Well ladies, I've decided to end the Conscious Cleanse. Although it's been an interesting and an enlightening experience, it's not for me.
If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you can read about the start of my journey here. But basically, you eliminate a ton of food from your diet and then slowly reintroduce some of it back in. Apparently we could be allergic to some types of foods and not even know it! Symptoms such as bloating, gas, etc may be telling us that and we think it's normal. They aim to help you discover this along with teach you ways to eat differently and how to substitute certain foods.
I love carbs; I love all of the things you're "not supposed to have" and I just don't 100% agree with the idea of it. I'm all for adding more fruits and veggies, cutting back on caffeine, and eating lean protein but to be honest with you, I just can't take anymore of it.
I like variety; I make something new for dinner most nights of the week and I just don't have the time nor patience to be a label hound. I eat healthy enough as it is, and I just feel like in the end, this cleanse isn't going to change how and what I eat.
Stir fry with brown rice...which I would do normally!
Since we began "transitioning" and the actual start of the cleanse last Monday, I honestly don't feel that different. I know it takes a full two weeks to show results but I just don't see the point in torturing myself when I'm going to go back to the way I was eating before it began. Over the week I did it, I lost an inch and a half around my waist which is awesome, but as soon as I started eating other foods again, it was going to go right back to what it was.
I wasn't starving myself; I was full most of the time after a meal. However the problem was that I didn't like the foods I was eating to get full. I gave it a try and I'm proud of myself for that; I stepped out of my comfort zone and tried new things like Collard Greens, Kale, Arugula, almond butter, banana chips, ground turkey etc. And although I liked some of the new things I tried, other thing had me pinching my nose and eating it because that's the meal I had planned and I couldn't afford to throw it out and start new.
Ground turkey wraps...Zach loved, I hated...
Things that I learned:
I love warm lemon water. I will continue to drink that every so often.
I will add more fruits and veggies to my plate. It's easy to throw new greens into a salad or into stir fry.
I'm strong enough to control my diet and portions; I didn't think I had it in me to make it this far!
Green smoothies are not for me. I tried a few different kinds and just do not enjoy them.
I don't need a protein AND a grain; when paired with veggies, I get full off one or the other.
What I liked about the cleanse:
It's not super restricting (as long as you're not picky, which I am). They offer you shopping lists and meal plans to follow.
You're emailed every day, offered a support group on Facebook, as well as conference calls throughout the time you're cleansing. They really care about your success and want to help you succeed.
They push it as a lifestyle change, not just a means to an end. However as I discovered, it's not a way I personally want to live my life.
What I didn't like about the cleanse:
It got expensive. I normally spend around $220 every two weeks and the first round, I spent $200 at the grocery store. After a weekend of transitioning and two days on the cleanse, we were out of fruits and veggies! I had to run back to the store twice for fruits, veggies, and other speciality items and spent another $80 dollars or so. Had we decided to continue the cleanse the rest of the time, it probably would have cost more than that. We just do not have the finances to continue at this time.
It's hard to do with a toddler running around. I felt like I was cranky, irritable, and exhausted without my coffee. It wasn't fair to Bubba. This may sound silly, but I think coffee makes me a better mom! It's my time in the morning to sit, drink, collect my thoughts, and get pumped up with some caffeine. Some may not agree but again, this is just me personally.
Two weeks is a long time. I did it for a week and was tired of it. It's not that I couldn't do it or wasn't motivated enough, but I just didn't see the point in it when I don't plan to make those changes long term.
Overall, I learned a lot and I think it may be a great option for anyone looking for a cleanse and ALSO looking for a lifestyle change. Although I understand the importance of eating gluten free and everything else the cleanse stands for, I just don't personally want to watch labels closely or spend extra money on speciality food items when I don't have to. I eat healthy, I watch my calories, and I work out; I've lost 50 pounds this past year and although a majority of that is due to nursing Bubba, I'm clearly doing something right.
Again I am not judging anyone who enjoys this kind of lifestyle at all! I just personally do not enjoy eating some of these foods and want to live my life how I want to.
Thank you to the Conscious Cleanse crew for all of your support and encouragement! You were wonderful and I've learned a lot!
I was given this cleanse as a gift in exchange for a review. No other compensation was provided. All opinions expressed are my own. "Check out this month's featured blog, Life According to Kenz"
umkhaloodie
littlebigcompany1
therealsupermum