you will achieve maximum benefits when your juices are made up of mostly greens. If you have any questions about this, please contact me directly at megan@findyourtransition.com.

Caveat: if you have disordered eating or are a chronic dieter, I would not recommend this program. Those who regularly restrict certain foods or food groups for the purpose of weight loss may find that this type of regimen leads to food obsession, and potentially binging.

Below I have described my personal experience with this 3-day juice "feast."

Day 1

I woke up at 5:30 am to take my dogs on a walk. I was hungry when I awoke, so instead of grabbing a few teaspoons of almond butter or half a banana, I drank 16 oz of purified water with squeezed lemon.

Malynda dropped off the juice around 8:15 am to my office. The colors were beautiful! Juice flavors included 2 quarts of cucumber, celery, parsley and apple; 1 quart of carrot, beet and parsley; and 1 quart of jicama, carrot, apple and celery.


At first, I was pretty hungry, and while the juice tasted good, it didn't settle all that well. I didn't find myself craving it, and it made me feel cold. As the day went on, I was somewhat tired and lightheaded, but I continued to drink the juice and lots of water and ginger tea. My digestion was dramatically improved by lunch time. Surprisingly, I even had the energy to take a Karve class and go through Karve teacher training afterwards! I didn't enjoy the orange flavor because it was actually too sweet for me, but the beet juice and the green juice were delicious.

The most bothersome part of day 1 was having to use the bathroom every 45 minutes to pee! I was diuresing a lot of water. In fact, I shed over 4 pounds of water weight the first day. This is not why I did this cleanse, but it was interesting to see how much water my body was storing.

Nice Yogi Tea message of the day:


Day 2

I woke up pretty hungry and drank another big glass of pure water with lemon before my AM walk. Malynda dropped off two days' worth of juice, and since I didn't like the jicama carrot concoction, she actually swapped out a green juice for one of radio host Johnjay's jars.

Today was much easier; the juice seemed a lot more satisfying. I had 3 Vital Juice flavors (celery, cucumber, zucchini, apple, spinach) and 1 Satin Skin (carrot, apple, ginger). The Satin Skin was by far my favorite - the combo of carrot and apple sweetness with the bite of ginger was amazing!

I also had 2 Kombuchas (Trilogy flavor) and 1 raw coconut water, plus plenty of ginger tea and pure water. I did experience some GI discomfort in the afternoon, but that seemed to pass within an hour. I went to see my amazing acupuncturist Joshuah for an extremely relaxing session. He placed needles in "detox points"; they were certainly sensitive!

Day 3

My last day started out with a considerable amount of hunger on my morning walk. I realized that I should have listened more to my body and replenish some electrolytes (while improving my blood sugar) with some coconut water pre-walk; here's to knowing that for the future!

By the way, I have this in my office (thanks HN) and feel that it's a wonderful daily reminder of being proactive and making changes.
Because we switched out some of the sweeter juices with JohnJay, I had 3 Vital Juices and 1 Liver Mover today. I saved the liver mover for the afternoon, right before my Karve class and subsequent teacher training, for a little boost of energy. I was surprised at how much I loved each juice and how refreshing and good it tasted. I was craving it! I also felt very light - not bogged down by digesting something difficult.

Here's the Vital Juice:


And the Liver Mover:


I also had 2 kombuchas and 1 raw coconut water, plus tons of herbal tea and pure water. I found that the kombucha and coconut water really helped level out my blood sugar. All in all, I felt great today. I was actually very OK with drinking the juice, and although I was hungry at the beginning of the day, my hunger stabilized later on and I felt relatively satisfied.




Post Juice Feast

My friends and coworkers thought I would go crazy the first day after the cleanse and hit the cupcake store or burger stand big-time. However, I really wanted to ease my way back into eating the whole foods again and not let the last 3 days go to waste; after all, it was challenging and expensive! Thus, I loosely followed the principles outlined by Dr. Kim, although I did have a few beans with lunch and raw soaked cashews in the afternoon. Basically, the idea is that coming out of a juice fast you want to eat predominantly organic veggies and fruits, as well as some avocado, and continue to avoid animal products, alcohol, caffeine, sugars, soy, etc. Here's what I chose:

Breakfast -

1/2 avocado mixed with freshly squeezed lemon and lime juice (~ 1 T each) on top of microgreens and 1/2 Asian pear. (My intent was to have the whole pear, but I was satisfied after 1/2 half.)





It might not seem like it, but this was a very satisfying first meal post-cleanse! Normally I'd eat a bit of protein with breakfast, but for now this definitely hit the spot.

Ginger tea of the day; pretty apropos, no?


Snack -

I was hungry about 3 hours later and had the remaining half of my Asian pear topped with cinnamon. It literally tasted like candy.


Lunch -

Lunch was fun. The options were limitless at my local Whole Foods! I stopped by the juice bar to get what looks not so great but tasted delicious! Celery, cucumber, carrots, kale and ginger:


I chose a vegetarian squash soup and a big veggie salad with about 1/4 cup of kidney beans, topped with 1/3 avocado and some Bragg's olive oil based dressing:


The flavors were amazing! It's like my taste buds were going nuts. I've noticed after the 3 cleanses that I have done that they really change my taste preferences.

The soup was nice and warm, but with just a cup of it and 12 ounces of juice I definitely could not finish the salad:


This was my afternoon snack. I was looking forward to it for a few days; I had missed my Kale Krunch! (Stay tuned...next week I'll show you how to make your own at home!)



Dinner -

Leftovers! I had the rest of my veggie salad atop microgreens with additional avocado sliced on top and a dollop of olive oil-based hummus. It was so good, and I only could finish half of it.


Looks yummy, no?


What I learned:

1. Sometimes I just need more water when that stomach rumbling hits. The body often sends thirst signals as hunger. (I knew this, but I didn't apply it to myself apparently.)

2. I actually love juice now! I was somewhat averse to it before doing this cleanse, but now I adore it! I can't wait to make my own at home.

3. My favorite juice addition - by far - is ginger. I don't think I ever considered using it before, but it's delicious! Plus, it adds so many wonderful healing properties to the juice, and it's great for digestion.

4. I need to add even more veggies into my day. I already eat a lot of them, but this experience made me realize that I can be doing even better. It just made me feel so good and was tolerated so well on my system.

5. I actually like coconut water! Well, the raw kind at least... I used to think that coconut water tasted like feet, but for some reason it sat well with me during this experience.

A few things you should know:

1. This is not easy - at least at first. A lot of people can't handle the decreased blood sugar, cravings, and detox symptoms. There are certainly other ways to clean up your diet and rest your digestive system. Just get in touch with yours truly.

2. Your digestion - and bathroom habits - will change, but it's very individual. I would not do this if I had to be stuck in a room for hours on end, because I think I peed about every 45 minutes. If you want to know more about other habits, just ask; people have been surprisingly curious, I just don't want to post it for the world to see.

3. As I have said above, I would not recommend this to someone who is doing it primarily for weight loss or as a diet. That's not what it's for. Yes, you will likely lose weight, but again, a lot of it is water weight. Plus, if you have a strained food relationship, this could make you focus on food even more.

4. You might have more energy than you thought. I worked out all three days, and on days 1 and 3 I worked out for 2 hours. Now, these were not extremely cardio heavy workouts; nevertheless, I was surprised I could do it with relative ease. The only thing that changed was that I couldn't do many full push-ups in Karve.

5. If you are interested in more information, let me know. I always like to hear when people try something new that benefits their health and has the potential to change their habits going forward. Feel free to leave comments below!

Good luck!
*M*

Clean Program - Round Two!

I decided to embark on another round of the 3-week Clean Program. As you may recall, I did this last August and had great results. It was a remarkable journey and an incredible self-exploration, and I've decided I want to do it at least once a year. I've been having some digestive and allergy issues lately, and since a friend of mine was interested in doing it as well, I decided to give it another go. Plus, I'm going to be traveling for work, and it's surprisingly easy to do the program while traveling as long as I have a blender.

I'm doing a modified version of the program, as I didn't buy the kit this time and instead am using Sun Warrior protein powder, hemp seed powder as the fiber supplement, and my own anti-fungal and anti-parasitic supplements from Thorne. I am also using HMF Forte probiotics instead of the Clean program probiotics. I'm on Day 8, and so far it has been an interesting journey.

The first time I did the program, I had a chef make my lunches. This time, I decided to make it all on my own the Sunday before each week. While it takes up 2-3 hours of my Sunday afternoon, this prep-style cooking has been great because I don't have to think about food prep at all during the week. I think I'll even do some form of this type of cooking after the program, especially on busy weeks, so I don't have to sacrifice having great homemade meals.

For the first week, I made three meals to have for my lunches. I didn't take photos as I made the recipes because I was a bit worried they wouldn't turn out. Boy, was I wrong! Greg and I have both loved the new recipes, and everything I have made thus far has been a slam dunk.

Here is the chicken and butternut squash millet rissoto:

Dairy-free pesto, brown rice pasta, and chicken:

Three-bean salad:

For far, the program has been easier than time number one. I'm only starting to experience some headaches today, which I attribute to the detox process. I haven't been really hungry or deprived (except for the one time Greg ordered Barro's pizza, which wafted past my nose while I was drinking my cold shake at night). I have been a lot more emotional than last time, and I wonder if this time around has been more of a "quantum," or emotional detox. I'm excited to see what the next two weeks have in store for my system.

Hopefully I'll have good news to report next week!

*M*

Post Clean Program...What's Next?

I was a little nervous to stop the Clean Program because I was feeling so great and liked my routine. I'm definitely comfortable with repetition, and after 21 days I had developed a lot of habits. I wanted to stay at a place where I didn't have wild hunger swings or sugar cravings and continued to ate food slowly and mindfully. I also liked avoiding some of the allergenic food because it has mad me feel so much better, though I do want to start introducing them in one at a time so I know what (if anything) I react to. Here's what happened my first week post-Clean.

(Note: all meat and produce was organic. I took fish oil, probiotics, MSM powder, Dr. Ben Kim's Greens, CoQ10, and Antronex, a natural anti-histamine, daily. Also, I apologize for the minimal photos! I accidentally deleted them from my camera, but there are 2 at the end...)

Day 1 Post Clean - August 30th

Workout - 45 minute walk

Breakfast - shake with protein powder, banana(!!), almond butter, almond milk, ice; Teeccino with stevia

Snack - pluot

Lunch - cabbage apple slaw (leftover from the Karve seminar in Mesa) with chicken; iced green tea

Snack - cucumbers with avocado; 2 bites of chicken

Dinner - salmon, red quinoa, and sauteed summer vegetables; herbal tea

So far, so great! I felt totally satisfied with my meals and didn't have sweet cravings after dinner. I don't notice a change with adding the banana, so I'm going to have them again. They're my favorite pre-workout snack!

Day 2 Post Clean - August 31st

Pre-workout snack - banana with almond butter

Workout #1 - 1 hour walk

Workout #2 - P90X Core Synergistics

Breakfast - shake with protein powder, chia seeds, nectarine, spinach, cinnamon, sunflower seed butter, almond milk, ice

Lunch - salmon and chicken, red quinoa, sauteed vegetables, salad with goat cheese(!!); green tea

Snack - peach, bite of dark chocolate (didn't taste very good), cucumber with avocado

Dinner - shake with protein powder, chia seeds, frozen raspberries and blueberries, almond butter, almond milk, cinnamon

I was very hungry today, most likely because I bumped up my workout to pre-Clean levels again (2 full hours). Still, I was craving a shake for dinner, which was really surprising. I'm really happy with the way my taste buds and preferences have changed. This would not be possible if I didn't really enjoy and feel satisfied by the foods I'm eating, since I believe in eating for satisfaction. It's amazing how our bodies respond when we give them a break.

Day 3 Post Clean - September 1st

Pre-workout snack - brown rice cake with peanut butter

Workout #1 - 1 hour walk

Workout #2 - P90X Kenpo (40 minutes of it)

Breakfast - shake with protein powder, chia seeds, nectarine, cinnamon, almond butter, almond milk, ice; Teeccino with stevia

Snack - plum

Lunch - salad with goat cheese and Bragg's Healthy Vinaigrette, sauteed vegetables, salmon, red quinoa; green tea

Snack - cucumber with avocado, 1 1/2 brown rice cakes

Dinner - cabbage, avocado, and onion slaw with red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, sea salt, and pepper, tuna, and a few bites of grilled grass-fed beef; bite of raw fudge (almond butter, cocoa powder, honey, vanilla, shredded unsweetened coconut)

I felt great today until the evening, when I was really hungry and really tired. I've also been working a lot (outside of my full-time job, which is brain-consuming on its own). I honestly crashed at 8:30 pm! I think I need to rest a lot more!!

Day 4 Post Clean - September 2nd

Happy 90210 Day! (9/02/10!)

Pre-workout snack - brown rice cake with almond butter

Workout #1 - 1 hour walk

Workout #2 - P90X yoga (75 minutes)

Breakfast - shake with protein powder, chia seeds, banana, peanut butter, almond milk, ice (my favorite combo!); Teeccino with stevia

Snack - cucumber with sea salt

Lunch - cabbage, onion, avocado slaw with grass-fed beef patty; bite of Jess' Lush burger (just the meat); green tea

Snack - coconut Lara bar

Dinner - more cabbage onion, avocado slaw with microgreens, grass-fed beef patty

Snack - apple with cinnamon

Today was a little repetitive because I was trying to use up some food, but it was certainly delicious! My husband also really liked the cabbage, onion, avocado slaw (with olive oil, red wine vinegar, stevia, garlic, sea salt, and pepper dressing), and he commented on how filling it was. The apple with cinnamon "dessert" hit the spot for something when I got a bit hungry later in the evening but didn't want anything heavy.

Day 5 Post Clean - September 3rd

Workout - 1 hour walk/run

Breakfast - shake with protein powder, Thorne Medibulk fiber powder (8 g per scoop), nectarine, sunflower seed butter, almond milk, ice; Teeccino with almond milk and stevia

Snack - sliced cucumber with sea salt

Lunch - Chipotle Friday! Salad with chicken, beans, fajita veggies (nightshades for the first time!!), salsa, guacamole, lettuce; green tea

Snack - coconut Lara bar

Dinner - U of A game watching! 1 blue cheese chip (definitely not palatable!), salmon, steamed veggies, sauteed cabbage, marinara sauce(!!); 1 glass of red wine(!!)

Today was my first foray into alcohol, and I immediately noticed some nasal congestion after my one glass of wine! Otherwise, I can't tell if I'm really sensitive to any of the foods I have been adding. I definitely have no appetite for fried foods or anything really heavy. It has completely lost its appeal.

Day 6 Post Clean - August 4th

Workout #1 - 30 minute walk

Breakfast - smoothie with protein/fiber powders, frozen strawberries(!), sunflower seed butter, almond milk, ice; Teeccino

Workout #2 - Karve class

Lunch - steamed carrots/broccoli/cauliflower, tuna, and cabbage salad with goat cheese and avocado

Snack - brown rice cake with almond butter and a peach

Happy hour/Dinner - 1 glass of red wine, 1 glass of champagne, cherry tomatoes, 2 cubes of cheese; grilled elk, vegetable salad with feta, and a few bites of potatoes

Out at the bar - 1 vodka soda, bite of brownie sundae, solid dark chocolate

2 a.m. late-night snack - 1 apple

We got dessert for the table when we were out, and it definitely did not sit well with me! The chocolate tasted good, but it was really heavy and hurt my stomach. The brownie sundae was really not appealing after one bite. I'm a self-professed choco-holic, so this was a definite surprise. I was starving when we got home at 2 a.m. and had an apple, which satisfied me even though I was surrounded by Taco Bell!

Day 7 Post Clean - September 5th

Brunch - brown rice cake with peanut butter (absolutely starving upon awakening); buckwheat pancakes with banana and almond butter; cantaloupe and watermelon; Teeccino

This was our brunch set up. I cooked for some of our dearest friends :)

Snack - raw vegetables with olive oil and vinegar, goat cheese; cantaloupe and watermelon

Dinner - grilled chicken, coleslaw (made with cabbage, carrots, onions, avocado, goat cheese, olive oil, vinegars, lemon juice, garlic), local grilled corn with butter, sea salt, and pepper; green tea

Snack - cantaloupe and watermelon

Even though I had 3 drinks over the course of 9 hours last night, I felt as if I had 9 drinks over the course of 3 hours! (OK, I didn't feel THAT bad, but I certainly cannot handle much alcohol anymore!) The big difference, however, was that I did not crave greasy hangover foods today and felt normal pretty quickly. I was very hungry when I woke up because of alcohol's effects on blood sugar. Throughout the Clean Program my blood sugar has been kept pretty regulated, so it felt uncomfortable being so hungry.

Well, that's all folks...no more weekly food diaries! I hope you have enjoyed reading about my interesting, difficult journey with the Clean Program and the aftermath. I have learned so much about myself, and my body, preferences, and and feelings toward food have changed dramatically. If you ever have any questions about this experience, please let me know.

*M*

Jess Reflects on her Clean Program Experience

My pretty little sister!

I am writing to you 4 days after my Clean Program experience has ended and all I can say is I am really full! Ha! I have to admit I have not held back with eating my favorite meals and treating myself to what I once thought was my life-saving Starbucks lattes. Unfortunately, my body has not responded in a very positive way with all my post-cleanse indulgences! Some of the foods and drinks I used to really enjoy do not necessarily satisfy me as much anymore, and I have been getting an uncomfortably full feeling if I don't eat a well-rounded, healthy and smaller meal.

I definitely do not crave the shakes for dinner but if I eat something that is heavy or too late before I go to bed, I don't sleep well and I feel really tired the next morning. During the Clean Program I did not feel like I was having life-altering changes (besides weight loss) and overall I was not impressed. However, now that I am able to eat and drink whatever I want I have found out that I am not really interested in making the same decisions as before. My body made subtle changes that I wasn't aware of and it completely changed my taste buds and appetite. I am craving more fruits and vegetables (which I snack on a lot during work), and I am drinking a ton of water throughout the day to stay really hydrated. Also, if my Day 22 happy hour experience taught me anything, drinking a glass of wine during the week is not the best idea because it makes me dehydrated and un-motivated to get up the next morning. As much as I don't like to admit it (especially to Megan), I am extremely happy I went through this experience and I know it will forever change my relationship with food. To anyone struggling with allergies, inflammation, bad skin, weight issues, and lack of sleep, this program is definitely worth trying!

Hammer out, again.

Clean Week 3! Woohoo!

We're on the home stretch, people! Please see the previous posts regarding weeks 1 and 2. Of course, we're still doing the same supplements and choosing all organic meats and fruits/vegetables.

Day 15 - August 23rd

Workout - 45 minute walk

Breakfast - shake with protein/fiber powders, white peach, chia seeds, cashew butter, almond milk, ice

Lunch - quinoa pasta with chicken and summer vegetables (thanks again to Stacey!); green tea

Snack - sliced Persian cucumber with sea salt and raw Dr. Hummus hummus, both from the farmers' market!

Dinner - shake with protein/fiber powders, frozen raspberries, almond milk, sunflower seed butter, chia seeds, ice; herbal tea

Today was rough. I was cranky and ticked off for no apparent reason. I had a dietetic association board meeting in the evening, so I brought my "dinner" and enjoyed it there while everyone ate Wildflower sandwiches. That didn't really bother me, honestly. I was just in a bad mood, but being around friends and having a lively discussion perked me up a lot. I went to bed feeling a little better.

Someone on the Clean Program community responded to a post I had written about heartburn, recommending that I stop one of the supplements (Clear 1, an anti-parasitic). My last pill was at lunch, so I didn't do it at dinner and already started to feel the "silent reflux" go away. I had it before the Clean Program, but I thought it would get better, not slightly worse, doing this! I'm glad I found the culprit for me. My sister, on the other hand, has been fine with it!

Day 16 - August 24th

Workout - 1 hour walk

Breakfast - shake with protein/fiber powders, nectarine, cinnamon, chia seeds, sunflower seed butter, almond milk, ice

Snack - 1 Persian cucumber with sea salt

Lunch - Picazzo's Organic Italian Kitchen for my boss' birthday! Quinoa pasta with chicken, mushrooms, spinach, garlic, olive oil, and lemon, gluten-free bread; green tea

Check out their fresh herbs sitting right out front:

Snack - 1 Persian cucumber with raw hummus

Massage - one of the creepiest massages of my life, but at least it was deep tissue (though not very relaxing!)

Dinner - shake with protein/fiber powders, frozen raspberries, sunflower seed butter, almond butter, ice; herbal tea

Today was pretty good! I was feeling much better than yesterday, and I enjoyed being able to have a yummy lunch out. My shakes seem to be getting smaller and smaller in volume, but I'm equally as satisfied.

Day 17 - August 25th

Pre-workout snack - brown rice cake with raw almond butter

Workout - 1 hour walk; P90X Cardio

Breakfast - shake with protein/fiber powders, spinach, avocado (yes, avocado), frozen raspberries, almond milk, ice

Snack - Persian cucumber with raw hummus

Lunch - buffalo buger atop black lentils with Swiss chard, microgreens with olive oil vinaigrette; green tea

Snack - Persian cucumber with avocado slices, sea salt, and kelp sprinkles

Dinner - shake with protein/fiber powders, spinach, tahini, frozen raspberries, almond milk, ice; green tea

I felt pretty good today as well, and I did happen to hop on the scale to see that I have lost almost 10 pounds so far. Interestingly, I think this is mostly water weight, as my clothes aren't falling off of me. I almost feel as if inflammation carries a lot of water or "allergy weight" with it, so I'm not very concerned about the relatively big weight loss. I'm just happy I feel better and my allergies are greatly improved!

Day 18 - August 26th

Workout #1 - 55 minute walk

Breakfast - shake with protein/fiber powders, frozen blueberries, avocado, ice, almond butter; Teeccino with stevia

Lunch - quinoa pasta with summer vegetables and chicken, micro greens with olive oil and vinegar; iced green tea

Snack - brown rice cake with pecan butter

Workout #2 - Karve

Dinner - shake with protein/fiber powders, almond butter, almond milk, frozen raspberries, ice

I was definitely starting to feel the "detox high" today. My aches and pains have definitely diminished, and I am sleeping really well. My skin is glowing, my eyes are bright, and I feel healthy and rested. I love that I don't have strong cravings or get really hungry. Food isn't a big deal. I really like it, and I enjoy everything I'm eating, but I'm not really thinking about it at all. It's very liberating. I'm still really loving fruits and veggies too!

Day 19 - August 27th

Workout - 1 hour walk

Breakfast - shake with protein/fiber powders, nectarine, almond butter, ice, tahini; Teeccino with stevia

Snack - pineapple and melon from Edible Arrangements (a birthday gift to my boss)

Lunch - Compound Grill! Organic chicken and local produce! Garden plate (roasted veggies and fresh hummus on top of mixed greens) with salmon; green tea

Snack - more Edible Arrangements fruit

Dinner - shake with protein/fiber powders, chia seeds, cashew butter, almond milk, frozen raspberries

It was a bit challenging going out to lunch, but I absolutely loved what I ordered! Strangely, everything tasted spicy to me at lunch. My coworkers tasted the same carrots I was eating and didn't notice any spiciness, but maybe my taste buds are going a little nuts. I felt so great not eating normal restaurant food and easily passed on the cheese fondue, tortilla chips, and birthday dessert. It just didn't appeal to me!

Day 20 - August 28th

Workout #1 - Walk (55 minutes)

Breakfast - shake with protein/fiber powders, nectarine, sunflower seed butter, cinnamon, almond milk, ice; Teeccino

Workout #2 - Karve (and Karve seminar on organics!)

Lunch - shake with protein/fiber powders, frozen blueberries, spinach, almond butter, almond milk, ice; iced tea

Snack - raw carrots, broccoli, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries at a bridal shower (passed up the beautiful appetizers and desserts); brown rice cake with sunflower seed butter at 6:30 p.m.

Dinner - birthday dinner for Jenna! Salad, soup, mackerel, rice, and green tea at a Japanese restaurant; green tea

I felt really great today until the evening, when I got really hungry. We didn't eat until about 8:45 pm, so I was definitely ready for it! It was strange eating my biggest meal at night (and so late), but I'm glad I could find yummy options and had a great time with friends, which is all that matters. Turns out I really love grilled mackerel! I always recommend it as a fish that is high in omega-3s and relatively low in mercury and PCB's, but I've only had it as raw sushi and never as a cooked fillet. Yum!

Day 21 - August 29th (wooooooot!)

Workout #1 - Walk/run (knees feeling great!) - 1 hour

Breakfast - shake with protein/fiber powders, 1/2 peach, chia seeds, sunflower seed butter, almond milk, ice; iced tea

Workout #2 - Zumba, followed by some pool/sun time and hot tub

Lunch - YC's mixed vegetables, chicken, turkey, brown rice, chicken veggie soup, and sauce made with garlic, sesame oil, cooking wine, and ginger; pluot

Snack - brown rice cake with avocado

Massage - lymph drainage massage followed by an epsom salt bath

Dinner - shake with protein/fiber powders, chia seeds, spinach, frozen raspberries, almond butter, almond milk, ice

I MADE IT! I can't believe this is the last day! I'm so glad I did the Clean Program, and I know it has changed my health and eating habits forever. I'm feeling really great, and I am excited to learn what foods I can add back without allergies and what foods cause problems. It a difficult emotional roller coaster with big payoffs, and I am really glad I made it all the way through.

Clean Week 2

Week 2 of the Clean Program has brought some very interesting and wonderful changes. Please see the previous posts on the first week. As mentioned before, I do take the supplements as indicated with the program and stick to mostly organic fruits, veggies, and animal proteins.

For the most part, I completely forgot to take pictures of my lunches because most of my blog pictures are of dinners. I do share a few, below, and hope to take them during week 3.

Day 8 - August 16th

Workout - 60 minute walk with intervals; 10 minute meditation prior

Breakfast - shake with protein/fiber powders, blueberries, almond milk, sunflower seed butter, ice

Here's a picture of what the shake looks like when made with raspberries:

Snack - Sliced cucumber with sea salt

Lunch - delicious delivered food from Stacey Weber, personal chef! Chicken curry with brown rice, carrots, sweet potatoes, onions, and zucchini; green tea

Snack - almonds and a nectarine

Dinner - shake with protein/fiber powders, spinach (yes, spinach!), frozen raspberries, almond milk, cashew butter, ice

I still have some jaw tightness going on, and I'm thinking it's stress related. It's interesting what happens when you can't relax with a glass of wine or enjoy a warm dinner at night. Perhaps this is what I need to help truly tease out some lingering emotional eating from my "dieting" days.

Stacey Weber, a Scottsdale personal chef, started delivering our food for lunch today. (For the record, my boss and sister are doing this with me!) The food was so incredibly delicious, satisfying, and filling, and we loved having the convenience of someone else shopping and making it for us! She uses all organic meats and vegetables (especially for the "Dirty Dozen" foods), and she delivered it to us in individual portions that we could heat together or independently. YUM!

I can't believe I'm already on day 8. This has started to feel like my normal routine, and I really like having a break from cooking for a few weeks, though I'm sure I'll be glad to return to it.

Day 9 - August 17th

Pre-workout - brown rice cake with almond butter

Workout - 1 hour interval walk

Breakfast - shake with protein/fiber powders, frozen blueberries, spinach, almond milk, sunflower seed butter, ice; green tea

Snack - sliced cucumber with sea salt

Lunch - quinoa pasta with gluten-free meatballs, broccoli, chickpeas, and dairy/pine nut free pesto; ginger tea

Snack - sliced cucumber with avocado and sea salt

Dinner - shake with protein/fiber powders, frozen raspberries, spinach, almond milk, cashew butter, ice; Yogi "Calm" tea

Today was hard. I had what the program calls "quantum detox," which means that some emotions bubble up to the surface as your internal chemistry changes. I was apathetic, unmotivated, and irritated, and I honestly never feel like this. I went home intending to do some yoga, but without any energy I just hung out on the couch with the pups, watched Weeds with Greg, and tried to breathe. About 2 hours later, it was as if a cloud lifted. I was happy, driven, and optimistic again, and I felt super energized and clear-headed. Phew! Obviously there was something that needed to get out!

Day 10 - August 18th

Today was really hard because we had to put our Lucy down. Jess and I just wanted to have a glass of wine, but we stuck to the program and dealt with our sadness by leaning on our family, crying it out, and going to bed early.

Pre-workout snack - Brown rice cake with almond butter

Workout - 45 minutes interval walking; P90X Cardio

Breakfast - shake with protein/fiber powders, blueberries, sunflower seed butter, almond milk, ice

Lunch - grilled chicken atop homemade hummus (no canned chickpeas!), celery and cucumber salad, micro greens, a few bites of leftover brown rice; green tea

Snack - sliced cucumber with avocado and sea salt

Dinner - Shake with protein/fiber powders, frozen raspberries, cashew butter, almond milk, water, ice

We will all miss our Lucy girl. She was there when I graduated from high school, college, graduate school, and even when I got married. She saw some of the most exciting times in our lives, and she was a "mom" to Waldo and Wanda. It's amazing how emotional change can happen while on this cleanse, and I think I would not have been as open to dealing with Lucy's passing if I hadn't gone through this catharsis.

Day 11 - August 19th

Workout #1 - 1 hour walk

Breakfast - shake with vanilla protein powder/fiber, nectarine, almond milk, sunflower seed butter, cinnamon, ice (tasted like apple cinnamon ice cream! Yum!); green tea

Snack - sliced cucumber with sea salt

Lunch - salad with various greens, "breaded" chicken (almond flour), homemade olive oil vinaigrette, sliced figs and plums - Stacey Weber rocks!

Snack - coconut Lara Bar

Workout #2 - Karve

Dinner - shake with protein/fiber powders, frozen raspberries, cashew butter, almond milk, water, ice; Yogi "Calm" herbal tea

Today was much better, emotionally and physically. Jaw pain is gone, and I'm really not that hungry. I don't worry about what I'm going to eat (or not eat), and I've found that I almost have to remind myself to eat (which never has happened before). I just have to be careful that I don't slow my metabolism, since I've definitely lost a lot of weight (8 pounds) in 11 days. I'm very concerned about honoring my metabolism and not undoing some of the great muscle work I've done through Karve and P90X!

Day 12 - August 20th

Workout - 1 hour walk

Breakfast - shake with protein/fiber powders, nectarine, cinnamon, almond milk, almond butter, ice (this is seriously delicious)

Snack - 1 fresh, wonderful pear (fruit tastes so much better to me now!)

Lunch - Picasso Pizza: gluten-free crust (rice/tapioca flours and xantham gum), olive oil/garlic, spinach, chicken, broccolini, mushrooms (hold the cheese!) plus microgreen salad with Bragg's Healthy Vinaigrette, which is olive oil based; green tea

Snack - 1/2 cucumber, sliced, with sea salt

Dinner - shake with protein/fiber powder, fresh raspberries, cashew butter, almond milk, ice; green/hibiscus tea

Starting to feel really good! I'm noticing that fruit tastes so much better than it ever has, and it's super satisfying to have raw fruit or vegetables for snacks. I'm really liking how my tastes are changing, and I'm surprisingly satisfied and full most of the day.

Day 13 - August 21st

Pre-workout snack - 1/2 brown rice cake with almond butter

Workout #1 - Walk for 40 minutes (too hot!)

Breakfast - shake with protein/fiber powders, mix of frozen blueberries and frozen raspberries, almond milk, cashew butter, ice

Workout #2 - Karve class

Snack - brown rice cake with raw tahini-free hummus (from Dr. Hummus at the North Scottsdale Farmers' Market)

Lunch - Chipotle salad with lettuce, beans, chicken, and guacamole (pretty good actually!)

Afternoon/evening snack (we were at a BBQ and didn't leave until 9:30!): cantaloupe, watermelon, and vegetable crudites (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower) with guacamole (avoiding the tomatoes)

Dinner (at almost 10 p.m. - so starving!) - small shake with protein/fiber powders, chia seeds, almond milk

Today's schedule was a little unusual because we went to a BBQ in the afternoon that lasted well into the evening. I had a blast, even though I could not eat anything but fruits/veggies or drink anything but water. Even though those around me felt bad for me or worried I wouldn't have a good time, I had an absolute blast! It became a little difficult at around 8:30 because I started to get really, really hungry and was almost shaky. I hope to never do that again in week 3!

I think a really hard part of this process is that despite what your own experience is, those around you might not approve of or like what you're doing. Their reasons vary, but it could be from a lack of bonding over food or drinks, or perhaps because they don't understand why you're doing it. For the most part, my friends and family have been pretty supportive (and my husband has been awesome), but there are a few naysayers who really don't like that this is my lifestyle for 3 weeks. I personally am so glad I have done this, and I feel so great now. I'm sleeping like a rock, my eyes are bright, my allergies are pretty much gone, and my clothes fit much better. I'm saving a lot of money, finding many ways to have fun, truly enjoying (and fully remembering) moments with my friends, and really enjoying my life right now. I've completely changed my relationship with food and crave fruits and vegetables more than ever before. In my opinion, it's one of the best things I have done in quite a long time.

Day 14 - Sunday, August 22nd

Workout #1 - 1 hour run/walk (knees are feeling so great for the first time in a while, so I can run!)

Breakfast - shake with protein/fiber powders, nectarine, cinnamon, almond milk, cashew butter, ice

Workout #2 - Karve (super hard today too - I was sweating buckets!)

Snack - 1/2 brown rice cake with raw hummus; green tea

Lunch - True Foods! Drink made with freshly pressed honeydew, mint, and lime (could only drink about half); veggie crudites like fennel, radish, and Persian cucumber with vinaigrette hummus; quinoa, arugula, beet, pomegranate seed salad with chicken added (this was seriously delicious - thanks for the recommendation, Claire!)

Dinner - I'm writing this before I have dinner, but it will likely be a shake with chia seeds, raspberries, sunflower seed butter, almond milk, and ice

Feeling really good today! It was great to wake up completely rested without an ounce of alcohol from the night before in my system. I felt centered, balanced, and happy. I'm really motivated to get to week 3 and see what other great changes I will experience. To be honest, I'm a bit nervous about Day 22, when I'm "off" the Clean Program, because I've experienced so many great things already. As for now, I plan to slowly introduce foods back into my diet to see how I react to them, if at all. I really want to continue eating like this for the most part, though I know a warm dinner at night would be a welcome change. I hope that my love for more unusual fruits and vegetables and my lack of craving for sugar or processed foods does not go away!

*M*