Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Twelve

Well, today was sort of a bust - I was good through the morning and lunch time - but then came the tour at the StoneyRidge winery - I had a bit of wine, some snacks and then later had dinner out with my parents, sister and another couple. Had a burger and fries - I'd been craving something junky - and I had it. Ugh, it was yummy but I definitely didn't feel great later on.
I'm going to try and eat healthier - but I don't think I will be able omit food groups like they suggest (i.e. carbs, dairy, sugar).

DH had an easier time of this detox - and was able to lose 8.5lbs. I only ended up losing 2. Which for me, isn't a good enough incentive to do this again. I really don't know. DH thinks he will do this twice a year...I'm not sure how I feel.
To be honest, I'm so glad we are:

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Eleven

So...yesterday evening, I decided I was going to take the kids to the zoo today. There really wasn't a lot of time to plan my meals for a trip to the zoo. So, today was kind of a cheat day...
I was good in the morning and had my typical berry breakfast...I did not take my pills and such as I didn't want to be feeling off from the laxatives while wandering the zoo and not having bathrooms readily available.

We left here at about 8 and made really good time...my sister, Jenn came with us...we had a fantastic day. The kids had a ball and we loved seeing their excitement.

For lunch, my choices were Pizza Pizza or a BBQ joint...I chose pizza...and boy, was it yummy. I felt off soon after I ate, though, not sure if it was the food or the laxatives from last night...or a bit of both. But afterwards, I felt great....good enough to enjoy an ice cream...a Caramel Drumstick. They say after doing the cleanse to introduce the different food groups back into your diet one at a time...I failed that by adding "breads" and "dairy" and "sugar" Eeek!

For dinner I had chicken and a baked potato...and felt off again after dinner.

I spent the evening outside with the kids - them playing with the neighbours and us parents chatting. It was a great night. Missing DH, though.

Going to try my best to stay on track today - am going on a winery tour with my parents and sister and for dinner afterwards.

1 more day to go!

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Ten

This morning, I woke up to DH's excitement. He has officially lost 8.2lbs in 9 days. Unbelievable. He really is doing great and looks great, too. I was so extremely happy for him and then I stepped on the scale. I am up 0.6 from yesterday. I don't understand. We are following the same plan. UGH! And "NO, I'm not cheating!!!!" I was really hoping I'd lose 5lbs on this cleanse, but it's not looking like it...I'm just in a bad mood now about this - but am going to stick out the next 3 days and see what happens.

Breakfast: strawberries, blueberries and peaches
Felt a bit more energetic this morning and did a good clean/tidy of HoneyPie's room and a little bit in Buddaroo's. Also feeling a bit emotional today. DH is away for the weekend at his boss' cottage...and is away next weekend on a golf trip...just feeling down that he is away 2 weekends in a row, I guess. Don't like it much when he is away.

Lunch: egg white omelet with peppers, tomato and pear. Are you getting sick of reading the same meals every day? I just don't know what to make for lunches. It's the easiest option, I think.

I think I will lay down today while the kids are napping - feeling pretty tired this morning. Just drained - physically and emotionally. I am looking forward to a fun night with the kids. So I want to be well rested and try and improve this sour/sad mood a little bit.

Dinner: Leftover rice, cucumbers and 1/2 an apple

The kids and I are going to watch the last half of Karate Kid (2010), have some popcorn and then have a sleepover in Mommy's bed. I'm thinking of taking them to the zoo tomorrow...we'll all be getting to bed early tonight to prepare for such a large adventure.

Goodbye Day 10...2 more days to go...and if I'm not down tomorrow...I'M GOING TO SCREAM! LOL

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Nine

Well, Day Nine is almost over!
Nothing real interesting to report today...
Breakfast: Strawberries, Blueberries and Peaches
Lunch: Leftover rice from last night, with tomato slices and a pear

After lunch, I did feel a surge of energy and decided to clean the kitchen. Did some reorganizing, washed the floors, cleaned the counter tops, threw away all the old stuff from beneath the sink, things that I had been neglecting since starting the cleanse. I had just been feeling so tired and worn down that the housework had definitely been neglected. Hopefully, the energy will stick around so I can get a bit more done before our busy next week.

Dinner: Meatloaf (found a detox-friendly recipe online, Baked potatoes (in the oven), cauliflower and broccoli.
DH was sooo excited when he got home and saw that I had made a new recipe...and that it was meatloaf (one of his faves). It was so easy...and turned out amazing. I will definitely be making it again. There's a picture of it - forgot to take a pic before I started eating...oh well...still super yum!

I am so proud of DH...he is sticking to his plan so well. He started out at 256 and this morning he was 249.7 We were both so excited for his progress. I can really tell in his face...I told him that he has lost the 6.3lbs from his face. LOL So very proud of him!!!! But at the same time...am curious as to why I am only at 2.6lbs lost. I know...it's because he's a man...and men can just think about it and lose weight, as my friend Cheryl warned me. She told me not to compare myself to him and his progress, but it's so flippin hard. We are doing the exact same thing...just frustrating. Especially 'cause I want to get to goal so badly this summer. From this point (At WW 159.5)...I have 13.5lbs to go. 4.5 which I had already lost but gained back...so from here on out...it's healthy eating and I WILL get to goal in the near future!!!!

UPDATED: Just looking at my weight loss chart: On April 27th - I weighed in at 165.8 - officially having gained 10lbs of which was lost. So in 8 weeks, I have lost 6.3lbs by not really following the program to the fullest. So if I really follow it, I should be able to lose another 6lbs or more in the next 8 weeks. I am coming up to my 3rd year with WW at the end of August - crossing my fingers I'm at goal by then.

So on that note, I am off to bed early...day nine is over...3 more days to go.

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Eight

So, this morning, while I was eating breakfast, I googled "Wild Rose Herbal Detox" just to read some more info on it -and what pops up...MY BLOG! Wow...#6 on the list. Cool =D

For breakfast this morning I had strawberries, blueberries and raspberries - and my mixture of pills and drops, of course. I sure am surprised how satisfying this breakfast is. Usually I would have a WW english muffin with margarine and a yogurt or some Quaker instant oatmeal with a yogurt. I am missing my english muffin...but the berries are a great substitute for breakfast. DH has been having an apple and a pear and he seems to be doing well with that, too.

My morning was OK - nothing interesting to report. For lunch, I made the usual lately LOL An egg white omelet with peppers, tomato slices and pear. It's so yummy. I wondered if I would get bored of it, but so far not yet. And I'm not missing dipping it in ketchup at all. Putting some extra veggies in it, I think helps. I wish I could put some mushrooms in there, though ;)
I still haven't felt the burst of energy they are claiming comes by this time...although I've been a bit more motivated to get things done around the house - definitely not as tired as the beginning of the cleanse.

Went to WW tonight - haven't stayed for a meeting in about a month, I think. I lost 1.7lbs last night - not as much as I'd hoped, but still good. I weighed in at 159.5 - I haven't been 159 since November so it felt really good to see the 150s on the scale again.
Came home and had dinner - As per DH's request, I made the chicken, rice and vegetables with the garlic and red pepper spices. It really is delicious. DH and I were talking about how we are really going to try and incorporate these healthy eating habits into our lives once the cleanse is over and how much we are enjoying the options that we have been eating. "Who are we right now?" is what I said to DH.

So - 8 days have passed and DH and I so proud of ourselves...both of us have not cheated at all on the cleanse and are excited by our progress. 4 more days.....

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Seven

Busy busy day yesterday - didn't get a chance to blog about Day 7.
Nothing really to report about yesterday.
Breakfast: Strawberries and Blueberries
Lunch: Egg white omelet with peppers and sliced tomato
Dinner: cedar plank Salmon on the BBQ, grilled veggies and brown rice
This was the first time we made salmon on the BBQ - we left it on about 15 mins and it looked done, but when I cut into it, it was still a bit raw - so we threw it back on and left it a bit. We all were outside enjoying the sunshine, DH asked me to check on it - it was smoking like crazy - IT WAS ON FIRE! The cedar plank had caught fire a bit and the smoke was incredible - the garage door leading into the house was open, so all the smoke drifted into the house and set the smoke detectors off, like crazy! We had to open all the windows in the house to air it out - it's still a bit cedary in here this morning (Is cedary a word? LOL)
Anyway - despite the fire fiasco - the salmon was amazing! So tasty.
Snack: popcorn, from the popper - - we may stop buying microwave popcorn all together and just use the popper from now on. It's so delish.

So - day 7 is complete...only 5 more days to go.
Am feeling really glad that DH and I decided to do this.

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Six

Well - 6 days done...and feeling OK. I've read online that around day 5-6 you get a burst of energy...I am definitely not feeling this. But, man, how great would that be? I don't think I've had energy in 6 years! LOL

For breakfast this morning, I had blueberries and some delicious strawberries (my daycare children had gone strawberry picking yesterday with their mom and they brought a big bag of them...YUM! THANK YOU AGAIN!) Surprisingly enough, this bowl of berries satisfied me for most of the morning - I was shocked that I wasn't starving by 10am.

Lunch, I had an egg white omelet with peppers and some sliced up tomato. So delish.

The day was pretty uneventful, so nothing really to report. I have been noticing a dull ache in my upper back off and on throughout the day; online it says that some people feel flu-like symptoms (i.e. achey). Maybe this is related to the cleanse?

Wasn't sure what I was going to make for dinner - wanted something quick and easy as HoneyPie had soccer tonight and I didn't want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen. I remembered we had some left over kebabs from yesterday, so I cut the pieces of chicken, beef, peppers and onions up and mixed it with some brown rice...added a bit of red pepper and garlic seasoning...it was AMAZING. DH LOVED it! I was worried it would be a lot like the vegetable fried rice, but with the spices I added - it added so much more flavour...just awesome.

Soccer tonight - I was sooo worried that my stomach would start acting up there - when there is no washroom available at the fields...the closest would be a drugstore across the street. I was so glad "I" didn't have to run over there. That is my biggest problem with this cleanse.

The food has been great - it has really shown DH and I where we were struggling with maybe some unhealthy choices - too many processed meals, etc. But the laxatives for me, just aren't ideal. I worry constantly about not being somewhere where I can get to a bathroom quickly - i.e. on the way to or from / at the school waiting for the kids, at a soccer game like tonight. It's just a real issue for me. Thankfully, I haven't had any real crazy problems...yet (touch wood, that I don't have any in the next 6 days)

We're halfway done...6 more days to go. DH is feeling good and is really happy with his progress on the scale. He was down 4.8lbs since Wednesday morning...I am down 2.6, I'll weigh in at WW on Wednesday night - I will definitely be happy with another loss this week =D

On to day 7...

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Five

Sorry, I didn't get to post yesterday - it was a very busy day...being Father's Day, we had a lot going on and I didn't get a chance to sit down at the laptop all day. We had a wonderful day, breakfast at my Dad's, lunch and the afternoon at my in-law's trailer and the evening spent at DH's baseball game. A really great day spent with a group of amazing Dad's (and 1 Dad-to-be).

I woke up early and was really happy with my scale results this morning. I know that the weight I'm losing because of this cleanse may be hard to keep off once I introduce some of the banned foods, but it's really nice to see a lower number, making me think what I'm doing is actually worth it. I'm really going to try hard to keep the weight from creeping back on - DH and I have agreed to really make a change - to incorporate more healthy food options and cutting down on the many carb-foods we eat (i.e. the pasta that I LOVE so much)

I must admit, I was very worried about yesterday - being away from the house all day. Breakfast at my parents - we had scrambled eggs and fruit - was very yummy and really satisfying. We brought some chicken & beef kebabs to the trailer and had those with some grilled vegetables. DH and I both started to feel off at the trailer - and this was my biggest fear. Having to fight for one bathroom IN a trailer surrounded by our family - was rough! And of course, I had the worst experience so far. I really felt awful! It didn't last too long, thankfully...

We spent the evening at the ball park watching DH's game - the kids had a blast and it was so nice to be able to chat with the other wives/moms for a little while. Once we got home and got the kids to bed, DH and I snacked on some of our new yummy popcorn. He was super impressed with the popcorn from the popper...super good!
Anyway, that's Day 5 done...1 more week to go.

Wild Rose Herbal Detox -Day Four

8:10am
Went to bed early last night and was able to sleep until 7:15 - so I had an almost solid 9 hours.Feeling OK this morning, but still not great. Just feeling run down and tired...and this morning, I was pretty frustrated to see I was up again...so now I'm only down 0.4 for the cleanse.
DH is doing great - he is down about 4.5 pounds since Wednesday morning. He's feeling good, but has finally run into some tummy issues - and of course, it started as he was waiting for his baseball game to start last night. =(

Changed up breakfast this morning
2 Eggs, scrambled
Pear

Have so much I want to do today - out of the house - so I sure hope my stomach cooperates!

7:45pm
Thankfully my morning was good and I was able to get out and get all the things I needed to get done. Dragged the kids all over the city getting a few different things. They were pretty good for the most part - Taking them shopping is not the easiest when on my own.

For lunch, I had
Egg white omelet with mixed peppers
tomato slices
I probably shouldn't have had eggs twice today as it is on the 20% side of the diet plan. But I was struggling with what to have, especially since I picked up the kids something special for lunch. BUT...I was so good, I didn't pick at any of their leftovers (as I usually do).

We all had a massive nap today...Buddaroo wanted to have a "sleepover" so I laid with him from 1:30 - 4...HoneyPie crawled in at 2:20 and slept til after 4:00. Wow, we all needed some sleep today, I guess.

Dinner
Vegetable fried rice - yes, I'm getting sick of eating this - but I didn't want the pot I made to go to waste. I'm going to have to try and make some new recipes this coming week.

Today, we bought a Cuisinart popcorn popper, so we made some yummy fresh popped popcorn. It was so good. Drizzled with a tad of butter - and a bit of salt (both OK on our list). So yummy!

Anyway - looking forward to DH getting home from his golf tournament so we can watch a movie together. Wonder how he's made out being away from the house all day at a golf tournament with lots of junk food and beer.

So - on that note...getting the kids to bed...only 8 more days to go!

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Three

12:00pm
I want a yogurt! I want a diet Coke! I want a bowl of cereal! I want a bowl of pasta.....SO BADLY! Today is the day where I am craving everything I am not allowed to have. I am miserable! I am bitchy! I'm really tired! I feel like garbage! I have been to the bathroom so many times today I have lost count! This program better be worth all this crap (ha, literally). I have a horrible headache...Can you tell I'm in a bad mood?

And it's ticking me off that DH doesn't seem to be suffering like I am. He's chipper, lost more weight and hardly going to the bathroom at all. He does have a head ache but man...could you have some diarrhea already? Eeek...that's way TMI!

Alright - I'm done with my bitchy rant - and now am ogling over Ryan Reynolds on Conan O'Brien (DH is watching and I am drooling over my boyfriend) Man, he's so cute! I could just stare at him (and his abs) all day long. mmmm....hot stuff!

Totally got off topic there...I'm sure the girls reading didn't mind the hot-guy distraction. =D Anyway....

Breakfast - same as yesterday - Oatmeal and fruit.
Lunch - vegetable fried rice and salad with basic oil and lemon dressing (took that recipe from the cookbook)

I have come to the conclusion that I am not a huge fan of olive oil. We have never really used olive oil, and now all the recipes call for it. Blech!

8:00 pm
This afternoon was a bit better. Still feeling quite irritable and I feel badly as my patience with the kids isn't quite there today. We went to Costco right after all the kids had left and stocked up on some yummy fish and lots of fruits and vegetables. Came home and made dinner
6pm
Rainbow Trout
Brown Rice
Asparagus

Was feeling satisfied until I looked through our paper and found all the flyers with all of the unhealthy yummy food...Now I want Pizza and chips...and did I mention a DIET COKE?!?!?!
DH is at baseball tonight, so the kids and I are watching The Goonies (for the 2nd time this week) and then I think I will get to bed early. Perhaps a good night's sleep will help me feel better tomorrow - lots to do while DH is at a golf tournament.So until tomorrow...
DAY3...OVER & OUT!

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day Two

8:16am
((Last night DH and I both had a pretty bad head ache. I had to take some advil, and went to bed early.))
I was really happy with my weight this morning. I was 160.8lbs (0.9 down from yesterday) - I haven't been below 161 since December. I've really been struggling with these pounds I've gained. I'm hoping this will give me the kick start I need to get back on track and get my butt to goal...and then to lifetime at WW. Sick of paying...especially 'cause I haven't really been following the program for a while. Time to get serious!

Just finished my daily breakfast of stinky herbal pills and extract as well as:

1/2 c oatmeal
1/2 a peach
a few strawberries
water.
I am finding it way harder to take the pills, etc in the morning. Having to take that first thing in the morning is even worse than the drink you have to take for your glucose test while you're pregnant. At least that tasted like orange pop...these pills/extract are ick! My head is still a bit achey, but not nearly as bad as last night. No issues with the laxatives, yet, for either DH and I.

12:20pm
My morning has been pretty good other than a sore stomach around 10-ish. My head ache is still lingering but feels better now that I've eaten Lunch,

Which consisted of:
Vegetable Fried Rice (Recipe taken from the detox cookbook)
Apple
Water

The recipe for the vegetable fried rice is really easy and boy, is it delish. I made a huge pot of it yesterday - hopefully it'll last longer than the pot I made on Tuesday morning. DH really enjoyed it, so that's a plus =D

8:10pm
The rest of today has been a bit rough. I am visiting the bathroom way more often that I would like. TMI, sorry!
Dinner at 5:40pm
Very yummy tilapia with drizzled butter and lemon
Baked potato
grilled peppers
Was a super dinner...we really enjoyed the tilapia - I hadn't made it before but will definitely be making it more often.

I'm so glad that DH and I are doing this together. I definitely wouldn't be able to do this alone. His support, and the support I'm getting from people online and from those I've told about the cleanse has been amazing and really helpful.
So...for now...I'm signing off for today...
2 days down....10 to go.

Wild Rose Herbal Detox - Day One

10:00 am
So - today is the big day...getting started on the detox with DH this morning.
I'll be brave and let everyone know my starting weight - I'm interested to see how many pounds I lose doing this.
Starting weight: 161.7
(Now if you'll remember, I'd made it down to 155 last July - and slowly the weight has been creeping back up...I had gained 11lbs back, but have lost a few on my own again in the last few weeks)

I'll admit, this morning, I was feeling a bit anxious about it - I stood at the counter and and looked at the list of foods and really didn't know what to eat for breakfast. Gave it some thought and decided on....

Breakfast 8am
1/2c oatmeal (regular oatmeal, not the instant sweet oatmeal that I would normally eat),
1/2 a peach
A few strawberries.
Water

But before I began eating, I had to take the Biliherb, Laxaherb, Cleansaherb, and 30 drops of the CL Herbal Extract (which I mixed with water to help wash down the pills). They smell really weird, so I had a hard time taking them...and the drops taste awful, too...so it wasn't overly enjoyable.

It's 10:15 now and I'm feeling OK. No tummy issues yet, perhaps the start of a head ache and a bit tired...but what else is new?

12:30pm
So far, still feeling OK. Definitely have a head ache and am feeling more tired. They say the first few days are the worst, but I can't imagine it working this quickly. DH thought maybe the head ache is from the lack of caffeine (I had been on quite a Diet Coke kick lately). DH and I may be ready to kill each other after the first week of this - I've read that irritability and moodiness is quite the side effect.
So for:
Lunch 11:45am
1c brown rice (wow, it's pretty good, will be changing from white minute rice to brown for sure)
1/2 c Mixed vegetables (frozen carrots, peas, beans and corn)
1 apple
dipped in Almond Butter

6:50pm
Still feeling alright, I guess...my head has a constant dull ache, nothing too painful, but still very annoying. I was very tired around 2:00 but unable to lay down for a while...struggled through.
Dinner 6:00pm
Lemon Pepper Chicken (taken from the Wild Rose Herbal Detox cookbook - didn't buy it, but was able to find some recipes online)
3/4c brown rice
cauliflower
DH and I struggled through the pills and drops once more - he is finding it very difficult to drink the Herbal Extract - it tastes and smells pretty nasty, even when mixed with water. I found it "a bit" easier to take it all this time, but it still a little icky. We are feeling confident that we can finish the 12 days and really hope to see some positive results.

On a side note:
I weighed in tonight and was down 2.7lbs -Which puts me down 25lbs again (Remember, I was down 31...BOO!)
I missed last week as I was at the NKOTBSB concert with my Mom and Meggy. (It was a blast, felt like I was a teenager again) I <3 Donnie ;)

8:10pm
Well, so far the first day has been a success. Saw this picture and had to include it...how adorable.

DH and I have both stuck to the meal plan and are feeling OK. We'll see what tomorrow brings after being on the program for a full day.
Back tomorrow with a play by play about day 2 ;)

Wild Rose Herbal Detox = Preparation

A few weeks ago, Dh's trainer at the gym suggested he try a cleanse - and suggested the Wild Rose Herbal Detox. Wild Rose Herbal Detox is a kit used for a 12- day internal cleansing program created by Dr. Terry Willard, PhD, as we are all exposed to pollutants daily in the air, water and food that we consume. These pollutants can accumulate in the body and cause symptoms like lethargy and migraines. Wild Rose Herbal Detox is a regimen that can help eliminate these toxins from your body.

We researched the program and felt that we could do this together. I was on board as I thought if it could help me lose a bit of the weight I have gained as well as help us incorporate some more healthy eating habits...then why not?

The kit comes with 2 types of herbs and a laxative that you are to take 2 pills at breakfast and 2 pills at dinner...as well as a bottle of drops that you are to take 30 drops in the morning. There is quite an extensive meal plan - list of food that you are able to eat. There are quite a lot of great foods you can eat...lots of veggies and fruit - with limited meat intake...and NO dairy. Oh man, I'm going to miss my yogurt.

Today, DH and I followed the meal plan to prepare ourselves for the start tomorrow. The diet portion wasn't too bad to follow - although I was very tempted by the kid's leftover hot dogs at lunch...and the few diet cokes in the fridge staring at me.

So, tomorrow we start...and I must admit I'm a bit nervous...the laxatives scare the hell out of me. I am worried that we will be in and out of the bathroom all day - and what if we are out? OH EM GEEEE! Some reviews have mentioned explosive diarrhea along with irritability and lethargy. We'll see how it goes. It does say that if you experience abdominal pain to continue the program without the laxatives. So...we'll see.

Anyway - will try and update as much as I can - I'm hoping for a daily update on how great or horrible it is. I'm really hoping for some positive benefits. A bit of weight loss...a change in mood...more energy would be great.
Cross your fingers for me, peeps!
'Later.

Neglected

Wow...I have really neglected my blog...So sorry to any of my readers.

I just haven't had a heck of a lot to blog about. I seem to think of an idea and then sit here for a while and not have much to type about.

The kids are doing great - keeping us busier than ever. They love to be outside in the sunshine...if only this silly weather would cooperate. C'mon, It's June 14th today and it was 10C this morning...geez.

Just finished up HoneyPie's 3rd year of dance. We had her dance recital on Saturday nightl...and boy did she do amazing! This year she took Primary Jazz and Primary Tap. She really has improved a great deal. It was such an absolute joy to watch her up on the big stage. She has informed us, though, that she doesn't want to take dance anymore. (my heart is breaking) She says she would only like to dance at home and that dance class isn't fun anymore (because they don't play freeze tag like they did in Baby ballet/jazz) I would love her to continue, but if her heart isn't in it anymore - then we can find something else that she may enjoy better.

Buddaroo is starting preschool in September and we both couldn't be more excited. I really think he will benefit from being in a preschool setting before he starts JK in 2012. It is a cooperative preschool which means I will have to do parent duty a couple times a month.

I am so excited to get back into a classroom, even if it as a parent volunteer. I really miss working with children in a classroom environment. Have to start thinking about employment options for when I return to work in a couple years.

With the Ontario schools becoming full day kindergarten by 2015, the chance of gaining employment as an educational assistant may be increased...or there is the option of working in the kindergarten classroom as an ECE. Either way, my ideal job is to work with the school board - to have the same holidays and breaks as the kids would be super.

Anyway - I will try to update my blog more often - the coming days...I hope to blog daily about a cleanse DH and I are going to start.
Hope everyone out there is well =D