This is the end, beautiful friend (almost)

The detox is finally over and now I can look forward to eating normally again... Or so I thought!

On Sunday, as my first free-from-detox meal, I made a hearty vegetarian lasagna, and it was dee-licious. I mean it. I went to Marché Jean-Talon on Saturday and bought fresh spinach lasagna, yum! What a difference fresh pasta makes.

My ingredients were fairly simple. I used zucchini's, eggplant, and spinach as my filling; a homemade tomato sauce with mushrooms; and finally topped off my layers with a béchamel sauce (apparently the traditional way to make lasagna, si mon-nombo?).

It was scrumptious. Divine. No. Wait. It was scrumptiously-divine

And now here are the after-effects:
Since my meal contained dairy, wheat, and sugar I felt tired and, of course, bloated almost immediately after I ate it. That was a first since the detox. I won't even tell you what today was like. Okay, fine, I will. We both woke up feeling fatigued, and that feeling pretty much continued the rest of the day. My eyes didn't look so hot either. I had bags big enough to carry my lunch in. Also, my washroom visits weren't fun either, but we won't get into that...I'm just saying.

So was wheat the culprit? Or was it the fact I had everything at once that bothered me? Tum, tarum-tum, tummmm!!

(10 minutes later)

Ooopsy Daisy, looks like I made a big booboo.

I just read the After The Cleanse chapter and I wasn't supposed to jump into the pre-Clean diet right away (!!!) What I was supposed to do is consume one liquid meal, instead of two, and then eat three solid meals a day by the end of the week. Eesh. The author says I should continue to follow some recipes from the book. I probably should have read this chapter before making the lasagna, hehe. Silly me.

Anyway, so once I'm back on three meals a day, I should then include one type of food from the Elimination Diet's "exclude" list into my daily meals (not 3 like I did in my lasagna...mii). For instance, wheat or dairy. Then I'm supposed to observe what happens. Do I feel tired, does my tummy hurt, etc.

Dang, and I thought this thing was over. I guess I shouldn't have had alcohol on Friday night either...

You heard me. I CHEATED, okay? Boooo, I know. But in all fairness, I thought Saturday was my last day. I figured whatever changes my body went through this wouldn't, couldn't, possibly reverse it. Right?

What? Don't judge me. You don't know me (LOL the Mauri show).

Well, unfortunately for me, it's not over. Not to worry though, I'll just bounce back. Starting with my smoothies in the AM. I like them smoothie's anyway. Very filling too. I could last all the way through to lunch without feeling like I'm starving. So stay tuned as I continue to investigate the after-detox grub.

xx

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CLEAN skin

It's funny how they say that the foods you eat aren't what cause breakouts, and maybe that's arguable. But I can tell you this much, since starting this detox, I haven't experienced not one little bugger on my face. Nothing. Zero. Nada. Zip. (ok, aside from the one that comes around every month - ahem ahem).

I'd also like to add that my pores are much tighter, and my skin tone is a lot less blotchy. In fact, I'd go as far as saying that it's pretty much even now! Feels great to look this good again. And as I mentioned in my earlier post, my skin glows. I'm still getting compliments about that. Especially into the third week.

So, Proactiv, shmoactiv.

If you've ever had minor breakouts, and uneven skin tone then this detox is worth the try. It can definitely help cure all that. Of course, it depends how much garbage your regular diet consists of. If you're already a relatively healthy eater (no processed foods, salty snacks, chocolates, fried foods, etc) then doing this detox will clear up your skin, HUGE!

If you're not a healthy eater and eat out often or make ready made food, then perhaps your skin might have the opposite reaction to the detox. They say the more waste you have to eliminate, the more your skin might break out during the course of the detox. Keep in mind, this doesn't mean it will.

I must say, it feels good to see the results after the effort and preparation this detox requires. Make no mistake, it does require preparation. Every day you're making a fresh meal. Every morning, you're blending a new smoothie. Every night, you're cleaning up the mess. It takes time, but you get used to the time, and you manage yourself accordingly -depending on how badly you want it, of course.

Although I have had many weak moments, including being tempted to consume foods I wasn't suppose to, I am glad that I stuck through it. Weekends are your biggest challenge, mainly because that's when your routine breaks. You run your errands, you hang with your friends, you go for dinners. All these situations can easily tempt you to go off track, cheat, give up. Take my brother, for example. He may have not given up, but we all know what he did here, here, and here!! And you know what, it's alright. Just bounce back the next day, if something like that happens.

My point is, stick with it. You can still do most of the things you want, but you just have to be smart about the choices you make. And it's just three weeks of your life, for the love of God, suck it up!! If you can turn your body into a strong, healthy foundation, why wouldn't you? You can be in total control of the way your body reacts to the foods you consume. You can be in total control of the way your body looks and feels. So why not try? Aren't you worth it? 

I know I sound like I'm on a high, and maybe I am...maybe that's what this detox has done for me. Maybe it's made me realize that I can look and feel like I've always wanted to. And I want to be healthy and fit. I know that by reading my posts, some of you have already begun asking yourselves questions, and that's good. I didn't know any of the things I blogged about until this cleanse either. I'm learning as I go, and changing in the process.

Hope you continue to learn on this blog and I hope that you choose to try something new, to better yourselves!

Cheers,
xx

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From Gwyneth, with Love

Special dedication to my dear friend, Bessie.

I've noticed that my jeans fit better; I've been getting a lot more compliments on my figure; and apparently, my skin has a glow! What!? AWESOME!

Since this is the third and final week on the detox (not counting the after-detox phase) I'm suppose to undergo more changes. The author says that if I need motivation I should look to my friends and family for support- well, sorry mom, but "want me to make some chocolate cookies?? want me to make some apple pie? want me to give you some potatoes to take with you?" isn't support! Yeah, yeah, I know the chocolate cookies were supposed to be gluten-free, mom, but the sugars and starches weren't detox friendly- love you though!?

My father also keeps telling me to just stop the detox now "You've done it long enough, just stop now, no?"  He's hilarious. "It's a THREEEEEEE week detox, dad!!! THREEE!"

Maybe I'll have better luck with my friends.

What else?

Oh yes, I should be feeling the natural high that comes with detoxification (yeah, I suppose I feel pretty good. I can't say I'm super energetic anymore.. I was during the first week, but I think I simmered down now); my skin should glow (why yes, yes it does - ah thank-you); my clothes should be a little looser (check), and friends should be asking me if I just came back from vacation (not exactly, but vacation is definitely on all our minds).

You know, after doing this detox for three weeks, spending time cooking and preparing the food, avoiding the things I used to binge on, not drinking any alcohol, and incorporating more yoga and exercise into my life, I'm beginning to think that my friend Bessie was on to something when she asked "Do you get an honorary friendship card from Gwyneth once you complete the program?"

"I am you're friend, from Gwyneth."

Damn you Gwyneth! All this work. Can't we be friends now? C'mon! I'll even say you're good at singing and dancing, I swear !!! No? Fine.

Can I get season tickets to Coldplay, then?
Does it even work like that?

You suck. But I still might buy your cookbook.

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"Weekend's don't count" - Sypros Dourakis

They sure don't, at least not for Mr. Dou, and this weekend was no exception. (Look! You can LIKE this post here -------->

(Missed it? Make sure you've clicked onto the post page, then click LIKE)

It began with the celebration of his birthday on Thursday night where he consumed an obscene amount of alcoholic beverages, with the encouragement and support of his dear friends-BRAVO!! Round of applause. And it ended with potatoes and apple pie (not together) at my parents house today.

In his defense, he ran 30KM this morning so I guess he released his share of toxins, and merited himself some starch and sugar -so go easy on him when you see him, Sam ;)

I, on the other hand, have been battling with cravings all weekend. Friday night, I went out and couldn't, DIDN'T, drink. It definitely wasn't as fun as it could have been, especially when your watching your friends loosen up around you. Later that night, I started to crave McDonald's and almost had some, but then thought better.

Saturday night, I went for dinner at Caramel for my buddy's birthday. I'm not gonna lie, the food was pretty lame. I ordered grilled octopus as an appetizer and when it arrived there were two pieces the size of my index finger on a bed of chickpeas. In other words, I paid $16 for chickpeas.

Question: isn't grilled octopus supposed to be warm, if not hot, after being on the grill? No? I'm just saying?

My entree was a 1/2 a roasted, curry and coconut chicken with 'alleged' kale salad on the side. It wasn't kale, it was just cabbage - sorry, a posh coleslaw salad. The chicken was alright, but I couldn't taste the curry or the coconut that was apparently on it.

Anyway, that was my weekend. 

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The "Oh-So-Nessa" Lentil Soup

***LOOK! I've finally figured out how to add the facebook LIKE button, so now you can just like away any post you enjoyed!!! You can LIKE something simply by making sure you are on the post page and clicking LIKE-yaaaay!!!***

If you like lentils and spices, then you need to try my friend Vanessa's lentil soup. 

Filled with world spices, and creamy coconut milk this soup will make you say Kung Pow*! 

*warning, if you don't like hot spices, then use less cayenne or none at all.

Here's how to make  
The "Oh-So-Nessa" Lentil Soup

• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 large red onion, chopped (up to 3 cups if like)
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 large carrots, chopped (optional)
• 1 ½ tsp garam masala
• 1 ½ tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups red lentils
• 8 cups low salt chicken broth
• 1 cup coconut milk

1. In a bowl, mix the masala, coriander, turmeric and cayenne and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large pot on medium-high heat and sauté onions until golden (about 10 minutes)
3. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute
4. Add spices and mix thoroughly
5. Add lentils, stir and coat well
6. Pour 8 cups of broth with bay leaves, bring to a boil and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until lentils are tender
7. Remove from heat and puree the soup in batches using a blender
8. Pour back into pot and add coconut milk, stir well

Serve and enjoy! Yummy yummy yummy... it's like love in my tummy. 

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CLEAN Lessons 101: Include/Exclude Food List

Have I ever shared the details of what I can and cannot eat during this CLEAN detox? 

I don't believe I have so here's the scoop...

Foods to include:

whole fruits, unsweetened, frozen or water-packed;

almond milk, coconut milk,

non-gluten grains and starch: brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat;

cold water fish, lean lamb, duck, chicken;

lentils, legumes, olive oil, sesame oil;

green tea, herbal teas, agave nectar;

most condiments: i.e. basil, cinnamon, cumin, dill, garlic, etc.

Foods to exclude:  

wheat, corn, barley, spelt, rye, couscous, oats;

no beef, raw fish, veal, sausage, shellfish; 

oranges, orange juice, grapefruit, strawberries, grapes, bananas;

tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, peppers;

no dairy, soy products, butter, processed oils, spreads;

alcohol, coffee, caffeinated beverages, sodas, 

sugar, chocolate, ketchup, relish, etc.

The reason these foods are eliminated from the detox is mainly due to their ability to suppress our digestive strength, unbalance our PH levels, and inflame our body.

Certain foods act as irritants preventing our system from breaking down properly and causing fermentation, i.e. tomatoes, chocolate, potatoes, shellfish.

Simply put, you’re body needs to absorb or eliminate what was eaten. If it can’t do it normally, i.e. by eliminating waste from you know where, then any residuals will be reabsorbed into your body creating a toxic condition; abdominal rumblings, heartburn, bloating, depression, etc. Yuck!

*Adding spices to your meals is a great way to help the body break down the foods you eat.

Other foods listed are more acidic which decrease the body’s ability to absorb minerals and other nutrients; decrease it’s ability to repair damaged cells and makes it more susceptible to fatigue and illness: milk products, bananas, and grains such as wheat -but these are also the main "mucus-making" foods that cause the stickiness in the intestines which in turn makes nutrient absorption and elimination harder to achieve. 

*Note, when it says avoid acidic foods, it doesn't necessarily mean you need to avoid them at all costs. It just means that there should be a healthy balance of both acidic and alkaline forming foods. You can buy PH balance strips, if you're really interested, to see if your body contains too much acid. 

Last but not least, some foods to avoid have inflammatory effects in the body: sugars and grains, especially refined grains (white rice) cause the body to release more insulin, which regulates absorption. Insulin is a pro-inflammatory hormone...big no no.

The Eat Clean Maintenance Checklist

1.   Eat more veggies, less dairy to balance your PH

2.   Include plenty of fresh, whole foods

3.   Eat at least 51% raw (veggies, fruits, seeds, nuts, unprocessed oils)

4.   Support good bacteria in your intestinal tract with plenty of fiber, good-quality saturated fats, foods with natural probiotics.

5.   Avoid feeding bad bacteria with preservatives; sugar; wheat; refined grains; dairy products, and alcohol.

6.   Detox periodically (once/year)

And that about sums up our lesson of the day! 

Hope you learned something valuable. 

Thanks for stopping by.

xx

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Day 8: Once a cheater, always a cheater

On Sunday, my parents decided to have a few family members over for some food. Naturally, they told us they'd have some detox-friendly food -like lean lamb chops -yup, believe it or not, it's on the CLEAN menu- for us to chow down on... And my parents did not disappoint. True to their word, there was plenty of lamb chops for my brother and I to eat. Of course, what they didn't tell me was that they were also planning a pizza party for themselves and the rest of the family members!

Now, I don't know if you know this but my grandparents make some pretty good pizza.

Side note: my grand-folks are so cute. They baked pizza for everyone in their apartment building a couple of weeks ago. The tenants were from France and loved the pizza so much that they invited my grand-folks to a party they were having and my grandparents went-with more pizza too!! How cute are they? They were a hit.

So we love their pizza. It's bee-u-tifoo, as my grand pops would say. And pizza is fun! How could I NOT have any pizza? The worst part was that by the time the pizza's were out of the oven, I was hungry again!!!

What to do, what to do?

My brother, God bless him, doesn't have much of a conscience like I do. When I asked him if he was going to cheat, he gave me his million dollar smile and said "the weekend doesn't count!" Of course not, this detox was written for 5 days out of the week only. "Neither does my birthday". That's right. The author also made note of birthdays being exceptions. Yes. I remember now. Mmhmm.

Yes, and my brother's birthday is today, March 21st. Should I tell you what he's doing right now? He's having drinks with a friend of his. Oh, and also, we're officially celebrating the day of his birth this Thursday during 5 a 7 at a new favorite local bar (alcohol, alcohol, alcohol). On top of that, this Sunday, my family is combining my granny's bday with my brother's because her's is on the 25th. So more cheating for him, and more torture for me. YAY!

So back to the pizza party. Everyone sits down at the dining table and I put salad on my plate and stared at everyone else eating their pizza. They kept telling me to forget the detox for one day... "what's ONE day?" they said "we won't tell anyone, c'mon, have some. It's the best pizza your grandfather's ever made. EVER!" I could have killed them, and they almost had me convinced too. I began rationalizing why I should eat the pizza. It's just preliminary week, I thought to myself. What's the big deal? I'm allowed to make mistakes, aren't I? It's just an adjustment period. I'll eat it, and have more liquid meals throughout the day tomorrow to compensate. Right? No biggie.

Then someone at the table would yell, "don't do it, Jen, you're doing so well" and I'd pull my hand back from the pizza platter. I tried not to breath in the aroma of all the ingredients mixed together baked to perfection by the stove, but it smelled. so. good. The cheese, the pepperoni, the mushrooms, the dough, the crust...oh...and the chili peppers, and Frank's Red Hot Sauce!!! TORTURE! Ahh, I want some now!

Meanwhile, my brother was enjoying his fourth piece and washing it down with beer. "Do you feel bad yet?" I asked. "Like, are you bloated yet?" He looked at me and said "No, I'm not bloated, but I am starting to feel guilty." A-HA! This immediately made me feel better about my choice! That's exactly what I was trying to avoid- guilt. I look at him with a big smile on my face and just when I was about to claim victory he turns to me one last time as he grabs his fifth piece and says "just kidding. I don't feel bad at all. I feel great!"

Damn him. 

The struggle to NOT eat the pizza went on for a while until my father made me realize that I could just get up from the table and walk away! Wow! What a revelation that was. It helped too. I tried to distract myself but of course I was still thinking of that pizza until the moment I left. I can't believe I have to go through this all over again this weekend.

As for everyone else who taunted me, they all felt extremely bloated afterward! So there! Hmph...! And as for my brother, well... he admitted to getting mucho cravings this afternoon. He partly regretted cheating. Partly. But once a cheater, always a cheater. So I suspect he'll cheat again. Even after all his birthday celebrations.

Good news is, I didn't cave (SPIRO!!!). My family was proud of me, and I was too.

I really should have taken pictures of my brother cheating this weekend... remind me to do this next time.

xx

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Day 7: cheater, cheater, steak and fries eater

My dearest brother, Spiro,

I hope that you thoroughly enjoyed your steak, fries, and over consumption of alcohol Friday night (cheater).
I also hope you felt some mild bloating, a bit of flatulence, and a lot of indigestion, with a little bit of a hang over on the side.

Much love,
You're loyal, non-cheating, detox following, do it the right way, sister.
xx

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Day 5 & 6: spoke too soon (repost)

Round 2: This one's for Antzi!


I had posted up Day 5&6 on Friday, but something happened and my post got deleted...I'm trying to recall what I blogged about and I believe it had a lot to do with feeling tired, getting cravings, and poops (yes, I will talk about poo).

So to cut straight to the chase, for the first time since being on this detox, I finally started to feel tired on Day 5 (last Thursday). I couldn't seem to focus on anything in particular. Maybe it was because I had a lot on my mind, or maybe it was because I'm starting to crave certain foods. Which brings me to what I'm about to say next.

Bacon. I miss bacon!

Of course, I got this urge to eat it from watching a few episodes of Dead Like Me. You see, the characters get together in a restaurant for breakfast and all I saw were mountains and mountains of bacon being served. It made my mouth water and sent my taste buds straight into withdrawal! I felt like the Cookie Monster when he sees cookies and says "COOOOOKIEEES" just before devouring every cookie he sees in sight. Well, "BAAAACOOOON"

The other thing that happened was that my poopsters weren't regular -like they were every other day. I swear, it's like my body heard me and said "oh yeah? You think you're the one in control here? Ha! I'll show you who is in control, Missy!" and shut down my system. I was hors-service. Game-over.I was stool-stalling in the bathroom stall for like 20 minutes last week! I just wish I had some reading material or something... you know? Ooof!

Well anyway, by this weekend, I was back in business. Everything working and functioning just as it should.
I suppose it was just a glitch in the system. Shit happens sometimes, you know? HA!

(yes, mom, S-H-I-T)

Well, that about covers those days
Thanks for reading xx

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Day 4: ch-ch-changes

*Blogger deleted two of my posts somehow. I had written Day 4, 5&6 and now they're gone. Luckily, I had a copy of my 4th day, but not day 5&6 :( sucks... anyway, here's Day 4.

I figured it's time I let you know what's been going on with my body so far: if there's been any obvious or subtle changes, any withdrawals, etc.

I can tell you right now that I haven't had ANY withdrawals. I don't crave chocolate, or Stacy's Pita Chips (the ultimate pita chip), or pasta, or bread, or Mcdonald's fries, or pizza, or...and the beat goes on. I don't even get late night snack cravings anymore -and that's a first for me!

You know what? Let  me just make a quick list of the changes I've gone trhough since I started so you can see for yourselves.

Noticeable changes in 4 days:

• More self-motivation = more pro activity
• More alert during the day
• Less tired (day and night)
• No bloating or swelling of any kind (body or visage)
• No 'yucky, too stuffed to move' feeling after meals
• Never starving, always quite content
• No morning groggyness
• Overall pleasant mood
• Feel lighter, more refreshed
• Skin appears to be less dull
• Frequent and regular usage of bathroom for both number one and two -ah thank-you!

Well hey now -those are some pretty good changes, wouldn't you say? All that in 4 days! And I'm sure the majority of you can identify with some or most of these day-to-day 'nuisances', so maybe it's time you consider doing a detox yourself. I'm not saying pick this one, but choose the one that's right for you -a healthy one! This one just seemed to make sense for me.

I'm keeping it short and sweet today.
Stay tuned for more xx

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Day 3: super spoon

I dedicate this entry to Gigi, my adorable cousin in Manhattan.


Obviously, the natives didn't hear my request the other night because I woke up yesterday morning from another disturbing dream.

First, I'm on stage with Lady Gaga at a concert she held in some theater (because that's what me and the Lady do). Then, I was by a river or on a boat? Or the boat was on the river? And finally, I went to jail. The kind of jail where "you're better off not looking anyone in the eye if you know what's good for you, little lady", said the mean security guard just before I began to cry.

Yah. Great dreams! My brother had a dream too. You ready? He dreamt (that's not how you spell it, is it?) that he was in a prison too!!! How nutty is that?? NUTS, I tell you.

Hmm... prison. It's either our body is getting rid of some serious toxins, or we're feeling emotionally and mentally trapped by this detox. I believe it's the former, because we're loving it so far. To be honest, we're  actually really starting to feel the benefits from it.

Yesterday, for instance, was an easy, breezy day -almost like wearing Cover Girl make-up, only not. We both had immense energy, loads of focus, and a sense of accomplishment with our day. I finally squeezed a yoga class in last night and still had enough time to make our dinner and today's lunch.  Super Woman!

The meals were super duper too: Pineapple and Kale Smoothie for breakfast; Roasted Chicken with Papaya, Mango, and Avocado Salsa for lunch; and Butternut Squash Soup for dinner -with enough left over for tonight as well. Yum Yum!

And now, the moment you should be waiting for: My brother's dream.

He was in Greece, naturally, because in our minds we're always in Greece, swimming by the Mediterranean coast, soaking in the sun, and enjoying fresh Kalamari at the local taverna on the seaside. Ahhh, bliss...

Well, unfortunately, this wasn't that kind of dream -so get over it.

He wasn't dreaming of the Mediterranean, no, no.  He was dreaming he was in a Greek Prison because of a fight he got into. As he's sitting in jail, he notices a swarm of people waiting outside for him -and it wasn't fan club or the media, but a gang out to get him (of course).

Then, at midnight -that fairy tale hour- the cops gave my brother his get-out-of-jail-free card. It was time for him to leave the prison, so he and his friend Tsoukala (if you don't know Tsoukala, then I feel sorry for you) started walking out just as the gang began to move in on them. My brother, alarmed by the herd of bad-asses, grabbed Tsoukala by the arm and said "Hey! You can't go there, they're going to get us!"

That's when he had an epiphany: "this was just a dream, I am the master of my dreams, I can control them" -I love that moment. When you realize you can be in total control of the way your dreams turn out.

Well, instead of oh, say, I don't know, pulling some matrix move, or tossing them aside with the wave of his finger -très Sylar from Heroes- he threw a spoon. A spoon, of all possibilities. Right in one of the guys' forehead. Bam! Neo's got nothing on you, bro!

Dragons breathe fire,Chuck Norris breaths dragons,and my brother, Spiro..? Well, he throws spoons.

Apparently, that was enough to make the others scatter, and so, my brother and his spoon, conquered!! Hooray!! May the Chuck Norris force be with you all day, my brother!

xx

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Day 2: Strange Days

What a strange day.

Did anyone else have a hard time getting up this morning, or was that detox related too? I couldn't do it. My mind kept telling my eyes to open but they wouldn't listen. There goes my morning yoga class. Sigh.

Surprisingly enough, I didn't feel hungry after any of my meals today. Not even around 3PM -that dreaded time of day you normally poke around your office space for something, anything, to munch on; a piece of chocolate; a cookie; some paper; ANYTHING!

Okay. I'm calm now.

******
I am interrupting this blog post because we've got a cheater in the house!!! My beloved brother has just gotten up from watching a movie to grab the hummus we made last night, and he's eating it with carrots (it's 10PM).

I know what you're thinking... what's wrong with that, right? Sounds healthy, yah?

Well, he may have made a healthy choice but if we're going to get technical then technically his last meal was supposed to be his liquid meal. More importantly, you must, Must, MUST leave twelve hours between dinner and breakfast so that you're body can detox properly.

According to the author of the CLEAN program, you're body is given the detox signal aprx. eight hours after your last meal, and requires at least four hours to function well. In other words, it's better to fast a little before sleepy time so that the ritual called breakfast exists. Get it? Here, let me break it down for you, pay attention: Break-fast. You're "breaking the fast" Ta-Da!!!

Speaking of sleepy time, I started having strange dreams last night. So did my brother. They say that at the early stages of the detox, some of the side-effects are nightmares. Yikes! So does that mean my subconscious is also detoxing by getting rid of any messed up movies I've seen, or stories I've read, or personal issues I may have buried back there? Oh for the love of Native Indians! Construct me a dreamcatcher already and let's call it a night.

Anyway. I'm beat. Time to count sheep. 1....2....Zzzz

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Oh Matt!

And when I say Matt I'm referring to Matt Damon, of course, and by Matt Damon I really mean my personal coach, Chris. That's right. I have a coach. He's there to make sure I stay on course, so he's over at my house right this minute eating away anything and everything that might deter me from achieving my goal (make sure you get rid of all those paximathia).

By the way, thanks to all of you for joining my blog page... I just got started and already I have 7 followers! I don't even know what that means? Do you guys get automatic updates? Boh.

If you do want to keep tabs on my Adventures in Detoxland (hey, that's got a nice ring to it), then stop by for a visit every now and then. I'll be here... just typing away...tuu-turu-turuuu.


xxx

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Day 1: off to a jittery start

Today was a mess.

First, we woke up late, then we realized we were still missing ingredients, then by the time we got back from shopping it was already 2:30PM and we still hadn't had breakfast !!

Anyway, we made our first liquid meal: the Energy Smoothie with Cardamom and Almond Butter. It didn't take long to make, maybe 10 minutes or so. The taste wasn't horrible, but it wasn't 'oh my God, it's better then eggs, bacon, and sausage' either. And it made me feel a bit jittery right after...or did it make me feel drowsy? You know, I still can't decide what I was feeling more... sleepy or wired..? Strange combo.

Lunch was pretty good. It was the Basic Quinoa Salad. I'm a fan of quinoa. I first got a taste of it at work from a Lebanese friend of mine, originally from Nigeria. He eats it all the time in these amazing stews he makes, yum, and I get to taste 'em! Well, I don't really give him that much of a choice...I should get him to post some of his recipes here !!!

Quinoa is such a great alternative to rice, too. It's benefits alone make it worthwhile to switch over to this seed. It helps lower cholesterol; aids elimination and toning of colon (who knew my colon needed toning too?); and prevents arteries from clogging. It's actually pretty insane to think a seed packs all that punch. If you haven't tried it yet, I definitely recommend you do. It's yummy. Like couscous, only better. Read more on the benefits here.


Cardamom's got interesting benefits as well. It's loaded with tons of healing powers for digestive disorders, urinary infections, and blood pressure -and that's not even the half of it -check out more here.

For dinner, we had another liquid meal: Cucumber and Basil Soup. It was more of a gazpacho type meal; very refreshing.

I guess what's going to be great about this experience is that as I try these recipes I'm also going to experiment with new ingredients, which will allow me to learn about their effects and how they can benefit me. Then I can let you in on the daylee dose ;)

I guess that's that for today.
I'm pretty exhausted right now.
Tomorrow's another day.

Until then, xx


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the binging fest

Gosh, what is it about dieting or detox plans that make you want to immediately binge just before you start? I swear, it's like my body wanted to stuff itself silly knowing that:

a) I'll probably regret it soon after, and
b) I'll probably make it harder for myself during the detox.

Not smart.

Since Friday -that's yesterday- I had crumble pie, too many cheeses, and bread, oh my!! And what -that was just breakfast at work..hang on, there's more. Later on that night, tostitos with salsa dip joined the belly party, but why stop there?


This afternoon, Michael, who works at this cute little spa I go to every week, practically forced me (and by forced I really mean mildly persuaded me) to eat McDonald's!
Around 1000 calories later (!!!), my Big Mac Trio didn't seem so appetizing anymore. In fact, I felt pretty gross right after. But at least my nails look great?

Speaking of which, my awesome manicurist, love you, Steph, carries a plethora of nail candy for me to choose from every week. Since spring is right around the corner, I decided to get on the orange/coral colors-of-the-sunset bandwagon and went with Lunch at the Deli by O.P.I. I love it, Love it, LOVE it -if only I actually had lunch at the deli instead of McD's -way to go, M.

That leaves us with T - 24hrs before Elimination day begins. I will be sharing quarters with my brother over the next month who also wishes to join me on this insane challenge. It should be easier doing it with someone else. I guess we'll see what happens next...

All i can say is... BRING IT!!

xx
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a challenging cleanse

What: I've decided to attempt a 3 week detox program called CLEAN by Alejandro Junger, M.D
When: Sunday, March 13, 2011
Where: At home, at work, on the go, go, go. It follows you for 3 weeks (not counting you're pre-clean elimination week).
Why: Because computers aren't the only systems that need rebooting, and because I want to get into shape for the summer.

The Low-Down:
Unlike other detox programs -which seem more suitable for anorexic models or celebrities who starve themselves- this one claims to revolutionize the way in which your body restores its natural ability to heal itself. It promises to rid your body of toxins without depriving you, and allows you to drop any unwanted weight (DING DING DING...Sign me up!).

Of course, the bonus factor for me was Gwyneth Paltrow's promise that it works, so I bought the it !! I know, I know, I'm a fish, but she wouldn't put her face on something she doesn't believe in, would she? I hope not because she seems smarter than that (not so much in her professional choices these days -singing and dancing!? Really, Gwyn? Are we really going there?)

Anyway, I came home excited to read how this revolutionary program changed Gwenyth's life and soon realized that there's nothing in it about her actual transformation- just her testimony. I also realized that it wasn't going to be as simple as I thought. There's a lot of time and preparation required for this program, and I'm not one who likes to follow strict eating plans. I love food way too much. But I am willing to give this one a shot. I don't know where my determination is coming from this time, but damn it, it's time I try, n'est ce pas?

The Preparation:
First of all, you have to plan out your meals every day for 3 weeks. The program consists of 2 liquid meals (smoothies, juices, or soups) and 1 solid meal (vegetarian option available) per day with some snacks in between.

Choosing the meals is a cinch, it's jotting down all the ingredients needed to make the recipe's and then buying them that's a pain. It can get quite expensive. Luckily, I know this great little mom n' pop grocery shop I hit up called MY PARENTS HOUSE -don't look at me like that.

The Extras:
For those who don't wish to shock their body during the detox, it is recommended you begin an Elimination period one week prior to the start date of your Clean detox.

The Elimination period has a list of recipes you can follow to ease you into it. So basically, you need to commit four weeks total in order to complete the program successfully.

Warning: It could kill your social life - not that mine is overly exciting these days.

I guess we'll see if it really transforms me and my body. Hopefully, I'll drop some weight I've been struggling to lose (mainly in the tummy- booo), then I'll feel healthier (yaaay), and fit for the summer time. Oh yes, which brings me to my next point: getting fit.

In order to really see the effects of the detox, it is recommended that you incorporate some form of exercise into your plan.

I like doing yoga at the Moksha studio I go to, and I will also try to squeeze in this revolutionary workout video I recently came across -but I'll get into that next time. It's supposed to be jah-mazing! Can't wait to try it.

C'est tout!
Keep you posted...

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popping my ch-ch-cherry blog

So this is my very first blog. I'm not gonna lie, it's sort of exciting!! Okay, actually, it's really exciting! I'm simply testing things out for now-haven't quite figured out how this blog mumbojumbo works just yet so please have patience with me, yah? In the meantime, why don't I give you a sneak peak of what's to come.

I'm here to reveal the differences say between similar cosmetic products, or the health benefits of certain exercise methods by documenting the changes as I use them. That's right, I am volunteering to become a human guinea pig. Relax! Don't get too excited. I do have my limits. But for now, my mind, body, and soul have been swapped for the greater good of smarter consumption practices.

Please stay tuned as I embark on my journey into the consumer product abyss...

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