It begins with a juice cleanse...

Since I have this lovely fitness/health nutrition blog, I thought it would be a great spot to write a little bit about my current journey to be happier and healthier.

My current goal is to reduce my sugar intake drastically- specifically refined sugar. I've been trying to do this for a while with little success. My first step was to get rid of the candy in my house. However, this just seemed to prompt more impulse buying of candy and sweets. I've also recently experienced an increasing amount of fatigue, which means the sugar and the caffeine have got to go!

SO…yesterday began my first day of my sugar nixing diet. I started with my favorite BluePrint Cleanse. I'm a big fan of the Blue Print juices because they are both organic and cold pressed (I mean what's the point of a juice cleanse if your juice is sprayed with pesticides or full of GMO's). Blue Print also has a great balance of fruit, vegetables, and a splash of protein in the form of cashew milk. For me a juice cleanse is not about weight loss, its about resetting your body from all the crap we put into it daily.

I only do single day juice cleanses with a step down process. I have a high metabolism, and it's not easy to make it through a day without solids- much less three. I also allow myself to supplement if needed with organic, raw fruit and veggies. So a couple strawberries won't ruin the whole plan. Today is my second day- which is half juice and half solids. Today I am vegan, gluten-free, and organic. This means I concentrate on fruit and vegetables. So far I've had a banana and cashews, and I'm working on my first juice. I can't wait for chips and salsa.

The third day I introduce dairy back in- not too rich though! Yogurt, a bit of light cheese, etc.  After the third day life resumes (with hopefully better choices). This time life resumes with some changes. Here are my new goals.

FOODS I WILL NOT EAT:
- cookies
- candy
- ice cream (not a problem for me)
- doughnuts (also not a problem)
- drinks with sweeteners (I'm addicted to Honest Tea right now)
- cupcakes
- bagels (not a sweet- but a ton of sugar and these seem to go hand in hand with sugar cravings)
- breakfast pastries
-milk chocolate
- cereal

FOODS THAT I ALLOW: (many of these I hope to trickle down with time)
- dark chocolate
- all fruit
- agave and honey
- fruit snacks (100% fruit juice only)

Instead of punishing myself for slipping, I've decided to simply track my performance and see how I do. I'm hoping that after a few days my energy will go back up and I will feel better than ever!