Ultimate Reset Day 9 Review - Emotional Eating

I had an epiphany this morning.  It's day 9 of our Ultimate Reset journey, and I am no longer craving food out of comfort or boredom.

I never used to be an emotional eater, but over the last couple of years...responsibilities of life started to add up, the kids tweak my nerves sometimes, and food is just so comforting!  Whenever I felt stressed or anxious, I found myself craving more sweets.  The more stressed I was...the more likely I'd give into my cravings.

Now that it's day 9, I feel a sense of calm and peace - maybe from no caffeine? ha!  I feel like I'm dealing with the daily ups and downs of life much easier, and I'm no longer turning to emotional eating - FOOD for comfort.  I'm learning how to think of food as FUEL instead, and I'm facing little life issues and feeling totally resilient.  I like this internal change!

Today's breakfast:  Fruit plate - Cantaloupe and Kiwi!

Hubby, on the other hand, is missing MEAT!!  He's also having vivid dreams about missing meat! LOL  He's not thrilled about this week, but he's actually in good spirits!

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I'm getting to the point where I really look forward to yoga these days.  Today's Yoga was called "Relax", and it was 25min of light yoga moves with stretching and meditation.  

Try 3 Week Yoga Retreat HERE for free.  And, don't mind my hair...it's a hot mess :p

Today's lunch:  1/2 serving of Pinto beans and rice and Microgreen salad.  (PS - I accidentally typed "pinot" instead of "pinto" and felt a little sad lol)

Tonight's dinner:  Roasted red pepper sweet potato bisque with asparagus with toasted almonds.

Definitely one of our favorites!  We had to find the miso paste at our local health food store, and I had a little trouble peeling the skin off of the bell pepper (as the recipe directed) so I threw the dang thing in my Nutribullet (lol), but it still came out amazing!!  Hubby gave the stamp of approval on the asparagus AND the bisque!  Ours came out a little thick - next time I will use less sweet potato, and if it's still thick...add a little vegetable broth or water to thin it out!

Ta - dahhhh!

How I feel:  Honestly, I haven't felt better!  I feel an overwhelming sense of happiness, and although I'm a pretty happy person, I have my moments where I feel like I'm in a FUNK.  Don't we all?  This program is so much more than just weight loss <3

Stay tuned for my Day 10 Review...

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Ultimate Reset Day 8 Review - Can I Lose Weight on The Ultimate Reset?

Phase 1 Results are in...I'm down 6.4lbs and Nick (who has Hashimoto's / Hypothyroidism) is down 8lbs!!  Not too shabby for 7 days :)

Yes...you CAN lose weight on The Ultimate Reset!  However, I want to note that this program was not designed as a weight loss program.  

This program was designed to fully cleanse and detox the body so it starts functioning the way its supposed to:  

• Better digestion
• Energy without caffeine (the type of energy you used to wake up with as a child)
• Clearer skin
• Better mood
• Regulated hormones
• Clear thinking (no more foggy brain)
• The list goes on...

A BONUS happens to be weight loss!

I have to admit...weight loss was one of my goals going into this.  I've been feeling like my hormones are a bit "off" which is making it more difficult to lose weight.  I felt like my body needed a fresh start.  I can't remember the last time I lost over 2lbs in one week...let alone 6.4lbs!  And, as you see from my previous daily updates...I've been eating a LOT of food!

This program is perfect for anyone who feels like weight loss has been a struggle - maybe your body needs a fresh start too.  Or, anyone who is overweight and is limited to the exercise they are able to do - this program would be the perfect weight loss --clean up your nutrition-- jumpstart.  I've had challengers in my online accountability groups who have lost 10-30lbs in 21 days following this plan.  If you're struggling, you should give it a try!

Today's breakfast:  Fruit plate - Apples and peaches!

Lots of salads this week!  So, I'm prepping ahead for the next couple of days!

Today's lunch:  You guessed it...Microgreen salad.  This time, with 1/4 avocado.  I'm not too into avocados, but they are healthy (filling) fats, and a salad alone would NOT fill me up.  So, I cut them up in tiny pieces, and they were ok - they added a little creaminess to the salad.  I made the Basic Vinaigrette dressing, and we didn't like it so I'll be making the Creamy Garlic dressing again tomorrow!

Totally thought about skipping yoga today...

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BUT...I know how much BETTER I feel after it's over...hello endorphins!! <3  Try 3 Week Yoga Retreat HERE for free!

Tonight's dinner:  Pinto Beans and rice with zucchini.  

The recipe called for steamed zucchini with EVOO, but I chose to saute' it because that's how we prefer it!  I'm not a big fan of beans or rice, so this wasn't my favorite meal...but it's food so I ate it. lol

Pinto Beans, Brown Rice, and Zucchini

We even got the kids in on this meal.  We encouraged them to TRY each side and finish one or the other and they could have a small lollipop (something Ayla brought home from school).  Maddox (our 4yr old) loved the pinto beans and rice and kept calling the zucchini "bikinis" lol...and, then both kids started calling the zucchinis "kiwi" since they tried kiwi for the first time last night.  We're all having fun with this ;)

PS- I always keep something familiar on the kids' plates.  Less new food anxiety this way ;)

Kids meal - Pinto Beans and Rice, Zucchini, and Dinosaur Chicken Nuggets ;)

And, of course I made enough for leftovers!

How I'm feeling:  I'm surprised this really hasn't been hard for me...yet!  Energy is good, I'm no longer bloated, and I feel like I'm really leaning out in my rib cage / belly area.  I can't believe I don't miss meat at ALL!  I haven't eaten red meat since I was 12yrs old.  This plan is making me realize I'm just not a big meat eater in general.  

Stay tuned for my Day 9 Review... (and, thanks for reading and holding me accountable!)

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Ultimate Reset Day 7 Review - Going Vegan

Today is officially the LAST day of phase 1!  This is exciting and pretty scary at the same time.  ISH is about to get REAL.  This upcoming week...we go VEGAN.  Basically, we cut out all animal proteins including meat, eggs, and dairy.

First things first - clean out the fridge!  I did keep some eggs, cheese, milk, and yogurt in the fridge for the kids, and I froze any meat we have...but everything else - gone!

Empty fridge - ready for some Vegan Goodies!

The kids are completely worn out little zombies today because they had such a fun day ice skating yesterday afternoon and slumber partying last night, so they helped me clean the house this morning (which looked like a BOMB went off in it) for a free ipad game, and they've been laying around the house all morning (#balance)...which means, I've had time to plan!  

Planning ahead for a successful week!

So, what do vegans eat?  Fruits, veggies, grains, and nuts!  It's all about being creative with veggies this week!  I'm ok with this because I love veggies, but I'm a little worried about hubby lol.  

Here is this week's meal plan:  I added an (optional) snack each day that we will eat only if we feel we need to.

This morning's breakfast:  Fruit plate with yogurt and 1tsp maple syrup - half of which I shared with my 4yr old because he thought it was just as yummy as I did ;)

Since lunch was supposed to be Zucchini cashew soup (which hubby LOVES) and microgreen salad... and hubby wasn't home for lunch, I just had a Vegan Shakeology mixed with water, and I plan to have the Zucchini cashew soup and microgreen salad tonight for dinner :)  It's Sunday, and I needed a break from making lunch since I have some prepping to do this evening!

Hubby is currently at the grocery store with a scavenger hunt list, and probably getting a little nervous that animal products are not on the list...lol...he's the best!  I do the meal planning and grocery list, he does the grocery shopping, and I prep and prepare the food.  We've got a system down at this point!  

Groceries for the next 4 days!

Tonight's dinner:  Zucchini cashew soup and Microgreen salad.  

We were supposed to have Tempeh with broccoli and brown rice.  I have not found a way to like tempeh - I just can't. And, I haven't found anyone who actually likes it either...so, skipping it <3

Zucchini Cashew Soup and Microgreen Salad

How I Feel:  I didn't experience any energy crashes today, and I've felt great all day!  I still miss my coffee, but my body is functioning way better without it.  My sleep has been amazing!  Still having weird, vivid dreams, but I can tell I'm sleeping much deeper.  Excited for Phase 2 of The Ultimate Reset!

Stay tuned for my Day 8 Review...

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Ultimate Reset Day 6 Review - Will The Ultimate Reset Clear up my Skin?

I woke up this morning, scratched my forehead, and my hand slid across my face - what's the deal with all of this oil?!?!  I feel like a grease monkey! ha!  I normally have combination skin, and I'm rarely oily, so something's up!  I googled and found that the skin is one of our biggest organs that excretes toxins and waste.  My body is detoxing.  Nick's skin is oily too, so we can be grease monkey's together ;)

I've had a few people ask me, "Will The Ultimate Reset help me clear up my skin?".  

I do think that most acne starts internally and works its way out.  The food you eat will reflect in your skin.  If your hormones are off, it will reflect in your skin.  So, while I can't guarantee The Ultimate Reset will clear up your skin, I can say I've had many people tell me their skin cleared up significantly during the Reset process.

Just remember...your skin will most likely get WORSE before it gets better.

When I started this cleanse...on Day 1, my skin was DRY and irritated.  I am prone to acne, rosacea, and eczema.  And, I was feeling like my hormones were off.  Days 1-4 of this cleanse, my skin broke out.  I knew my skin was purging toxins.  Now, it's soooo oily but looking less irritated.  I'm still breaking out a little, but I'm interested to see how my skin feels and looks on day 21!

Breakfast this morning:  Oats, apples, and 1/2 cup full fat greek yogurt with cinnamon.  To me, this is comfort food.  But, I know next week, no yogurt is allowed because next week our plan will not contain any animal proteins.  So, I'm fully enjoying this while I can!

Lunch was a little tricky today.  We agreed to watch Ayla's best friend overnight today so her daddy could propose to her mommy (she said YES!), so we are bring 3 kids to a birthday party today.  An ice skating party - with 3 kids who have never ice skated, and neither have I!! Ah!  Since we were short on time, and we are allowed to substitute Vegan Shakeology as breakfast in phases 1 and 2 of this plan, we figured today it would be ok to substitute Vegan Shakeology for lunch.  Quick, easy, and tasted like dessert!

The pizza struggle at the birthday party was SO REAL you guys!!  And, cupcakes...oh my!  Oh...and, see how greasy my face is???  And, this is after a shower this morning!

We got home, famished, and ready for a snack!  These carrots and hummus tasted like the best thing I've ever had in my life! ha!

So, while the kids ate their dinner and had ice cream afterwards (must resist temptation!), I prepared our dinner.

Tonight's dinner:  Roasted Root Medley and Zucchini Cashew soup. 

This is another one of our favorite recipes from the Reset that we would eat on any given day of the week.  Especially the Zucchini cashew soup - SO GOOD!  It tastes like a bisque.  Make sure you don't bring this soup to a boil or it will taste a little frothy.  I like to heat it as much as possible since I only like soup HOT, but I serve right before it starts to boil.  I also use basil, himalayan salt, black pepper, and garlic powder to season.  Hubby LOVES this soup!  To me, the Roasted root medley tastes like dessert - sweet potato fry chunks <3

And, it looks pretty, right??

Before baking

Roasted Root Medley and Zucchini Cashew Soup

How I feel:  Today was a challenge (a true TEST) because we were off our normal schedule, but we made it work.  I'm loving the natural energy I'm having!  I was able to keep up with 3 crazy kids today at a birthday party and a sleepover at our house AND resist pizza, cupcakes, and ice cream.  We didn't get our yoga in today, BUT we DID walk the entire mall for an hour and 1/2 in search of a leopard robe because that's what the 8yr old birthday girl asked for ;)

Stay tuned for my Day 7 Review...

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Ultimate Reset Day 5 Review - Vivid Dreams

I'm not even sure where I left off on my Day 4 post last night...I had a migraine from hell and really felt like throwing in the towel.  I had to sleep it off.  

Speaking of sleep, I had THEE weirdest dreams last night!  I remember the same thing happening when we did the Reset last year.  Bizarre, very vivid dreams.  I guess it's part of the detoxification process.  Crazy, right?  Our 4yr old came in our room saying he was having nightmares at 2am.  I vaguely remember telling him to grab his blanket and pillow while I grabbed a papasan chair cushion for him to sleep on in our bedroom - I was knocked out!  I think I pretty much slept through all of it, and hubby didn't even wake up when he came in our room.  I can tell we are sleeping much deeper than usual.  I suffer from insomnia.  I wake up in the middle of the night often and it effects my energy levels and mood the next day, so this is pretty big for me. :)

I woke up at 5:20am without an alarm and with energy!  I just started reading the book, Miracle Morning, yesterday...so, I felt inspired to wake up at 5:30am and see how productive I could be!  I checked in with my challengers in my online accountability groups, wrote a blog post, got the kids ready for school, packed my 7yr old's lunch and helped her with a spelling review, cleaned our entire house, made our Day 5 breakfast, and put on my workout clothes...all before 8am.  Hubby said, "you're wayyy too over the top for ME this morning" lol.  He's feeling groggy today like I was yesterday.

So, basically, I feel great today!  Hoping this continues throughout the day!

Today's Breakfast:  One of my favorite recipes during the Reset - Farina (cream of wheat) with diced apples, walnuts, and maple syrup.  Hubby said he was much happier after eating it.  Comfort food. <3

And, didn't skip yoga today :)  I never thought I'd like yoga, and I'm clearly still a beginner, and some of the moves are a little uncoordinated and uncomfortable, BUT I love that I can FEEL the endorphins after the workout is over.  Or, maybe that's just that my body is much more in tune to endorphins now that it's rid itself of caffeine, processed foods, and other toxins.  

The 3 Week Yoga Retreat is a beginners program (try it HERE for free), and I'm a beginner (in Yoga), so don't critique my poses :p

Lunch today:  Suprise!  Tacos lol.  I thought yesterday was the last day of tacos, but I guess I was wrong.  We were supposed to eat the quinoa salad, but last time we did the Reset, that was one of the meals we made and just couldn't eat!  We still had some rice, beans, and corn prepped, but we had to dice new tomatoes and onions since organic veggies don't last very long in the fridge!  I am sick of tacos at this point, but I added some avocado and made the best of it.  Food = fuel, right? ;)

Cheers with our "green juice" - Alkalinize - not yummy. lol

Alkalinize reduces the acidity within the body - CHEERS!

4pm rolled around, and my energy crashed!  It's also my time of the month, so I kinda want to eat the whole house!  A snack was 100% necessary today.  And, I added 1tsp of maple syrup even though I was supposed to add cinnamon...because, like I said, it's my time of the month - so, I'm doing my best! ;)

It's funny how much happier and patient I am after I eat ;) #nolongerHANGRY

Tonight's Dinner:  Stir fried veggies with brown rice and miso soup.  Hubby and I are both pretty OVER rice, but we are sticking with it! :)

How I'm Feeling:  No headaches all day, pretty sustained energy (except before snack time), and feeling overall happy! :)

Stay tuned for my Day 6 post...

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Ultimate Reset Day 4 Review - What do your Kids Eat while you're on the Reset?

It's Day 4, and everyone is still happy in this house! ;)

This morning, I woke up at 6:15am wide awake and ready for the day without coffee - whhaaatttt???  And, Nick is feeling so good he went golfing today!  I feel a sense of peace after hearing Ayla had an amazing first day of school with her new teacher - I know I made the right choice switching her.

I had a few people on my Facebook page asking me, "What do your kids eat while you're doing The Ultimate Reset?"

This is an interesting question because the kids are pretty used to eating 80% healthy throughout the week (I do give them some treats...they are KIDS!).  During the Reset, I pretty much know which foods they WILL eat and which foods they will NOT eat lol.  

There is clearly a LOT of food prep that goes into this plan, so I definitely do not want to cook 2 separate dinners every single night.  On the days/nights when all of OUR food is already prepped, it's easy for me to make them a separate meal and make enough for leftovers.  Crockpot meals are the easiest!  

In the mornings, they usually like a healthy cereal, a waffle with peanut butter, or a piece of whole wheat toast with peanut butter and banana.  They eat lunch at school.

This week, their dinners have consisted of:

• Prepped chicken crockpot meal with veggies (froze leftovers for next week)
• Southwestern Tacos from the reset (I give them regular taco shells and some cheese)
• A lunchable (hey, I'm human lol)
• Tonight, they are having a rotisserie chicken, carrots with Bolthouse yogurt based dressing, and potatoes
• Friday night, we will order them pizza
• They eat fruit for dessert, and right now...we have LOTS of it!

They are happy.  We are happy.  We are making it work :)  

Am I tempted by their food?  

Not at this point.  Phase 1 includes a LOT of filling food.  I'll let you know how I feel on pizza night, but right now I'm doing ok! ;)

Today's Breakfast:  Fruit plate with 3/4 cup Organic full fat greek yogurt and 1 tsp pure maple syrup.

This seriously tasted like CANDY today <3

For lunch, I subsituted the Nori Rolls again (with a half portion of the Southwestern Tacos).  Why?  #1- because I had a friend tell me they are a nightmare to make lol, and #2- because I know next week, no more tacos! :(  And, I also made the Day 4 Lentil Salad.  I'm not sure how I felt about it.  I heard people say you either love it or you hate it.  And, I'm still undecided lol!  It's very different. I say..if you're willing to spend the time to make each meal...TRY EVERYTHING.  You never know what you're going to like or dislike.  Hubby and I actually still make some of the recipes we learned from the Ultimate Reset.  You never know until you try...

PS- I could NOT finish all of this food!  This program tells you to eat until you're comfortably full.  If it's too much food, don't eat it all.  If you're still really hungry...eat a little more.  This is not a calorie restricting "weight loss" program.  It's a total body cleanse / reset.  A BONUS for majority of people after flushing all toxins and eating super clean foods is...weight loss.

Tacos again :))))

Lentil Salad

Oh gosh...I should have had a snack today because around 4pm, I hit a WALL.  We picked up the kids from school at 3:30pm, and Nick had some homes to show a client (he's a realtor), the kids were wired and tired, and we had to sit in the car for an hour until he finished!  My headache started creeping back.  I thought I was finished with the headaches!  When we got home, I couldn't make dinner SOON enough.  Luckily everything was chopped and prepped because hubby and I were soooo hungry, headachey, and irritable!

They are cray cray...all of them!

Tonight's dinner:  Stir fried veggies with quinoa (I used prepped rice because I didn't feel like taking the time to make quinoa!).  I'm kind of sick of rice at this point, but the veggies were good!  This recipe is actually what taught me how to make the perfect stir fry.  Hot pan, broccoli first, then carrots, then zucchini, onions, and peppers.  I do think this recipe calls for a LOT of oil (I usually don't use nearly this much when I make stir fry off of the The Ultimate Reset), but I know it's probably to keep you satiated, and I was all about wanting to feel FULL so I used #alltheoil :)

Stir Fried Veggies with Brown Rice

How I feel:  Tonight was the first night I questioned whether or not we can finish this thing!  My headache was worse than Day 1 and Day 2, and I literally had NO patience.  I felt emotional for no reason, and I just wanted dessert and wine!! lol  That's it for tonight...ready to sleep off this headache ...again.  Oh, and I skipped yoga today!

I can do this...I can do this...I can do hard things.

Stay tuned for my Day 5 post...

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Ultimate Reset Day 3 Review - Why Meal Prepping is KEY

It's officially Day 3!!  

I woke up this morning soooo groggy.  And, FULL of anxiety because after 3 weeks of dealing issues at school, I had to wake up at 5:30am to get ready, drive my 7yr old to school, and walk her into a new classroom to meet her new teacher she's switching to 4 weeks into the new school year.  Not ideal, but the switch will be worth it!  And, still...no coffee.  So, I had to meet the teacher without my brain, basically. ;)

HOWEVER...I woke up 2.2lbs lighter which is crazy because this honestly feels like I'm eating a lot of food!

Breakfast today looks a lot like our Day 1 Breakfast:  2 Scrambled Eggs, Spinach, and Ezekial English Muffin - I made it an open faced sandwich today.

3 Week Yoga Retreat was exactly what I needed to ease some of my nerves today.  Last time we did The Ultimate Reset, we chose not to workout.  I remember muscle aches and flu-like symptoms on Day 3 last time around...and, today I feel amazing so far!  And, my mind is much more at peace.

Lunch was simple today because everything was PREPPED.  This is exactly why I spent so much time prepping the other day.  The last thing you feel like doing during this cleanse is being in the kitchen for HOURS daily - I learned that the first time around.  If you missed my prepping post, click here.

Lunch today:  Microgreen salad (again) and Miso Soup.  I know there will come a point where I get sick of this yummy salad, but for now...I'm happy my belly is full!

I bought the Miso Soup on Amazon after having a hard time finding the right kind at a local store.  This soup was so easy to make!  Pour 6oz of hot water on top of a cube, stir, and add some fresh chives - DONE!  I love easy! ;)

I did sneak in the "optional" snack today because I was hungry...andddd because I was craving something sweet :)

1/2 cup Organic Full Fat Greek Yogurt with 1/3 cup Raspberries with a speck of maple syrup - SO GOOD!  I already notice my tastebuds are changing.  Everything tastes so good and so much sweeter!

For Dinner, we used our prepped rice, beans, corn, and pico to make the Southwestern Tacos again. Since I'm replacing the Nori Rolls (sushi) with Miso Soup meal, I'm going to make sure my portions of "chips" and rice are a bit smaller (cut in half) since the Nori Rolls have a little less starchy carbs.  And, I'm adding Miso Soup.  I know I may not be following the plan to a TEE, but I do think it's important to make this cleanse fit within your life.  This is easier for me to prep, and I'm not forcing hubby to eat anything he doesn't like.  Win-win.

Oh, and same supplements for this entire week!  You can view more about the supplements (Mineralize, Optimize, Alkalinize, and Soothe) and what they do within my Day 1 post.

How I'm Feeling:  I had a small energy crash mid-afternoon, but my energy picked back up right after dinner!  Now that my body is adjusting to no caffeine, I can actually FEEL energy from food which is pretty cool ;)  And, my headaches are G-O-N-E!!!!

Stay tuned for my Day 4 post... :)  What do my KIDS eat during the Reset??

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