Since I started training for and taking part in triathlons, it’s made me realize how important food is, not only while training, but in day-to-day life.
Earlier in the year, I took part in a 50-day challenge where I gave up all grains and sugar for 50 days. Since then our family has moved to a more clean way of eating, and if you open my fridge right now, there are no less than three salads—chickpea salad, black bean salad, and zucchini salad—in Tupperware containers ready to go for lunches and dinner. There are also pre-washed veggies and fruits that can be grabbed and eaten making snack-time so much easier.
I’m not an all or nothing person and since the 50-day challenge have included both grains and sugar in my diet, but now it’s kept to a minimum.
This is why I like the concept of The 2-Day Superfood Cleanse: A Weekly Detox Program To Boost Energy, Lose Weight and Maintain Optimal Health:
The concept of a weekly two day fast isn’t new. People eat normally five days a week and for two days they lower their calorie intake considerably. The 2-Day Superfood Cleanse takes this one step further and encourages you to eat only Superfoods during these two days (which do not have to be two consecutive days) to a maximum of 600 calories per day, and encourages you not to "go to town" on the other five days.
It lists the foods you can eat, along with very simple recipes that are easy to create (I particularly like the Flaxseed Salad Dressing and the Carmelized White Grapefruit). The calories are listed alongside each of the foods and recipes making calculations simple.
The book isn’t just about food. Robin Westen is actually promoting a whole lifestyle change—one that includes exercise, meditation, the power of positive thinking, and will teach you how simple things, like keeping a journal, dancing, and listening to music, all play a part in creating a healthy life.
There are also quizzes in the book that will help you figure out which Superfoods you should be eating more of and even a quiz that tells you if you’re even ready to start a program like this.
Robin has a very realistic approach and throughout the book you feel as though she’s talking with you, not at you. She is quite realistic and even admits that the first time she tried to do a two-day cleanse she was sneaking handfuls of chips three hours into it. It took her several tries before she was able to do it.
Most of the recipes in the 2-Day Superfood Cleanse are juice recipes, but Robin is quite open and says that investing in a juicer is not a necessity. She even goes so far as to say that if you do decide to invest in a juicer, start out with a mid-range model and use it for a while, because many people start off juicing enthusiastically but then their juicers end up collecting dust on a shelf. She totally gets it.
Anyone who wants to make a complete lifestyle change. While the title of the book infers it’s about a "diet," it’s really about looking at your overall life/health and wanting to make a change. It teaches you why nutrient dense foods can help give you more energy, but also how living a healthier life goes beyond counting calories.
All in all, I’d definitely give this book a "buy."
Disclaimer: I was given this book to review. I only ever write about things I like and I really did like this book. I'm now passing it on to a friend for her to start on a healthy lifestyle change.
Pssst . . . if you liked this review, you'll also like reading about How I Involve My Kids In My Daily Exercise and My 12 Year Struggle With An Eating Disorder.
Printer-friendly version