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Cranberry Kick challenge for January: A detox drink
of cranberry, lemon, apple cider vinegar and water
before each meal for 10 days, along with healthy eating. |
When your best friend is in the wellness business, you get dragged into a lot of things. Like buying vitamins *, making friends with kale (kinda) and slogging through squat challenges. This week it's drinking detox juice in a "Cranberry Kick" challenge.
Now I admit, I'm hit or miss with challenges in general. My typical M.O. is to peter out halfway through (or a week in, in the case of the squats). But since 18 months have passed since my pants fit for any length of time, I've committed to seeing this cranberry thing through. Because it will be the gateway to established healthy habits right? RIGHT. (Annnd because it only lasts 10 days.) Anyway.
So, day 1:
I gathered up the supplies...
- 100% cranberry juice (Ocean Spray this is not. No sugar, no water, no nothing, just cran)
- Whole lemons, for squeezing
- Apple cider vinegar (I went with Bragg's organic because it was on sale)
- Water (I use bubbled so I can pretend it's Italian soda)
...And I mixed up a glass with 3/4 cup water, 1/4 cup cranberry juice, 2 tablespoons lemon juice (1/2 a juicy lemon), and 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar. TANGY.
The goal is to drink a glass of potion before each meal for 10 days. The idea is to flush toxins and what not, but after trying my first batch, I think it's so fat is scared off by the bitter train that courses through the body. MAN it is a zippy drink.
When I got the first cup down at 7 a.m., pre-coffee and barely awake, I felt like I swallowed paint thinner or something that could start an instant war in the intestinal region. The sensation was not pleasant and made me vaguely nervous about how fast I could get to the bathroom if need be (sorry for the TMI gentle readers). The weirdness passed though and after a Complete Protein Shake for breakfast, I forgot all about it.
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| Trying in general to eat more veggies, especially after four days in New York where I really didn't see one until I got back to California. Ahem. |
Until lunch. Drink #2 took longer to get down and I really regret not honing my chug-ability long before now. The strange stomach feelings from breakfast were no factor though and the only ill side effect was the proliferation of what my old boss euphemistically referred to as "bio breaks." Really glad I work from home sometimes.
All day I monitored our group's Facebook page as people reported on their experiences with the drink and shared photos of accompanying healthy foods (yes, I even posted a snap of my giant veggie plate lunch, although I did not include the grilled cheese chaser. Baby steps, people, baby steps). The reactions vary. I think it tastes like kombucha tea, not great but not terrible. Some people apparently have broken taste buds and drink it like soda. Many think it's icky but are committed to the project anyway.
We'll see how I feel after 10 days. Until then, it's off to drink #3 and dinner.
Hope your New Year's health resolutions are humming along, too.
xoxo,
shawna
*I do heart you, Juice Plus, don't worry!
Other health type things:
Labels: #completelifestyle, apple cider vinegar, Bragg's, challenge, Complete Protein, cranberry, cranberry kick, detox, Dr. Oz, Food, health, Juice Plus, ladies, lemon, recipe, shake, Shannon Ledford, vitamins