Detoxed and 7lbs lighter! - The Dr. Oz 3 Day Cleanse

Thought I would share this you with all... some could probably use a kick start, like I did!

This is the claim:

"Eliminate harmful toxins, restore your system and reset your body with this detox cleanse from Dr. Oz. All you need is 3 days, a blender and $16 a day!" CLEANSE INFO HERE

(You can skip my daily dribble, and fast track to the bottom for a quick summary!)

I believe it all to be true, with the exception of the $16 a day. Sure, maybe in the Sunshine states where fruit is cheap. Not where I live though, where there is no Costco and Raspberries are $3.50/cup on sale! Groceries in general are more expensive in Canada, period.

However, I chose to do this cleanse - coming out of the summer, filling myself up on BBQ treats, all the food we missed while in Kenya, and of course the cold local ales, and VQA wines. I dare say I gained a few pounds and have not been caring for myself very well. I needed a re-set. Cleanse it is.

 I chose this cleanse, because it didn't require that I buy 'detoxifying' pills, shakes, tea... you know all those cleansing products they have out there... This was whole foods, and it was only 3 days. I can live with that. I hope.

A couple of the grocery list items, I already had at home. However, if you are to purchase everything, you will be looking at spending $160. Of course that will leave you with Flax seed, coconut oil etc to use after.

So... here we go. I will journal everyday and let you know how or if I survive it.

Day 1

Breakfast - It's pretty yummy. I'm used to a shake in the morning, so all good.

Lunch - I'm concerned that this shake will make me barf. Most reviewer disliked this drink the most. Then I read the ingredients. One whole cucumber. A whole cucumber!? WTH? I hate cucumber. Ack. I decide to peel the cucumber, which is supposed to reduce the bitterness. I couldn't even fit all the ingredients in my big blender! I had to blend and then add the rest. This batch made 2 large glasses. How can this be right?

I raise the glass up and give it the sniff test. Blech. All I can smell is cucumber. Give it a little taste... make a sour face. Another taste, followed by another and I determine it's not that bad. Thank goodness for the lemon and pineapple.

It takes me one hour to drink this glass, and I still have number 2 to down. I realize I'm supposed to take an omega 3. I use the liquid, flavoured fish oil, so I decide to add it to my second glass of green smoothie. Good choice, it definitely made it more palatable!

3pm, I quickly down what is left and rush out the door to grab my kids.
By the time I run them to swimming and make a pit stop at the grocery store, it's 4pm. Dinner wasn't far off, and I wasn't that hungry. And quite frankly, I really didn't have the time to make another shake as a snack. So I skip the snack shake.

On to Dinner. I'm overwhelmed with this feeling of wanting to sink my teeth into something. Visions of hamburgers, pizza, etc... fill my mind. I decide to make the kids an easy lunch of mushroom soup, grilled cheese sandwiches and fresh veggies. I dip my finger into Zahra's soup to make sure it isn't too hot, and then licked it up. Yes, my first cheat. But barely a morsel. Mmmm.... what I would do that grilled cheese sandwich.... dip it in Mushroom soup, dipped in Ketchup... Yes, my mind is cruel. 6pm - time to make my 'dinner'. In this shake, I intentionally cut the Cayenne pepper in half as recommended by many. I was also worried about this shake, but I found it to be quite nice with a little spicy after bite. This shake made 1.5 large glasses. Once again, it takes me forever to finish it. 8:30 before I am done. I suck.

Kids into bed, I sink into a lovely epson salt/lavender bath. It feels like a nice little reward for a good day of cleansing.

Out of the bath and snuggled in on the couch, I can't stop thinking about eating, chewing, biting. Really, I just need to bite and chew something. So I come up with this brilliant idea to make a couple celery sticks with almond butter. I figure this is not cheating because I did skip my snack shake, and these were two of the ingredients that I would have been able to have in the shake. Please tell me if I am wrong, but what difference does it make if the blender mashes it up, or my teeth? Yumm... it was DELICIOUS.

I hit the scale before bed - 3 lbs loss. Wow - is that possible?

Day 2 - I feel normal.

I decide to put on the kettle for my tea, before starting anything else. Feels good to start the day doing something for myself.

Breakfast smoothie went down easy...

Lunch - Once again, it was 3pm before I had finished both glasses. I added the Omega oil to the second cup, giving some variety with it's lovely flavour.

4:30... I think I'm doing quite well... cravings have not been near as bad as yesterday.

Until....

I hop on Facebook quickly and see a recipe for ... are you ready for this!?
Cheese stuffed mashed potato balls rolled in real bacon bits. Are you freaking kidding me!? Who comes up with this stuff!? All last week, my friends were reposting Gluten free pancakes recipes, whipped coconut milk watermelon cake and cute little men you can make with raw vegetables. And now, off all the times, this?! I want to shoot myself. Of course the photo is still ingrained in my mind. Cheese, glistening in the light as it oozes out of those beautiful balls peppered in crisp little bacon bits. BAD! I know your gonna ask for it... so here is the darn recipe, go ahead... you might as well enjoy it. Just don't tell me how good it was!

5:00 Make dinner for the family. The worst part about cleansing is having to make 'normal' food for the rest of the family. I need it to be quick and easy - Taco Salad it is. While my beautiful children are upstairs scarfing their faces with cheese nachos, onion spiced - browned to perfection hamburger, topped with cheese, sour cream, and salsa (in addition to the healthy salad parts of it)... I sit downstairs typing this journal. It's a good place for me to be. I think tomorrow's dinner should simply be cucumber soup with broccoli ice cream for dessert... or perhaps liver and onions.

Once again today, I missed the snack shake so I end the evening with 2 stalks of celery, laced with almond butter.

Scale reports that I am 2 lbs lighter than yesterday!

Day 3

I'm happy this is the last day.

The lunch shake seems to be getting more less appealing. It takes me almost all afternoon to get down the 2 large classes.

I find the dinner shake to be my most anticipated now. The Cayenne seems to make it feel more like real food. I am really digging the heat in the shake, which is surprising as I thought I would hate it.

I hate to tell you how I capped this evening off in celebration... but I feel it's only fair. Day 3 was Friday night, and we met with friends at a local pub. I resisted all the appies that were going around, but I did settle on a vodka/soda water with lemon. It almost fits the cleanse bill, no?

Scale reports another 2 lb loss!

Summary:

3 day weight loss from this cleanse was 7 lbs!

The most difficult part about this entire cleanse is not being able to eat.. that is 'chew' your food rather than drink it. I highly recommend that you forgo the snack shake and eat the ingredients of it instead of blending and drinking.

Treat the evening bath as your reward for the day... it is quite lovely.

I cut the Cayenne pepper down to 1/8th of a tsp. I suggest you do the same for your first dinner shake and see if you can stand more heat.

When it says half a lime.. this means the juice of half a lime. Do not add the whole thing.

Overall, I think this was one of the easier cleanses I have done with the greatest results. I already do a morning shake, but I believe I will start to add a lunch shake to my day here and there now. ;)

Give it a try and let me know how you make out!