[*kyle*]

HI, I'm Kyle, and I'm a junk-food-aholic. I love fried stuff, stuff dipped in ranch dressing, and anything with sugar in it. I have spent the past 20+ years dumping all kinds of preservatives, additives, fake colors, fake flavorings, and every type of hydrogenated oil there is into my body. That is on top of the past 10 years of regular alcohol intake and various other environmental toxins.

When I started to consider TTC, I realized that my polluted body was no place to share with an innocent baby. I had heard of detox programs but had never tried anything like it before. So I did what I do best... Internet research!

I bought the GNC Total Body Cleanse. It is a 7-day program with pills and powder you take daily, as well as a restricted anti-inflammatory diet. According to the box, this will detox your gastrointestines, blood, liver, and kidneys.

In the morning with breakfast:
- "gastro formula" pill: fennel seed, artichoke leaf, ginger root, licorice root, peppermint leaf
- "total cleanser"pill: garlic bulb, clove bud, pomegranate, curcumin, ginger root, chamomile flower, licorice root
- enzyme blend capsule
- fiber and prebiotic blend powder, mixed with water or juice

In the evening with dinner:
- "blood circulation" pill: sarsaparilla root, butcher's broom root, cayenne pepper, green tea leaf, grape seed
- "liver cleanser" pill: picrorhiza root, milk thistle seed, turmeric root, betaine, green tea leaf, alpha-lipoic acid
- "kidney health" pill: cranberry, parsley, uva ursi, goldenseal root, juniper berry, ginger root, marshmallow root
- Enzyme and probiotic blend capsule

Foods to limit:
Dairy, red meat, sugar, glutens (wheat for instance), yeast (there goes all bread products), caffeine, corn (??), margarine, anything with preservatives or additives, anything pre-packaged or processed, artificial sweeteners, alcohol

Foods to choose:
fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, soy and soy products, brown/basmati rice, lean poultry, egg whites, olive oil (thank god!!), nuts, seeds. Well, and fish, but I don't eat fish (and I'm not going to start now).

[Mod-LadyCoconut]

sounds good! i'd love a detailed log like angela's please haha... I'm contemplating doing something like this in the near future

[*kyle*]

Day 1 (Saturday 6/21/08):

Breakfast:
Orange juice
soy yogurt with flaxseed meal

Lunch:
Strawberry Poppy salad from Panera, no dressing
Lemon ginger tea

Snack:
Almonds
Dried mango
Dried cranberries

Dinner:
Chicken breast
Artichoke hearts
Spinach
Soy milk

Output:
#1: Too many to count
#2: Once

Symptoms:
Headache all day
Neck aches and stiffness
Nausea
Sinus mucus
GAS




Day 2 (Sunday 6/22/08):

Breakfast:
Eggwhite omelet with veggies
Fresh fruit
Green tea

Lunch:
Didn't eat lunch - not hungry

Snack:
Almonds
Dried mango
Dried cranberries
Lemon ginger tea

Dinner:
Basmati rice with chicken breast and flaxseed meal
Soy milk

Output:
#1: Too many to count
#2: Twice

Symptoms:
shoulder aches and stiffness
tiredness
gas
nausea once or twice
Lost 1 lb
Spotted a little before AF

[soImarriedAnerd]

yeah for detox!!! I can't wait to see how you feel when its all done! STICK WITH IT!!!!!
Thanks for making a log also

[Lash]

It gets better I promise! If you want some recipes.. this is my normal eating! Plain oats with protein powder this morning (thats restricted I"m sure on detox, the powder at least) but you must get plain steel cut oats, not instant
Grab some veggies to snack on too.. those dried fruits dont fill you up the same way that regular veggies and fruits do- a handful of raisins and a handful of grapes are not the same, even if the calorie count is. The water that is taken up helps fill you up

[*Anna*]

thanks Kyle for posting this!!! Good luck and when the going gets tough, we're here for you!!!!

[*kyle*]

Last night I could NOT get to sleep. I think my body was releasing some built up caffeine or nicotine... or maybe sugar... I was wide awake until 2:30 a.m. Usually when I have insomnia, my body feels tired and my brain is awake. Well, last night my body and brain both thought it was the middle of the day!! I even felt "zingy" in my arms and legs.

But today - UGH. I need some support and motivation NOW!! Lauren, I don't know how you do this every day!

First of all, being on detox while working is not easy. Try having someone ask you a question in a meeting and having to run out the door before answering because nature is calling - urgently!!

I can smell my coworkers' coffee and they have cookies and muffins in the staff room. I'm soooo hungry... sooo tired and "in need" of that caffeine boost!! Because of my sleepless night, I can barely think in complete sentences!

On the up side, I am scheduling a deep tissue massage for this week. It was my Valentine's Day present from DH and I never cashed it in. Can't wait! And maybe it will speed up some of these toxins as a bonus lol.

[Lash]

I tell you, it gets easier. Its just a way of life at some point. BFL is what keeps me on the straight and narrow. I do drink some caffeine every once in a while and I do eat some processed stuff (protein powder and the like). You dont notice after awhile

You'll also notice that my LP keeps lengthening and I"m not on B6 anymore, havent been for months

[*kyle*]

A longer LP is great motivation! Thanks Lauren. You are my rabbit food goddess!

Day 3 (Monday 6/23/08):

Breakfast:
Blueberry yogurt with flaxseed
1/4 honeydew melon
Decaf black coffee

Lunch:
Carrot sticks with sunflower seed butter
Green tea

Dinner:
Salad with baby spinach and chicken breast
Strawberry, blueberry, raspberry and soy milk smoothie

Output:
#1: Too many to count
#2: Once

Symptoms:
Lower back pain
Fatigue
Cravings (salty foods)
Spotting before AF
...and I gained that pound back

[soImarriedAnerd]

Needing some motivation.......Just remember WHO your doing it for

[*kyle*]

So I just got back from my deep tissue massage... AAAHHHH.

It was exactly what I needed, with this detox and the first day of heavy, crampy AF. The masseuse was like, "Here's a muscle knot, and another one, and another one... what do you do for a living? Drive a truck?" And now I feel like someone did drive a truck - over my back! But in a good way - a REALLY good way.

And... I am going back for another round of deep tissue on Friday so she can properly finish the job! The masseuse was right, she really couldn't do all she needed to in 60 minutes. It will be soooo worth it. It will also be my last day of detox so I figure it'll be the perfect time to release whatever else might be lurking in those muscles.

Thank goodness I start my new job next week... so not only am I transferring away all of my clients, leading to 1/2 or less of my usual workload... no one at my current job is really keeping track of where I'm at this week. Ha! Kyle: 1, The Man: 0.

Now I shall go drink my weight in distilled water.

[soImarriedAnerd]

That sounds great....*off to get a thai massage*.

[Mod-LadyCoconut]

Kyle you're so cute! I'm super envious of that massage... glad you're ridding yourself of all of these toxins! and what huge changes in your life right now! TTC & a job change while doing a detox on AF?! woo!

[*kyle*]

Yeah no kidding Shannon, I usually hate change but when I decide to go for it I guess I really pile it on.

Today was a record breaker in terms of detox, so without further ado...

Day 4 (Tuesday 6/24/08):

Breakfast:
Vanilla soy yogurt with flaxseed
Orange juice

Snack:
Almonds

Lunch:
Basmati rice
Chicken breast

Snack:
Sliced tomato with olive oil and oregano

Dinner:
3 slices lean turkey breast
Chickpea and edamame salad
Pinto beans with tomato and onion
Soy milk

Output:
#1: I actually tried to keep track today but lost count around 10
#2: FOUR! Seriously, don't even ask... lol

Symptoms:
Lower back pain
Heavy AF with cramps
Food cravings (sweets)
Lovely little acne breakout on my chest
... oh, and I lost that pound again. I think I might know where it went... *flush*

[Mod-LadyCoconut]

oh I'm sure AF certainly helped quite a bit with all those dos'!

[*kyle*]

Day 5 (Wednesday 6/25/08):

Breakfast:
Mixed nuts
Banana
Orange juice

Snack:
Carrot sticks

Lunch:
Pinto beans with tomatoes and onions

Snack:
Pear

Dinner:
Basmati rice
Chicken breast
Onions, mushrooms and carrots stir-fried
Soy milk

Output:
#1: Didn't even try to count
#2: Three (!)

Symptoms:
Sinus mucus
Lethargic
Forgetful/brain foggy
Hot and cold flashes
And the gas is back with a vengeance!

[*kyle*]

Day 6 (Thursday 6/26/08)

Breakfast:
Soy yogurt
Banana
Green tea

Snack:
Pear

Lunch:
Berry and soy milk smoothie
Carrot sticks

Snack:
Mixed nuts

Dinner:
Chickpea and edamame salad
Baked butternut squash
Soy milk

Output:
#1: About 14
#2: Three

Symptoms:
Gas, gas, gas
Bloating

Other observations:
- My caffeine addiction is totally gone! And I am debating whether I ever want to go back to drinking caffeinated drinks at all.
- I’m drinking tons of water yet my pee still comes out yellow most of the time.
- I still get hungry and I still get sweet/salty food cravings, and I have been planning my “first post-detox meal” for days now. So far, the menu includes pancakes with syrup, bacon, eggs with cheese, and full fat chocolate milk.
- I’m actually really surprised that I haven’t lost a bunch of weight on this detox. It seems that although I have cut out a lot of empty calories, I have replaced them with a lot of “real” calories… I don’t think I am eating less fat or calories than before, but I’m eating bigger portions of healthier food. I’ve fluctuated up and down by only one pound, and I’m back where I started. And my waist is actually bigger around right now because of all the bloating from the high vegetable content of my diet.

[soImarriedAnerd]

Other observations:
- My caffeine addiction is totally gone! And I am debating whether I ever want to go back to drinking caffeinated drinks at all.
- I’m drinking tons of water yet my pee still comes out yellow most of the time.
- I still get hungry and I still get sweet/salty food cravings, and I have been planning my “first post-detox meal” for days now. So far, the menu includes pancakes with syrup, bacon, eggs with cheese, and full fat chocolate milk.
- I’m actually really surprised that I haven’t lost a bunch of weight on this detox. It seems that although I have cut out a lot of empty calories, I have replaced them with a lot of “real” calories… I don’t think I am eating less fat or calories than before, but I’m eating bigger portions of healthier food. I’ve fluctuated up and down by only one pound, and I’m back where I started. And my waist is actually bigger around right now because of all the bloating from the high vegetable content of my diet.[/b]

I Came off Caffeine also earlier in my life...never needed it again. I have cokes in my mixed drinks. But I only have a soda maybe once a week with caffeine in it. If you even give it longer you will be MORE awake without it! So I vote for staying off of it!

Your urine will stay yellow with the ingredients in your detox-I forgot to put that in mine! Also i thought you mentioned taking extra B vitamins somewhere---B vitamins will keep your urine a bright yellow also.

WARNING WARNING once your done detoxing and start going back to bad food- it will make you a little sick! So don't over do it with one meal first meal.

It takes your body 14 days to adjust to the new diet. Right now your body is in detox mood not weight loss....once your body gets used to the new diet (if you were to keep it up) it would then realize this is the new norm and you would lose weight. Plus you have AF going right now-so you probably still have some water weight on you.

Your doing great girl keep it up! Its so worth it!

[*kyle*]

The Final Day: Day 7 (Friday 6/27/08)

Breakfast:
Banana
Green tea

Snack:
Pear

Lunch:
Carrot sticks
Berry and soy milk smoothie

Dinner:
Chicken breast
Tomato and green peppers
Soy milk

Output:
#1: Fewer - around 8
#2: Once

Symptoms:
Some gas, letting up though (thank god!!)

[*kyle*]

Post-detox observations:

- I pooped 15 times in one week! Sorry to dwell on it, but that's the first post-detox thought I had.

- I also had a 3-day AF. I believe that's a first, especially since being off BCP. Don't get me wrong, the first two days were very heavy and crampy. But that's a fair trade for not having to drag it out over the better part of a week.

- I am definitely going to adopt some of the detox eating habits long term.
* Eating more fiber overall - a lot more
* Eating more fresh fruits and veggies
* Eating less fast food - a lot less
* Limiting highly refined foods, especially white bread products and sugars
* Avoiding artificial stuff - sweeteners, flavors, colors
* Drinking more water
* Avoiding most caffeine, definitely not going to drink it on a daily basis like I was

- I really do feel like this cleansed my body. I feel healthier, I feel more rested even with a normal amount of sleep. I like that I was able to break my caffeine addiction, and I feel like I also might have been addicted to sugar prior to this as well. Now that I know what it's like to not "need" a "boost" from caffeine and sugar to get through the day, I am going to try and keep that feeling. If anyone reads this who kind of thinks that these kinds of things are more hype than real, I urge you to try it and see for yourself.

- I also really feel like this was necessary, for me and my body, to get me physically ready for TTC. I definitely think that my body is a healthier place to share with a growing baby for nine months. I am also a lot more confident that during pregnancy I won't have a hard time giving up the bad stuff and eating really healthy for my baby. Before, I would lament that I would no longer get to have caffeine, aspartame and sugar, alcohol and all of that when pregnant. I saw it as a kind of punishment, and I questioned whether I would really be able to change my habits that drastically. But after this week, I know I won't feel punished by pregnancy and I'll also be less likely to develop gestational diabetes. Totally worth it!

P.S. It is Saturday morning now, and I have had my first official post-detox meal. I did make pancakes, but I only ate one of them because they tasted too sweet and heavy. Maybe this is the beginning of a whole new Kyle??