It is of no surprise that I travel often – about a minimum of 25% of the year – for work. This year, my travel activity has significantly increased to 40% when adding in my runcations and weekend getaways. One of my worst (or best) habits while traveling is making food a big part of the experience. Early July, I was in New York for the weekend where a lot of serious food damage took place – it was pastries, pastas, dairy, and sugar galore. This is the norm for me whenever I travel.

However, without fail, the feeling is never mutual every single trip. The aftermath is not guilt but more so disgust, which usually succeeds in making feel absolutely terrible. After consuming so many sugars and carbs in New York, I craved it EVEN MORE when I came home. My stomach is the first to tell me when I have been a bad girl – haunted by bloating and aches of all kinds.

Since I needed some sort of saving grace, I decided to give the CLEAN Program a try for 7 days as a way of transitioning back to my normal diet. For those curious, my normal diet consists of high fat for energy, medium protein, and minimal carbs with the exception of fiber and the occasional donut cravings (which is a must).

The CLEAN Program is pretty much as it sounds: CLEAN. It is a short-term method that aims to eliminate your body of toxin triggers and unnecessary processed sugars. The goal is to feed your body with foods that do not stress your digestive system – 2 shakes plus a regular meal a day. At the end of the 21-day plan, it is recommended you introduce certain foods back into your diet to see if it has any affect on your body (e.g. dairy and gluten). For more information on the CLEAN Program, click here.

I knew I could not last 21 days so 7 days was less life-threatening and doable for me, lol.

Things I aimed to achieve with the CLEAN Program

• Minimize snacking
• Reduce caffeine intake
• Eliminate processed sugars
• Feel better overall

First impressions

Information overload. Perfect for the curious. Digestible info for the lazy.
I felt a bit overwhelmed. While drinking 2 shakes and eating 1 solid meal seemed fairly simple, identifying what was and wasn’t allowed on the diet was a lot of work for me. Because food is provided for me 5 days a week for free at work, I didn’t have control over all the ingredients and spent more time than I liked googling to verify my meals were approved. My friend Melissa was also on the diet and I most likely annoyed her with my texts on the daily asking if X food was good to eat or not.

Reasonably restricting.
I’ve been on more restricting diets in the past so this one was easy peasy. I will admit though I’m not a shake person. I’d rather eat a meal than drink my calories. This is what made the diet difficult for me and I knew that 21-days would be brutal. The best part though was the options of food available for the single allowed meal.

Pre-diet conditions

• Poor sleep – waking up 4-5 times throughout the night and nightmares.
• Infrequent bowel.
• Cravings.
• Bloating and zero tummy aches.

Post 7-day cleanse

• Improved sleep conditions – waking up once throughout the night and easily falling asleep.
• Daily bowel movements – YAY!
• Minimal cravings although I don’t think cravings truly disappear.
• Less bloating and tummy aches.

While I saw no weight loss, how I felt after the 7-day cleanse is worth noting. I felt happier overall which was my ultimate goal. Food is always going to be a big part of my travel experience and sometimes, I’m going to feel crappy after a trip because of it. But it’s all about balance, right? That’s why CLEAN eating for a few days after traveling is crucial. That is of course, assuming you indulge in all the foods like I do.

Disclaimer: While I was gifted the 21-day CLEAN Program in exchange for this post, all thoughts and opinions are mine.