Day 14

Breakfast: Fruit

Lunch:  Microgreen salad with avocado (the meal plan included soup using the squash from the previous night, but I didn't have time to prepare the soup before work so I omitted)

Dinner: Roasted corn and edamame succotash and brussel sprouts (subbed for lemon pepper kale)

Tonight's dinner rivals the squash from last night.  This was my first time making succotash and it did not disappoint.  Maybe I enjoyed it so much because I was hungry (one of the few times I have felt this way), but the flavor was scrumptious!  I had leftover brussel sprouts from last night so I decided to eat those instead of the lemon pepper kale.  They were just as delicious as last night! 

I will admit I am getting quite tired of the microgreen salad.  Even thought I love salad, it has been tough to eat almost every.single.day for lunch.  Part of it is my own fault for not making some of the foods in the meal plan and subbing the salad, but I would rather eat salad for lunch all the time than eat miso soup.  For some reason I can't stomach the seaweed I bought from Whole Foods.  It is definitely not the same as the seaweed you get at a restaurant.  I thought the dried seaweed tasted like it was straight from the ocean and once you soak it, it is so slimy.  ICK! 

My lips seem to be the only side effect that remain...seems as though the cravings have subsided.  At least for today!

Tomorrow brings week 3, which I am so excited about.  I am ready for the reset to be over, but hopefully I am doing good things for my body. 

Until tomorrow...

Day 13

Breakfast: Fruit

Lunch: Microgreen salad with avocado (was supposed to have roasted beets as well, but since I don't love beets, I omitted.  I had plenty of food.)

Dinner: Kabocha squash with garlic tahini sauce and steamed veggies (I couldn't find kabocha squash so I used acorn and had brussel sprouts from Blackberry Market)

Again, no pictures.   I was in a hurry to get out the door for a Kindergarten Readiness meeting and threw my dinner in a container to eat on the run before snapping a picture.  This was hands down my favorite dinner so far.  I am finding I either love the meals or don't care for them, very little in between.  The ones I do like are delicious and will be made again.  I think I liked the combination of the squash and tahini sauce, the flavor was incredible.  And, it was totally outside the box for me.  I splurged a little bit with the brussel sprouts because they were roasted with olive oil and mustard instead of steamed, but they tasted delicious and gave me just the taste of the outside world that I needed. 

My lips are still tingling and so dry, but other than that, things are moving along.  I am definitely eating less and learning a lot about portion control  Two things I have trouble with.  The cravings for pizza and M&M's are still intense, but I am them in the back of my mind.  I am not feeling a ton different, but I have no doubt the cleanse is working.  People are telling me my hair and skin look great, but I don't notice much of a difference.  Maybe I need a haircut and a facial?!?!

I am tired as heck, until tomorrow...

Day 12

Breakfast: Fruit

Lunch: Microgreen salad with avocado (subbed for vegetable miso soup and micro green salad)

Dinner: Roasted beets and coconut kale (subbed for coconut collard greens)

This post is going to be another wordy one, as I don't have any pictures of my meals.  I gave up taking pictures of breakfast because fruit is fruit.  I always have a combination of oranges, strawberries, raspberries, grapes, and cantaloupe.  The microgreen salad is a repeat of several days past.  Many people might get tired of eating salad after salad, but I don't mind it.  The worst part is eating the salad takes an hour or so because it is quite big and half the time I don't have much of an appetite.  I don't like beets so I had to choke them down and I wasn't crazy about the kale.  The coconut flavor was almost too strong and they were kind of oily.  Tolerable, nonetheless.

My cravings were STRONG today...still wanting pizza and M&M's.  I am not craving alcohol at all, but a Barone's pizza sounds so good.  I feel as though the cravings have been stronger the past couple of days.  Maybe because it is the weekend and we are around the house more.  Food is staring me in the face, as I am in the kitchen most of my weekend days (or at the grocery store...again, having food stare me down).

Burning lips and chills are still happening.  Oh, and I am exhausted!  I went to a beginnger yoga class this morning that made me feel great.  My muscles are so tight from years of running; the yoga has made me realize that.  And it is so relaxing, I plan to continue with the classes after the cleanse.  My body needs it. 

Until tomorrow...

Day 11

Breakfast: Fruit

Lunch: Quinoa lentil pilaf and cucumber tomato salad

Dinner: Pinto beans and rice with green beans (subbed for miso soup and Swiss chard)

My headache has finally subsided, praise the lord!  The fact that I can't warm up, hasn't.  I am ok with being cold, a symptom that is easily cured, because at least I feel like my body is finally responding to the cleanse.  Oh and my lips are burning, dry, and flaky.  I am sure the freezing cold weather does not help the lip sitch, but again, at least I can whip out some Vaseline and take care of them.  I have felt a little bloated today, but the chat boards assure me this is normal because of all the fruit I have been consuming. 

Not much to say about the food today.  Everything was a repeat of days past and I am ok with that.  I loved the quinoa lentil pilaf and felt quite full after lunch.  I was starving by the time I got around to eating lunch...maybe that helped with the taste as well. 

Overall, I am feeling great.  My energy has definitely decreased, I am rarely tired during the day.  My body does start to crash around 9 p.m. and by 10 p.m., I am ready to hit the hay.  I will say, my nights' sleep has been amazing since around day 3 and I am feeling so well rested in the morning. 

Off to bed, until tomorrow...

Day 10

Breakfast: Fruit

Lunch: Sweet potato and roasted red pepper bisque and greek salad

Dinner: Quinoa lentil pilaf and steamed broccoli

Tonight we had dinner plans with some friends.  I learned my lesson last week about spending time with friends on the reset.  Tonight I was ready.  I had actually made my dinner for tonight (and lunch tomorrow) yesterday so I didn't have to rush around this morning trying to get everything together.  That helped my mental attitude tremendously.  I didn't feel guilty for not spending time with the boys on my day off and I could just grab my food and go, leaving me feeling much better than last Friday.  While my friends and the kiddos enjoyed pizza, I savored each and every bite of my pilaf and broccoli.  And, even though I had been craving pizza all day, I felt great about my decision to pass once I actually saw the pizza.  The cookie bars on the other hand were a different story, but I avoided those, too. 

I am still feeling chilled to the bone and the headache remains.  I did find myself drinking more water today so hopefully my headache is gone by tomorrow.  I have also noticed that them lips are starting to tingle, are bumpy, and itch like crazy (like I have eczema on them).  I can't keep enough Vaseline on them to save my life.  I am thinking this is a side effect of the detox supplement. 

I am cozily settled in under several blankets, drinking my nightly cup of tea and enjoying the Help.  Feeling like today was another good day.

Until tomorrow...

Day 9

Breakfast: Fruit (subbed for miso soup, avocado, and mashed chick peas)

Lunch: Pinto beans and rice with a micro green salad

Dinner: Roasted red pepper and sweet potato bisque with roasted aspargus and almonds

The thought of eating miso soup, avocado, and mashed chick peas for breakfast was kind of disgusting so I opted for fruit instead.  I had a nice big bowl of strawberries, an apple, and an orange.  Lunch was a bit overwhelming today as there was a TON of food.  I ate most of the pinto beans and salad, but very little of the rice.  I have noticed that I am filling up fast, which means my portion sizes are decreasing.  That is probably a good lesson, one I needed a refresher course on.  The roasted red pepper and sweet potato soup was pretty good.  Not my favorite recipe thus far, but maybe something I would make again.  The good news is that the food prep has seemed to decrease a little bit.  Or, maybe I am becoming a better chef!  Still lots of chopping though!

A few people have asked me about caloric intake.  I have not been calculating, but I would guess anywhere between 1000 and 1200 calories.  The calories have definitely decreased as the reset moves on, but I still have rarely felt hungry.  Remember, I am not exercising. 

Today was the first day where I really felt some side effects.  I had a headache all day long and I was freezing.  I just couldn't warm up...at all.  Tea before bed helped, but I still had to wear pants and a long sleeve shirt to bed, which is unusual for me.  The headache just lingered all day and no amount of water was going to take care of it, believe me, I tried.  I am slammed at work so, that helped me get through the headache, but it is still annoying. 

I am craving M&M's and pizza.  Guess some tea will have to do.

Until tomorrow...

Day 8

Breakfast: Low glycemic fruit, including oranges, berries, melon, and grapes

Lunch: Micro green salad with avocado

Dinner: Pinto beans and rice with steamed zucchini and green beans with lemon

I was thrilled to begin week 2.  Not only does it mean I am 1 week closer to the end of the reset, but also I have a lot of new delicious items on the menu.  Today's round up of food was so delicious, I could eat all 3 every day.  I will never tire of fruit for breakfast so this week should be great since that is on the menu almost every day.  Too bad there is not much fruit in season right now...might be a benefit of doing the reset during the summer.  The pinto beans and rice was amazing and a meal that could easily be whipped up on a week night for the fam.  I thought the cup serving of rice was quite a bit for the amount of bean, I left some in the bowl.  I also added some Bragg liquid aminos to the veggies and that gave them a great flavor.  Will be doing that in the future, also.

I am continuing with the supplements from last week and adding a detox concoction 3 times a day.  I was scared to add another powdered supplement to the mix because the alkalinize tastes so terrible, but I actually enjoyed the detox today.  It is like drinking an Indian spice tea, cold.  A bit grainy and you need a lot of water, but the taste is surprisingly delicious.  I was also scared that the detox would cause a lot of bathroom (for lack of better word) issues, but after 3 packs today, I haven't seen much of a change.  Still making lots of trips because of the water intake, though. 

I also did another session of beginner yoga, which was great.  My muscles seem tired and I think the yoga helps to stretch them out.  This is not strenuous at all, just very easy and slow paced.  I find it very relaxing and peaceful, too, which I definitely need.  It helps me slow down.

Until tomorrow...

7 Days

Week 1 of the Ultimate Reset is in the books.  The day I never thought would come, did.  Not without some bumps and bruises, but overall the first week went well.  It was way more difficult than I imagined it could be emotionally, mentally.  It challenged me, a lot, but I made it through.  Definitely not without the help of numerous friends, my sister, my parents, and most importantly, my husband and children. 

My thoughts for week 1:

• Prepare yourself, mentally.  Even if you think you are prepared, keep prepping.  Anyone who asked me last week if I was ready for day 1, I would have hands down said yes.  That was a lie.  I didn't realize how hard mentally it would be, especially when I was feeling down.  There were several times when I wanted to thrown in the towel and I had to talk myself out of it.  I just kept reminding myself of my WHY (will discuss that later), how good this will be for my body, and how great I will feel in the end.  Not to mention the cost. 
• I mentioned this in a previous post, but get ready for food prep.  I easily spend 2-3 hours a day preparing food and most of the time Matt is right alongside helping me.  I am pretty sure you use every utensil in the kitchen, too.  I think it might be easiest to chop all your veggies ahead of time so you can just throw things together.  I have yet to do that.
• Shredded carrots are your friend. 
• I don't like tempeh and probably never will.  I don't quite understand why it is on the reset because to me it is a processed food.  You can substitute beans and grains for the tempeh, I just choose to substitute meals. 
• Other than the "day of depression," I didn't have any major side effects the first week. 
• I miss working out, but have discovered a love for yoga...thanks, KL! 
• The alkalinize is disgusting, but goes down fairly easy mixed with 3 ounces of cold water.  Shot from a small pill bottle, with my nose plugged. 
• You do not need that much olive oil to sautee veggies or prepare anything for that matter.  1 teaspoon can go a long way.
• I am down 5.2 pounds!!!!!

As I look into week 2, I am excited.  There are some great meals ahead...let's hope the prep time decreases a little bit, as the week is focused more on just fruits and vegetables. 

Day 7

Tonight wraps up week 1...in all honesty, I can't believe it is almost over.  After a slow start, the week did go by fast.  Here is how the final day looked:

Breakfast: Oatmeal with flaxseed, cinnamon, and apples, yogurt with honey

Lunch: Microgreen salad and zucchini cashew soup

Dinner: Baked salmon, sauteed brussel sprouts (subbed for baked tempeh, steamed veggies, and brown rice)

I felt very light headed this morning, but I think it was because I didn't have a chance to eat breakfast until 9:30 or so. Low blood sugar, perhaps? 

Well, I only have 14 days to go; can't wait to see what changes those 14 days bring.  Today was a good day.  The hubs was out for the evening leaving me alone with the boys.  I decided to just enjoy my time with them and worry about my dinner after they went to bed.  I did not end up eating until 9:00 p.m., but the time I spent with them was well worth it. 

I felt very light headed this morning, but I think it was because I didn't have a chance to eat breakfast until 9:30 or so.  Low blood sugar, perhaps? 

Well, I only have 14 days to go; can't wait to see what changes those 14 days bring.  I will do a week 1 wrap up in the morning.

Until tomorrow...

Day 6

Breakfast: Yogurt with honey, strawberries and cantaloupe, and 1 slice whole grain bread (this was a substitute for 1 slice whole grain bread, baked tempeh, and steamed kale)

Lunch: Quinoa salad, microgreen salad, and dressing

Dinner: Roasted root medley, half serving zucchini cashew soup, and millet

I feel like I am trucking along nicely still.  I still have not felt overly cold since I started the process. Maybe it is because temperatures are in the low teens here and I am freezing anyway.  I have noticed at night that I am not sweating like I once used to, requiring me to open the window in the middle of January (I blame it on the cold dorm). 

I thoroughly enjoyed all my meals today except the zucchini cashew soup.  I tried, I promise I did, but I could only eat about half of it.  The texture, combined with the taste, just did not do it for me.  I am learning that I might have some sort of texture issue when I eat.  I did try something new today...millet.  Enjoyed it...similar to quinoa, but more sticky.  I think I will stick to quinoa after the reset, but glad I made the millet.  The roasted root veggies were delicious even though they contained beets, which I don't love.  I think having them roasted really helped.  Will be making the veggies again after the reset. 

I did enjoy another cup of tea tonight as I watched the Bachelor.  Not sure which one I enjoyed more. 

Until tomorrow...

Day 5

Another post without picture...so sorry!

Breakfast: Oatmeal with walnuts, maple syrup, and fruit (I had strawberries and blueberries)

Lunch: Quinoa salad, hummus and raw veggies

Dinner: Stir fried veggies, quinoa, and cucumber and tomato salad (this was a repeat of last night as tonight's dinner was supposed to be miso soup, stir fried veggies, and brown rice...I had leftovers from the night before)

Today was another day I had to really plan ahead.  I went to the IU basketball game with some friends and knew I would not be home for lunch and would not be able to eat lunch until mid afternoon.  I decided to accomodate the late lunch by having a late breakfast, pushing all my meals back.  I hate not being able to eat with the boys, but eating late worked best for what I had going on today.  I was starving by the time I finally ate my oatmeal.  Didn't love the walnuts mixed in, but I was so hungry, it didn't matter.  Lunch was amazing though, even if I did have to eat it in my car.  I will be adding this to my files for future healthy lunches. 

I didn't drink enough water during the day and ended up with the terrible headache tonight; proving how important water is during the reset.  I am still averaging about 1 1/2 gallons of water a day.  I thought I drank a lot of water before the reset...boy, was I wrong. 

I am proud of myself for not being tempted by the food they were serving at the game.  The popcorn smelled delicious (something I wouldn't normally choose), but I just reminded myself of how far I have come in 5 short days.

Until tomorrow...

Day 4

Breakfast: Cantaloupe and strawberries, plain yogurt with honey, and 1 slice whole grain toast

Lunch: Lentil lime salad and microgreen salad (a nori roll was on the menu, but I omitted)

Snack: Apple and 1T. natural peanut butter

Dinner: Stir fried veggies with quinoa and cucumber tomato salad

Not much to report today.  I went on a walk with a friend because the weather for January was gorgeous.  Nothing strenuous, just a nice walk around the lake, giving us ample time to chit chat and catch up.  Just what I needed. 

Dinner tonight was my favorite thus far...even better than the salmon.  This meal, along with the salmon and black beans and rice were easy enough to adapt to provide a meal for the hubs.  He just added a little chicken to his stir fry.  I found I was quite full after the stir fry and only ate a portion of the cucumber tomato salad. 

I did experience a few body aches today.  I am not sure if they are residual from yoga or from the reset.  Perhaps a combination of both? 

I have had little to no appetite the past few days.  I don't remember reading anything about loss of appetite being a side effect, but food is just not appealing, at all.  I guess that is a positive, as I have not felt hungry at all since starting the reset. Thinking it might be the alkalinize, as the suppression starts shortly after drinking that. 

Speaking of the alkalinize, I have found a secret weapon into "shooting" it down. 

This small medicine bottle, 3 ounces of water, and the alkalinize powder made a nice combination.  3 big gulps and a big gulp of water and I am set without tasting the nastiness!

I am also finding that decaffeinated tea in the evenings helps to cap the night off nicely.  While I haven't had too many cravings for sweets, the tea satisfies me, somehow. 

Signing off as I sip my tea.  Until tomorrow...

Day 3

I haven't been taking picture of all my food, which I am regretting.  Sorry for the "wordy" post.

Breakfast: 2 slices whole gran toast, 2 eggs scrambled with olive oil, and steamed kale

Lunch: Lentil lime salad, microgreen salad with dressing

Dinner: Nori rolls with tempeh, cucumber salad, and miso soup

Today was bad.  I felt out of it, slightly depressed even.  I was nervous going into this day because I would be going outside the box in the food department with the nori rolls, tempeh, and seaweed (in the cucumber salad).  Plus, I had a date with some friends and our kiddos.  Luckily for me, we were gathering at someone's house so bringing meals along would be easy.  I never considered how I would be feeling emotionally. 

Let's start with the fact that I spent the entire morning prepping meals for the day (and some of the following), moving into uncharted territory preparing sushi rolls.  Today was my day off, a day I should be spending with the boys, not making food I had no clue how to prepare.  I was beyond frustrated.  And I just confirmed one rumor to be true...the food prep is insane!  I finished making my meals and off we went to visit friends.  I was still frustrated, stressed, tired and just emotional.  And to top it off, I didn't really like lunch.  The lentil lime salad, at least!

Then it was time for dinner.  I wasn't really that hungry and the thought of eating the nori rolls and cucumber salad made me nauseous.  I mustered up enough energy to start eating the salad and almost vomited.  I could not stomach the seaweed.  Pulling the nori roll out of the refrigerator almost made me lose it again.  It was soggy and smelled awful.  I couldn't fathom taking one bite.  So, what did I do, I decided to have a square of pizza and some wine (probably a quarter glass).  Not the best decision I could have made, but one I have to live with. 

One lesson I learned tonight...I am an emotional eater...hands down! 

Lesson 2: seaweed from Whole Foods is not the same as seaweed you get a sushi restaurant, at least not how I prepared it.

Lesson 3: social gatherings on the reset are not a good idea.

In all honesty, I felt like an entirely different person when I drove home that night.  Yes, I had cheated, but I had a whole new clarity about the reset.  Day 21 seemed so far away, but I know now how to handle each and everyday.  I learned I don't like tempeh or seaweed, which means I will substitute my meals when tempeh or seaweed is involved.  I will go to bed feeling defeated, but excited about day 4.  Tomorrow is a new day!

Until tomorrow.....

Day 2

Breakfast: Oatmeal with blueberries and organic plain yogurt with honey

Lunch: Greek salad with Greek dressing

Dinner: Black beans and rice on a corn tortilla with corn, salsa, and guacamole and kale with pine nuts.

Today was another good day.  I still feel fairly normal, which I didn't expect.  I did have a slight headache all day, but I am slightly surprised by.  I don't drink much caffeine, if any at all, on a daily basis.  I gave up diet coke when I started Beachbody in August and don't drink coffee.  I am thinking it might be from the lack of sugar.  With Christmas and "preparing" for the reset, I know I ramped my sugar intake up a great deal.  I am not regretting the sweets though, as the headache is not that bad.  I did increase my water intake today in hopes it would help with the headache.  I have now had 3 gallons of water in 2 days.  3 gallons of water = lots of trips to the bathroom, but it is worth it.  And, I love water! 

I continue to despise the alkalinize supplement, but it did go down easier to day.  It tastes like a combination of blended grass, dirt, and seaweed.  Yummy! 

I did find this website and printed out the Ultimate Reset worksheets in hopes they will help me with timing.  I did plan better and make my meals ahead of time so timing was a bit better today, I didn't feel as rushed. 

On a food note, I did think there was too much lettuce in the Greek salad so it took me over an hour to eat it.  I probably could have left the remaining lettuce, but I was afraid I would be hungry if I didn't gobble it all up.  I think I would decrease the romaine next time to just 1 1/2 hearts. 

Even though strenuous exercise is not allowed on the reset, I find I am really missing doing something.  My sister graciously offered to have a private yoga session for me.  It felt amazing and was beyond relaxing.  I think I will continue this during the reset, if she is willing.

Signing off for the night, until tomorrow...

Day 1

 

Breakfast: 2 slices whole grain toast, 2 eggs scrambled with olive oil, and steamed kale

Lunch: Microgreen Salad with prepared dressing

Dinner: Baked Salmon with asparagus and baby potatoes

 

Day 1 was a success!  I am thrilled I made it through the first day with very few problems.  The food was amazing and fairly easy to prepare.  I am loving the micro green salad and will be adding it to my lunch repertoire after the reset is over.  I also will never buy store bought salad dressing again.  Salad dressing is a cinch to make and tastes great.  Cianara store bought dressings!  I was a little nervous about the salmon because it is one of the very few foods I do not like.  Well, the preparation of the fish was delicious and I think I might have turned the corner on my adversion to poor salmon. 

 

I did have a few problems with the first day that I am hoping get easier as the reset continues along.  The first is timing.  The supplements, taken 4 times a day, are taken 30 minutes prior to eating and at least 2 hours after eating.  That requires a lot of planning and time managment.  I didn't realize how difficult it woudl be to schedule these things out.  I think trying to coordinate this with working and feeding the boys is going to prove to be a challenge.  Tomorrow, I will write a schedule of supplements and eating...let's see if  I can stick to it.  The second issue is the taste of the alkalinize.  IT.IS.DISGUSTING.  I mixed it with about 6 ounces of water today and tried to gulp it down, but it practically came back up.  Enough said!

 

Another thing...21 days seems like a LONG time!

 

I was feeling quite tired toward the end of the evening so I relaxed with a cup of hot tea and enjoyed some trash T.V.!  Until tomorrow...

Gearing Up

 Tomorrow I say good-bye to exercise and Shakeology and begin Beachbody's Ultimate Reset.  This is a 21 day cleanse to restore your body to it's optimal health.  The cleanse is broken up into 3 phases, reclaim, release, restore and is a combination of healthy eating, supplements, and water. 

See ya!

 

H is really upset he won't be having his morning shot of Shakeology!
 

I received my reset kit about 5 days ago and have been preparing mentally and physically ever since.  I have been to 3 different grocery stores to buy everything I need for the first week.  The cost of the food was higher than we normally spend on groceries for a week, but I had to buy some staples I will be using throughout the reset like olive oil, Bragg Liquid Amino Acids, distilled water (the suggested water), lots of lemons, etc. 

Here is a breakdown of my spending for the week:

• Trader Joe's - $101.77
• Whole Foods - $59.25
• Valli - $62.23
• Total - $223.25

Even though there is an increase in grocery bills for the week, I know we will be saving money on eating out and alcoholic beverages, as they are not allowed on the reset. 

Mentally, I am ready... I have been ready for the past 2 weeks.  I know it is going to be tough, but I need to get myself back to healthy eating because I felt amazing when I started the Beachbody program in August.  I am nervous, yes, but ready to go. 

Some of the rumors I have heard about the reset prior to starting (I will confirm if they are true at the end of the 21 days):

• The food prep is insane
• The alkalinize supplement tastes horrible
• You will get headaches
• You will be freezing all the time
• You will breakout
• The amount of water you drink is more than a gallon a day
• You will become a master in the kitchen
• You will feel great at the end of the 21 days
• You will sleep great
• Weird cravings might exist

I am signing off to enjoy my last cookie from Blackberry Market before my sweet tooth gets taken away from me!