Days 9 and 10 were pretty easy.  I had a good amount of energy and my body was used to the diet.  These were the easiest days by far!!  On day 10 in the afternoon I got a raging crave for ice cream.  So I gave in.  Me and my daughter locked ourselves in my bedroom with 2 spoons and ate Ben & Jerry’s Chubby Hubby.  It was so delicious!  I didn’t feel guilty even for 1 minute :)  With such a restricted diet for 10 days I needed something to indulge in.  After the ice cream was gone it was back to eating healthy.  For me, if I don’t allow myself an indulgence once in a while I go on this huge binge where I eat nothing but junk food and sweets for an entire week.  I’m talking donuts for breakfast, ice cream for lunch and chocolate and wine for dinner.  So I need a little something once in a while to keep my cravings at bay.

-Overall Thoughts-

What I learned!

• Portion Control.  I learned that I was eating way to much.  Even when I was eating healthy, I didn’t need such a huge portion.
• I need to eat breakfast every day.  Most days I just drink coffee all morning and don’t eat breakfast.  I would get a huge burst of energy, then get shaky, then crash.  Breakfast is very important!
• I don’t need to drink wine every night with dinner.  Anyone with small kids knows that dinner time/ bed time is very stressful!  I would always cope with this by having 2 glasses of wine with dinner.  Then after the kids were in bed I would realize I didn’t actually enjoy my wine, so I would have another glass while relaxing on the couch.  After 10 days of no alcohol I learned that I can cope with the stress in different ways.  Any time you can cut alcohol in your diet you are making a healthier choice.
• Sweets and dessert need to be a special treat, not an everyday occasion.  A piece of cake or a scoop of ice cream should be something I eat only for something special.  I shouldn’t be shoveling cookies in my mouth every afternoon just because I want them.
• If I have healthy food on hand already cut up and easy to eat I’m less likely to grab for something bad.  Think about it- you are so hungry you can’t think straight and all you want is food in your mouth now!  It’s so easy to grab a bag of chips or some candy.  But if you have the strawberries cleaned and cut, those are just as easy to grab.
• I need to think about myself more.  Doing this cleanse forced me to think about my diet and my sleep and my body.  I haven’t done that since having kids.  I am always thinking about my family first.  Because I put myself at a higher priority I feel better and I’m a better wife and mom.  No one in my family suffered.  My hubby learned how to cook a few meals.  (I couldn’t cook spaghetti and not eat it)  And he learned that he likes to cook.
• Drink more water.  I didn’t realize how much water I should be drinking, but I wasn’t.  Water is so important for hydration and to flush out the body.  Drink 16 oz of water with every meal and snack.

Overall I lost 3 pounds (not as much as I had hoped) but everyone I know has noticed I look thinner.  I feel better, more energy and my clothes fit better.  I have been able to push myself much more in my work outs.  I feel as though my mind is clearer and I’m able to focus more and get more done at work.  Even though I had a really rough time for most of the cleanse, it was definitely worth it!