This week has been much more difficult than the first. Although I had seen amazing results the first week, the detox became monotonous and needed to jazz up the menu. It had been nice to see such immediate results but did decide that the remaining two weeks would be dedicated to a healthy Vegan diet instead. As for waking up early and working out regular, I’ve stayed strong in those goals. Waking up at 5am allows me to get SO much more done in a day! Plus getting to the gym before anyone else makes for some interesting dance moves.
Mornings
Here’s an updated look at this week’s morning routine –
- Hot Water & Lemon
- Green Tea – Muscle Recovery
- 1/2 Multivitamin & 5,000 mg of Biotin
- 60-90 min at the gym (typically 45 minutes cardio & 30-45 minutes strength)
- Dry Brush & Shower
- 8am – Raisin Bran Cereal & Almond Milk – Some sugar from the cereal but not much!
- As much water as I’m able!
Afternoons
Typically I’ve been getting hungry right around 2pm each afternoon. I’m striving to eat a low-calorie soup of some sort (mostly from Panera Bread, of course). My favorites are Garden Vegetable with Pesto and Black Bean. Sometimes I’ll resist the bread, other times I need the deliciousness! I’m also trying to consume as much water as I can but it’s incredibly difficult for me to get the recommended amounts.
Recommended Water Intake = Body Weight x 1/2 Ounces of Water
- Example = 150 pounds x .5 ounces of water = 75 ounces of water per day
They always say the more the better but I also found out that if you drink coffee, soda, or alcohol you should add much more water per beverage you’re consuming. I’m not drinking any of those during these 21 days but it really put ‘Being Hydrated’ into perspective for after this challenge. In addition to the above formula you should also add additional water per caffeinated/sugar beverage.
Additional Water Intake = Caffeine/Sugar Beverage (in ounces) x 2
- Example = 32 ounces of Beer x 2 = 64 ounces of additional water
That’s A LOT of water. Before this challenge, I would maybe drink 32 ounces of water total for the day. It’s incredibly important to drink these recommended amounts but has been the toughest part of the challenge as of yet. When adding these no-no drinks I love and miss, I’m going to be thinking of all the water I’ll need to consume alongside each one.
Evenings
I’ve made some really great Vegan meals but Tharon doesn’t completely fall for them yet. Here are my two favorite recipes so far with links to where I found the recipes!
- Tuscan Ribollita Soup – This recipe calls for soft boiled eggs & parmesan cheese as garnish. Tharon had his with and I had mine without to continue the Vegan diet. So yummy still!
- Cauliflower Crust Pizza – OMG, such a great crust substitute. The recipe again calls for both cheese and egg. I completely took away the cheese but substituting egg is difficult. What I used is called Aquafaba (the juice you’d normally toss from cooked beans). My version of this pizza is actually healthy and very low in calories. I ended up making my own crust, my own sauce, and topped with only fresh vegetables. After calculating the calories from the pizza I made it was only around 40 calories per slice!!
Anyways, Dinners have been fun but of course a bit more time-consuming than others as we’re not used to the recipes we’re making. I highly suggest at least trying these recipes because they are so delicious!
I’ve still been adding a detox bath when I’m able to make time. These are very relaxing and provides time to collect on the days events. I love the alone time and appreciate the super soft skin.
Until next week, thanks for reading!
