Oprah's diet, a 21 day cleanse

[Guest guest]

http://www.oprah.com/foodhome/food/cleanse/blog/blog_4.jhtml

Oprah's Blog

In her book Quantum Wellness, best-selling author and spiritual counselor Kathy Freston suggests trying a 21-day cleanse as a way to jump-start an inner makeover. Oprah has decided to give it a try! The plan is to eliminate caffeine, sugar, alcohol, gluten and animal products from your diet for up to 21 days. Read along as Oprah blogs for three weeks about the highs and lows of her experience.

Week One: Sunday There was a passage in Kathy Freston's book that so related to me, I thought for a moment she was talking about me.In the passage, Kathy talks about an overweight friend who would gain and lose. She didn't conquer the weight issue until she became a "conscious" eater.Conscious eater. That struck a nerve. I had recently come to the conclusion that after spending weeks reading and rereading A New Earth and being on line with Eckhart Tolle that bringing a higher level of awareness to my eating was the solution I'd been avoiding. My idea of a conscious eater, however, was not quite the same as Kathy's.I thought it meant not allowing yourself to eat emotionally and filling the void of anxiety with food, as I've struggled with for years. I thought it meant taking your time, making healthy choices and chewing slowly—being conscious of every bite and not scarfing down a meal and then thinking about the next one.That is one level of consciousness. But what she talks about in her book is a higher level. She speaks of "spiritual integrity." How can you say you're trying to spiritually evolve, without even a thought about what happens to the animals whose lives are sacrificed in the name of gluttony?So this 21-day cleanse gives me a chance to think about it differently and see what my attachments are to certain kinds of foods—and what I'm willing to do to change. Don't know if I'm going to feel better or worse, but I'm willing to try to see if my body at least feels differently.So this first day wasn't hard at all. For breakfast, I had steel-cut oatmeal with fresh blueberries, strawberries, chopped walnuts and a splash of soy milk and some agave nectar. For lunch, chunky mushroom soup with wild rice and pecans. As a snack, a handful of roasted almonds. And for dinner, a baked potato drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper with a salad of shredded lettuce, cranberries, pine nuts and tiny orange slices with a vinegar and oil dressing.Very satisfying. Day 1 also started with the meditation mantra that Kathy suggests in her book. I'm ready!— Oprah Kathy Freston's CommentsSome other great foods to eat are brown rice, quinoa, steamed or sautéed vegetables, chickpeas, yams, rice cakes or flax crackers with peanut butter or almond butter, apples, blueberries, hot whole grain cereal with chopped nuts and fruit with soy milk poured over it.

Week One: Monday Well, I feel like I got baptized in Vegan Land today. Kathy Freston sent her chef, Tal Ronnen, to help me and three friends at Harpo who are doing the 21-day cleanse. Wow, wow, wow! I never imagined meatless meals could be so satisfying. I had been focused on what I had to give up—sugar, gluten, alcohol, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, cheese. "What's left?" I thought. Apparently a lot. I can honestly say every meal was a surprise and a delight, beginning with breakfast—strawberry rhubarb wheat-free crepes. — Oprah

Week One: Tuesday This morning started with an egg-less quiche. I thought I wouldn't be able to handle it, but it was actually okay. I'm not rushing to the breakfast table, but the caramelized onions made it almost tasty. Lunch was delicious lentil soup and some lovely lettuce leaves and shredded cucumber. Dinner…mmmmmm good. Asparagus "cream" soup, portobello mushrooms, white beans and spinach and sweet potato chips. A feast! I had three meals and two snacks today. They were so satisfying that so far I'm doing great. My assistant, who's giving up caffeine for first time, is a bit cranky. That's expected, right? I stopped by my favorite restaurant to meet a business associate, but I was so full and satisfied after Tal's meal, I only ordered sparkling water. (That's a first!) The smell of garlicky, simmering fillets and steak Dianne were wafting all around me, and I had absolutely no problem resisting. I came home and my housekeeper, who sometimes cooks, had made a beautiful turkey meatloaf. I forgot to tell her about my vegan baptism, so my doorman's now enjoying turkey meatloaf for dinner.—Oprah

Kathy Freston's Comments: To help with caffeine withdrawal, try Teeccino, a coffee substitute made from grains that you brew like coffee. It looks like coffee and is thick and satisfying, especially with soy creamer! You can also try a glass of water with half a lemon squeezed into it first thing in the morning. It's very energizing. Rooibos tea from South Africa is another option. It has antioxidant properties and is quite delicious. You can get it in lots of flavors, like vanilla.

Week One: Wednesday I just cleaned my dinner plate, down to the last grain of brown rice left under my oh-so-deliciously seasoned soy chicken. I can not believe how tasty, spicy and wonderful it all was. I'm ever more surprised at how I don't miss anything and feel so satisfied at every meal. Bravo to Tal! By Day 4, I'm usually climbing the walls or craving sweets—or ready to throw in the towel on any other diet plan. I'm a little nervous about the weekend. Tal cooks our last meal for the week tomorrow, and I've got to go to Las Vegas for Tina and Cher. Vegas and vegan don't seem to mix. — Oprah

Kathy Freston's Comments: When traveling, order a hearty soup (lentil, minestrone, tomato) from the room service menu and ask if they can prepare something using every vegetable they have in the kitchen. Try oatmeal for breakfast—it's so easy. It's also a good idea to travel with some protein powder that you can shake up in a bottle of water to make sure you're meeting your nutritional needs.