The Spent/Revive program was designed by Dr. Frank Lipman, found and director of the Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in New York City, where Dr. Junger also practices. Since the two are colleagues, it’s no surprise that the programs contain some similarities. But where Clean is a three-week dietary detox, Spent/Revive is a six-week program designed to restore balance through diet, sleep hygiene, and stress-relieving practices such as yoga and meditation.

Dr. Junger briefly mentions the concept of Spent in Clean, and I identified with several of the symptoms, such as :

• Difficulty getting out of bed in the morning
• Ongoing fatigue that is not relieved by a good night’s sleep
• Extreme sensitivity to cold or tendency to feel cold in environments where others do not
• Tendency to bruise easily
• Feeling light-headed when getting up from a lying-down position
• Trouble focusing or concentrating

Six weeks may seem like a long time, but Spent/Revive is broken down into daily tasks, which Dr. Lipman refers to as daily beats. Each day, he gives you one component to add to or remove from your current routine. It may be eliminating something from your diet, or it may be changing a sleep habit. He also says you can work at your own pace if certain elements are easier or harder for you to adjust to.

The first daily beat is removing processed sugar from your diet. Since I’d already finished 10 days of Clean, I was already ahead of the game on this one. In fact, aside from that half a pastry at Panera, I haven’t had any sweets, cookies, or baked goods since Colorado. Pretty amazing, considering I used to always have some sort of dessert after every meal. But now, some fruit or a small piece of dark chocolate — which are both allowed on the Spent/Revive program — does the trick nicely. In fact, I’d have to say that I’m pretty proud of myself that, in giving myself a license to indulge, I opted for cheese and crackers instead of donuts or cookies.

Though I haven’t read daily beat #2 yet, it involves reinventing breakfast by making smoothies — something I’ve been doing for a long time. So I’m off to a good start, but I’m going to wait until after my Florida trip this weekend to officially begin the program. Will return with updates!

*Dr. Lipman’s book was originally titled Spent: End Exhaustion and Feel Great Again. It has been re-released as Revive: Stop Feeling Spent and Start Living Again. I have the original copy. I don’t know if the content differs at all from the rerelease, but I would advise getting the updated version, since some of the online resources he refers to seem to have changed.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Toxins can also exit your body through your skin. In my case, it seems as if all of my newly released toxins have been attempting to make their way out via my chin and jaw line, if a slew of recent breakouts is any indication. So I was looking forward to giving them another means of exiting with my new LL’s Magnetic Clay Detox Bath kit. The theory behind detoxifying clay baths is that the warm bathwater opens your pores, allowing the clay to attract and soak up toxins located under the skin. According to the instructional booklet, laboratory tests have confirmed that clay detox bath can greatly reduce toxic levels of heavy metals and other chemicals in the body. Testimonials from the web site report that clay baths have helped people quit smoking, overcome fatigue, sleep better, and feel mentally refreshed.

I’ve had a rough week, and felt kind of cruddy all weekend, so I figured a nice detoxifying bath would be a good way to end my Sunday evening. Preparing for a clay bath is a little more involved than your average bubble bath. The kit comes with a packet of herbs to mix in. I have no idea what’s in the herbal mixture but it smelled divine — like an Indian spice shop, but not overwhelming. To keep the clay from clumping, the instructional booklet recommends mixing small amounts in a blender. That just seemed like a big mess waiting to happen (and I use my blender every morning for smoothies, so I didn’t want to risk gunking it up), so I decided to whisk small amounts of the clay in a bowl instead. That seemed to work fine, as long as I worked with about a half cup at a time. I let the bath water run slowly so I had plenty of time to whisk it all up and add it to the tub. (The clay is safe for pipes as long as it’s well dissolved. You also get a mesh screen to put over your tub drain to make sure no large clumps sneak through.)

When I stepped into the bath, there was a sludge on the bottom of the tub. Be careful — they aren’t joking when they say this stuff is slippery! To try to maximize my benefits as well as break up any clumps, I scooped up handfuls of the sludge and spread them on my skin. After a few minutes, there wasn’t enough solid matter left for me to get my hands on, so I just submerged myself and waited. I stayed in for a full 20 minutes (the instructions recommend varying durations depending on your overall health and perceived level of toxicity).

The magnetic clay web site says that as toxins are pulled out of the body, the bath water or the clay itself may darken or even turn black. You can set aside a spoonful of the clay mixture before taking your bath for comparison’s sake. I forgot to do this, but it did seem like the water turned from a brownish color to a darker gray.

Afterwards, I felt refreshed but completely relaxed, and any traces of the headache I’d been nursing all day were gone. My skin felt smooth, too, as if I’d scrubbed it. Since the instructions say that you can also lose important minerals during the detoxification process, I followed my bath with an application of my Ancient Minerals magnesium gel and then read for a little while before bed. I felt ready to go to sleep but not exhausted. And I even woke up today feeling more refreshed than usual. Anything that can accomplish that definitely earns a regular place in my routine.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

In Clean, Dr. Junger briefly touches on the importance of eating an alkaline diet. Now, I may have gotten A’s in chemistry, but I certainly haven’t thought about acids and bases in years, so I decided to tackle a few Livestrong articles on the subject and learn exactly what he was talking about. Here’s one of my recent articles: Alkaline Diet Plan

If you aren’t in the mood for a chemistry lesson, just know that it all boils down to some simple advice: eat your fruits and veggies.

Since I’d been eating pretty much nothing but fruits and veggies while on the cleanse, I was curious about my own body pH and made a mental note to look for some test strips the next time I was at the health food store. Well, my clay detox kit arrived today, complete with pH strips. Yippee! I immediately opened the package and stuck one on my tongue. Within seconds, the paper turned into a yellowish green color. According to the pH chart, I was exactly neutral. Not bad, considering my pizza and coffee indulgences of the past 2 days.

“I’m definitely acidic,” Ryan said, reaching for a strip. And he was, but just slightly, which is pretty amazing considering his fondness for triple espressos with heavy cream.

Right after taking the test, I headed out to the grocery store, and my good results inspired me to continue buying healthy foods. I got lots of fruits and veggies, and bought just three forbidden items: rosemary & olive oil Triscuits, sharp cheddar cheese, and Woodchuck hard cider. Back at home, I made my zucchini soup before settling down with my indulgences in front of last night’s Project Runway.  Stay tuned for the results of the detox bath!

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

This morning I went a step further and had a latte with my favorite egg souffle from Panera, plus half a bear claw. Eating the pastry, I couldn’t help feeling that it just wasn’t worth it, and I kind of wished I had stayed home and made a smoothie. (Though I might have felt differently had it been a Donut Haus donut.) And the coffee just made my stomach hurt.

I think for now I am going to keep eating as Clean as possible, although not necessarily following the program to a T. I made a fantastic Clean-approved almond-crusted chicken for lunch (see below), and I may just have my new favorite easy zucchini soup for dinner. I had actually started craving it, and we certainly have enough zucchini from our garden to provide me with soup for many more days. But it’s Friday, and it’s been a rough week, so I may just wash it down with a beer.

I got in a full ten days on the cleanse, and even though I didn’t really feel any different, I know I was doing good things for my body. I will probably wait until after my upcoming vacation, and then give it another go.

Almond-Crusted Chicken with Spinach

Make a coarse paste of 1/2 cup roasted, unsalted almonds, 1 garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon of coarse salt, and 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a food processor. Rub onto 2 seasoned boneless, skinless organic chicken breast halves. Roast in 425-degree oven until cooked through, 15 to 18 minutes. Slice and serve on baby spinach with lemon wedges. Serves 2 to 4.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Part of me is a little concerned I’ve been doing something wrong, because I haven’t experienced any of the ill effects other people on the Clean web site talk about. But – aside from the pizza and donuts in Colorado – my diet was already very clean to begin with, so that’s probably why I’ve had an easier time than most. I’m looking forward to week 2, in which Dr. J says people often experience energy surges. Bring it on!

One thing I’ve noticed is how I usually eat out of boredom rather than true hunger. The Clean program teaches you to recognize true hunger and to learn to live with it for a little while rather than immediately sating it. I typically snack throughout the day, usually when I am sitting at my desk or doing something else sedentary like watching TV. I’ve still had urges to snack, but rarely out of hunger. I haven’t really felt hungry since maybe day 3. I also noticed how little I snacked in Colorado, even though I brought plenty of protein bars and trail mix along. One day while we were rock climbing in Boulder Canyon, we even skipped lunch, which is unheard of for me. I guess when my surroundings are more stimulating, I’m less inclined to crave food. Maybe once this whole process is over, I’ll be better prepared to handle my emotional eating.

Here’s the super easy and delicious zucchini soup I made yesterday. You could probably substitute any vegetable. I made the same thing with broccoli tonight (steamed the broccoli first), and it smelled kind of funky but tasted good.

Pureed zucchini soup:

Sautee zucchini, onion, garlic and spinach in extra virgin olive oil. Puree with chicken broth (or vegetable broth) and ¼ avocado. Enjoy!

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I have a feeling I am going to be eating lots of hummus

Yesterday, I had a good lunch (more hummus plus quinoa salad and marinated kale with pine nuts), but I couldn’t stand the thought of soup for dinner again, so I made myself another pineapple/mango/coconut milk smoothie. I felt full, but it was hard to keep myself from snacking during the evening.

This morning I walked to yoga and then met my husband and a friend at the crepe place. Watching everyone chatting and laughing over their espresso drinks and crepes, it was really hard to keep myself from ordering a grande latte and a big plate full of eggs and bacon. I might have, too, if I hadn’t reminded myself how disappointed I was the last time I ate a crepe there — the crepe-to-filling ratio was unsatisfactory and the eggs were runny. They also messed up Ryan’s triple espresso two times in a row. I decided if I really were going to break my Clean diet, this was not the place to do so.

So I dutifully sipped my water and made myself a smoothie once I got back home. I’m undecided about how to proceed today. Ryan bought some coconut-crusted tilapia, which would be awesome with some sautéed zucchini or asparagus, but it does have some sort of breading on it, so I probably shouldn’t chance it.

Another problem I’m running into is that I always have leftovers from my soups and lunch recipes, but I never feel like eating them. I need to have something different every day to keep myself from getting bored.  So I need to start making smaller portions, or else I am just wasting food. I don’t like keeping leftovers for more than a day, because I feel like they are less nutritive. (According to Ayurveda, leftovers have less life-force and are harder to digest, thus contributing to toxic buildup.)

I just have to keep reminding myself that this is not forever, that my health is more important than the desire to indulge in a latte and a crepe on a Saturday morning. Hopefully once the weekend passes and I am back into my busy weekly routine, the temptations will be easier to resist.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

So I spent a while in the kitchen last night preparing my food for today: a juice for breakfast (so I could easily take it with me and drink it after my 6 am yoga class [which was great — I was pleased to discover that I had plenty of energy]), and a quinoa salad with more of the hummus for lunch. Tonight when I get home I think I will try the chilled cucumber soup recipe from the Clean book.

The liquid dinners are definitely the hardest part about the cleanse, along with the no-snacking-after-dinner rule. But there are good reasons for it: Dr. Junger says that it takes 8 hours for your body to digest a meal, after which point it goes into detox mode. It then needs 4 hours to do a deep cleaning. Consuming a liquid dinner speeds up the digestion process so your body can enter into detox mode faster. It’s also important to wait 12 hours before breakfast; in fact, I never thought about it before but that’s where the word “breakfast” comes from — you are breaking the fast that you began after dinner in order to provide your body with energy for healing and rejuvenation. If you snack late into the night and don’t give your body this 12-hour window, your body can never fully enter into detoxification mode.

With my upcoming trip to Florida, I won’t be able to do the full 21 days of the program. I’m still undecided about the best way to break my cleanse. I can either do 2 full weeks and ease back into solid foods so that I can eat whatever I want on vacation, or continue until I leave (18 days total) and try to eat as healthy as possible in Orlando. Our hotel suite has a kitchen (with a blender!), so maybe I’ll plan on picking up some produce and continue making smoothies for breakfast.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

If you have a few minutes, check out some of the other videos on the site; there are some very inspiring stories!

My aha moment

So far I’m feeling great and I do feel like I have more energy, which was my one main goal for the program. I’ve actually been surprised at how satisfying soup can be for dinner. Yesterday after my yoga class I was famished, but after a bowl of raw zucchini soup (see below) and a few blackberries, I felt completely satiated. (Not sure if the berries are really allowed in the evening, not being liquid, but I figured they couldn’t do too much harm.) This afternoon was a little tough – I had a small salad with salmon for lunch, followed by an apple, but by 4:00 I was starving. Normally I sit and snack at my desk all day, but one of the hallmarks of the program is to recognize real hunger. Sometimes we may think we’re hungry when really we’re just bored or even thirsty.  A clean snack is allowed if you’re genuinely hungry, but I didn’t have any clean snacks on hand, so I stuck it out and kept drinking water. By the time I was home, I wasn’t feeling so ravenous anymore, and I made a delicious leek and asparagus soup (see below).

Hopefully things will continue smoothly. The Clean book says that after a few days, you adjust to the program and don’t feel so hungry.

Raw Zucchini Soup (from Clean: The Revolutionary Program to Restore the Body’s Natural Ability to Heal Itself)

• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 stalk celery (I didn’t have, so I subbed a carrot)
• 1 tablespoon red or sweet onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 5 basil leaves
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ avocado
• 4 cups water

Blend all ingredients together in a high-speed blender

Leek and Asparagus Soup

• 2 bunches leeks
• 1 bunch asparagus
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 box organic chicken broth
• 1 box frozen spinach, thawed (I used a few handfuls of fresh spinach instead)
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

In a large pot, sauté the leeks and asparagus until soft. Add chicken stock, spinach, and garlic. Makes 4-6 servings.

Our friend Mike expressed an interest in doing a detox, so he and I are going to do the Clean program together after our Colorado vacation. Mike has also been making some improvements in his diet, although not quite as drastic as the changes Ryan and I have made. I offered to start with a one-week Clean program, but Mike is not known for doing things in moderation, so he has committed to the full three weeks. Ryan bet him twenty bucks he wouldn’t be able to stick with it. In return, Mike challenged Ryan to watch an episode of MacGyver for every day that he completes the program. Should make for an interesting three weeks.

In the meantime, I’m planning on finishing the book and writing up our diet plan before and during our vacation. I’m sure our time spent in Colorado will involve much beer and carbs, and then it’s down to business.

In related news, I’ve just discovered Luna & Larry’s Organic Coconut Bliss dark chocolate ice cream bars, which are completely dairy-free and soy-free and contain four (four!) organic ingredients. I am licking the wrapper as I type.  I also recently recorded a video segment about healthy living for Mutual of Omaha’s Aha Moments campaign, which will be live on the site in a couple of weeks. The site has some really great stories about the defining moments that change people’s lives … definitely worth checking out if you have a moment.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”