A little bit about: The Quantum Cleanse

Hey there :)

I hope you're all doing well. Any fun plans for the weekend?! I think I'm going to chill with my best buddy and maybe check out this free photography exhibition at a gallery downtown featuring photos of NYC circa 1985. I read about it here, and it looks super cool. For those of you in the NYC area, it's exhibiting until July 3. Might be a fun way to spend an afternoon, but if you need further motivation, the High Line is only blocks away!

Anyway, I digress. I wanted to introduce a new feature post that I hope will be recurring. With this series, I'll share "a little bit about" whatever has got my attention at the moment, be it a fitness trend, a new health-related study, a recipe, a blog, a book...pretty much anything! I'll share what I know about whatever the topic is, and maybe it'll spark your interest, too! And to keep this light and fun, I won't bore you with these posts, as I promise to only write about things I know "a little bit about"!! Sounds fun, right?!

My first topic is extremely topical (haha) as I am in the midst of it as I write this--The Quantum Cleanse. My co-worker and good friend first introduced me to the cleanse a year or more ago when she completed the full 21-day cleanse in which participants refrain from consuming the following: caffeine, alcohol, refined sugar, animal products, and gluten. I remember thinking, "Wow, I could never give up coffee. My morning coffee is SACRED!" I thought that *maybe* I could give up one or two of those things at a time, but all five?!? For 21 days?! That's the definition of insanity!


Obviously, I came around, LOL. I read a little more about the Cleanse and creator Kathy Freston, a New York Times best-selling author of several diet and wellness-themed books, and I thought about giving it a shot. I suggested it to my friend and we decided to do it for a week. We even made the tough call to start weening ourselves off of caffeine before the first day so as to avoid those terrible headaches and other nasty withdrawal symptoms. I've been coffee-free for about three weeks now, and despite my reservations in the beginning, I feel great!

started the Cleanse on Monday, so we're just finishing up the fourth full day. I haven't really felt deprived at all, which I never would have imagined would be the case when I first considered doing it, considering all the things I've had to abstain from. But, this is the point: The Quantum Cleanse isn't really about what you're removing from your diet but what you're adding. I've had to be so much more creative with my meals, which has forced me to plan ahead. I find that I am snacking and "grazing" less at those times when I used to feel snack attacks because I am filling up on wholesome, real foods and avoiding (most) processed crap. I'm discovering all kinds of tasty combinations that I never would have dreamed up before because I think I had the tendency to build my meals around the protein source as opposed to around the greens. Beans and other legumes are now the stars of the show instead of the supporting actors!

I'm glad I decided to take on this challenge. Maybe one day I'll commit to the whole 21 days, but for now, I'm just reveling in how I feel after only four days of the Cleanse and hoping that this serves as motivation for my diet going forward!

Have you ever tried The Quantum Cleanse? If so, what did you think? Ever tried any other type of cleanse? I can't wait to hear from you!