Looking back on the 3 week cleanse

Well, we did it!  NO meat, dairy, wheat, sugar or coffee for three weeks.  Walking every day.  Several people have asked “what’s the first thing you ate after the 3 weeks were up?”  The answer is…my morning smoothie.  I feel so good and enjoy the food I’ve been making so much, that I have no desire to eat any of those “banned” foods.  Part of me also knows what a slippery slope it is to allow yourself to partake “occasionally” in the foods that aren’t good for you in the first place.  We had a big family email debate about omitting certain foods from your diet vs eating everything in moderation.  After going a failed “moderation” route following a previous cleanse, I now fall on the “omitting” side.

The first supper after the cleanse, husband bought himself a big steak to bbq and a nice bottle of red wine.  It didn’t phase me.  All that crossed my mind was, “I already know what both those things taste like so I’m not missing out on anything.”  I didn’t have that compulsive/starving person mentality of “got to eat it while there is still a chance.”  I think hubby was a bit underwhelmed as he ate his meal.  He was also in a bad mood the next day and spent a good part of the afternoon napping.  VERY different from the previous weekends where he was go-go-go.

I started putting flaxseed oil in my smoothies, and am taking a B12 and Vit D supplement.  My energy is back 100% (minus the sleepless baby nights).  I too will start to eat 2 to 3 eggs a week, probably raw in my smoothie, like Dr. Kim suggests.  I need to find someone nearby in the country who has eggs to sell.  I don’t want to buy grocery eggs anymore.  Even if they are organic and “free-range,” the birds are not having a good existence and probably never see the light of day.  Interesting how I never really thought about animal rights/processing until this journey.

Anyway, I’ll continue to take it one day at a time.  I do think it is important to be clear on what you are definitely going to omit so that when it appears in front of you you won’t be tempted.  Yesterday, I watched husband sharing the kids pizza, and cookies at the farmer’s market.  Just a bite here and there, but I know where that can lead – for me at least.  For me, for now, I will not eat wheat, processed sugar, or dairy.  I reserve the right to reevaluate down the road.

So, yes, I LOVED the 21 day cleanse.  I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who wants to take the time and effort to do it right.  You won’t regret it.