“Well it’s the penultimate day of the detox challenge and one things for sure I’m eager to find out what results I have achieved. Looking back over the last two weeks the hardest part was the first two to three days. After that it has almost been plain sailing the whole way! Although with tonight’s planned circuit from Michelle I’m sure I’ll be in a bit of pain tomorrow” – John 

“Day 13. I can’t believe how fast time has flown since we first started the detox. I’m really starting to experiment with different foods now. The main changes being fish as the main source of protein instead of meat and plenty of fresh fruit and veg. I used to think that it’s easy for people to preach healthy food choices to other people because they have enough time on their hands to go shopping, prepare fresh food etc but I’ve now realised that even with my busy job in London (I live in Brighton) and hardly any breaks, it is still possible to eat healthy and regularly in the day, it just takes a little planning the previous evening and the supermarket to deliver to your door

I just had a massive steak meal and will shortly be expected to workout. Not feeling over enthusiastic about it. Final day tomorrow!” – Steve

• Star jumps
• Push ups
• Squat jumps
• Triceps dips
• High knees
• Super plank
• Power lunges
• Abs cycle

1 minute on each and repeat whole circuit 5 times. Now let’s see if I can persuade the boys to do this tomorrow, for the final push….

“Today was a good day as it was the first time I have been back in the work place since Sunday and all my staff commented on the changes in me over the past week or so. They have said that I look younger, more alert and that I seem to have more energy than previously which pleases me.  Also one or two people have noted that I’ve lost some weight. It also surprised me as poker didn’t finish until midnight last night and I was up for work at 5am. I think it’s incredible that in not even two weeks I’ve managed to change my dietary habits and with positive comments like that, it’s going to give me the emphasis to continue down this path long after the detox has finished and not revert to comfort eating and filling my body with too many toxins although I certainly am looking forward to a few beers ” – John

“Last night at poker was the hardest night of the detox. One of the guys actually complained he was unhappy when John pulled out a banana and 2 tangerines and placed them on the table. I think he thought we had the unfair advantage by staying sober. Anyway, onto today… Feeling great, clothes are loose and not been hungry once. I made my own healthy version of southern fried chicken and sweet mash this evening. John nearly licked the pattern off the plate. Healthy eating CAN be tasty! It’s just about having the right ingredients, some herbs in the cupboard and adjusting the way you cook some of your food. I’ll never deep fry again.” – Steve

“As things progress through the detox programme I’m starting to look towards the finish line and what that will mean for me! I think one thing for sure is I’ll continue to eat more healthily and cut the amount of caffeine and alcohol consumed considerably and I’d like to think that regular exercise will be part of my daily life and I won’t slip back into my old ways! The best thing about today was when my daughter asked if she could have some salad with her lunch and she wolfed down two helpings when normally she would turn her nose up” – John

“Feeling great today, however I am playing poker tonight with some hard drinking, hard smoking characters. I expect abuse! On a positive note, being sober may improve my game. My mates are now giving me huge respect, saying that they don’t think they’d have the willpower but are considering trying it, having noticed the positive changes in my energy levels and general enthusiasm for life. By the way, I’m not being paid to say this, it truly works!” – Steve

“I think that to do a detox properly you need to have proper rest as although I feel good in myself I can sense that I’m still tired from lack of sleep on Monday night. When I’m tired I’m not clearly focused on my goals of eating the right portion sizes and drinking enough water. It’s almost as if going away has set me back a few days even though I stuck as rigidly to the plan as I could. I think for this reason I’ll extend the detox until the Saturday but hopefully I should have some promising results on day 14. I guess we will just have to wait and see” – John
 
“Nothing really new to report today, all is going very well. No unpleasant cravings and really enjoying fresh food. A few of my friends have been so impressed that I’ve given up the cigs that they have been motivated to give them up too. 4 days to go…” – Steve

“Today has been very hard for me as I had a very late finish last night at my conference and an early start. I think I only got 3 hours sleep and the increased tiredness led me to cravings for sugary foods and caffeine. I was very tempted to start my day with a full English and a gallon of coffee but I abstained and instead tucked into a plate full of fruit. The main problem today was that it was very hard to find food that is allowed in my detox plan. The little bits I did find were nowhere near big enough to fulfill my daily quota but now that I am home I’m looking forward to getting a big shop done and getting back on the plan 100%. I have also been suffering quite a lot today with sore muscles from running the other day but hopefully tomorrow I’ll be able to do some more exercise and as long as I have a full night’s rest I should be refreshed and ready to tackle the world again” – John

“My day started earlier than usual due to an over enthusiastic female friend using my bed as a trampoline, in an attempt to get me out of bed. After the threat of cold water being thrown over me, I managed to get up and enjoy the usual healthy breakfast, followed by a couple of miles walk into town. Visited Taj and Infinity foods and couldn’t believe the amount of amazing foods you can still have while on detox. I had a raw chilli chocolate bar as a treat. It strangely felt like cheating though! You can even get healthy organic ketchup, not that I did. I went to the pub and had a couple of games of pool whilst sinking about a third of my daily water requirement. The landlord now thinks it hilarious to say “the usual is it Steve?” as I walk through the door. I’m full of energy and really enjoying things now. It’s almost as if the detox is a way of life. 5 days to go!” – Steve

“I said I would stick to the plan!!” 

With the lure of the free bar beckoning him, I’m very proud he’s not broken the detox. Our friends will vouch for this being unheard of from John. So, what awaits us on results day could be astonishing. I can’t wait to find out!

“Day 8 has been a mixed bag. My energy levels are still soaring and I’ve been stuck in a conference all day with so many of the foods and drinks that have been axed in aid of detox but I have endeavoured and found the right foods and drinks and to my surprise abstained from both alcohol and caffeine when there has been plenty of opportunity to partake! But I’ve stuck fast to the plan as I don’t want to let either Steve or Michelle down and when we had an hour break to get ready for our evening meal, I even went for a 40 minute brisk walk around the streets of London but that’s the competitive nature in me as I don’t want to lose face on the last day and find that Steve has achieved better results than me!” – John

“There are no peaks and troughs now. It’s a no brainer and I’m just making what’s on the plan without thinking about other foods. The only time I noticed it was in the pub again today. I just had that feeling that everyone around me was having fun whilst I was getting ribbed but I’m used to it now so it’s easy to deal with and it’s just normal to drink tons of water. As John and other friends were busy tonight I feel like I’ve lost the social element of our group evening meals which goes to show it’s beneficial to have like minded individuals around you to help motivate” – Steve

When the body has to deal with processing toxins on a daily basis there isn’t as much time to devote to healing so injuries or conditions can take longer to heal. Much of the previous stiffness and bloating in the body will now dissipate and John and Steve will be feeling lighter and more flexible….

…except for the fact they’ll be aching all over from yesterday’s workout and will feel much like this…

This is only temporary though!

“At last my energy levels are soaring! Even to the point where I went for a 2.5km run after a full hectic day at work! Anyone who knows me will vouch for the fact that I don’t go running. I’m thoroughly enjoying the food and looking forward to incorporating it all into my normal menu when the detox finishes. It seems strange that I’ve eaten more fruit this year than all of last year. Also I think going forward, one cup of coffee a day should suffice rather than the 7-10 I was having. Tomorrow is going to be the hardest challenge as I’m away at a business conference and there is a free bar but I’ve promised I will abstain from alcohol for two weeks and today is only day 7″ – John

“Today went very well.  No major cravings and yet another non drinking pub visit. Friends are now all on board and fighting to buy me a drink constantly seeing as fresh lime and soda’s are free! After my 3 pints pub visit, I had another fantastic dinner and really feel my blood sugar is under control, no sugary cravings at all. I am also amazed at how much I’m enjoying fruit at the moment. I feel on a real high as I’m half way through the detox and after day 2, it’s just not really any effort. I don’t (didn’t) class myself as being very strong willed and a lot of my friends initially doubted my commitment but clearly I and they were wrong ” – Steve

“Today has been my first day of proper exercise in a while and I’m now looking forward to increasing the amount in my weekly routine. On the down side I feel my digestion has taken a turn for the worse so it’s time to get a fibre supplement in the diet to speed things along! Also I probably didn’t drink enough water early on today, something I plan to rectify in future. Also good news, I’m not missing alcohol and caffeine as much as I thought I would and have even put off having my first drink until nearly a week after the detox programme finishes” – John

“I woke up feeling energised and only needed a small breakfast compared to usual. Not too much to report in the way of any changes, I just feel calm and less anxious than prior to the detox. Maybe it’s the side effects of booze and fags or is it just psychosomatic? Whatever the reason, I feel really good. Also I noticed that I can fit in one of my favourite pairs of jeans that I’ve not been able to wear for the last 6 months and they are loose. However, weight loss was NOT the reason I started this detox, I will explain more around my reasons in my final post” – Steve

“This has been my best day so far. I’m not feeling tired anymore. My energy levels are constant. I’m not craving sugar today. My digestion has improved and I’m feeling more satisfied with the food portions. I’m now looking to start increasing the exercise as I’ve gone through the worst of the detox” – John

“I woke up feeling less hungry than usual today. My energy levels are soaring and I’m still not craving cigarettes. I’ve been experimenting with cooking loads and discovering new tastes and combinations. Butternut squash has become my new comfort food. I assumed it was the same as eating potatoes but have discovered it contains far fewer carbs and has many more nutrients. Once you’ve got the right bits in the cupboards eating healthily is enjoyable and easy to maintain, for example, having the right herbs and spices to hand to jazz up a meal. It’s really helped having John doing this with me because it helps to maintain focus and we bounce ideas off each other. Cooking together has become a social event” – Steve

Steve has surprised me with how easy he has found things and considering his level of toxic consumption previously, I’m amazed. It just goes to show how different our constitutions are. If you discover that your body is more vulnerable it’s imperative that you limit your toxic load before more serious consequences arise.

“I was a bit dubious about today as it’s the first one I have had to be at work alongside the detox programme but I was glad to wake up feeling refreshed and without any headache. I have still been craving sugary foods but I had some mixed nuts today which worked a treat and my energy levels have been the highest today. I was pleasantly surprised when I had already consumed 3 litres of water by 12 pm. For breakfast I had yoghurt with raspberries, lunch was a prawn chilli and coriander salad and dinner was steak with Mediterranean vegetables. The only thing I probably lacked today was fruit portions. The photos are tonight’s dinner and yesterday’s lunch…” – John

“Just a quick update on today’s activity – breakfast consisted of really good quality thick cut ham, spinach, 2 eggs and a tomato. I snacked on yoghurt, fruit and seeds (really getting to enjoy this!). Late afternoon I had lean chicken and a mixed salad. Dinner was steak and Mediterranean vegetables. I well and truly overdid it with the chilli and ginger! Or is it my sense of smell / taste buds coming back? Dessert was yoghurt, fruit and seeds.

I’m really feeling great and now a non smoker, not even had the urge! Same with booze, I’m not missing it. I did crave biscuits and chocolate, naturally, I denied myself access to both” – Steve

If you’re reading this and thinking of starting a detox too I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have x