January Cleanse/Weight Loss Week 3

Welcome to week 3 of the January Cleanse/Weight Loss program. You have done an amazing job so far! How are you feeling coming off of your first two weeks? I bet a little more refreshed, energized and lighter. It’s really important pay attention to how your body and emotions feel and try to see if there are any patterns between what you eat and how you feel.

We will be easing up on some of the dietary restrictions this week. You completed your most rigorous week of cleansing last week. It is very important not to break a cleanse with heavy, processed foods. Our bodies grew accustomed to the light, vegan fare and it would be too much a shock to our system to dive back into chips and cookies.

This week is about continuing the high-vegetable intake and starting to reintroduce meats, fish and poultry into your diet, if you choose. If you felt great and more energetic than usual not eating animal products, you can choose to continue your vegetarian diet. However, there are some people and blood types that do better when consuming meat, fish and/or poultry. Pay attention to what feels right for your body.

A note about alcohol: although alcohol is considered a toxin and does not promote cleansing, I understand that you might have social obligations this week where alcohol will be served. If you choose to indulge in an alcoholic beverage, please restrict it to one glass of red wine. The antioxidants from the grapes and natural sugars make this your best choice as far as drinks are concerned. An even better, non-alcohol choice would be a sparkling water with a twist of lime. Remember, one glass of wine per week – max!

Week 3 Daily Meal Guide:

Upon Rising: 16 ounces of water with 2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

Breakfast: Green Smoothie (see recipes)

Snack: 1/4 cup homemade  trail mix (use a mixture of non-sugar added dried fruits and nuts)

Lunch: Salad (see recipes below)

Snack: 1-2 cups fresh vegetables and ¼ cup hummus or dip (see recipes below)

Dinner: 4 ounces lean meat, fish or poultry

1 cup of steamed or sautéed vegetables

Side salad with ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and 1-2 teaspoons vinegar or lemon juice

Post-Dinner: Cup of herbal tea

Lunch Salad Recipe Ideas:

Honey Balsamic Bean Salad

Edamame and Rice Salad

Tarragon Chicken Salad

Shrimp Cobb Salad - substitute the blue cheese dressing with a lemon vinaigrette

Thai Steak Lettuce Wraps

or create your own salad (with no dairy or gluten) or use any of last weeks salad recipes.

Dip Recipe Ideas:

Black Bean Dip

Vegan Spinach Dip

Vegan Onion Dip

Dinner should be simple, just grill or bake your protein, sauté some vegetables in a touch of oil (I like extra virgin coconut oil) and toss a simple salad of greens with olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar. If you are choosing to continue without animal protein, feel free to substitute tofu, tempeh, beans or quinoa.

I’ll be back in a few days to share a little cleanse-friendly cookie recipe with you. It’s a great way to treat your sweet tooth during the cleanse.

Take care and remember to email or comment with any questions!

Kilee

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