New Detox and Cleanse Program

Photo courtesy of Healthline

I was walking by the kitchen at work yesterday when I overheard a coworker talking about a 21-day cleanse she signed up for on the recommendation of her friend, who had just completed the program and loved it.  She mentioned it was also loved by various celebrities, including Gwyneth Paltrow.  Then this afternoon, one of the blogs I follow posted a link to a caramelized brussels sprouts recipe (posted below), so of course I clicked on the link and it turns out the blogger is on a modified version of the 21-day cleanse, also mentioning that Gwyneth was a fan of the program.  Hearing about a 21-day cleanse endorsed by Gwyneth twice in one week, I did some research this afternoon.

The cleanse is called the "Clean Program," which you prepare for with what's called the "Elimination Diet," all of which is designed by a cardiologist and cleanse specialist (Dr. Alejandro Junger MD), and is the supporting cleanse to the book "Clean," which is apparently a New York times best seller.  There's endless information on the website, but from I gathered, the program consists of a shake for breakfast, supplements throughout the day, lunch (there's a list of specific foods you can and cannot eat), and then a shake for dinner.  My coworker mentioned a stricter program where you don't eat lunch (I'm assuming you drink another shake?) that's more expensive, but I didn't see it when I went on the website.  The program that I saw will run you about $425, which in the grand scheme of things is not horribly expensive, but if you
don't care much about detoxing and just want to lose weight, I don't think it's worth it (this is just my personal opinion and should not be construed as any sort of medical advice/opinion about the program or cleanses/detoxes in general).  But I love diet shopping lists, so I'll probably try this one from the Clean Program website out for a few weeks and see how I feel.  A list I absolutely love is Michi's Ladder.  I first saw it in my brother's Beach Body P90 DVD package (btw, he lost 30 pounds one summer with those DVDS).  Michi's Ladder breaks foods down into Tiers and is really helpful when you want to eat "clean." 

I've "cleansed" four times, and after each cleanse I had more energy, my skin was as soft as a cloud, and I lost anywhere from 6-14 pounds, depending on the duration (I've done 10 days to 1 month - more on this in a future post).  I did a drink/juice-based cleanse, so more than hunger or withdrawals, I missed the act of chewing and all I could think about were the worst foods I couldn't eat (nachos, pizza, tacos, burgers...).  In the end, it was great for my body but not necessarily for long-term weight loss.  I haven't tried the Clean Program so I can't vouch for how good (or not good) it may be, but since I've already done my fair share of detoxing, I think I'll skip the cleanses and stick to calorie counting, eating healthy foods and smaller portions, and exercise.  It's the conventional, no-instant-results way, but I want a lifestyle change this time around.  (But a cleanse/detox is actually a great way to jump start any diet...just sayin').

I bought bok choy again today at my local farmer's market, and also bought baby bok choy, which is smaller (obvious by the name), slightly darker, and supposedly has a sweeter taste.  I love trying new veggies!

Personal photo

And I have a bag of brussels sprouts left over from last week and am so excited because I want to try out the brussels sprouts recipe from the blog I mentioned earlier, which is called Simply Scrumptious SF.  The recipe is originally from Gwyneth Paltrow's blog, goop, but has been slightly adapted by blogger Hayley.  Here's Simply Scrumptious SF's version.  Look how amazing the pictures look!  drooool.  I can't wait to try it out! 

Photo courtesy of Simply Scrumptious SF

Photo courtesy of Simply Scrumptious SF

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts

Adapted from Gwyneth Paltrow's Recipe

Ingredients

2 1/2 lbs Brussels Sprouts trimmed

1/3 Cup Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Your best Olive Oil

1 Lemon halved

Directions

Steam brussels sprouts for 7 minutes.  I put mine in a bowl with a little water and microwaved for about 3 minutes or until just tender.  Let cool and slice in half lengthwise.  Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.  Once olive oil is hot, place brussels sprouts in pan, cut side down.  Let the brussels sprouts cook for about 4 minutes or until browned.  Do not touch during this process!  Check one and if they are ready flip them all over and get a little color on the other side.  Remove from pan and toss with juice from lemon, salt to taste, and some drizzles of your good olive oil and serve immediately.