Day 3

Today was so much better than yesterday.

No headache upon waking, no hunger, no fatigue. It was all good. I had a busy day too, and I had my first lunch out, which ended up being a salad with avocado, a few green beans, and olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Pretty weak, but I guess it was better then nothing. On the way home though after being out from 9am to 3:30pm I was getting a little cranky...

The headache came, and the fatigue. As soon as I got home though, I was off again, to a movie screening. Even though I was feeling icky going into it, when I got out, I felt much better.

I've just had my evening shake. I feel full, and I feel a slight headache.

I should mention the thirst. I've been so thirsty through this whole process, it's never quenched no matter how much water I drink. And i've been drinking a lot of water... way more than usual, and probably more than the recommended amount. It's weird.

I'm also breaking out a little bit but I think that has something to do with the detoxing thing.

Phew. Another day down. 18 more days to go.

The Day 2 Blues

Yes, that's right, the blues. Wow today was hard. Not hard in the sense that I wanted to eat everything... but hard as in detox symptoms to the extreme. I guess I didn't realize it would begin working so quickly and throwing toxins out. As they say, detox is retox.

It also occurred to me today that I should probably buy a scale, so that I can accurately describe everything happening to me on the cleanse... but i've avoided scales for so long, I'm not entirely sure yet.

I slept in like crazy this morning (for me) until about 9am. I could not get up for the life of me, and strangely I didn't feel hungry at all. I felt weak, slow, and my head felt fuzzy... but I also felt jittery. I slowly woke up and had a big glass of water and my morning encourage supplement. As soon as I finished drinking the water, the glass slipped from my hand and shattered all over the floor. Nice. That's supposed to be good luck, right?

Anyway, I had some tea and waited a little while before drinking my smoothie - I wanted to wait until I actually felt hungry, and it took a while. I'm wondering if this whole process is actually slowing my metabolism down. Not sure I like that.

I had the chocolate flavored nourish with blueberries and almond milk, and it was quite palatable this morning. I was feeling a little bit lighter even though I was still experiencing extreme detox symptoms.

I tried to rest and take it easy, pretty much just cleaned and poked around on the internet.

For lunch I made vegetables with red kidney beans and red quinoa with a sauce I made out of mustard, brown rice syrup, and coconut vinegar. It was pretty good. By that point the head fuzz had pretty much gone away, but I was still extremely lethargic.

Also, i've been unusually thirsty and drinking so many glasses of water that I've lost count. I guess that's my body telling me it needs water to flush out the toxins?

I've pretty much been a boring sloth and spent the rest of this lazy Saturday on the couch. Wow, I need to get a life.

After evening smoothie and pills (why do these damn evening pills always get stuck in my throat??) I'm feeling a lot better. My body feels nourished, i'm not jittery and I only have a very slight headache, but i'm still so tired even though i've been resting all day. it's 9:20pm and I'm thinking of getting into bed. Dear me.

I'm glad that I got through today, I hear that Day 2 for a lot of people is really a tough one. I'm hoping it will all be worth it in the end.

Clean, Day 1

So the first day of my challenge, and the night before I thought I would help myself ease into it by eating a bowl of soup way before bedtime. Cut to me waking up at 5am because my stomach was growling so loud.

I got up and downed 2 big glasses of water to calm it down.

Then woke up for real around 7am, feeling light, skinny, and hungry.

Already I was looking less bloated then I had been a few days ago.

I took the morning pill and then drank some tea, and waited about an hour or so before having my shake. At this point, I was so hungry I didn't think I could make it. I'm one of those people that needs to eat breakfast, so that was probably the hardest part for me.

I made the shake with vanilla nourish, some blueberries and almond milk, because that sounded a lot more appetizing to my grumbling tummy then making it with just water.

The shake was... ok, at best. I mean, I think it will grow on me and probably start tasting better, but it wasn't what my body wanted this morning. A little bit grainy. As soon as I finished, the first thing that popped in my head was, "how long until lunch?"

Unfortunately, a lot longer then I would have liked because of an animal emergency. We went out on our morning errands.... smog check car, rite-aid, etc... and when we got back there was something really wrong with our kitty, and there was blood on the ground.

So I grabbed a couple of raw green beans because I was hungry at this point, but that's all I could get down before rushing off.

2 hours later, our cat was fine, and I was faint. Literally. Shaking, and so hungry that I could barely hang on. The car ride home was hell. Finally, half an hour later we were home and I raced for the kitchen and cooked up some veggies with aduki beans.

I started to feel much better. I think I might be hyperglycemic or something because if I don't eat something every few hours, I get crazy headaches, dizzyness, irritability, etc.

Anyway, as soon as I ate, I felt much better. Throughout the rest of the day I just kept drinking tons of water, had another cup of tea, and had a spoonful of almond butter and hummus here and there. I didn't start getting really hungry until around 7, but didn't make my evening shake until about 8:30.

I used chocolate nourish this time as well as the blueberries and almond milk, and it actually tasted really good! Maybe it's cause I was that hungry, or maybe it's cause my body is adapting to less enhanced flavors. Either way I was happy, and full!

It's now 10:10 and 2 glasses of water have been downed since, and i'm still content and full... except for the supplements that got stuck in my throat and still feel like they are there. UGH.

I'm going to try to go to bed before I get hungry again. Hurray for a successful first day!

Last night of Elimination Diet... Finally...

It's finally here. My last night before officially starting the cleanse. I have to admit that I'm a little intimidated.

I bought a new TV and I'm redecorating though, so I will have plenty of things to keep me busy and not thinking about it.

Today was pretty good and easy. It's been so hot here in LA that I almost have to force myself to eat, and I can only handle raw foods that are cold. Like cucumbers. And smoothies. And salads.

However, I did have some split pea soup for dinner, which was strangely perfect.

I also got my lazy, ankle-sprained booty over to the gym today and did some weights and a bit of light cardio (as much as I could do with my sprain)

Hopefully by this point my body is ready to take on the cleanse with minimal detox symptoms.

I must note that for the last two days i've had the worst headache I can ever remember having. At first I thought that there might be something terribly wrong with me, but I think that the combination of the insane heat and me coming off of my crazy weekend, headaches might be a perfectly normal side effect.

I'm dying to do some yoga in addition to the cleanse... by that, I mean, going to the best little yoga studio ever, Liberation Yoga, but my ankle is still too sprained to partake in classes. The best i'll probably get is me with my mat on the living room floor, makeshifting my way through the lying down poses.

I'm also thinking of incorporating the netty pot, which, for those of you who don't know, is an ayurvedic trinket. It is a little pot with a spout in which you put a salt water solution and pour it through one nostril and it drips out the other. Then you switch. It sounds awful, it looks awful, and it's almost awful and mostly weird, but mostly quite refreshing. It's very similar to the feeling you get in your nose when you do a cannonball into a swimming pool. It is supposed to completely clear your nasal passages and help with flushing out toxins, allergies, under-eye darkness, and more. I've heard mixed reviews on the usefulness of the netty pot, there was an article written about it that said that using it too often can actually be bad for you, and there are those that say you should use it every morning. I'll take the middle approach and maybe try it a couple of times a week. I'll let you (whoever you are) know how it works out.

Weekend Extravaganza...

Okay, yes, I haven't written for a few days, and yes, there is a reason. Not one that I am proud of, but a reason nonetheless. Yes, I went crazy this weekend and broke the diet... Oh, the shame. The horror!

BUT... I kind of (okay, REALLY) set myself up for it, and since I hadn't officially started the 21 day cleanse part of the diet, I can justify it to myself. Sort of. That just means that I have to start over, but I think i'll do 3 days instead of the 5. How badly did I break it, you ask?

Oh dear...

First, I should add that it was not just a birthday weekend, but a DOUBLE birthday weekend.

It all started with a not-so-innocent sip of my boyfriends beer at a Sunday BBQ. Up until then, I had nibbled on a few almonds. One sip turned to two, turned to 5, and so on...

Then came the chips and salsa. Oh, how I wanted not to eat those corn chips and mango salsa. But by this point I had probably had the equivalent of one beer, and I am a notorious lightweight, so all reason went out the window at this point. Point being, Chips = devoured.

Well since I was already cheating, might as well enjoy myself and try not to feel guilty, right?

All this was followed by a few niblings of potato salad (which, by the way, I NEVER eat), and something else that I can't seem to recall (remember: extreme lightweight). Then the most evil part of all... the vegan cupcake from sprinkles. Ok, but in my defense, they were sprinkles cupcakes!! How could I resist at this point? Anyway, by now there was no stopping me on my cheat weekend.

We left the BBQ a few hours later in a hurry because we were almost running late for the surprise get together I had planned for my boyfriends birthday later that night. Yeah, this is where it gets really ugly.

First of all, earlier that morning, I made this:

Inspired by one of the coolest books ever, Hello, Cupcake! by Karen Tack and Allen Richardson http://www.hellocupcakebook.com/ I totally fell in love with this book when I saw it at a friend's house and had to order my own copy, and have since been on a cupcake making roll. Don't worry, I won't make anymore cupcakes any time soon, I promise.

I made the bottom half gluten-free (strategically placed so that the guests would eat the more user friendly ones and so that I could have a gluten-free cupcake) I know, I know, there was still sugar, but at least it was organic and dairy/egg/gluten-free. That's something, right?

Of course, I also had a glass of wine, a small shot of tequila (my boyfriend's birthday party, people!), and the munchies. Cheese, puff pastry with spinach and mushrooms, tomato basil mozzarella, flat bread... you name it, I had a bite.

I also gulped down tons of water because the next day (his actual b-day) we were going to..... DISNEYLAND!

I woke up that morning knowing that it was an all or nothing kind of day, and since yesterday was an "all" day, I might as well really enjoy myself at the happiest place on earth and have another "all" day.

So breakfast was an egg and a piece of Ezekial sprouted grain bread.

We were then on our way, where we did our secret free parking trick, and I crutched my way through downtown disney over to the wheelchair rentals (no lines = YIPEE!!!), and was rolled away into the disney dream.

After a few rides, we split a mahi mahi burrito for lunch.

Then rides, rides, and more rides! We got so much done in one day...

Dinner was at the Cafe Orleans, where I had a spinach salad with grilled salmon, and a few bites of birthday dessert.

Then, more rides, shopping, and on our way home where I made a vow that it was my last "cheat" day and it was time to get down to this "clean" business.

And so I did. The next day (yesterday) I was really good. Had a breakfast smoothie, lunch was a baby greens salad with a little bit of salmon, cucumbers, and a dressing I made out of tahini, apple cider vinegar, wheat free tamari, garlic, and a bit of olive oil. Nom.

Snack was half an avocado.

For dinner I had a small portion of quinoa with a bit of dairy-free pesto, and some steamed broccoli and cauliflower. For dessert, a had a tablespoon of raw almond butter with a little bit of agave. Cause yes, I have a crazy sweet tooth.

Back on track and it feels so good. I'm now sipping on a cup of green tea as I write this, and planning on hitting the gym today. Phew. Glad that's over.

Elimination Diet, Day 4

Today was difficult. Had my usual smoothie in the morning, and then we had a whole bunch of errands to run. It was soo hot and i've had a headache all freaking day. And i'm so bloated. And my stomach hurts. What the hell.

On a positive note, i'm getting much better at limping around town. I opted for no crutches today, just me and my limp.

I was pretty much out and about all day, going from one place to the next, and only one stop home where I scarfed down a little bit of leftover quinoa from last night and then kept going.

When I got home, I had a few more bites of quinoa and some almond butter (too hungry to make anything) I went on another cleaning frenzy. With two big dogs, a long hair cat, and a human male, things get messy really fast. The truth is, i've never been good at being tidy and organized. It's not something that anyone in my family was ever accomplished in, and it somehow always bonded us. Since living on my own and with roommates/boyfriends for oh, some odd time, i've slowly had to teach myself the ways of being domestic. Cooking, cleaning... and now I'm hooked. Anyway.

At this point my boyfriend is already asking what's for dinner, and I'm not even hungry yet.

But I make dinner anyway... brown rice pasta with vegan/gluten free pesto, mushrooms, shallots, and zucchini, and asparagus - blanched and then sauteed in olive oil with salt and pepper. I had a very small portion.

I think i'm eating too many carbs. Maybe that is why i'm bloated. Perhaps tomorrow I should try more raw foods and salads?

Elimination Diet, Day 3

I received my clean kit in the mail today! Seeing it all out in front of me makes this all more real... It's a little bit intimidating... I really want to be able to make it through, without risking my sanity and my social life.

On another note, I am extending the elimination diet past the 5 day mark and doing it for 6 days instead because of a day trip to Disneyland for my boyfriends birthday. After much thought and insight from others, I decided that was the best decision, so no torture for me in Disneyland!

Hopefully I will just be able to enjoy myself and find some things to eat that are "clean friendly".

This morning was the usual yerba mate tea in the morning and smoothie for breakfast. I gave myself a smaller portion this morning and it seemed to workout just fine. I'm actually walking around a little bit right now, with a huge limp, but it's a nice start. I have downgraded to using just one crutch on outings and no crutches just in the apartment. So I capitalized on my newfound mobility and decided it would be a great day to go to the gym for the first time in over a month. Oy Vey. We went a little while after breakfast, and man do I wish I would have thought of some portable clean snacks because by the time we got there the smoothie had digested and I was pretty hungry again. I usually bring an energy bar or something with me, but alas, no clean energy bars to my knowledge. If anyone knows of any I urge you to come forward with the information. I still managed to get through the workout alright though, but I was really freaking fatigued. I was like a slug trying to lift dumbells, all the while with my poor boyfriend trying not to get frustrated at me for my lack of enthusiasm, energy, and proper form (he's a personal trainer). After that, I managed to walk/limp on the treadmill at a slight incline for a mile (I heard that walking on an incline is good for sprained ankle rehab). Then we were off again on more errands, two grocery stores and all the while my stomach is rumbling like crazy begging for the burrito samples they have out at Trader Joe's. Finally we made our way home, where I found my clean kit waiting for me which made me very happy that I resisted all those evil urges. I quickly threw together a salad with mixed baby greens, persian cucumber, mushrooms, aduki beans, and leftover broccoli raab pesto as dressing. I think that was the best salad I have ever eaten in my life - that's how hungry I was. I then continued with my organizing and cleaning to distract me from thoughts of the forbidden dark chocolate that I knew was sitting in the fridge. Evil. I felt pretty damn good for awhile - I had a good amount of energy and I was feeling very clean and pure. I'd eaten vegan all day. I was vegan for about a year, and even though i'm not anymore, vegan food still makes me very very happy.

I started to get hungry about two hours later... the only downfall of salads.

After showering and meditating, I got started on dinner, which was quinoa with garbanzo beans, zucchini, and garlic smothered in the leftover creamy mushroom sauce, and kale cooked with red wine vinegar, garlic, and onions. It was perfect. Healthy, flavorful, light, vegan... and there are leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

Now i'm hungry again... crap.