I don’t know about you, but I spent the holidays eating wa-a-a-y too much junk food. So I decided to schedule a post-holiday cleanse for myself a few weeks ago. (Results and takeaways are coming, so hang on. 
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There are lots of cleanses out there–everything from juice diets to cleanses that include supplements. Last summer I did a ten-day cleanse through Advocare. It was crazy-hard, but I couldn’t believe how much my energy and overall health improved as a result!
This time around, I decided to create my own cleanse diet–mostly to save money but also just to see how the results would differ from the formal cleanse program I did before. Some cleanses are pretty strict and don’t allow protein in the diet, but I included some “clean” proteins so I wouldn’t starve.
The basics of my diet were to eat mostly whole foods–fruits, vegetables, a few lean proteins (fish, chicken, etc.), unsalted nuts and seeds, and grains limited to whole oats and brown rice. I also used olive oil a LOT and mixed it with balsamic vinegar for salads. Oh, and no dairy. That’s a must on a cleanse diet.
So what were my end results? Well, semi-success and semi-failure. I originally set out to do the diet for 10 days, but I only lasted 5. I think mostly because I didn’t have accountability this time. (If I do another cleanse, I’ll shell out the dough and do Advocare again…There’s something about spending money that makes me stick to it.)
The other factor that made the diet difficult was my overall health. I was dealing with sinus issues and ended up on three different medications during the diet, which whacked out my body big-time.
In the end, though, it wasn’t a total failure. I did lose 3 pounds in 5 days. (Technically I lost 6 pounds, but 3 of them were due to extra weight from my medication. I wasn’t going to count it, but my hubby says to take the credit. ) And, I’ve managed to keep those pounds off by getting back into a normal diet and just being careful to not overdo the calories.
So would I do a cleanse again? I’d say maybe. If my body feels as sluggish as it did after the holidays, I probably will. I just might seek out a more accountable system next time.
In the coming weeks, I’ll share some meals and snacks I ate during the cleanse that are also great to eat any other time of the year!
Have you ever tried a cleanse or detox diet? What do you think would help you succeed? What scares you most about them?
5. Cardio kickboxing at the toy store: Another mom is racing toward the last Pillow Pet? Uppercut and jab. Another dad is buying the last Thomas the Train set? Hook and roundhouse kick.
g? Go up and down the ladder after hanging each ornament rather than stockpiling them up top. Incorporate a squat when you dig through the decorations box to find what you’re looking for. Don’t be embarrassed. Really. No one is watching…except maybe Santa 
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