by Annie Vischer
I am one week into the Bodyism Clean & Lean cleanse, and so far, I am coping far better than I thought I would! Take a look at a typical day’s menu below:
Breakfast – 3 scrambled eggs (1 whole egg and 2 egg whites) with grilled tomatoes and green beans.
Mid-Morning Snack – 100g turkey slices with ¼ cucumber, sliced.
Lunch – 150g baked cod fillet with salad, including tomato and baby spinach, dressed with ½ tbsp flaxseed oil.
Mid-Afternoon Snack – 100g chicken breast with ½ grilled courgette.
Dinner – 100g chicken breast stir-fry made with ½ tsp coconut oil and selection of green vegetables.
As you can see, the aim is to regulate a constant intake of lean protein throughout the day. You should also be drinking 2-3 litres of water each day. Carbohydrates are to be avoided during the 14 day cleanse as are foods that are high in sugar, salt etc. For two weeks your diet should consist of lean meet and nutritious vegetables.
The main thing to note about the cleanse is that you won’t find yourself feeling hungry, and if you do, simply increase your intake of vegetables. The aim of the eating plan is not to lower the amount of food you eat, but to give your body and mind the kick start it needs to really make the most of the nutritious food you are taking in.
I found that I really didn’t struggle too much with the eating plan, primarily I think, because there was not a lot in my everyday diet that I had to sacrifice to keep to it. I don’t like coffee, nor do I eat a great deal of carbs and I never crave sugary snacks, so avoiding those didn’t involve me making any changes at all.
I have been struggling with the exclusion of fruit. I am a self-confessed fruit bat, and some of my favourites rank amongst the worst in the sugar content versus nutritional value stakes. Grapes, for example. I am aware that they are mainly water and sugar, but they might just be my addiction. I recently had to limit myself to buying a single punnet a week, as I can quite happily empty one in one sitting alone. I would always have fruit with breakfast, lunch and as a mid-afternoon snack, but alas, during the 14 day week cleanse it was not to be. I was advised, if my cravings got strong, to stave them off with either a handful of blueberries (now a famed superfood) or a green apple. This I did, and somehow found the strength to stick with my prescribed ‘handful’ quantity of blueberries, instead of mindlessly picking from the pack and marvelling at how quickly they disappeared!
Another thing I had to come to terms with was the idea of chicken and other un-breakfasty like proteins and greens for breakfast occasionally. The idea is to vary the daily menus throughout the week, and you can’t stick to eggs every day. You can’t deny the morning boost given by a helping of protein and greens in the morning, and this is sustained throughout the day with the rest of the eating plan.
The best way of appreciating how the eating plan benefits you? Falling off the wagon. Which I did. This weekend. *hangs head in shame*. I was at a friends’ house where eating options were limited, would that excuse stand up in a courtroom? In came the carbs for breakfast, the birthday cake and the fizzy pop. And what a difference I felt! Bloating, a sugar low and sluggishness abounded. Not good. I couldn’t wait to get back to my Clean & Lean cleanse, which supplies you with all the energy you need throughout the day to make the most of it, as well as packing your system with as many nourishing elements as possible and giving you the protein you need to compliment your Bodyism work out.
My sessions at the Bodyism gym at the Bulgari Hotel in London have been incredible. The muscle toning exercises keep burning fat long after the session has finished and the core strength that develops because of them will really benefit you in later life. For the best warm up routine around, take a look at another BATD Bodyism article here.
For a full 14 day eating plan as well as an in depth insight into the thoughts behind the Clean & Lean method from James Duigan himself, pick up the Clean & Lean book here, or as an e-book here.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to unwrap my chicken and peppers for a mid-afternoon snack, before heading to my next training session! Keep an eye out for the next instalment of the BATD Bodyism Diaries later this week.