Invitation Homes : Start Your New Year With A Detox Cleanse

Ever wanted to try a detox cleanse? I decided to take a stab at one because it seemed like a great way to hit the reset button. I looked into Dr. Oz's 3-Day Detox Cleanse.

I gave this one a shot because I thought three days on a detox wouldn't be so bad. I had looked at others, but let's face it - it's hard to commit to any lengthy cleanse. Knowing I would experience improvements on the inside and out proved to be an ample motivator as well.

I started by taking an inventory of what I had in the house and compared it to what I needed to purchase. The list called for over 20 items, so I definitely recommend double checking your cabinets to save you those extra bucks. You'd be surprised at what you might already have! I also substituted a few of the items due to allergy and convenience reasons.

Here are the cast of characters:

• 3 cups of raspberries
• 3 cups of blueberries
• 2 mangos
• 1 pineapple or 3 cups
• 2 green apples
• 3 bananas
• 6 lemons
• 2 limes
• 6 cups of kale
• 1 avocado
• 3 cucumbers
• 1 cup of spinach
• 12 stalks of celery
• 2 liters of coconut water
• 5 cups of almond milk
• cayenne pepper spice
• ground flaxseed (6 tbsp)
• almond butter (3 tbsp)
• coconut oil (3 tbsp)
• green tea bags (3)
• stevia (3 tsp)
• lavender drops
• Epsom salt
• multivitamin
• omega 3
• probiotic
• blender
• glass or cup

[Attachment] Prep day

Friday was my official start date, so Thursday night, I made sure I blended my breakfast, lunch, and snack detox drinks. It made it easier to stick to this way. I would recommend doing this cleanse on a weekend, especially if you're catering to all the 'cleaning' you're going to be doing. After I made all three drinks, I noticed contents separating. I made sure I shook it up a little before I drank it the next day.

[Attachment]My morning

My morning started off with a hot cup of green tea. I actually enjoy green tea so I wasn't really bothered by this morning wake up call. The cleanse called for stevia in the tea, but I opted for honey in this case. It was a great addition. If I had to do this again, I'd probably pick Manuka honey - such a great taste!

After that delightful concoction kicked in, I was ready for my breakfast drink. At this point, I was a little apprehensive.

My breakfast drink consisted of:

• 1 cup of water
• 1 tbsp of flaxseed
• 1 cup of raspberries
• 1 banana
• ¼ cup of spinach
• 1 tbsp of almond butter
• 2 tsp. lemon

[Attachment]In a blender, I combined all ingredients until I got a fairly smooth consistency. It all boils down to preference here. I personally do not enjoy chunky smoothies, so I made sure to get a few extra pulses in to get the ingredients ground completely.

I can't remember the last time I had raspberries - definitely the most potent flavor for me. My breakfast detox drink wasn't the worst thing in the world. My concern at this time was when I was going to be hungry. Nobody likes being hungry!

Throughout the detox cleanse, you will need to repeat one of the three drinks to have as your snack drink. The breakfast detox drink was the clear winner for me.

Between drinks, the detox cleanse calls for consumption of half a multivitamin and probiotic supplement - I wasn't too crazy about this. I still took these nonetheless.

[Attachment]< /a>My afternoon

It took me over an hour to drink this one. My recommendation would be to cut back on some of the ingredients because they can be overpowering. A whole cucumber might not be necessary in my opinion. I did not want to deviate too far off, so I toughed it out and drank it.

This drink's secret to health contained:

• 4 celery stalks
• 1 cucumber
• 1 cup of kale leaves
• ½ green apple
• ½ lime
• 1 tbsp of coconut oil
• ½ cup of almond milk
• 1 cup of pineapple

My midday

Midday meant I was halfway there! I whipped up my snack detox drink here. (See breakfast drink for details).

My evening

This drink was delicious! We're talking cayenne pepper and mango-type delicious. It seemed more tropical for me, and here's why:

• ½ cup mango
• 1 cup of blueberries
• 1 ½ coconut water
• 1 cup kale
• 1 tbsp lemon
• ¼ avocado
• ¼ tsb cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp flaxseed

Once I completed the detox cleanse, I felt great! I noticed I had more energy, had a vibrant glow, and lost about 4 pounds. I'm all for a healthy cleanse here and there, and recommend you try one for yourself!