I can’t tell you how thankful I am to be past the first days of our re-boot cleanse! For the past several months I’ve done a poor job of self-care. Aside from iGniting, my diet hasn’t been balanced, I have not had my morning lemon water (which I’ve done for years), I haven’t stayed hydrated, and I’ve abused caffeine so I could burn the candle at both ends. Needless to say, I have not been my healthiest, which was manifesting into weird stomach pains.  The timing for self-care was perfect. I knew the cleansing from caffeine would be the most difficult for me, and it definitely has been.

On Day 1 I had a headache and found it difficult to focus. My brain was foggy, and I knew that was not a good sign, as my addiction was real. iGniting in our classes, however, did help but at the end of Day 1 I was the most exhausted I’ve been in months and was hopeful a good night’s rest would help.  It did.

Day 2 was better, but my headache lingered, as did my inability to focus. Starting my morning with Dance Fit & Zumba with Betty did help with my energy, and the way I attempted to combat the fogginess was with cranberry water, which I take everywhere with me. A daily Kombucha is also my treat (see pic with computer).

On Day 3 I woke up with a sore throat and that dang headache again, but that’s when I learned that everyone else was experiencing the same symptoms as a result of the ragweed and mold in the air.

I did comment at our Mt. Bonnell workout with Molly that “who needs caffeine when they have iGnite?!”  Molly’s class gave me the morning energy jolt that I needed, and who can beat the view at Mt. Bonnell!  My focus that day was much better, but because of the cool temps I really wanted a cup of coffee!!! And, everywhere I looked, someone had a cup of coffee. There’s no doubt that if someone is solely wanted to make money, the coffee business is the one to go in because everyone is drinking it… and I was wishing I was with them!

By day 4, I finally began feeling like myself. I didn’t have a headache and my body felt good. My body was cleansing and I knew it was a result of high-quality food and adequate hydration.

Then, on Day 5 I felt awesome!  I had an outstanding iGnite workout with Kathleen and my body felt light, quick and fast. I then headed to Daily Juice and had them create the Perfect Springtime Smoothie  for me, however I used hemp protein powder instead of egg white protein powder. It was delish!

For lunch I enjoyed a coconut yogurt bowl with gluten-free granola and fruit. It was plain yogurt so I used a drop of Vanilla Stevia to sweeten it.

Then, for dinner, we headed to the Whole Foods at the Domain where I devoured Kale Salad, Quinoa turkey balls and beets.(see pic) Then, of course, my sweet tooth kicked in and I treated myself to a Paleo Muffin which satisfied my craving while Russell and the children shared a slice of red velvet cake.

We ate outside on the picnic tables where we enjoyed several hours of the nice temperatures while the kids played.

What I found the most difficult about Day 5 was the feeling of deprivation. I very badly wanted to treat myself to a glass of wine and chocolate. And, while the muffin was good and it did help, I would’ve much rather had a slice of cake and/or a glass of wine!

Because I’ve eliminated caffeine, I have had no problem going to bed when I need to and getting the 7-9 hours of sleep, which is exactly what I’ve needed!

On the other hand, I haven’t had good luck with my Epsom salt bath or drinking my lemon water at night, but now that the weekend is upon us and my husband Russell is back in town giving me help at night with the kiddos, I’m going to make it happen tonight with a few candles, my hot lemon water and a SUCCESS Magazine — my favorite 🙂

How are you feeling so far? Share your anonymous thoughts by clicking “COMMENT” below, and we’ll help you with tips & tricks to keep pushing through!