Well, folks, I only made it to day 3 (*sigh*). I broke the cleanse at 8:30pm on day 4. I woke up that day feeling very, well, off and I was constantly thinking of food and what I could eat that wouldn’t be detrimental to my cleansing…or what could be. After work, while sipping on my last juice (water, lemon, cayenne and agave), I decided to bite the bullet and eat something. Now, I made the smart choice by choosing a salad with kale, celery, avocado, tomato and cauliflower topped with some amino acids accompanied by mashed avocado with sea salt and lemon. I was proud of myself.

Day 4 was a Thursday, and it just happened to be my friend’s birthday party at Chinatown Brasserie…oh the torture of being at one of the yummiest Chinese (Americanized) restaurants in NYC, albeit the party was downstairs away from the food. All was fine and dandy at first, but there weren’t very many people at the party yet, so my roommate (also doing the cleanse), a friend of mine, and I made the rash decision to go and eat. My roommate was instrumental in this decision, but she didn’t have to twist my arm too hard. Note: Do not end a cleanse with heavy or fried food, meat or dairy or your innards will be mad. I followed one of these rules: no dairy.

Break the Cleanse Meal:
Turnip Cake
Soup Dumplings with Pork & Crab
Chanterelle and Red Bean Dumplings
Red Steamed Tofu with Mushrooms

Turnip Cake

After the meal, my tummy had mixed feelings; it was full, yet grumpy due to overload. I went home with a headache and bloated stomach, so that I could “sleep it off.” In the morning, I had two of the juices before lunch, but continued eating normal and healthy items for the remainder of my meals; that day, and all days following.

While doing this 5-day version (I mean, 4), I pondered why it was that I was doing this cleanse. The initial decision was based on the premise behind any cleanse: giving your body a rest. I did feel better and lost 3 pounds, but eating in moderation from this point forth will do me just fine. The bottom line is that I really, really, really, really love food. Food is what gives me brain power to function and the energy to workout.

My advce: If you are ever in a situation that makes you question the decision to be in that situation, get out. For me, that was eating a yummerific meal. Happy eating!