I start my 2nd annual Whole Living Challenge on Monday, and if I learned anything from doing it last year, it’s that preparation is key.
My recipe for success is to chop as many ingredients ahead of time as I can, make a batch or two of soup on the weekend to have on-hand throughout the week, and always, always, always have all my food planned out and prepared for the next day before I go to bed at night.
The following are off-limits throughout this three week (and bonus 4th week) detox plan: processed foods and beverages, added sugar, dairy, caffeine, and alcohol. In addition, food options for Week 1 are limited to only the following: fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, plant-based fats/oils, and spices. Week 1 is by far the hardest…but getting through it is also the most rewarding.
My Week 1 meal and snack choices are listed below. My plan is to start off every morning with a cup of hot water with a squeeze of lemon (it stimulates the liver and releases digestive enzymes), stick to liquids in the morning, and try to go raw until dinner. I also plan to drink Yogi’s DeTox herbal tea throughout the month (sold at Target, Whole Foods, etc.). This was the first kind of tea I tried when I did this detox last year and I really liked it.
I don’t have a juicer so I’m sticking to smoothies for breakfasts. I really liked the green smoothie from the 2011 Whole Living Challenge so that’s on my list, along with a few other green smoothies I’d like to try now that I’m no longer scared of them. The trick is to blend them really well so they’re as smooth as possible.
The Garlicky Butternut Squash recipe I have listed under my dinner options is AH-MAZING. I’d never eaten butternut squash before, and the first time I made this recipe (as a side dish) I ate almost the entire squash and didn’t even want my main dish! The recipe calls for a little bit of Parmesan cheese, which I’ll have to omit during the Challenge (no dairy), but I don’t think I’ll miss it.
The Carrot Ginger soup recipe I added under my dinner options is something my friend Jill made for me right after I had Kate. It’s loaded with nutritious vegetables, but everything’s pureed which makes eating it a lot less intimidating for first-time veggie eaters like I was at the time. Don’t let the ingredients scare you–once it’s all blended together you don’t realize you’re eating an onion or a carrot! It’s just a smooth and flavorful soup. I haven’t tried the other soups on my dinner list, but they’re all pureed as well, so I’m willing to give them a shot. Bring on that nutritious goodness!
My Breakfast Options:
Green Smoothie*
Green Machine Smoothie
Avocado, Apple, Celery Green Smoothie**
Mixed Green Smoothie (for Vibrant Skin)
Ginger Orange Smoothie
Mango Coconut Water Smoothie
Beet & Carrot Smoothie
My Lunch Options:
Lettuce Salad loaded with veggies, seeds, etc, topped with avocado dressing***
Sweet Potato, Apple, Celery Salad
Celery Root, Kale, Avocado Slaw
Kale Slaw with Red Cabbage & Carrots
My Dinner Options:
Garlicky Baked Butternut Squash* (without the Parmesan)
Carrot Ginger Soup* (sans garnish)
Roasted mixed veggies in olive oil (broccoli, cauliflower, etc.)
Spiced Butternut Squash & Apple Soup
Roasted Garlic Beet Soup (I’m so nervous to try this one!)
My Snack Options:
Smoothies from my breakfast list
Sesame Kale Chips
Minty Pea Dip
Dried Fruit & Nut Bites
Almonds*
Sunflower Seeds*
Trail mix*
Oranges/Clementines*
Apple slices*
Sliced veggie sticks*
Almond Butter*
*Things I’ve already tried that I know I’ll like.
**1/2 an avocado, 1/2 a Granny Smith apple, 1 celery stalk (makes 1 smoothie)
***1 avocado, juice from 1 lemon, 1/4 t. lemon zest, 4 basil leaves. Blend or process until smooth and creamy. Add salt & pepper to taste.
Like All Things G&D on Facebook to follow along with my Whole Living Challenge! I’ll be posting there about what I’m eating each day, how I’m feeling, and my overall progress. If you’re doing this challenge along with me I’d love to hear from you, too!
I’m on day three and it isn’t so bad! The nut/fruit balls are delish and definately got me through day 1.
Agree with you on the beet soup. I made it but everytime I go to try it I gag. Not sure I can get through that soup. I’ll have to check out the Yogi Detox Tea.
I love the idea of the challenge & I’ve been turning this idea over and over in my head since you mentioned it last week, but I’m not sure if it’s the right time for me since I’m trying to conceive. The way you’ve simplified the plan makes it hard to resist, though…I was most intimidated by the info gathering and preparation (rather than actually doing it), so this definitely helps!
I love almost all fruits and veggies, though I do get some mean (animal) protein cravings and I wonder how I would fare through those (more importantly, I worry about how my husband would fare! haha).
I only recently stumbled upon your blog & wanted to let you know that I’m enjoying it. Thanks!
D, do you cut and prepare all the ingredients for your smoothies the night before and just pop them into the blender in the AM. Do you find that you are hungry during the first week? Thx!!
I’ve been doing the paleo diet through my gym, and it’s very similar. I’ll keep following you and doing this right along with you! Good luck! (P.S. I feel amazing after 3 weeks of eating clean, but DAMN I miss wine.)
@Melissa–Good for you, girl! That’s so great! The first couple of days were the hardest for me last year; I had awful headaches while the toxins were being eliminated. Ugh. I’m dreaded that this time around and hoping I dodge them. Have you had any headaches or any other symptoms? I think I’m going to put the beet soup on hold until after I try the beet smoothie. Eek! I’m so nervous about this beet situation. Let me know if you find some great recipes I should try!
@Karyn–I can understand your hesitation considering you’re TTC, but I also think…what a great reason to do this! One of my goals for doing this detox the first time around was to establish eating habits that would help me have the healthiest 2nd pregnancy I could possibly have when that time comes. Just something to consider!
Also, although he’s super supportive, G doesn’t do the challenge with me. He still eats his meats and whatever he likes.
@Anonymous–So far the only smoothie I’ve made is the green smoothie from the 2011 Challenge, and I actually blend it up the night before, refrigerate it, and then drink it the next morning. It’s so nice to be able to open the fridge and just grab and go! That smoothie recipe makes 2 smoothies so I save the other smoothie for the following day. My point: you can make ahead and refrigerate it for 2 days and it still tastes good! I’m hoping the same rings true for all the other smoothies.
Thanks for your comment, Dee, and great job on making it through 3 weeks! I feel you on the wine hiatus. That’s the hardest part for me, too!
I was on the fence but your prep work convinced me
My hubby is on board too so hopefully that will help. I’m excited! Thanks for the great idea and motivation!
Where did you get the list of meals? When I looked on the website, I only saw two dinner meals listed for week 1 – Steamed Broccoli and Squash with Tahini Sauce and Roasted Garlic-Beet Soup… but you have three other options listed! The website is a little difficult to navigate, any pointers?
So happy to hear you found this post helpful, Jen! Good luck to you and your husband–I’m sure you’ll do great!
@Katie–The other recipes I’ve listed under my dinner options are ones I’m already familiar with that luckily also fit the Week 1 criteria. I think Whole Living recipes are an excellent way to get started, but in my opinion there’s nothing wrong with branching out and searching out other recipes as long as they meet the week’s criteria. Hope that helps, Katie!
So glad you posted this! I borrowed some recipes, as well as found some on my own. Steve is at the grocery right now getting everything we need. EEK!
My husband isn’t going to do it with me, either. I just meant I was worried about how he would fare with MY crazy, animal protein deprived cravings. Haha! He is not quite ready to do it yet (though he’s intrigued and is interested to see how it goes with me), but he’s 100% supportive.
I was feeling a little guilty as I made my grocery list (about 50 produce items!) because I know how expensive it will be, but my husband just cheered me on and said, “Go for it, you’re worth it.” Ahh, so sweet.
I’ve decided to start on Wednesday — I know you said that a Monday start is best — but I have a trip on Mon/Tues to NYC to visit my daughter at college (we’re going to the Wendy Williams show…LOL). So, you and all the other girls will be my trailblazers! Hopefully, I’ll be able to learn what’s normal to feel, good recipes, etc. from you all as I follow a few days behind.
Super excited to start! I’ve been feeling lousy lately…like I could use an internal cleaning…so this comes at a great time. Sooo happy that I found your blog.
OK, I’m back. Kale chips are in the oven. And we just got finished making cauliflower poppers…holy yummy! Here is the recipe if anyone is interested: http://low-cholesterol.food.com/recipe/cauliflower-poppers-0-points-158252
Oh yes, it’s never a bad idea to put the hubs on warning–at least for the first week, hahaha! Good luck to you, Karyn! I’ll be sure to keep you updated on my symptoms. I’m hoping they don’t last long!
@Jenna–Thanks for the cauliflower recipe; I’ll definitely check that out! Good luck to you and Steve!!
I’m working on my grocery list and one place on the whole loving website it mentioned eating organic meat. When did you add meat back in?
When can I add animal protein back in? The whole living site talks about eating organic meat, but I didn’t see meat in your logs. I want to start this sunday!
@jmurrie–You can add meat back in during Week 4. Good luck to you!
Thank you for the info! Sorry for the double post,I was on my ipad and thought I had not sent the first
No worries, jmurrie–I’ve experienced similar iPad woes as well, hahaha.
Fwiw quinoa is a seed, not a grain. You can use it like a grain in a lot of ways up to and including grinding it into flour but it’s not genetically close to wheat (it’s actually much closer to beets and spinach).