Our 21-day detox plan
Hi guys! How’s the morning going? Hope you’re having a wonderful day! I’m off to Arizona for a fun adventure. I’m excited to share the details with you! I’ll be posting lots on pics on Instagram, too.
Head’s up: the rest of this post is about the 21-day detox I did with the Pilot. If you think this would be a sensitive or triggering topic for you, please skip the rest of this post and I’ll see you back here later today! What we read can affect our thoughts, and it’s up to us to be smart about what we choose to allow into our minds and hearts. Sending love to you all.
As you guys know, the Pilot and I finished up a 21-day detox together. The Pilot’s recap of it all is here! The Pilot was interested to see how changing his eats would affect his energy levels, and I asked to join in on the fun. For the most part (minus the whole “no wine or sugar” thing) this is how I like to eat anyway, and I think he probably enjoyed the support and solidarity.
Here’s what the detox entailed:
-No refined sugar (small amounts of maple syrup and honey were NBD)
-No gluten
-No alcohol
-No cow’s dairy (we ended up skipping dairy entirely, with the exception of grassfed butter)
-No caffeine (this was the Pilot. I still had green tea and some coffee because toddler.)
-Focus on fresh produce, nuts, seeds, lean protein and smart carbs (emphasizing sweet potatoes, oatmeal, quinoa and brown rice)
Since we started the detox (and finished this weekend, which corresponded perfectly with Superbowl Sunday), my comments and emails were full of requests to share the full details. I’m excited to post all of the info for you below!
(Tip: please do not make any fitness or nutrition changes without consulting your doctor. For help with eating plans specified to your unique needs, enlist the help of a local Registered Dietitian.)
Every morning when I woke up and had a mug of hot water with raw apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper, lemon juice and maple syrup. I used to do this religiously, but got out of the habit. It’s supposed to help with restoring the ph balance of the body. I think it tastes delicious, and is a nice way to wake up. I have to drink it before Liv is awake, though, or she’s saying, “I smell something! STOP THAT SMELL!” haha.
I started off documenting our days, but a lot of them were redundant, as we ate many of the same things for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Instead of mapping it out day by day, I thought I would share it in list form, as we mixed and matched for many of the same meals. The Pilot and I ate the same foods, but I made his portions larger or added additional protein or fat. Also, I tend to eat more during the day and he eats more for dinner, since I have so many active teaching classes. Even though the types of food changed a little bit, I would guess that my calorie intake was around the same as my usual intake, or maybe a little higher since I was consuming more healthy fats.
Here are the meals and snacks we enjoyed during the detox:
Breakfast: breakfast usually had two parts, starting off with a smoothie and finishing with a hearty egg or oats based meal, an hour or so later
Part 1: smoothie with 1 cup almond milk, 1 cup frozen mixed berries, 1 scoop chocolate vegan Shakeology, 1 tablespoon Udo’s oil, handful of kale or spinach. For the Pilot’s smoothie, I added 2 tablespoons of almond butter and a banana
Part 2: two eggs scrambled with chopped veggies and topped with salsa and/or guacamole
egg burrito with sautéed greens, chopped veggies, two eggs and a brown rice tortilla (for the Pilot, I would also add avocado)
egg oats: 1/3 cup oats cooked with water, with one egg added halfway through the cooking process. Just make sure to stir continuously until the egg is fully cooked. I stirred in some almond milk, cinnamon and topped with fresh berries and almond butter
Slice of Paleo bread with an egg on top
Morning snack
Apple and a pack of Trader Joe’s raw almonds
Two dates with almond butter
Egg burrito (egg wrapped in a brown rice tortilla)
Chia pudding (2 tablespoons of chia seeds, 1/2 cup almond milk, set in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Top with fresh berries, cinnamon and a drizzle of honey)
Large green juice with apple, celery, cucumber, spinach, parsley and mint
Lunch
Protein heavy salad with chopped fresh veggies and homemade dressing
Wrap with grilled chicken, mayonnaise, mustard and spinach
Paleo bread sandwich
Leftovers from the night before, served on top of a salad
Afternoon snack
An apple with almond butter and cinnamon
Small smoothie with almond milk, protein powder, and berries
Dinner (this is where things got a little more exciting)
Slow cooker Greek chicken soup (minus the feta)
Slow cooker detox chicken with mashed cauliflower and grilled zucchini
Pesto grilled salmon with roasted veggies and sweet potato
Coconut-crusted mahi mahi with salad and roasted veggies
Potato-crusted salmon with Dijon sauce and lemon green beans
Seared scallops, bacon, baked potatoes, house salads with dairy-free Ranch dressing
Veggie burgers with Brussels spout hash and twice-baked sweet potatoes
Slow cooker chicken coconut curry with brown rice
Steak (for the Pilot), teriyaki chicken (for myself) with roasted sweet potatoes and coconut oil broccoli
Turkey meatballs in marinara with spiralized zucchini and quinoa noodles
Ginger-marinated mahi with lemon green beans and brown rice
Regular ol’ chicken, sweet potato and veg
What I learned from the 21-day detox:
-I eat the way I do because I enjoy it and it makes me feel good. Over the holidays, I had been swimming in cookies, gluten, sugar, and while it was all delicious, I was feeling pretty lethargic and blah. My skin was dry and dull, and I noticed more split ends in my hair, which was a bummer since I’ve been trying to grow it to mermaid length. This detox was a good way for me to get back to basics and reduce the sugar cravings. The more I have sugary foods, the more I crave them, and the more they become habits instead of something I truly enjoy. Cutting them out cold turkey was a great way for me to get back to the lifestyle I enjoy, but I guess that feeling gross for a little while made me realize how good it feels to eat really well. I was really excited to see that the Pilot enjoyed this style of eating, and noticed significant differences in his energy levels. He had never eaten like this consistently, and was thrilled to see what a difference it made.
-It’s nice when you eat the same way as your partner. This is silly, but usually if I’m eating french fries or gooey dessert, it’s because the Pilot and I are eating them together. Without having this type of food around, I didn’t crave it the way I do when it’s easily accessible. Instead we had a bounty of fresh, colorful produce to choose from, prepped protein and delicious snacks. The only thing I really craved was wine, chocolate, and a manchego cheese board. 🙂
-We spent significantly more on groceries than we usually do, but also didn’t go out to eat nearly as much. Also, since we weren’t drinking a bottle of wine between the two of us each night, we saved a significant amount of money overall.
-I don’t think I had ever eaten this clean consecutively before. Usually, I like the treats and fun stuff in every here and there. For curiosity purposes, I took some before and after pictures to see if I’d notice any physical results, and I definitely did. (I’m not going to post them for the world to see though haha.) The biggest change was the decrease in stomach bloat. Gluten and dairy are delicious, but when I have large amounts or eat them consistently, the bloated stomach is no joke.
-What I’m taking with me: wine will be an occasional thing instead of every night, and chocolate was definitely something I was ready to bring back. I’m still enjoying the apple cider drink and smoothie before breakfast, too. 🙂
Have you ever done something to bring your eating back to basics? How did you feel? Any weird detox-y foods you’ve tried? When I did a detox a few years ago that my homeopathic doctor gave me, I was ALL ABOUT eating socca bread (garbanzo bean flour and water). I think I burned myself out a bit… thinking about it now (and how the house smelled like chickpeas) makes me gag a bit.
xoxo
Gina
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Thanks for sharing! I have also been indulging way too much lately. What started with treats at Thanksgiving turned into two months of eating like crap. I’m cutting out most refined sugars for the moment just to get that balance back and for my taste buds to change a little.
And I hear you on the caffeine thing. If anyone tried to take away my coffee, there would be hell to pay….. because, toddlers. You said exactly what my thoughts were! 😉
Thanks for sharing! I was excited to read your review. I was eating fairly bad over the holidays as well and I just try to incorporate more fresh and real foods into my died. I try focussing on lots of fruits and veggies and avoiding processed foods. I don’t know if I could drink your morning drink I think I might gag 🙁 !
This looks like a good detox. I think I would love to see what 21 days without sugar would feel like because I think we definitely eat a lot. And ummmmmmm, just paused to run this by the husband as a possibility and his exact words: what is this, jail?!??! hahahahah.
I do have a question about this whole thing: did you use oils to sauté veggies in then? And what ones? I almost feel like I want to cut back on my use of them just to find other cooking alternatives.
hahaha!
i used grassed butter, olive oil and coconut oil
I love reading about detoxes and how it changes energy levels, etc.
I did a detox a few years ago for a month- it was similar to yours. No sugar, alcohol, refined food, flour, caffeine, and other restrictions that I’ve since forgotten. At the time I was already eating pretty clean so I didn’t notice a difference in how I felt over the course of the month. But my then boyfriend dropped a bunch of weight, despite eating constantly.
Now I found I try and make more of a conscious effort to clean up my diet when I notice I’ve been eating more sweets rather than detox, as I end up just thinking of all the foods I’ve declared “off limits”.
Definitely will be stealing some of these meal ideas though! They sound delicious 🙂
I’ve never done a detox before, and I generally eat pretty well, but about a year ago I started drinking a green smoothie every morning before my “real” breakfast and with that addition alone I’ve seen changes in my energy levels and overall health (I teach preschool and haven’t been sick ONCE this year! ::knock on wood::). I’m not a coffee drinker, so I kind of view it as my morning “pick-me-up”
Thank you for the recap! was the Whole3o inspired or did you just focus on clean foods?
Haha it’s times like these when being a vegetarian makes things difficult! Sometimes it’s hard to get “lean protein” as a vegetarian, since most of the awesome protein sources are whole grains or beans (which are awesome, but a little higher in calories and carbs than things like grilled chicken). But it looks like you guys did awesome! I’m sure the pilot enjoyed the support 🙂
im with her! any tips on doing this as a (for me, mostly) vegetarian? i like my greek yogurt but am not a huge egg fan (not daily at least, maybe twice a week? and if im home)
Same! Being vegetarian, protein options are a little limited- I LOVE eggs but would love to mix it up. I eat pretty well overall but would love to try a detox.
Thanks for sharing all of this Gina! Your menu sounds delicious. The sort of guidelines you listed are how I strive to eat regularly (I’m not much of a drinker of caffeine or alcohol, and am gluten-sensitive so I’ve learned to avoid it quite well) and I totally agree with your when you talk about the effect on stomach bloating. I used to struggle with some really nasty digestion issues but feel like I’ve finally got it sorted out, and NOT feeling bloated is enough incentive to ‘stay on the wagon’. I love that you and The Pilot did this together and got to share the experience with each other. Have an amazing time in Arizona!
I read somewhere that lemon juice or Apple cider vinegar, although sour, has an alkalinic effect on the body. Now isn’t that interesting?
I should start doing that too, Gina. I just wake up too darn early already and don’t bother making myself anything so i can start working out then head to school.
Way to go supporting the Pilot on this detox! I know it really helps me when Josh makes healthy choices too because then I feel like I’m able to resist temptation easier.
I think it is so nice to see you guys did this together. Looks like you enjoyed some really great meals during the detox. I think we can all use a little reset sometimes. What is UDO’s oil?
It is awesome to hear about your detox! I feel the same way– I eat healthy most of the time, and I really enjoy it. Sometimes, however it is easy to let the junk sneak in and I don’t notice until I am already feeling gross!
Wow! So impressed by your ability to finish out the entire detox! I gave up alcohol in January to support a friend fighting through the Whole 30 and it was tough! And I gave up coffee (and almost all caffeine) back in October at the recommendation of my doctor. If you took away my sugar, too, I would’ve been a nightmare!
And, totally unrelated, but I just love your mantra of “honoring your body”. I really appreciate how you start every blog post about potentially triggering topics like this with a disclaimer that it may not be right for all people and how you start all of your workouts with “honor your body”. I just wanted to thank you for that. I think a lot of people think there’s a “one-size-fits-all” approach to fitness & health and there’s really just not. I appreciate you reminding people of that.
Happy Thursday!
thank you so much, nikki! <3
I just finished my Whole30 2 days ago and I feel amazing! I definitely agree that gluten makes my belly swollen. I’m definitely happy to be back on track after the holidays!
Love love love this! I’m all about eating real whole foods, but it’s definitely hard to not eat sugary foods. I have the same stomach bloat problem when I eat too much dairy and gluten. This is why last year I switched to eating a mostly Paleo diet.
Still cracking up about Liv’s comment!!! I was SO so sluggish after the new year. It was nice to get back on track with eating and workouts. Makes all the difference! 🙂
This is amazing Gina! My fiancé and I just finished a Whole 30 which was rough but a great way to kickstart the new year and reduce cravings for all the sweets from the holidays 🙂 I was laughing at your post because I also stated (like, multiple times a day) that all I wanted to add back was red wine, dark chocolate, and a cheese board– manchego is also a favorite ;). I think doing 21 days would be more manageable and it seems like this plan is much less restricting than a Whole 30 so I will have to remember this post for the future. Thanks for sharing!
I am a big believer in the draining power of sugar and gluten. They taste soooo good, but bring my energy levels way down. During the week when I am working a busy schedule, I try to stay away from the good stuff solely due to energy levels. On the weekend though, all bests are off!
Also, I have been thinking of adding an apple cider vinegar shot to my diet. However, my boyfriend is like Liv and can smell that stuff from a mile away! Haha
Is it bad that I’m considering doing this and just not telling my husband? I prepare all of our food, and we basically eat like this anyway except for gluten and cheese.
Cheese.
I’m now reconsidering.
No, but in all seriousness, how do you make sure to get your daily dose of calcium without dairy products?
haha maybe he won’t notice?
there are a lot of great vegan sources of calcium: plant-based milk, dark leafy greens, beans and nuts
I’m just finishing up an elimination diet. I eliminated gluten, dairy, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, soy and corn to see if any of those foods are causing my headaches/migraines. I’m definitely less bloated without gluten and dairy! I’ve reintroduced both, and I’m definitely not as lean looking : )
Hi Sara, was the elimination diet recommended by your doctor? I’ve recently been having some unusual headache-like symptoms and am going to the dr next week. Just wondering how you went about it.
great post! Really enjoyed the information, thank you 🙂
What kind of paleo bread do you use? Or do you make your own?
Great post!
Thanks 🙂
i made it using the elana’s pantry recipe
Thanks for sharing! After the holidays, I like to have a sort of “reboot” where I focus on whole, fresh foods and stay away from sugar and processed foods. It’s amazing what your body begins to crave when it isn’t being fed lots of sugar!
Thanks so much for sharing! All the food looks so delicious! I recently finished the Whole30 and ate similar foods. Love it!
A couple of weeks ago I started a food journal to see how my eating was affecting my mood and energy. I was noticing that on some days I just felt so tired and sluggish no matter how much sleep or coffee I was getting. It was interesting. Now I’m in the process of making some minor changes to my diet to see if I feel better. It’s not a detox but I can already tell a difference. Today is my fifth day of the changes and I only needed one small cup of coffee this morning instead of two or three.
What are the ingredient amounts for the apple cider beverage? Does it really taste good or is it really vinegar-y? I’m thinking about trying something like that.
I have the same question as Ali re: ratios for that drink. Gina. I tried it a while back and I think I added too much vinegar ;(
that’s the key.. too much vinegar makes it way too sour! i used 10 oz water, a splash of ACV, about 1/2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup, juice of 1/2 lemon and sprinkle of cayenne
i used 10 oz water, a splash of ACV, about 1/2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup, juice of 1/2 lemon and sprinkle of cayenne
it’s pretty vinegar-y, but i like it 🙂
Off topic…but I live in Boston and was just talking to a co-worker who goes to Canyon Ranch in Lenox a couple of times a year. He just mentioned that the new Chef, Kyle is a great addition to the Staff and he loved his food. He had a nice conversation with your brother and said he was a great guy. He was there right before he went back to pick up his wife for the move. Small world! 🙂 I am planning on going to Canyon Ranch in June…I can’t wait!
that is so awesome!! happy to hear that he enjoyed chatting with kyle. he’s a talented guy, but he has an even better heart 🙂
please let me know how your june visit is! 🙂 xoxo
Hi Gina! Thanks for sharing. I’ve been waiting for this post. I’ve never in my life eliminated a food group or anything at all in a detox form and have ALWAYS wanted to know what it would feel like. I like how you didn’t try to do a full Whole30, but focused on just a couple of things. I would be very sad to miss my weekend wine and dessert, but I’m definitely wanting to try something like this soon. And I LOVE that you guys did it together. I’d have a hard time getting my husband on board, for sure.
agree on wanting suggestions for doing this vegetarian!
and what is mermaid hair….??
Mermaid hair = long, flowing, to the waist, beautiful hair (ex. Ariel)
My hairdresser says Mermaid hair is hair that covers your breasts. 🙂
long hair 🙂 mid waist is good
So interesting to read this! It’s amazing how much better you feel when you do it consistently. I did Whole 30 at the end of last summer and although I found the mental restriction really tough I do eat pretty similar to that now, albeit with more flexibility 🙂
awesome post, thank you for sharing!
awesome! i will definitely be checking this out for meal ideas.. i try to eat like this all the time, but it definitely gets hard with social events and such.. and yes, the gluten/sugar/alcohol bloat is no joke!
i just started telling people i was allergic to gluten so they would leave me alone about it 🙂 if i say i am intolerant i get the ‘but just a little bit won’t hurt’ nagging.. no fun!
Good morning! Great post! I was wondering if you could post (or already have posted) your morning apple cider drink recipe? Thanks!
That’s amazing that you had hubby on board with you 100%! I struggle with that at home. I completed my very first detox back in October (Whole30), and it was LIFE CHANGING. I’ve never been able to stay on the wagon with diet changes, but I started Whole30 and never even wanted to look back (except for alcohol…I missed that BIG TIME).
Hubby is VERY set in his ways and travels a lot–a 100% clean-eating diet is nearly impossible for him when he is on the road. After he saw the benefits from my Whole30, he became intrigued (because he is exhausted all.the.time and suffers from digestive issues all his life). But his biggest complaint is how much time I spent in the kitchen–we don’t get much time together and he’s not a hang-out-in-the-kitchen kind of guy. So I’m brainstorming ways that I can make it worth it for him.
Oh, and it was nice to learn exactly how my body responds to each food I eliminated (once I began introducing them back). While I welcomed beer/wine/cocktails back with open arms, I discovered gluten, dairy, and sugar are huge culprits to my lethargy and bloating. So I limit those to the best of my ability.
I love how down to earth you are about this detox. Sometimes, when I read other accounts of this type of thing, I think…how is it humanly possible someone stuck to this plan? However, your plan sounds sensible and delicious too!
I haven’t always been the best about eating well, but since the new year started I’ve been trying to make an extra effort. As a result, I’ve been enjoying meal planning/preparing more than ever, and am generally feeling great. It’s amazing what a huge difference eating well makes, while not depriving yourself of the occasional treat because well – you only live once! 🙂
This is a great recap … appreciate all the useful info!
Love the entire menu and feel tremendously inspired! Can’t help but think how much work it is though… Chopping, prepping, cooking, etc. Please tell me I’m wrong 🙂 Working full time here with a 5 year old and Another on the way.
Love this! I’ve been thinking of doing a sugar detox and this is the push I needed. I just talked to my roommates and we’re going to start this on Sunday! I love that it’s balanced – not like a lot of sugar detoxes where you can’t even eat fruit.
I live with 5 other girls and we all cook dinner together so this will be a fun adventure! We’ve been working out together this year (just did a HIIT workout from your book last night!) and it will be good for us to get our eating in check too 🙂
Love this! How did Liv’s food fit in? Did she eat the same meals? Did she eat less sweets because you didn’t have them around?
she ate pretty much the same as usual, and always eats what we’re eating for dinner. she ate less sugar, because we weren’t ordering desserts out at restaurants, but still had her dairy and snack stuff like annie’s gummy bunnies, yogurt, quesadillas and grilled cheese
Thanks so much for sharing the details of your detox. My husband and I are going to try this out starting next week! I too eat healthy but have noticed myself filling up on a ton of hummus vs the veggies. Time to change that! Wish us luck.
let me know how it goes! so fun you’re doing it together 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing! I thought Liv’s comment about the ACV was so funny! My boyfriend would essentially say the same thing if I took a shot of it. I really appreciate you laying out what you did for this detox. The main detoxing I’ve ever done has been in the form of juice fasting, but I feel this detox sounds much more reasonable. I think I would benefit a lot from doing a detox that allows you to still eat! I’m sure my body could use some time off of sugar 😉
The stomach bloat is so real with dairy & gluten. If someone could invent an anti-bloat pill that’d be the eighth world wonder.
right?! why does that have to happen? it’s so delicious too 😉
what proportions do you use for that drink with water, ACV, cayenne and maple syrup?
Gina! This is my most favorite post EVAR!!! So informative and helpful. Thanks to you and The Pilot for sharing your experiences. I would love to hear more about how you prepped for the week – to help make this a reality for me too 🙂
i prepped all of our snacks on sunday for the most part, dinners were prepped during liv’s nap, and breakfast for the next day (+ lunches/snacks) were prepped and packed before bed. i actually didn’t mind prepping that much because we had healthy food ready at all times, and it cut down on my cooking time dramatically
Same question as Eva! I’d like to try it 🙂
xoxo,
Melissa
Stylista Fitness
I’ve been considering doing a detox like this to allow my gut to heal, but its kind of overwhelming to plan and prep.
I think my husband and I might try this soon! We eat fairly well but definitely have too many sweets and drinks. I am a first grade teacher so I need coffee! Did you drink yours black?
I loe to eat like this anyway but like you with the addition of chocolate here and there. A girls got to live! haha x
life isn’t life without chocolate 😉
Gina, your experience sounds like it was overall really positive. Doing it together must have been a huge factor in your success. Can you tell me more about your hot water w apple cider vinegar? How much of everything do you put in your mug?