I just got done with the 3-Day Refresh and I thought what better way to share it with you than to tell you my experience openly and honestly here on my blog! This is the second time I've completed this cleanse, and I will say that the second time was slightly easier because I knew what to expect and was more prepared. That being said, change isn't easy (especially when you've gotten off track or have been off track for a while with your nutrition) so this is definitely a program you need to be ready for and ready to commit to!
What is the 3-Day Refresh?
The 3-Day Refresh is a 3 day cleanse. Unlike juice and liquid fasts that are often high in sugar and low in protein, the Refresh gives you 3 days of full nutrition to help detox your body while still giving you the nutrients your body needs to stay full, maintain your energy and support your metabolism to keep you from going into "starvation mode".
For 3-days your meal plan will look like this:
Breakfast - a superfood-packed Shakeology shake with a fruit option (I mix my fruit in with my Shakeology)
Mid-morning - a Fiber Sweep digestive health drink to help gently clear out your system
Lunch - a satisfying, high-protein Vanilla Fresh shake for lunch,
+ 1 serving of fresh fruit + 1 serving of vegetables + 1 healthy fat option
Snack - 1 serving of vegetables + 1 healthy fat option
Dinner - another Vanilla Fresh shake along with
your choice from a list of delicious, easy-to-prepare dinner recipes.
As well, throughout the program you can
also have tea twice a day and as much filtered water as you like. (I suggest using your Shakeology cup and drinking at least 3 a day, 75 ounces.)
Why Refresh?
There are a lot of different reasons you may want to do the 3-Day Refresh. For ME; I had gotten off track with my nutrition (I'm an emotional eater and have had a rough couple months struggling with my depression), I wanted to feel better overall and I wanted to kick-start my journey with a brand new workout program I will be starting today! There are plenty of reasons though:
* Ate too much over the weekend, during the holidays or on vacation and want to get yourself back on track
* Looking to lose that last little bit of weight that you can't seem to get rid of
* You've never had a healthy diet and want to start eating clean but need a jump start
* You want to quickly drop a few pounds for an event
* You want more energy
Whatever your reason, the 3-Day Refresh is a healthy way to detox your body and kick start your nutrition while still eating food and getting results that will last beyond the 3 days!
My 3 Day Experience:
I want to start by saying that I LOVE food. I could live off carbs alone, so to go without for 3 days is tough for me. I also am strongly against "dieting". I believe in fueling your body with the right foods in the proper portions and always advocate the 80/20 rule. 80% of the time I eat clean, 20% of the time I let myself have the indulgences I crave. This keeps me from OVER indulging and allows me to stay healthy while still enjoying the foods (and drinks!) I love. Life is all about balance and I want to create a lifestyle I can stick with long term...and that means pasta and wine sometimes!
The 3-Day Refresh is great because it's not a "diet". It's a meal plan, it's only 3 days and it gives your body everything it needs to cleanse in a healthy way so that after the 3 days, when you add back in carbs and solid proteins, you will continue to get results and not yo-yo back to where you were at before. Yes, you still need to eat clean after those 3 days, but you can do so 80/20 style! I truly believe it's the perfect kick start and helps you to curb a lot of those cravings so that after the 3 days it's easier for you to stay on track!
Day 1:
Day 1 always seems to be the hardest for me. The carb cravings are fierce! My tips for making it easier: a few days leading up to the Refresh try to eat as healthy as possible so you don't have crazy cravings (aka don't have a giant Mexican food feast right before starting), drink plenty of water and make sure to follow the time table for the program so you space out your meals and are never hungry (or hangry)!
Breakfast - Cafe latte Shakeology with water, ice and 1/2 a banana (gotta have that coffee flavor in the morning somehow right!?)
Snack - Fiber Sweep and about an hour later some berries
Lunch - Vanilla Fresh shake, 1 red pepper sliced and 2 Tbsp hummus (I was hiking this day so packed it in a cooler to go!)
Snack - spinach salad with 2 Tbsp avocado, Himalayan salt and some lemon juice
Dinner - Vanilla Fresh shake (on the way to the movies) and a spinach, pepper, tomato salad when I got home (not pictured)
Day 2:
Day 2 is generally easier for me. I'm not thinking about carbs as much and my body is getting used to the veggies (I am NOT a veggie person, so yes, it takes some getting used to). I've also learned from Day 1...when was I getting a little hungry and how can I better space out my meals. This is different for everyone, so listen to your body!
Breakfast - Cafe latte Shakeology with water, ice and 1/2 a banana
Snack - Fiber sweep drink, 1/2 a green apple, 1/2 a large carrot and 2 Tbsp hummus
Lunch - Vanilla Fresh Shake (not pictured)
Snack - 2 stalks celery and 2 Tbsp hummus
Dinner - Vanilla Fresh shake and 1 1/2 cups veggies (broccoli, carrots and cauliflower for me) steamed with coconut oil and Himalayan salt
Day 3:
The final day! This day is pretty easy for me as, at this point, I'm used to the routine. I always start feeling more clear and lighter, both body and mind, now too. This is the day I meal plan for my week ahead. I chose to do the cleanse on a Friday-Sunday because I have more control over my schedule on the weekends which allows me to keep busy (so I don't constantly think about food) and also plan my meals/meal times better, and it also allows me to kick off my Monday right with my new, clean-eating meal plan feeling refreshed and ready to go! I grocery shop, prep for the week and go to bed knowing that my week ahead will keep my on track and these 3 days have helped me prepare for it!
Breakfast - Cafe latte Shakeology with water, ice and 1/2 a banana
Snack - Fiber sweep
Lunch - Vanilla Fresh shake, 1/2 a large carrot, 2 Tbsp hummus and 3/4 cup raspberries
Snack - 2 stalks celery and 2 Tbsp hummus (ate on the way to grocery shopping so I'm not hungry while I shop!)
Dinner - Vanilla fresh shake and a balsamic cucumber/tomato salad
Exercise & the 3-Day Refresh:
I am asked a lot, is it okay to exercise while doing this cleanse? The answer, YES! Should you be running 5 miles or doing 30 minutes of hardcore cardio or weights during the program? I wouldn't recommend it. Your body is getting less calories while on the Refresh so doing anything too strenuous may cause you to get overly fatigued. BUT, staying active while on the Refresh is helpful and beneficial to your overall health! On day 1, I went on a hike for a few hours and felt great. Throughout the program I also did 30 minutes of yoga each day. Through Beachbody OnDemand there is a new program called the 3-Week Yoga Retreat and there are three 10 minute workouts there that I stuck to each day:
* Take 10 AM routine
* Take 10 Abs routine midday
* Take 10 PM routine
There are 21 full days of 30 minute or less yoga routines that you can check out OnDemand too (for more info about Beachbody OnDemand contact me HERE and I'll help set you up with a FREE 30 day trial):
The results:
This will vary for EVERYONE depending on where you're at in your health journey. This go-around I did the Refresh hand-in-hand with one of my challengers who lost 7 pounds in the 3 days. For me, at this point in my journey, it was about getting myself back on track with my nutrition and gaining some mental clarity! With that in mind, I still lost 3 pounds total and 3 inches overall, and with only moderate exercise during the weekend too!
One of my dear friends and fellow coaches Shannon (below) did the Refresh shortly before my as well and lost 6 pounds total, 1/2 inch on her waist alone and felt less bloated, more mentally clear and energized!
Ready to Refresh?
So whether you need a kick start to cleaner nutrition, want to slim down before a holiday party or just want to feel better overall, the 3 Day Refresh is definitely for you! These last 3 days were great for me, and just what I needed! I feel more energized, clear, lighter (mind and body) and have far less cravings. AND, in just a few short weeks, I'll be kicking off my next group so you can get support as you work through the Refresh too! There are plenty of options to help get you started towards the results you want:
* 3-Day Refresh Challenge pack (It includes the entire 3-Day Refresh kit, 30 of your meals covered for an entire month in the form of Shakeology so you can continue boosting your nutrition, curbing your cravings and eating clean, and a 30 day membership to Beachbody OnDemand where you can access your yoga and thousands of other workouts!)
* Kick-start Challenge Pack (This is what I recommend most because it gives you everything you need: nutrition + fitness + support = RESULTS! This includes the complete 3-Day Refresh kit, 30 of your meals covered by Shakeology, 30 days access to Beachbody OnDemand AND an entire custom workout program for you that you can do from the comfort of your home)
* 3-Day Refresh alone (This would include the 3-Day Refresh kit and nothing else. It's a good start, but I definitely recommend continuing with your Shakeology and workouts if you want to continue to get long lasting results and make a healthy lifestyle change)
So yes, it's the holidays and YES, I'm sure you're busy, but don't put yourself on the back burner. There will never be a "perfect" time when you have no plans, no obligations and an "extra" 30 minutes in your day. You have to MAKE the time to focus on your nutrition, your fitness and your overall health and I would love to help you with the step-by-step process that has worked so well for me, and a little 3-Day Refresh kickstart to boot!
If not now, when?
Let's end 2016 strong together, NOT gain the 5-10 pounds most of us do during the holiday months and feel healthy, happy and confident going in to 2017 instead of waiting to make those New Years Resolutions and starting the year feeling ick! You're worth it, and trust me when I say...if I can do this, YOU can too!
