Friends with Nature
Hi friends! How’s your day going??
I climbed a mountain today 
Michele, Liz and I took a day trip to Phoenix to explore Camelback Mountain, eat lunch and shop.
It was my first time hiking Camelback, and even though it was a little tricky, the views more than made up for it. We didn’t make it to the top and decided to head back down about halfway through- enough was enough and we were ready for lunch I always think that nature and I aren’t friends until I actually *get into* nature… then I like it 
We’ll definitely be going back.
Since we worked up an appetite hiking, we hit up True Food at the Biltmore. It was a little tempting to switch our plans to Seasons 52 (which opened RIGHT NEXT DOOR!), but we decided on True since two of the three of us had never tried it.
Anywhere that grows their own herbs outside the door is a winner in my book.
To start out, we ordered the herbed hummus:
and a side of crudités for dipping:
For my entrée, I rolled with the kale salad, sans parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs:
(it had a beautiful lemon vinaigrette dressing)
and the sweet potato hash.
Everything was SO fresh and flavorful- I think I need to try everything on the menu eventually
After we got our shopping fuel in, we hit up the Biltmore shops. We all did some serious lululemon damage I keep buying workout clothes because it’s ALL I wear, but am lacking in the *real* clothes department.
After Biltmore, we rolled over to Last Chance (nada there- it had been picked over already), Starbucks, then got back on the road back to Tucson. It as the perfect little short trip. I love girls days
So as y’all know, today marked the start of my 30-day detox, per my homeopathic doctor’s advice. It’s the last part of my treatment to get my hormones back in order (I’ve been seeing this doctor since last September), and at first, I was less than stoked about it. I like to eat what I want, not what someone else tells me to, ya know? After taking the weekend to think about things, I realized that it’s just one of those things I’m going to do, make the best of it and use it as a chance to be creative. I’m committed to doing it right, getting it over with, and recharging my body.
So what’s the difference between a cleanse and a detox?
The way my doc put it, a cleanse is like a janitor cleaning a long hallway. It’s a great way to straighten and tidy things up, but doesn’t really prevent anything from re-occurring.. A detox is like opening the doors and cleaning inside each classroom, to control everything else that comes in and out of the hallway. Pretty interesting, eh?
Please keep in mind that this ISN’T a fast, it isn’t a weight loss thing, and I’ll be making sure I get enough fuel to support my high activity level. I’ll just be eating different types of foods, not less – I’m a big fan of eating Please don’t do a detox without talking to your doctor and making sure you get enough nutrients to keep your engine running properly <3
Here’s the breakdown of what I’m doing for those of you who were interested:
Days 1-10: All fruits and veggies (steamed, fresh or roasted), quinoa, beans, lentils, almond milk, protein powder (the doc sent me a plant-based one he wants me to use), tea, kombucha, decaf coffee, cacao powder, supplements (I’m taking quite a few during this detox- including a detox pill, Fiber, and Supergreen pill) and condiments (Tamari, raw honey, cold olive oil, coconut oil and organic butter for cooking, herbs and seasonings)
Days 11-20: Add in nuts and fish
Days 21-30: Add in chicken and fermented dairy (I’ll be using goat’s)
So on Sunday night, I put together some resources to figure out my meals for the first 10 days:
The doctor’s recipe book was kinda lame (sorry, but green beans steamed with tamari is not a “treat”), so I used some recipes and ideas from Ani Phyo,Canyon Ranch, Kris Carr and Natalia rose.
Some things to look forward to:
-Experimenting with garbanzo bean flour (pizza, pancakes, bread)
-Choco-cado pudding
-Thinking outside the box (I love this kind of stuff!)
Here’s a snapshot of what I’ve enjoyed so far today:
-Extra large green juice
-Breakfast quinoa with raw honey, almond milk, organic butter
-Green tea and sliced bell pepper
-Kale salad, hummus, veggies, and sweet potato hash
and am about to make a protein smoothie and something fun for dinner
So far, I don’t feel different at all- great as usual.
Hope you guys have a great night and I’ll see you in the morning!
xoxo
G
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I have a hormonal imbalance (polycystic ovary syndrome) which includes the following symptoms: overweight/obese, cystic acne, infertility, excess facial hair, insulin resistance and more.
I’ve been able to avoid pretty much every symptom through an active lifestyle with lots of high-intensity work and a mostly healthy diet that is high in fiber and low in refined carbs. I do still have an irregular period, but I’ve actually got it for 5 months in a row now which is a record for me! (who knew I’d be happy to say that :D)
Point is, there is a lot to be said for how we eat affecting our hormones and I can’t wait to see how this detox works out for you.
I wish I had mountains like that nearby!! Looks amazing!!!
I’ve been following Ashley’s (Edible Perspective) detox over the past two weeks, and I have to say that it really sounds like a great way to restart things. Juice fasts and cleanses always seem really extreme to me, but what you’re doing makes sense- getting rid of all the processed stuff (though you don’t eat much of it!), and just getting back to the pure foods nature intended us to eat. Good luck with everything!
Hi! I don’t usually comment but wanted to talk about the detox…I did a similar one given to me by a natural doctor for hormonal balance. I first went to her to help with GI issues- she found them thank God- parasite and gluten intolerance! But the detox thing was kind of strange. She had me eating barely any carbs, lots of veggies and loads of protein….The high protein I thought was a bit too much so I modified it of course. She also gave me a protein powder- I5 by Xymogen along with multiple supplements…Be careful with the supplements especially if they contain high water soluble vitamins because they can make you skin break out like crazy! I didn’t finish the detox needless to say but found that time was the best way to get things back into shape! Best of luck!
Im so jealous of all your outdoor fun and weather!!! What I wouldnt give for that right now. So glad you enjoyed your girlie day!
Will be very interesting to see how everything goes with the detox. I think its great that youre putting it out there this is something doctor recommended and not some sort of fad thing. Setting a good example as always. 🙂
The hike looked gorgeous!
Hi Gina! Can I say how insanely jealous I am of you hike yesterday! Sitting here in cloudy Cleveland just praying for some sunshine!
I wanted to see if you ever read J’s Everyday Fashions http://www.jseverydayfashion.com/. She blogs daily about having $250 a month to spend on clothes. Each day she amazes me with the outfits she puts together with things from her own closet! A while back she did a post about dressing up your workout gear. Thought you may be interested.
Have a great day! Good luck with the detox 🙂
yes, j is actually a friend of mine 🙂 i need to check out that post!
Good luck Gina! I admire you for being so dedicated to your health. Good luck!
You look beautiful in that pic at the top! 🙂
all of your food looks awesome, makes me so hungry.
if your detox meals look like that everyday, id be in!
I did week 2 of the WSU this morning and it was awesome! I <3 interval training. Thank you 🙂
I would like to hike up that mountain of hummus!
hahah! the best type of mountain is a hummus mountain 🙂
I love hiking up mountains, it’s hands down my favorite workout! I’m not sure I could stick to a cleanse diet for 30 days, but hopefully it will help you out with your “womanly issues”
I just started reading your blog and love it! I made the breakfast cookie cereal for breakfast this morning and it was a.maz.ing! 4 of my best friends and I went to Scottsdale last weekend and hiked Camelback & went to True Foods! We also tried the vegetable crudite & sweet potato hash- everything was so good! I wish Dallas had True Foods!!
thank you!
i heard that texas is getting two! not sure where exactly, but it looks hopeful 🙂
I’ve been looking for Crazy, Sexy Diet everywhere since reading your detox post last week. I’m not a diet fan but I’d love to see some of the recipes and idea behind her lifestyle. It is SOLD OUT everywhere I look though! I’m thinking it must be good :).
are your pants from lululemon??
yes! wunder grooves
Can’t wait to see what you make for dinner !
This will be such a fun way to get creative in the kitchen. I can’t wait to see what kind of recipes you come up with. 😀
Sounds like an awesome day! Curious to know what you bought at lululemon? My mom gave me some $$ for my b-day and I plan to indulge at lulu! Any must haves?
dance studio pant and speed up tank 🙂 i also got a scoop neck, run crops and a headband
I agree that this will be a good time for you to be creative and think outside the box. You will have “normal” things back in good time, but some “weird” things may turn out to be new favorites. I always remind myself that there was a time that I had no idea hummus existed. Now its hard to imagine a world without it!
I’m so excited to see how the detox goes for you. I have definitely researched a bit about different ideas around detoxing, but have never myself taken the plunge. Although I am focusing on clean, veggie heavy eating this second half of winter.
Looks like the top of the mountain had gorgeous views–and that food looks gorgeous as well!