21 Days and 16 Pounds -- Ready for Maintenance!

Well, yeah, it's not the 21 pounds I had hoped for, but I'm really happy. Added to the 10 pounds I lost last month just before Christmas, and I'm actually down 26 pounds since Thanksgiving. That's a big enough accomplishment for me right now!

It wasn't easy keeping a detox schedule while taking care of my Dad during these last two weeks. Unlike being at the retreat, where there's time for exercise and other supportive treatments, at home I found myself in the kitchen a lot, cooking and cleaning -- for my Dad, my family, and for me -- and not doing a lot of exercise. The only thing I could really keep up with were skin brushing, occasional dog walking, and coffee enemas once a week.

Regardless, I feel so much better and I'm actually looking forward to getting active again. I'm soooo wanting to go skiing, which I had been secretly staying away from because the only time I went last year, I got totally exhausted by the end of my runs. I felt so disappointed with myself and really embarrassed. But I really think I can get it back now that I weigh less and I can't wait to try!

On Day 19 I was really wanting and needing to chew and swallow some food, so I opted for some steamed broccoli and a few cashew nuts, along with some enzymes to help digest. That helped a lot. I plan to continue losing weight more slowly during the maintenance part of this detox. I'm hoping to keep my daytime routine the same with a berry drink, a green drink, and fresh juice. Then for dinner, have more food choices and still keep my attention on reasonable portions and also exercise.

I'm surprised at the amount of sleep I've been getting on this detox. I used to go to bed around 1 or 2am and rise at about 7:30am or so. Now I'm getting sleepy at 11 or 11:30pm and I am sleeping at least 7 hours and sometimes even 9 hours! My eyes are not as puffy, my nails are nice and hardm and my hair looks so much healthier.

Since my Dad will be going home tomorrow, I am planning to return to the Inn next week. I'm looking forward to my appointment with Dr. Thomas Redner, Dr. Roni's medical partner who ordered my blood testing.

So, tonight I ceremoniously started my maintenance program as I sat with my family at the dinner table and ate a dandelion salad (instead of pureed soup). It was heavenly!

I'm Back - Day 14 and Down 14

Sorry for the long pause in updates. Life gets in the way. I left the Martha's Vineyard Inn last Thursday to return home for a few days, see the family and then head back on Monday. Unfortunately, my 88 year old Dad fell sick with pneumonia so he is now here with me, in New Hampshire, very weak and trying to get better. It will take awhile, I hear. But, through all this, my detox diet continues.

It's not as easy, being home and away from the retreat, but I am managing. I've been doing a lot of cooking ( but not chewing! Crazy, but okay, because I do love to cook). I miss the extra treatments that you get at the retreat - the foot bath, the colonic bed, the heat spas (it's soooo cold in New Hampshire!) and also the classes and the company. It's certainly makes detox dieting easier when you have others around you that are doing the same thing and a staff that makes your drinks and soups and supplements.

I have been able to do my own coffee enema once a week which does kick in the weight loss (and energy!) when there appears to be a lull, so that has been a big difference. Without the colonic bed available, I've been making a mild senna tea called Smooth Move from Traditional Medicinals (steeping for 3-4 minutes only) and that has helped. I'm hoping to return to Martha's Vineyard soon and finish up the detox diet there, if possible. I did schedule a follow up appointment with Dr. Redner, Dr. Roni's medical partner in the new Integral Wellness practice they are launching. When we meet we will go over my blood tests, which show very low hormone levels, an indication of heavy metals in my system, and some inconsistent cholesterol levels. Then we can discuss any additional tests or supplements I'll need to get back in balance. More on that later, I guess.

With everything going on though, I am staying on track with the weight loss, which I am happy with. People are beginning to notice. I'm one size down which means my wardrobe is expanding into clothes that I used to like wearing and stopped fitting into. It's nice!

Back on Track - Day 6 and Down 7lbs!

I knew it was temporary! And I'm sure yesterday's long walk was a good addition to the mix. I'm planning to continue while I'm in NH. It was a bit busy today as I had planned to return home for a few days and reconnect with my family. I had an ionic foot bath in the morning which is supposed to help detoxify your body by sending a mild electric current through a foot bath. The water can turn various yucky colors which indicate what's going on in your system. When it was over, my water was orange brown, with white foamy stuff and black flecks. The orange indicates toxins in joints, which I hadn't noticed. Brown is liver toxins which I don't doubt! And black flecks indicate heavy metals, which by the way showed up in my preliminary blood results. Interesting.

I packed and left on the 2:30pm boat and arrived home at 6pm, armed with my afternoon juice, a regenicare package, and water. When I got home I made myself a sweet potato, carrot, zucchini, onicn and garlic soup, with curry, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. It was yummy and very satisfying. Tomorrow's biggest challenge will be Ladies Happy Hour with my friends. I'm thinking seltzer water with lemon or lime will make the cut. I don't know... Wish me luck!

I Knew This Day Would Come...

Today I woke up and weighed myself and ... I didn't lose any more weight since yesterday's weigh in. It's easy to think, "Wait a minute. I'm not taking in much calories and I'm eating the same amount as the days before. Shouldn't the scale continue to go down each day???" Well, I can say from experience, not necessarily. And while I'm not quite sure what's going on inside my body, I do know that it's temporary and I will continue to shed pounds. So, I guess it's a lesson in patience and faith and I'm okay with it. Instead of stressing about it, I took a beautiful walk today around West Chop with another retreater. An hour and a half went by before we knew it. I'm adding a picture to this post because it's so beautiful here right now, and most people who come to the Vineyard usually don't think about coming at this time of year. Yet it is so pretty and peaceful with the snow and all.

I'm planning to leave the retreat tomorrow and return home for a few days. It's always a little more challenging to detox at home, because I won't have the support and company of fellow detoxers at home as I do here. In December, before the holidays, my daughter asked me to start a detox, which we did together for five days. I am truly grateful for her suggestion and her company because I don't think I would have started on this wellness track without her suggestion. She gave me the kick I needed and I continued for two weeks, stopping just before the holidays, 15 pounds lighter. I did learn more that time about preparing for ending the detox and knowing that I would be celebrating the holidays, I made sure I introduced foods slowly and more successfully than I had ever done before. Last night Dr. Roni gave a good class on moving on to what she terms "maintenance" (and I term "normal life"). I learned why it was important to introduce food groups back into your diet slowly, one and a time, starting with the easiest for your system - whole vegetables. This is because we need to give our system time to create the enzymes we haven't been needing because our foods have either been pure juice, or broth, or pureed soups, which don't need much breaking down activity to digest. So, when you reintroduce food, your body has a lot of work to do that it isn't used to doing and isn't prepared to do. And I guess even though raw foods contain enzymes, we also need to create them in order to fully digest. Introducing foods back into our diet slowly allows our bodies the time to build up the enzymes we will need to work on digesting the food we begin eating after this detox diet. Anyone out there have experiences with ending this program either successfully or "uncomfortably?" Chime in!

My First Detox and Why I Continue

Thanks for your questions, John, and I hope you are doing well on your detox. I've done a few cleanses and detoxes since I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1997. Looking back, I always see it as a gift because it really changed my life for the good and introduced me to the world of alternative medicine and a much healthier lifestyle. I refused to have chemotherapy and instead focused on building my immune system. So the first thing I did was see a local naturopathic doctor and did a cleanse diet for three weeks. It was similar to Dr. Roni's detox plan in some ways but incorporated eating vegetables, taking liver tinctures, psyllium husks for fiber, and using a whey protein powder twice a day. It was a good cleanse and I lost 13 pounds as well. There were no recommended colonics or treatments. I felt stronger and looked better. I also liked the sense of accomplishment, shifting focus to myself instead of others, and practicing more discipline in my life.

I probably repeated that cleanse twice, usually in the Spring, when the right vegetables were readily available. When I moved to Martha's Vineyard, I met Dr. Roni. Breast cancer had thrown me into menopause at age 40 and I'm sure my hormone levels were lower, as was my metabolism. I was slowly gaining weight and, wanting to feel better and lose weight quickly, I tried Dr. Roni's detox diet. There were a lot of things I liked better about this diet. It's easier and faster for one. Juicing is immediate. No cooking and waiting when you are hungry or weak and need something. And you're always taking something every few hours (or should!) and that keeps you going. And losing about twice as much weight in the same amount of time is great.

Now, whenever I see myself slipping into old eating habits, not exercising and putting on pounds, I reel myself in with this detox, and I'm back on track.

What I have learned and incorporated this time is how to do the detox in a more gentle and relaxed fashion, so that when the program ends, it's not so drastic on your system and you don't go back to eating the wrong foods for the wrong reasons.

So, back to the present, I'm on Day 4 and I'm down 5 pounds. Yesterday's coffee enema gave my liver the boost it needed because last evening's urine test showed that I am burning fat (not just losing water weight) and my ph is at 6.0.

Any other detoxers out there? Tell me how it's going and ... join in on the blog!

Day 3 and Down 4!

This is my third day at the Martha's Vineyard Holistic Retreat, I've dropped four pounds, and am feeling completely on board. It usually takes me a few days to settle into the drinks and to accept that my health is the top priority for the next few weeks. I guess I can say "I've arrived."

The staff here is really great and so far I've had a colonic on day 1, an alpha spa heat treatment yesterday and today I am ready for my coffee enema. The drinks and soups they make here are great and I'm absorbing all the recipes for when I return home. And for someone who has done this a few times before without attending the retreat, I have to say I'm still learning. Their educational classes are still very informative.

Most importantly, I've also met with Dr. Thomas Redner, an associate of Dr. Roni who does complete blood screening analysis of vitamins, hormones, metals and toxins. This is something I've never had before and am grateful that I will soon have this info available. My blood was taken yesterday and in two weeks we'll have the complete results back and then have a clearer idea of any deficiencies I need to address that will hopefully assist in a better metabolism and more energy.

Before I sign off for my next treatment, I wanted to thank my first follower, John C, for joining in and I will answer your questions when I come back. Happy detoxing!

And the Journey Begins!

This is my first day of a detoxing diet that I plan to continue with for at least 21 days or as long as it takes to shed every last bit of the creeping pounds I've packed on over the last several years. I'm staying at the Martha's Vineyard Holistic Retreat at the moment, which is owned and operated by Dr. Roni DeLuz, co-author of the bestseller, "21 Pounds in 21 Days: the Martha's Vineyard Diet Detox." I have successfully completed her detox program at least four times over the past years and have learned a lot about how my body responds to this detox program. One thing I know for sure is, I am certain to quickly lose the 21 pounds that the program's title claims. What I'm hoping for is that I have learned enough this time to keep it from creeping back into my life (and into my jeans!) so that I can once again go into a store, grab the clothes I like off the racks and know that when I try them on in the fitting room, I'm going to like what I see. Yeah, I used to be one of those people I've grown to hate. You know, those women who have a hard time deciding what to buy because all the outfits they try on look great. Unfortunately, I slowly "grew" into someone who now gravitates to clothes that are three sizes bigger and are so much more about camouflage and so much less about style. And that sucks!

So, I'm determined. It's a New Year, starting with two eclipses (and if you follow Astrology, you know that eclipses signal big changes!). I'm betting that my changes include a stronger, leaner and more active body. Some people may think a detox diet that replaces solid foods with fresh juicing is extreme, but for me the immediate results make it totally worth it. Once I get through the first few days (and my abbreviated stay at the retreat will ensure that I do) I am looking forward to seeing that scale come back one or two lbs. lighter each day. I know I will start feeling much too good about myself to complain about what I can't eat while on this diet. And if I get a real craving to eat something, guess what -- I'm going to honor it, with a healthy choice, and with moderation and control. It may take me a little longer than 21 days and that's okay because I know I'll be happier during the diet and I'll be less likely to make up for lost eating when I finish my program.

I'm looking forward to this detox and weight loss journey, and I appreciate the kick start that Dr. Roni and her staff and associates are giving me here at the retreat. I plan on staying here for a few more days, and getting the treatments and supplements I need so that I can go back home and continue. Wish me luck, ask me questions, and give me support, if you can. I know there are a lot of Martha's Vineyard Holistic Retreaters out there who have done this program before. Tell me your experiences. What worked for you and what didn't. And, if you'd like, join in on the detox. I'd love the company!