The 12 Week "Dietary Clean-up" Challenge

It's been a while since I've embarked upon a challenge. To be completely honest I haven't been in the right frame of mind for it for the last few months. I lost the usual Eggy zest as I hit a bit of an emotional dip and am only just starting to recover from what has seemed like the longest bout of insomnia ever. Over this time my physical activity levels dropped dramatically, comfort eating rose up and reigned over healthy choices and I felt highly stressed in general. I ended up feeling a bit like a big, fraught, tired, unhealthy blob. There is, however, light at the end of the tunnel.

I took myself off to a retreat. I wanted to wipe the slate clean, detox, de-stress and have some time out to gather thoughts and seek some alternative therapy. The retreat offered far more than I had anticipated. I learned vast amounts of information about nutrition; I discovered some superfoods that I didn't even know existed, I started to explore the quite incredible world of raw food and I became completely fascinated by the science behind digestive enzymes and the health implications of consuming certain - mainly processed - foods.

Obviously I am obsessed with food but it wasn't just nutritional knowledge I gained. Digestive health was a big topic and I found out, first hand, how much of what we eat lingers around inside getting all putrid and blocking us up. The subject of colonics is a whole other blog post but believe me when I tell you, there is a lot of stuff that doesn't come out by itself. Daily yoga, qi gong and meditation sessions were, unexpectedly, energetically uplifting and hugely calming for the mind.

Armed with all this new information, a folder of raw food recipes, an enema kit and a mind full of motivation, I decided it was time to give the body a thoroughly good cleanse and try to lose some of the (considerable number of) pounds I've gained.

So, starting tomorrow I am making some big changes. For 12 weeks I shall be cutting out all gluten, dairy, refined sugars, booze and.. wait for it.. meat. The goal is to give the whole digestive system a chance to clear out and to get back on the healthy high, rather than the sugar-induced one. As an avid carnivore, the meat detox is going to be the toughest, especially as we enter BBQ season, but it is definitely necessary for a successful colon cleanse.