First and foremost, I am so proud of myself! This is honestly the first time in a long time that I made a goal that wasn't a professional goal and stuck with it. I started this to cleanse my skin from the inside out to get rid of acne, but I am ending this with a whole new meaning of wellness and outlook on life. Crazy things not chewing can do for you! It's been liberating, really liberating.
I feel free.
I know that sounds super corny, but its the truth. Processed foods, fast foods, junk foods are addictive. Not only are we addicted to the substances in the food but also vulnerable to the commercials that tell us to eat, eat and some more...large portions of foods that are nutritionally dense. It's a cycle. I feel like I've been lied to about a lot of the things that have shaped my eating habits. I've been spending hours researching and learning more about food, which foods have benefits for the body, what they do, etc... It's been eye opening. Damn near revolutionary. I've discovered so many fruits and vegetables that I would have never even tried, not to mention eating more of the ones I had ate in the past. I swear I've drank more fruit and veggies in the past 20 days than I ate the majority of last year. That's the sad truth of the matter. I'm not happy to admit that, but I am happy to say that fruits and especially vegetables will be taking a much larger role in my life going forward. I have this juice cleanse to thank for that.
I realize I was eating unconsciously and just because. I was eating when I wasn't hungry and was eating foods that nutritionally did nothing for me. I realize that my acne is just a symptom of what's going on internally and the body's way of getting rid of stuff that it doesn't want. Now, I wish the body did that in a way that was less visible, but I guess the visible symptoms are the only way to get our attention.
The Hair!
In other news my hair is FABULOUS! It's shiny, luscious, appears thicker. I could go on. I'll probably post more about my hair on my other blog Everyday Fabulous.
Acne Update
Skin looks remarkably better. Yes, there are still breakouts that still haven't gone away. So I am hoping over the next 5 days they will eventually realize they are not welcome and dry up and die! LOL. Cleansing out the colon I have realized is helpful with the breakouts. I am ordering a complete colon cleanse kit off amazon so I can start the process of cleansing the colon/liver/kidneys. But I have to start with the colon cleanse first.
I know this may sound strange, but I appreciate my acne now. Now, I don't want it! But I appreciate what it did to signal me to do something to change how I was eating and swap unhealthy habits for healthy ones.
Weight Loss
While I didn't do this cleanse for weight loss, I most certainly will take it! I plan to weigh in later today when I go to the gym. And I didn't weigh in at the start of this since I wasn't doing this for weight loss but only on Day 4 when I went to the gym. So if I dropped some weight from Day 1-Day 3, I don't know. But the last time I weighed in on Day 16. I dropped 21 pounds. Again, not sure what my total is since I didn't weigh in the beginning. That is 21 pounds is weight I never want to find again! It would be safe to say I dropped maybe another 3llbs or so since my last weigh in. I think, from what I've been reading the weight loss slows down in the later part of the fast.
Sauna
My new friend! I used to do the sauna thing often several years ago and I am just starting to get back into it. My gym has a sauna, and I used it for the first time a few days ago. I plan to go about 2x a week. The sauna helps the detox process and helps release toxins and such through the skin, which is great for my acne.
Health and Wellness
I have a new lease on life it feels like. I am building a health and wellness plan for myself and my family. Lots of things we used to purchase (peanut butter, pasta sauce) I will be making. That's not to say I won't ever purchase peanut butter and pasta sauce again, but those times will be the exception, not the rule.
5k
Once I complete this cleanse, my gift to myself will be to register for a 5k. I am excited about doing something I never did before, so let the training begin! I
Clarity
Everything I've read so far talks about having clarity and soundness of mind in the later days of a cleanse. I really thought that was hogwash because heck, if you're not eating regular foods...what else is there to do other than think? So I thought. This clarity business is real. I welcome it. I feel so ready for what's next and so enthusiastic about designing my life. Designing my life. I like how that sounds.
Soapbox
If you've been thinking about doing a juice cleanse or just eating cleaner, do it. I am by no means the expert and I am sure I didn't do my cleanse "by the book" but its been so worth it. Yes, there were days where I wasn't sure I was going to make it. Now as I have a clear line of sight to day 30 here on day 20 I am so glad I stayed the course. You can do it, yes you can!
With 10 days to go, I just feel extremely grateful to the events that led me to do this. And to the resolve I had to start and stick with it, especially the first 10 days. I don't even know how to best explain this euphoria. It's so wonderful and I wouldn't have believed anyone if they told me about this unless I experienced it for myself. I am so ready to take on the world and design my life anew.
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