Feeling Groovy

Today cleanse week draws to a close, and I am feeling good.   Really good.  Christy-Turlington-doing-yoga-on-a-beach good.  This is the best I've felt since I've had Baby J, and I credit it just as much to us putting the brakes on our usual routine and taking a week to fully and consciously care for our health as I do to the cleanse.  This is not to say it was smooth sailing all the way this week.  The two headaches I had almost did me in, particularly the one I got at the office on Thursday and had to just power through.  I also had some real bouts of exhaustion, as did the husband.  And I'd be lying if I told you there wasn't a latte with my name on it waiting for me at the end of this that I may just weep with joy while I drink.  But, the benefits have far outweighed the challenges, and I'd fully recommend this experience to anyone looking to hit the reset button on their health as we start a new year (January isn't over yet, peeps!).  So, leaving the negative in the past, what were the best parts of doing this 7 day cleanse?

1. Breaking our caffeine addiction so that we can scale it back down to size.  It needed to happen.  I am not going to do anything crazy like stop drinking coffee altogether.  I just don't need a double latte to be my baseline EVERY DAY.

2.  Ditto the sugar addiction.  We had gotten in the habit of having dessert way too frequently, instead of as a special treat as it was meant to be, and both of us would always crave something sugar-y about an hour after dinner.  Last night, after our first "normal" dinner, we both noted that the craving never came.  It would be sweet (haha) if it stayed that way.

3.  The husband lost 10 lbs and went in a belt notch.  I lost 3.5 lbs, and this is as flat as my tummy has felt since my first trimester.  Because we were eating a ton all week, I don't suspect we'll gain it back as people tend to do after the Master Cleanse.  Especially since we've shrunk our stomachs, and aren't feeling the need to eat as much in general.  If we can keep riding that habit, I think we're both on the road to losing the rest of the baby weight, prontissimo. 

4.  I feel inspired to take better care of myself in general.  The juicer is dusted off and will remain so.  Dry-brushing and Amazing Grass are here to stay.  When I add running back in, I suspect I'll feel unstoppable.

5.  We've managed to slow down and ground ourselves in the midst of quite a chaotic time in our lives.  I feel more connected to myself, my husband and my son.  And that is truly empowering and priceless.

PS- If you are going to try this at home, keep in mind that you don't have to follow the cleanse schedule to the letter.  Within the confines of what you know to be healthy and cleansing (veggies, fruits, herbal teas, water), tailor the diet to fit your needs and your lifestyle.  If the saltwater flush isn't your bag, skip it.  If you need a warm dinner, steam and puree some veggies and don't worry about being raw.  Really, any effort you take to focus on your health is one that is worthwhile.  E-mail me anytime for the extra recipes and grocery list.  I totally encourage you to give cleansing a whirl!