Detoxing: Getting ready

The Clean Week 1: Getting ready to Eliminate!

 I love this picture of my daughter, MeMe. The look on her face perfectly expresses how I've been feeling lately. It's hard to believe this post was first written 10 years ago! I was about 50 pounds lighter, and only had 2 children who were too young to homeschool. Since then I've had another child, taken in a teenager, raised her and seen her leave home and head out on her own. Now I'm a homeschooling mom with 3 children still at home. Ages 12, 10, and 8! When I first started this blog and my weight loss journey, I had a lot of time on my hands. I didn't know it then, but now that life is truly in full swing with 0 free minutes in my day I can see how much free time I had to write blogs, exercise, and plan meals. 

I don't have that same amount of time. Now I have more obligations than I do minutes in the day, and my latest obstacle? Arthritis! Yup. I'm 41 with moderate arthritis in my right knee. It hurts like crazy! Learning to manage the pain and find a new normal has been difficult.  

So why am I back here? Well, it's like this. When I first started this blog I was 30 years old and my goal was to change the way I ate so I would stop gaining weight. 

And I did it! I did not gain any weight in my 30's! It's a huge win. Managing my weight better and eating healthy also helped me control my PCOS. I was able to get pregnant twice without any surgery or medication. It was triumphant. 

Then I turned 40. I don't know what happened, but without any diet or activity changes my weight started going up again. It tore me up inside. I know it's normal after 40, but for someone who already has to eat better than other people just to keep from gaining weight, it's been hard. I surrounded myself with a supportive group of friends to hold me accountable, started NOOM, and made up an exercise schedule...and it worked! I have successfully stopped the post 40 weight gain.  

But I need to lose weight, and it just isn't coming off. I also need to figure out what is causing all the energy loss, stomach cramps, intestinal issues...I've lost a couple pounds, but it comes right back. In addition, I've been having stomach problems and arthritis in my knee, which has made working out very difficult. 

Way back when I first wrote up this post with the above picture, I had picked up a magazine at the grocery store and read about a 21 day Detox Program called "The Clean Detox " developed by Dr. Alejandro Junger. 

Now, I do NOT advocate fad diets or quick temporary weight loss solutions. 

 But this is something different. It's not meant to be a permanent weight loss program, or even a permanent eating solution, (although you can follow the list of elimination foods up to 180 days, and you will probably lose weight while you do it). 

The Clean Detox is a 21 day body cleansing program that flushes out your system with super healthy liquid meals like smoothies and soups, while also flooding your body with rebuilding nutrients. It will also help me eliminate anything that might be causing me stomach issues. 

Food Rehab! 

Before beginning the 21 day cleanse, you start off with a 3-5 day elimination phase to remove foods that cause common food allergies, sensitivities, and digestive problems. 

The "Rebuilding" manual (linked below) says that "jumping into the Clean Program too quickly can cause you to have stronger detox symptoms which include headaches, bloating, constipation, or diarrhea."  Because I have a whole lot of stuff to eliminate, (it's sad.....really sad...), I opted to take a full week (maybe 2) to workout some of these issues.

So this coming week, I am focusing on removing many non-elimination foods from my everyday diet...

goodbye old friends

Coffee *sniff, Dairy, Fast food, Sugar/Splenda, Wheat/Oats, Potatoes, White Rice, Sugar, Butter/Vegetable Oil, Some fruits: bananas, grapes, oranges, grapefruits

and replacing them with things that are on the elimination list!

Herbal teas, Almond Milk, Stevia, LOTS AND LOTS of water, Lots of veggies and fruit, Kidney beans, Black beans, Turkey burger, Nuts: almonds, walnuts, pecans, Brown rice, and chicken!

After the detox I plan to slowly add in the healthier foods one by one, to see what affects me negatively. That's the plan! 

The hidden monster!

The other day I picked up a box of Rice Chex at the grocery store. Why Rice Chex? Because WIC approved cereals are VERY limited now, and I'm getting tired of Cheerios and Shredded Wheat. So, this time I got Cheerios and Rice Chex. Very low in sugar, with a whole bunch of vitamins and minerals!
It even has 50% of my daily iron, (which my daughter and I tend to be low on), in one serving! Fantastic, right?

Well this morning I pull out the box to pour myself a bowl, (heated till it's mush because my throat is still KILLING me),  and immediately my eyes are drawn to the back of the box. In big bold letters across the top of a recipe I see, CHEX MUDDY BUDDIES.

Then I remembered! In high school my best friend's mom got WIC, and we used to make MUDDY Buddies from the Chex mix and peanut butter. They are also called "White Trash" and various other names, but across the land they are well known as one of the most delicious, un-nutritious, mouth-watering easy little chocolate snacks you could ever eat!

My heart started racing...I wanted some muddy buddies! They even had a picture with the recipe on the back of the box, taunting me to make them, make them, make them! Just look at all that chocolate/peanut butter and confectioner sugar! Why on the back of this fairly healthy cereal, do they have to attack us with things we should stay away from?

Has anyone else ever had this problem? What foods make your heart go thumpity-thump, and how do you deal with it!?

Thankfully, I had no chocolate chips in the house, otherwise I don't think even a sore throat could keep me from those evil little chocolates.