The first 100 days: A journey to health and wellness.
Day #7
LAST DAY OF DETOX!!!! :happy dance:
***Week #1 summary***
Kristen lost a total of 7 lbs.
Sean lost a total of 10 lbs.
Here is a Q & A about our detox experience:
What did you most enjoy about the 7- day food detox?
Sean:
This week has been a fantastic learning experience. I have learned a lot about nutrition and myself. I never thought I could go so long without coffee, diet soda, bread (carbs in general) and meat. I thought I was wired differently and that I NEEDED all of these things or my body would shut down.
I enjoyed and was surprised by how good I felt. Although I was cranky at times the first 2.5 days, the latter half of day 3 thru 7 my mood was great.
Kristen:
I enjoyed eating healthy and feeling much better! I learned so much in just this past week about food in general, what it does to our bodies and how we respond.
What did you least enjoy?
Sean:
The 1st day was not good for me, I believe I was experiencing caffeine withdrawal. Dr. Sferra advised me before hand to cut back on the coffee and diet soda but I was hard headed. I do miss other foods, I don’t feel like I crave them but I am looking forward to the “cheat” days/meals.
Kristen:
The first 2 days of the detox I was at home. The hardest part of all of this is being so disciplined when I’m in the real world. It was hard watching co-workers, friends and family eat “normal” food. However, I didn’t crave (too much) the foods they were eating and the food that I was allowed to eat did keep me full and satisfied.
Would you do it again?
Sean:
Absolutely. I think I may do this every 4 months. I feel great and it will help keep me on track.
Kristen:
YES!!! Without a question. I think it’s a good thing to do a few times a year to remind yourself of why we are eating healthy and clean.
Healthy food can be expensive, how much did the food cost this week?
Nutrient packed protein powder that is offered at NMR for $55.00 (The cost is $70-80.00 elsewhere).
Fruits and vegetables cost – $110.00
Almonds and pine nuts – $20.00
We ate 5 times per day. 3 meals, 2 snacks and 2 protein shakes with 2 meals.
>>Cost per person – $92.50
>>Cost per person, per day $13.20
Research shows that the average American spends $150.00 per week on food (includes groceries, meals at restaurants, coffee, etc.)
Tip for buying produce: We needed LOTS of fruits and veggies for the week. We shopped around at grocery stores, farmers markets and Costco. We found that Costco had the best prices for the amount we needed. We bought fresh veggies but bought frozen organic fruit because it was more affordable than fresh fruit and since they were needed for our protein smoothies, it was perfect.
What advice would you give to someone who is interested in the 7 – day detox?
- Cut back your caffeine intake before starting. Kristen cut back her caffeine over 2 weeks before starting the detox where Sean waited until the detox to cut out caffeine.
- Know that the first few days are a little rough and takes some getting used to, but the reward is worth the effort!
Healthy salads don’t have to be boring. Add lots of ingredients. We like a salad with: green leaf mix, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, tomatoes, avocado, toasted pine nuts and 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Delicious.
- Vegetable dinners don’t have to be boring either. Throw in some garlic and mushrooms and onions.
What advice would you give to someone who would like to begin their own journey to health and wellness?
Make an appointment for a consultation with Dr. Sferra. If you are not local ask for help. Seek out a trusted and respected nutritionist who will help you reach your health goals. Remove the word diet from your vocabulary, diets are temporary and are usually unsuccessful. If someone asks me if I’m dieting, I say “No, I am changing my eating lifestyle.”
Kristen, give us a female perspective. Was there any difference in your mood, cravings and comfort level (abdominal cramps and other pains) during your monthly this week?
Kristen:
I felt great during detox! Sean pointed it out to me (many times) that I wasn’t moody like I tend to be a few days before I get my period. I didn’t have any cravings (not even chocolate), surprisingly. As I said before, my cramps were minimal. Usually I need to use a heating pad to reduce the pain, this week it bothered me but it wouldn’t say my cramps were painful or uncomfortable.
This may be considered TMI (too much information) but this information could benefit the women in your life. We want the women in our lives to be healthy and we want them HAPPY!
What’s next?
Check back tomorrow.
If you have any questions for Kristen or Sean, you can message them on the NMR Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/NaturalMedicineRehabilitation
