This is a long one… but i think it’s important to provide a thorough review!!!
Before…
I think I have been researching cleanses for 2 years. I have read about them all, juice cleanses, elimination diets, even an egg cleanse? I didn’t know where to turn, and I found most of them disheartening because they require little to no actual eating for a prolonged period of time.
I already don’t eat enough foods due to dietary restrictions, why would I want to restrict myself to less food! The thought of NOT eating for days and just drinking juices scared me even more. I’ve seen plenty of people who have great results… but have I mentioned before that I’m a “texture” person? I like crunch and chewing.
When I was in Vegas recently, I heard about the launch for the 3-Day Refresh. It is a 3 day cleanse that combines the usage of Shakes and small meals. Not only was this a 3 days (who can’t do something for 3 days??) cleanse, but it also had food integrated into the plan! I could eat!
Here’s what I knew about the cleanse going in…
It is meant to be a jump start that will not only help you lose weight but also provide you some real life experience with healthier eating habits.
Unlike other cleanses, where the weight comes creeping back on, this one was created different. Most juice cleanses tax your organs, do a number on your metabolism and leave you feeling upset regardless of the results. Heck, I would think not eating for days would do a number on my emotions! Have you ever seen a Hangry girl??
The 3-Day Refresh was scientifically designed to do just this opposite of a normal cleanse. It was formulated to detoxify and cleanse, while also supporting your metabolism. No internal battles necessary. You eat, nutritious whole foods during the process to re-energize your organs. Because of the science behind it, you should not only lose weight, but feel better because your body is functioning more efficiently.
Interest peaked… so what does it mean? What do I have to do?
The plan is simple, follow the exact same diet guidelines for 3 days! 3 Shakes a day, one fiber drink, loads of filtered water, 3 small meals and plenty of fruits and veggies to snack on through the day.
Now, here’s a small confession, I’m a review snob. I have to be. I work in healthcare, who has willy nilly amounts of $$ to go spend on things without seeing people’s results and real life experiences. So after leaving Vegas, I sort of lurked for a while. I know that sounds creepy… but not really! I just kept my eyes on my teammates results, reviews about the taste of the products… etc.
After 2 weeks of seeing people’s results, I just had to try it for myself. It seemed like the average loss was 3 lbs, 3 inches in 3 days.
Now, I know most of you are thinking? What 3 lbs does Eiren have to lose?
When I was prepping for Vegas I was eating a SUPER restricted diet! Chicken and Sweet potatoes, egg whites, and that was pretty much IT!! I was leaning down for that Classic. (Must write a review on that experience too?)
When I got home, I got much more relaxed about my diet. My workouts were still killer, I got in that habit before I left. However, I was doing great during the workday… breakfast through lunch I gave myself gold stars. However, I found that I was snacking on a protein bar on the ride home. Did I need the ENTIRE bar? No. When I got home, first thing I did was open the pantry and grab a handful of tortilla chips. Then I’d do my afternoon workout. Then, not even a half hour before dinner, I would grab a small bowl of more tortilla chips, some baby carrots and asparagus, throw some shredded vegan cheese on and eat a mini bowl of nachos. Not even 45 minutes later I would be eating a gigunda bowl of veggies and protein for dinner. And some nights, I found that I was even eating another handful of tortilla chips. SIGH… In 4 weeks I put on 5 lbs. When you’re barely pushing 5’1, any lb makes a difference.
I thought, going into this, it would be a great wake up call for me. Get out of your head Eiren. Not only reset your body, but reset your mind.
So I pressed Add to basket.
During…
I decided to start my cleanse on Monday, 7/21. I figured Monday’s were good. No weekend distractions, and I am always WAY more structured during the work week.
I wasn’t feeling great all weekend, had the chills and body aches, but I thought I would push on. I can wish myself well!
- DAY 1
Monday morning, I got up, drank 8 oz of water and then did my normal workout – P90X3 Accelerator.
After, I made my Shakeology “pudding” with mixed berries (through the plan) and then drank 16 oz of water to make up for the rest of the water I should have drank in the shake (I’m not a huge fan of shakes in the morning, so I improvised). I also had a very small, less than a cup, of coffee. Caffeine is discouraged, but I get up so early and it’s part of my day… so I figured a ½ a cup wouldn’t kill me!
By about 9 am, I started to get a little hungry, so I figured it was no time like the present to try the Fiber Sweep. Duh Duh Doh! What would this entail?? It wasn’t so bad! I mixed it up in my shaker at work with some cold water. I definitely think I would have benefit from a blender though. Apparently my guns aren’t as great as I thought. I was worried that I would be running to the bathroom though… nope.
I still wasn’t feeling great though, still had the chills through the day… I had meetings all afternoon, so I went down to the gym and did a half of a workout of arms thinking that I would sweat out whatever was nagging me. Didn’t work!
Lunch was a creative idea that I got… I decided on Sunday to make my Vanilla Fresh into a creation and then drink the water again like I did for the breakfast. I made #strangebutgood from Sprint2theTable jicama porridge! It was amazing! I added some cinnamon and ginger spices (free foods on the cleanse) and ½ an apple for some crunch. Amazingly delic!
At this point, I wasn’t hungry at all by my usual 3 pm snack attack. But I ate anyways. I had baby carrots and hummus.
By dinner, I knew I had my Vanilla Refresh to drink again, and I was trying to think about what to make for dinner. The kit comes with recipes to follow. I made a stir fry veggie bowl. I actually made this for all three nights! It was easy to fry the veggies up in one pan and then save and reheat them the next few nights. For the Shake I added a little more ice to make it like an ice cream and I ate it with a spoon.
- Day 2:
Oh boy, I work up with the cold sweats and chills! I ended up taking a day off from work… well I worked from home, a day off from working out and just rested at home. I don’t think this was because of the cleanse, because I wasn’t feeling well starting on Saturday. But, I guess if anything, it was a smack in the face that I needed to actually REST completely! I didn’t have much of an appetite, but I did eat the plan as guided.
Meal 1: Shakeology pudding with mixed berries
Meal 2: Fiber Sweep
Meal 3: Vanilla Refresh with Avocado, Mango and Kale.
Meal 4: Mix of baby carrots and cherry tomatoes with some hummus.
Meal 5: Kale and tomatoes with coconut oil and a vanilla shake.
I think I drank my body weight x2 in water on this day!!!
- Day 3:
Like I said, I can “will myself well”. So I got up, and pretended it was business like usual. Went downstairs and did a light cardio workout for 30 minutes. I kept it light because I know this is a restricted diet to what I normally eat and what my body needs when I’m doing my usual workouts.
The only difference in meals between Day 2 and 3 was lunch… which was a horrible attempt at creating a recipe from the shake. I am the queen of baking with protein powders. I tried to make waffles… but stupid me, without a binder they won’t stick! I used pureed apple and green veggs to make what looked like a good batter. I had to leave them in the waffle iron for 15 minutes to get them off the iron! Lol! But I ate them anyways! I will not waste a shake.
I think the plan is supposed to follow the “vegan raw” diet. However, after a while, I need something else. So I mixed it up….
Oh and my afternoon snack was summer squash instead of carrots and tomatoes.
Review/Results:
- I wasn’t hungry!
- I heard mixed reviews about the Fiber Sweep and Vanilla Refresh tasting funny… I didn’t think they were bad. I don’t think I would drink the fiber sweep on a daily basis! But it wasn’t horrid!
- I actually enjoyed the vanilla refresh. I think if you make it properly and add certain foods to it, it blended well!
- I think the one things that surprised me MOST about this… I wasn’t hungry that often! When I did get hungry, I drank more water. I actually drank A LOT more water than I usually do! I think this is something I need to continue on with!
- This one may be TMI for some, but I was SHOCKED at my digestion. I feel like it reset me completely. For the first time in a while, I had NO stomach pain on Day 1 or 3 (2 was iffy because of the sick situation) or gassy bloating. And I actually had normal BMs both day 3 and the day after!! Internally, my tummy feels fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!
So let’s get down to the brass tax here… what you all want to know about the weight loss?
- Start Weight: 126.5 End Weight: 119.6 = 6.9 lbs lost (my normal weight is usually around 122, so I’ll be happy around that!!!)
- Inches lost: Belly: 3.5 inches Natural Waist – 2.5 inches
I am entirely aware that most of this is water weight, but what a great way to not only re-set your body but, if I’m ever in pinch for a big event or anything… I will DEFINITELY be doing this again!!!!
Lessons Learned and Tips
- It’s only 3 days, you can do anything!
- Don’t do a cleanse when you don’t feel well!! I was already “in it” and didn’t want to waste the packets and the $$ I spent on the kit.
- My portion control was OUT OF CONTROL! I am going to definitely scale back to normal sized bowls for one! And get back to measuring out foods.
- Don’t exercise during a cleanse. Give your body a full time to rest. Or if you are going to do something make it an active rest, ie walk or bike ride.
- I don’t need that much coffee, but I will continue to drink it anyways… (we all have our vices!) But I can cut out the afternoon runs to Starbucks! This will help save some extra $$ too!
- I need to drink MORE water!
- Find ways to get creative if you can… one thing I do is add flavor drops. My favorite are Capella’s Flavor Drops found on Netrition I love the Peanut butter and Green apple!! They have OOOOODLES of flavors too!
- Fully aware this is water weight, and I will probably gain some back!
Have you ever tried a cleanse? How did you feel after?
oxo
Miss Allergy Fit 