Friday #Fitness - 7 Day Detox Challenge #nutrition #health

While I usually cover topics pertaining to my writing career on this blog, occasionally on Fridays I dedicate a post to fitness, my other passion.  I've been a group exercise instructor and personal trainer for 25 years, and along with that comes an interest in eating healthy in order to fuel my body.  But of course, eating healthy isn't always fun--it isn't even always possible--and I allow my cravings to get the better of me more than I care to admit.  So when the head trainer at our gym suggested a (voluntary) 7-day "detox" for employees and members interested in cleansing their system after summer indulgences, I decided to join in.  Misery loves company, after all, and at least this way I would have the support of a group!

Then I saw the instructions:  (side note:*I am not a doctor--check with one before a cleanse*)


• No alcohol
• No added sugar of any kind (includes anything that ends in “ose”, agave ,honey, maple syrup, artificial sweeteners such as stevia and truvia)
• No dairy (includes whey protein)
• No grains or gluten (includes bread, rice, wheat, oats or gluten free snack foods)
• No canola oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or grapeseed oil
• No legumes (any beans or peanuts or peanut butter)
* Only healthy fats, nuts and seeds, coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil

* Try and eat foods that are antibiotic-free, organic, wild caught, and grass-fed
* Fruit is allowed
* A gallon of water a day

I admit, I balked a bit.  It's so restrictive!  But we all told ourselves we could do anything for 7 days, and I'm proud to say that today is Day 5, and aside from breaking down and pouring some skim milk in my coffee, I've stayed strong.  It was especially hard on Tuesday, when we found out my son's mysterious fever was in fact mononucleosis, and he would not be able to play soccer for weeks, which was a huge blow for him.  I was so upset I could not fall asleep, and the little voice in my head suggested I go get a glass of wine.  But I resisted, and while I will admit the first few days of this detox made me feel horrible (apparently that's a normal response as the body cleanses itself), I do feel much better now.  And once I get to Day 7, I know I'll add things back with a greater attention to ingredients and nutritional value.

So what did I eat?  Here are some of the things I've relied on to get through this:      

I made an egg bake to eat all week for breakfast: - greased a casserole pan with coconut oil, mixed eggs, onions, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes and baked until firm.  Would have been better with cheese but all in all it was not bad.

To have a snack ready to heat up, I made a casserole of roasted veggies: eggplants, sweet potatoes, red onions, and butternut squash, tosssed with olive oil and rosemary.  Quite delicious!

I had bags of salad ready to go, which I garnished with black olives, chicken strips, and sesame seeds or almond slivers.  Olive oil and balsamic dressing.

Since mayo was not allowed, I mixed drained tuna with avocado.  Really good, if you can get past the green color!

I made plain ground turkey and mixed it with fresh salsa, with carrot sticks and cucumbers dipped in fresh guacamole as a side.

Stir-fry became a staple, and I did lots of chicken, peapods, peppers, and mushrooms in sesame oil.

For snacks, I did almond butter on apple slices, deli turkey wrapped around dill pickles, assorted nuts, and fresh fruit smoothies.  And lots and lots of water, per the guide!

I'm glad I've stuck with it in order to give my body a chance to get rid of the toxins it absorbed over a very busy and fun summer!  But I'll admit I'm looking forward to that first glass of wine...at least it's a natural product, right?  Two days to go!