Detox Day 10

Day 10....I made it!
...and now I don't want to ruin it!  Just by eliminating processed foods, highly allergenic foods, I have gained renewed enthusiasm to cook healthier for my family.  I dumped 80% of the boy's Halloween candy (my husband takes them trick or treating...I would prefer they stay home and eat broccoli...they side with him).
I again realize, I don't need to eat everything I see.  Even though this is common knowledge , I believe b that is my struggle with food...I like to eat :)  I do need to ask myself what I am feeding: my tongue or my health before I put it in my mouth.
Prior to Thanksgiving is an excellent time to do the detox. Because of our efforts we are less inclined to gain weight and better able to maintain our weight. Last year I even managed to lose a little weight over the holidays.  This is a real feat when we are surrounded by traditions that involve food, holiday parties, and gifts of candies and chocolate.

Breakfast:
Eggs (2)
Dynamic Greens 1 scoop

Lunch:
Squash Soup
Rice crackers

Snack:
Apple
Almonds

Dinner:
UltrInflamX360 2 scoops
Red Lentil Chili

Lots of water and tea!

I did gain a pound and a half back from my four pound loss, a repeat BIA will be done and I will report back!

Detox...definitely doable!  I will likely add coffee back in tomorrow.  Soda no, wheat no, dairy...very sparingly.  Not so sure about eggs either, they didn't go so well today so I will retest them.  My portions will be smaller, my vegetables and fruits will increase.  I really enjoyed the red lentil soup so that will be a freezer go-to! Adding pumpkin to dishes will also be a must!  Easy way to get more bulk without significant calories.

All in all, I feel better, feel better able to withstand stress and the pants button much easier (always a bonus).  So happy I am done before Thanksgiving...food tastes better and my will power is improved.
Please comment on your detox...or call with specific questions. I would love to hear from you!
Wanique

Detox Day 9

Detox Day 9

Breakfast:
Dynamic greens
rice

Snack:
Pear

Lunch:
Ultrameal 360
Dynamic greens

Snack:
apple
cauliflower

Snack:
steamed asparagus

Snack:
Ultrameal 360 2 scoops

Dinner:
Cooked carrots & potatoes
Rice crackers


Worked quite a while outside today, I notice it is easier to do the things I want to do.  I am a bit frustrated I didn't get more recipes for everyone as I did the detox...also would have enjoyed a bit more relaxation ...and would certainly recommend others taking a bit of time to relax, rest and enjoy life.
I do think that the detox helped get through a challenging week without my immune system taking a dive!  That, I am thankful for.

Detox Day 8

Detox Day 8

Friday...2 more days until done detoxing.  The funny thing is, I am not craving anything. Food looks good, but I don't need it.  I get hungry, however it doesn't take much food or drink to satisfy.

Still feeling calmer, able to think more clearly, however I notice my articulation is a bit slow

Breakfast:
Rice with cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice

Snack
Ultrameal 360 2 scoops
1 scoop dynamic greens

Tea

Lunch:
Same as snack..thank goodness for the shakes.  I have a feeling I will be using more of them in the future as a healthy snack, especially when the counter holds a delicious looking dessert!

One hour of pilates! Thanks again at all the great gals that come out to improve their health and hold me accountable! Great exercise if you are looking to strengthen your core and improve flexibility and overall muscle balance!

Snack:
Apple
 pear

Dinner:
fresh vegetables
UltraInflamX  2 scoops
1 scoop Dynamic greens
1/2 cup blueberries

Realizing that I could add more into my diet today, I simply didn't have time.  The detox is still able to be done with less time...I just depended a lot more on the medical food.

Detox Day 7

Detox Day 7

Almost done with the most restrictive days!

I am hungry this morning...mostly because of an awesome pilates workout last evening!  The group of gals that come and hold me accountable rock!

Breakfast:
Surprise!!
Ultrameal 360 2 scoops
Dynamic Greens 1 scoop
Pear

Snack:
Ditto

Lunch:
Green salad w/black olives, balsamic vinegarette
Apple

Snack:
Apple
Pear

Dinner:
Ultrameal 360 2 scoops
Dynamic Greens 1 scoop

AND......I jumped ahead...you could call it cheating, but I did have 1 cup Arborio rice with seasoning.

Tomorrow I can add this back in and since I have a ton of computer work tonight, I allowed myself the carbs...I will use the same rice with cinnamon for a portion of my breakfast.


W.

Detox Day 6

Detox Day 6

This is getting easier!  I am not craving coffee so much, although the smell is tempting.  I think more than the taste, I enjoy the experience of coffee.  The smell of the coffee brewing, the sound of the pour, a bit of cream, the warm cup in my hand.  The sit back and enjoy....or get down to business.  This detox is a good time for me to examine what I have been eating and why I eat it...
Otherwise, as I mentioned on Day 5, I am not really hungry, I notice I am calmer as well.


I noted yesterday that food is tasting much better.  The crispness of an apple, the true sweetness that it has, the freshness of broccoli with a bit of lemon juice squeezed on top, even the warm cinnamon in my tea.  This goodness aside, did you know that there are food alchemists that make "flavors" to boost the taste of our food?

Check out the following: www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7389748n 

Tweaking tastes and creating cravings
November 27, 2011 12:45 PM
Meet the scientists who create flavors that make foods and beverages so tasty that critics say they're addictive. Morley Safer reports.

From soft drinks to chicken soup...alchemists have changed to content of our foods to stimulate our brain to crave more!!!  Don't believe it?...check out the cbs video, they did a great job reporting, it's quite surprising, and the comments are also notable!
My point: Be educated and inspect everything that you put in your mouth!
As our tongue (and brain) become accustomed to these chemicals or sugars, we are less sensitive to them and require more of them to aquire the satiety we did initially. These chemicals trigger endorphins.

Thought you may find this interesting:

Sugary soda spike insulin levels, making it difficult for other hormones in your body to know that it is time to stop eating and drinking. The soda triggers endorphins causing you to crave more and more. Have you ever eaten or drank something so sweet that it leaves you wanting more? That is a sign that it is playing with your insulin, your endorphins and it is something you should stay away from. The sugars from soda move through your body faster because they are in liquid form. (NOTE: do not drink your calories - chew your calories) Insulin levels will shoot faster because the sugar is delivered to the body as a liquid.

Also:

Release Endorphins and Relieve 
Anxiety With 6 Easy Activities 

Staying calm and collected has obvious health benefits both physically and emotionally, in your relationships with others and with yourself. The release of endorphins does just that -- soothes physical and emotional pain. The risk of stress related illnesses and complications diminish significantly when one is not bound by an anxious mind. High stress disrupts our hormonal balance and homeostasis.

Endorphins are our body's internally produced means of sedation and euphoria. The science behind them has been  presented to the public from an exercise science perspective and not so much in regards to mental health. A sense of Zen and control for one's emotions is not necessarily in the hands of a personal trainer or psychiatrist.

There are around 20 different types of endorphins and according to an ongoing clinical study, the soothing aid of endorphin release can be accessed in many more ways than going to the gym or running down the block.

These 6 simple options release the feel good effects of endorphins and are accessible to all of us in Toronto!

• Pet your Pet- it has been scientifically proven that feeling the warmth and trust of animals increased activity in the pleasure centre of the brain. There is also concrete evidence that endorphin production sky rocketed with this form of pet therapy.
• Practice Yoga & Cardio- Yoga focuses on slower breathing to decrease rapid heart rates due to anxiety and soothe tense muscles while freeing negative energy from the body and mind. Ironically, increased heart rate caused by cardio exercises instead of stress releases the most intense endorphin response!
• Meditation- does not have to be a complex or corny form of relaxation; meditation exists in many forms unique to every individual. If you cannot achieve the physiological response of controlled endorphin release, soothe your mind by thinking of all that makes you smile- take yourself away to an individually defined happy place and nurture your soul.
• Eat Spicy foods- Strangely, spicy foods such as hot chili peppers and wasabi release endorphins from the brain  for the body processes these spicy sensations as pain! Sudden pain and shock is numbed by the release of endorphins. Some of you may  know the sedated state of extreme endorphin release when the body responds to a broken digit or deep cut. Eating a dollop of wasabi can in fact switch the gears of your building anxiety to neutral in a heated arguement or state of rage.
• Make love- A healthy sex life which involves physical and emotional release between you and your partner keeps steady endorphin levels flowing through your body and keeps the pleasure centre of the brain from accumulating cobwebs!
• Be a thrill seeker- Adrenaline releases endorphins and a sudden fright such as that of a scary movie enables people to forget any other lurking anxieties and troubles of the mind. Thus adrenaline junkies always crave the thrill factor because emotional well being is a healthy addiction- just remember to balance safety with happiness!

Back to the detox:

Breakfast:
Pear
1/2 cup apple cider (non-sweetened)
1/2 cup steamed broccoli
Ultrameal 360 2 scoops
1 scoop dynamic greens.
Not your average breakfast, but I am being mindful that its less about what I want and more about what my body needs.  My brain certainly doesn't need a donut or toaster strudel (is that cardboard with icing?) to "break" the "fast"!!

Snack:
Ultrameal 360 1 scoop
Ultrameal sustain 1  scoop
Dynamic greens 1 scoop

Lunch:
Green Salad
Ultrameal 360 2 scoops
1 scoop dynamic greens.
Apple

Snack
Ultrameal 360 2 scoops
1 scoop Dynamic Greens

Dinner
2 cups broccoli steamed with seasoning
Apple


1 hour of pilates :)

YEAH!  4 pounds down!

Feeling good!  Even with some additional stress and meetings today, I am feeling calm.
W.

Detox Day 5

Detox Day 5

The brain fog has lifted!  Finally feel as though I can effectively think.  All muscle pains are finally gone and the joints are moving freely without discomfort! Wow!  Thinking that I need to detox a little quicker next time!

We forget, (actually don't know) how many toxins we can store in our bodies, especially our fat tissue, but literally its in the hundreds!  Research on unborn babies detected as many as 700 different toxins identifiable in the cord blood!  Where do these toxins come from? Our food, by way of herbicides, pesticides, chemicals from our plastic bottles, artificial coloring, flavoring, our environment: soaps, cleaners, make-up and lotions, fabric softeners, air fresheners, vehicle emissions, cigarette smoke etc. Really, we have a tough time avoiding them!  Now what's in your soap, for example, has generally been tested and regarded as a safe amount to absorb through the skin, not affect your skin, liver or brain, however, the researchers don't take into consideration whether you are already getting a significant amount of toxins from other sources or if your liver isn't functioning optimally, putting you at greater risk of developing reactions from the those ingredients.  I am not attempting to create toxin fear! We simply, in an average day, don't realize how many different chemicals, compounds our body has to detoxify to keep us functioning and feeling well!!
We can change our habits, for example, begin using natural body soap without harsh chemicals, we can avoid inhaling vehicle emissions and smoke, eliminate fabric softener, use natural cleaners etc. however, in this world we are hard pressed to avoid all toxins! Therefore, one method of defense is to give your body the tools and the opportunity to do what God designed it to do...heal!

As I previously mentioned, toxins can be stored in fat, and fat talks!  It contributes significantly to how your body metabolizes hormones, storage of more fat, and fat even communicates with your body where to store that additional fat!
My point is this: toxins are stored in fat and just because we lose weight doesn't mean we are less toxic.  Performing a detox program is imperative while losing weight to avoid becoming more toxic in a smaller body, and decreasing overall health.
I will now step off the soapbox :)  and tell you about day 5!

Day 5 for me was a lot of medical food.  I had a busy day...and really the shakes were a saving grace to allow me to continue functioning.  I use a blender at home, a magic bullet at work and a shaker on the road to blend these shakes. Often I add a scoop of dynamic greens to the shake for a bit of extra energy.

Breakfast:
Ultra InflamX 2 scoops
apple

When I got to the office I made a cup of coffee, allowing myself one major error to "help with my stressful day".  I made it took a sip....and sadly it tasted aweful!  One sip and down the drain it went!
So...lots more herbal tea today.

Snack:
Pear

Ultrameal 360 Rice Dutch Chocolate 2 scoops
1 scoop Espresso Dynamic Greens.......

Lunch
Green salad,..followed by a pear :)    LOTS and lOTS of fiber!

Snack
Ultrameal 360 Rice Dutch Chocolate 2 scoops
1 scoop Espresso Dynamic Greens

Dinner
Broccoli Slaw with oil & vinegar
Pear

Water, water and more tea!!


Noticeable for those of you doing the detox is the change in bowel function.  Increased bowl movements is very, very normal.  Colors vary from light brown to green. Don't be surprised unless you would notice blood (abnormal with a detox) or it glows!

Anyhow...day 6 should be easier...I can tell a significant difference in my abdomen...much less bloating, and I am convinced there is a 6 pack in there somewhere just waiting to be seen!

One other note....all my fruits and vegetable and even the shakes taste better.  I am not incredibly hungry but know my taste buds are appreciating the REAL food more.

For you recipe followers out there here are more detox friendly recipes.  

 

Roasted Cauliflower Recipe

• Cook time: 28 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower (broccoli, cabbage or any other veggies can also be used)
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and coarsely minced
• Lemon juice from half a lemon
• Olive oil
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut cauliflower into florets and put in a single layer in an oven-proof baking dish. Toss in the garlic. Sprinkle lemon juice over cauliflower and drizzle each piece with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. If the oven hasn't reached 400°F yet, set aside until it has.

2 Place casserole in the hot oven, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is lightly brown. Test with a fork for desired doneness. Fork tines should be able to easily pierce the cauliflower. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Yield: Serves 4.

 

 

Pumpkin chili with black beans and garbanzo beans

by: Julia from Julia's Album

Total time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (from the can or homemade)
• 1 cup canned tomatoes
• 1 cup vegetable stock or water
• 1 can black beans (15 oz, 425 g)
• 1/2 can garbanzo beans (7.5 oz, 212 g) or white beans
• 1 tablespoon cumin powder (start with half the amount, and add more, to taste)
• 2 tablespoons chili powder (start with 1 tablespoon, reduce or add more, depending on your tastes and also on how spicy your chili powder is)
• salt and pepper

makes 4 lunch-size servings. You can (and should!) double this recipe, if you plan to serve this for dinner (larger portions) for 4-6 people!
1) In a large pot or skillet, cook chopped onion and minced garlic in olive oil for about 5 minutes on medium heat until soft.
2) Add pumpkin, canned tomatoes (chop them up into smaller chunks), vegetable stock (or water), black beans and garbanzo beans. Add half the cumin and half the chili powder, stir everything well, and season with salt and pepper. Taste your chili, season some more with salt and pepper if needed. Add the remaining cumin (or more) and remaining chili powder (or more), if desired. Bring to boil, make sure to stir all ingredients well together to combine flavors and spices. Reduce to simmer and cook for 20 minutes on simmer.
3) Serve in soup bowls, garnished with chopped green onion.