You read that correctly. We did a cleanse, the very first time ever – ten days of making good choices and intentions for healthier living. Ten days of growing self-awareness of what I was eating and putting into my body. Ten days of mocktails to make it to the end, trying so hard not to cheat. I can’t decide if I missed my morning coffee or evening wine more. Here are some ideas for meals to help you survive – you will be HANGRY.
Those first few days were hard. Like super hard. The first days were the detox period and were like a bad New Year’s Day hangover that I thought would never end. But then just like that, it did, and I have to admit I was feeling pretty dang good. I felt more energetic and spry even without the daily caffeine dose. My kids thought I was a little nicer. Even my teeth felt cleaner. There was a total mental shift – a banana never tasted so good and my cravings for chips started to dwindle. I started to just enjoy veggies for snacks again. Some of the meals were so delightful, that they have been making their way into the normal dinner routine… super bonus – I lost six pounds!
Although the cleanse dealt with making healthier living choices, it really was a reminder to continually strive to be a better version of myself. Temptation is a hard thing to conquer! Preparation is always a key to success, really planning out a menu for the day was super important. I also learned a good attitude can help you power through anything! Lastly, stay hydrated, drink water!
We were not in this alone though and joined as a group challenge. I worked with Keely from Roots 2 Branches Coaching and she was fabulous! Offering some much-needed motivation, helpful tips, and a handful of recipe ideas to get you through. She also did a great job of keeping the group of us engaged and accountable over the course of the ten days.
There’s always some kind of adventure to have with food and this was one, for sure! Some are fun, some are challenges. Overall, this was a hard, but fulfilling experience. It is definitely something we would try again – we’ll probably need to with the holiday season fast approaching!
