Ballerific Health: 7-Day Fruit + Veggie Cleanse

Hey ladies! Welcome to the season of short, shorts and crop tops! Personally, the summer is my favorite time of the year — it’s the season of my birthday and I no longer have to bundle up under scarves and boots.

But I must admit, the summer snuck up on me this year. I live in Texas, so it’s hot from March to September — literally — which means I get really good at hiding my imperfections or constantly trying out a new way to get trim down.

I’ve tried the traditional fruit, veggies and protein, abandoning carbs and hitting the gym three times a week. Of course, water was essential. I’ve also tried the lemonade diet (fresh lemons + real maple + cayenne pepper + water) and quickly found a mega cheeseburger after depriving my body.

Now, I’ve started a fruit and veggie cleanse. I love to cook, so I’ve planned out a few meals and snacks to keep me motivated. You can eat as many fruit and veggies as you want, raw or cooked and drink half of your weight in water..

Here’s my 7-day log:

Day 1:

Morning:

Smoothie – ice, spinach, banana, pineapple, raspberries, water and honey (I think the raspberries threw this smoothie off a bit, but I still drank it)

Snack – plain yogurt, pineapple, mango, banana, honey and nuts

Lunch :

Lettuce wraps – I used my black bean salad (black beans, corn and rotel) and wrapped them up in lettuce. (Super. Yummy)

I got hungry before I left work, so I ate a spinach, strawberry and feta cheese side salad with balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Dinner:

Cabbage rolls — cabbage, sweet potatoes, eggs, relish and green beans.

*Water is key. I still drank my usual two cups of coffee and half of my weight in water.

Day 2:

Morning:

Smoothie — ice, spinach, banana, strawberries, water and honey

Snack — plain yogurt, apple, honey and nuts

Lunch:

Lettuce wraps – Yes I ate them two days in a row.

Snack — stuffed cabbage rolls (stuff them with all the veggies you want!)

Dinner:

Eggs, potatoes, spinach and my black bean salsa (I threw potatoes in for a heavier meal.)

*Remember, lots and lots of water and leftovers are your friend. Tonight I sliced up oranges and apples so that I don’t have to worry about running late making smoothies in the morning.

Day 3:

Morning:

Smoothie — ice, spinach, apples, oranges, water and honey

Snack — plain yogurt, raspberries, honey and nuts

Lunch:

Lettuce wraps – Yup, this black bean salsa stretches.

Snack — V8 juice (I got too busy at work to eat)

Dinner:

I went to a potluck for bible study and brought my own veggie medley with my cabbage rolls leftovers. Then, I ate a plate of fruit (pineapple, cantaloupe and honey dew melon)

I got hungry again, so I had bruschetta on pita chips.

Day 4:

Morning:

Smoothie — ice, frozen bananas, apples, oranges, pineapples, celery, water and honey

Snack — plain yogurt, raspberries, honey and nuts

Lunch:

Stuffed bell peppers (green bell pepper stuffed with my black bean salsa.)

Snack — Cucumbers and carrots in Italian dressing

Dinner:

I was a bit delayed getting home in a timely manner as a result of my mani/pedi, so when I got home, I ate sliced apples and peanut butter.

I later made black bean burgers topped with a spinach sauce (Get creative with your toppings, here. You can eat the burger with bread, substitute bread with sliced sweet potatoes or the veggies you desire.)

Day 5:

Morning:

Smoothie — ice, frozen bananas, peanut butter, hazelnut coffee creamer (yup, I took my sweet craving to another level)

Lunch:

I went to Olive Garden and ordered a vegetable medley in marinara sauce — broccoli, squash, mushrooms and green beans)

Dinner:

Chopped green salad with kale with balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Day 6:

Morning:

(I went out of town for the weekend so my regiment was off)

Yogurt parfait (from McDonald’s)

Brunch:

(I was surrounded by goat cheese beignets, steak and eggs crostini’s, Italian sausage pizza and crab cakes)

But I had eggs, pear and grapes. Yup.

Lunch:

Green salad with eggs, cheddar cheese and ranch (Yes, I know ranch isn’t healthy)

Dinner:

Green salad with balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Day 7:

Morning:

A 100 calorie bag of nuts

Lunch:

Half of a green salad with tortilla chips, avocado, cheddar cheese and creamy onion and garlic dressing. With a side of green beans.

Snack:

The other half of my salad with assorted nuts.

Dinner:

(I was so tired I didn’t feel like cooking or eating, so I just drank water)

So there ya have it folks, seven days of fruits and vegetables with a few things I threw it to make it through. Even though I traveled over the weekend, I got really creative eating out in restaurants. Stick to it. What’s your summer diet regiment, ballers?