End of Detox -- Beginning Maintenance Days 1 & 2

I ended the detox.

I just couldn't take the drinks any more. I got up Tuesday morning and hadn't lost anymore weight. I went to school and had my first Essential Greens drink and thought to myself, I'm sick of this, I'm eating today. So I left school early and went home and had raw baby carrots for lunch, yum. I had another green drink before dinner, then I had a protein shake and steamed broccoli for dinner, wonderful. I stayed up pretty late that night, so at about 11pm I had a nectarine, delectable.

My husband and daughter were a little disappointed that I didn't go the whole 21 days. I was a little defensive and said, "Let's see you go without eating for 18 days and you tell me if you aren't ready to chew something." All in all they have been really supportive. They were very encouraging the whole time and kept telling me about how much weight I've lost. They are a little concerned that I may go back to eating too much too soon. I have been assuring them that I am taking it slow. To be honest I am going a bit quicker than the book says, but I definitely don't plan to jump right into full meals all day again.

Today, I avoided the drink mixes all day. I had a nectarine for breakfast, then I roasted myself some vegetables for lunch: potatoes, carrots, onions and mushrooms with Mrs Dash seasoning. I had a protein shake for a snack, then more roasted vegetables for dinner. I just ate a peach at about 9:30 pm. I have been taking the enzymes with all my food and plan to continue to take them indefinitely. My stomach feels really full after I eat and at first I thought maybe it was a stomach ache, but I'm pretty sure I'm just full. I'm not used to it, I haven't been full for 19 days.

I plan to continue my elimination therapies for this last week, a coffee enema this morning, a detox bath tonight, tomorrow or Friday is a kidney cleanse drink and then a final water enema on Saturday.

I've been forgetting to measure up. I need to do that in the morning if I have time before school. I know I've lost several inches.

Day 18 ---- I'm Ready To Eat Real Food Again

Today has been pretty tough for me. With only 3 days left I can't really see any reason to keep going. If I don't lose any more weight by morning I may make tomorrow my last day. I know I'm almost there. I just can't hardly wait to eat again. My husband ended up staying home today & he's smoking a pork loin. This is torture for me. I love sliced smoked pork loin with hot sauce on a wheat bun. I guess I'll just put some of it in the freezer. It'll be 5-6 days after my last detox day before I can eat it.

I found that the protein shakes give me bad breath. I've been getting pretty lazy on all the detox stuff. I've missed the aloe and night-time inner cleanse 2 days in a row. I've missed the midday inner cleanse 4 days in a row. I haven't been juicing for a week. I haven't been getting in all the drinks. I haven't been drinking the tea at all (unless you count the raspberry tea ice cubes I use to make all my mix drinks.) I have been drinking a lot of water. Last week when I did the kidney cleanse drink, I forgot to follow it with the marshmallow tea. Then I forgot the kidney cleanse drink completely on Saturday, so I did it today. I haven't been walking or exercising every day. I'm going to hop on the elliptical tonight.

I need to do my homework, but I'm feeling so lazy I just can't get into it.

Hopefully I'll get up in the morning and have lost another pound. That would give me the motivation to get through 3 more days.

Days 16 & 17 – I Survived The State Fair

On Saturday I picked up my protein shakes, drink mix & more enzymes on the way to the fair. I had a coupon and one of the GNC gold cards, so I only spent $50. I drank one of my Essential Green mixes and a bottle of distilled water right before we got there, so that I wouldn’t starve while I was there. I took my cooler with another drink-mix and bottle of water for the ride home.

We were there for about 4 hours and I wasn’t overwhelmed with wanting to eat fair food. I never realized there were so many food stands at those things. I’m not exaggerating, I think I saw about 100 food stands, all selling greasy junk food. At one point I forgot I was on the diet and I said, “Ooh, they have wine tastings.” My husband reminded me that I couldn’t have any. I was a little disappointed, but I was fine really. Actually, I’m glad I was on the diet when we went, otherwise I’m sure I would have went overboard trying everything from philly cheese steaks to roasted corn. We walked a lot at the fair, but we probably walked more looking for our car afterwards. When we left, I was crazy-thirsty and on the way home I drank a bottle of my distilled water.

I had my first vanilla protein shake when I got home. They aren’t too bad, aren’t too good, but it tasted more like food that any of the drink mixes, so I was glad to have it. I’ve decided to have those for dinner for the last week of the diet. They have 100 more calories, so I hope they don’t affect my weight loss much.

Today I woke up feeling really good. My husband is not working today for the first Sunday in weeks. He will work tomorrow on Labor Day though. I’m feeling excited because after today, I only have 4 days left on the detox! I’m going to take some time today and tomorrow to make a meal plan for the next few weeks. I hoping this will prevent me from eating everything at once. I’m going to put all those things I have been craving on there. This way if I want something, I can tell myself I will have that on such-n-such day.

I'm glad to be caught up on my blogging. I'll try not to get behind again. I'm going to keep blogging for a couple weeks after the 21 days, so we can see if I gain any weight back.

Day 14 & 15 ----- I’m On My Last Week!

I’m feeling much better. I’m on my last week. I’m looking much slimmer. I can’t wait to measure up again. I haven’t been doing my walks, but I did go to the gym on Friday morning. I’m giving up on the soup, I can only get a few sips down, so I’ve been mixing up an extra Essential Greens to have for dinner. I’m thinking of having the protein shakes for dinner.

On Saturday, I’m going to the GNC to get my protein shakes and more enzymes. Since, I’m going to complete the whole 21 days, I’ll need to get another Essential Greens too. It’s my own fault since I refused to drink the VegeSplash. It’s still full in the cabinet ($30 wasted). The leftover Essential Greens won’t be a problem since I’m planning to do a shorter detox sometime this winter, probably after Thanksgiving.

Last year, Thanksgiving was my downfall. I weighed about 115 before that, and then I got a sweet tooth and began eating second helpings. I love food. A 7-day detox the week after Thanksgiving will prevent that from reoccurring. The book says to do the detox seasonally. Sounds like a good idea to me, keep me from going off track.

Days 12 & 13 ------ Torturing Myself With Thoughts of Food

I’m so ready to end this diet. I’ve been contemplating quitting early. I’m not going to quit though. I’m almost there. I’m still losing weight, about a half pound a day, nothing to balk at. I would be foolish to quit now when I can potentially lose 5-9 more pounds.

I’m bored with the food on the diet. I’m only taking a few sips of my juice and soups. Even my sweet potato puree has lost my interest. The book says I should be past craving by now, but I think that my cooking for my family every night and baking all that banana bread has made it harder on me.

I’m constantly fantasizing about all the food I’m going to eat after this detox. I’m going to have to be careful, otherwise I may go nuts and try to everything I want in a few days time. I’m going to follow the post-detox plan (at least for the first 5 days) and then I’m going to have a big Nacho Deluxe with black beans, homemade salsa, black olives, cheddar cheese, sour cream and maybe jalapeños. Mmmm, I can hardly wait.

I love thinking about the food I want. I’m torturing myself with it. Wednesday, I spent the whole day looking through my Cooking Light & Every Day Food magazines and writing down all the recipes I want to try. I’m not going to go crazy when I get off this diet. I still want to lose weight. I’m planning to eat vegetarian most days, stay away from dairy as much as I can (which will be the most difficult, I love cheese). I’ve been lactose intolerant for a while, so I’m considering switching to soy milk and cheeses, or at least go with the “active” cheeses that are available now.

Since I will be adding protein back into my diet, I plan to begin a serious exercise program, including all that ab work that I had planned to begin a couple weeks ago. Surely if I can go without real food for 21 days, I’ll be able to workout daily and stick to my plan.

(Day 16) ---- Sorry I'm Behind...

I feel bad for not getting around to blogging the past few days. I've just been really busy. I've taken notes so promise to catch up tonight.

I have a big day today. I'm going to go get myself a potter's wheel that a lady from classes sold me for $35! Then I have to run to the GNC to get more drink mix and the protein shakes. I may or may not take my daughter to the state fair.

I did update my Weight Tracker though. 14 1/2 pounds in 15 days!