I "gave up" caffeine two weeks ago as a part of the 2013 Cleanse. I didn't plan on giving it up for good, but caffeine was a major reason for why I did the cleanse. Pre-cleanse I was back up to drinking 5-6 cans of Diet Coke a day (I know, it's disgusting). And I paid for it with a 3 day long headache during the cleanse. Post-cleanse, I just didn't really know what to do with the caffeine. I love how I feel without any caffeine in my system...I've been sleeping better, waking up better, not as tired during the day...it's been lovely. But, I like Diet Coke. And, I like Captain Morgan. I love the two of them together. And, I don't care what anyone says, drinking caffeine-free Diet Coke is an even bigger waste of money than soda to begin with.
Quandary.
So, then I got to thinking...I drink alcohol. It's not good for me. If I drank 5-6 drinks a day every day, that would be highly unhealthy. Drinking A drink, or a few drinks once in awhile, is a "treat." When I drink alcohol, it affects my sleep, and it makes my waking up a little more irritating. Because drinking a LOT of alcohol is bad for me--probably akin to drinking 5-6 cans of caffeinated beverage a day. So...
Is this just a lot of justification to give myself permission to drink a Diet Coke right now? Maybe. Probably. Bottom line is, I went two weeks without a drop of caffeine, which is pretty impressive in my book. And, I've never been of the mind that depriving myself of something I want is a good thing. In fact, depriving myself of something I want always seems to make me crave it more. I can eat chocolate, Asian noodles, pasta, olives, tater tots....lots of things that aren't necessarily all that good for me--in moderation. So, I'm drinking a Diet Coke. I will not be drinking 5-6 Diet Cokes. And, lest I fall into that pattern, may I humbly express right here:
KELLY! You do NOT want another headache of THREE DAYS. Drink water once in awhile. Drink your Diet Coke like you drink your booze, in moderation, and all will be right in the universe.
Am I alone here? What's your food/drink vice?
Showing posts with label cleansing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cleansing. Show all posts
Thursday, February 07, 2013
Saturday, February 02, 2013
2013 Cleanse Conclusion: My Spidey Sense
Today, the last official day of the cleanse, was an absolutely fantastic day. A cleanse resets the body, so food tastes better, the body moves a little smoother, the mind thinks a little clearer...everything is just, well, easier. Here is a list of the awesome things I did today:
1. Slept through the plows clearing the road in front of my house and my driveway. More importantly, Gatsby did too.
2. Returned to spin class with one of my favorite instructors, Natalie, for the first time in two weeks. Natalie is an animal on the spin bike, and I get my best calorie burn from her. I told her that this was my first post-cleanse workout, and she was all "Holy shit." I said don't worry, if I fall over I'm clipped in, and winked at her. She yelled "Don't say that!"
3. Grocery store trip #1 for grapefruit, which I was desperately craving. Got home and didn't have time to eat desperately craved grapefruit before heading to yoga, so I enjoyed an UltraClear on the way instead.
4. Yoga. Felt as amazing as spin class in a completely different way. Spent a good amount of time in handstand. Appreciated that I didn't have a gut full of diet coke and other crap.
5. Grocery store trip #2 for post-cleanse staples. Also to inadvertently demonstrate to the woman at the meat counter that I am something of a roast beef connoisseur. I don't know how that happened....she asked me about the difference between two types (the best she could offer me was that one cost $3 more than the other) and I waxed poetic about flavors, herbs, and sweetness for far too long.
6. Home to make Gatsby's day complete, make pesto for tonight, and NOT GRADE PAPERS.
A most glorious day, indeed.
1. Slept through the plows clearing the road in front of my house and my driveway. More importantly, Gatsby did too.
2. Returned to spin class with one of my favorite instructors, Natalie, for the first time in two weeks. Natalie is an animal on the spin bike, and I get my best calorie burn from her. I told her that this was my first post-cleanse workout, and she was all "Holy shit." I said don't worry, if I fall over I'm clipped in, and winked at her. She yelled "Don't say that!"
3. Grocery store trip #1 for grapefruit, which I was desperately craving. Got home and didn't have time to eat desperately craved grapefruit before heading to yoga, so I enjoyed an UltraClear on the way instead.
4. Yoga. Felt as amazing as spin class in a completely different way. Spent a good amount of time in handstand. Appreciated that I didn't have a gut full of diet coke and other crap.
5. Grocery store trip #2 for post-cleanse staples. Also to inadvertently demonstrate to the woman at the meat counter that I am something of a roast beef connoisseur. I don't know how that happened....she asked me about the difference between two types (the best she could offer me was that one cost $3 more than the other) and I waxed poetic about flavors, herbs, and sweetness for far too long.
6. Home to make Gatsby's day complete, make pesto for tonight, and NOT GRADE PAPERS.
A most glorious day, indeed.
2013 Cleanse Day 8
A little late tonight because I was out doing my new most favorite-ist thing EVER, teaching Candlelight Flow yoga at CorePower Yoga in Uptown. Tonight was my second week, and it was just awesome. Last week was also awesome. I love helping my students get ready for their weekend by getting rid of the week and creating space. Fabulous.
Anyway, cleanse update! We're in the homestretch, friends! Today I began to add foods back in. I had mango juice for breakfast, and white rice (whoohoo!) for my mid-morning snack/lunch. I was supposed to have an UltraClear in the afternoon, but after I got home from an appointment I totally cheated and ate Asian noodles. They're terrible for me, but I looooooove them. Total guilty pleasure. And, as it turns out, too much for my cleansing stomach. Don't worry, nothing gross happened....but I felt like crap. So, I had an UltraClear to try to erase some of my mistake. It didn't work. Good lesson for the future.
Tomorrow I can add back in even more foods. The goal as I add food back in is to add in simple foods and see how I react to them. This is a great way to test for gluten allergies, various food sensitivities, etc. For example, the noodles I ate tonight could have made me feel icky because of something in the noodles. I'll have to test them again an a day or so.
For dinner, more rice. I really need to stay with the vegetables. That's a huge area of improvement I need to make in my diet. First day I'm allowed to eat real food again and I cram myself full of carbs. Bad Kelly! But, we'll start over again tomorrow, and I'll do better with the veggies.
Anyway, cleanse update! We're in the homestretch, friends! Today I began to add foods back in. I had mango juice for breakfast, and white rice (whoohoo!) for my mid-morning snack/lunch. I was supposed to have an UltraClear in the afternoon, but after I got home from an appointment I totally cheated and ate Asian noodles. They're terrible for me, but I looooooove them. Total guilty pleasure. And, as it turns out, too much for my cleansing stomach. Don't worry, nothing gross happened....but I felt like crap. So, I had an UltraClear to try to erase some of my mistake. It didn't work. Good lesson for the future.
Tomorrow I can add back in even more foods. The goal as I add food back in is to add in simple foods and see how I react to them. This is a great way to test for gluten allergies, various food sensitivities, etc. For example, the noodles I ate tonight could have made me feel icky because of something in the noodles. I'll have to test them again an a day or so.
For dinner, more rice. I really need to stay with the vegetables. That's a huge area of improvement I need to make in my diet. First day I'm allowed to eat real food again and I cram myself full of carbs. Bad Kelly! But, we'll start over again tomorrow, and I'll do better with the veggies.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
2013 Cleanse Day 7: Almost to the finish line
Today was the last "intensive" day of the cleanse. Tomorrow, mercifully, I can eat carbs again! Can I get a "Holla!" over that one please? For real.
One of the things I've noticed about my personality is that I never close the deal. I set goals for myself, put myself into situations, accept responsibilities, etc. and I do them 9/10ths of the way....and then I stop. I'm the queen of "close enough." When I get "close enough," I decide that I did as good as I could do, but I'm obviously not strong/good/smart/talented/whatever enough to finish what I started. I do it in yoga postures, at work, at home. I do it with serious tasks like grading; I do it with silly tasks like doing the dishes. I often spend 20 minutes washing dishes, then I stop with two left and leave those two in the sink.
Today I started craving white rice. Not because white rice is all that great, but because tomorrow I can begin incorporating fruits, non-broccoli vegetables, and white rice back into my diet. So, 8 hours before my finish line (I call the day's close at midnight or when I'd go to bed, whichever is first), I decide I probably should just eat the rice. Nevermind that I've been handling cravings for a week. Nevermind that white rice on its own kind of sucks.
So I didn't eat the rice. And it has nothing to do with the cleanse. It has to do with my desire to finish something that I started. To not get "close enough" and then be done. If I've gone 4 days without white rice, I can do another 8 hours. And, now, it's less than 4 hours. This, my friends, is just as much about my patterns as it is about my eating. I have to learn to finish what I start.
Tomorrow I start reducing the UltraClear and increasing foods back into my diet. I have to make a decision about soda. I'm such a slave to it, and it's not enough to say "I'll just have a can once in awhile." That's not how this girl rolls. I have to either cut it out, or give in to it. I've already cut it out...but I'm not willing to say goodbye to Captain Diets. But, that's not a decision that needs to be made tonight; tonight, it was all about the rice.
One of the things I've noticed about my personality is that I never close the deal. I set goals for myself, put myself into situations, accept responsibilities, etc. and I do them 9/10ths of the way....and then I stop. I'm the queen of "close enough." When I get "close enough," I decide that I did as good as I could do, but I'm obviously not strong/good/smart/talented/whatever enough to finish what I started. I do it in yoga postures, at work, at home. I do it with serious tasks like grading; I do it with silly tasks like doing the dishes. I often spend 20 minutes washing dishes, then I stop with two left and leave those two in the sink.
Today I started craving white rice. Not because white rice is all that great, but because tomorrow I can begin incorporating fruits, non-broccoli vegetables, and white rice back into my diet. So, 8 hours before my finish line (I call the day's close at midnight or when I'd go to bed, whichever is first), I decide I probably should just eat the rice. Nevermind that I've been handling cravings for a week. Nevermind that white rice on its own kind of sucks.
So I didn't eat the rice. And it has nothing to do with the cleanse. It has to do with my desire to finish something that I started. To not get "close enough" and then be done. If I've gone 4 days without white rice, I can do another 8 hours. And, now, it's less than 4 hours. This, my friends, is just as much about my patterns as it is about my eating. I have to learn to finish what I start.
Tomorrow I start reducing the UltraClear and increasing foods back into my diet. I have to make a decision about soda. I'm such a slave to it, and it's not enough to say "I'll just have a can once in awhile." That's not how this girl rolls. I have to either cut it out, or give in to it. I've already cut it out...but I'm not willing to say goodbye to Captain Diets. But, that's not a decision that needs to be made tonight; tonight, it was all about the rice.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
2013 Cleanse Day 6: Q&A
Day 6 came and went without incident and, I can gratefully say, without any grading of any kind. I'm taking tonight to hunker down with Gatsby, watch hockey, read a fabulous book Friend Lora gave me (Outlander
...check it out!), and forget for one night that I'm responsible for the English education of some 154 future contributors to the world.
So, with that, I turn it back over to the cleanse and addressing a few questions that have been passed my way through messages. Note that all of the information here is just my own thoughts based on my own experiences. I'm not a doctor, and my thoughts should in no way be taken as medical advice.
Tell me about Metagenics - UltraClear
!
UltraClear is a medical food made by Metagenics. There's a somewhat informative article about it here on LiveStrong (insert Lance opinion here) that gives some background. I haven't been able to find anything that suggests that UltraClear, when used for short periods of time, is unsafe in any way. Rather, it serves to provide the nutrients the body needs to sustain itself through a cleanse, while still honoring the "digestive rest" that is important to the cleansing process. More on that in a mo'.
Can anyone do a cleanse?
Yes and no. Like I said earlier, cleansing is not for everyone. If you have any sort of health situation going on at all, you really need to check with your doctor before partaking in a cleanse. The first one I did back in 2009 was with a group under the guidance of a coach in a program through CorePower Yoga. Since then, I've done multiple cleanses, only the last few without the supervision of a nutritionist. If you have struggled with an eating disorder in the past, you need to assess whether participating in a cleanse will be a trigger for you. If there's a chance it could be, don't do it.
What are the benefits to doing a cleanse?
For me, a cleanse serves several purposes, most of which are mental rather than physical. Physically, I lose some weight, my skin clears, I feel lighter, and I feel a lot more in-tune with my body's natural rhythms (such as they are). I also eat more vegetables. But mentally...that's where the magic happens. There are days, as I'm sure you understand, when I need a Diet Coke. When I need french fries from the cafeteria. When I don't need the doughnut from the office, but I sure want it a lot, so I eat it. And then I sit in the midst of my sugar crash and berate myself, especially in January, for not having more self-control. Cleansing reminds me that I do have self-control. It also reminds me that if I eat one doughnut, it's okay. That the danger is not what I eat, it's how I eat. Cleansing reminds me that a lot of times when I think I'm starving to death, I'm actually bored. Or thirsty. Or procrastinating.
How much weight can I lose during a cleanse?
A good friend asked me this question and I told her what I typically lose, but I'm not going to get real specific here on I Am Who I Am. First, as mentioned above, I'm cognizant of triggers for eating disorders. Also, that's a very individual question and I don't want to give you some "these results aren't typical" answer. I will say that every time I've cleansed, I've gained more than half of the pounds back within a week. A cleanse and a weight-loss program are two very different animals. If you want to lose weight, do a weight-loss program. If you want to detox your body, do a cleanse.
How do you really feel?
Right now? I feel like crap. I haven't eaten any solid food besides broccoli and apples since Monday. I'm sick of drinking UltraClear. I'm exhausted. My back hurts. I'm irritable. I'm whiny. I haven't had caffeine since Friday. I'm sitting here watching hockey and I want to be drinking a cocktail and eating popcorn...but I'm not (and, truthfully, I don't...my habit wants those two things, but I'm not really craving either one). Along about today, the cleanse really starts to suck, and I think "Why did I do this? Why don't I just eat a sandwich?" But I know from past cleanses that I'm in the middle of the woods in the dead of night right now, but I'm on the right path and very soon I'll start to see some trees I recognize, then some light...and I'll be out and okay again.
What cleanse should I do?
I would recommend the cleanse I'm doing (The Ecopolitan UltraClear Plus 10 Day). I would also recommend any cleanse you do under the supervision of a nutritionist as a part of a wellness program at a gym, yoga studio, etc.
The better question is what cleanse should you not do....any cleanse that excludes essential nutrients from your diet (ahem, master cleanse, ahem), lasts longer than 7-10 days, or involves you putting more chemicals/pills/toxins into your body than it takes out should be avoided. Cleansing is kind of a big ticket word right now, and there are a lot of people out there who are peddling things they don't know anything about in order to make a buck. Remember, above all else, this is your BODY you're dealing with, and you only get the one.
That hits on most of the questions I've been getting over the last few days. If there are others I didn't touch on, feel free to drop a comment. Off to go hit my last serving of UC for the night--cheers!
...check it out!), and forget for one night that I'm responsible for the English education of some 154 future contributors to the world. So, with that, I turn it back over to the cleanse and addressing a few questions that have been passed my way through messages. Note that all of the information here is just my own thoughts based on my own experiences. I'm not a doctor, and my thoughts should in no way be taken as medical advice.
Tell me about Metagenics - UltraClear
! UltraClear is a medical food made by Metagenics. There's a somewhat informative article about it here on LiveStrong (insert Lance opinion here) that gives some background. I haven't been able to find anything that suggests that UltraClear, when used for short periods of time, is unsafe in any way. Rather, it serves to provide the nutrients the body needs to sustain itself through a cleanse, while still honoring the "digestive rest" that is important to the cleansing process. More on that in a mo'.
Can anyone do a cleanse?
Yes and no. Like I said earlier, cleansing is not for everyone. If you have any sort of health situation going on at all, you really need to check with your doctor before partaking in a cleanse. The first one I did back in 2009 was with a group under the guidance of a coach in a program through CorePower Yoga. Since then, I've done multiple cleanses, only the last few without the supervision of a nutritionist. If you have struggled with an eating disorder in the past, you need to assess whether participating in a cleanse will be a trigger for you. If there's a chance it could be, don't do it.
What are the benefits to doing a cleanse?
For me, a cleanse serves several purposes, most of which are mental rather than physical. Physically, I lose some weight, my skin clears, I feel lighter, and I feel a lot more in-tune with my body's natural rhythms (such as they are). I also eat more vegetables. But mentally...that's where the magic happens. There are days, as I'm sure you understand, when I need a Diet Coke. When I need french fries from the cafeteria. When I don't need the doughnut from the office, but I sure want it a lot, so I eat it. And then I sit in the midst of my sugar crash and berate myself, especially in January, for not having more self-control. Cleansing reminds me that I do have self-control. It also reminds me that if I eat one doughnut, it's okay. That the danger is not what I eat, it's how I eat. Cleansing reminds me that a lot of times when I think I'm starving to death, I'm actually bored. Or thirsty. Or procrastinating.
How much weight can I lose during a cleanse?
A good friend asked me this question and I told her what I typically lose, but I'm not going to get real specific here on I Am Who I Am. First, as mentioned above, I'm cognizant of triggers for eating disorders. Also, that's a very individual question and I don't want to give you some "these results aren't typical" answer. I will say that every time I've cleansed, I've gained more than half of the pounds back within a week. A cleanse and a weight-loss program are two very different animals. If you want to lose weight, do a weight-loss program. If you want to detox your body, do a cleanse.
How do you really feel?
Right now? I feel like crap. I haven't eaten any solid food besides broccoli and apples since Monday. I'm sick of drinking UltraClear. I'm exhausted. My back hurts. I'm irritable. I'm whiny. I haven't had caffeine since Friday. I'm sitting here watching hockey and I want to be drinking a cocktail and eating popcorn...but I'm not (and, truthfully, I don't...my habit wants those two things, but I'm not really craving either one). Along about today, the cleanse really starts to suck, and I think "Why did I do this? Why don't I just eat a sandwich?" But I know from past cleanses that I'm in the middle of the woods in the dead of night right now, but I'm on the right path and very soon I'll start to see some trees I recognize, then some light...and I'll be out and okay again.
What cleanse should I do?
I would recommend the cleanse I'm doing (The Ecopolitan UltraClear Plus 10 Day). I would also recommend any cleanse you do under the supervision of a nutritionist as a part of a wellness program at a gym, yoga studio, etc.
The better question is what cleanse should you not do....any cleanse that excludes essential nutrients from your diet (ahem, master cleanse, ahem), lasts longer than 7-10 days, or involves you putting more chemicals/pills/toxins into your body than it takes out should be avoided. Cleansing is kind of a big ticket word right now, and there are a lot of people out there who are peddling things they don't know anything about in order to make a buck. Remember, above all else, this is your BODY you're dealing with, and you only get the one.
That hits on most of the questions I've been getting over the last few days. If there are others I didn't touch on, feel free to drop a comment. Off to go hit my last serving of UC for the night--cheers!
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
2013 Cleanse Day 5: The Halfway Point
Tonight, to celebrate the halfway point of the cleanse, I present to you a list of foods I thought about eating today, in no particular order:
1. Bagel
2. Hot chocolate
3. Tater tots
4. Chicken kiev but with broccoli and cheese wrapped up in the chicken instead of butter
5. Chicken kiev
6. Pizza. Pepperoni with extra cheese and olives, if you're curious
7. Olives
8. Walnuts
9. Guacamole
10. Fried rice (but I totally blame this video for that one)
11. Popcorn
That's about all I have for you this evening. I have two more days of the tough stuff, then I get to begin adding back in. Friday can't come soon enough!
1. Bagel
2. Hot chocolate
3. Tater tots
4. Chicken kiev but with broccoli and cheese wrapped up in the chicken instead of butter
5. Chicken kiev
6. Pizza. Pepperoni with extra cheese and olives, if you're curious
7. Olives
8. Walnuts
9. Guacamole
10. Fried rice (but I totally blame this video for that one)
11. Popcorn
That's about all I have for you this evening. I have two more days of the tough stuff, then I get to begin adding back in. Friday can't come soon enough!
Monday, January 28, 2013
2013 Cleanse Day 4
And all of a sudden, I'm almost halfway through the cleanse! Whooooohoooo! There are two turning points in the 10 day cleanse....day 4 (today), and day 8. Those days are so important to keep in mind not just when they arrive, but ahead of their arrival as well. As in: I know I can make it through day 3, because day 4 is almost here, and day 4 is just one day from day 5, which is halfway through! (And yes, I tell this to myself. Out loud. Sometimes in public. Without apology.)
I woke up today well-rested. Caffeine is out of my system, so I went to bed at a somewhat reasonable hour last night (11pm...reasonable for me!) and woke up at a reasonable hour feeling like I could actually get out of bed. I didn't need a nap when I got home. Measuring time from Diet Coke to Diet Coke (yes, I decided to capitalize it now) is no way to live. But, when a person like myself starts and ends her day with Diet Coke, that's exactly what's happening. I'm tired now, sure, because I worked all day and have worked for about 3 hours since I got home. In other words, I've come by my tired honestly, rather than just hitting the wall of my caffeine addiction.
At work today, two of my colleagues said they could never do what I'm doing...they don't have the discipline, they need caffeine too much, they would bail out after two days, etc. I just nod. I've gone through the whole "oh you could *totally* do a cleanse! It's easy!" It's not easy. It does require commitment. And, it's not for everyone. But, I will say: yes--you can do it. If you want to. But it won't be easy.
Alright, some of y'all have messaged me wanting to know about the...ahem....bathroom situation. I'll be delicate. Truth be told--there is no "bathroom situation." The word "cleanse" seems to inspire thoughts of some scary colon blow type situation, or images of staying home from work to stay close to the bathroom. Not with this cleanse. There's nothing going on in my body that's any different from normal. Well, things are a little different (insert delicacy here), but I'm not strapped to the bathroom, and I'm not wearing Depends. Mmmmkay? Whew....glad we got through that one!
Tomorrow I let go of lentils, and am left with the remaining food types for the next 3 days: cruciferous vegetables, raw greens, fresh apples and pears, and apple/pear juice (as long as it's natural). Plus my UltraClear, which I will begin to cling to like a heroin addict. Because, dear readers, the last four days have been a warm up. Days 5-7 are the intensive days.
But Friday is a'comin'. Friday is Day 8. I can totally make it to day 8. And if I can make it to day 8, I can make it to day 10. Count on it.
I woke up today well-rested. Caffeine is out of my system, so I went to bed at a somewhat reasonable hour last night (11pm...reasonable for me!) and woke up at a reasonable hour feeling like I could actually get out of bed. I didn't need a nap when I got home. Measuring time from Diet Coke to Diet Coke (yes, I decided to capitalize it now) is no way to live. But, when a person like myself starts and ends her day with Diet Coke, that's exactly what's happening. I'm tired now, sure, because I worked all day and have worked for about 3 hours since I got home. In other words, I've come by my tired honestly, rather than just hitting the wall of my caffeine addiction.
At work today, two of my colleagues said they could never do what I'm doing...they don't have the discipline, they need caffeine too much, they would bail out after two days, etc. I just nod. I've gone through the whole "oh you could *totally* do a cleanse! It's easy!" It's not easy. It does require commitment. And, it's not for everyone. But, I will say: yes--you can do it. If you want to. But it won't be easy.
Alright, some of y'all have messaged me wanting to know about the...ahem....bathroom situation. I'll be delicate. Truth be told--there is no "bathroom situation." The word "cleanse" seems to inspire thoughts of some scary colon blow type situation, or images of staying home from work to stay close to the bathroom. Not with this cleanse. There's nothing going on in my body that's any different from normal. Well, things are a little different (insert delicacy here), but I'm not strapped to the bathroom, and I'm not wearing Depends. Mmmmkay? Whew....glad we got through that one!
Tomorrow I let go of lentils, and am left with the remaining food types for the next 3 days: cruciferous vegetables, raw greens, fresh apples and pears, and apple/pear juice (as long as it's natural). Plus my UltraClear, which I will begin to cling to like a heroin addict. Because, dear readers, the last four days have been a warm up. Days 5-7 are the intensive days.
But Friday is a'comin'. Friday is Day 8. I can totally make it to day 8. And if I can make it to day 8, I can make it to day 10. Count on it.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
2013 Cleanse: Day 3
Today the rubber kind of hit the road....until I remembered that I can (and should!) eat vegetables from time to time. Welcome to the reason I need to cleanse, I guess. Apparently existing on carbs and diet coke doesn't work so well. My raging headache continued all morning long, prompting me to sub out a yoga class and cry a little. Then I made some vegetable soup with lentils this afternoon and life got a little better.
The other thing that made me cry a little, totally not cleanse-related, is the amount of grading I've been doing this weekend. Non-stop, my friends. It's the end of one quarter and the beginning of another. I go through this every quarter--feeling really overwhelmed and unprepared--and every quarter I get through it. But, in a time of cleansing, I think the difficulty is magnified. It's becoming pretty clear to me that my food habits aren't the only thing I should be cleansing right now. But, one thing at a time, right?
Tomorrow I eliminate rice and nuts, two of my staples for the last few days. I'm upping the UltraClear, which will help. I can eat fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Nothing else. I haven't been hungry, and I haven't really lost weight. But, my guess is both of those things will happen over the next few days. Suffice to say, I'll be laying low.
I'm also really missing my cleanse buddy, Michelle. It makes such a big difference to be doing the cleanse along with someone. It's amazing how important an encouraging email/text/phone call can be. So, that's my number 1 tip for planning a cleanse: get someone to do it with you. A few people is even better. But, get people who will really do it--not someone who is going to dip out after a day or so. You don't need that temptation. Michelle and I didn't always cleanse together, but when we did we were in it together, and neither of use ever stopped on the other. If she was cleansing right now, I know we would have talked today about the experience so far.
Will update more tomorrow--assuming I survive the first day of 3rd quarter....ugh.
The other thing that made me cry a little, totally not cleanse-related, is the amount of grading I've been doing this weekend. Non-stop, my friends. It's the end of one quarter and the beginning of another. I go through this every quarter--feeling really overwhelmed and unprepared--and every quarter I get through it. But, in a time of cleansing, I think the difficulty is magnified. It's becoming pretty clear to me that my food habits aren't the only thing I should be cleansing right now. But, one thing at a time, right?
Tomorrow I eliminate rice and nuts, two of my staples for the last few days. I'm upping the UltraClear, which will help. I can eat fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Nothing else. I haven't been hungry, and I haven't really lost weight. But, my guess is both of those things will happen over the next few days. Suffice to say, I'll be laying low.
I'm also really missing my cleanse buddy, Michelle. It makes such a big difference to be doing the cleanse along with someone. It's amazing how important an encouraging email/text/phone call can be. So, that's my number 1 tip for planning a cleanse: get someone to do it with you. A few people is even better. But, get people who will really do it--not someone who is going to dip out after a day or so. You don't need that temptation. Michelle and I didn't always cleanse together, but when we did we were in it together, and neither of use ever stopped on the other. If she was cleansing right now, I know we would have talked today about the experience so far.
Will update more tomorrow--assuming I survive the first day of 3rd quarter....ugh.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
2013 Cleanse Day 2
The first thing I was aware of this morning, even before I opened my eyes, was the screaming headache that remained from cutting out caffeine yesterday. The headache progressed through my spin class, prompted me to skip my second spin class (the endurance class I love) and sent me home for a nap. It subsided for a bit during yoga, but now that I'm staring down the barrel of countless projects that need to be graded by Monday, suddenly it's back. What's the lesson here? I seriously needed to detox this caffeine from my body! So, while the headache was painful, it was also a good motivator.
So...you're wondering what I got to eat today, right?
Well, yesterday I eliminated refined sugar, caffeine, artificial colors/flavors/sweeteners, and flesh foods (meat, fish, etc.). Today I added eggs and other dairy products to that list, making today not a lot different from yesterday except for the fact that egg (whites) are my normal "go to" food whenever I need a low calorie, high protein treat. So, I ate some oatmeal with brown sugar for breakfast (not from a package, of course). I had an apple, walnuts and pasta for lunch and a snack. I had some tea and another apple later in the afternoon, and some edamame for dinner. I had some UltraClear as well, which is one of the components of the cleanse. I'll be adding that in more each day as I eliminate foods. I'm going to have some brown rice later, and my last scoop of UltraClear. Then it's off to bed.
I've definitely got "cleanse brain," that kind of foggy feeling that makes me forget my purse for spin class (and then look for it at spin, forgetting that I forgot it). This will last for a few more days, and then as I get back on schedule with better foods, my energy and clarity will return.
The most important element to remember while cleansing, in my opinion, is to not underestimate the role food plays in everything we do in our day to day life. Changing what you eat will affect your energy, your mood, your perspective, even your social life. Sometimes for the better...sometimes not. We are a nation that functions on food. We are motivated by it, we celebrate with it, we even use it as a measure of intelligence and sophistication. The worst thing I can do while cleansing is to act "business as usual." I have to honor my energy and be sensitive to the mood swings as they arise.
Tomorrow I cut out grains, nuts and seeds. There goes my oatmeal, pasta and rice. I'll be able to eat fruits, veggies, and legumes. Means I better get some lentils on the way home from teaching yoga tomorrow--and I better write it down; I'll never remember with Cleanse Brain!
Friday, January 25, 2013
2013 Cleanse Day 1
Every once in awhile--usually about 2x a year--I decide I've gone overboard quite enough with the sugar, diet coke, and carbs. A cleanse is a great way to reset my system and remind myself that yes, I can actually live without my morning diet coke.
This is the cleanse I'm doing: The UltraClear PLUS 10-DAY EXPRESS DETOX PROGRAM. I know 10 days sounds like a LONG TIME....and it is. It's not easy. But, I feel amazing afterward and I feel like I'm back to controlling my food rather than the other way around. So, I thought I'd chronicle my cleanse this time around and hopefully give you some insights into the whole process.
So, today was day 1. For me, that meant no coffee, no diet coke, and no meat. Not really a significant difference from my normal diet, except I've been drinking so much soda lately that I've had the hard-core caffeine headache raging since about 10am. The only thing getting me through is knowing that it will get better in a few days, and I can have diet coke in 9 days again!
I ate oatmeal with brown sugar for breakfast, angel hair noodles with olives/olive oil/parm cheese for lunch, and a can of vegetable barley soup (Amy's) for dinner. I also drank tea (caffeine free, of course), and water with lemon.
Tomorrow will be a little harder, because I can't have eggs. Eggs are my total go-to food. Well, egg whites, I should say. But, that means I'll need to up my veggies in order to stay satisfied, and that's a really good thing for me since I really don't eat enough vegetables.
Tomorrow is also my intense exercise day: a three hour spin session followed by a 75 min yoga class. I'm going to have to understand that I probably won't have the same amount of energy I usually have and be okay with that. It's worth it to get my system out of diet coke/salt/cookie land and back into normal territory.
This is the cleanse I'm doing: The UltraClear PLUS 10-DAY EXPRESS DETOX PROGRAM. I know 10 days sounds like a LONG TIME....and it is. It's not easy. But, I feel amazing afterward and I feel like I'm back to controlling my food rather than the other way around. So, I thought I'd chronicle my cleanse this time around and hopefully give you some insights into the whole process.
So, today was day 1. For me, that meant no coffee, no diet coke, and no meat. Not really a significant difference from my normal diet, except I've been drinking so much soda lately that I've had the hard-core caffeine headache raging since about 10am. The only thing getting me through is knowing that it will get better in a few days, and I can have diet coke in 9 days again!
I ate oatmeal with brown sugar for breakfast, angel hair noodles with olives/olive oil/parm cheese for lunch, and a can of vegetable barley soup (Amy's) for dinner. I also drank tea (caffeine free, of course), and water with lemon.
Tomorrow will be a little harder, because I can't have eggs. Eggs are my total go-to food. Well, egg whites, I should say. But, that means I'll need to up my veggies in order to stay satisfied, and that's a really good thing for me since I really don't eat enough vegetables.
Tomorrow is also my intense exercise day: a three hour spin session followed by a 75 min yoga class. I'm going to have to understand that I probably won't have the same amount of energy I usually have and be okay with that. It's worth it to get my system out of diet coke/salt/cookie land and back into normal territory.
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Cleansing in 2011
It's time for the first cleanse of 2011. Well, actually I'm almost done with it. This time around I did the Ecopolitan 10 day cleanse using UltraClear, mental toughness, and apples. I'm on day 7 and have, so far, dropped 7 lbs. It's nice, even though most of the weight will come back. I cleanse about 4x a year and each time it gets a little easier in some ways and a little harder in others.
Today I stayed home to let my body catch up with the mental stamina of cleansing. It is hard work, no question. Managing cravings that will help me figure out where my weaknesses are, eating when my body says I need to rather than when my job or schedule allow, etc. can all take a lot of time and energy. But, cleansing is ultimately very worth it. It offers a clarity that no diet can. And, what I'm cutting out is mostly what's bad for me. As I build my diet back to "normal" in the next few days, I will inevitably add some of those bad things (coke, pizza, nachos, the amazing fried rice from Big Bowl) back in, but that's okay--I'll be cleansing again in May and need something to get rid of :-)
Today I stayed home to let my body catch up with the mental stamina of cleansing. It is hard work, no question. Managing cravings that will help me figure out where my weaknesses are, eating when my body says I need to rather than when my job or schedule allow, etc. can all take a lot of time and energy. But, cleansing is ultimately very worth it. It offers a clarity that no diet can. And, what I'm cutting out is mostly what's bad for me. As I build my diet back to "normal" in the next few days, I will inevitably add some of those bad things (coke, pizza, nachos, the amazing fried rice from Big Bowl) back in, but that's okay--I'll be cleansing again in May and need something to get rid of :-)
Sunday, October 10, 2010
The Neti Pot Epic Fail
Apparently, 34 years of breathing has left me with an impenetrable mass in my sinuses that renders my neti pot only partially usable. Bummer. I tried the neti pot for the first time last night, expecting to swallow a lot of water, have water float into my brain or out my eyes...pretty much anything except that the water would do what it's supposed to do: flow from the opposite nostril.
I'm so glad I live alone sometimes. There are people who record their neti pot experiences and post them on youtube. Me? I don't even let the dog watch. I'm surprised I'm even telling you fine folk.
Tonight I tried again--same results. Hopefully I'm chipping away at the monstrosity in my nasal cavity. I just hope that when I eventually dislodge it and can breathe truly freely that I don't actually sound like Fran Drescher...
I'm so glad I live alone sometimes. There are people who record their neti pot experiences and post them on youtube. Me? I don't even let the dog watch. I'm surprised I'm even telling you fine folk.
Tonight I tried again--same results. Hopefully I'm chipping away at the monstrosity in my nasal cavity. I just hope that when I eventually dislodge it and can breathe truly freely that I don't actually sound like Fran Drescher...
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