When Mark and I set out to do this detox, to say I was skeptical was an understatement. We have done detox’s before and sometimes have been successful and other times we gave up before we finished. The times we were successful, there were some small changes, but nothing really big. The times that we didn’t finish I was so burned out from all the prep, and planning, that I just threw in the towel. There were always parties to go to and with a lot of toddlers running around, a glass of wine was frankly too hard to pass up. I have to say this was different. I bought the Ultimate Reset back in July, and I had just started getting into a work-out routine and this sounded like a great idea. When I got the box in the mail I was more than a little intimidated. That box sat in my pantry for 6 months, until I finally got up the courage to set a date. January 15th. My best friend’s birthday party was on the 13th and I wasn’t about to watch everyone have fun cocktails while I sipped on my water. When I finally made the commitment and completed the detox, I was more than amazed at the things I learned.
- I actually like vegetables. I like vegetables, but can get bored with them and struggle to always want to eat them unless they are smothered in salad dressing, or covered in cheese. This reset showed me so many great recipes and fun and new ways to eat and season them that I actually loved. So many of the recipes I will be using even after the detox is over.
- If there is a specific plan I can do it. Mark and I did a 10 day detox just about every January, and one of the reasons we found it so easy was that it told me EXACTLY what to eat and when. When I did Whole 30, while there were recipes and many ideas of what to eat, I still had to come up with a meal plan and figure out what we were having for every meal. Having a set menu made things much easier and less stressful.
- I love wine, but…… Mark and I enjoy having a good glass of wine or a mixed drink. What we discovered through the detox is yeah, one glass of wine isn’t a big deal, BUT for me if I have more than one I tend to make unhealthy eating choices, I’m completely unproductive and I sleep poorly. Mark and I both agree that neither one of us have ever slept as well as we did on this detox. I mean the way I used to sleep before I had kids. (I know many parents have given up on ever sleeping that well again.)
- Perfection doesn’t have to take place in order to be successful. Throughout my fitness and health journey I have to come to realize how destructive perfectionism is. Perfectionism sets you up for failure, feeds your insecurities, and puts your focus on the wrong things. Week 3 was probably the hardest week, Mark traveled, I had major PMS and was the most restrictive in terms of the diet. Normally I’d just give up and give in to my cravings, but I wanted to be successful and watching Mark loose so much weight was motivation enough. I was hungrier and instead of beating myself up, I upped my quantities of food, but stuck to the meal plan so I was full, and successful. I had to realize what was going to work for me, not what I was “supposed” to do.
- I can do the thing I never thought I could. I know so many people had their doubts about this detox, a gradual shift to a completely vegan diet. If you would’ve told me 3 weeks ago, that I couldn’t do this, I would’ve agreed with you. I’ve tried GF/DF diets before and never lasted. My focus was on all the things I couldn’t eat instead of finding things I could. The biggest reason for my success was the food was great. Sweet Potato bisque with red bell pepper was to die for, and today I ate lentil lime salad for lunch!!!!!! Y’all I chose to eat this, the detox is over, and I chose to eat this. I haven’t had sweets in 22 days. Yes, I had a glass of wine during the Super Bowl, but it was worth it. Being able to say I did this was more than just about doing a detox and getting thin, I proved to myself that I could do something I never thought I could which is almost as exciting as fitting in my skinny jeans.
Sara
Interested in doing a detox? Email me.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. II Timothy 1:7
Hope and Laughter 
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