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My Detox Diaries: The Middle Days

Tangy Apple and Carrot Salad
It's day 9 of my Fall Renewal Detox.   As I write this, it’s the afternoon of day 9 of my 10-Day Fall Renewal Detox with certified health and fitness instructor Lisa Consiglio Ryan of Whole Health Designs. The first part was pretty bumpy, but to quote James Brown about how I am feeling this very minute.

"I feel Good!"

I will do an in-depth post once I'm finished with the program, but I felt I left you all hanging on Friday. I wanted to write a quick follow-up to let you know how the middle part of the program went.

 First off, I survived two social outings.  I did it! I did not cheat, and stuck to the program completely. People ate bratwursts all around me, and indulged in delicious Oktoberfest seasonal brews. I ate quinoa and beans that I brought from home, and sipped water. 

 I'll be honest. I do not like packing food. I don't even like to pack food for a picnic so you know that I had a hard time doing it for a social function where delicious food was served.  And apparently, the cat had no interest in what I was eating. Ha!
Well, he didn't have a seasonal brew, but you get the idea. 

 The good news is that I have lost one more pound,  maybe two, if I hold my mouth a certain way.   I saw 127 this morning, then 30 minutes later, I saw 126.  Dressed with my shoes after lunch, I saw 130.  My coach says to get rid of those scales and listen to your body.  I think I agree. 

 I feel great in the afternoons, but am very sluggish in the morning. The morning time is hard for me. I feel as if it takes energy to just put one leg in front of the other. My coach says  I am going to bed too late, and rising too early. She's right, but I don't have the willpower to change that at the moment. I am only getting 7 hours of sleep during this detox. On Saturday, I got more than 8 hours and felt great. 

 I have loads of energy from 10 a.m. when my body finally wakes up until I cut off the light at 11 p.m.  I just need that same energy at 6 a.m. then I will really feel good. 

 My mood has improved a lot.  Yesterday was the first day that I didn't get out my broom, and fly around the room at 6 p.m.  That's progress!

 I have a lot more thoughts on how things are going, but I will share those with you when I do my next post.  



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My Little Chefs and Me: We’re Part of a National E-Cookbook from Chef Boyardee

We are excited to be part of the Chef Boyardee Little Chefs project

Earlier this year, I was asked to be a contributor to Chef Boyardee’s Little Chefs Project.  My team was assigned to write the chapter about “Feeling like A Kid Again.”  It was fun to get in the kitchen with my kids and talk about some of my own cooking memories, which will be featured in the e-cookbook when it debuts later this week.  As a child, I loved licking the cake batter, and, apparently, the apron doesn’t fall too far from the kitchen.  My two are now fighting over who gets the first batter lick.

I have made an effort to let my oldest child get involved in our cooking process.  Truthfully, my son would like to eat Chef Boyardee pasta right out of the can, but we needed to get a little more creative than that for a Chef Boyardee recipe.

I’m not known for originating my own recipes, so I had permission to publish one directly from Chef Boyardee, and they have several easy recipes on their website.  The Hawaiian Ravioli Skillet caught my eye, but I got a whim to put a “Leigh spin” on it. 

The original is probably better, but my son, who basically cooked the meal himself, said, 

“This was the best meal I’ve had in a long time. I need to cook this more often.”


Hmmm.  Maybe I should read a book at dinner and let him cook this more often. 

I decided to use mini-dinosaur pasta in our dish so I could name our dish.  Ready for it?

Dinosaurs Go Hawaiian.
**Follow same recipe as the Hawaiian Ravioli Skillet, but use 2 cans of mini dinosaurs instead of beef mini ravioli. All you need is green pepper, pineapple tidbits, some deli ham, and mozzarella cheese. 

This took less than 10 minutes to make. It makes a great meal for the kids on babysitter nights, or quick meals before or after sports practice. You can also feel good knowing that the Dinosaurs have NO MSG and NO PRESERVATIVES. 









Disclosure: I was compensated to work on this campaign in partnership with theMotherood. As always, opinions are my own. 
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My Detox Diaries: Confessions from a Processed Food Buyer

Pear, Pecan, and Spinach Salad

The First Four Days

So far, I think I can sum up my detox journey which I announced on Monday with these simple words.

“I want some $*^% hot tea, and I want it now!”

I think about a nice, piping hot cup of English breakfast tea 24/7.  At this point, I would take it with almond milk and stevia, if I could, but tea and stevia are not allowed during this detox.  I can have herbal tea, but I don’t even brew a cup anymore in the morning. It just turns me off, and I would rather have cold lemon water.  I like green tea, but, unfortunately, it falls into the caffeine/processed category, so decaf is not allowed either.

As I write this, it’s the morning of day 5 of my 10-Day Fall Renewal Detox with certified health and fitness instructor Lisa Consiglio Ryan of Whole Health Designs. 

For those of you just joining me, fall is supposedly a great time to renew and rid your bodies of toxins.  Some people are paying Lisa to help them through this process. I, on the other hand, won this experience through a giveaway.

Whole Health Designs

A lot of people ask me, “Why would I do this?”  This is 10 days of eating whole, nonprocessed foods. No caffeine. No decaf anything. (It’s processed.) No gluten. (Bye, bye, bread and pasta.) No added sugar (only natural from nonprocessed foods), no dairy, and no alcohol.

It’s not easy! 

I’m not really sure why I’m doing this, either, but I will reveal that several years ago, before I became pregnant with my daughter, I began eating more whole foods, took high-potency vitamin supplements, exercised regularly, and got down to a healthy weight of 122 pounds. I felt really great during that time.  My energy level was through the roof.

Then came pregnancy, a new baby, hormone issues, struggles with losing pregnancy weight, life in my early 40s, and more chaos in my life. Add newly diagnosed post-pregnancy hypothyroidism plus a lot of computer time for writing to the equation, and I simply have not felt as good as I did in early 2009.  That was the “I-can-conquer-the-world feeling.”

Christmas 2008 shortly before my 40th birthday. I was starting to feel really good after having two miscarriages that year
By February 2009, I felt better than I had in a long time eating a whole food diet, and discovered I
was pregnant with my daughter in March. 

I wouldn’t mind getting that feeling back. It’s that simple. I lost all my pregnancy weight, but since I started blogging I have added 5 to 7 pounds back on the scale.

So, I thought, “Why not?” And here I am down this 10-day path.

As I emailed my coach last night to ask if it is normal to turn into a complete bitch around 6 p.m. at night, she told me that my body is working hard to get rid of the toxins. She simply said that moodiness can happen early on, but I’m almost at a turning point and will soon start to feel great. She reminded me that this is not an easy process, or people would be detoxing all the time.

When I told my husband her response, he just laughed. Truthfully, he thinks this is just a bunch of holistic mumbo jumbo. Is he right? Time will soon tell.

What Am I Eating?

The sauteed Kale with Cannelloni Beans is delicious

Here’s the good news. I really like the food on this detox. It’s rich butternut squash soup; a lot of dark, green, leafy vegetables; and raw veggies like cucumbers and carrots. It also includes pears, apples, raw almond butter, nuts, quinoa, lentils, and beans, beans, beans.

Let’s just say that I could probably ignite my own hot air balloon from eating all the beans.

Eating the food is not a problem for me at all.  I’m not a fan of rolled oats, but I can survive it, but … and it’s a big but … prepping the food drives me crazy.

I feel like I am working myself to death preparing three meals a day that can only be consumed by one. Other than not having my tea, this is one of the hardest parts of the detox for me.  It’s a lifestyle change for cooking. I’m always getting out the blender, etc. You need to sauté leeks just for lunch.  Get the idea?

I don’t think I have gotten a frying pan out for anything during the day except to make a grilled cheese for my child.

It’s been a royal pain to cook meals for my family and then something else for me.  But the recipes are good, and I do plan to work them into family meals once I learn to get the right quantities to feed a family.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

I love this rich, butternut squash food.
On day one, I had a nagging, pounding headache for most of the day. My coach felt it was from my body’s lack of sugar, but I also had my menstrual cycle, so it’s really hard to know for sure.  I felt tired the first day and the second day, too.  Unfortunately, I’m battling some sinus issues right now, too, and that could also impact how I am feeling.  Some people experience nausea. I did not.

I think I have lost a pound or two. I weighed 128 pounds today, a weight that I thought I weighed before this detox, but with some nightly indulgence in Dave Matthews’wine plus my monthly cycle, my scales had me more at 130 when I finally put a battery in them the night before the detox. 

I am still very sluggish in the morning hours. However, by about 11 a.m., I am feeling pretty good, and then it lasts until about 6 p.m.  This is the time when I turn into a monster DEMON.  Once I get the kids to bed, I get a second wind and feel better, but am still staying up too late. I am not getting the full eight hours of sleep recommended.

I definitely feel better in the afternoon hours, after lunch. This is something that I can definitely see different since Monday. Prior to this detox, I felt as if I could not function without two cups of tea with sugar and milk around 1:30 p.m. I would also eat a bite of dark chocolate. I have more energy during this time, and am more focused. 

I don’t like to get out much. The Starbucks signs are too much of a temptation. I’ve been a little recluse. I think social situations will be hard, and I will need to eat beforehand.  We have a big Oktoberfest to attend tomorrow. That’s going to be a challenge. …

And I’ll let you know how it goes. … I’ve got five more days to go.


 If you are new to this blog, and this post was helpful to you, or if you enjoyed this post, I would love it if you could share it via Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter. It helps others learn about the Hines-Sight Blog, and it is the only way people learn about this blog since I do not advertise. I also have a Facebook page, and Twitter account, and would enjoy interacting with you there as well. 
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My Next 10 Days

As luck would have it, I won a giveaway. 
No, it’s not an all-expense paid trip to Hawaii.
I wish.
It’s not a designer purse, or a $250 silk blouse that I have tried to win before on my friend Amy's blog. You know!  The things that I wish were in my closet, but cannot afford to stock in my own closet very often.
I know you are on the edge of your seat with anticipation.
But, let me assure it is not a box of gourmet chocolates.
Far from it, actually. 
Please don’t spit out your pumpkin spice latte when I tell you.  I don’t want you to waste any sugar on me.
I won the opportunity to get clean, and rid my body of toxins. Beginning October 1st, I am going to take part in the online “Fall Renewal: 10 Day Detox” program.

I can’t even bear to write this, but the road I’m going down is a road that has no chocolate, caffeine, pumpkin spice lattes, or alcohol.  Apparently, just lots of broccoli.
Sounds like a picnic in the park, doesn’t it?  You know I’m rolling my eyes.
I haven’t even started this program yet, and I’m already hearing the sugar Nazi yell harshly in my ear,
 “No, sugar for you!”
Wait, it gets worse.  
“No English Breakfast tea for you, either-you British wannabe.”
What's up Doc? I've prepped my carrots for the week

 Ahhhhhh! I don’t know if I can do it.
And when I head to an Oktoberfest party six days into the detox, she will be saying in my ear as I stare at the seasonal brews,
“Fuhgeddaboudit!”
Ouch! She is taking away everything I love.  
But, I know I can do this!!!
I try to eat healthy, I really do.   But, I do have too much sugar, processed foods, and other toxins in my diet.
I know that.  I think it’s why I’m secretly excited to give this program my all, and work to feel my best.
I went out to dinner at J.Betski's in Raleigh on Saturday for a last meal type of thing.
 I chose to have a beet infused vodka drink called the "Beet Hammer."  That has a healthy ring to it.  By the way, when
my detox is over, I'll be going back to J.Betski's. My food was delicious. 
My 43-year-old body needs it.  Hopefully, it will thank me. It may beat me up in the beginning, but I went through 9 months of pregnancy, twice.  This detox has nothing on that, right?
After the 10 days, I am supposed to have more energy, think clearer, shed some pounds, and sleep better. Supposedly, my mood will improve, too. 
I will let you know. 
If you don’t hear from me later in the week, send reinforcements to my house because you may find me locked in my pantry singing, “pour some sugar in my tea!”

 PS: I had a conference call with Lisa Consiglio Ryan after I wrote this, and she does not sound mean at all, like a sugar nazi would.   She's very pleasant. Now that I've bought my food, I'm ready to start my journey.  Wish me luck!
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Friday Focus: North Carolina in the Fall

I love this time of year. I love to wear jeans again. I love that it gets dark a little earlier so I can be cozy in my house, which usually smells like a pumpkin candle on most nights. I sip a glass of red wine, have my pajamas on by 9:00 pm, and watch a new season of my favorite TV shows. Ah, that is fall to me! But, I know a lot of my Tar Heel friends like to get out and about in the fall so this post is for you.
Courtesy of Visit NC
With the arrival of fall, the leaves are beginning to shade North Carolina in hues of burgundy, burnt orange and golden yellow. Starting with the lofty peaks in the north, color spreads to the south and east in a painterly wash before slowly fading into winter.

Here are some ways to experience my home state this fall.  Visit NC gave me some great ideas to share, and of course, you know anything that concerns eating, a spa treatment, and a luxury hotel came from yours truly.

Rooftop Touring: After gazing at the vistas along the Blue Ridge Parkway, exit at U.S. 25 North in Asheville, N.C., for a different vantage point: the rooftop of America’s largest home. This sight to behold is the high point of Biltmore’s hour-long Architecture Tour.
Shadow of the Bear in Cashiers, NC
Photo by: Jerry Jaynes

Bear Hunting: As the harvest sun sets behind Whiteside Mountain, a bear-like shadow emerges from the colorful canopy for 30 minutes every evening from mid-October to early November. Catch the “Shadow of the Bear” from Rhodes Big View Overlook near Cashiers, N.C. The mountain, with an elevation of 4,930 feet, boasts sheer rock cliffs that are among the highest in the eastern United States. It provides a splendid setting for viewing leaves throughout autumn, especially during the emergence of the bear.

 Luxury Lounging: And if you are in Cashiers to search for the bear shadow, visit the Old Edwards Inn and Spa in nearby Highlands. They have some great seasonal spa specials right now such as the Pumpkin-Apple Spice Facial. 

Ballooning: Drink in the view from hundreds of feet above ground. Carolina Balloon Fest takes place Oct. 21-13 in Statesville, N.C., and individual operators such as Carolina Balloon Adventures take fliers soaring over vibrant woodland hills.

Farmers Marketing: Farmers markets offer distinct insights into regional flavors with selections of pumpkins, apples and greens.  And the local color is dazzling at Wilmington’s popular Riverfront Farmers Market. And don't forget that biggest celebration for agriculture is the North Carolina State Fair, which runs October 11-21, 2012.

Whitewater Rafting: Under the leafy forest canopy, the Nantahala River Gorge creates lasting impressions. Nantahala Outdoor Center near Bryson City, N.C., operates a world-class whitewater canoe and kayaking program.
Wine Tasting: Fall harvest presents a reason to celebrate and sample North Carolina wines. In the flourishing Yadkin Valley wine region, Childress Vineyards and Raffaldini Vineyards and Winery are among the wineries offering tours, tastings and picnic spots with splendid scenery.

 Ziplining: Experience fall color up close on a canopy tour. Choose from a dozen or more in the North Carolina mountains or opt for an unlikely destination: Fayetteville, N.C., at the edge of the Sandhills. ZipQuest features eight ziplines, three sky bridges, three spiral staircases and a 150-foot-wide waterfall.

Culinary Touring: Wilmington is an emerging dining destination and offers a variety of culinary tours and festivals including the Pleasure Island Seafood, Blues and Jazz Festival (October 13-14); Encore Restaurant Week (October 17-24); the Back Door Kitchen Tour (October 20), and Taste of Wrightsville Beach (October 27).

The Inaugural Outer Banks Seafood Festival scheduled for October 20 is designed to capture the essence of what makes the Dare County community unique. Nearly 20 local restaurants have committed to serve their signature dishes featuring only fish and seafood caught along the Outer Banks - resulting in an unmatched "fusion-style" (small portion sizes) buffet from some of the best restaurants on the beach. In addition, local artisans will exhibit and offer their unique creations ranging from hand-crafted jewelry to beach shells and paintings - offering Festival-goers a great opportunity to shop the wares of our gifted artists.
If you love food then you cannot miss TerraVita in Chapel Hill, North Carolina November 1-3, 2012. Now in its third year, the unique event showcases sustainably made wine, beer and spirits from around the globe against the backdrop of North Carolina ingredients and ingenuity. 
TerraVITA, a Celebration of Food and Beverage

 The headliner event, the Grand Tasting on The Green, will take place on Saturday, Nov. 3 from 1 – 4:30 p.m. This event brings together some of the best sustainably-produced wines, microbrews, coffees and spirits and offers them side-by-side with culinary tastings by James Beard-nominated chefs, artisan chocolatiers, charcuteries and cheese makers from across the state of North Carolina.  

 Advance tickets are $65 for the all-inclusive event with a special designated driver/no alcohol ticket offered for $55. Tickets can be purchased at www.terravitaevent.com.

In addition to the marquee Grand Tasting, three other events occur during the festival: Chefs’ Harvest Potluck, The Sustainable Classroom, and The Carolina Table: East Meets West Dinner. Visit TerraVita for a full-line up, and costs. 

Corn Mazing: Gillis Hill Road Produce produces “The ABC’s of NC” – an educational maze for children and adults.  Questions about North Carolina are found throughout the 10-acre maze.   Only the right answer takes you down the correct path. Wrong answers lead to a dead–end.  The ABC’s of NC is open through October 31st. Hours are Monday through Friday from  1 pm – 6 pm and Saturdays from 10:30 am – 6 pm.  Location:  2899 Gillis Hill Road in Fayetteville.  
See you around North Carolina, and my thanks to all of North Carolina's Tourism Bureaus for keeping me in the loop on the latest travels in my home state.


If you are new to this blog, and this post was helpful to you, or if you enjoyed this post, I would love it if you could share it via Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter. It helps others learn about the Hines-Sight Blog, and it is the only way people learn about this blog since I do not advertise. I also have a Facebook page, and Twitter account, and would enjoy interacting with you there as well. 


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