You know how you always have that one body part you're never going to be happy with no matter what you do? Mine is my belly. I'm constantly poking, prodding and playing with it, just ask Scott. Well, two weeks into this crazy thing called the Ultimate Reset and it's vanishing! So far I have lost a total of 6.4 lbs and 2.5 % body fat! But what's even more amazing are the side by side pictures (which I'm not sharing until the very end). In fact, when I texted Scott the side by side's on Thursday after I took them his reply was, "Does this mean no more cuppies or brewski?" (btw, cuppies = cupcakes) 

I'm loving my results so much that I almost wish this wasn't my last week. I would love to see just what I could accomplish and how I would feel after 4 weeks, and not just 3. At the same time I also feel like I have been doing this For. Ever. and I'm ready to get some sort of normalcy back to my weekends.

This weekend is going to be especially hard because it's Labor Day weekend. Every year we go to the Clarence Labor Day Fair. They have a huge beer tent and live bands and it's a lot of fun. This year I'll be there, but with my distilled water in hand. I also have something special planned for Scott for Saturday night, but I don't want to give away the secret. ;)

Since this is my final week, my supplements have changed again. I'm no longer taking the Detox supplement three times a day. Instead I have added in Revitalize, a probiotic, three times a day. The food has continued to be AMAZING while the prep time... and portion sizes... continue to diminish.

Five more days then my final round of pictures and a second set of blood work. Oh ya, and then I can get back to Les Mills Pump and training for the Rochester 1/2 Marathon again! 

Today is Day 12 of the Ultimate Reset and I have made it over the hump! Only 9 more days to go! It honestly has been flying by. The only thing that has been making it seem to go slow is that I'm only weighing myself once a week during this. I'm usually an every day or at least every other day weigher so waiting a full 7 days has made the end of the week drag. 

Today I have a case of the 'Reverse Mondays'. I was actually really looking forward to today. You see, weekends on the cleanse kind of suck. Especially when you live in Buffalo, NY and your summers are short enough already and it's 90 degrees and sunny out and it's the Elmwood Art Festival and you walk past Sole and can't get a margarita and guacamole and you walk past Dolci and can't get a vegan tirimisu cupcake and you're tired and super cranky! *sigh* This was the first time I was sick of doing the cleanse. So was Scott. First, he has renamed himself "Dish Dog". Seriously, your kitchen will NEVER be clean the first week on this so give up trying! Second, he's almost doing a semi-cleanse because of this. He eats super clean to begin with, but he's now lost his person to go grab a margarita and some guac with and that person to sit around the chiminea and have a beer with in the evening. I feel like I'm a really boring weekend partner. The weekdays are so much easier (which I knew they would be) because I'm on a set schedule and routine. I just have to make all my food in the morning or the night before, bring it to work with me, and eat when I supposed to.  The weekends are when you realize just how much of your activities revolve around food and alcohol. And Scott said he wants whatever, beer, cupcakes, etc, just because he can't (but I keep telling him he can, I don't mind!) 

Saturday was by far the worst. It was beautiful out, and as I mentioned we went down to the Elmwood Arts Festival. I was really tired for the first time during the cleanse and I was also super cranky. I had a bad headache that evening, too, but we went for a 3 mile walk and it seemed to help. BUT, I am happy to say that I didn't waiver and stuck to the plan 100% this weekend! I also came home with a new silver glitter sweaty band from Fleet Feet which cheered me up a bit, too. :) Yesterday we went on a walk around Dann Lake and came home to watch Forks Over Knives, again. I don't think it's possible to watch that movie too many times! If you haven't seen it yet I HIGHLY recommend it and it is available on NetFlix. 

Well, today's a new day and my head is back in the game! I started off the morning with a fresh fruit plate including watermelon from our crop share. Now I just need to get through these next few days so I can weigh myself again on Thursday! 

I also want to put together an FAQ section about the Reset so if you have any questions please post them below and I'll be sure to answer them!

Wow! Is it really Day 8 already??? I was really hoping to have done a few videos by now, but time is FLYING! (and I'm a bit shy about getting  behind the camera! Maybe this weekend. :) In the past I've been an every day weigher when I'm trying to lose weight (and I'll go for weeks without weighing myself when I know I'm moving in the wrong direction) so through this cleanse I've decided to only weigh myself once a week. Today was weigh in #1 and I am down 3 lbs and almost 1% body fat! I really haven't been hungry, and only had a headache the first day and that's it. So far I have been feeling great... till today. 

Today I learned a lesson in emotional eating. I recently graduated from massage therapy school and today was my state board licensing exam. I planned out my food for the day, picked up my friend in the morning and drove to the exam site, and even had my mineral salt water, supplements and lunch in the car in the parking lot. I was even going to bring my water with me when my friends went out for drinks after the exam. I had it all planned out. After the test I left the exam site feeling not very confident, let's just say it will be a long 6-8 weeks until I get my results in the mail. I headed over to the local food co-op while I waited for everyone else to finish and as I was driving there the stress and anxiety from the exam set in. All of my friends were going to be drinking and I couldn't. I was going to pass my favorite vegan cupcake bakery and not be able to get any. These are both things I would have done without thought in the past when I was stressed. I didn't know what I was going to do as an outlet. I even caught myself wishing I had a picture in my head as I drove past a tattoo studio. I needed to do something! This is when I realized how much I rely on food when I'm stressed. I drove to the co-op, walked out with two bunches of beets, and drove home. Straight home. I wouldn't have done that before the Reset. I had a headache for the next hour or so and finished the night with a three mile walk. The headache is gone but I'm still pretty cranky, just ask Scott! Today is also the first day of Phase 2 so in addition to taking Mineralize, Oxygenize, Optimize and Alkalinize every day I've also added in Detox three times a day. I'd like to blame my moodiness today on the Detox, but I know it's really from not being able to eat my emotions. Tip of the day: Cupcakes are not a good crutch, even if they are vegan tiramisu!