Today begins the last week of this 3 week cleanse that follows the book “Clean”. It has been an interesting couple weeks so far. Easy at times, difficult at times, impossibly to continue at times…anytime I am working hard to change habits, it is difficult. I think that is human nature. The first week was a challenge with detoxification headaches. I live a pretty clean lifestyle however that first physical detoxification symptoms were pretty intense. 
I experienced a nagging headache for about 2.5 days. Most people wouldnt think that is “intense” however it is so rare that I ever have a headache that it did feel a little overwhelming at times because of the length of time it lasted. Last week I experienced more of just emotional cravings for food. This cleanse is done in a way that you really don’t have to walk around feeling hungry all the time. It is a peaceful contentment inside with enough nutrition to keep from feeling hungry but never an overload (overloaded tends to be the American way). Last week was free of physical symptoms but more of a feeling like I wanted to be done. The longest cleanse I have ever done was 10 days so I think it was a part of me inside that was making those requests. The great thing is that there are about 10 people doing this cleanse along with me and having those people to reach out to has been key. This past weekend was full of parties. Seems like I was at one gathering or another with food and drinks all over the place. I had beans, almonds, apples and water and had to skip the chocolate cupcakes, macaroni and cheese and other foods that are usually around when people gather. It is difficult at first however there is a piece of me that refers back to my time running the marathon. By the time I was to 22 miles, I knew I had to just finish though everything in my body was ready for me to be done. I knew that in order to get to 26.2 miles, if I didn’t do it in that moment, I would have to run 22 miles again and add 4.2 more and that it was going to be easier to continue than to start all over from 0 again. So now that I am at day 15, it is better for me to just stay strong and complete the full 21, otherwise I will have to do 15 days again and add another 6. Its easier to continue doing what I have been doing and allow my body the full spectrum of benefit, than to start all over again at a later time when I “feel like it”. So I am pushing on….I look forward to checking back in with all of you at the end. 🙂
I experienced a nagging headache for about 2.5 days. Most people wouldnt think that is “intense” however it is so rare that I ever have a headache that it did feel a little overwhelming at times because of the length of time it lasted. Last week I experienced more of just emotional cravings for food. This cleanse is done in a way that you really don’t have to walk around feeling hungry all the time. It is a peaceful contentment inside with enough nutrition to keep from feeling hungry but never an overload (overloaded tends to be the American way). Last week was free of physical symptoms but more of a feeling like I wanted to be done. The longest cleanse I have ever done was 10 days so I think it was a part of me inside that was making those requests. The great thing is that there are about 10 people doing this cleanse along with me and having those people to reach out to has been key. This past weekend was full of parties. Seems like I was at one gathering or another with food and drinks all over the place. I had beans, almonds, apples and water and had to skip the chocolate cupcakes, macaroni and cheese and other foods that are usually around when people gather. It is difficult at first however there is a piece of me that refers back to my time running the marathon. By the time I was to 22 miles, I knew I had to just finish though everything in my body was ready for me to be done. I knew that in order to get to 26.2 miles, if I didn’t do it in that moment, I would have to run 22 miles again and add 4.2 more and that it was going to be easier to continue than to start all over from 0 again. So now that I am at day 15, it is better for me to just stay strong and complete the full 21, otherwise I will have to do 15 days again and add another 6. Its easier to continue doing what I have been doing and allow my body the full spectrum of benefit, than to start all over again at a later time when I “feel like it”. So I am pushing on….I look forward to checking back in with all of you at the end. 🙂
would write a little bit about it so that you could get an idea of the scene out there. The weekend before I went, my girlfriend, Lana, sent me a message that said “we better start doing a snow dance, there isn’t barely any snow out there”…you do not have to tell me twice, I LOVE TO DANCE…and so the dancing began. On Monday that week the forecast called for a big storm on the way. I think Tuesday is when it started and it never stopped until late Saturday morning. I flew in to about 2 feet of snow and closed roads all over the place. We were actually really lucky to be able to get through to the cabin at all. Some of the group spent 5 hours sitting on a road unable to move.
The weather reports actually said “…if you have to go out, bring food, water, blankets and flashlights in your car…”. I have never seen a report say that before and mind you I lived in Alaska over 3 years. Friday it snowed another 2 feet, Saturday the same. It was the most snow I had ever seen in my entire life…and mind you I lived in Alaska for over 3 years 🙂 On Saturday we went to a resort called Kirkwood. It was a bit south of Lake Tahoe and around that area, we heard they got the most snow in the world checking in at 13 feet in 24 hours. It was completely unfathomable!!! So the snow was great. The people that were on this trip were super fun and it was so wonderful to have time with my girlfriend and meet her daughter that was just 3 months old. There are not many words to describe the scenery to you, but the pictures do it a little justice. 
The area around Lake Tahoe is pretty mild and so the lake doesn’t freeze over. It stays that deep blue color and framed by so much snow, it is so beautiful! Pushing that much powder around a mountain is a lot of work on a snowboard. In fact one time I fell on my snowboard and it took me 10 minutes to just stand up. People were falling and almost disappearing. One woman said it took her between 2-3 hours to hike back to to a run after falling in the powder…now that makes for a long morning. It was truly a winter wonderland. Hopefully these pictures do some justice. In the future when Lana and I do a snow dance…maybe we will have to tone it down a little…I am glad to have made it to Lake Tahoe and to have experienced that much snow. Seize the opportunities…we only get one chance.
It is one of my passions and helps to make me a better person in this world. My usual classes are Monday and Wednesday night over at Ethos and Friday afternoon either there or down at Center For Yoga in Birmingham 
