Yeah, I know Day 3 isn’t quite over yet, but I have some time to write right now, so I’m going for it! (Writing always makes me feel better and I’ve been quite irritable for the last several hours. I’m hoping this – and some singing – will help.)
Mini-Cleanse Day 3
When the alarm clock went off this morning, I was in the middle of a very involved dream which required strategy and courage. Instead of getting up, I decided to finish the dream (or make up an ending, depending on sleep or no sleep).
Once that was done, I dragged myself out of bed. I’m not sure if the dragging part had to do with the fact that it’s cold and wet outside or that my body is totally miffed at me because I’ve been depriving it of goodies like sugar and wheat.
Anyway, I had my morning glass of water and a couple of rice cakes to give me some energy for my workout. My workout was not very energetic. I was on the elliptical for 20 minutes and then did my weight routine. I did some intervals to make sure I would sweat. Apparently, sweating is good for getting rid of toxins.
After the so-so workout, I returned home, showered, and fixed myself some hash browns again. They were good again. I even felt full. It was a weird feeling. Around 10 AM, Rebecka and I went to Starbucks to do her lessons for the day. I ordered a peppermint tea and bought a banana. Interesting combination, but I was improvising…
I actually didn’t get hungry until 12:30 PM or so (remarkable!). For lunch, I made a stir-fry with onions, shiitake mushrooms (boy, those are good!), kale (not sure if I’ve ever had kale before), and broccoli. I ate that with jasmine rice and a squirt of lemon juice. It wasn’t all bad! Even better, I made enough for leftovers for later.
The afternoon was not quite as great. I was hungry and irritated about some news I received. I ate an apple so mindlessly that I couldn’t even remember if I finished it. After a visit to the doctor for flu shots, I took Rebecka to Panera for a bagel. I was sooooooooooo tempted to quit my cleanse early and devour a Gingerbread bagel. However, I took a deep breath and said “that’s all,” when asked if I would like anything else.
Once we were back home, I decided to eat my leftovers. They were good. Rice is good. Awesome, in fact.
Ironically, I haven’t taken advantage of the allowance of protein yet. I think that’s going to be my next little snack. Rice cakes with sardines. How does that sound for an appetizing snack (I can hear my husband and daughter groan now…)?
Beyond the Mini-Cleanse
What I’ve learned from this experience is twofold:
- I don’t know what real hunger feels like. Even what I’ve experienced is nothing compared to the hunger that a billion people on our planet experience every day. I can’t imagine what it’s like, but I’ve had some time to reflect on hunger and have been reminded that we cannot stand by idly and watch our brothers and sisters starve.
- It would take a lot of education and experimentation for me to be able to do a 21-day cleanse without feeling hungry and deprived all the time. I need to try new ingredients, both from the vegetable stand and the spice rack and practice with new recipes.
Am I going to do the 21-day cleanse? I’m not sure yet. There are some major life events coming up in the next 6-8 months and I think I need to have all that settled before I try a longer cleanse. I must say, my stomach has definitely benefited from not eating processed foods and whatever else it is that makes it unhappy on a regular basis. Could be eating less… My body is pretty good about letting me know when I’ve had too much. Also, I’d really like to kick my sugar addiction once and for all. A 3-day cleanse is not going help with that.
I will think about it some more and let you know what I decide! And tomorrow, I’m having a Gingerbread bagel.
Like what you read? Pass on the goodness!
Your observations remind me of when I did a 3 week detox last year. I remember how amazing simple foods (like rice) tasted because they weren’t contrasted with fat and sugar soaked things like take out and chocolate bars.
The detox I did was called ‘Joshi’s Holistic Detox’ and I’d recommend having a look at it if you’re wanting to kick the sugar habit, as that is one of its aims. The range of foods you are encouraged to eat helps to change your palate so that after a while you don’t really want sugar. Not as much, anyway ;-)
A gingerbread bagel sounds delicious – enjoy!
Thanks for the tip! I’ll definitely check it out. The gingerbread bagel was yummy. :)