I don't know what it is with me and cleanses, but right around day 3, I seem to hop from the go-for-it-100% ship to the go-ahead-and-indulge boat.
That's totally what happened last time I did the Conscious Cleanse, and you can bet your beer-drinkin' dollars on which day I cracked this time. I kicked off the 14-day journey on a Sunday night, and by Wednesday afternoon, I was cheersin' Pils on a boat:
That's totally what happened last time I did the Conscious Cleanse, and you can bet your beer-drinkin' dollars on which day I cracked this time. I kicked off the 14-day journey on a Sunday night, and by Wednesday afternoon, I was cheersin' Pils on a boat:
BUT GUESS WHAT?!?!
I didn't beat myself up about it. And I by no means threw in the towel.
I texted my husband when I saw the drink menu and said, "Oh, man...mama needs a beer, today. What happens on the water stays on the water. LOL!"
He replied, "80:20."
Now THAT'S a CC mindset I can get on board with, and one that I'd obviously updated my other half on.
80:20 is the long-term lifestyle theory that Conscious Cleansers are encouraged to live by after the cleanse, and in fact, Jo + Jules JUST launched an ongoing membership based on this very thing.
"Eat and live consciously at least 80% of the time. Then throw any notion of deprivation out the window the other 20%!"
I didn't beat myself up about it. And I by no means threw in the towel.
I texted my husband when I saw the drink menu and said, "Oh, man...mama needs a beer, today. What happens on the water stays on the water. LOL!"
He replied, "80:20."
Now THAT'S a CC mindset I can get on board with, and one that I'd obviously updated my other half on.
80:20 is the long-term lifestyle theory that Conscious Cleansers are encouraged to live by after the cleanse, and in fact, Jo + Jules JUST launched an ongoing membership based on this very thing.
"Eat and live consciously at least 80% of the time. Then throw any notion of deprivation out the window the other 20%!"
Cake (and champagne) AND good health, too? AMEN.
I'm not meant for hard-core cleansing, but rather detox dabbling. After a few days of resetting, I just don't have the will power to keep going 100%, at least at this point in my life.
I'm anti-deprivation and all for indulgence in moderation.
Yes, one of my goals was to actually make it the whole 14 days without booze, caffeine, gluten and all that bad stuff our bodies are naturally addicted to, but here were some other intentions:
I'm not meant for hard-core cleansing, but rather detox dabbling. After a few days of resetting, I just don't have the will power to keep going 100%, at least at this point in my life.
I'm anti-deprivation and all for indulgence in moderation.
Yes, one of my goals was to actually make it the whole 14 days without booze, caffeine, gluten and all that bad stuff our bodies are naturally addicted to, but here were some other intentions:
- DISCOVER SOME NEW FOODS + RECIPES
That, I did. Oven Roasted Chicken with Lemony Green Beans and Turnips has become a Sunday Night Special in the Stueven Flat. The Cucumber Radish Salad is delisssh and got me buying radishes at the store for the first time. Because I was in the mindset of trying new things, we even tried out a common German vegetable that we never saw in the States: Kohlrabi. The hubs made them into fritters (Ahem, flour and eggs are on the "no-fly" list, but we couldn't resist sneaking them in!), of course, but, HEY! They were joined by baked cod and zucchini pasta. Boom. 80:20. - GET BACK INTO DRINKING LEMON WATER
I'll get out of your way and let this article do the talking: 20 reasons you should drink lemon water every morning.
- GET INTO A GREEN SMOOTHIE GROOVE
Almost every time I've bought lettuce here in Germany, I've found a smorgasbord of mini winged creatures in my greens. The anti-pesticide part of me is pleased, but the germophobe gets grumpy. SO, this was a good exercise in facing those little buggers once and for all. Plus, drinking a green smoothie a day can change your life. And when you find your favorite combo, all the edible stars align.
Here's a ton of green smoothies to choose from.
Here's one of my faves.
- LAY OFF THE GLUTEN 'N' DAIRY, BRIT
This is not an easy feat in a place where cake is an afternoon tradition, the smell of fresh bread is billowing from almost everywhere, ice cream cones are as common as purses and people are practically bubble-bathing in the frothiest, fluffiest cappuccinos.
I didn't COMPLETELY lay off these things, but I definitely cut back and noticed a HUGE difference in how I felt. Much more energy. Clearer skin. Calm. Smiling when I didn't realize it.
>>> Um, speaking of COD. Do you know how much cod THE ROCK consumes in a YEAR? Go get your jaw dropped.
It's all about self-love, people.
And because I'd already gone through the cleanse in the fall with the INCREDIBLE coaches and community that come with, I already knew that it's better to build something you can sustain, rather than crash and burn...to pick yourself up with love and pay attention to how certain food and drink choices make you FEEL.
The encouraging voices from last time replayed in my head, especially as new folks buzzed about their guilt and cheats:
Each experience we have with food is just an opportunity to connect back with ourselves and learn more about who we are.
Remember this is not about perfection, but picking yourself up with so much love and learning from your experiences.
My perspectives + slacking aside, there were TONS of people feeling AND seeing INCREDIBLE benefits of staying strong for those 14 days and they were just getting started. They weren't ready to return to their ways. They were changed people, inside and out. WOW. I commend them.
There really is a method to this cleansing madness. There's a divine place that awaits after all the headaches, bloating and cravings are left in the dust. It REALLY does pay off, whether you see and feel it for yourself or witness it in the Facebook group.
Maybe one day I'll reap those divine benefits myself. Until then, mama's gonna be over here on the 80:20 boat, havin' her champagne and espresso...in moderation, of course.
Maybe one day I'll reap those divine benefits myself. Until then, mama's gonna be over here on the 80:20 boat, havin' her champagne and espresso...in moderation, of course.