I started my CLEAN 28 cleanse on a whim. I was feeling a bit of a quarter life crisis and really wanted to turn it around before my birthday in November. Even though I already did a cleanse earlier this year, I felt it in my gut (and literally my muffin top) was telling me that it was time for a quick reset.
For those of you who have followed me on the blog for a few years now, you will know that this is my fourth time doing the CLEAN cleanse. And you know what I’ve come to find out through these experiences? Each time that I do the cleanse, it feels a little bit different and I learn something new about myself.
It’s a little bit like when you take a yoga class. In yoga, you’re often told to listen to how your body is feeling and tune in to your practice in this particular moment. There will be days when you feel a bit more flexible, and you can get into a pose a little deeper. And then there are days when you’re just not as in tune but ultimately feel good about having gone because you’ve taken an hour in your busy day to take a moment for yourself.
Going through the cleanse for the 4th time felt a lot like that. The first time that I did the cleanse, I felt amazing because it was the first time that I ever tried to cut so much out of my diet. I was loving the effects it was having on my body, but I was also SO uncomfortable because of all the unknowns. I didn’t have any go-to recipes and had to learn my way through. The second time I did the cleanse, I was a bit more seasoned, but it also meant I took it a little bit less seriously because I was thinking “been there, done that”, and I cheated on the cleanse a little bit more often than I would have liked. Point is, every time will be a little bit different, but every time you will learn a little bit more about how to adapt it to your lifestyle.
This was the first time that I did the cleanse where I felt like it could be more of a lifestyle for me. Of course, I don’t think I could eat CLEAN 24/7, I’m still a huge foodie after all. Cutting out dairy, gluten, booze, red meat and other delicious foods just won’t cut it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a struggle, but the cleanse this time around really opened my eyes to how easy living clean could be and how great I can feel while doing it. Unlike the last 3 times I did the cleanse, my urge to cheat was so much less than before.
So with that thought in mind, I think I wanted to end this post by emphasizing that you don’t have to be perfect when doing the cleanse. I’ve been told so many times by other people who are watching me do the cleanse that there was “no way” that they could do the cleanse. That it would be impossible for them to stay clear of xyz foods for 3 weeks.
When I first did the cleanse, that’s what I thought too. And I’ll be honest, there were times that I cheated while on the cleanse and felt a bit guilty about it. But with each time that I spend this time learning to eat cleaner, to really listen to my body and how it reacts to certain foods, I feel that I’m getting a little bit better. You can’t expect to hop on a bicycle for the first time ever and not fall a few times. Practice makes better, a lesson I’m still learning at (now) age 28.
3 changes I wanted to see during this cleanse
- Cut back on sugar cravings. I was able to make the claim a few years ago that I didn’t have that much of a sweet tooth. However, I have noticed ever since my daily gelato binges in Italy, I have been wanting something sweet after most meals.
Update: Done!! I’m not nearly as sweets hungry as I was 3 weeks ago, thank goodness! - Enable more portion control. Having done the cleanse in the past, I know I don’t need to eat as much as I am eating now to feel satisfied. Lately, I have been eating like a monster.
Update: Still working on this one! More aware of my own appetite though, which once again, I know that I eat way more than I need to. Woops? - Feel less bloated. This one is self explanatory: I wanna look good on my birthday! Also it’s pants season again and mine are feeling a little tight.
Update:ย Dropped ~5 pounds which is so annoying because this really proves that abs are made in the kitchen… but exciting because I def trimmed down a ton.ย
Thank you for following me through this journey as I continue to learn how to lead a life of a Fitness Foodie. I hope this gives you a little bit of moral support as you’re going through this yourself and can motivate you to give this whole CLEAN business a try!
