{the scale winked at me after} days 8, 9 and 10 of the Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox

As I write this post on Day 10 {!!!} of Dr. Hyman's 10-Day Detox, it's the second snow day of the week for my children. And did I mention today is Wednesday?

When I was chosen to review this detox for Dr. Hyman, I was thrilled because as many of you know, I was at a low point. My goal in participating was two-fold. First, and personally, I had decided that I needed to figure out someway {any way!} to get myself out of this awful FLC {"feels like crap"} rut. Second, as a popular parenting and food blogger, I was curious to see if the program was actually something busy parents can-- and should-- do, if they too were FLC. {Based upon all of the calls and emails I received after writing that zinger of a post, I knew I was not alone.} 

I had confidence that any changes I made would be helpful to me, and I knew that if I set my mind to it, I could do anything for 10-days. But the broader questions remained-- why was this detox different than any other I'd done in the past? Would I see results? Was it family-friendly? And what would make it sustainable?

I've shared a lot of the nitty gritty with you along the way, so if you're just joining me now, I encourage you to start at the beginning:

• Pre-Detox {the hideous photo post}
• Day 1 {I made it through...}
• Day 2 {was a valley}
• Day 3 {my energy is coming back}
• Day 4 {oh, Day 4, I had such a crush on you}
• Days 5, 6 and 7 {I took the detox on the road}

And now, here I am, having just wrapped up Days 8, 9 and 10. So back to those burning questions:

• Yes, this detox is different than any I've done in the past.  
• Yes, I absolutely saw-- and felt-- results. {More on that in a minute.}
• Yes, if you put your mind to it, this program is absolutely family-friendly. But, yes, it takes planning, a little creativity, and a will to make it work within your normal family responsibilities. And no, I was not sitting around "just detoxing" those 10 days!! This 10-day detox included my normal volunteer/kiddo chauffeuring/social/household/and blog commitments plus two major winter storms {translation: snow days from school}, a lunch out with a cookbook author I admire, a family ski trip, and a Superbowl party!! It wasn't a breeze, but the fact that by Day 3 I felt like a better version of myself is what sustained me to stay on track and participate fully, no matter what was thrown my way. 
• Yes, it's sustainable. Or, here as I write on Day 10, it feels that it will be. One thing to note is that, yes, you can just do it for 10-days, and you will reap benefits if you do it exactly as Dr. Hyman has it laid it out… but I think when you get to Day 10 and you're feeling so good, you'll be hard-pressed to just revert to old habits. You'll think first before popping your children's pizza crust in your mouth. Or ordering dessert. Or book-ending every single day with coffee and wine. I've begun to plan future meals around ones that were hits during the prior 10 days. I am looking at a calendar and figuring out when I want to reintroduce dairy and gluten {via a methodical process Dr. Hyman and his team taught me of seeing if/how they affect me}. And I'm excited to try the recipes we didn't have a chance to make during the detox, because they all sound so good. {If that isn't a testament to crowding out the "bad" with good, I don't know what is!} So, the truth is, when you get to Day 10, you don't want to lose that feeling, so it really can become longer than a 10-day project if you assume the way you feel today is your new "normal". 

And while I know some of you are here for the food porn, I know that a lot of you who cheered me on after the honest pre-detox post are wondering if it was worth it?

If you're here for the food, you can thank my trusty iPhone for, top to bottom:

• Almond-Strawberry Smoothie
• A family snow day lunch of a big salad for all and Whole Foods' pizza for the kids
• My take on Day 8's dinner, which was supposed to be Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto…but since we went straight from skiing to a Superbowl party, then woke up snowed in Monday morning, I used the extra Asian-Chicken I'd made to go on salads, and just put a dollop of the pesto on top with frozen spinach on the base, which was perfect
• Day 9's Steamed Cod with Ginger and Scallions with Asparagus and Shitakes {since I couldn't find snapper as everyone was racing around preparing for the next snowstorm}
• Today's snowstorm/school snow day lunch {are you seeing a theme with the big salad and pizza as a quick lunch that works for all of us?}
• And, last but not least, Day 10's dinner of Grilled Tofu with Cilantro Pesto {unfortunately the only meal out of the 10 days that my husband and kids did not care for… so much for ending on a high note, meal-wise!}

But, even if I walk around with a glow, tell all of my friends how amazing I feel, and go on and on about how delicious and satisfying the meals were, I know that the burning question really is, did I lose weight?

Yes. I lost 5 lbs these 10 days. I also lost 1" in my waist, 1" in my hips and 1.5" in my thigh. {I have two thighs but only measured one.} Part of the journaling you do during the detoxes includes tracking changes daily. {I skipped Days 6 and 7 because we were skiing… and while I was dedicated, I wasn't going to lug a scale along with ski equipment for four people.}

So back to the 5 lb drop. As you can imagine, that jump start to getting back to my ideal weight was awesome. It feels good to be back in control, and heading in the right direction. My ideal weight no longer just seems like some "pre-kid notion". But as I sat on today's conference call with one of Dr. Hyman's expert RDs, and a life coach from The Handel Group, who we had daily access to for the 10-days, I thought about all of the other good things that came out of this 10-day detox because I am celebrating them just as much:

• My skin in clear {and several people have told me "it glows"}.
• My belly is flatter. {I didn't say "flat", I said flatter… I am a work in progress.}
• I am in a rhythm of getting the kids fed and off to school in a relaxed manner, and then working out before making my morning smoothie. {This routine ensures that my workout doesn't fall prey to anything else that comes up later in the day.}
• I feel much more positive and happy. {I joke that someone is blown sunshine up my backside.}
• I am sleeping soundly. {This is a biggie. I cannot remember the last time I slept soundly, before this detox.}
• I am learning to take breaks in my day to relax. {The nightly Detox Baths were what I'd call "forced relaxation"… this is an area that I'm working on.}
• I am more clear-thinking, and through the journaling exercises that are a part of the detox, feel more in control to evaluate the choices I make in all areas of my life.

So, on the eve of Day 10, I'll leave it at that. Any questions about my experience, feel free to leave a comment here, or on the Facebook page for the full plate blog and/or swellmom. I would love to see some of my friends and readers embark on this 10-day gift to yourself, and come out the other side feeling this good.

Take me to the transition post… I want to know how you're feeling a few weeks after the 10 days!

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 swellmom and the full plate blog. Thanks in advance for the support.