Happy 2020! We are in the 20’s now, how cool is that?

A couple weeks ago one of my co-workers suggested a few of us do “Laura’s 3 week cleanse” in January. I haven’t done the cleanse in YEARS so I was like YAAAAAS!

We’re doing it.

So I thought I would do a few posts on what I’ll be doing to prepare for the cleanse (as I type with chocolate in my mouth just thinking about it), what I’m eating and how I’m feeling.

And also, WHO ELSE WANTS TO DO IT WITH US???! 

We start Monday, January 13.

Here are the details of what the cleanse entails. In that original post I say “no gluten including oatmeal” but I would like to change that to just “no gluten, oatmeal is fine” because oatmeal is gluten free. There is the risk of some gluten contamination but I think most of us are fine eating that trace amount. Or if you want to be sure serious you can buy certified gluten free oats.

A few notes:

1. The first time I did this cleanse I did it only as a challenge because a couple of my clients were complaining about how hard it was and I wanted to prove them wrong. So if the thought of a cleanse sounds scary, just tackle it from a place of curiosity. Like, how difficult can this really be?
2. It’s not about starvation!!! Eat fruit, eat rice, eat potatoes, eat rice pasta, eat tofu, eat tempeh, eat beans. Make a chili using some of those ingredients. Make rice pasta with marinara sauce. Make a smoothie. It’s not about just eating salad and raw vegetables and being hungry. No way!
3. If there is something you can’t stand the thought of giving up…don’t give it up. Any time we put ourselves in a state of deprivation we are setting ourselves up for a big binge later on down the road. So don’t get to a state of deprivation! Eat an abundance of healthful food.

How I’m preparing:

1. I’m thinking about the reward. I have done many, many cleanses in my life and it’s not all fun all the time, but one thing I know I can look forward to is feeling better. Having fewer aches and pains/ less stiff joints. Clear skin, less puffy eyes, improved sleep and more energy to name a few. Thinking about how good I will feel is really what motivates me! Of course, the first time I did this cleanse I lost a good 10 pounds in 3 weeks which is a powerful motivator too!
2. I’m figuring out what I want to eat during the first week. I’m still deciding but it will look something like this (subject to change):
   1. Smoothie with frozen fruit, greens, protein powder and flax oil
   2. Piece of fruit and/or some almonds
   3. Probably a big salad
   4. Edamame, chia pudding or another protein shake (if I’m on the go)
   5. A soup, possibly the red curry soup or Thai Red Curry.
3. Sunday I will go grocery shopping and chop veggies, prepare soup, tofu etc.
4. Mentally prepare. I already don’t eat animal products, alcohol or caffeine so the thing that will be most difficult for me is: SUGAR! I know the first 3 days will be difficult but I’m thankful to have my co-workers to lean on during difficult moments.

Alright, that is about it as far as preparation.

And for posterity, here are a couple pictures. Here I am from a recent vacation.

And here is Rocco laying in front of the heat vent to stay warm!

Bye for now!

Laura