Today 6/29/17: After teaching two Zumba classes yesterday and slightly under calories, I woke up pretty damn hungry today.  I had scheduled a cleanse day for myself today but of course, my brain begins justifying the procrastination. However, one of the new things I’m practicing everyday is to write down what I want/need to do and if it’s written, it’s gotta be done. So I headed off to work on my bike with my cleanse products packed. 

I’ve been doing this cleanse “thing” for awhile now. It consists of following a set schedule drinking an aloe-vera based juice with tons of other botanicals, eating protein wafers that remind me of Scooby snacks, and a choice from an approved list of other “snacks”. Tons of water is also recommended. I’ll do this for 24-48 hours depending on how I feel. It’s a reset that always leaves me feeling cleaner, lighter, more energetic. Especially with the 48 hour cleanse, even my skin feels softer! I also notice the inflammation in my face and hands improve. Most important, it helps the body (namely the liver) do its job better. 

Many people are curious but are concerned about not eating so much for an entire day or two days. (Total caloric intake is about 650 calories) Trust me, you’re not gonna die. Others doubt the efficacy and think it’s bunk. Peer reviewed studies have shown that this particular nutritional cleansing protocol is more effective at burning visceral (belly) fat and general weight loss than doctor recommended heart-healthy diets. 

Keys to success: I’ve found my best cleanses, my best races, my best life moments all have one thing in common. Strong, positive mindset. When you connect to that passionate belief of WHY you started in the first place, there is very little whining and excuse making nor are there pity parties. You simply get it done. 

The second component to success is patience. We’ve all been conditioned to desire immediate gratification. We want what we want when we want it. We often cannot find the attention span nor energy to stick with something for the long haul, which is what it oftentimes takes to achieve a worthy goal. The results will come. Don’t give up too soon. Be unstoppable!