Last week, I did something I don't think I've ever done before. I went on a diet! But this was no ordinary diet of simply limiting carbs and sugars. I went on a raw food cleanse combined with daily workouts with a professional trainer.
The cleanse was organized by a local cafe in Phnom Penh that specializes in healthy, organic, vegan, and raw food. Each day, I received a box with my meals for the day. Inside were six small containers that held all the food I was allowed to consume for the entire day. Other than the contents of that box, I was permitted to drink water, and that was it!
Breakfast: Raw banana and flax crepe with almond butter and fresh fruit. Watermelon and mint juice.
In addition to the prescribed food, those of us on the program had daily workout sessions with a trainer. These were like no other workouts ever. One day included 100 pushups plus 100 bench presses plus 100 bicep curls. I have never been so sore as last week. For two days, it hurt every time I fully straightened my arms!
Lunch: Raw lasagne with spinach and cashew nut spread. Raw apple pie with spiced walnut base.
Although other participants in the program said they felt invigorated and full of energy (liars), I felt drained. By Tuesday, I could barely stay up past 9:00 and by Wednesday my brain felt slow. My boss laughed as he watched me come up to our office door and pause while I had to think of the combination to open it. Bear in mind this is a door and combination that I use dozens of times a day!
Actually, my boss was pretty much laughing at me and my raw food cleanse all week. And perhaps he was right to laugh. Although these pictures showcase some of the better offerings, several meals I choked down solely because those were the only calories I was gonna get! And despite the hype of the program, I only lost two pounds.
Dinner: Raw pad Thai with sweet potato, carrot, and homemade raw peanut sauce with a spirulina, coconut, mint, and chia seed protein bar.
But I didn't do the program to lose weight. I was hoping for a kickstart to make some healthier changes. And it certainly helped me rethink portion size and if I really should eat that entire pizza for lunch when half will do me just fine. Plus the workouts showed that I can push my body further than I ever thought possible.
In Cambodia, they celebrate New Year's in mid-April. So here's to a new year ahead recommitted to a healthier, stronger, fitter me! But please, no more carrot salads for dinner!
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