SP Cleanse Day 1 (Monday)

Pina Colada Shake

Ok guys, I woke up still feeling full from the night before.  But I doubt those were real feelings.  They were probably fake feelings I kept telling myself because I was starting this cleanse.  Regardless of what kind of feelings they were, I had to face reality.

I made my first shake with frozen coconut chunks (I think chunks is a funny word... haha chunks), frozen pineapple bits, unsweetened coconut milk with my two scoops of SP Complete powder stuff.  With my trusty Magic Bullet (does anyone still use one of these anymore?) I blended this concoction.  And you know what? It was actually good!  Add a little rum and you've got a pina colada!!  HAHA JK!

After "breakfast" I dropped off my daughter at school so she can be all social and stuff while I came home and organized all the food I had gotten from the grocery store (see pic on previous post).  For my snack I went with my go-to which lately has been sweet potato "toast" with smashed avocados--all SP Cleanse approved!  I love this low carb snack for anytime of the day! You just slice your sweet potato (orgaaaanic don't forget!) and throw them in the toast oven on your highest setting.  I run it in there twice to get it extra cooked if that makes sense.  While that's going, scoop out your avocado, sprinkle some pepper and garlic powder (my favs) and when the toast is ready, pile those delicious avos on top.  It's very filling and nutritious (I'm not a nutritionist so I'm just assuming it's nutritious hehe).

My version of the trendy Avocado Toast

Since I was doing so well on this first day (HAHA) I made plans to meet some of my coworker friends for lunch.  Summer is almost over (boo hoo) and I've been wanting to hang out with them this whole time!  I chose to meet at one my favorite restaurants in the OC--Rutabagorz.  I was first introduced to it when I was a student at Chapman in Orange.  I would eat that Garlic Chicken Salad with walnuts and feta like no other. Alas, my favorite menu item would not be compliant to this cleanse.  No worries though, Ruta's always has great options for everyone!  So I chose the Vegetarian Chef

Vegetarian Chef Salad minus the Cheffy Parts

Salad but had to be one of those... You know the person that asks for substitutions in a meal.  I always feel bad asking for changes but I had to be strong and of course I was really nice about it, I said, "PLEASE and THANK YOU!" So I had to ask for no cheese and no eggs, oh and instead of whatever dressing it came with, I just asked for olive oil and vinegar which apparently has a special fancy name for it that I've now forgotten.  As you can see the salad was divine.  The sunflower seeds added a great nutty flavor without being a nut which is also a no-no.  (Note to self, get sunflower seeds for future salads)  I've also believed salads that you don't have to prep and make are so much more delicious than ones you make yourself.  I think because after the prepping, putting together and cleaning, I think the meal is more work than it is tasty in the end.  Oh well... got to stay positive!

Ok dinner time!  I had to be quick with this one.  After I picked up my daughter from school, I quickly whipped up some sauteed broccolini (avocado oil, salt and pepper), baked sweet potato with organic butter, and some kalamata olives on the side.  I saw another person's blog with kalamata olives in their salad and I thought, hm that sounds good.  For "dessert" I had some fresh strawberries which my daughter confiscated during our meal together.  Strawberries are her fav.  This was a great meal and quick because we had to run to swimming

lessons after!

Phew, first day of swimming lessons went well.  ASH was a little hesitant to be in the water which is very strange since she loves swimming in our pool.  I think she sensed me feeling rushed and didn't want any part of that stress.  In the end, she blew her bubbles, kicked her legs, scooped her arms like the best of them.  She also discovered the pool where we were at was shallow enough to allow her to stand on her toes.  I think that was her favorite part.

After dinner snackaroo!

I almost forgot I had one more shake to go.  So I made it as my after "workout" (trust me... swim lessons was a workout! :) ) along with a little snack of baby carrots. I couldn't resist the pina colada shake so guess what flavor I made...you guessed it... PINA COLADA!  Day 1... success.  Was I hungry?  I didn't have a starving feeling, but definitely after swim lessons, I was ready to have a little snackaroo.

What I need to work on for tomorrow: drink more water.  Remember to take the supplements (I took them twice so I missed one time).

21 Day Purification Cleanse by Standard Process

So today is the day I..

• start my bloggy blog back up!
• start the Standard Process Purification Body Cleanse

I know what you're thinking... it's just another diet and you haven't been successful really before.  Yes, 'tis true.  I've attempted Beachbody's 21 Day Fix twice now and have gotten deathly sick BOTH times (not from the program, but just from life...and 26 second graders). Weight Watchers was fairly ok but then someone would ask me to go to an All You Can Eat Korean BBQ birthday dinner... then I'd fall off the wagon.

Let's just say, I don't have a choice now.  I am ::cough cough:: getting older now and it's been very hard to get back into shape and just be a healthy human being.  Around me I've been tempted with a lot of indulgences and if you know me... I. LOVE. FOOD. Let's be honest, I'm not in shape.  I'm not healthy. I'm tired ALL. THE. TIME. I'm really hoping that starting this process today will help kick start better eating habits and there will be great rewards no matter what:

• get healthier (duh)
• gain more energy
• clearer and smoother skin (reminds me of mom who would make me drink/eat random Chinese foods/soups and say, "It's good for you... make your skin pretty.")
• loose weight
• better digestion
• less bloating

I'm sure there more positives from the process and for the next 21 days I will keep you posted on the ups and downs I experience.  Let's hope there are more UPs than downs!

For more information on what this program entails this is how I explain it, but if you want the deets then click on the link above: Days 1-10 Veggies and fruit (double the veggies than fruit), SP Complete shakes, 1/2 cup grains (quinoa-gross, brown rice, or lentils). Days 11-21 same as before, but I will get to add lean meat!!!  Counting down the days... so excited!  HAHA  So that will mean chicken and fish basically.  I'm such a meat eater and although I keep thinking I'll miss the carbs the most, I think I'll miss the meat the most.

I remember a time when I gave up meat for Lent (I'm not Catholic btw but did it for fun) and I was successful! However I did allow myself fish and other seafood along with fake meat (Gardeins Mandarin Chick'n =yummy).  That will be a no no for the first 10 days on this cleanse.

So to wrap this up, in a way I'm excited that I'm finally taking the time to do this for myself. I'm also happy that it's not during the school year when I'm limited to bathroom breaks... However, I'm nervous that my willpower will be weak (I've been known to have weak willpower) and that I'll forget and finish my daughter's leftover chicken nugget she didn't finish from her plate.  But I will do my best to stay strong and commit to this program so that I can better health for myself!  So... here we go!

Grocery shopping results for all my healthy goodness snacks and meals!

**Please note, I started writing this on Day 1 and never published it.  It's now Day 2 so I will catch up with my notes and photos!