Today was a bittersweet day, I definitely have mixed emotions about it. It will be weird going from having a rigid food routine to going back to the flexibility of a non-strict diet. As I've said though so many times, my goal is to continue to limit my dairy, alcohol, and salt intake as much as I have been.
I started the day with yoga at my gym; a sub covered the class but he is like, the most incredible teacher, so I was so excited to have class with him again. Lots of twists, balances, chaturanga dandasanas (all of which I did without my thighs dropped to the floor, boom!). I had my first shake while leaving the gym, and had my second shake around 11am. I made a pretty decent lunch using spiralized zucchini, olives, great northern beans, half of a chicken breast, and I made a sauce using tahini, nooch, pepper, fresh lemon juice, turmeric, and some EVOO.
Overall, I highly recommend this cleanse. I am really beyond grateful to Dr. Frank Lipman and his team of Health Coaches for giving me this opportunity. I can't believe all of the benefits I have found in the past fourteen days:
- I lost a total of 4lbs (back to pre-wedding weight!)
- My joint pain is basically non-existent with my arthritis
- My skin has definitely cleared up - it's definitely brighter and more even, I even have less blackheads around my t-zone
- I've been falling asleep faster
- My digestion has been so much smoother and yes, I'm regular now (Sorry Tim, I know so gross)
- My energy has been steady, versus feeling a surge in the morning and a crash in the afternoon
- I've felt more focused in my gym classes (finding that drishti, yo) and more mindful in my own daily life
- I'm more aware of what I want put into my body, more focused than before on nourishing my body versus eating empty calories
- I now understand how dairy, salt, and alcohol really affect my joints...
- and I see that I can live without them easily
- I want to start taking probiotics daily after seeing how much they help with digestion
- I know that I can now make more conscious, healthy decisions when food shopping
- I recognize when I am hungry versus just thirsty
- I feel motivated to continue to eat healthy
- I love that my way of thinking has really changed. I want to eat to live, versus live to eat - I want to eat mindfully and in good health, and I recognize now that a craving is fleeting: "I will be fine if I don't eat that bag of chips I want, and, do I really even want them?" Short term sacrifice, long term gain.
I'm so grateful to everyone who followed me on this cleanse, and for my friends, coworkers, and family that supported me through these fourteen days. Your support, validation, and patience has meant so much to me!
I look forward to getting back to blogging in a different way, although this has been really fun and I'm proud of myself for writing a post every single day of the cleanse, even when I felt tired and cranky. I hope to keep feeling inspired to make some fun and different recipes and will hopefully blog some more in the near future.
Thanks again for reading and for all of your support!! Be well.
xx
S