7 Days & Still Cleansing... kind of

The day after my last post I began my cleanse in an attempt to reboot my body, and hopefully my life. I have been desperate for change. I came to the conclusion that change and the desire for control must first begin with my body. I know I need to make changes; I have had way too many medical problems and surgeries in the last 2 years for someone my age. I want to reclaim my health, stabilize my weight (an ongoing issue since puberty) and most importantly feel in control of my life again, something I have struggled with since graduation.

I decided to give Tracy Anderson's Metamorphosis a try. It's a 3 month program, complete with meal plan. The program is made up of 30 minutes of dance-inspired cardio and 30 minutes of "sculpting" exercises that is based upon your selected body type, 6 days a week. Your body type choices are:

Abcentric: you gain the majority of your weight in your abdomen
Hipcentric: you gain the majority of your weight in your hips and thighs
Glutcentric: you gain the majority of weight in your bum or you would like to work on lifting/toning that area
Omnicentric: you gain weight evenly and everywhere

Though I could have easily gone with Omnicentric (I have put on "love" weight and then some over the last two years, and have A LOT to lose), I went with Abcentric since that seems to be where I gain the most weight. My thighs of death may argue that point. They have a tendency to eat my pants.

Anyway, I ordered the program through a deal I saw at Open Sky. I read so many reviews and blogs on the program and felt excitement for what was supposed to be this new revolution I would usher into my life! You can read a review here on Bliss Tree. When I began the program last week I was committed. I spent hours in the kitchen the day before, prepping all of my food I was permitted during the first week. The first week of Tracy's meal plan consists of steamed vegetable or fruit purées, and soup. This is known as Nutrient Boost Week, meant to detox your body while loading up on nutrients. The second week is known as Body Reset Week, meant to recalibrate my body and rid myself of my food cravings for processed foods/sweets (yes, please!!!). The meal planned seemed hardcore enough that I knew it was going to force my body into some kind of change.

My first 2 days, maybe even 3, were hell. Let me type that again... HELL. Eating steamed carrots and parsnips in the consistency of baby food was torturous while having to chase after 2.5-5 year olds for those first 48 hours. Not satisfying in the least. I am no novice to detoxing. I have done my fair share of them. In the past, I have typically felt the pains of a detox after day two. This time the pain was immediate. Post 6:00 am work out, after my "Power Juice," I was feeling the pain as early as 8:30 in the morning. Uh oh. And I was OBSESSED with every unhealthy food craving you can imagine. Oh, and the kiddie lunches parents pack, you know, the sandwiches with cream cheese and jelly? Those were looking pretty tasty as well. And the chicken nuggets. And the leftover pizza and pasta. I felt insane and out of control, exactly what I didn't want for myself.

After the first 48 hours my cravings calmed down. I felt like I had a little more control over my mind and what I desired to eat. I was feeling pretty good, maybe a little tired. Perhaps a combination of little food and small children? I felt lighter. Cleaner, even. But then my weak will set in. As the weekend approached I craved solid food. I wasn't necessarily craving junk... sushi isn't junk, right? I found myself deviating from Tracy's plan. First it was some warm and delicious pho, perfect for the now rainy Seattle weather. Then, it was sushi, not terrible by any means. But with the arrival of Saturday and Sunday, and the desire for some Redbox movie-action, I spiraled into pizza, dim sum, ice cream and some Oreos. Definitely not healthy. And definitely not on my meal plan.

Also simultaneously, I managed to take two days off in the middle of the week that were not planned. Oops...

What started out as this grand quest for a revolution has slowly become a reminder of why I am doing this in the first place. And I will be kicking and screaming the entire way. I suppose the thing to remember is to take it one day at a time. One meal at a time. To remember, that no one is perfect and the important thing is how we get back up on that horse when we fall off. I am now back on my cleanse, extending it an extra day or two to flush out all of that pizza. Wish me luck. Hopefully, after work I will do my sculpting workout and then hot yoga to refocus! xoxo