Life After A Cleanse

It's been about 2 weeks since I completed the 28 Days to Health Cleanse and you might be wondering...

did she go back to her old ways of eating?

is she eating a bunch of junk again?

did she lose any weight?

is she drinking coffee again?

drinking wine?

eating baskets full of bread?

is she eating all those treats she has been making?

Actually, before I tell you - let me say ever since I remember, I've been allergic to wheat and milk.  I've always known how they effect me.  Too much wheat gives me headaches and too much milk would give me very bad leg cramps.  So I was extremely curious how this cleanse would effect me by eliminating both wheat and milk from my diet.

I really felt great on the cleanse.  The first day was awful and in week 3, when you drink 3 shakes a day for 4 days - that just stunk.  Other than that - it was really good.

I have not gone back to the way I was eating.  For the most part, I'm actually staying gluten and dairy free.  I still have my protein shakes in the morning for breakfast (it's so easy and I really enjoy them).  For lunch, I'll have a salad (I am having some balsamic vinaigrette which I couldn't have on the cleanse and I'm good with that).  For dinner, I'll have chicken, steak or fish with some quinoa and asparagus or butternut squash.  I'm fascinated how my tastebuds have changed.

I lost 12 pounds on the cleanse - which I was very happy about. YAY!!  And I'm making my own Latte's with Almond Milk.  I love foam and so excited that Almond Milk foams.  No more Skinny Vanilla Lattes for me.

It would be great if Starbucks or Peet's Coffee offered Almond Milk, but for now - I'm making my own with my Nespresso.

Am I having wine again?  That would be a yes!  Have I finally tasted the treats I've been making?  I have tried them and what's interesting is that sweets are VERY sweet.  I haven't been having a ton - just nibbles here and there.  I did make this last night - we had friends over for dinner.  Tasted it just to see how it was.  It was delish!

I did make some Gluten-free cupcakes and mini-donuts as well (the frosting wasn't).  These were so yummy.  I want to work on perfecting some recipes that are gluten and dairy free.

I have found that the days that I added in wheat and dairy - I got headaches...so for the most part, I'm steering clear.

All in all - it was a great experience doing the cleanse.  I hope that my posts have helped those that are on a cleanse or maybe even inspired some to actually do one.

Keep your eyes posted for more recipes...(I'll be posting here and on facebook.)

Caryl

I feel GREAT!

Today was the day that I've been actually looking forward to for a week now!

I successfully completed the 28 Days to Health Cleanse.  YAY!!  I'm doing the happy dance.

I'm not gonna lie, there have been some challenging days (especially when I had to drink 3 shakes a day for 4 days).  After day 2 of the pure liquid diet - I was done.

The last day was really tough.  Your mind plays tricks on you, but I had to have the will power to stick it through to the end.

Let me give you the low-down for my last day on the cleanse.

I was at the Santa Clara Marriott all day for a meeting that I was planning for one of my favorite clients.  The event was themed Western so of course - we had to have BBQ (which people that know me in person know that I LOVE BBQ).  A simple dessert - cookies (which I LOVE sweets) and to finish off the day - a beer and WINE bar (which I LOVE wine but no drinking on the cleanse).  Then in the evening post event, I went to celebrate my dear cousin Jaimie's 30th birthday at an Italian Restaurant (which I LOVE italian food) in San Mateo.

Needless to say - there was a boat load of opportunity to just forget the last day and enjoy.

Here is what I did:
On Monday afternoon before heading to the Marriott, I packed up my 2 shakes for Tuesday in a 2 ziploc baggies, brought my now famous "Starbucks Plastic Venti Cup" and a couple of extra cups for my shakes.  Also packed these individual Almond Milk cartons which I found at Whole Foods.

Tuesday morning, I talked to our Catering Services Manager, Juliet and told her that I was on this cleanse and today was the last day and I had to get my breakfast shake blended up.  She was amazing - she wrote down my blending instructions (because after doing this for 28 days - there is definitely a science behind making the perfect shake) and brought it back to me all blended up.  It wasn't quite the way that mine look - but who am I to complain - I was so appreciative.

The lunch came and she came back over to me and said - are you ready for lunch?  Oh my goodness - yes I said I'm starving and that food for the attendees smells so good.  She brought back my chocolate shake back to me and said - this time I had a professional blend it...I had the bartender do it.  I have to say - he was a professional because it was really good (I think it might have had something to do with the fact that I was starving :)).  I stuck with water as my beverage of choice all day too!

Dinner - was at an Italian Restaurant that had the most amazing menu.  Pasta was screaming my name - but I opted for the Sole and Brussel Sprouts.  It was good - the pasta probably would have been better.  I celebrated with Jaimie toasting her 30th with water vs. wine.

I feel really good that I didn't give in and I completed this cleanse.   I feel amazingly great that I was actually able to inspire a couple of people to jump on board and do a cleanse themselves.

Special thanks to Julie at the Dailey Method for being a week ahead of all of us on the cleanse so you could tell us what to expect.  Thanks 28 Days to Health for your support as well.  I will definitely do the cleanse again...sometime. :) And thank you to my friends for all of your love and support!

xoxo,
Caryl

Chicken Has Never Tasted So Good!!

I'm 75% through the 28 Days to Health Cleanse...3/4 complete - only 25% more to go...if I was running a mile - I just have a 1/4 mile left.

I have to tell you - this morning I was doing the HAPPY dance.  I'm back to 2 shakes and I had CHICKEN tonight - with some yummy asparagus.  My grilled CHICKEN never tasted so good.  I was thinking about it all day today.  mmmmmm - good.

I'm going to be brutally honest - having 3 shakes a day was a...DRAG!  The first 2 days were fine - but after that, you really craved crunching something.  At least I did.  I wasn't hungry - you just wanted a little bit more than what was flowing through the straw.  I was really crabby too.

Today - WAY better!!

I went to Whole Foods and got my chicken and veggies (wanted fresh since I hadn't eaten anything solid for 4 days) and called the hubby to see if he was close so he could start the grill.  Nothing was getting between me and my chicken. :)

My asparagus and chicken was PERFECT.  I have to say - I enjoyed every bite!

xoxo,
Caryl

The Adventures with KALE!

I tried Kale last night for the first time EVER!  I saw the recipe on Style with Grace's website.  If you never been to her website - you must check it out.  She always as something great cooking!!

So I tried it...very easy to make.  To my surprise...they were really good.  I couldn't get my little man to try it - gotta work on him.  But the big man tried it.  I think I put a little too much salt - but I will definitely make again.

Here is what I did...

1. Washed and dried the Kale.  I just used paper towels to dry them off.

2. Then I tore into pieces and used 2 tablespoons of extra light olive oil and as Style with Grace says... massaged it (basically...mixed the heck out of it so the olive oil got all over it.)  I sprinkled some sea salt on it too.  I think I was suppose to wait on that (that might have been why it was a little too salty).

3. Lay out on a baking sheet.  I used a SILPAT because I wasn't sure if it would stick.  NOW you sprinkle with sea salt.  Oh and the oven should be preheated to 350 degrees.  Bake for 15-20 minutes.

4. All done!  And they were yummy and crispy!

Enjoy...

~ Caryl

Half Way There...

So I'm officially half way through the 28 Days to Health Cleanse!!  YAY! for me...

Here are the deets...

7 lbs lost

of which...

4 lbs of FAT

3 lbs of water

I wasn't doing this for the weight loss - OK who am I kidding...I was totally hoping a would shed a few LBS!

On a serious note - I feel really good.  As my gal at the Dailey Method says (thank goodness she is a week ahead of us so she can tell us what to expect) - we are deep in the cleanse now.

All the lovely ladies that are doing this cleanse with me - meet once a week at the Dailey Method Danville to talk about what to expect the next week.  Funny comments were taking place today...like can you steam almond milk to make a latte (decaf of course)...can you eat yogurt...really looking forward to that glass of wine and so on and so on.  Basically we were already chatting about the foods and drink that we would be able to incorporate back into our life once the cleanse is over.  I wonder if that is a side effect to being half way done.

I honestly think I could be the poster child for this cleanse.  If I can do it...anybody can do it.

So far...I would totally recommend it.  Let's see what this week brings.

Martha & The Magic Bullet = Complete Awesomeness

What a whirlwind week it's been.  I was in the Big Apple this week for Martha Stewart's Dreamers into Doers Conference.  I met so many fabulous ladies and the seeds of long friendships have definitely been planted.  It was truly amazing.  Just being in the Martha Stewart Corporate Offices was so inspirational - it gets your creative juices flowing.  But it gets even better.  We actually got to be part of the audience of the Martha Stewart Living Show.

Yup, that was me.  Pretty cool - huh?  I can't wait to show you more pictures...but I need to find my other camera connector. LOL

So, I bet you are wondering...how the heck did Caryl do on her 28 Days to Health Cleanse?  Well - let me tell you.  I did really well.  I was nervous about going to restaurants and to my surprise I was able to have some really amazing food.  I knew I was set on the shake front because of this....

yes...the Magic Bullet.  I had everything labeled with a sharpie so I really didn't have to think.  I found the whole foods when I arrived and bought my Almond Milk, fruit and so much water.  I was set.

I'm already two days into Week 2 which consists of 2 shakes and 1 meal.  To be perfectly honest - yesterday I was hungry.  I think because I didn't eat enough for lunch.

Last night I went to Fresh&Co and had them make me a salad for the flight today.  I knew I wasn't going to be able to make a shake on the airplane.  I was definitely thinking ahead.  Today has been great!

~Caryl

I survived...Day 1

So I successfully completed DAY 1.  They say that the first 3 days are the hardest...so I'm a 1/3 of the way there.

As you know - I'm doing the 28 days to Health Cleanse and since I've never done anything like this - this picky eater (which is me!) was quite nervous.

Day 1: I didn't start my day off having my cup of coffee this morning - no coffee for me.  Instead I started out with a chocolate protein shake...not bad.  I thought to myself...I can do this!
Around 11am - my mind was focusing on FOOD any and all kinds of food.  Isn't that always the case...

So I had my fizzy water and that worked for a little bit.  I was really trying not to eat my lunch at 11am knowing that I wasn't going to be eating dinner for what seemed like eternity.

Had lunch around 1pm and it was good.  Salad with grilled chicken, kidney beans, carrots and this rosemary vinaigrette that I had made in the morning.  Yummy and satisfying...for about 2 hours.

I went to workout at the Dailey Method and the workout would have been really amazing if I wasn't fantasizing about FOOD during the entire class. :)  Got home and wanted to eat my hand off...but I didn't.  I cut up some apple instead.  You aren't suppose to snack - but I had to do something.  Oh - and I had fizzy water too!

I made dinner.  Tacos for the boys (my hubby and munchkin) and Taco salad for me.  I checked the labels of the taco seasoning and was surprised they was SOY in the ingredients.  (Can't have soy on the cleanse.) So had to make it separately.  Made them the Taco's with SOY taco seasoning and for me...Taco meat with Chipotle Chili spice.  Added some kidney beans, hard boiled egg, picante taco sauce and a ton of lettuce and I was good to go.

I also drank so much water - I think I was going to the restroom every 5 minutes.  One of the biggest challenges today was not grabbing food to eat just because.  Also - had a headache from no coffee.  Had to take an advil and it went away.

(side note: I'll be traveling next week so I bought the Magic Bullet and will be bringing it with me so I can make my shakes on the road.)

Stay tuned for Day 2...

~ Caryl