Day 14--End of Phase 2!

MORNING
Well I believe that drinking the 1.5 gallons of water a day and adding the "p" fruits to my breakfast has helped. I was able to successfully use the bathroom in the morning for the first time since I started Phase 2 a week ago. At least, not with drinking another 20 oz of water beforehand. I'm so glad!

I realized that today was a good day for one reason:

Last day to suffer through Detox. Hooray!!! Now to begin the countdown to the end of Alkalinize...but let's not get ahead of ourselves! We still have 7 days of that...

BREAKFAST
While preparing breakfast this morning, I was giddy. Really giddy. I couldn't wait to sit down and eat my breakfast! I haven't gotten this giddy feeling for breakfast in the last 2 weeks. Sure, I've been excited for some meals, but not like this. I definitely made note of that today.

Meal 40 of 63:

fresh fruit

Like I said.....YUMMY!! Who gets excited about fruit? THIS GAL! I never would have said that 3 weeks ago. Don't get me wrong--I've always loved fruit. Just not like this.

LUNCH

Meal 41 of 63:

kabocha butternut squash soup with coconut milk

microgreen salad (with ONLY sunflower seeds and creamy garlic dressing)

I can speak volumes about that soup. I could easily eat 3 times that amount of soup. It was creamy and delicious. The soup had only a slight hint of coconut which was very pleasant. The creaminess of the squash was lovely. It was tough "cooking" it in the blender because it was a bit thick and was tough to get all the squash out from the blender. This is definitely a soup I'll be revisiting again in the near future.


DINNER

Meal 42 of 63:

edamame and roasted corn succotash

lemon pepper kale

The prep for this meal was intense, but very easy. Maybe it was intense because I had a really bad headache, but regardless, it was intense. The total cooking time was MAYBE 30 minutes. However, there were several steps that built on one another. Headache or no, I really managed to keep up with it. Mom certainly helped with all the prep work, but I was definitely driving it. That's kind of how it's been throughout the process: I drive the cooking, mom drives the assisting and cleaning, and we both split the shopping.


In fact, while I was chopping and mincing the cilantro, mom said, "Wow, Kim, you really handle the knife well!" I find that kind of ironic given my history with knives, but it was certainly a compliment. I love working the knife in the kitchen. Watch out, people!!

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Thoughts on this phase? Well, besides the difficulties I've experienced in the bathroom, everything has gone very well. The prepping and cooking have gotten easier, and I actually look forward to cooking. Granted, I don't have to think much about what I'm cooking because the recipes are spelled out for me. That helps a lot.

I will admit that I'm really doing just fine without the meat. I do acknowledge, however, that I have had a craving for bacon or a burger or something along those lines. I know someone from high school who is vegan, and he said that as my body releases the toxins of the meat from my system, my body naturally has these cravings; they do go away. I can attest to that from when I cut red meat out of my diet 2 years ago. I craved it at first, but then it disgusted me.

I'm really toying with the idea of staying vegan after this is over. I feel cleaner. I feel better. Even when I overeat during a meal (which is NOT often), I don't have that wrenching feeling in my stomach that tells me that I had too much meat and, as a result, will need to lay down on the couch because it hurts too much to sit. When I overeat right now, I just feel my stomach telling me, "Kim, you should have stopped eating 5 minutes ago!" I can still sit comfortably. I'm fine. My energy is high. I'm still sleeping close to the hours that I sleep during the school year, but my days are more energized. Please...I was dancing in the shower this morning to some terrible pop song on Z100. I haven't danced in the shower since I was listening to NSync....about a month ago. Hah.

I mentioned this to my chiropractor today when I saw him, and he was really excited for me. "That's awesome, Kim. Not everyone can do it. I know I need meat. My wife, though, could go days without eating meat. What's great about what you're doing, though, is that you're really testing it out. You're not making this decision based on how you were raised or what people say, but you're listening to your body and making decisions based on what your body can handle." Not verbatim, but pretty darn close. I think he's absolutely right.

We will now be going into the third and final phase of this cleanse. I will still be eating vegan, but all the grains will be cut out from the diet. They will be available as options during certain meals, but I'm going to do my best to stick as closely to the meal plan without using the grains.

Fingers crossed!!

Day 13--Easy Cooking

MORNING
I was so thirsty this morning! By the time I went to bed, I drank close to 1.25 gallons of water. I slept super well, though.

BREAKFAST
I've been looking forward to this since last Wednesday--half for the taste and half for creating the picture.

Meal 37 of 63:

mashed chick pea

avocado

cilantro

steamed spinach

I love it. It's so good. Anyone reading this should try this at some point. It's so so yummy! Even my mom who hates cilantro really enjoyed this. I enjoyed "cooking" it. I never really enjoyed cooking before, and I'm really starting to enjoy it. I look forward to it even.. This was done solely through the food processor. It was lovely. I added a hint of Himalayan salt to it during the mashing process and prior to eating it. So yummy! I wish I could eat this again real soon, but alas, I won't be able to. Sad face.

LUNCH

Meal 38 of 63:

Mediterranean roast beets

microgreen salad with ONLY avocado and sunflower seeds

slight hint of fresh lemon juice

It was even better today than it was yesterday. The combination of the beets and the avocado is amazing. I ended up draining all the excess lemon juice because it was completely unnecessary. The hint of lemon from making the beets last night was more than enough. But like I said...the combination of the beets and avocado was fantastic. I will say, though, that having two days worth of beets (and a lot of them) have caused my urine to turn a shade of pink. I didn't realize it at first, but thankfully my fiance can put 2 and 2 together.


DINNER

Meal 39 of 63:

kabochu butternut squash with tahini filling

steamed asparagus

One thing I'm noticing is that as a whole, the amount of prep work that goes into the meals is slowly reducing. This was super easy to prepare. The hardest part was waiting for the squash to cook. I steamed the asparagus perfectly, and they were a beautiful bright green. However, I forgot to take the cover off, so they continued to steam which resulted in mushy asparagus. Boo. Oh well. It happens. The tahini filling was fantastic! Super easy to make, and very rich. I actually diluted it with some distilled water to make it a little thinner. Earlier it was so thick that it wouldn't even move when you tilted the bowl to the side. The tahini filling was so rich, though, that I actually had my sister finish some of the squash for me because I just couldn't make it work. It is a lovely combination, and the flavors just sing.

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I reflected a bit today, and I realized that tomorrow is the last day to drink the detox drink three times a day. I'm looking forward to not having to drink it so much. There are only 8 days left, and I'm hoping to finish out strong. I'm hoping to maintain drinking all this water. My head has been hurting the last few days. Hopefully that doesn't discourage me at all.

I've gone this whole time without snacking--not even any of the approved snacks in the afternoon. I have, however, had very vivid dreams about snacking.

In a recent newsletter update, they said that I might break out a bit from the toxins releasing. Almost on cue, I've broken out with pimples. Not too many, but enough that it's irritating. Hopefully with the continued water consumption and eating well, they will go away soon.

Here's to tomorrow--the last day of Phase 2!

Day 11--Halfway There!!

A few people who are also doing the reset recommended that I drink more than a gallon of water to help get things moving in the right direction. People have found more success with movement when they drink an additional half gallon of water each day. It's tough enough to drink a full gallon; I don't know how I'll do with drinking an additional 64 oz...

I knew today was going to be a rough day because Brandon and I had scheduled to meet with a DJ for the wedding at noon which is typically when I eat breakfast. Upon waking up, I decided to postpone breakfast for as long as I could to make waiting for lunch a little easier.

BREAKFAST
Surprise!!

Meal 31 of 63:

fresh fruit

LUNCH

Meal 32 of 63:

quinoa-lentil salad

cucumber and tomato salad

Yet another dish that Brandon would eat again. The cucumber salad was a little overwhelming with red onion, but it was still delish....even though my eyes were burning and watering for a good hour, and I didn't even cut them..

DINNER
I wasn't terribly hungry for dinner. I was turned off by the idea of eating the hearty-miso soup...that is until I saw what my mom made. I was already invested in making the sweet potato and roasted red pepper bisque again.

Meal 33 of 63:

sweet potato and roasted red pepper bisque

steamed swiss chard

Brandon helped out this time. I used a different setting on the blender, so it wasn't as smooth. It still had some chunks in it which was great. The flavor of the ginger wasn't as strong this time. However, the hairs of the gingers were EVERYWHERE. That got distracting. Next time, make sure no ginger hairs get into the soup. I used a barley miso as opposed to a sweet rice miso. I don't know if the barley is necessarily reset-friendly, but the shopping list didn't specify a type of miso. I think the miso flavor helped masked the flavor of the ginger.

Here's what mom ate:

Definitely more appetizing than the miso soup from phase 1. Maybe I'll make a serving for lunch tomorrow instead of eating the bisque...again. She also used the barley miso which is why the color of the broth is dark. I barely ate dinner tonight. Hopefully I can manage with just water. The swiss chard was great--less bitter than spinach, but a very similar consistency.

It was a tough day. After lunch sometime, I started getting a bad headache. I don't think it was from the Oxygenize but rather from my neck muscles tensing. I really tried sticking it out, but I had to take something for my headache. At 7:30, it was difficult enough to keep my eyes open from the headache. I knew that I could either sleep which would result in lots of bad stuff for tomorrow, or take medicine to help it immediately. I gave in. My headache has already improved greatly since I took it.

Okay, so we're halfway done. I definitely do feel like my stomach is shrinking. That or I'm just drinking so much water that I don't even notice. Either way, I'm generally feeling good. I have a lot of energy, and the cooking is getting easier. I'm not so stressed about prepping the food anymore--at least not when I'm quadrupling the recipe and doing the math. THAT part is stressful. But when I'm just making for me and mom, it isn't so bad anymore.

Here's to the next 10 days!!

Day 7--Phase 1 is Done!

MORNING--6:45 am
I went to bed last night with a bad headache. I know the headache had nothing to do with the reset but rather the drive into work. During the school year, with the drive and the stress of work, I would get headaches everyday which could lead to a migraine. Since summer has started, the headaches have been minimal. I'm trying not to take anything for headaches during the reset. Sleep definitely helps them. I woke up this morning, and I still had a bit of a dull pain, but it in no way compares to yesterday.  It's the stress in my shoulders and neck from the drive. I told Brandon last night that he was welcome to massage my shoulders. He didn't bite.

Weighed myself this morning. I lost 1.5 pounds since yesterday morning. I've lost 6.4 pounds total.

BREAKFAST--8:16 am

Meal 19 of 63:

oatmeal with ground flaxseed

chopped apple

plain organic fat free yogurt flavored with Grade B maple syrup

Breakfast is totally my favorite meal of the day. It always has been. Breakfast this morning did not disappoint.

LUNCH--12:56 pm
Lunch was fine. The consistency of the soup really isn't good. I think we're gonna toss it...

Meal 20 of 63:

microgreen salad with avocado and creamy garlic dressing

zucchini-cashew soup

The salad was super yummy. The soup--like I said--was not. The flavor is good, but the consistency is completely wrong. I know several things that I could do to fix it (like cook the zucchini longer), and I would like to try it again post-reset.

MID-AFTERNOON--3:05 pm
Drank the Alkalinize. Gagged.

DINNER--7:45 pm
I was skeptical about dinner tonight...

Meal 21 of 63:

baked tempeh

steamed broccoli

brown rice

Okay, I don't mind the tempeh's consistency. Knowing that it's made of beans is totally fine. However, the flavor of the marinade was just off. For example: sesame oil, maple syrup, and soy sauce? There was more that went into it, but those were the main flavors. Just weird. Brandon liked it a lot. He can eat all my leftovers. You'll notice in the pictures that some are dark and some are light. I made two different marinades based on the flavors we have used this week. Neither were very good... So! Like I thought, I needed to fall back onto leftover root medley from last night. I doubled it (or really quadrupled it for me and mom since the recipe served 1) knowing that I would likely need to eat it tonight. That part of my dinner was lovely.

I started watching the Phase 2 video online tonight, but I haven't been able to finish. I'm looking forward to moving to the second phase of this process. I'm really excited for the food. So far, I don't miss eating meat. I'm currently watching Brandon eat a Wendy's burger and fries, and I don't care that he's eating it. I'm not tempted. I don't feel like I need to eat it. It's a nice change.

Goodbye, Phase 1!! Hello Phase 2!

Day 4--Hallelujah!

MORNING --7:10 am
Thankfully my headache faded away during the night. I still had 32 oz of water to drink of my gallon which were left unconsumed by the time I woke up. I fell asleep on the couch while trying to watch Mary Poppins overtake Lord Voldemort, but that was unsuccessful. Since I woke up a half hour ago, I've consumed 20 oz of the 32 oz. I don't want to start a new gallon until I finish the previous.

My body was aching when I woke up. THAT I know is from the cleanse as we have to limit our physical activity. My legs, calves, and arms all achy.

Okay 32 oz done. Now time for another 12 oz, supplements, and breakfast.

BREAKFAST -- 8:29 am
I drank my 12 oz of water and put the Mineralize and Oxygenize in it, but I forgot to take my Optimize. The videos said it's no big deal, but I do need to take them later. They recommend splitting them up and taking 3 Optimize with lunch and 3 with dinner. That will be my plan. So prior to eating, not so hungry, but I was really looking forward to it! It was definitely a big improvement over the meals yesterday.

Meal 10 of 63:

2 cups fresh fruit

1/2 cup plain FF yogurt sweetened with Grade B maple syrup

1 slice multi-grain toast

So good. I love fruit. I am a little nervous, however, because I've never just had fruit for breakfast. Well..I guess that's not entirely true. I've had fruit with yogurt and granola, so this isn't completely foreign. I am nervous about possible hunger in a short time, but we'll see. I can foresee that this will be a plenty of water kind of day!

I'll also be testing myself today. Brandon and I will be driving out to get his license plates for his new car. It gives me a bit of anxiety because since I've started this, I haven't been more than 10 minutes away from the house where I could easily access everything I needed. This will help me prepare for tutoring next week.

LUNCH--12:45 pm
I was actually getting hungry for lunch. By 11:15 this morning, my stomach started growling. Soon after (and 20 oz of water later), I had another serving of black beans and rice with salsa and some cucumber salad from last night. Very satisfying.

DINNER--8:00 pm
Dinner was lovely tonight! I am a little nervous about getting hungry again...

Meal 12 of 63:

quinoa

stir-fry vegetables

cucumber and tomato salad

As you see, there is no meat or soy protein here. That's the lovely thing about quinoa. It's a grain, but it's very high in protein. I finished eating over an hour ago (first time since we started that we ate at a "normal" hour for dinner), and I'm stating to feel a little hungry. I know this means I just need to drink more water, but it's so tough when my younger sister is in the kitchen making popcorn on the stove.

I feel good today. Body aches were limited to this morning. I haven't had a headache since I went to bed last night. Food prep didn't take too long (this may be due to the fact that there was no marinating involved...). I'm feeling happy today. I'm more energetic than I have been. It certainly is night and day when comparing yesterday and today. Many people on the facebook pages say that Days 1-3 were tough and foggy for them, but starting Day 4 they saw a difference. I can certainly say the same thing. I hope this stays...

Day 3--Don't bad things come in threes?

MORNING
[WARNING: Don't read this paragraph if you're not comfortable reading about bowel movements.] I woke up this morning a bit uncomfortable. Since I've started the program, I have noticed an increase in BMs. I believe this can be directly attributed to the water intake and fresh vegetables. However, I hadn't gone since yesterday afternoon, and I clearly felt uncomfortable. I weighed myself, and saw that I went up .6 lbs. I have had a lot of aches, too, but I can't tell if it's due to my period or the "internal workout" I'm getting. Many people note the aches during the process, so I know it's common. The aches in my legs and back I'm sure also come from standing in the kitchen for hours working on food. Anyhow, I drank the remainder of yesterday's gallon of water to see if it would help. I barely finished the water when I finally felt things moving! In the videos, Isabelle mentioned that the color, consistently, and smell might change. Oh boy, was she right! The Alkalinize is green, so as a result....oy! Good morning, Kim!


BREAKFAST
Meal 7 of 63 this morning was 2 scrambled eggs, kale, and 2 slices of whole grain toast. (There is no picture as you've seen it before on Day 1.)

LUNCH
Note: Not hungry.

Meal 8 of 63:

lentil lime salad

microgreen salad with cashews

I tried my very best to eat the lentil salad. I really did! I just couldn't get behind the flavor. The cilantro and the aminos (a low-sodium soy sauce) were just a little too overwhelming in combination with the flavor of the food. I did like the flavor of the dressing when I made it last night, but I couldn't get behind it today. I ate about half the lentils before I gave up. The microgreen salad, however, I finished in its entirety.

I started to get a headache. I don't know what exactly it's from. My gut instinct is that my eyes hurt and it's from staring down at my iPhone. That would also result in a stiffing of my neck, added stress, and would then result in a tension headache. However, it could also be from this cleanse. It is common from the various supplements we are taking. I haven't taken anything for my head because I'm really trying to be strong. We'll see how tomorrow goes.

DINNER
I was actually a bit hungry since I barely ate my lunch. While prepping dinner, I took a moment to check the facebook groups again. A friend from a couple groups offered to email me the reset newsletter because I set it up too late and wouldn't receive the newsletter on the correct dates. I read something that struck a chord with me: "By now your body is starting to release toxins, and it's common to be experiencing strong cravings or even aches and pains. For many people, these can be the most challenging days of the Ultimate Reset™." I have had bad cravings today! I hadn't had cravings the last few days, but today it was wicked!


Okay, so dinner...

I got a boo boo. I need to stay away from knives. That was simply from slicing cucumbers for the cucumber salad. It didn't bleed at first; it just looked a little red. Then all of a sudden it wouldn't stop. If you don't already know, I have had a bad history with knives (I accidentally stabbed myself in the leg--good story), so this just made my day. I quickly snapped a pic and sent it to some friends who would appreciate it.

But as for food!

Meal 9 of 63:

nori rolls with smokey tempeh strip

cucumber salad

miso soup

The cucumber salad and miso soup called for wakame (seaweed). I'm not a fish person and hate the taste and smell of all of it. I decided against using the seaweed for the soup and salad to at least give me the chance at liking it. The only seawood I had was in the nori strip. I tried. I tried really hard. I did like the tempeh, so I'll have to figure out a way to better incorporate that into a meal without the nori. Instead of eating this, I ate leftover beans and rice from yesterday. I did, however, eat the cucumber salad. There aren't any fishy flavors in the way I prepared it, so it's still good for me.

I'm overall very disappointed with today. I'm hoping tomorrow is a better day. Nori rolls are supposed to be lunch tomorrow with the lentil salad. Hah. Yeah, okay. I'll have to figure something out. Maybe more beans and rice tomorrow? I could see how people on the boards talk about wanting to give up. It's very frustrating. I've loaded and unloaded the dishwasher a dozen times already. Even when I prep the food in advance (like today, I made all the rice for the next few days), prep time in the kitchen still lasts hours. I don't know how I'll be able to pull it off over the next two weeks when I have to drive out to work to tutor a kid in To Kill a Mockingbird and Romeo and Juliet.

I look forward to breakfast. THAT will at least be a good meal..