Helllooo … happy rainy day. I would like to invite you all into the next 28 days of my life. It is going to be terrifying…
In addition to applying for jobs, writing my senior thesis and completing the rest of my semester as well as planning for any summer moves; maintaining my health needs to be a priority in a stress-filled time. For all of us, we get bogged down by papers and job searching, taking tests and trying to have fun since apparently college is the only time for that?? Not true. Our whole lives are going to be filled with work and fun… College does NOT mark the beginning and end of this.
We need to find a way to balance our health with this stress, or we will always find some excuse not to exercise and eat right. You know you’re exhausted so you skipped the gym, but the endorphins released from exercise are proven to give you energy…. You don’t have time to cook so you go for fast food. Bad. We need those healthy and natural nutrients to keep our energy levels up and avoid crashing after a shit-load of sugar and dairy.
I proudly announce the Whole Living Action-Plan! And I invite you to join. I was reading Body + Soul magazine last night and found this 28 day plan to purify and assess our health, moods, food intake, exercise, energy, fitness etc. It offers recipes, steps and motivation for all who choose to do it. They have broken the plan down into 4 weeks. The first is a Detox Cleanse. The last is a full and healthy lifestyle. In between are two weeks to get you there. This is not the type of plan that ends in 28 days, it is 28 days to get you to your best self and help you stay there!
Today marks my first day of the cleanse. The cleanse calls for a liquid-based diet. Wait, before you run, listen up. They say the best way to cleanse is to have liquid-based meals for breakfast and dinner complete with a hearty and filling lunch. For breakfast they offer delicious smoothie recipes and for dinner, tasty soups, you can obviously mix and match, but keep that thought in mind that liquid is your friend. Also, drink as much water as you can… 8 glasses!! And lots of tea will benefit your cleanse and your life.. For the lunches, try to avoid sugar, wheat and dairy. Go for salads filled with proteins, legumes, and hearty veggies. Below is a complete list of foods to INCLUDE and EXCLUDE during week one of the plan: The Detox.
Foods to Include
- Dairy substitutes: Rice and nut milks such as almond milk and coconut milk
- Non-gluten grains: brown rice, millet, amaranth, teff, tapioca, buckwheat, potato flour, quinoa, gluten-free oats
- Fruits and vegetables: unsweetened fresh or frozen whole fruits, water-packed canned fruits, diluted fruit juices and raw steamed, sauteed, juiced, or roasted vegetables
- Animal protein: fresh or water-packed fish, wild game, lamb, duck, organic chicken, and turkey
- Vegetable protein: split peas, lentils, and legumes
- Nuts and seeds: walnuts; sesame, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds; hazelnuts; pecans; almonds; cashews; nut butters such as almond or tahini
- Oils: cold-pressed olive, flax, safflower, sesame, almond, sunflower, walnut, canola, and pumpkin
- Drinks: filtered or distilled water, decaffeinated herbal teas, seltzer or mineral water
- Sweeteners: brown rice syrup, agave nectar, stevia, fruit sweetener, and blackstrap molasses
- Condiments: vinegar; all spices, including salt, pepper, basil, carob, cinnamon, cumin, dill, garlic, ginger, mustard, oregano, parsley, rosemary, tarragon, thyme, and turmeric
Foods to Exclude
- Dairy and eggs: all
- Butter and mayonnaise: all
- Grains: wheat, corn, barley, spelt, kamut, rye, triticale, most oats (oats are usually contaminated with gluten unless you can find a gluten-free brand)
- Fruits and vegetables: oranges, orange juice, corn, creamed vegetables
- Animal protein: pork, beef, veal, sausage, cold cuts, canned meats, frankfurters, shellfish
- Vegetable protein: soybean products (soy sauce, soybean oil in processed foods, tempeh, tofu, soy milk, soy yogurt, textured vegetable protein)
- Nuts and seeds: peanuts and peanut butter
- Oils: shortening, processed oils, salad dressings, and spreads
- Drinks: alcohol, caffeinated beverages, and soft drinks
- Sweeteners: white and brown refined sugars, honey, maple syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, and evaporated cane juice
- Condiments: chocolate, ketchup, relish, chutney, barbecue sauce, teriyaki
Things to Watch For
- Corn starch is often present in baking powder, beverages, and processed foods.
- Vinegar in ketchup, mayonnaise, and some mustard usually comes from wheat or corn.
- Breads advertised as gluten-free still might contain coats, spelt, kamut, or rye.
- Many amaranth and millet flake cereals contain oat or corn.
- Many canned tunas contain textured vegetable protein, which is from soy; look for low-salt versions, which tend to be pure tuna, with no fillers.
- Multi-grain rice cakes are not just rice. Be sure to purchase plain rice cakes.
For the complete Action-Plan with recipes, fitness routines and steps for your personal 28 days to a better self, click here: Whole Living Action-Plan
Let me know if you have been inspired and I will be updating you on my own progress. Ciao–XoX
Jen looks even hotter now in her 40s than she did in her 20s….. Maybe because she used tip #3 “whiten your teeth,” #6 “add highlights to your hair,” #19 “warm up your make up,” and #22 “switch from lipstick to soft pink or rose gloss.”
theTRUTHaboutLOVE 