I am over the hump, as I have decided to end the cleanse tomorrow. My kids and I are leaving on vacation, and I would rather not be cleansing on vacation! This has been a challenge but worth the sacrifices, if only to know that I can do without many of the less healthy things in my diet.
I had great energy yesterday. The only fatigue I felt was after eating out for dinner, but I did stay on the cleanse. It was probably related to all of the added fat restaurants use.
Yesterday, I had oatmeal and a vegetable protein and fruit shake in the morning with green tea. Then I had a handful of almonds for a snack, and leftover beans with avocado slices for lunch. I had an apple for a snack and spinach enchiladas without cheese for dinner. That was a true sacrifice!
This morning I had a pb&j shake, at least that is what it tasted like to me. It was my normal shake with added peanut butter. Delicious! I will probably have beans and my leftover spinach enchilada for lunch and salmon puttanesca with lentils for dinner.
I will not be updating my blog for the next seven days but will let you know the results of the cleanse upon my return. It is recommended to gradually add the eliminated foods back into my diet. We will see how that goes.
I also want to get back to sharing time-saving tips, recipes, and menus. I am sorry I have been selfish this week and written all about me, but it has helped me to stay accountable. I don't know whether I will ever do a cleanse again. Were the sacrifices worth the gain? I am not convinced of that yet.
My kids keep asking me why I am giving all of these things up that I have told them are healthy, like yogurt, milk, and eggs. My response is that sometimes it is good to leave them out of your diet for a time, but my worry is that I am contradicting myself to them. Ah, the life of a perfectionist mom....
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Cleanse Day #3
I am writing updates on my blog to hold me accountable. I do not recommend a cleanse for everyone; however, I do believe in fasting as a part of spiritual growth which is similar to what I am doing. I definitely feel that I need God's help with this!
Yesterday was not too bad. I had oatmeal and a smoothie for breakfast and then a snack of hummus and carrots. For lunch, I made up a meal of tuna bruschetta on crispy potato rounds...it was really good. I had a banana and almonds for an afternoon snack. Finally, I made a pot of delicious beans with poblano and bell peppers, tomatoes and cilantro. I am looking forward to the latter for lunch today.
I am still a little sluggish, and my muscles ache. I had to have a nap yesterday, but I woke up this morning before my alarm went off, and worked out. I guess that is a good sign. My hope is that I will start to feel a burst of energy and vitality.
I leave town on Friday, so I am struggling with continuing past that day. I hate to not achieve my seven day goal, but is my will strong enough to continue? We shall see....
Yesterday was not too bad. I had oatmeal and a smoothie for breakfast and then a snack of hummus and carrots. For lunch, I made up a meal of tuna bruschetta on crispy potato rounds...it was really good. I had a banana and almonds for an afternoon snack. Finally, I made a pot of delicious beans with poblano and bell peppers, tomatoes and cilantro. I am looking forward to the latter for lunch today.
I am still a little sluggish, and my muscles ache. I had to have a nap yesterday, but I woke up this morning before my alarm went off, and worked out. I guess that is a good sign. My hope is that I will start to feel a burst of energy and vitality.
I leave town on Friday, so I am struggling with continuing past that day. I hate to not achieve my seven day goal, but is my will strong enough to continue? We shall see....
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Cleanse Day #2
Well, I am less excited today, and a little sluggish, but still committed. It isn't that it is that difficult...I still get to enjoy lots of good food. It's just that I have started craving things that I never crave...coffee, donuts, bacon, granola cereal. This is the reason I can never diet...I want what I cannot have. I just tell myself that this is only for a week, and the cravings tend to subside. I also think it helps to plan ahead, to have a meal or snack ready when I get hungry. I am finding I am hungry a lot!
The following is what we ate yesterday...my husband swears I am starving him to death. He had a major craving for a Snickers bar yesterday--his weakness.
Breakfast:fruit and vegetable protein smoothie
herbal tea
Snack: 2 T. almonds
Lunch: sushi and marinated mushrooms
Snack: banana
2 T. almonds
Dinner: chicken breasts stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes, pine nut "cheese", spinach, and basil, topped with chopped fresh tomatoes, basil, a little oil and vinegar--this was really good!
rice with sauteed vegetables
herbal tea
I actually got up at 6 a.m. to do yoga on the Wii this morning--I usually get up at 6:30 to make the kids' breakfast. That may be one reason I am a little tired this morning. Anyway, I have to go have my steel-cut oatmeal...I don't usually like oatmeal, but the steel cut is pretty good.
The following is what we ate yesterday...my husband swears I am starving him to death. He had a major craving for a Snickers bar yesterday--his weakness.
Breakfast:fruit and vegetable protein smoothie
herbal tea
Snack: 2 T. almonds
Lunch: sushi and marinated mushrooms
Snack: banana
2 T. almonds
Dinner: chicken breasts stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes, pine nut "cheese", spinach, and basil, topped with chopped fresh tomatoes, basil, a little oil and vinegar--this was really good!
rice with sauteed vegetables
herbal tea
I actually got up at 6 a.m. to do yoga on the Wii this morning--I usually get up at 6:30 to make the kids' breakfast. That may be one reason I am a little tired this morning. Anyway, I have to go have my steel-cut oatmeal...I don't usually like oatmeal, but the steel cut is pretty good.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Cleanse
I am embarking on one of my best weeks EVER! Chad and I are into our first day of a seven day cleanse, "cleansing" our bodies of toxins. I am so excited about this because I feel like it is a step in the direction of wholeness and wellness that I have yet to take.
If you have read my previous blog entries, you know that I believe in eating everything natural (and not poisonous) in moderation...alcohol, coffee, red meat, dairy products, etc. all included. However, sometimes we have food intolerances to these things that we don't know about until we eliminate them from out diet. An intolerance can take the form of bloating, skin problems, excessive gas, constipation, fatique, and muscle aches, and who does not have those from time to time.
This week, we are removing caffeine, red meat, alcohol, dairy, eggs, wheat, and sugar from our diet. I started out this morning with a hot cup of herbal tea, a vegetable protein and fruit shake and a small handful of almonds. It was good! After I finish writing this, I am going to the gym for a nice cardio workout and a sit down in the sauna, with lots of water in between. Then I will hit the oxygen bar at our salon and tan for about 8 minutes--we own a tanning salon for those of you who don't know that already. I will go by the grocery store to pick up some produce, beans, nut butter, fish, chicken, and grains. As I write this, I can't believe what I am saying, so if you think I am a little off the mark, you are not alone!
I will let you know how it goes. I am suppose to suffer a little at first...slight headache (lack of caffeine) and fatique (toxins coming out). Hopefully, that will only last a day or two. Then I am suppose to have more energy, more trips to the bathroom, and a sense of well being. If you are interested at all in a cleanse, check out the article "The Doable Detox" in the March issue of Natural Health magazine--thank you, Tammy!
If you have read my previous blog entries, you know that I believe in eating everything natural (and not poisonous) in moderation...alcohol, coffee, red meat, dairy products, etc. all included. However, sometimes we have food intolerances to these things that we don't know about until we eliminate them from out diet. An intolerance can take the form of bloating, skin problems, excessive gas, constipation, fatique, and muscle aches, and who does not have those from time to time.
This week, we are removing caffeine, red meat, alcohol, dairy, eggs, wheat, and sugar from our diet. I started out this morning with a hot cup of herbal tea, a vegetable protein and fruit shake and a small handful of almonds. It was good! After I finish writing this, I am going to the gym for a nice cardio workout and a sit down in the sauna, with lots of water in between. Then I will hit the oxygen bar at our salon and tan for about 8 minutes--we own a tanning salon for those of you who don't know that already. I will go by the grocery store to pick up some produce, beans, nut butter, fish, chicken, and grains. As I write this, I can't believe what I am saying, so if you think I am a little off the mark, you are not alone!
I will let you know how it goes. I am suppose to suffer a little at first...slight headache (lack of caffeine) and fatique (toxins coming out). Hopefully, that will only last a day or two. Then I am suppose to have more energy, more trips to the bathroom, and a sense of well being. If you are interested at all in a cleanse, check out the article "The Doable Detox" in the March issue of Natural Health magazine--thank you, Tammy!
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