3 Day Refresh is DONE.
When I set out to do the 3 Day Refresh, I was recovering from a Summer of FUN, lack of ANY routine whatsoever, and minimal focus on my health + fitness.
I was in the VICIOUS cycle of sugar cravings + withdrawal... Leading to being MISERABLE, indulging, then VOWING to start the following Monday.
Sound familiar?
I LOVE Summer. I love spending time with my girls. I in fact, dreaded school starting.
BUT...
Any MOMMY time was entirely lost in the chaos of Summer. Days weren't planned (the beauty of Summer), so I had no idea where we'd go, for how long, so gave up on bringing food with me. The one thing I DID do was fuel my body daily with Shakeology for my own HEALTH, but other than that, my diet consisted of a lot of pizza, ice cream, salads here + there, and too many movie nights to count (all inclusive with every movie night treat you can think of).
I had SO much fun. It was fantastic, but I have MISSED my ME time. My workouts, feeling organized, having my house organized, my budget, my mind free + clear, my FOCUS on the future. My anxiety started to actually take over as I started to feel worse + worse.
SO, the 3 Day Refresh was something I knew would KICKSTART me back to a healthy routine. An entirely VEGAN cleanse that would, yes, be difficult, but would kickstart my health back into action. 3 Days to curb cravings, get over the sugar withdrawals, reduce the bloat, get my mind back go being focused on health (and not running amuck with sugar cravings), and not feel so JIGGLY + lethargic.
I was READY to enjoy the fall, get ready for the holidays, and there was NO way I was going to hide myself away in my house during the holidays like so many before. I am going to enjoy this one, I am going to be IN pictures, not always be the one taking them. I am going to be fully present for EVERY memory and enjoy every moment, every bit of laughter and joy this season brings.
I am HAPPY to say I am DOWN 3 lbs, I feel LIGHT again, active and am INSPIRED to continue. I KNOW I am back on track because I am no longer wandering searching for sugar, I have focus. I feel GREAT + healthy, alive, and actually WANT to now fuel my body now that it's cleaned out + functioning optimally.
Day ONE was easy. It was sheer motivation + excitement driving me. I followed the plan with EASE, enjoyed the options, was happy with the fact I got to EAT (and several times a day) and loved my fall teas I got from David's Tea!
Day Two. Another story. I will be totally honest, day two was intense. I had headaches like no other, the lack of sugar + caffeine was tough, bc those have been daily staples in my life for the past three months. I knew that I could get over day two and be in the clear. Get it over with NOW, in one day, instead of taking WEEKs of weaning it out of my diet. So I did. I persevered. I went to bed EARLY to get rid of the headache and so that Day 3 would come SOONER!
TIP: Day two is made MUCH easier with lots of lemon water + TEA! When I had cravings, I had myself a mug of Apple Spice tea + just enjoyed the smell it made in my home + the feeling I had as the warmth travelled through my body! (That may sound SO weird, but I love that feeling!)
Day Three I was beginning to have more energy. No headache. I included a LOT of water infused with lemon to help detox my body quicker. A huge bonus was my SKIN! My skin glowed + is clearing up SO FAST. Nearing the end of the day though, I definitely couldn't wait for morning to have some more FOOD!
Day Four I woke up ENERGETIC. An energy I can't describe. Not the kind from caffeine, but RESTED. My body felt like THIS is how it's supposed to feel to be alive. I moved with ease this morning. I wanted to get up and RUN. I felt myself HAPPY for no reason at all. My hormones had all started to level out, I was feeling FANTASTIC. Day four, it's ALL worth it.
My rating: 4.5/5 I'm not a huge fan of Vanilla Fresh shakes and wish they'd give the option of chocolate, that is MY only downfall in the program, but that is definitely a personal liking.
When you do the 3 Day Refresh, it is SO structured, that when it's over, you feel like you're in LUXURY when you eat a piece of whole grain seedy BREAD, or quinoa lathered in veggies. Those seem like TREATS, so needless to say, to stick to a healthy menu is relatively EASY when you're done! AND after losing 3 lbs, I have done this in the past, my body is primed to melt the fat OFF my body. The BEST kickstart to ANY program is the 3 Day Refresh, because you will already lose weight, get your body READY to lose MORE, and break out of a plateau. You'll set yourself up for success by ultimately ridding you body of cravings so you can focus on your newfound life of HEALTH!
I will be continuing with lemon water on a daily basis to rid my body of toxins and continue having this SKIN! I am in love! I will also be continuing to have tea 1-3X a day to help with my coffee cravings should there be any, and to take some time to sit and read. Tea is my reminder to relax and just ENJOY the day.
My meal plan is as follows. I will be continuing with PiYo to sculpt my body, and 21 Day Fix Extreme to add in the cardio (I LOVE Cardio!). Both workouts are NOT necessary, but I enjoy my workouts, and have an event next weekend that I'd like to get into prime shape for in as little time as possible!
I will be following the 21 Day Fix Extreme meal plan, with a breakdown of my workouts as follows:
I am now down to 162.7 when I started at 166.2. My ultimate goal is 155, but I will also adjust as I see my body goes, and how much muscle I have built.
If you'd like some help + would like to be part of my next challenge group, email me directly at mskfitness@yahoo.ca so we can chat!
