3 Day Refresh

Did I own the 3 Day Refresh kit for a year before trying it?
Maybe.

Do I regret not doing it sooner?
YES!

3 Day Refresh

The 3 Day Refresh gives you a lot in just 72 hours. The claim of: Reclaiming your health, energy, and vitality without starving… pretty much sang YAAAS to me! And it’s true- You’ll conquer your cravings, get a flatter belly, feel more in control of your food choices, not to mention lighter and more energized, and even your clothes will fit better. I got The Complete Kit, which comes with 3 packets of Shakeology^®. I chose the Vegan Chocolate flavor because plant-based proteins are often easier for the body to digest, but you can decide for yourself. The kit also comes with 6 packets of Vanilla Fresh, which is a high-protein shake, 3 packets of Fiber Sweep (a digestive health drink), and 1 Program Guide.

I learned a valuable lesson…

PREP IS EVERYTHING.

As I worked through the guide that comes with the 3 Day Refresh kit, I filled every blank line in, leaving nothing to guess. This may have been the biggest part of my success! And yes, I was successful. I loved the 3 Day Refresh, and I plan on doing it again after the New Year to kick of 2018! YES, you need self control to make this work, but like any other habit you’re trying to form, muscle you’re trying to build, or any thing you do- it takes practice. If you never start, you’ll never get there!

There are pages of food ideas, all recipes are spelled out, and nothing is left to wonder. My results are all the way at the end… but if you want to know how I got there, read on!

Day 1

I woke up and was freaked. WHAT HAD I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO?!

I drank 12 ounces of water before my feet hit the floor, got my head on straight, and headed to the kitchen. Making myself a shake with just water, something I tested out a few times before the big show, I enjoyed the heck out of a Vegan Chocolate Shakeology with 8 ounces of water, a handful of ice and a sprinkle of cinnamon. For my fruit, I added a bowl of 12 medium strawberries.

Wait. 12?
Yes. 12. Being precise is important during the Refresh.

Adding 5 baby carrots, 2 tablespoons of hummus, 1 cup of watermelon, a red pepper, avocado, a beautiful dinner of organic broth and fresh herbs with fresh steamed veggies, 2 separate Vanilla Fresh shakes, and Fiber Sweep drink… and I went to bed rather satiated.

The breakdown?

Before my Shakeo, I ran 3 miles. Which was actually really fun and done early enough that the heat and less calories didn’t effect me. When I got back, I made my shake, ate strawberries, and drank some water. Showered, got dressed, made the bed. Then did my Fiber Sweep.

We spent the afternoon on a light walk around our local zoo, where I sipped on water, and I headed home to have my afternoon Vanilla Fresh, hummus, carrots, and watermelon. We put the kids down for naps and I got some work done for a client, then cut up my pepper and an avocado, and enjoyed that snack with a cup of green tea.

For dinner, we headed to my in-laws’, so I measured out my green beans, cauliflower, and carrots, chopped up fresh basil and cilantro from my window garden, and grabbed my organic veggie broth and coconut oil for the Coconut Steamed Veggies recipe- threw it all in a bag, and we were ready to go! As the Dave made the kids’ plates of dinner, I steamed my veggies and made my soup. Side by side, I enjoyed my meal, as everyone noshed on sticky chicken, pork, cheesy pasta, and roasted veggies… then a dessert of homemade whipped cream, angel food cake, ice cream and strawberries.

I want to say I was tempted, but I felt like a total badass as I sat there cleaning the girls’ hands, knowing I was doing something my body was in dire need of. After weeks of late night binging from the peanut butter jar, over eating at BBQs, and partaking in dessert like it was the last drop of water in a desert, I so badly needed this reset!

I got home and made my second Vanilla Fresh shake to drink as I finished up some work and sat down to watch GoT with the hubs. I sipped on some herbal tea and some more water, then we went to bed!

Day 2

I was SO much better waking up! After 7 hours and 23 minutes of sleep- I went to bed instead of heading to the kitchen- I woke up next to my water bottle, filled with 16 ounces of water. I promptly drank it, got out of bed, brushed my teeth and collected clothes for the girls for the day. I headed downstairs and made my Vegan Chocolate Shakeology (you can have non-vegan, but it’s suggested to use the vegan to cut out the whey) with ice, water, and cinnamon, with a side of watermelon. Then I got the girls’ dressed, brushed their teeth, made our beds, collected laundry, emailed a few clients, turned on Aladdin… and then made my Fiber Sweep and chugged!

As the coverage of the solar eclipse began on Nasa’s website, I made myself a nice cup of green tea with ginger and sat down to do some child abuse training for work. This is important because it’s focus-centered and kept my mind on the task at hand. Sometimes, I feel distracted when I do busy work, and thus I eat. A habit I am hoping to break with the 3 Day Refresh!

The time passed pretty quick, as my mother-in-law had the girls crafting (Addie made an amazing elephant for my office!), and it was time for lunch! My Vanilla Fresh Shake, a ½ cup of grapes, 2 celery stalks, and 2 tablespoons of hummus (can we talk about how I LOVE hummus and am so glad I have to eat it?!). I chowed down, watched some eclipse coverage, listened into a conference call, and an hour had passed, which means snack time- I’ve been terrible with timing my meals for a while, so having a strict time to eat was great to reset those bad habits of eating any old time. I grabbed 5 baby carrots and 2 more tablespoons of hummus with a cup of ginger green tea, and enjoyed!

I answered a few more emails, did some research for a project, and followed that with the 21 Day Fix Barre Legs workout- legs have been my focus recently. It was a sweaty time, but not too extreme- perfect for a low calorie day!

The rest of the afternoon was all about distraction, as I felt a little hungry. Not terrible, but yes, I wanted a spoonful of peanut butter- blame my cycle! To satiate this feeling, I made myself a cup of herbal tea and finished reading Class Action: The Landmark Case That Changed Sexual Harassment Law– another intense topic that required me to focus my mind, and the next thing I knew, it was time to wrap up my work day, and finish up some emails. Dave would (actually) be home from work on time!

An amazing friend ordered pizza for the kids and Dave from Addie’s favorite: Uno’s (we have the meal train going from Addie’s surgery), and I was able to make myself the Roasted Asparagus with Almonds recipe as they started to eat. I found that letting everyone start eating before I started cooking, meant less time sitting and watching everyone else eat. The 3 Day Refresh spells out their recipes, which are just a few ingredients and take very little time to make- ideal to not spend much time in the kitchen! As soon as I made my food, which was just asparagus, olive oil, salt and almonds, and the same organic veggie broth with fresh herb soup as the night before, I sat and ate as the fam finished. I cleared their plates and cleaned the kitchen as they ate a little treat for dessert, then left the rest for Dave and shut off the light. No going back!

As Dave got the babes to bed, I took a relaxing shower, then headed to the kitchen one more time to make my Vanilla Fresh shake and pick out a tea bag. I sipped my shake on the couch as Dave and I watched a show, then he made me a cup of tea and I headed to bed… always with my morning water next to the bed!

Day 3

I’ll admit: I woke up hungry. BUT, after drinking 16 ounces of water, I felt oddly refreshed and energized and hopped up out of bed!  Another great night’s sleep seemed to be working on me! My skin looked better, my lean muscles were peaking through my thighs, arms, and abs, and I had that super badass feeling coursing through me!

As I did on Monday, I brushed my teeth, and collected clothes for the kids, then headed downstairs and made myself a Chocolate Vegan Shakeology with ice, water, and a sprinkle of cinnamon- I even got a little wild and added a drop of vanilla extract. I gobbled up my 12 strawberries and some more water, and got the babes dressed.

I had a cup of black coffee (which is how I usually drink coffee, anyway) and some more water, did some work, made all the beds and ran a load of laundry. Day three, people, stay with me… I am GOING TO MAKE IT!

Tuesdays are my day with Bestie, who is also doing the 3 Day Refresh, so as her crew of three showed up, DISTRACTION had arrived!!! After settling our, between us, five little angels, we made our Fiber Sweep and chugged it before it got too thick. We took to the distraction of planning for Saturday, which is our team training day- she runs and I bike. This week, she has 12 miles, which means I bike 6.5 miles to her house (and back), as well as her training route. Just mapping it out gave me Wonder Woman feels, and I was pumped to finish this Day 3 strong.

Our planning lead us into lunch! My first Vanilla Fresh shake for the day with a cup of watermelon, ¾ cup of broccoli and 2 tablespoons of hummus totally hit the spot! The kids ate and ran around, as they do, and then it was time for nap! Everyone hustled out the door… which is still a 30 minutes process, and then I headed back in the house to get my own brood into bed. They begrudgingly went down for naps, so I headed to the basement with a cup of herbal tea and a workout of Upper 20 from Turbo Fire. I’m loving the lean definition in my arms, so why not push it?

Super sweaty and famished… I made my snack of 5 baby carrots and 2 tablespoons of avocado (which the kids love, because they get to eat the rest of it!). It was creamy and delightful. I ate it REALLY fast, but adding in 16 ounces of water, and I was all filled up! I took a quick shower and changed my clothes as the afternoon hours quickly ticked by. Because I spent the morning with friends, I needed to get some work done, did a little more online training for work and made myself a cup of green tea.

The kids woke up and we did a little cleaning, and it was time for dinner! Again, a friend delivered dinner (because my friends are the best), which I served as soon as Dave got home and then got to work on my own recipe for Veggie Stir Fry. Olive oil, fresh ginger, garlic, green beans, carrots, red pepper, sea salt and broth- this meal was super flavorful! I made my organic veggie broth and fresh herb soup to go with it, and we talked about our weekend plans to garden at Addie’s school on Sunday!

Dave put the kids to bed, I finished up work and made my last Vanilla Fresh shake and a cup of herbal tea, and headed to bed. I could feel the fewer calories draining me a little earlier… but instead of it being negative, it kind of helped me realize I CAN get to bed earlier. The world will not end!

Day 4

Wait… there’s a day 4? Yes. Day 4 is the make-or-break. My self control was just as important on Wednesday, as I didn’t want to go nuts and trigger my overeating issues all over again.

Funny thing… after all that hard work, my mind and body were working together. As I woke up, I craved my water- which I’d already, habitually, started to put next to my bed. I drank it, got dressed, and put 2 miles in before anyone got up. I came back home and made myself a Chocolate Shakeology with water and PBFit, and sliced up an apple, too. 

I showered, got dressed, got the kids dressed and headed out by 9. BOOM! Energy, ambition. Day 4- YOU’RE MINE!

I had an afternoon snack of 5 celery stalks and 2 tablespoons of hummus, and the kids and I played a few boardgames before I got some work done. I made them lunch, then measured 2 cups of spinach for a salad and topped it with two eggs and 8 spears of asparagus, that I baked plain in the oven, for myself. I got some more work in, and some Yoga with Ted done, from the Beachbody Yoga Studio. The kids and I all picked out a yogurt to chow down on, then got in the car and headed to the Back-to-School fair in our city center.

I came home and pulled out leftovers from the past few nights. I gave everyone 1 slice of pizza from Uno’s, a cup of orzo, veggie and turkey soup, and a side salad of the spinach I had left, which I topped with some apple cider vinegar. I. Was. Stuffed. Dave got the kids to bed while I finished up some work and had a lot of water! Dave and I chilled out on the couch, finally, and I made myself a dessert of 1 tablespoon of peanut butter 5 baby carrots, and a cup of tea… then I brushed my teeth to signal myself the night of eating was over.

…as I headed to bed, I felt [almost] too full, but totally amazing. A feeling that can only happen when you have put yourself back together from the pieces that have been shattered by weeks and months of inner turmoil and outward stress. This 3 Day Refresh meant more than a cleanse (that actually lets you eat), but a way to connect with a small group of amazing friends and get back to my own health journey.

Tips

• Drink your Fiber Sweep as soon as you make it! 3/4 to 1 cup of cold water, add in sweep packet, mix with fork, drink! It’s a little citrus-y, which makes it taste pretty good, but will thicken with each second that passes! So drink up!
• It seems like a lot, but really: a gallon of water a day is key! Keeps the body happy… you get me?
• PLAN. This really should be tip 1. Don’t try and “figure it out” every day. Know what you will be making for yourself, as well as your family. I enlisted my hubby to take over breakfast, which is super-carb time for the girls, as well as all dinners being prepped ahead, so I didn’t need to spend as much time in the kitchen (tempting myself!).
• Stay busy! If you’re going to sit on your butt, you’re going to think you’re hungry… because boredom triggers hunger. It’s not real hunger, it’s boredom… so don’t get bored!!!
• Enlist a friend! This is imperative. When there’s a group, or at least a pair, you have accountability and an ear. When things feel harder, or you just need a boost- that support is going to get you through. It’s only 3 days… but 3 days can feel like an eternity when you’re walking a journey alone.
• Know your week! I chose to do the 3 Day Refresh to start my week. Saturday, I ROCKED that weekend vibe. Sunday, I was business. Using my prep and enlisted family and friends, I strolled through Sunday, Monday and Tuesday with ease.
• Don’t not move. If you are not doing anything, even as simple as a 30 minute walk, your body will not be working it out. Remember a cleanse is internal, and lubricating the body with enough water, as well as physical work, is a must! Don’t go lifting for hours, but light yoga, a brisk walk, dancing for an hour- keep moving to keep moving!
• GO TO BED! Feeling yourself drift towards the kitchen at night? Go to bed. That’s all there is to it. Trust, this is the best sleep I’ve gotten!
• Plan for success after! THIS IS SO IMPORTANT!!! Use the tools you’ve learned like portioning, prep, good sleep, hydrating, cutting out sugars and excess carbs. You already have all the keys to success- employ them!

Oh yeah…

I’ve had a few friends tell me, I could never do that!

Let me be real here: I started the 3 Day Refresh on Sunday and got my period that night. I am typically HUNGRY and grumpy, but I was focused and determined and had an amazing accountability group with me on this journey. If I can not only survive, but be successful and LOVE the Refresh on my period, you CAN do this! Trust that.

Results!

Weight:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I FEEL better and I understand a lot of my downfalls before.

I was off my sleep game. I was not drinking enough water. And portions were OUT OF CONTROL. Eating good foods, doesn’t mean you can eat endless amounts. I’ve spent years counting calories, but this was a valuable lesson in understanding that consuming 2000 calories in an unbalanced diet is worse that 2,200 calories of a balanced one. Nutrition is key to success!

My why for starting this 3 Day Refresh was to regain my sense of control. I was not taking care of ME! And I’m pretty darn important! Let me tell you a little secret: YOU ARE, TOO!

If you have any questions about the 3 Day Refresh, my fun new shaker cup, or want to know more about health and fitness in general, please leave a comment or contact me HERE! Much love and selfcare to you as we head into the weekend!

xo