The Deep Cleanse

With the new year brings a new frame of mind. While resolutions can be fun, yet fleeting, and most find the New Year overrated, I, on the other hand, absolutely love it. Yes, there have been years where I've resolved to be more decisive, or remember more of my yoga students' names, or eat more fruits and veggies and have failed miserably. But more than resolutions, I simply love the symbolism of the holiday. Out with the old, in with the new. Can I physically, energetically, and mentally get rid of things I don't need? Can I tackle the same old story I tell myself in my head that I'm not good enough at this, or that, or I need to make more money, or I need to lose ten pounds, blah, blah, blah. Can I create more space in my house so I have less visual stress around? Can I get stronger and faster so I can beat race times from my previous year? I like to look at my life in sections. Work, finances, physical activity, diet, hobbies, etc. and create goals from there. So by this time in a year, I will have accomplished x, y, and z. Not necessarily resolving to change anything, but setting my sights on something that is currently unattainable and developing the steps I need to get there.

So far, my cabinets at home have been purged, I am attacking my fear of particular yoga poses one month at a time, and I am also getting rid of the old in my body (hello holiday toxins!) and replenishing it with the best nutrients I can possibly find. I love coupling the start of the New Year with a cleanse. One year, I did a juice fast, another I did a three-day detox out of a magazine, last year I did a monster 21-day raw, vegan & ayurvedic cleanse. But this year is different. I am devoting an entire 30 days to a supplement system that I originally thought was a crock of you-know-what. With my job as a trainer, I have learned and believed that whole foods are the best for you. Do I have an admitted sweet tooth? Yes. So do I adhere to whole foods day in and day out? No. But as part of a large picture, that is the root of my beliefs. Introducing supplements into my life took a giant leap of faith. Worrying that this would screw with my metabolism or hamper my daily fruit and veggie intake or suck the enjoyment out of my meals were all concerns I was grappling with. But with this addition and shift in my diet, I can honestly say that I haven't felt better.

The system I am on is the Isagenix 30-day cleansing and fat burning system. You basically drink two shakes per day, have a few different supplements that aid in the digestive process and toxin release, and also eat two real-food snacks and one real-food meal. One day out of the week you are actually cleansing, meaning you are giving your liver and digestive system a break by not eating all day. That part is hard, I won't lie. I have done cleanses in the past where I have to buy a zillion obscure things from different places and it was expensive and a pain in the butt. The fact that everything I need comes to my doorstep only makes life that much easier. While the first day or two I had a raging headache that was cramping my brain and causing slight delirium, (I decided to believe it was the toxins from major holiday cookie damage exiting through my brain), I have since recovered and am floating through life feeling a little lighter, a little more aware, and a lot less cranky. With my New Year goals in tact, I can now cross off "start my detox," and move forward full steam ahead.

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Jenna Reddington
NASM-CPT, Certified Yoga Instructor, Pre- and Post-Natal, KBC Kettlebells
Elite Personal Trainer
West Loop Athletic Club