Thursday, August 25, 2016

A Green Drink, A Shake & Some Soup

Chef V Organic Cleanse Review

A few months ago I was contacted by Chef V to see if I was interested in trying out their organic cleanse. Regular readers of this blog will know that I’ve been cleansing in the past, and that I very much liked the results. Since I knew we were traveling a lot this summer, I postponed my cleanse until the middle of August. I was provided a 2-day cleanse free of charge. As always, all opinions in this post are my own.

Many are skeptical of cleanses as they see them as just another crash diet. But a cleanse is not a crash diet for me but rather a way to hit the reset button. It’s a way to let go of the sweets, the salt, the oils, the processed foods, etc. that creep back into my diet little by little despite my best intentions to eat in a way that’s optimal for my body and that makes me feel my best. Plus, a cleanse is also a good way for me to take it easy and relax.

The Chef V cleanse gets delivered in a insulated bag with ice to keep it cold. I received a text message when it was delivered (which was at 4:50 a.m.!). In the bag were two bottles of Organic Green Drink (one for each day), two containers of soup (one for each day), four “ultra shake” packets (two for each day) as well as some detox tea bags.

Chef V Organic Cleanse 1

You are instructed to “eat clean” two days before doing the liquid cleanse. There is a list of foods to cut out (such as milk, cheese, eggs, white rice, pork, beef, soy, peanuts, butter, alcohol, coffee, etc.) and a list of foods to eat instead (such as hemp and nut milks, brown rice, quinoa, fresh or cold-water fish, lamb, legumes, seeds, lots of vegetables, nuts, etc).

You are also given a schedule for what to do on the days of the cleanse. You start the day with water, followed by a green drink. Then you’ll have an ultra shake, water, a green drink, etc. You basically rotate between water, a green drink and the ultra shake throughout the day. In the evening you have the detox soup.

You are instructed to “eat clean” (choosing foods from the list that is provided) for at least two days following the cleanse.

My Experience with the Chev V Cleanse


As I stated above, I’m no stranger to cleansing, and I like it. I think a successful cleanse has a lot to do with your mindset. It’s not a good idea to see it as a “quick fix.” Personally, I see it as a way to get back to a better way of eating as well as a way to take care of myself. I treated myself to an extra fancy pedicure on one of the days, rested more than usual, and went on a long, leisurely walk on each day of the cleanse.

I enjoyed the cleanse because I had to do absolutely no prep work, cooking, cleaning, etc. (I did make green smoothies for the boys for breakfast, but the kid ate lunch at school and Andy at work, and they ate leftovers for dinner).

Chef V Organic Cleanse 2

The juice and shake kept me surprisingly full throughout the day. You are instructed to do only light exercise on cleanse days and to make sure to get enough sleep (something I already knew from other cleanses I had done in the past, and I think doing little physical activity and resting as much as possible is key to a successful cleanse).

The green drink has a mildly “green taste” (much less so than many green juices, but I actually like things that “taste green.”) Andy commented that the flavor of the green drink reminded him of a certain tea he drank growing up. The shake tastes like cinnamon and was surprisingly good (I had serious doubts before tasting it since I’m not a protein shake-type person). Somebody not used to green smoothies, green juice, and lots of raw veggies (which are a big part of my daily diet) may not like the green drink quite as much as I did. I also added some ice to the shake (which you are instructed to do to make it taste better, and, as I said, I liked it).

In conclusion, I found the Chef V Cleanse an easy way to clean up my eating a bit. I think it’s important to follow the instructions for the pre-cleanse days to get your body ready for the cleanse (if you are eating few veggies, etc. you may want to do the cleanse prep a bit longer than two days…), do little physical activity on cleanse days, and continue to “eat clean” after the cleanse. If you have the mindset to use the cleanse to reset what you are eating, I think it can be a very positive experience.

Questions: How do you rest your taste buds and your diet when you’ve veered off the healthy path a bit? Do you like green smoothies and green juices? Have you ever done a cleanse? If so, what was your experience? Would you be interested in doing a cleanse? Why or why not? 

Be well,
Andrea

[As stated at the beginning of this post, I was provided with a 2-day cleanse free of charge. As always, all opinions are my own.]