Days 6 and 7
Yesterday was another beautiful day. Spent some time outside with the in-laws preparing the garden for seeds and getting the shed cleaned out for the chickens we will have in about a month. Grandpa arrived in the afternoon to visit for the weekend and then drive home on Sunday with Grandma. I find that the increased energy is such a blessing. I hope to continue eating healthy after the detox and maintain the weight loss and especially the energy.
This morning I weighed in and have a total of 5 pounds lost!!
I was so constipated the past two days I decided to take drastic measures. I am familiar with senna teas and I know they are powerful laxatives, but I really want to clean out and be regular! Just before bed, I followed the directions for the tea (Traditional Medicinals' Chocolate Smooth Move, yes, that really is the name) letting it steep the minimum time of ten minutes. Got up this morning after about an hour, nothing was happening, so I went for my second cup, this time steeping it for 15 minutes, well that was my intention, but baby distracted me so it was closer to twenty. Fast forward 3 hours and I'm literally racing to the bathroom every five minutes for about 30 minutes. Trying to stay hydrated drinking teas (not laxative teas!) and we had the "free" soup for lunch, tomato dill from Nourishing Traditions Cookbook. It was so yummy. With about two bites left in my bowl, the fun started again. Another 30 minutes of racing to the bathroom.
So this afternoon I feel a little tired and very hungry. CAREFUL with any tea that contains senna.
Which brings me to my next point, my "breaking point" that is. Being tired and hungry and having a crabby baby who refuses her afternoon nap and will not let anyone else hold her is what I call the perfect storm. Perfect food storm, that is. Confession time. I cheated, and not with cheater's free soup. With a slice of swiss cheese. And two of my hubby's taquitos (little rolled tacos, probably fried in oil, find them in the frozen food section :) And a handful of Old Dutch potato chips. So now I'm waiting for the fall out from this little feast. Boy it tasted good. Probably will disagree with me soon though. Grandma and Grandpa went out to run errands, so at least Grandma wasn't here to witness the incident and be tempted. Though I can see how it probably wouldn't have happened if she were here AND how difficult this will become after she leaves on Sunday. When hubby is working and it is just me and the baby. No accountability! Well, except for this blog and my good friends who are starting Sunday, nice timing friends :)
I'll be sure to post any negative side effects from eating taquitos and potato chips. I'm sure if I continue to cheat I'll see less than stellar results from the detox. The key is to stay full, so I should have had some soup before my hunger got out of hand! And kept up with the water and tea. I am 1/3 of the way through, I can do this. I am not throwing the towel in yet. Just have to remember, swiss cheese will still exist in 14 days. Unfortunately, potato chips and taquitos will also still exist in 14 days!
Now baby has realized she can reach the volume knob on the stereo again. "Too loud, baby!" We have no where else to put it, it has already moved to a higher shelf. OK, have to turn that down now.
Blessings to all!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Day 5
A good day. A warm, sunny, beautiful day :) Got a long walk in with Grandma, baby and my usual walking partner. What a blessing to have a regular walking partner. Good conversation and a brisk walk always lifts my spirits. AND what a great surprise this morning when I weighed in and found I have now lost a total of 4.5 pounds :D So exciting. Berry drinks, green drinks, juices, teas, soups . . . it is already getting old. I cannot say it enough, variety is the spice of life. I think I'll start brewing some iced fruity herbal teas and buy some lemons and limes for my water.
I've been reading the soup section of Nourishing Traditions. I made the Garlic Soup today. It was good, but a little watery. Going to start draining, then pureeing the vegetables and then adding broth back to the right consistency. I'm supposed to drink the broth that isn't in the soup to get all the minerals and vitamins. Hmmm soup broth tea. Interesting.
I love it that Grandma is visiting and that baby girl is comfortable with her. I got dear princess down for her afternoon nap and then went for a drive and found a nice little rest area along the river with walking paths and picnic tables. I was all alone with my thoughts and Our Lord. And it was long overdue and so refreshing. I walked, prayed a Rosary, sat at a picnic table with the sun on my back, prayed and journaled. Along the lines of detoxing, I wrote down a few things spiritually and emotionally I need to detox from during Lent. So nice to have that quiet time outside and alone. Aaaahh.
I was hungry again this afternoon, but because of my excursion, I was about an hour late for one of the scheduled drinking times. Tonight I was full. I am usually full at night because of the soups and then the fiber following dinner.
Did the bristly brush scrub and then a warm detox bath (2 cups of baking soda and 2 cups epsom salt) and then a cool rinse to close my pores. I feel squeaky clean.
Grandpa gets in tomorrow and I know my parents will be returning home a few days later. It will be difficult to continue on my own, but dear dear husband supports me in this. Also my two friends are joining me in a few days, so we can share insights. Really everything looks good right now. As I'm prepping veggies for the juicer I just want to eat them. But I would really like to hang in there for 21days. So I'm taking it a week at a time. Almost done with week one. And I feel great.
I have noticed one other thing. My hormones never really got back into balance after pregnancy, but this week I feel a little more capable of coping. Little upsets or stresses are just that, little. I seem to be returning to my sunny, laid back dispostion. And I have missed that part of me :) Who knows if it is because of the diet or naturally happening because it has been a year and I'm sure that daily prayer is helping with the attitude. Also the sunshine. Oh the glorious sunshine.
I miss chewing. I miss meat. I miss rice with butter and crisp lettuce salads. I miss my morning scrambled eggs or omelets. I miss coffee and milk. I miss cooking great tasting and healthy meals for hubby and baby. I still prepare some foods for little one, but David's been living off of my soups and sandwiches. Don't get me wrong I feel great doing this detox, and I have noticed my face looks much better, slimmer, already. But it is a kick-start for weight loss and better eating habits. I just have to remind myself. "There is an end in sight."
Now it is time to say goodnight to all :) and God bless!
I've been reading the soup section of Nourishing Traditions. I made the Garlic Soup today. It was good, but a little watery. Going to start draining, then pureeing the vegetables and then adding broth back to the right consistency. I'm supposed to drink the broth that isn't in the soup to get all the minerals and vitamins. Hmmm soup broth tea. Interesting.
I love it that Grandma is visiting and that baby girl is comfortable with her. I got dear princess down for her afternoon nap and then went for a drive and found a nice little rest area along the river with walking paths and picnic tables. I was all alone with my thoughts and Our Lord. And it was long overdue and so refreshing. I walked, prayed a Rosary, sat at a picnic table with the sun on my back, prayed and journaled. Along the lines of detoxing, I wrote down a few things spiritually and emotionally I need to detox from during Lent. So nice to have that quiet time outside and alone. Aaaahh.
I was hungry again this afternoon, but because of my excursion, I was about an hour late for one of the scheduled drinking times. Tonight I was full. I am usually full at night because of the soups and then the fiber following dinner.
Did the bristly brush scrub and then a warm detox bath (2 cups of baking soda and 2 cups epsom salt) and then a cool rinse to close my pores. I feel squeaky clean.
Grandpa gets in tomorrow and I know my parents will be returning home a few days later. It will be difficult to continue on my own, but dear dear husband supports me in this. Also my two friends are joining me in a few days, so we can share insights. Really everything looks good right now. As I'm prepping veggies for the juicer I just want to eat them. But I would really like to hang in there for 21days. So I'm taking it a week at a time. Almost done with week one. And I feel great.
I have noticed one other thing. My hormones never really got back into balance after pregnancy, but this week I feel a little more capable of coping. Little upsets or stresses are just that, little. I seem to be returning to my sunny, laid back dispostion. And I have missed that part of me :) Who knows if it is because of the diet or naturally happening because it has been a year and I'm sure that daily prayer is helping with the attitude. Also the sunshine. Oh the glorious sunshine.
I miss chewing. I miss meat. I miss rice with butter and crisp lettuce salads. I miss my morning scrambled eggs or omelets. I miss coffee and milk. I miss cooking great tasting and healthy meals for hubby and baby. I still prepare some foods for little one, but David's been living off of my soups and sandwiches. Don't get me wrong I feel great doing this detox, and I have noticed my face looks much better, slimmer, already. But it is a kick-start for weight loss and better eating habits. I just have to remind myself. "There is an end in sight."
Now it is time to say goodnight to all :) and God bless!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Day Four: Adventures in Colonics
Wow, what a difficult day.
I woke up at 6:30 am feeling great, which is amazing because I spent half the night trying to sleep with little princess on the couch. Her schedule is all thrown off with Grandma here. I will be paying more attention to her bedtimes and naptimes from this point forward. I weighed in 2.6 pounds lighter! For a grand total of . . . -2.6 lbs. Yeah! The coffee enema last night made me feel so much better. I can't say it enough. There was also a little caffiene rush that helped my mood :)
Grandma and I left around 7:15 am, teas, powders and water in hand, for the colon hydrotherapy clinic. I was pretty excited and a little nervous. The technician, Kris, was great very friendly and great at explaining the procedure. Basically, about 18 to 20 gallons of body temperature water is continuously run through your colon. It takes about 45 minutes for the procedure, plus time for the explanation, undressing, cleaning up, re-dressing. It was all very private, the "chair" was comfortable, relaxing music in the background and for the most part you are alone in the room. Kris periodically came in to check on me and my progress and the water temp and level. As for the colonic . . . I wouldn't say it was the worst feeling ever, but it was far from pleasant. I felt crampy and nauseous for most of the 45 minutes and about 30 minutes into it I was looking at the clock thinking "Thanks be to God, this is almost over." Afterwards my nausea went away pretty quickly, then I just felt wiped out and cold.
For the rest of the morning I kept up with my supplement schedule and about 2 hours after the colonic I was really, really hungry. Made some V8 style vegetable juice and Grandma made the italian green bean soup. Word of warning: leave out the cayenne altogether. It totally overpowered the italian seasonings and made the soup and broth inedible. You know Grandma loves spicy and even she could only eat half a bowl of it. And we were both really hungry. What a waste of perfectly good green beans :( So I made us green smoothies instead (spinach 1 banana 4 oz yogurt vanilla and dash of stevia) yummy. That helped take the edge off. I am planning to make tomato dill soup from the Nourishing Traditions cookbook for dinner, minus the butter, salt and pepper. And minus the cream. Looks like I'll be making the soup again after the detox. Right now I'm sipping on mint tea with carob powder. Almost like mint hot chocolate, would be great with a little milk :)
Grandma's back with more veggies from the grocery store and I'm off to make some tomato dill soup, and hope this batch is better than the last!
Peace!
ps I am feeling less hungry after the green smoothie and countless cups of tea. Which reminds me, had to replenish the basket of tea already. AND Stevia is cheaper in the big bag, rather than individual packets. Though the packets are handy for travelling . . . My favorite tea to buy is the Bigelow Herbal Variety Pack. Also, the indian tea mix in bulk at the co-op is pretty tasty! Again, variety is the spice of this detoxer's life.
I woke up at 6:30 am feeling great, which is amazing because I spent half the night trying to sleep with little princess on the couch. Her schedule is all thrown off with Grandma here. I will be paying more attention to her bedtimes and naptimes from this point forward. I weighed in 2.6 pounds lighter! For a grand total of . . . -2.6 lbs. Yeah! The coffee enema last night made me feel so much better. I can't say it enough. There was also a little caffiene rush that helped my mood :)
Grandma and I left around 7:15 am, teas, powders and water in hand, for the colon hydrotherapy clinic. I was pretty excited and a little nervous. The technician, Kris, was great very friendly and great at explaining the procedure. Basically, about 18 to 20 gallons of body temperature water is continuously run through your colon. It takes about 45 minutes for the procedure, plus time for the explanation, undressing, cleaning up, re-dressing. It was all very private, the "chair" was comfortable, relaxing music in the background and for the most part you are alone in the room. Kris periodically came in to check on me and my progress and the water temp and level. As for the colonic . . . I wouldn't say it was the worst feeling ever, but it was far from pleasant. I felt crampy and nauseous for most of the 45 minutes and about 30 minutes into it I was looking at the clock thinking "Thanks be to God, this is almost over." Afterwards my nausea went away pretty quickly, then I just felt wiped out and cold.
For the rest of the morning I kept up with my supplement schedule and about 2 hours after the colonic I was really, really hungry. Made some V8 style vegetable juice and Grandma made the italian green bean soup. Word of warning: leave out the cayenne altogether. It totally overpowered the italian seasonings and made the soup and broth inedible. You know Grandma loves spicy and even she could only eat half a bowl of it. And we were both really hungry. What a waste of perfectly good green beans :( So I made us green smoothies instead (spinach 1 banana 4 oz yogurt vanilla and dash of stevia) yummy. That helped take the edge off. I am planning to make tomato dill soup from the Nourishing Traditions cookbook for dinner, minus the butter, salt and pepper. And minus the cream. Looks like I'll be making the soup again after the detox. Right now I'm sipping on mint tea with carob powder. Almost like mint hot chocolate, would be great with a little milk :)
Grandma's back with more veggies from the grocery store and I'm off to make some tomato dill soup, and hope this batch is better than the last!
Peace!
ps I am feeling less hungry after the green smoothie and countless cups of tea. Which reminds me, had to replenish the basket of tea already. AND Stevia is cheaper in the big bag, rather than individual packets. Though the packets are handy for travelling . . . My favorite tea to buy is the Bigelow Herbal Variety Pack. Also, the indian tea mix in bulk at the co-op is pretty tasty! Again, variety is the spice of this detoxer's life.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Day Three
Not going to say a whole lot, mostly because I am tired and we have an early morning colonic scheduled for tomorrow. A couple reflections from the day. I am happy to report, things are finally moving in the right direction, I made several bathroom runs early, early this morning. And yet, I was very disappointed to weigh in this morning and find that I gained back the 0.4 of a pound I lost yesterday.
We had a previously scheduled informal brunch that could not be avoided, not that I wanted to either. Except for the detox. So . . . it would have been rude not to eat at all, fortunately little baby was was tired and cranky and shy of the grown ups. So Grandma and I sat at the kids' table and fed baby off our plates, still I ended up eating a little bit of scrambled eggs, a couple grapes and a few pieces of melon. It really didn't seem to hurt anything, the food tasted AMAZING. Part of the problem was the schedule for the day, we had it all planned out, our supplements taken every two hours, green powder and water bottles waiting in the car, but when brunch was served an hour and fifteen minutes later than we originally thought . . . talk about hungry. If you don't drink your supplements EVERY TWO HOURS you will be really, really hungry.
Also, we organized the 'fridge today, washing, cleaning, cutting up the leafy greens and other vegetables. Following the advice in the book, we placed them in clear containers. The 'fridge looks much better, although more vegan, and it speeds up the process for juicing and soups. This program sure is labor intensive. Being better organized and having the veggies ready to go really helps.
Tried the ginger carrot soup this evening. It was sweet, a little to much like a pumkin pie but in soup form. And the color was a real turn off for me, the cup of leafy greens makes it brown-ish green. It takes some getting used to pureed soups, I'm really not a fan. But it is only 21 days of my life. And it is Lent.
Since I was a little less backed up today, I thought I might try another coffee enema and have better results. With the appointment for a colonic tomorrow, I wanted to get rid of the waste I could, with the hope that some of the tougher crud will be removed during tomorrow's procedure. Such a different experience from yesterday! I actually felt MUCH better ater the coffee enema tonight. I'd recommend reviewing the tips in the book or looking online for tips, they are helpful. I only used the minimum amount of coffee grounds and if you don't drink much caffiene, you really ought to do the enema early in the day. I'll plan on before 3 pm next time. Rather than 9pm and being a little jittery and wired until midnight. But I really feel cleaned out and so much lighter. And I am looking forward to the colonic. And you all will get more details after the procedure.
Blessed night to you!
We had a previously scheduled informal brunch that could not be avoided, not that I wanted to either. Except for the detox. So . . . it would have been rude not to eat at all, fortunately little baby was was tired and cranky and shy of the grown ups. So Grandma and I sat at the kids' table and fed baby off our plates, still I ended up eating a little bit of scrambled eggs, a couple grapes and a few pieces of melon. It really didn't seem to hurt anything, the food tasted AMAZING. Part of the problem was the schedule for the day, we had it all planned out, our supplements taken every two hours, green powder and water bottles waiting in the car, but when brunch was served an hour and fifteen minutes later than we originally thought . . . talk about hungry. If you don't drink your supplements EVERY TWO HOURS you will be really, really hungry.
Also, we organized the 'fridge today, washing, cleaning, cutting up the leafy greens and other vegetables. Following the advice in the book, we placed them in clear containers. The 'fridge looks much better, although more vegan, and it speeds up the process for juicing and soups. This program sure is labor intensive. Being better organized and having the veggies ready to go really helps.
Tried the ginger carrot soup this evening. It was sweet, a little to much like a pumkin pie but in soup form. And the color was a real turn off for me, the cup of leafy greens makes it brown-ish green. It takes some getting used to pureed soups, I'm really not a fan. But it is only 21 days of my life. And it is Lent.
Since I was a little less backed up today, I thought I might try another coffee enema and have better results. With the appointment for a colonic tomorrow, I wanted to get rid of the waste I could, with the hope that some of the tougher crud will be removed during tomorrow's procedure. Such a different experience from yesterday! I actually felt MUCH better ater the coffee enema tonight. I'd recommend reviewing the tips in the book or looking online for tips, they are helpful. I only used the minimum amount of coffee grounds and if you don't drink much caffiene, you really ought to do the enema early in the day. I'll plan on before 3 pm next time. Rather than 9pm and being a little jittery and wired until midnight. But I really feel cleaned out and so much lighter. And I am looking forward to the colonic. And you all will get more details after the procedure.
Blessed night to you!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
coffee coffee everywhere but not a drop to drink!
Day Two
I did the dry skin brush and then warm shower/cold shower last night. That natural bristle brush is quite BRISTLE-Y. Still feeling good, a little hungrier today. But probably to be expected since we didn't have lunch at Applebee's :) I ate the (pureed) vegetable soup for lunch, leftover from yesterday, we will finish it for dinner. We are going to have to make smaller batches of soup. When the only thing you "eat" is pureed soup, variety truly IS the spice of life. Bought more fresh vegetables today. Planning to try out the book's recipe for Carrot Ginger soup tomorrow. Went for a walk at the mall this morning before the stores opened. In case I forgot to mention it, I'm supposed to walk a mile every day while on the detox.
Also, I've been trying out the recipes for natural laxative teas. Yes, you guessed it, I am constipated. It has been usual for this to happen off and on since baby was born. And of course it was expected during the pregnancy, but I was hoping to be more regular after she was born! Part of my reason for doing the detox is to try and "reset" my digestive system. Since nothing has been moving since Wednesday, I decided to go ahead and give the coffee enema a try. What can I say? Enemas are gross, but really not that big of a deal. I had never had one before, much less, given myself one. The most difficult part of the process was brewing the coffee and not drinking it. And I didn't feel "so much better" afterwards, of course I didn't feel really bad to begin with, just a little bloated and really gassy. So all I can say is that I sure do hope the coffee is stimulating my intestines. I also drank 3 cups of the "level 2" laxative tea recipe throughout the day. AND 2 ounces of aloe vera tonight. Let's hope that gets things moving! But not during Mass tomorrow morning.
I must admit it, I did cheat a little. I ate 5 figs and 5 prunes tonight, but not because I was hungry. Another attempt at regularity on my part. The detox has a strict "no chewing" rule, so as to give the digestive system a break in digesting and allow it to focus on detoxing and repairing. Day two and already broke a rule. It isn't the end of the world. Just a detox program :)
A few helpful tips:
1. The apple/prune/fig tea tastes great as a cold, fresh juice. I soaked the prunes and figs overnight and then juiced them with the apples in the morning. It is faster and less mess than making tea and I think fresh apple juice is really amazing tasting. The prunes and figs get pushed through the strainer on our juicer and it turns out like a smoothie. Add a little cinnamon and you have a really yummy breakfast drink. Grandma's new favorite. 2. The fiber part of the Garden of Life Perfect Cleanse (super gross) is made more palatible by adding it to juice, Grandma used the acai berry juice and reported it was waaaay better. I mixed mine with my 4 oz of yogurt and just gobbled it down in 4 big bites. Not great, but it was much better than trying to drink something you feel solidifying as it runs down your throat. 3. When juicing spinach and greens, an apple or two (though not strictly "on plan") goes a looong way to improving taste. As does blending spinach and greens with a banana, a half cup of plain yogurt, a splash of vanilla and pinch of stevia. Even baby liked the taste of that green drink!
All in all a good day. Not feeling particularly tired or hungry, if anything I have more energy. Maybe feeling more energetic is in my head, but usually when I am tired I can't "imagine" it away, lol. Really can't believe I am not hungry all the time. Having some one doing this with you is really great. Making eggs, french toast, cutting up fruit, cheese and handing out graham crackers and cheerios can be trying. Even though I am not hungry, french toast smells so good. It is one of little princess' favorites. I'm starting to realize I am one of those moms that eats the baby's leftovers, snacks with the baby on cheerios and string cheese. But not anymore. Or not for a few weeks. And I keep smelling my hands because they smell like coffee. The scent just won't wash away. I need some lotion.
So . . . I plan to post weight lost or gained (eek!) every day.
Day Two: -0.4 lbs
oh how does it get so late? God bless you all!
I did the dry skin brush and then warm shower/cold shower last night. That natural bristle brush is quite BRISTLE-Y. Still feeling good, a little hungrier today. But probably to be expected since we didn't have lunch at Applebee's :) I ate the (pureed) vegetable soup for lunch, leftover from yesterday, we will finish it for dinner. We are going to have to make smaller batches of soup. When the only thing you "eat" is pureed soup, variety truly IS the spice of life. Bought more fresh vegetables today. Planning to try out the book's recipe for Carrot Ginger soup tomorrow. Went for a walk at the mall this morning before the stores opened. In case I forgot to mention it, I'm supposed to walk a mile every day while on the detox.
Also, I've been trying out the recipes for natural laxative teas. Yes, you guessed it, I am constipated. It has been usual for this to happen off and on since baby was born. And of course it was expected during the pregnancy, but I was hoping to be more regular after she was born! Part of my reason for doing the detox is to try and "reset" my digestive system. Since nothing has been moving since Wednesday, I decided to go ahead and give the coffee enema a try. What can I say? Enemas are gross, but really not that big of a deal. I had never had one before, much less, given myself one. The most difficult part of the process was brewing the coffee and not drinking it. And I didn't feel "so much better" afterwards, of course I didn't feel really bad to begin with, just a little bloated and really gassy. So all I can say is that I sure do hope the coffee is stimulating my intestines. I also drank 3 cups of the "level 2" laxative tea recipe throughout the day. AND 2 ounces of aloe vera tonight. Let's hope that gets things moving! But not during Mass tomorrow morning.
I must admit it, I did cheat a little. I ate 5 figs and 5 prunes tonight, but not because I was hungry. Another attempt at regularity on my part. The detox has a strict "no chewing" rule, so as to give the digestive system a break in digesting and allow it to focus on detoxing and repairing. Day two and already broke a rule. It isn't the end of the world. Just a detox program :)
A few helpful tips:
1. The apple/prune/fig tea tastes great as a cold, fresh juice. I soaked the prunes and figs overnight and then juiced them with the apples in the morning. It is faster and less mess than making tea and I think fresh apple juice is really amazing tasting. The prunes and figs get pushed through the strainer on our juicer and it turns out like a smoothie. Add a little cinnamon and you have a really yummy breakfast drink. Grandma's new favorite. 2. The fiber part of the Garden of Life Perfect Cleanse (super gross) is made more palatible by adding it to juice, Grandma used the acai berry juice and reported it was waaaay better. I mixed mine with my 4 oz of yogurt and just gobbled it down in 4 big bites. Not great, but it was much better than trying to drink something you feel solidifying as it runs down your throat. 3. When juicing spinach and greens, an apple or two (though not strictly "on plan") goes a looong way to improving taste. As does blending spinach and greens with a banana, a half cup of plain yogurt, a splash of vanilla and pinch of stevia. Even baby liked the taste of that green drink!
All in all a good day. Not feeling particularly tired or hungry, if anything I have more energy. Maybe feeling more energetic is in my head, but usually when I am tired I can't "imagine" it away, lol. Really can't believe I am not hungry all the time. Having some one doing this with you is really great. Making eggs, french toast, cutting up fruit, cheese and handing out graham crackers and cheerios can be trying. Even though I am not hungry, french toast smells so good. It is one of little princess' favorites. I'm starting to realize I am one of those moms that eats the baby's leftovers, snacks with the baby on cheerios and string cheese. But not anymore. Or not for a few weeks. And I keep smelling my hands because they smell like coffee. The scent just won't wash away. I need some lotion.
So . . . I plan to post weight lost or gained (eek!) every day.
Day Two: -0.4 lbs
oh how does it get so late? God bless you all!
Friday, March 25, 2011
Day One
I don't plan to post every day, but here it is, the first day of my detox. I feel pretty good. A little hungry at times, but the feeling is not at all overwhelming. In fact, Grandma, baby and I had a lovely afternoon. We were walking the hills of the Shrine with our good friends. The diet is challenging for traveling or spending long amounts of time away from home. Just requires more planning and maybe a cooler. We went out to eat to celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation. Applebee's has a great endless soup and salad deal for $5.99. I had a chicken salad and a cup of the clam chowder and cheesy brocoli each. And I was full. It was an alteration to the daily schedule. But I figured, being the first day, I'd make the concession. In honor of Our Lady and my dear friends visiting us. So here is the daily schedule, along with my initial impressions.
8:30 am - anti-oxidant berry drink, apple cleansing tea, hot tea, 8 oz water
10:30 am - 8 oz water with green grasses powder, 8oz water or tea
12:30 pm - 1 cup fresh vegetable juice, 1 enzyme capsule, 8 oz water
2:30 pm - 8 oz water, 1 cup green vegetable juice, 8 oz tea
4:30 pm - anti-oxidant berry drink
5:30 pm - step one Garden of Life Perfect Cleanse + 8oz water
6 pm - cup of vegetable soup + cup of broth, herbal tea, enzyme capsule, 8 oz water
6:45 pm - step two of Perfect Cleanse + 8 oz water
7:30 pm - 8 oz tea or water
Bedtime - 1 oz whole leaf aloe vera juice, step 3 of Perfect Cleanse + 8 oz water
My impressions:
We started the Garden of Life Perfect Cleanse last night, steps 1 and 3 are just swallowing 3 capsules and drinking 8 oz of water. Step two is the "binding fiber" and it is similar to a fiber drink, so stir and drink as fast as you can before it starts to turn into a gel-like substance that is almost impossible to swallow. Not bad tasting, but the consistency of ground flaxseed in water is . . . interesting.
anti-oxidant berry drink, got a powder from Walgreens, "Super Juice" it is kind of grainy, not too sweet.
apple/prune/fig tea - just apples and prunes simmered in water (didn't find figs at the local grocery) pretty tasty warm. I added cinnamon didn't need sweetner.
The green drink powder is blech. Slight tootsie roll aftertaste. But not nearly as nasty as step 2 of Perfect Cleanse. Grandma liked it best of the powder + water drinks.
I was just starting to get hungry at 6pm, but forgot to take step 1 at 5:30 pm. So dinner was pushed back to 6:30 pm. After the 2 cups of soup + broth I was full, or it just started to taste gross to me. I had no problem eating 4 oz of home made yogurt with a splash of vanilla and sprinkle of stevia. I chose to add yogurt to the daily diet to replenish the good bacteria. And now it is half hour after we ate and time for fiber (step 2) gross. I hold my nose when drinking the aloe vera at bedtime.
As for herbal teas, green tea is allowed and it has some caffiene, so I drank a few cups in the morning. The green powder has herbal caffiene and it carries quite the energy boost. I don't usually drink caffiene. Grandma had a headache from lack of coffee, but it was gone after the green drink. I love mint tea and orange spice. Just make sure they are herbal, naturally non-caffienated. Green tea is the exception.
Baby needs Mama to put her down for bed. All in all a pretty good start. Time for fiber ickyness and getting baby to bed. God bless you all, dear family and friends.
8:30 am - anti-oxidant berry drink, apple cleansing tea, hot tea, 8 oz water
10:30 am - 8 oz water with green grasses powder, 8oz water or tea
12:30 pm - 1 cup fresh vegetable juice, 1 enzyme capsule, 8 oz water
2:30 pm - 8 oz water, 1 cup green vegetable juice, 8 oz tea
4:30 pm - anti-oxidant berry drink
5:30 pm - step one Garden of Life Perfect Cleanse + 8oz water
6 pm - cup of vegetable soup + cup of broth, herbal tea, enzyme capsule, 8 oz water
6:45 pm - step two of Perfect Cleanse + 8 oz water
7:30 pm - 8 oz tea or water
Bedtime - 1 oz whole leaf aloe vera juice, step 3 of Perfect Cleanse + 8 oz water
My impressions:
We started the Garden of Life Perfect Cleanse last night, steps 1 and 3 are just swallowing 3 capsules and drinking 8 oz of water. Step two is the "binding fiber" and it is similar to a fiber drink, so stir and drink as fast as you can before it starts to turn into a gel-like substance that is almost impossible to swallow. Not bad tasting, but the consistency of ground flaxseed in water is . . . interesting.
anti-oxidant berry drink, got a powder from Walgreens, "Super Juice" it is kind of grainy, not too sweet.
apple/prune/fig tea - just apples and prunes simmered in water (didn't find figs at the local grocery) pretty tasty warm. I added cinnamon didn't need sweetner.
The green drink powder is blech. Slight tootsie roll aftertaste. But not nearly as nasty as step 2 of Perfect Cleanse. Grandma liked it best of the powder + water drinks.
I was just starting to get hungry at 6pm, but forgot to take step 1 at 5:30 pm. So dinner was pushed back to 6:30 pm. After the 2 cups of soup + broth I was full, or it just started to taste gross to me. I had no problem eating 4 oz of home made yogurt with a splash of vanilla and sprinkle of stevia. I chose to add yogurt to the daily diet to replenish the good bacteria. And now it is half hour after we ate and time for fiber (step 2) gross. I hold my nose when drinking the aloe vera at bedtime.
As for herbal teas, green tea is allowed and it has some caffiene, so I drank a few cups in the morning. The green powder has herbal caffiene and it carries quite the energy boost. I don't usually drink caffiene. Grandma had a headache from lack of coffee, but it was gone after the green drink. I love mint tea and orange spice. Just make sure they are herbal, naturally non-caffienated. Green tea is the exception.
Baby needs Mama to put her down for bed. All in all a pretty good start. Time for fiber ickyness and getting baby to bed. God bless you all, dear family and friends.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
21 in 21: A Dinosaur Detox
I have to laugh a little as I enter my first post, thinking of all those "bloggers" I am joining. Wondering, if somewhere in the vast world of internet blogs, "Might I stumble upon Creed Bratton?"
So this is the first post of many that will follow my adventure in detoxification. A program claiming that I'll lose 21 pounds in 21 days. Now I am not crazy. I have heard that healthy weight loss involves dietary and lifestyle changes, a change in the way you think (and feel) about food and (arghh) exercise. And healthy weight loss, I've been told, repeatedly, is not more than 2 pounds a week. So the whole idea of 21 pounds in 21 days, I admit, is more than a little unconventional for weight loss.
I decided to detox shortly after we bought a Champion Juicer. Which incidentally we love, carrot apple ginger juice in the morning is so yummy. As the "little princess" approaches one year, I find carrying her, plus the extra baby weight, is a real drag. I have been dieting for months without much to show for it. So I began looking into different "juice fasts" and found that I really needed a schedule to follow and some guidance with supplements. At the local library I stumbled upon "21Pounds in 21 Days" read it cover to cover in three days. You know how I read.
The point of these posts is to let you, my dear family, and anyone else who stumbles randomly into my blog, live vicariously through me. The next several days I will be prepping for 3 weeks of detox. I've divided my shopping list into supplements and non-edibles.
Detox Shopping Lists
Supplements:
whole leaf aloe vera 32 oz $6.95 - local grocery X
Truvia stevia packets 50 count $2.50 - walmart X
herbal teas and green teas $6 - local grocery X
digestive enzymes 100 count $14.99 - vitaminshoppe X
Amazing Grass essential green drink powder 30 servings $24.99 - vitaminshoppe X
antioxidant berry drink powder - available through vitaminshoppe, I'm juicing my own X
Garden of Life Perfect Cleanse 10 day kit $14.48 - vitaminshoppe X
goldenrod tincture 1 oz $9.29 - vitaminshoppe X
In addition I'll need lots of fresh veggies to juice and make soups with.
Non-edibles:
natural bristle skin brush $9 - vitaminshoppe X
baking soda 32 oz $1.29 - local grocery X
epsom salt 4 lbs $2.39 - local grocery X
organic coffee - $6 walmart X
enema kit $11.99 - walgreens X
My goal is to lose weight, have more energy and clean out my intestines. I will admit the weight loss is a big part of it. I need to lose 25 lbs to be back to my pre-pregnancy, pre-marriage weight.
But more on that later, it is sleepytime for this mama. God bless you.
So this is the first post of many that will follow my adventure in detoxification. A program claiming that I'll lose 21 pounds in 21 days. Now I am not crazy. I have heard that healthy weight loss involves dietary and lifestyle changes, a change in the way you think (and feel) about food and (arghh) exercise. And healthy weight loss, I've been told, repeatedly, is not more than 2 pounds a week. So the whole idea of 21 pounds in 21 days, I admit, is more than a little unconventional for weight loss.
I decided to detox shortly after we bought a Champion Juicer. Which incidentally we love, carrot apple ginger juice in the morning is so yummy. As the "little princess" approaches one year, I find carrying her, plus the extra baby weight, is a real drag. I have been dieting for months without much to show for it. So I began looking into different "juice fasts" and found that I really needed a schedule to follow and some guidance with supplements. At the local library I stumbled upon "21Pounds in 21 Days" read it cover to cover in three days. You know how I read.
The point of these posts is to let you, my dear family, and anyone else who stumbles randomly into my blog, live vicariously through me. The next several days I will be prepping for 3 weeks of detox. I've divided my shopping list into supplements and non-edibles.
Detox Shopping Lists
Supplements:
whole leaf aloe vera 32 oz $6.95 - local grocery X
Truvia stevia packets 50 count $2.50 - walmart X
herbal teas and green teas $6 - local grocery X
digestive enzymes 100 count $14.99 - vitaminshoppe X
Amazing Grass essential green drink powder 30 servings $24.99 - vitaminshoppe X
antioxidant berry drink powder - available through vitaminshoppe, I'm juicing my own X
Garden of Life Perfect Cleanse 10 day kit $14.48 - vitaminshoppe X
goldenrod tincture 1 oz $9.29 - vitaminshoppe X
In addition I'll need lots of fresh veggies to juice and make soups with.
Non-edibles:
natural bristle skin brush $9 - vitaminshoppe X
baking soda 32 oz $1.29 - local grocery X
epsom salt 4 lbs $2.39 - local grocery X
organic coffee - $6 walmart X
enema kit $11.99 - walgreens X
My goal is to lose weight, have more energy and clean out my intestines. I will admit the weight loss is a big part of it. I need to lose 25 lbs to be back to my pre-pregnancy, pre-marriage weight.
But more on that later, it is sleepytime for this mama. God bless you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)