I did it.

I made it! Sunday was my first "normal" day after a full 4 weeks of the clean program. At first, I thought it was the hardest thing I have ever done. I was buying groceries that I had never heard of. I forced myself to practice discipline when it was the last thing I wanted to do. There was one day when I had a box of Chocolate Chex cereal in hand and I was so close to pouring myself a big bowl, but I didn't and it was worth it! I promise, if you have considered doing a detox like this it gets easier! I have still been mostly eating the foods I have eaten for the past month including clean smoothies for breakfast and eating healthy meals for lunch and dinner. I'll admit though, its really great to have a little more freedom with meals while continuing to eat foods that are minimally processed.
Here are some of the benefits I've noticed since I started.
- I feel lighter and my clothes fit better
- I have plenty of energy
- Hunger comes on slowly and I haven't felt the: OMG if I don't eat something right now I might pass out thing. In other words, I can tell my blood sugars are stable. :)
-  I usually have allergies thing time of year... no sign of them so far!
- I like different foods that are much healthier and am more aware of food labels and what to avoid.
So that's that! Ask me if you have any questions about clean eating or the program! I've become a big fan and am happy to help with recipes and ideas!

I also wanted to mention - my family and I took a mini day trip to the Milwaukee zoo/Trader Joe's on Sunday. Unfortunately for the Fox Valley, the nearest Trader Joe's is like an hour and a half away. Ugh.
Anyway, I could have spent the whole day there. Sad, I know.
But here are some of the foods I got!

Pasta Ingredients: Organic brown rice and water; so gluten free!

For smoothies!

I tried this last night. It's delicious and I believe it would have been ok during the cleanse too.

Ingredients: Stone ground whole wheat flour, safflower oil, honey, baking powder, yeast, and sea salt.

I put this in a smoothie yesterday and today instead of my almond butter. Ingredients: Dry roasted peanuts and salt.

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getting started on clean eating.

I have (almost) successfully completed 1 full week of the elimination diet from the Clean program! During this week, I was able to have 3 solid meals and snacks, but could only eat foods from the "foods to include" list. It has definitely been challenging, but everyday is easier and easier. I must admit though, on Saturday, we went to a party and there was this cake that I may have had a tiny slice of. It was a smores cake made beautifully by my friend over at Beth's Blue Plate and I couldn't pass it up... Maybe she'll do a post about it sometime. (hint hint Beth!)

 If you are considering doing a cleanse like this (there are many out there), there are a few things you can/should do to prepare.
1. Pick a date and stick with it. Give yourself time to be prepared.
2. Read lots of recipes, pick ones that you think you would like (pinterest helps - look at clean eating boards). Be a little adventurous but don't force yourself to eat things you hate or you won't last long.
3. Go grocery shopping for the ingredients you need. You may want to go to a few different stores - some have a better selection/prices than others. Be prepared for a slightly higher than normal grocery bill. (But we justify it since we wont' be eating out at all during this time.)
4. Get a good blender. After the Elimination week, you have 3 weeks of two liquid meals and one solid meal every day. You'll be using it a lot. The top of the line is the Vitamix. My parents have one and they love it, but we got a Ninja which was more affordable and still great. I love that it comes with two to-go mugs. You can blend your shake right in the mug, switch the cover, and go!

5. In the book he recommends eating organic food as much as possible. But for us, it was just way to expensive to do that. Just do you best - you'll still have great results.
 I have been doing liquid meals for breakfast and dinner and a solid meal for lunch since Sunday. So far, I can tell I am full faster than I used to be and don't need to eat as often. I haven't noticed any spikes in my blood sugar (hunger comes on slowly), I have lost 4 1/2 pounds, and I still have plenty of energy!
Even though there are many good recipes out there, most of what I've eaten is my own creation.
Here's today's lunch:

Brown rice, black beans (no added salt), chicken breast cooked in olive oil, taco seasoning,
homemade creamy avocado dressing, and cilantro

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