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Clean Program // Week 1

Cleam Program // livelovesimple.com

I had been hearing about The Clean Program for awhile. When I saw friends preparing to start the cleanse for a second time, I was convinced that the results must be worth it.

Over the last few years, I completed a Whole 30 program, I tried a Ketogenic diet for awhile, and most recently I embarked on a mostly raw, vegan lifestyle. My mostly raw, vegan lifestyle has been the best thing that I’ve done in terms of diet and I plan to stick with it for the rest of my life. However, after the holidays, I really slipped away a lot and mostly turned into about-half-the-time at best. I’ve been in a slump in terms of health and my main purpose for the cleanse was to get back on track and reset my body.

The Clean Program has a few focuses. Each day you have 3 meals — a shake for breakfast, a Clean-approved lunch, and a shake for dinner. During the cleanse, you leave a 12-hour window between the last thing you eat or drink and the first you take in. This sends the body a signal to go into deep detox mode. Your body knows that from 8PM to 8AM, it’s time to clean house. You also take several supplements each day, at each meal.

Clean Program

Clean Program

It’s a simple and easy-to-follow program. Presently I am on Day 11. I’ve stuck to the program nearly exclusively, with the exception of the weekend where I went off track slightly and had one cheat meal and a few glasses of wine between Friday and Saturday night. I am not beating myself up over the slip-up and instead I am focused on completing the remainder of the program to the best of my ability.

With that said, I’ve already experienced a lot of good through the program. I am sleeping more deeply. I have more energy, although admittedly I am missing my daily caffeinated tea. I have lost 6 pounds. And I am less bloated. I’ve also started exercising a little bit again, after a long-hiatus.

Clean Program

To help me kick off the cleanse, I kept a little journal each morning on days two through five. You can read my entries below.

Day 2: Tuesday, January 16th

It’s 8:19 am on Tuesday morning, the second day of my 21-Day Clean Program. I feel good. I don’t feel hungry or lethargic or any of the negative/detox reactions that I have felt on cleanses previously. It’s very early so they may come yet. If I do feel any difference at this point, it is some additional mental clarity. I am not sure if it is an actual side effect or if the program is making me more mindful in general, but either way, I appreciate the increased mental clarity. I usually feel foggy in the mornings until I have a cup of caffeinated tea. But I’ve had no tea this morning and I woke up feeling very clear-headed and ready to begin the day and be productive.

Clean Program

Yesterday went well for the most part. I followed the program all day, except that I did eat a few spoonfuls of the homemade macaroni & cheese that I made the kids for dinner. In hindsight, I am disappointed that I did it, but I am not going to beat myself up. The more important matter is why did I do it? I think it was stress at the end of the day, I was exhausted and overwhelmed, knowing that I had yet to get through dinner and bath time and bedtime. I am certain that this cleanse will show me just how often I eat something unhealthy not because I am hungry but because I am stressed.

Once again, I am giving myself grace, but I am also going to be more aware going forward. I will likely be tempted to eat whatever the kids are eating for dinner again today, so I will be prepared this time by making myself a cup of lavender tea to sip on while I prepare and serve their dinner.

I also started the “7 Days of Calm” program on the Calm App this morning. It was a simple 3 minute meditation on breathing and focusing. I plan to do the exercise each morning. Mornings are always hectic with three little ones running around and my big to-do list looming; but I am confident taking this time each morning to get my mind right will pay off.

Day 3: Wednesday, January 17th

The remainder of yesterday went well. It’s surprising to me that I haven’t felt hungry yet. I am eating way less than usual. I wonder if it has to do with all of the nutrition packed into the Clean Program shakes and supplements. I have, however, started to have cravings, mostly for cheese & potatoes — my two biggest weaknesses.

I have also found that I am drinking a lot more than usual, which is a good thing. Since I am not constantly shoving food in my mouth I am really noticing when I am thirsty and staying hydrated. I have a little paper taped up by my water filter to keep track of how many glasses of water I am drinking each day, aiming for at least 8.

I blended this morning’s shake with half an avocado, a scoop of raw cacao, a handful of frozen blueberries, and a handful of raw cashews. It was so good, but now I am so full!

I’ve been weighing myself each morning, which is probably not the best idea, but the initial weight loss that always comes at the beginning of a cleanse is so motivating. A little over 3 pounds down in just a couple of days. Weight loss wasn’t my main reason for doing this cleanse — resetting my body and getting back on track with my mostly raw, vegan lifestyle was — but it’s a nice side effect for sure. 😉

Clean Program

Day 4: Thursday, January 18th

I lost another pound as of this morning. I am down 4.2 pounds in 4 days which is interesting but not uncommon for cleanses.

I had another good day yesterday with the exception of sneaking about 6 tater tots off of the kids dinner plates. What is it with me and the kids’ dinner!? It’s such a stressful point in the day for me when I am completely exhausted but still faced with all of the chores that I need to get done before bedtime. Once again, I am not going to beat myself up, upward & onward.

I am not experiencing many detox symptoms yet at all. Overall, I feel good, but not much different than usual. I am hoping to see an increase in energy soon. I’ve given up caffeine on the program and I am sorely missing my mid-afternoon tea fix. I’m slightly less bloated than usual, which is to be expected.

I was extremely tempted to have a glass of wine last night. I also have some social occasions coming up this weekend that will involve drinking. I am trying to figure out if I should stick strictly to the program or allow myself to have 1 or 2 drinks. I haven’t made up my mind yet. Pros and cons either way, I suppose. Although at the moment I am leaning toward staying strict. My willpower is about to take a big test. We’ll see.

Clean Program

Day 5: Friday, January 19th

Yesterday, I finally started to experience a new detox symptom, a change in my digestion. This is may be a little TMI, but it’s important to discuss digestive health, uncomfortable though it may be. I usually have a bowel movement once a day, in the morning. Even before the cleanse I ate a mostly vegetarian, high-fiber, high-raw content diet; so being regular and going once a day, in the morning, wasn’t an issue for me. However, since starting the cleanse, I find that I am going twice or even three times in a day.

Other than the digestive changes, I don’t have much else to report. I am down 5.6 pounds. I am also seeing a big difference in my face, I’m a lot less bloated than I was before and my face looks less tired. I also think that I am sleeping more deeply at night. However, I am also sleeping a little less because I have to get up to use the bathroom since I am drinking so much during the day.

I had my first social drinking temptation yesterday and I managed to stay true to the program. I’ll have a bigger temptation tomorrow, and I still haven’t decided how I will handle it. It’s a girl’s night with some ladies that I’ve been wanting to spend time with for, literally, years. I want to have fun and relax. Yet, I am determined and enjoying the cleanse. I don’t want to mess it up. Once again, time will tell!

After Day 5, I stopped journaling as my entries were getting redundant. My detox symptoms have been fairly minimal because I already eat very clean. All of the things that I am eating on the cleanse are things that I already eat every day. However, the real benefits of the program are happening for me internally. With less energy dedicated to digesting and assimilating poor-quality foods, my body is redirecting its energy towards improving inner health. I am also experiencing a lot of “emotional symptoms” that I am not ready to speak on yet, as I am still processing them.

Today is my fourth day of Week 2 of my cleanse and I am excited to see my continued progress and to work though the next phases of this journey with strength and grace. I will update again soon. If you have any questions for me, leave them in the comments and I will address them in my next update.

If you are interested in trying out the program, use my referral link and you will get $50 off of your purchase.

Wishing you health & happiness–

Side note: This is not a sponsored post. I paid for this product and I have no affiliation with The Clean Program. Always consult your professional healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet or lifestyle.

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    Tired of Conflict Bringing You Down?

    Dealing With Conflict

    Conflict takes many forms—misunderstanding, frustration, ignorance, hatred, envy, and so on—but despite the cause, the result is largely the same: someone walks away with hurt feelings.

    The truth is, however, that this is not necessary. You can choose to be unaffected by conflict. It is not an easy thing to accomplish. You have, after all, lived your life believing that conflict equals pain. But with practice & patience you can learn to live above conflict in a place of true peace.

    “True peace can not be disturbed by gain or loss.”

    The reason that conflict hurts us is because we allow it to. Most pain comes from another person(s) or from our own minds. The key to being unaffected by conflict is to understand that anything that another person says to us (out of anger, frustration, etc.) is actually a reflection of her feelings about herself and is rooted in fear. Likewise, anything that our mind says to us (self-criticism, self-hatred, etc.) is also rooted in fear. All forms of discomfort—sadness, anxiety, worry, rage, hatred, envy, and so on—are rooted in fear.

    When you accept that angry words are actually reflections of fear, it makes them much less painful to tolerate. Even the angriest and most cruel of arguments is based in fear & insecurity.

    For example, you have a large project due at work. You bring it into your boss’s office an hour prior to the deadline. She notices that it is riddled with errors. Her face turns red and she begins to scream. “You idiot! How could you be so stupid? This is unacceptable. I can not believe I ever hired you. Get out!”

    On one hand, you are devastated. Her words have stung you at your core. You are insulted, sad, angry, afraid. But if you really stop to analyze the situation, why do you think she acted this way? Most likely, she is afraid. Most likely, she is terrified about the way that your “failure” is going to reflect on her. After all, wasn’t it her who hired you, gave you this assignment, failed to give you proper instruction, and so on? What will her boss think when she turns this project into him? Her explosion was based in fear.

    Another example, it is Saturday afternoon and you are sitting on the couch. Your husband comes in the door and notices that you have not swept the floors. He begins to speak angrily, “Haven’t you swept the floors? Didn’t you see this dirt? You’ve been so lazy recently.” You are crushed and devastated. How could he be so mean? But then again, you stop and analyze. The lawn is not mowed, the gutters are uncleaned, there are piles of crap strewn about the yard. Your husband is insecure about all of his unfinished chores and is projecting his self-frustration onto you. His remarks were based in fear and insecurity.

    If you take the time to truly analyze, you will find that almost every conflict is rooted in fear. Therefore, the vast majority of hurtful things that are ever said to you actually have absolutely nothing to do with you. This is an incredibly liberating concept (not to be confused with the rare scenario when you are actually wrong by the way). Still, just because the other person’s (or even your own self-inflicted) anger is based in fear, that still doesn’t make it right. Yes, perhaps both your boss and your husband were entirely out of line. It is alright for you to tell them so, but what is more important is the way that you process the conflict within yourself.

    Most people internalize the conflict. In any case, you take what was said and push it deep within yourself. Perhaps you believe the other person words. “Yes, I am lazy, stupid, ugly, etc.” The conflict turns into emotional pain and festers within you eventually becoming depression, anxiety, and so on. But as I mentioned at the start, none of that is necessary.

    You must accept the conflict (words) for what they are—someone else’s (or even your own mind’s) fears and insecurities. Fear is nothing to be afraid of or affected by. Most fear is completely unnecessary (read more about that).

    After the conflict, words, and judgments have passed, simply allow all of it to pass through and around you like water or air. Understand that it is something outside of you, that has nothing to do with you at all. It is not inside of you, it did not come from you, and you do not have to absorb it. Simply let it pass and then move on.

    Holding onto the pain of conflict is insane and unnatural. What do the birds do after the great storm has passed? They sing, of course! You will never hear the birds singing so sweetly and so loudly as they do after the storm has passed and the sun shines again. They do not mourn the broken nest, the wet feathers, or the lost supper. They simply sing and praise the light in gratitude. They rejoice that the sun has come again.

    In his book, The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment, Eckhart Tolle talks about his observation of duck fights. Two ducks approach one another. They squawk in anger for mere seconds. Then they turn away from one another, flap their great wings a few times, and swim on as if it never happened. This is true wisdom, true peace, in action. There is so much that we can learn from this simple observation.

    There is really no need to hold onto anger or discomfort. There is really no need to suffer. In life, you will find many reason to suffer. But a good reason to suffer, you will never find. Let conflicts pass through and around you. Do not hold onto them. You will almost always find that it never has anything to do with you anyway.

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