We’ve started a “Summer Slim Down/Fitness Challenge” here at work and I decided to participate. Like many others, weight and fitness are a constant struggle for me and while I find that I do a great job at avoiding fast food and casual dining chain restaurants, I’ve really struggled with portion control and overall cleaner eating on a daily basis.

With the help and advice of a colleague who’s transformed her life through healthy habits, I decided to join the “competition” with plans to make long-term changes of my own. I started this week, at her suggestion, with a two-day cleanse from Arden’s Gardens. Two whole days without eating – could I survive?

The Good

Well, I did survive – and much better than I had anticipated. I drank one gallon of a grapefruit/orange/lemon/distilled water juice each day, with lots and lots of water. Yes, I went to the bathroom frequently – about every 30 minutes. I was hungry but I was not in pain from hunger or starving and I was still able to go out and run errands. I even went to a rock concert the second night! I felt a little foggy at times and concentrating for long periods was difficult, but I was NOT lethargic and I did still feel like myself. Several people commented that I seemed in great spirits for having not eaten any food in two days!

The Not-So-Good

The down side is that I did experience some discomfort – I had two pretty severe migraines on the second day, one in the morning and one late at night. This could have been in response to hunger, detoxing from caffeine, the noise from the rock concert ;), etc. but it was definitely unpleasant. I feel that this was an invaluable experience though because it let me truly understand that much of what I’ve been eating has been harmful to me – whether through poor ingredients, lack of nutrition, or excess.

The Immediate Benefits

I woke up on the third day refreshed and feeling like I could have another day of all juice! In keeping with the amazing results I saw (6 pounds lost and brighter skin, hair and eyes), I’d decided to eat very cleanly for the next few days and re-introduce certain foods, like carbs, slowly. I spent a lot of time prepping vegetables and fruits so I would have EASY and QUICK access to healthy choices when I came out of the cleanse.

My meals for the first two days after my cleanse:

Breakfast
1/2 mango
1 kiwi
1/2 banana

Lunch
Arugula and romaine salad with red peppers, cucumber, celery, carrots, raw cheddar cheese (0.5 ounce) and light vinaigrette

Snack
Organic red pepper hummus with fresh veggies
Raw cheddar cheese (0.5 ounce)

Dinner

Salmon with dill and orange sauce
Cauliflower “mashed potatoes” with garlic, chives, buttermilk, salt and pepper
Oven-roasted brussel sprouts

All of these meals are very clean – I know each and every ingredient in all of these meals. This means I limit sodium, fake ingredients and processed items. The first two meals and the snack are also entirely raw to give my body back lots of awesome nutrients. I’m still drinking lots of water and am having green tea – no caffeine. I haven’t craved coffee or alcohol at all, so why not carry on and see how far I get?

Another thing to note – I thought I would want to eat – and eat in large quantities – right away. That hasn’t happened. I packed more fruits and veggies for my meals than I could eat. I’m not starving myself, but rather find that it’s taking less to get full due to the higher quality foods I’m eating. I’m feeling that true success in my battle with food will come down to the re-training of my mind to view food for nourishment and fuel, rather than entertainment and comfort. This is a challenge not be underestimated, and it will likely go on for a long time.

This weekend, my parents come to town and we’ll be going out to eat often – probably most meals except breakfast. They really enjoy doing this when they come to visit and I want to make sure they have a good time. In order to make healthier choices, I had my colleague help me choose the best items off the menus of the restaurants we’re going to visit.

The last time I went through a weight-loss journey, I kept it very personal and quiet. I’m not sure that I’ll steer too much from that process this time around, but the cleanse was such an interesting experience that I wanted to share it. I also wanted to share how important it is to take care of your body after a cleanse/detox, and to eat raw, unprocessed foods for the next couple of days – at least.