Were there struggles? YEP.
Were there benefits? YEP.
Were there moments of HANGRY? YEP.
Were there moments of joy? YEP.
But, I will say it was well worth the struggle, hangry moments to feel better.
Leading up to the Refresh
Prior to completing the refresh, I was on vacation for a week but even prior to that, I really wasn't focused on my eating. Even though I was doing my meal plans, I would find I would have an extra bite here or there of something. I had too many glasses of wine. I ate ice cream. All in all, my nutrition had just started to slide downhill it seems like since the holidays.So, when a relative texted me asking if I had ever done the 3 Day Refresh, I said nope, but I would be happy to do it with them, considering I would need it after all the above PLUS vacation.
While on vacation, I tried to stay on track, but it was hard when there weren't many healthy options. I had burgers, white rolls, french fries a few times. Some SUPER yummy nachos, dessert and you know how it goes. Once you start, your body craves those types of food even when you don't normally eat them.
I got home and my Refresh was waiting for me. I opened the box and was greeted by the drink mixes, Shakeology packets, and nutrition guide. The guide really was easy to follow, I just had to determine what I wanted when.
The Plan:
Each of the 3 days I would start every morning with a glass of water and then have my Shakeology with a side of fruit within an hour of waking up. I chose to eat my fruit but you could have mixed it in!
About an hour later I would have a cup of hot green tea. Then an hour later (mid-morning) I would have the fiber sweep. I actually didn't mind the fiber sweep at all. Prior to completing the Refresh, many people said they couldn't stomach the fiber sweep. But, it reminded me of the lemon Nestea iced tea instant tea mix my mom used to make when I was a kid.
Two hours after the fiber sweep, I would have lunch which consisted of a Vanilla Fresh shake, some fruit, veggies & a healthy fat. The afternoon then consisted of a snack at least an hour after lunch, then a cup of hot green tea, and then by then it would be dinner time which was another Vanilla Fresh shake and a dinner option. I will say the Vanilla Fresh shake was the toughest one for me to drink. I struggled with that one each time I drank it, and was about ready to jump through the roof with excitement after I drank my last one on Day 3.The nutrition guide is fantastic and comes with 9 different meal options for dinner. I tried the stir fry and spinach salad and really liked both. I can't wait to do the spinach salad but add some protein on it.
I will say I drank at least a gallon of water every day as the guide recommended and then also added a cup of organic vegetable broth as well.
All in all, I was consuming between 900-1000 calories. It isn't recommended to restrict your calories to this level daily but for a short period of time it was fine.
During the Refresh
So, at the end of Day 1, I was tired and had a headache for sure. I would be kidding you if I didn't tell you this. I was tired, but then again I did a pretty decent workout the morning of Day 1. It is suggested in the guide to not do an intense workout while doing the refresh.I learned my lesson on Day 2 and 3. I still had a headache, but by day 3 it was minimal until I waited to long to eat in the afternoon. I wasn't tired. It was also great to get 8+ hours of sleep per night each night. I found by the time I got the kids to bed I wasn't far from being in bed either so I wouldn't be tempted by anything.
Honestly, it was probably a good thing I didn't have too many things going on those 3 days though. Between my kids coming off the vacation high, and all of us getting back in the swing of things, I wasn't the most pleasant person to be around I am sure. So, to my kids and anyone I may have encountered those 3 days, I apologize for my hangry mood.
After the Refresh
I will say on Friday morning when I woke up, I felt wonderful. I was full of energy and was ready to conquer the day. It felt great to wake up with that feeling as I hadn't felt that way in a while.
Was the hangry worth it? Yes it was. That bloated feeling I had finally went away and I can say I felt great. For me one of the biggest victories from completing the 3 Day Refresh was I was able to know I could say no to certain foods and stay strong. It helped me re-focus my nutrition and has helped me stay on track without too many slip ups since last week.
In fact, we had an impromptu birthday celebration for one of our neighbors over the weekend, I didn't have a single glass of wine and I didn't keep going back munching on food like I had done the month before. In fact at one point we were chatting and there was a bowl of chips sitting in front of me on the counter, I put my hand in to get a chip and then pulled it back without taking a chip. It just wasn't worth it! I woke up the next morning feeling victorious that I actually made it through the night without wine and too much food. However, I did have one small piece of cake, but that was it. In the past I would have gone back for more.
My Results
So, my overall results were I lost 3 inches and 3.6 lbs. I would definitely do the 3 Day Refresh again to get over the bloat and help me get back on track when I lose focus. Because let's be honest, as much as we try to stay on track and not have too many treats, we are not perfect and sometimes a little help to reset and re-focus is what is needed.
Thanks for stopping by and all your support. Have a great day and check back again for future blog posts.
**Also, as a side note, for the relatives that did the refresh with me last week, both lost 4lbs. in 3 days! Great job!!!!
~Sarah Strubhar
Independent Team Beachbody
Ruby Coach
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