Fresh Start for a Fresh Blog!

Hi and welcome to my blog!

This is officially my very first post! Consider yourself lucky if you have stumbled upon this via search and consider yourself doubly lucky if you are my friend and I have (forcefully) asked for you to follow my blog.

The objectives of this blog are far from being confirmed, but at this point, my primary reason for writing is to share my (often useless) opinions on anything and everything.

With that said...let's get right to it!

I am two days short of completing a body "cleanse"! Has anyone ever tried one? This was my very first time and it was provoked by a series of confidence-defeating events.

Event 1:

A few weeks before Thanksgiving, I realized that I had begun to slide down a slippery high-sodium-and-saturated-fat slope so I decided that, for the first time ever, I would sign up for the local Turkey Trot. It seemed like such a good idea at the time...when I was sitting in the comfort of my cubicle and my energy exertion consisted of "click" when I submitted my donation.

Although I ran surprisingly well for not having worked out for weeks, I definitely suffered the consequences of overly aggressive pride maintenance- I am not exactly sure why I felt compelled to run in the "27 mins or under" category nor do I understand exactly why I felt the need to race a 12 year old kid (who later casually slalomed his way through the crowd and to the finish line. For the record, I am convinced he was taking performance enhancers).

Needless to say, for the rest of the long weekend, stairs were a challenge.

Event 2:

I had started to notice that my pants were a little snug. While pulling on a pair, I used the belt loops for some additional leverage and ripped one right off as I was mid-thigh...isn't that just fabulous?

Event 3:

My underwear lines were getting out of control. Although always present, they were extreme and would leave an outline in my skinny jeans...after I had taken them off (I realize that "underwear lines" and "skinny jeans" really shouldn't be in the same sentence...sorry for the visual).

So, when arriving home on the Sunday after Thanksgiving- armed with serious doses of both motivation and disgust- I went for a jog and finished up right in front of my local GNC. This was no coincidence. I needed something to help jump start my healthy living regimen (for the next few weeks until I start to slack again) and I knew just the thing.

GNC WELLbeING be-Cleansed

Complete Detox Kit

http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3480814

I had been eyeing this cleanse for a few months. Unfortunately the reviews online were not raving with positive feedback, but I decided to go for it. I figured that at the very least, it would keep me focused and inspired.

Admittedly, I did not weigh myself before starting, but I will say, that after three days, I had lost 3 lbs from my average body weight! I realize that a lot of that weight loss is water weight and, as much as I hate to admit it, there is a very good chance that my average weight had decreased as my muscle mass had begun to atrophy and was replaced with it's lighter nemesis, fat.

But regardless it felt great!

Now, for some FAQs

Q: Do you eat during the cleanse?

A: Yep, I know myself well enough that I would not be able to do a non-food cleanse for a week. The menu is lean but livable and I was surprisingly satiated throughout. Did I occasionally crave chilaquiles from the Taqueria, yes. But then again, when am I not craving chilaquiles...

Q: Did I find it challenging in terms of BM's? (yes, I actually got this question)

A: No. And that's all I have to say about that...

Q: What does it require?

A: The detox kit comes with four bottles of liquid, 7 packets of pills, and a menu (I realize that any normal person might wonder what was in those bottles and pill packets. Well, I am not normal, therefore I did not wonder, and thus, I do not know).

For the first two days you consume one bottle of liquid mixed with 4oz of water in the am and one in the pm. You take a packet of pills throughout the cleanse. The menu is just a suggestion, but I followed it pretty closely. Although buying everything at the supermarket was pricey and some ingredients were not available (if someone could please tell me where "ghee" can be found, I would be eternally grateful), I justified it by saying that I wouldn't be buying lunch or eating out for a week and that it didn't matter if I had every item on the list. What mattered was that I was trying (it makes sense in my head so just go with it).

Q: Any side effects?

A: Not really, aside from feeling lighter and leaner, I have not had any side effects. Some reviews mention bloating, but I didn't find this to be an issue.

Q: What are the challenges?

A: Aside from staying motivated and sticking as closely to the menu as possible and not faltering (too often) when it came to my cravings, the only other challenge was trying to convince my co-workers that I wasn't pregnant when I didn't drink at our office Christmas party.

Q: Did I cheat?

A: Yes, in fact, as I write this blog, I am sipping on a glass of red wine (what's the weekend with out wine? It's red, I hear it's good for the heart!). And, at aforementioned office Christmas party, I was ravenous so had two mini-veggie burgers and a ginger ale. And finally, I would occasionally shovel a handful of soy cheddar cheese into my mouth while preparing a dried apple and almond sliver salad. The silver lining...I actually like soy cheese!

So, what do you think? Would you ever try a cleanse? Take the poll at the top right of this page and tell us!

Share your thoughts and recommendations on other cleanses!

Thanks for reading!