DeTox

The nice thing about really knowing my body now is I can see patterns within myself and how my system reacts. Currently, my body is on its way to freak out mode. Why? Well, I haven't been being exactly nice to it lately. Long hours spent studying, attacks of the munchies being satisfied with brownies and chips, loss of sleep and not enough stretching... this has all led to a couple of problems in my behavioral cycles that are concerning to me. So instead of sulking and feeling sorry for myself, like I would have done a couple years ago, I am going to be pro-active. I cannot take away a whole lot of the stress in my life right now, so I just need to be better to myself in coping with it. I have a tendency to think I need to have a nice cocktail at the end of the week to reward myself. This habit is one that I had kicked for a good 9 months or so. But now the sun is trying to peek out again and I just get that urge to sit on a patio somewhere with a nice cold chocolate martini or vanilla lemon drop. Now, don't get me wrong, one cocktail is not going to be the end of me. However, when I have a cocktail, I tend to have other things along with it that don't work... like a lack of self control. So I am not ruling out cocktails all-in-all, I'm simply limiting myself. And no, mom, I have not become an alcoholic, I promise. I am too busy to be an alcoholic. Anyway, no more baking for me for the majority of the summer months. I will enjoy a couple cookies or a brownie once in a while but when I bake them, I feel compelled to eat them... all.... in one sitting. So let's not do that anymore either.

My cousin Jennifer asked me the other day how I do it all. I was flattered that she really thinks I have it all together. Ha! That is not the case, ladies and gentlemen, I assure you. Those who know me well and have stopped by my house mid-week within the last few months know that we have just enough clean clothes, towels, dishes and cups to get us by for the week. Where I used to sweep twice a day, now I am sweeping every other day (ick with wood floors, not recommended!). My dishes are always awaiting my attention. The area around Merritt's chair is always sticky (that's a given whether I clean or not, he is a two year old boy). I am so upset that I cannot clean as much as I used to that it has really been getting to me. I know I can do more and be more productive, I just have to plan out my days a little better and stop committing to so many things. So what is the plan, beyond all this blabbing? Well... let me tell you. I am going on an Abby DeTox Diet. It's not all about eating, it all about treating myself better and giving me and my body the attention it needs. So today is day one. I will explain the elements of this diet.

Abby's DeTox Diet Daily Requirements:
- Have a meal plan and stick to it including three healthy meals, 2-3 healthy snacks a day, lots of water and at least one of those Arbonne Figure 8 Citrus Fizz drinks a day.
- Follow weekly homework schedule to stay on top of it all and maybe even get ahead!
- Follow house cleaning schedule
- Check up on business and personal bills every Tuesday
- Get outside for at least 30 minutes a day with my adorable son
- Read with Merritt for at least 20 minutes a day
- Take some time each day to do nothing and feel ok about it
- Limited sugar intake, watch gluten intake, munch smartly and carefully and hide the vanilla vodka from myself
- Go to bed by 11pm every single night during the week

Some of these requirements might sound simple but I assure you this will be a challenge. I am putting myself on the DeTox diet for the next 30 days to see what it does for me. By then I will have finished up Spring Quarter and bikini season will be upon us. I will be updating my blog as often as possible as it's therapeutic for me and it helps to hold me accountable. So to start with the whole accountability thing, here is my meal plan for the week.


Monday:
Breakfast - Strawberry Mocha Smoothie: (1 scoop Arbonne chocolate protein powder, 1/4 cup toddy coffee, 1 cup strawberries, 1/2 cup fortified chocolate rice milk, 1/2 cup water, 2 handfuls of ice) This is about 20 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and includes a lot of my daily vitamin and mineral needs. Very filling and yummy, too!

Lunch - Balsamic Garbanzo Salad: (1/2 cup cooked garbanzo beans, cucumber slices, 15 halved cherry tomatoes, 1/2 green bell pepper chopped, handful of chopped onion, 10 sliced kalamata olives, 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts, dressing (1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp olive oil, couple shakes of garlic powder, chopped fresh flat leaf parsley (from my herb garden!) and cilantro (b/c I have it on hand) shake together and marinate on salad for about an hour before eating). All of this goodness goes on top of a bed of fresh romaine lettuce.

Dinner - Chinese Veggie Soy Ginger Stir Fry with Brown Rice and Peanuts

Tuesday:
Breakfast - Smoothie of some sort, probably chai with chocolate chai rice milk and coffee.

Lunch - Mexican Black Beans, Rice and Veggies (Bringing to school)

Dinner - Big Ben's Lentil Burgers (How it all Vegan, page 110) & Garlic-Rosemary Roasted Potatoes, Steamed Lemon Asparagus

Wednesday:
Breakfast - Fabulous French Toast (How it all Vegan, page 47), pear slices, pure organic maple syrup

Lunch - Rice Pilaf with slivered almonds, veggies, ground flax seed, lemon garlic sauce. Apple.

Dinner - Artichoke Rotini Pasta (How it all Vegan, page 105). Romaine Salad with Veggies and that new Kalamata Olive Dressing we got at the Co-Op

Thursday:
Breakfast - Smoothie - probably raspberry mocha (Can you tell I love these?)

Lunch - Sandwich on whole wheat toast with Sunflower Seeds, Avocado, Tomato Slices, Onion, Green peppers, Cucumbers, Lettuce. Fruit. Leftover roasted potatoes.

Dinner - Quinoa, Hummus and Veggie Stuffed Whole Wheat Pitas. Greek Garbanzo Bean Salad (garbanzo beans, garlic, tomatoes, celery, lemon juice, fresh mint, fresh parsley, olive oil, kalamata olives, lettuce) I will post the exact recipe later.

Friday:
Breakfast - Raspberry Cornmeal Muffins (How it all Vegan, page 131)

Lunch - Some sort of leftovers from the week

Dinner - Baked Beans (How it all Vegan, page 99) & Curried Potatoes (How it all Vegan, page 43), Grilled Veggies. Fresh fruit.

So that's it for now. I think you get the picture that I am actually planning things so I will stay on track. Beyond that, I will be doing homework according to a plan instead of whenever I can squeeze it in; thus alleviating a lot of the stress and frustration I have had lately. I will keep y'all updated on how things are going. Oh, and I will be having lots of snacks every day in addition to the meals listed... stuff like fresh fruit (probably apples with peanut butter), veggies, Lara Bars, Arbonne Weight Loss Chews, Arbonne Citrus Fizz drinks, etc.

So maybe you should try taking better care of yourself for the next month along with me and we will all be feeling better and ready to take on the Summer in full force. Here's to hoping!

Love,
Abby