21daycleanse

Well. I’m off the cleanse. I have to say it’s a little scary! But I’m on vacation in FL. with my friends, and of course, there is great sun and great food. But, like Beth … I’m craving salad. Crunchy, dreamy, garlicky salad. However, I’ve enjoyed (immensely) the food I’ve eaten (a hamburger, scallops, shrimp, and ice cream). Tomorrow I’ll have a shake, then probably a chicken salad sandwich for lunch.

I’m certainly going back on the cleanse when I get home. I love the food I’m eating right now, but I am not going to like what it does to my body!

I really like this cleansing thing. Today I took Tarek (my son) School shopping and I wanted so badly for him to say he wanted to go to a real restaurant so we could eat dinner. Subconsciously I knew that if there were homemade tortilla chips and homemade salsa- I would justify having a few. He choose TACO BELL (can you believe it?) so I had to look the other way as I chomped into my fruit and smelled the stuff. But I feel so in control. I love that my clothes are big and I love the taste of fresh berries and salad. Only two days left and I’m not even sure that I’m looking forward to ending it. I think I’m going to stay on the day routine, like Michelle, and just have a moderate dinner w/o grains. Although, pizza does sound like it may be on the menu in the next week or two.

YES, PETE!! They plan BBQs around it. I too have passed on many summer BBQs and wine. That’s okay. I feel good. I’ve lost only 9 pounds. I was hoping for 15–just kidding, I think. I’m actually satisfied with a 9-pound weight loss, but I was hoping that was all I needed to lose. I can see that I could lose another 10 and be about right.

I ate meat tonight!! It’s been allowed since day 8, but I haven’t done it. It was quite delicious, but I only wanted a few bites and I was done. I wanted my salad.

I’m supposed to be on the cleanse officially through Sunday. However, a friend is coming into town from FL tomorrow and we’re having dinner with friends tomorrow night, a party on Sat. night, and then we’re flying to FL on Sunday night. I know I could hold fast to the cleanse, but I’m not going to. I will tomorrow, but Sat. night I’ll have wine, and Sunday night my vacation officially starts, so it’s no more cleanse. I’ll bring my shake powder, though. I love those things!

So, I end a day early, but I feel good about the control I’ve gained in these three weeks and the weight I’ve lost. From where I sit now, i think I’ll maintain pretty much what I’ve been eating on the cleanse through dinner every night and then just add some variety to what I can eat at night.

Pete: how do you eat when you aren’t on the cleanse? Healthy? Whole Foods?

Beth: I’m going to try your lentil recipe when I get home. It sounds great. David talked about getting us, Sam, and Evie together to exchange 5 healthy recipes (like a tapas party). We each bring 5 dishes for people to sample, with the recipes. This way we have a base of healthy, whole foods. Maybe you could join us!

Beth–I love that you comment.

Today I want sweets. I know the reason I want them is because I’m stressed and that would provide a small amount of comfort, but intellectually knowing that doesn’t make me want them any less.

I think three weeks was a good time to go on the cleanse. At first I was shoveling in so many fruits and vegetables that it was obnoxious. But hey, I figured, it says it’s all you can eat. But now I’ve slowed down and some days (like today) I realize it’s time to eat and I’m not particularly hungry. (That could be that my body knows it’s only getting vegetables anyway, so why bothering calling for them.)

I had a dreamy salad today with stuff from the farmers market. What would people eat if they did this in any other season??

We started this blog thinking people would want reviews on the Standard Process 21-day cleanse/purification, and we wanted to provide a running commentary.

The first couple of weeks it was easy to post because it was so radically different to eat this way, that we felt like it was news. But, honestly, I’ve gotten into a groove with the eating, so I feel like there’s nothing to report.

I did the cleanse by-the-book for the first 13 days, but on day 13, we went on a 20-mile/13-hour hike. I’ve found that the body isn’t happy with only salad when I demand that must production. I caved and had a Cliff bar 5 hours into the hike. I was okay until our 10th hour, and I had a snack-sized Twix. I finished the hike thinking I could have a shake and salad when we got home. I was delusional. My body started shaking and I wanted to vomit. So I drank some of a Gatorade-type drink and downed a piece and a half of pizza, plus a candy bar. I didn’t feel even mildly guilty and it tasted amazing. More importantly, my body felt better.

I got right back on the cleanse on Sunday, and it was fine. Monday my husband and niece ate pizza and I sat there with nothing. I took a bite of the pizza. Since I can add rice and protein this week, I decided I would add rice. I made a GREAT vegetable chili on Monday. It was amazing. But I’m ready for some nuts, a bagel and some pizza. I have only a few more days, and I’m loving how I feel. i love that I’ve lost a few pounds, and I plan to eat differently when I’m off this. So all in all–at this point I would give it high reviews.

I think the cleanse experience has been positive overall, but I’ll be interested to see how I introduce foods back into my diet–will I gradually go back to the way I used to eat? At this point I say no, but I know myself, and I love food. So … tomorrow I start adding exercise to the plan.

Really, let me figure out what day it is.  Day 13. I just got done eating the most incredible salad with fresh garden vegetables and a perfect PA peach over top. I honestly am delighted. Still feeling great and am down a couple more pounds. This is somewhat enjoyable.

Another good day. I made a beautiful salad for dinner and have loved fresh fruit. I’m ready for tomorrow. Today I put fresh cilantro on my salad- yum!

see below

I think that’s it! I want to taste the food on my tongue, but I don’t really want the food or need to eat it. IF the 21 days is to break me of some habits (I remember reading this on the webpage of standard process) I don’t think the remaining time of less than 2 weeks is going to create the desire for me not to want to eat nachos. Maybe though. Because I sat infront of the most amazing homemade  lemon pound cake I’ve ever seen last night while everyone nibbled at dessert. I knew it would be one of the most amazing tastes and my mouth wanted it. I even said that in two weeks I’m going to have it. Fast forward to this AM. I woke up racing to the bathroom – this happens when you’redrinking large glasses of water throughout the day and before you go to sleep -  and the first thing I thought of was, “I”m  SO glad I don’t feel like I ate that heavy pound cake last night”.

I”m bored with eating too. Fruit has become my saving grace. And salad dressing. I love the flavor burst. I really feel great though. That is the crux of all this. I can talk about how boring and strange it is, but I have lots of energy and feel so much healthier. My scale says I’ve lost 5. I’m trusting it is true. It has jumped up and down the past week, but the past day I’ve fluttered around a 5 pound loss. That is huge for me because now I’m passed my plateau. I usually get stuck at 150 and can’t move past it. I wondered last night if I’d be willing to eat like this in order to be thinner and fit into a size 8. I really don’t know. Is it worth it for my sense of self? Can’t I love me just as much at 158- 162? I don’t know. We’ll see what the next 12 days do and how I feel as this progresses.