1/3 of the way through the Ultimate Reset

Wow, I can't believe how quickly week 1 of the Ultimate Reset flew by!  I immersed myself in the cooking... new recipes every day, some advanced prep to keep track of, cooking extra rice for future meals... it is amazing what you can accomplish with a little planning.  One of the big things I will take away from this Reset is what you can create for your family if you plan a little.  I pride myself on being able to pull 5 things out of the fridge and creating a meal, BUT trying new things, adding extra nutrition, cutting out some meat and dairy can be advantageous to our health as well!

So, how did week 1 go?  Pretty well!  A key item many people look for when they feel they are "sacrificing" for their health is weight loss.  I lost 5 pounds in one week with no starvation!  In fact, as you will read below, I ate more than recommended on a few days! I finished the week feeling pretty good!  My energy is good but am still waiting for it to be great!  I am rested and content and ready to take on phase 2!!!
I approached the Reset knowing there would be changes and sacrifices.  No more coffee, no more chocolate, no more cereal and random snacking throughout the day!!!
Day 1 - 3 were very uneventful for me.  I was fine without my coffee, I drank over a gallon of "distilled" water each day, I shot back my "alkalinize" (which is salty, seaweedy, a little sweet - overall not too bad), I timed my eating around the  supplements and the recipes laid out in the book.  The end of day 3 I went to bed really tired and sore... sore like I had been doing P90X and hadn't hydrated and then had run a marathon sore... I had trouble sleeping and woke up tired on day 4.  Day 4 I was sore, had a bath with epsom salts to help myself detox a little faster as the muscle aches are a sign of your body detoxing.  Following the bath I tried to nap... epic fail.  I dozed on and off (I have never been a great napper), and got up feeling like I had the flu.  Cold, achy, fuzzy brain... AND I was scheduled to teach my Turbo Kick class at 7pm (which was already planned to be at low intensity).  I got some fresh air, ate my snack and drank lots of water, gradually the fog lifted and by 6pm I was excited about my class.  I exerted myself a little more than I was probably supposed to but the idea is that you don't cause muscle to need repairing... I think I was within the parameters!!!

Days 5 - 7 were pretty good.  I added strawberries after my dinner as I couldn't resist the basket of fresh berries on my counter and they ARE in the Reset allowed foods!  On Saturday and Sunday I ate my snacks later in the day due to scheduling with the family... then was tight at dinner time on time allowances between eating... PLUS I found I hadn't really needed the snacks after all!  Made me remember that I don't need to eat just because it is time, I need to focus more on what my body needs and if it is truly hungry!

Regardless, I found some amazing new recipes that I will share along the way.

My favorite meals so far were the Black beans and rice tortilla and the Quinoa salad... with the microgreen salad close behind!

Here is a photo of the microgreen salad which is a pile of greens topped with shredded carrot, chopped cucumber, sliced red bell pepper, sprouts (I used TJs microgreens), chopped tomato, chopped jicama, fresh herbs, toasted nuts + dressing - I used the basic vinaigrette.


and the Quinoa salad was delicious and nutritious!

1/2 cup cook quinoa
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Himalayan salt or Bragg Liquid Aminos to taste
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp finely minced fresh parsley
1 tbsp finely minced fresh mint
1/4 large tomato, diced
1/4 large cucumber, peeled and diced
2 tbsp chopped, pitted kalamata olives
Gently combine ingredients, cover and chill for 1 hour. Serves 1
Thought it was going to be too heavy on the herbs but it was perfect, refreshing and delicious!

For me the Ultimate Reset has been an opportunity to refocus on my nutrition.  I exercise well and I enjoy healthy food.  I just needed to get a grip on portion, frequency and overall volume of food I was consuming each day!  I suspect I will be on a great course in two weeks when I have completed this journey!  It isn't easy when there are temptations around every corner, but I see it as a challenge that I am willing to stick to for me!

Let me know if you would like to learn more about the Ultimate Reset, I would love to discuss it with you.  This is a process that is a great lead in to starting a healthy lifestyle or, as I am doing, to complement your current lifestyle and just make it all a little better!
Find more info at www.GetFitWithNicola.com


Learn more about the Ultimate Reset with the following video: