Spring Cleansing Part III - Meal Plan

Week One: Challenge

• Drink 10 glasses of water (min)
• no dairy (except natural yogurt)
• no meat 
• no coffee (:() 
• no wine/alcohol
• no "packaged" foods
• no white pasta/grains
• no refined sugar (this one is sneaky be careful, even oatmeal is off limits)
• Journal your food, and your feelings towards them

If you're going to do this, you need to plan ahead. You're going to want a lot of protein and fibre to keep you feeling fuller longer. I'm a creature of habit, so I can eat the same breakfast everyday and it's not a problem, you may feel differently. My students used to tease me when they came in after lunch because it always smelled like maple; I literally ate the same lunch consistently every single day. I tend to switch it up on the weekends, but during the week I need the consistency. If nothing else I can plan on breakfast always being there and going smoothly.



***The journaling here is very important, I know it seems like a pain in the butt. However, the only way for you to get real about your food, is to confront it head on. Buy a notebook, or use your iphone whatever you need to do to get your self checked in.


The following are just suggestions; I am not a dietitian, nor a doctor, you know your own body and you know what works for you, so the following are merely guidelines, so you get an idea. 

Day One: 

Remember to drink 10 glasses of water a day. Drink as much green as you feel you need. Sub in fruits and veg at any time if you're still hungry. If you are feeling like you need a carb, just go with a whole grain.


Breakfast: 

• Hot water with lemon and/or green tea
• One slice whole grain toast with natural peanut butter
• 100% Orange Juice
• 1/2 cup natural yogurt and berries/ or a cup of soy milk 
• Glass of water

Snack: 1 med apple & water


Lunch: 

• water
• big salad (think Elaine from Seinfeld) with loads of greens, tomatoes, toasted nuts/chick peas (protein). Omit salad dressing and use olive oil and balsamic vinegar instead.

Snack: homemade muffin/tea biscuit with raisins
http://shortpresents.blogspot.com/2011/05/moms-biscuits.html


Dinner: 

• water (your trusty friend)
• Avocado Soup ( recipe below) omit milk and sub in soy milk, then omit sour cream and add plain natural yogurt instead. Make sure to get organic reduced sodium veg broth. 
• Whole grain bread (if you need it)

http://shortpresents.blogspot.com/2011/04/avocado-soup.html

Snack: 3/4 whole grain cereal &1 cup soy milk 


Before bed: drink either

• hot water (very detoxifying)
• hot water with lemon/ and or honey
• Organic sleepytime/ ginger  teas

***If you fall off the wagon, don't beat your self up about it. Just get back on and keep on keepin' on. If you are still hungry by all means eat; sub in more fruits and veggies where ever possible. 

Day two:

So you made it through day one and you didn't die. You might be starting to feel like crap and that's okay and to be expected. Try to sub in as much natural sugar as possible to soak up all the vitamins for energy; you'll need it.  Drink more water!!!


Breakfast: 

• repeat day one: keep the green tea/ hot water
• Sub in oatmeal (not from a box) and/or organic cereal
• or make a smoothie with flavored tofu, soy milk and fruit. 

http://shortpresents.blogspot.com/2011/03/berry-smoothie-with-chia-seeds.html

Snack: fruit of your choice (apples give you energy just sayin')


Lunch: 

• Change up the salad, or eat left over soup from last night.
• smoothie (see recipe above)

Snack: small banana 


Dinner: 

• Water
• Curried chick peas and veg (use brown rice)

http://shortpresents.blogspot.com/2011/05/curried-chick-peas-and-veg.html

Snack: Yogurt and berries / homemade / organic granola 


Before bed: drink either

• hot water (very detoxifying)
• hot water with lemon/ and or honey
• Organic sleepytime/ ginger  teas

Day three: 

Breakfast: 

• repeat 
• maybe add unsweetened/ pasteurized prune juice (warning: It's very cleansing). 
• Smoothie

Snack: fruit of your choice 1/2 grapefruit perhaps?

Lunch: 

• Salad/ soup / leftovers 
• or Bean Salad a la Leslie

to make: 

1 can white navy beans

1 can heart of palm

drain and rinse

1 bunch of asparagus

blanch and chop

add lemon juice, olive oil, s&p and toss

Snack: veggies (carrot sticks/ celery/ broccoli and homemade hummus) 

Dinner: 

• water
• Spicy Thai noodles
• Use organic broth
• use natural peanut butter
• skip soy sauce?
• sub in brown rice?

http://shortpresents.blogspot.com/2011/01/spicy-thai-noodles.html 

Before bed: drink either

• hot water (very detoxifying)
• hot water with lemon/ and or honey
• Organic sleepytime/ ginger  teas

***Okay so that's what three days looks like. This is just to give you an idea of what it looks like. Feel free to move things around, and sub in other things that meet the criteria. I'm going to be posting some more ideas for dinner.