It’s here! Day 21 is here and gone! It’s officially Day 22 for me. Which means I graduated and I did it!!
What a HUGE sense of accomplishment for someone who always had one cheat meal every week. To go an entire 21 days without something sweet or naughty was very empowering. I’m not going to lie, it might of been one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do in terms of will power. The good part is that it was totally worth it.
So for 21 days I committed to eating 100% clean, stripping down my diet to fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, and lots of water. I committed to taking the supplements required and not working out. Yes that’s right! No working out allowed. It was my job for these 21 days to nourish my body, heal any injuries from over training or past incidents and focus on how my body feels.
The first few days were the hardest for sure. I had some crazy aches and pains from my body detoxing. The back pain was the worst. But with some Epsom Salt and warm tea I was able to stay calm and the pain subsided. It hasn’t returned either!!! About day 5 my fog lifted and this renewed sense of energy took over. I woke up before my alarm, I didn’t hit that mid afternoon slump and want to take a nap. I was able to clearly think and organize my thoughts and this was all without caffeine and crap food. The feeling of actually FEELING healthy inside made me want it more. I started to realize what the foods I was eating were really doing to do my body. The caffeine, the processed foods, the carbs that were making me bloated. I also realized that I could get protein from other sources than straight chicken or protein powder. I learned that Quinoa, lentils, beans, tempeh, miso, nuts and seeds all were great protein sources. I ate vegan for 2 full weeks and never felt better!
I can honestly say that my skin looks amazing. I do think that a lot of the processed foods I was eating were having an effect on my skin. Plus I am sure I wasn’t getting proper hydration in the past either. I drank at least 1 gallon of distilled water per day! It helped to keep me alert and focused as well.
So overall my main goal of the cleanse was to improve my intestinal health and kick the caffeine habit! I was able to do both of those things. I no longer have a distended stomach all the time. I can eat foods and I am not bloated or gassy afterwards. I also no longer drink coffee when I wake up or in the afternoon. I replaced them both with herbal decaf green tea. I drink my Vegan Shakeology in the afternoon for my snack and also as an energy boost naturally! It totally works and it’s chocolate which makes me feel amazing (almost like I’m indulging). I still have a hard time with late night snacking but I’ve replaced the previous rice cakes and peanut butter, while still healthy not good before bed, with fresh veggies and hummus. It was totally satisfying and great for my body.
So for the weight loss part! I actually lost 6 pounds and 3 inches from my body. I still have to do the side by side but I can literally pull my pants right off without un buttoning them. A nice perk because now I get to do the thing I love the most, and that is SHOP!!!!
The best part about it was having the challenge group or the group of women that were all doing the Reset with me to talk to! We were able to keep each other in check, motivate each other, troubleshoot together and just be there for moral support. There is something magical about having women in a group all going through the same thing together! It just makes life so much more doable. If you are thinking of doing the Reset definitely don’t do it alone. I decided that because of my own experience I would run another group on the 18th of February for anyone who wants to do it!
So from this point forward I plan on keeping the meals that I used in my daily rotation. I am continuing to eat Vegan at least 4 days a week. I will monitor my portions and limit my fruit to 3 cups per day, and 1-2 servings of starchy carbs from whole grain sources. I plan on keeping up with the Optimize and Alkalinize supplements for optimal body functioning. I plan on only eating fish, chicken and other lean sources of protein. I love the way I feel and I don’t want to junk up my body with the unhealthy stuff.
I know I ate clean before but now I have a whole new appreciation for clean and healthy!! There is a huge difference. You can find clean recipes online everywhere. But if you are trying to maintain your weight, lose weight or have optimal body function it’s important to eat healthy clean meals too! The nutritional value out weighs the cleanliness of the recipe!
Here is my meal plan for this upcoming week. I am going to add in my exercise starting tomorrow. I am really excited to see how the Reset enhances my workouts! I plan on adding in 2 healthy snacks a day plus slowly introduce a lean protein each week.
My workout will be Les Mills Pump and Combat Hybrid workout!
