So here is my theory on detoxing/cleansing/juicing... whatever you want to call it.... As humans, we have a kidney and a liver whose primary job is to clean out, cleanse and rid the body of toxins. As long as they are in standard working order why do you think you need to help them along? Just because you indulge yourself on a regular basis doesn't mean your body isn't working, really, it's probably your mindset that needs some assistance. Now, when it comes to bloating I have a different view on that, I do believe we bloat based on what we eat, as I'm sure you all have experienced. And some of us bloat WAY more easily than others, to our dissatisfaction.
I did this "cleanse" for many reasons the first being that I have never done one and I am asked ALL the TIME about drinking smoothies, detoxing and cleansing and other things along those lines. The other being that I was asked about blenders and I couldn't even give a recommendation because I didn't own one...so I bought one. I am a scientific thinking kinda person, I was in the biology track in high school and majored in biology in college (until I was biologied out and switched) and I married a biology major who has worked in research-testing stuff. So I like evidence, research and results. I also don't believe in animal testing so I test on myself, as I feel I'm closer to the average human than a pig or rat.
I did a 3-day smoothie cleanse that is found all over the internet, I found Dr. Oz's website publishing it as well as a well known blogger (who I won't name) also publishing it as her own.... with not one ingredient change so it was identical. But regardless, it is one that many people follow and I wanted to be able to speak knowledgeably about it, based solely on my own experiences.
As most of my friends, family and clients know, I LOVE to eat. Volume of food is important to me, so drinking all of this was hard for me, I'd much rather take the pile of ingredients and eat them all up. But I did it and for the most part, stuck to it. I was spot on for the first two days. What is hard for me is that I have hypoglycemia so regular eating is important to keep me, um, nice (?) and also upright...I eat so I can be happy but I also eat so I don't pass out, which has happened and it's not fun. Drinking high sugar is not the best way to eat to keep blood sugar in working order. So basically, here's how it went.
Day 1: On Tuesday morning I drank a delicious shake and then for lunch I drank a delicious shake and again at dinner...a shake. This one was a shocker, it was a tad spicy so I warn those of you that don't like spicy, it has got a kick. I like it and it certainly made me not want to snack that night.
Day 2: I woke up feeling much trimmer and very empty. I certainly felt that some bloat was going away, so I kept with the regimen. I drank all the shakes as I was supposed to but I started to get pretty hungry. Just drinking was not really satisfying me. I was CRAVING some protein. But I stuck to it because I promised myself I would. This was a test of willpower also, something I have a hard time with.
Day 3: I lasted only until lunch. I had a business meeting so I couldn't not eat! Yep, I gave in and had a chicken salad but it was only part of it, no dressing and I ate all the chicken and pecans and not much else. I was about to tell myself, "well, I lost weight and look better so I've proved it, I can eat"... The salad was so small and empty that in the end I didn't really ingest that much. And decided that I wouldn't give up because what I've proved to myself was that this cleanse was very easy to give up on, even when it's only 3 days. So I had the dinner shake coupled with a few bites of enchilada meat and some olives. I was craving fats, more than the tablespoon of almond butter or coconut oil that is included in the shakes.
Observations: I did not do the baths, it's too hard for me to set that aside 3 nights in a row. But I did do the multi vitamin, fish oil and probiotics (already do those). I also worked out all three days, which would require a bit more calories and why I was really hungry.
The day the cleanse was to finish was date night and I could tell it wasn't going to be pretty because I was already planning what I was going to eat...and it wasn't a chicken salad! It was one of those moments where you just know you're depriving yourself and a binge was coming on. What I decided to do was allow myself some bites of food so I didn't binge on the next meal that was set in front of me! And I think that is the problem for most people, when we hear "no" or restrict too much we end up going a tad (or more) overboard when we finally allow ourselves to get what we want. Hence my whole "it's a lifestyle not a moment in time" way of living.
Conclusion: As I sit here sipping my kale, blueberry, green apple shake.... The cleans is only alright. A 3-day smoothie cleanse is not totally for me but it is a great way to reduce some bloat and get your
mind reset. This is a mind-reset cleanse not a detox cleanse. My liver and kidney do just fine, blood tests prove that. So what I got out of this cleanse was a great way to reset my mind after Thanksgiving (3 days of it!) and get my mind and body ready to get back to normal amounts of food and a reasonable caloric intake. I do feel good.
As you can see from pictures, I had some changes but not a ton. I went from 117.6 to 115 pounds. (though I fluctuate by 3-5 on a daily basis). I took the pictures at the same time each morning, after going to the bathroom and before eating or drinking anything. (If you noted the sports bra...I have 3, if I find something I like, I stock up, I swear :) )In the 4th picture, the morning after the 3rd day I'm not as lean as you'd think I'd be considering the 3rd day picture. The day before, during day 3, I truly had maybe 4 small bites of enchilada meat and one bite of tortilla for dinner in addition to the chicken salad with no dressing (so it was pretty uninteresting) for lunch. So one meal in place of a smoothie made that much of a difference?...it's not worth it to me, I like to eat too much to give up 2 or 3 meals a day. At the same time, I have to admit, I will be adding kale, cucumber and mango smoothies...with protein powder...to my regimen on a busy day. I am no longer opposed to smoothies because they are just good and tasty, and a great way to get in some antioxidants and veggies. But please add a scoop of protein so you aren't missing out on that important macronutrient!
If you want to see the cleanse...here it is, like I said, I've seen this pinned on Pinterest from other popular blogs as their own, so I don't know where it originated but it's all the same. I did the nutrition breakdown and it was way low based on what I normally intake (1600++ calories):
| Calories 1,260 | Carbs 204 | Fat 48 | Protein 28 |
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From the thoughts of my 2 1/2 year old daughter: "Mommy, what are you going to eat for dinner?" Me: "my smoothie" Her: "that's not food! That's a drink. What are you going to EAT?"
