Cleanse With Benefits: Day 1 Stats

Made it to the second day! Luckily, I have a partner-in-crime who will be participating in the cleanse with me, Dylan. Though we differ slightly in our eating and exercise habits, we have one main thing in common: we are most definitely not the “earthy-crunchy” type! Sure, we both enjoy hikes in the woods, the occasional fruit and veggie smoothie with chia or flax seeds, and some good old roasted veggies; however, I will admit that the night before we started the cleanse, we went to Desperados for ‘All You Can Eat’ tacos and burritos. Need I say more?

                                                                               
Let me reveal some stats about the two main players in this game:

Gina: Italian/Irish/European
Age: 22
Weight: Average, but have gained a few lbs that I would like to lose since starting office job 
BMI: Average
Exercise: Cardio and weights 1-3 times/week
Foods I eat often, (pre-cleanse): cereal, 1-2 cups of coffee per day, soup, fish, spinach, veggies, pasta,  macaroni and cheese, nachos, pizza, fruit and veggie smoothies   
Health issues: Headaches (both migraines and caffeine-withdrawal), dry skin, anxiety, fatigue, weight gain
Additional notes: I am very cranky when I skip my morning cup of coffee!
 

Dylan: Filipino/IrishAge: 22
Weight: Average

BMI: Low

Exercise: Cardio and weights 2-4 times/week

Foods he eats often: Steak, nachos, chicken, pasta, asparagus, rice, chicken wings, salad, fish

               *I feel like I need to include Dylan’s legendary “Breakfast of Champions” from Cumberland Farms: Beef Jerky, a granola bar, cheese stick, hummus with tortilla chips, and an apple. Because it “covers all of the bases…”

Health Issues: Smokes 1-3 cigarettes a day, fatigue, trouble concentrating, joint aches from injuries in jaw and hand
Additional notes: Dylan is a former Texan and would probably eat a whole cow if no one was watching. He is trying to quit smoking after cutting back to about 1 cigarette a day in the past few weeks.  

Eat to Total Health Consultation
On Tuesday, Jan. 29, Dylan and I met with Renee from Eat to Total Health. (Check out her website here: http://eattototalhealth.com/). She outlined a plan for each of us for the next 21 days, which is, in summary:

-Lots of fruit and veggies
-Approved condiments
-Protein: allowed on Day 11; however, many people don’t desire meat or fish by that time.
-Minimum of 8 glasses of water a day
-Protein Shakes with organic hemp protein (there are several different types of protein powder; Renee gives you a series of tests to find out which kind is compatible with your body. We both resulted in  hemp powder, which gave us the innapropriate and slightly immature giggles.)
Some various other foods, including legumes and green smoothies.

Renee also told us to avoid specific fruits and vegetables based on our individual health issues (for example, I should stay away from corn and potatoes, which would inhibit weight loss, and Dylan should avoid tomatoes and eggplant, which could aggravate his joint pain). Renee expressed concern about some of my health issues, which are symptoms of a gluten allergy, so this next week it will be important to note how I feel.

*Again, I cannot stress how important it is to NOT begin a diet like this without consulting a professional! The guidelines above were created specifically for Dylan and I and our health concerns. Please do not mirror.

Check in later for an update! Feeling pretty good right now—I cheated and had a few sips of black coffee this morning, but other than that, I’m feeling determined! See ya later with, hopefully, an excellent recipe for sweet potato fries…


                                                                   

This morning I was faced with pure temptation. This is the view from my desk--here, we observe organic coffee and...wait for it...a box of muffins from Luma's Muffin and Mug. The ultimate test. 

Prelude to a Cleanse

My name is Gina Iannitelli and I will be doing something new, a little crazy, and definitely daunting. Follow me as I embark on a 21-day “cleanse,” from Jan. 30—Feb. 19, during which I will exclude gluten, dairy, preservatives, caffeine, and alcohol from my diet with the help of Renee Tassone of “Eat to Total Health” in North Adams.  This is strictly for informational purposes and, hopefully, viewing pleasure; I do not endorse (neither does Renee!) any attempts to mirror my diet. I do, however, completely support the desire to find a lifestyle that nourishes your body to the best of its ability. Who doesn’t want that?

Now on to the hard part…