3 Day Fruit & Veggie Cleanse - Day 1

So, I started out today thinking I was about to go on a 10 fruit and vegetable cleanse/detox...

I was wrong. I've decided to cut it back to three days. I know that sounds like failing or giving up, but I have many reasons. Really, I do! Let's start at the beginning.

I've been wanting to do a cleanse for a while now. During the month of July, I ate like crap. I went camping, then the week later I went to Tennessee for 7 days. My Great Aunt in Tennessee loves to bake and cook, and the good old fashioned southern kind of cooking at that. I've had more fast food meals in July than I want to admit. (Hey! You try to control yourself around a Chick-Fil-A when you don't have any where you live!!) I've been feeling sluggish, my skin has been acting up, and I've been getting headaches more than I'm used to.

I've been reading up on different cleanses and detox diets for weeks and I put together one that combines most of the one's I've seen.  Some diets only allow fruits and vegetables to be organic, some only raw, some diets include nuts and grains, some green tea, some herbal tea, and so on...I decided to eat fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs, water and green tea. I haven't decided if I want the vegetables to be able to be cooked but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

The benefits of cleanses/detoxes can be:

• literal "cleansing" of your system
• healthier skin, nails and hair
• more energy
• weight loss

I'm looking for all of those benefits in doing this cleanse.

Some detoxes last for 1-3 days, some 7-10 and there are even people who do it for 30 days. I plan to do this detox diet for 3 days, meaning I'll be done with it Friday, August 12th when I wake up. Even that is going to be difficult for me.

Today proved to be pretty hard. Especially since I didn't ease into the diet. I'm hoping by doing this detox that on Friday, I wont want to ruin all the hard work I've done so I will continue to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables but add some proteins and dairy to the mix-slowly. I also hope that after I do this, I'll try for a 5 day one in a month or two, then eventually complete the 10 day cleanse (so that I can cross it off one of my 101 in 1001 items.)
I don't want to be too hard on myself, I really did think I could do it for ten days right off the bat. I'll get there one day but for now I think 3 days is going to be a pretty big challenge.

I went to the fruit/veggie market yesterday to buy all the things I'd need for this detox. I bought:

• cherries
• apples
• starfruit
• cactus pear
• peaches
• strawberries
• bananas
• pears
• blueberries
• red grapes
• kiwis
• lemons (for water)
• romaine lettuce
• cherry tomatoes
• baby carrots
• spinach
• red bell peppers
• green bell peppers
• asparagus
• sweet potatoes

I also picked up some green tea and some applesauce.

LOVE these! some were clearance for $1.94!

Most simple ingredient list I've ever seen

My beverage choice lately, venti shaken green tea!

Today I felt okay until about 2pm, when I started to get very hungry. I feel that way now, too, mainly because I find it almost impossible to fill up on fruits and vegetables. I also have a slight headache, but I've had it for two days now. I've been taking a multi-vitamin, vitamin D and E everyday as well. I'm really looking forward to this weekend, being able to eat like a human again! :)

I'll write a quick post tomorrow and Thursday, letting you all know how I'm feeling at the time! Thanks for reading!

Any questions or comments, leave them here, or tweet me @ep3074!

-Liz

My Weekday Water Challenge

I don't know why, but I love challenging myself to little trials that I know I am capable of completing. This week was all about water.

I know that some days I don't drink enough water. I remember one day specifically where I couldn't recall if I'd had any water at all. That's not okay...so I thought I'd test myself.

The rules were originally that I was only allowed to drink water for 7 whole days. Obviously, I would still be eating my regular diet but replacing all my Diet Vernor's, Diet Dr. Pepper Cherry, apple juice, milk, and wine throughout the week with nothing but plain old ice water.
Through the week, I made the decision to change the timeline from 7 days to 5. It's not because it was getting too hard or that I was craving anything-just that I had a miserable week and really wanted to relax this weekend with a cup of coffee and, of course, a champagne toast for my boyfriend's brother's 21st birthday!

In exactly 25 minutes, my ban on all liquid of taste will be lifted. But, surprisingly I do not have the urge to go crazy and down gallons of Kool-Aid with the refrigerator door open.

Here's what I've learned from this short experience of mine:

• It's a lot easier falling asleep every night (this is my biggest benefit by far)
• I haven't had a single headache
• Nothing quenches thirst better than ice water (plus you burn more calories drinking ice cold water!)
• My skin started to clear up
• I'm sure glad I bought that Tervis Tumbler ;)

But during the later part of this week, when I became bored with plain, tasteless water, I did notice myself eating when I was actually thirsty just for the flavors.

I've come to the conclusion that I know I feel better when I drink more water. Some of these days I had around 90oz and felt amazing. I'm not going to completely swear off all other drinks, but I will drink them sparingly, as a treat more than replacing my water intake with them. I did have a glass of unsweetened tea today, (which I allowed myself since it is mainly water) and found it took care of my boredom issue...so that may replace a diet pop here or there, which is certainly more healthy.

I'm really glad I challenged myself to this, and I am making a commitment to drink a lot more water than any other drink now that I know how it makes me feel.

Have you every challenged yourself?
Do you drink enough water?

-Liz