When my friend Nicole (aka @kalejunkie) said she would be doing a 7 day reset with the Clean Program beginning on September 1st, I knew I had to do it with her (and our other instafriend, Holly)! Not only had I seriously fallen “off track” after our trip to the Hamptons, but I know firsthand that any kind of lifestyle change is easier and more likely to be finished to completion when you have a great support system. So without even a moment’s hesitation, I was totally ONBOARD and ready to begin!
The Clean Program offers 7 day and 21 day reset programs designed by a doctor to help your body heal itself from the inside out by eliminating common trigger foods. They send you a beautiful box full of supplements, probiotics, protein powder (chocolate or vanilla – or a combo) for your smoothies and all the instructions. They also offer support around the clock should you ever have a question or just need a pep talk! The only difference between the two programs is the length, but the core of the programs is the same and consists of:
A smoothie, supplement packet & a probiotic for breakfast
A healthy meal & a supplement packet for lunch
A smoothie & a supplement packet for dinner
They send you information on what you can and can’t eat – and the only thing that scared me was NO COFFEE. For SEVEN DAYS. HOW would I ever manage?!
I went to my local Whole Foods the day before I was set to begin and stocked up on some of my favorite organic & frozen smoothie ingredients to use throughout the week: blueberries, mango, peaches, raspberries, cauliflower (can’t taste it in smoothies), and spinach. I also grabbed some Georgia Grinders cashew and pecan butter, avocado and Newbarn unsweetened almond milk (I prefer the vanilla but it wasn’t in stock). For lunches, I picked up some wild salmon, organic ground turkey, brown rice, quinoa, arugula, lots of lemon, and some new spices to try. Being prepared is honestly half the battle.
September 1st quickly approached and I was mentally and physically READY. The first two days I had a headache from the lack of caffeine, but otherwise felt pretty decent. The smoothies surprisingly really filled me up! After the caffeine withdrawals subsided, it wasn’t so difficult… until the stress of an impending category 4 hurricane was headed right towards my state (yea I’m talking about you, IRMA!). Apparently I’m a stress eater (& caffeinator and wine-r – who knew?!). During this time, all the cravings hit – especially when stocking up on hurricane supplies which usually includes Oreos and the like.
I’ve had struggles in the past of not seeing the BIGGER PICTURE. While in the moment it seems like you can only have smoothies for breakfast FOR-EV-ER and can’t have coffee ever again, it’s really only S-E-V-E-N days – and you can do ANYTHING for seven days. And this was the perfect reminder for me. Not only did I feel fantastic after I pushed through the program, but mentally I knew I had accomplished what I set out to – and that alone is a GREAT feeling. Oh and I also lost two pounds just from these simple diet changes (no exercise), hey hey!
Needless to say, the Clean Program was more of a mental challenge for me, given the circumstances that Mother Nature threw my way. But, one of the best feelings in the world is accomplishing a goal, right?! With that being said, do yourself a favor and reset your own body with the Clean Program – your body AND mind will thank you afterwards!
The Clean Program provided product for this post. However, all opinions are my own and I would never post about something I didn’t believe in.
All photos taken by Coco Prop Shop
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