{I survived} Day 1 of the Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox

Wow, ok, so when I wrote the "hideous photo" post I wasn't even sure if I should post it.

a) Who wants a photo like that floating around?

b) TMI?

But since no other single post here has inspired so many personal emails, voicemails and messages,  clearly, I am not alone. You all have both cheered me on, as well as asked for me to share if the detox works for a busy mom. So, with that in mind, here is my honest assessment of the Day 1 of Mark Hyman, MD's 10-Day Detox.*

To paraphrase the book, the worst thing that can happen is that I end up right where I am now. Which is {drumroll} a weight that I haven't seen since I was pregnant. And actually, I can come up with a bunch of other reasons I wanted to do this, most of which I came clean on last week. The best thing that could happen? I could feel healthy again. Or, as Dr. Hyman said on our call Monday, "experience what it's like to feel good". I assume that not feeling like a sausage stuffed in casing when I put on my pants is a part of that gig.  

So, I decided to commit fully to these 10 Days {b/c I can do anything for 10 days, right?} and made a big grocery run for the various pantry items I'd need when I started Monday morning.

Then I went skiing with my son. And all weekend, I ate and drank like it was the Last Supper…because while I want to feel lighter and more energetic, there's a part of me that also wonders if {or panics that} this will be my last Lagunitas IPA… my last turkey reuben… my last glass of a delicious red… the last apres ski hot cocoa...  

Fast forward to yesterday, Monday morning. My husband tells me it's 7:15, which means that I've overslept {while he's already worked out, showered and is heading to work}. This is a typical Monday-- no really any morning-- occurrence. I run downstairs and make the kids scrambled eggs with broccoli and cheddar…and pop a little Whole Foods cinnamon roll on each plate as a treat. I'm fine skipping the scrambled eggs and the cinnamon roll, but I'm wishing I'd written out a daily plan for myself b/c all I can think about is coffee… and I know coffee isn't a part of the plan. "Hellloooo, over here…." that damn Keurig is whispering. Ugh. I love warm water with lemon… but since I can't have it, all I can think about is coffee. The funny part is, I had weaned myself off of coffee over the weekend. So basically, I just wanted what I couldn't have. Because while you can make an argument that coffee is ok, wine is ok, whole grains are ok… for 10 days you give them up. Completely.

I came in from the bus stop to an email waiting for me from Dr. Hyman, which starts with "I am very pleased to kick off Day 1 of The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet. I know you have all been busily preparing over the weekend and are eager to get started."

Oh, if he only knew what I'd actually had this weekend… hello, bender. And while at first read, I think it all seems a bit melodramatic to be saying we are addicted to sugar and refined carbs, I can't help but note that throughout the day, I kept having to refrain from nibbling this and that, wanting something sweet after I had something savory… Maybe he has a point? As someone who thinks that I eat relatively healthfully {I don't drink soda, I feed my family plenty of leafy greens, I like to say I enjoy everything in moderation..}, I took the Toxicity Questionnaire at the beginning of the book and had to admit to more of the symptoms than I expected. Hmmm. So, I decided to trust-- or hope-- that 10 Days is long enough to make a difference, to this busy mom.

I looked at my counter full of the pantry items {including various nuts, seeds, good oils, and enough fresh veggies to get me through the first morning}, and I opened the box of vitamins and supplements Dr. Hyman sent me, quickly realizing I was absolutely clueless about what to take when.

So, I went looking for my dog eared book that clearly lays out exactly what you're supposed to do each day, and start jotting down what smoothie, lunch and dinner recipe I'll be making. Slight overwhelm set in. It's a good thing I left Day 1 wide open. As someone who relies on the bounty of nourishing family meals in our freezer, I realized this very specific meal prep was going to take quite a bit of time.  

The next thing I did was take baseline measurements {fairly depressing, even though I knew where I was starting from} then workout for :30 minutes. Day 1 I felt energetic, ready to take on the world. Or at least this Detox.

Then, before launching into my first smoothie, I had the first supplement, PGX.

I has the consistency of tapioca. Not unpleasant, just a little weird. I realize after popping two portions into my water that I may have overdone it, and should have gradually worked up to 5mg...

Then it was time for my first meal-- what is called the Whole Foods Protein Shake in the book. Not the normal green smoothies I have come to love and concoct with whatever fruits and greens I have on hand.

This one had this odd-sounding combination of frozen blueberries and cranberries + lemon {with the rind!} + almond butter + pumpkin, chia and hemp seeds {the bulk aisle at Whole Foods will become very familiar to me} + walnuts + Brazil nuts + coconut butter + avocado + almond milk + water.

I was certain it would break my inexpensive blender...

but it whizzed right up and became this brilliant pink glass of

deliciousness. And so filling that I could only drink half.

While on a conference call with Dr. Hyman, he pegged what ails me: "FLC Syndrome" {which stands for Feels Like Crap}. I'm not sure that's a medical term.

I spent the rest of my morning and afternoon of Day 1 cooking. I hard-boiled eggs so I'd have a quick protein source on hand for lunches.

And I made a double batch of his Green Goddess Soup with Broccoli and Arugula.

The soup was ahhmazing. I have been pleasantly surprised by how delicious each meal has been. I mean, I know real, nourishing ingredients taste wonderful-- but I initially thought we were eliminating so many different things that I wondered what was left. It turns out {and as you'll see in the meal pics I post during these 10 Days}, a lot.

For example {and in my effort to get ahead of the cooking curve}, I whipped up two dips recommended for afternoon snacks: spinach-walnut pesto and tahini-dill dip.

When my kids got home, we all had veggies and dip as an afternoon snack. I still have my fully-stocked snack drawer with all sorts of granola bars, fruit leathers, etc and they can dip into that stash when they please, but yesterday they both gave the tahini-dill dip a thumbs up and ate a nice servings of veggies to boot.

Then it was dinner time, and I won't lie-- I was beat. I don't know if the lack of caffeine, sugar or just the stress of following a plan so carefully that caught up to me. In order to be successful at this 10-Day Detox, the trick for me, as a mom, is balancing taking better care of myself/participating fully in the detox… and the reality that I have a family of four to feed and take care of at the same time. So, I perused the recipes and picked out several that I thought would work well for all of us.

Day 1's dinner was not one that I pegged as family-friendly {since neither of my kids really enjoys fish}. But since I had the rest of some homemade mac & cheese with sweet potatoes and broccoli leftover from our ski weekend as a back-up plan for the kids, I chose to make Coconut Curry with Cod. I am quickly learning that this program is not about deprivation. And if, like in the case of last night, I'm not sure if Coconut Curry with Cod will be enjoyed by all, I feel good knowing I always have my homemade freezer stash with the option of using part of my Detox meal as sides for my children.

So, for example, my children had a side of the steamed bok choy, zucchini and yellow cauliflower. My husband and I had the coconut curry with cod over the same steamed veggies, and he heated up some brown rice {which we always have on hand in our freezer}. So, it worked.

I also made sure that by the end of Day 1 I had started to stock up on my self-prepared Detox meals, so I didn't have to cook 3 meals/day for 10 days. Here is the summary of what I made, in case any of you busy moms decide you want to follow my lead:

• Breakfast: Dr. Hyman's Whole Food Protein Shake {page 267; had 1/2 at breakfast + 1/2 in the late afternoon}
• Lunch: DOUBLE BATCH - Green Goddess Broccoli and Arugula Soup {page 276; one serving for lunch and divided the rest into 7 individual containers, some tucked in fridge, some tucked in freezer}
• Snack Option 1: SINGLE BATCH - Spinach and Walnut Pesto (page 318}
• Snack Option 2: SINGLE BATCH - Tahini Dipping Sauce {page 318}
• Dinner: SINGLE BATCH - Coconut Curry {page 300; Since I knew this might be a tougher sell to my kids I made enough that they could try it, but didn't count on it being their full meal. I took half of the curry sauce out of the pot to store in the fridge and plan to do it with Tofu next. Last night, we had it with cod and it was delicious!}
• Dinner Side: DOUBLE BATCH of Steamed Veggies {page 301-302; so I have extra steamed veggies to use on salads at lunch}

So, I wrapped up Day 1 feeling successful, albeit tired, when I  went upstairs to enjoy a "Detox Bath" {required at the end of each day… more on that later!}.

Take me to Day 2 of the Detox!

Note: I was given an advance copy of The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox, and given the opportunity to participate in daily calls with Dr. Hyman, and/or an RD from Dr. Hyman's staff, and a life coach from The Handel Group, as part of my chance to review the book. I was not compensated in any other way for participating in the program, and all opinions are my own. The above links will take you to Amazon. When you click, it takes you to their website, and anything you purchase there will help support the recipe development that I share w. you via swellmom and the full plate blog. Thanks in advance for the support.