Final Thoughts: Wild Rose D-Tox Herbal Cleanse

This cleanse was amazing.  I definitely felt better, and was noticeably more energetic by my peers by the third day.  My skin cleared up, and I wasn't bloated or dealing with any of my usual stomach issues.  I did visibly lose weight, but I didn't weigh myself for a before and after so I'm not sure how much weight I lost.  I wasn't really looking to lose weight with the cleanse so it wasn't a priority to track.

After the cleanse ended, I decided to experiment with reintroducing wheat.  I ordered pizza on Saturday (cheeseless of course) and ate it that day, as well as yesterday.  Yesterday morning, I noticed a breakout on my forehead, the kind that is a bump with no real head, and you can't really pop it.  Last night, I noticed another one on my chin.  I tried to lance them and pop them today to see if they would go away, but as expected, both are red, irritated, and have no head to them.  They are classic irritation zits and I am now completely certain that I am reactive to wheat.  Am I allergic?  Probably not.  I've eaten wheat my entire life and have never had anaphalactic shock.  However, I would definitely say that I am sensitive and reactive to wheat.  What this means for my life is that should I chose to eat it now and again, it's not the end of the world, but it's not ideal for my overall health.  Also interesting, I noticed my left foot was a little sore, whereas my overall body pain level has significantly dropped during this cleanse.

The final thought I would leave you with is this: if you are having unexplained health issues, or are just feel sluggish and worn down, I highly recommend doing a cleanse.  This cleanse was gentle and didn't interfere with my regular life, and was definitely effective.  It helped me pinpoint the source of some of my inflammation and skin issues, and I can't say enough about how helpful that is.

You can get this cleanse at most natural grocery stores, or on Amazon.  I actually received mine directly from Garden of Life.  I am one of their official bloggers, so I did receive this item free to try.  At no point did they actually require or even request a review, and they certainly accept my opinions at face value.  Overall, I really love the Garden of Life company and I'm happy to be an official blogger for them.

Wild Rose D-Tox Cleanse Update: Day Five!

The biggest difference I have seen in the last five days has been with my skin. I'll show you what I mean.

More Health Updates & Starting a Cleanse!

I am FINALLY starting my Garden of Life Wild Rose Herbal D-Tox Cleanse.  I've had it sitting in the cabinet for about a year.  I meant to do it when Aaron moved in last June, but it didn't happen for whatever reason.  I'm a Garden of Life blogger, so they sent me this cleanse to try based off of my lifestyle.  Fortunately it has a good shelf life or I'd be missing out!

All of this, plus my regular allergy medicine and my Spironolactone for acne.

Day 11 (and beyond): Challenge Conquered!

I had a few weaknesses during this challenge.  I struggled with my personal protein goals during this challenge.  I thought I would be hitting them consistently since I'm usually good at getting my protein, but going from a goal of 45g of protein a day to 135g, I suddenly found myself struggling.  Even eating two protein based meal shakes a day couldn't save me.  My other weakness during this challenge was getting my butt kicked by my allergies and having to living on Benedryl several days.. which knocks me out.

I also had  a few successes during this challenge!  Despite struggling with eating more lean macros and not working out much more than usual, I still lost weight consistently during this challenge.  I definitely think eating higher protein, and taking fucoTHIN Green three times a day definitely made the difference.  However, not once did I feel like I was depriving myself or surviving on diet pills.

On day 9, I weighed in at 125.something.  I was shocked and impressed.  Today, after a night of not sleeping and in general definitely retaining water weight (I feel very bloated and just not good today), I weighed in at 130 pounds.  I am putting off weighing in for a few days.  Yesterday, I could see new bone definition on my hips and was in general very pleased with how I looked and felt.  It's amazing how one bad night of sleep can wreck how you feel.

I know it's been a few days since this challenge ended.  It's been insanely cold and I've been working nonstop.  I will get some updated photos for your soon.  I'm very happy with the results of the challenge and wouldn't mind doing it again!

Day Five Update!

The scale is moving!  Nothing drastic, down to 127.0, which is 1.4 pounds lost in five days, and isn't bad.  I'm off the next two days and have a lot planned in the way of catching up on workouts because work has been wearing me out (excuses!!).  The simple fact of the matter is I haven't really changed anything about my lifestyle outside of the fucoTHIN Green & the meal shakes and have lost weight, which is the point.  If anything, I may be working out slightly less (but will make up for that the next two days, while I'm off and it's finally not -3 degrees out).

Overall?  The challenge is a success so far.  I'm seeing a difference, and I see and feel a difference in my body.  I'm excited to amp it up for the last half of the challenge and see what happens!

Also, I've felt hungrier, but I've only found myself craving good food, which is a great thing!  Love this!!  I have a feeling that when I finish this bottle of fucoTHIN, I will order another!

Day One: Success!

Day one went well.  I am combining the Lorna Jane 30 day ab challenge with what I already had planned (Insanity 3-5xs a week) and that went well.  I did the day one challenge a couple of times yesterday just because.  I don't know if I'm supposed to be doing a certain amount of sets, and if I'm supposed to repeat it throughout the day, but I'm just going to do it anytime I think about it.

I weighed in at 128.2 pounds yesterday.  I know some of this is water weight from impending shark week, but I'm still disappointed.  I did go on a bit of a pizza bender when I was dating a boy recently though, so I'm actually happy that I only gained three pounds, and not like fifteen.  We ate a lot of pizza... no joke.

I need to make a trip to the grocery but they're calling for freezing rain and I walk everywhere so I have to weigh my options.. I'm about to hop in the shower now and decide what I'm going to do.  If I don't go to the store, you guys are going to see me eating a lot of plain lentils and frozen fruit smoothies, haha.

Ten Day Challenge with Garden of Life!! [Starting March 1st]

I really love Garden of Life.  They are hands down the number one purchased brand in my home, with So Delicous Almond Plus milk being a close second.  I have bought their protein and meal powders for a while now, and repurchase them time and time again.  I am the type of consumer that doesn't care what you buy, necessarily, but what you keep buying.  For me, Garden of Life is that brand that I keep coming back to.

Garden of Life recently sent me their RAW Fit Protein in Marley Coffee and Original, as well as their fucoTHIN Green for a ten day challenge.  I would love to get more people on board with it!  There is a $5 off coupon in the Whole Foods book right now, and they carry several of the Garden of Life products (including their vitamins and supplements).

What will this challenge entail?  Starting March 1st, I will be replacing my breakfast and lunch time smoothies with RAW Fit Protein.  I will be drinking the Marley Coffee flavor for breakfast, and the original flavor for lunch.  Because the Fit protein powder is so low carb, I will probably pair it with some fruit at breakfast and probably nuts or fruit at lunch as well.  I will be keeping my calorie intake at 1200 calories, per usual, focusing on eating high protein and keep my carbs at or below 75g.  For those who follow macronutriet guidelines, I will be shooting for 75g of carbs (25%), 135g of protein (45%) and 40g of fat (35%).  For those of you who do want to follow macronutrient guidelines, I highly suggest the myfitnesspal app for calorie trackings, and really like this site for figuring out your macro needs.

I will be pairing these two meals with a wisely picked dinner and regular exercise.  I love the Insanity workouts.  I don't do them as consistently as I should, but I will be doing the workouts at least three times a week.  I will be trying to do it more often, as work allows.

I will also be taking their fucoTHIN Green supplement.  fucoTHIN has two active ingredients, Fucoxanthin and Green Coffee Bean Extract, both in their raw forms.  The coffee bean is decaffinated to prevent jitters, which makes me extremely happy.  Anyone who has had caffeine jitters knows what a nightmare that is.. now imagine being a makeup artist and trying to do liquid liner on a client.  I would also be scared to mix this with the Marley Coffee Fit protein if the supplement wasn't decaffeinated.  I've had large portions of caffeine, but that's during the holidays and I really don't feel well doing it.

As a precursor to this challenge, I want to give a brief description of both key players in this challenge, the Fit protein and the fucoTHIN.  I plan on doing an in depth review of both following the challenge, but I'd like to give you guys a little information now so that you understand why I chose them.

RAW Fit Protein:  RAW Fit protein is a hybrid of a meal powder and a protein powder.  It has an impressive macronutrient profile (28/5/67 on my 1200 calorie plan; I'm shooting for 25/35/45).  This means I have room for healthy fats, and means I will probably be eating a lot of avocados.  Avocados have been found to help suppress hunger, so they will be a great addition to the challenge.  That, and they're just damn delicious.  My favorite thing about the RAW Fit is that it is still a raw food, and that the protein blend is about twenty different things for a complete and rounded amino acid profile.  Also fantastic?  It's vegan, gluten free, dairy free and soy free!

fucoTHIN Green:  The active ingredients in this weight loss supplement are Xanthigen® (raw, concentrated Fucoxanthin) and Svetol® (raw, naturally decaffeinated green coffee bean extract).  These are both non-stimulant natural fat burners.  We've all heard of green coffee bean (it came to the market in 2002), but I'd never heard of Fucoxanthin prior to this supplement.  A little research taught me that it was a not so new ingredient used in weight loss that had recently gained popularity thanks to celebrity doctor Dr. Oz.  It's derived from a brown algae and is an accessory pigment in the chloroplasts responsible for their brown and olive color.  Scientists in Japan did a study with mice and rats and found that it increased thermogenin which lead to weight loss.  A later double blind study with a placebo in women found that when it was blended with pomegranate oil, the subjects taking the fuxocanthin lost weight.  I found this information with a google search and I recommend you do the same before you start any supplements with unfamiliar ingredients.

So who's ready to accept my challenge?  Who's in it to win it!!?  Let's do this!!

Where to follow me for this challenge?
this blog
my instagram
myfitnesspal
& facebook

What's In My Pantry: Recent Food Hauls

I've had these items for about two weeks and haven't made this post yet.  I've been a little busy with work and trying to get in three mile walks with my dog.

In this haul:
=> Spectrum Ground Flaxseed:  Got it on sale so it was pretty cheap.  I'm mostly excited that it's ground.  The pro to that is that it's much easier to absorb its nutrients.  The cons is that it can go bad more quickly.  It's an easy fix: store in the fridge after opening.
=> Nasoya Black Soybean Tofu Plus: this is my preferred tofu.  I feel like I compared the ratios and it was the best I could find for protein.  I'll have to check this again next tofu outing.  I got this for $2/5, with a $1 off coupon.
=> Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla and Unsweetened Vanilla Coconut:  These were on sale with a coupon so I grabbed a flavor I trusted, and something new to try.  I may have tried the Vanilla Coconut in the past, but I don't remember.
=> So Delicious Cashew Milk:  it was time to try a new "milk".  I've never had cashew milk.  These were on sale and had a coupon, so I jumped in; all or nothing.  Hopefully they're good.  I haven't gotten to them yet.
=> Dancing Star Chunks of Energy Chcolate Almond Chip: my local Whole Foods carries these in the bulk bins.  These are a great snack for prolonged activity.  I like to eat two of these before I leave for work in the morning.  Gets me through my morning walk and takes me into my day.
=> Roasted Unsalted Soybeans: these are a great high protein snack with good fats.  I like to munch on these when I'm craving something like potato chips.  It isn't the same texture or taste, but for some reason it works for me.  Much more protein than a potato chip.  These are also from the bulk bin at Whole Foods.

Garden of Life sent me these goodies.  There will be more about that tomorrow, actually.  Pictured here is their RAW Protein in Vanilla Chai and the RAW Fit powders in Original and Marley Coffee.  Also pictured is their Herbal D-Tox regimen, and their fucoTHIN Green weight loss supplement.  I'm so excited!!

In My Pantry: Raw Vegan Protein & Meal Replacer

I'm presently still stuck on the Garden of Life RAW Meal, this time in Vanilla.  I'm having a hard time switching to another brand because I know I like the taste and for the price, it's scary to jump into something new.  Also, it's raw.  Most of the other meal replacers are not a raw food.  For my protein, I just switched to the Hemp Pro 70 from Manitoba Harvest.

Why did I choose these two?  Keep reading!

Since I stopped eating raw...

As the holiday season geared up in retail, it became increasingly difficult for me to stay on track with my raw diet.  I started eating more and more processed foods, and more importantly, more and more empty carbs, and specifically wheat.  Although I have not gained much weight (three or four pounds), the main differences I see are constant bloating and my face is broken out SO bad.  I haven't been this broken out in so long.  My face had very nearly cleared up, and now it is worse than ever.

What does this mean?  It means I need to get back on track with eating a primarily raw diet.  If that means keeping my blender bottle and Garden of Life RAW Meal mix in my locker at work again, so be it.  It worked well before, I am happy to do it again.  More importantly, I have a good blender now, so morning smoothies should be easier, but with hitting snooze more than I ever should, it's been harder and harder to get back on track.

Recently, since incorporated cooked, processed foods and wheat back into my diet.

As you can tell by the smoothie in my hand, this was when I was eating a primarily raw, vegan diet.

Workout Pudding Recipe: Chocolate & Coconut

The idea of recovery & workout puddings is something that I learned by reading Branden Brazier's book Thrive.  Although this is a fantastic powerhouse of nutrients and protein, this is also tasty and a good dessert.  The texture will be unusual to anyone not used to eating chia seeds.  There is no photo of this because it looks like chocolate goo.  It's not cute.  The next time I make it, I'll take a picture.  Seriously though, it looks like goo, and you're not missing out by this post not having a picture.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c milk (I used Almond Plus Milk from So Delicious) OR 1/2 cup coconut water
• 2 tbsp Spectrum Decadent Blend Chia & Flax Seed with Coconut & Cocoa
• 1/2 scoop RAW Protein Powder in Chocolate (or any chocolate protein powder)
• 2 tbsp chocolate almond butter (I get mine fresh ground at Whole Foods)

Directions:
Combine half of the milk (or coconut water) with the Spectrum Decadent blend and let sit for 10-15 minutes.  Alternatively, you can use a food processor or blender.  I just used a fork & a bowl.  After it has coagulated, add the remaining ingredients & combine until thoroughly blended.

This is a pretty generous portion and could easily be divided into two servings.  This would also be delicious with a banana mashed into it.  Nom!

Nutritional Info (as prepared):
Total Calories:  315
Fat:  20
Carbohydrates:  19
Protein:  19

Garden of Life RAW Meal Energy in Yerba Mate!

I get most of my produce and fresh foods at the local supermercado, but Whole Foods is right next to my work, so I frequent it for my specialty items, my bulk foods, and occasionally a slice or two of traditional vegan pizza when I'm feeling naughty.

My few visits ago, I saw containers of a new RAW Protein Energy from Garden of Life in the decompression zone of Whole Foods.  Of course my interest was sparked!  It came in two flavors, Marley Coffee or Guayaki Yerba Mate.  I debated momentarily, but picked up the Yerba Mate for it's lower caffeine and acidity.

But wait.. that says RAW Meal!

What's In My Pantry

People constantly ask me what's in my pantry & what I eat.  Lately, I've been doing a lot of bicycle commuting so I've been more conscientious of my protein and general calorie intake in the morning versus my usual game of skipping breakfast.  I have found that I'm a-ok to drink my breakfast, so I've been pairing a morning protein smoothie with my daily vitamins to fuel up before I hit my bike ride.  It's only 5.5 miles to the nearest train station, but most of that is on the road, and part of that is through terrifying construction.  I'm trying my damnedest to keep up & not be a wuss.  Keep in mind, I'm really not that experienced with bike commuting.  I've casually done it around my college town, but it was never my primary means of transportation and rarely was I seriously on the road.  That's all changed now that I live in White Rock.  I can either take the train, or I can make a ridiculous bus commute.

My morning smoothies have been lacking.  I'm not going to lie, there is a nearly finished tub of Plant Fusion back in Ohio that I dearly, dearly miss and wish had ended up in one of the boxes that came to Texas!  To date, I have not tried any protein powder that I like as much as the kinds I've had from Plant Fusion and Sunwarrior.  Vega is on my list to try, but I just can't presently justify the price tag.

This is pretty much all I have in the pantry, haha.