Fruit Flush - Day 3

Or maybe I should say, "Fruit Flush - The Day That Didn't Happen." I told you that I was feeling bad yesterday. After I posted, it got worse. I'd describe it as a migraine mixed with the flu mixed with food poisoning. Yep, that bad. I'm not sure if it was caffeine withdrawal, carb withdrawal, the toxins leaving my body, or something else. I gave in at about 9pm and had a cup of mint tea and a few crackers with peanut butter to settle my stomach. I took an Imitrex for the migraine and went to bed.

I got up at the usual time and weighed in. Still 160lbs. I decided that I could not handle another day of feeling the way I did yesterday. My body was telling me to STOP so I listened. I'll admit that I'm a bit disappointed. I really wanted to stick it out and feel great afterwards. Perhaps everyone feels so good when it's over because they felt like such crap while doing it. Nobody mentioned that in the reviews! I do feel pretty good today but still weak and sort of shaky. I had soup and ginger ale for lunch. My tummy is definitely not back to normal after yesterday.

So, no more Fruit Flush detox for me. I'll go back to my pre-injury routine of a healthy diet and regular exercise. That's what works for me. Never again will I try to do something that makes me sick. That just can't be good for you! 

We'll continue doing Meatless Mondays and are taking up Wheatless Wednesdays too! Also, there's this neat little challenge called October Unprocessed 2011 that sounds like a blast...Who wants to join us? It doesn't have to be the whole month. What about a week? A day? Come on, who's up for the challenge?

Thank you to everyone who joined me on this adventure. Your questions and encouragement really meant a lot to me and helped me along the way! I'm going to try to stay on top of the blog again. It's Fall so I'm sure I'll be posting about PUMPKIN soon - pumpkin rice pudding, anyone?

Fruit Flush - Day 2

The pre-flush day of this detox was so easy that I thought the other two days would surely be a piece of cake. Boy, was I wrong! I didn't sleep well last night at all. I was plagued by a killer headache and thoughts of fruit.

I woke up this morning at 6:20 and weighed in. That was the only highlight of my day. 160 pounds. That's 5 less than the first day! My head was still pounding and I just didn't feel well. I spent the morning in my office in the dark dealing with the headache, nausea, being alternately hot and cold, foggy headedness, and an overall feeling of crapiness. Day 2 sucked! I gave in at 11:15am and took a couple ibuprofen. That barely took the edge off. I skipped the gym today and took a nap instead. I think what I'm experiencing is caffeine withdrawal. I've only been mildly hungry though except for last night when Laura cooked some amazing smelling pork chops. My mouth was watering! 

So, here's what I ate today:

8am - 1 banana

9am - 8-12oz. water

10am - 2 cups cantaloupe

11am - 8-12oz. water

12pm - 2 apples

1pm - 8-12oz. water

2pm - 2 kiwis

3pm - 8-12oz. water

4pm - 16 grapes

5pm -8-12oz. water

6pm - About 4 cups raw vegetable salad topped with half of an avocado and the juice of half a lime. 12oz. protein shake.

7pm - 8-12oz. water

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that tonight I get some sleep and can make it through tomorrow! This is much harder than I expected it to be. The discipline isn't the problem and I feel like I'm eating a lot of food. But this nasty sick feeling is the worst!

Fruit Flush - Day 1

Well, I survived day one! Actually, it wasn't bad at all. I woke up at 6:20am and weighed in. 165 pounds. Yuck. Moving on...

Today was the pre-flush day so it consisted of a lot of protein shakes and water. Let me tell you, I peed a lot more than I usually do! Here's what today's menu looked like:

8am - 6oz. protein shake
9am - 8-12oz. water
10am - 6oz. protein shake
11am - 8-12oz. water
12pm - 6oz. protein shake
1pm - 8-12oz. water
2pm - 6oz. protein shake
3pm - 8-12oz. water
4pm - 6oz. protein shake
5pm - 8-12oz. water
6pm - 6 cups raw vegetable salad with 6oz. lean chicken breast topped with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the juice of half a lime.
7pm - 8-12oz. water

I didn't think it was even possible to eat 6 cups of salad but I sure tore it up! I was only hungry a couple of times today; before "breakfast" probably because I was missing my cup of "slap you in the face" coffee and before dinner. It's suggested that you don't exercise during the detox but I didn't listen. I went to the gym before dinner and sweated my butt off.

So, day one is in the books and it wasn't bad at all. I feel pretty good and have lots of energy. I've got a little bit of a headache...caffeine withdrawal? I'm looking forward to lots of fruit tomorrow but sure am going to miss drinking a beer or two while I watch the Redskins kick some Cowboy butt tonight!

Time for Detoxification

It's been a long time since I last posted and so much has happened. I participated in the Rebel Race in June and injured my Achilles tendon. I was in a ton of pain after the initial sprint but finished the race without skipping any obstacles and still had a great time. The next day I limped into my orthopedist's office and was diagnosed with Achilles tendinitis and a heel spur. Not fun! I spent the next 2 months wearing an Achilles boot with a heel lift. Up til that point I was doing really well; working out 5 days a week and eating relatively healthy. After the injury, though, I let myself go. I worked out maybe 2 times in 2 months and ate (and drank) whatever the heck I wanted. Earlier this month I went to the doctor for my annual physical and learned that I had gained 16 pounds while recovering from the Achilles injury. You read that right: SIXTEEN POUNDS! How is that even possible!?

That got my butt back into gear. I'm working out 5 days a week again and working on fixing my messed up diet but I feel like I need a clean slate. A couple of friends of mine have recently done juice fasts. Now, I was intrigued and inspired by both of them but that's not exactly what I had in mind. I searched the interwebs for short-term detoxes and found the Fruit Flush Detox. This is a 3-day detox that is designed to cleanse your body of fat and toxins, break unhealthy food addictions, improve skin, and just make you feel better overall. There's also the potential 9 pound weight loss, half of which is water.

A few days ago I went to Vitamin Shoppe and got some of Jay Robb's whey protein. The package claims that it is "the best tasting protein on the planet." The package lies. It was gross. I am NOT a fan of stevia. It was just way too sweet. So, on Laura's recommendation, I'm going with Designer Whey instead. I picked that up at the store today along with my fruits, salad, and lean chicken.

Tomorrow is Fruit Flush Day 1 - the pre-flush. I'll be enjoying lots of protein shakes, water, and a huge salad. Wish me luck! I'll weigh in tomorrow morning and try to blog in the evening.

Corn Chowder with a Kick!

This recipe is another Meatless Monday success. Big thanks go to Lori for sharing it! This Cheddar Chipotle Corn Chowder is hearty and delicious. It's perfect for a cold night and the chipotle peppers add an excellent smokiness.

 Cheddar Chipotle Corn Chowder 

4 tbsp. olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

6 gloves garlic, minced

4 oz. cream cheese, cut into small pieces

8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded

6 medium potatoes (I used Yukon Gold)

5 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed

1 cup boiling water

2 veggie bouillon cubes

2 cups milk

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. salt

black pepper

Wash potatoes and poke holes all over them with a fork. Bake on high in the microwave for 10 minutes.

Saute the onions, celery, and garlic in olive oil on medium heat. After a couple of minutes, add the cheeses.  Stir constantly until melted.

Dissolve the bouillon cubes in boiling water and add to the pot with the onions, celery, garlic, and cheese. Stir in the corn and milk. Add the chipotle and a little of the adobo sauce. If you want it spicier, add more peppers and sauce. Stir and turn the heat down to low.

When the potatoes are done, cut them into big chunks, leaving the skin on, and put them into a food processor or blender.  Add some of the soup, making sure to get a lot of liquid. Process until smooth.

Add the potatoes to the pot and season with paprika, salt, and pepper. Heat through gently.

This makes 8 servings and the leftovers froze and reheated well. Enjoy!

Flexitarian?

It's a real thing, I promise.

flexitarian

— n
1.	a person who eats a predominantly vegetarian diet, but who eats meat or fish occasionally

A few months ago, I convinced the family that we should participate in Meatless Monday and it really lit a fire in me. I love veggies. I mean, I actually *crave* them. I don't need meat. Unfortunately (for me), I live with two very dedicated carnivores. After lots of thought and research, I decided that flexitarianism might be exactly what I need! My reasons for limiting the amount of meat I eat aren't ethical or moral. It's a preference and a choice to improve my overall health and well-being. 

I don't want to throw a huge kink into the family meals though, so here's the plan: when I am eating solo (lunch, Laura's at work, etc.) I'll eat "vegi-". When we're all together, I'll eat "flexi-." Meat will be incorporated into our family meals, except on Monday. They still have to deal with that. :)

"Where Did You Get Your Apron!?"

I've heard this question many times so I thought I'd share my secret. I found this awesome little shop on Etsy that has the cutest, flirtiest aprons EVER! You've got to check out Kisses N Lollipops.