BluePrintCleanse: Day 3

It’s amazing what a difference a day makes! Yesterday I felt drugged, like I ought not to be operating heavy machinery, but today I feel... perfectly normal and alert and great.

My coworkers tell me I’m glowing but I’m dubious because I gave up wearing make-up (and lotion and deodorant, shhh don’t tell!) as part of my personal detoxification regimen. I figured I wasn’t exactly sure how these alleged toxins planned to escape my body so I didn’t want to impede them in any way by plugging up my pores.

Day 3 of the BluePrintCleanse was the best of the whole program. I’m not sure if that’s because I know it’s all over soon, or if I really do feel rejuvenated. I don’t feel hungry, I don’t have a headache, I went to the gym in the morning, AND the juice drinking seems like less of a burden. Green Juice after my workout felt way simpler than making eggs or oatmeal or my other, non-cleanse breakfasts.

Also, I’m down 5 lbs. This is unheard of for me. I assume this is mostly due to water weight but even so, I haven’t seen this number on my scale in months. My stomach also looks much flatter. I took “before pictures” which showed a little belly pooch but this morning when I woke up I had almost an entirely flat midsection. So, from a vanity perspective, the cleanse works…

Two major factors kept me going: 1. the cost of the cleanse (why waste $200 on juices you don’t drink?) and 2. accountability (the very public blogging each day forced me to complete the three-day detox cycle – even when I really wanted to cave). Both of these were crucial for my personal success. I would recommend anyone curious about cleansing to commit to it this way. Tell your friends/family/coworkers/etc what you’re about to do (let them call you crazy – it will inevitably happen) and it will be much harder for you to back out.

A few notable things: My lips didn’t feel chapped at all during the three days (even without my usual chap stick application) which makes me think I was perfectly hydrated throughout. My skin was clear, which is a good sign, but my circulation felt inadequate. My fingers got freezing and turned white after holding a cup filled with ice for just a few minutes.

Overall, I like how very black and white the cleanse is. I never worried “can I eat this?”, “should I eat that?” I just followed directions and drank juices. Not that complicated. Also, there was no prep required on my part (in terms of purchasing fruits and veggies or juicing things myself). I placed an order online and the cleanse arrived on my chosen delivery date. So simple. And now that I’m in the home stretch, I’m feeling pretty proud of myself. I can be kind of a Type B, occasional underachiever so the fact that I successfully stuck with this for 3 days is something of a personal triumph.

BluePrintCleanse: Day 2

Day 2 is undeniably the hardest day of the cleanse because it’s sandwiched in between the first and final day. On Day 1, all the juices were interesting - an experience, if you will - and by Day 3, I imagine I’ll be looking forward to winding down, but Day 2 feels endless.

I slept well (got up twice to use the bathroom but slept soundly from 9 pm – 6:30 am). And headed to the gym for a light workout (about 30 minutes on the elliptical followed by resistance work). I felt a little weak during cardio but powered through and drank plenty of water. When it was time for my oh-so-delicious breakfast (Green Juice) I poured it over ice and drank it as quickly as possible.

My stomach rumbled a bit throughout the morning but I don’t feel starving. I'm not 100% focused (I would not feel comfortable, say, giving a presentation at work right now) but I’m perfectly comfortable and not too cranky. Mostly, I just feel bored. I appreciate not having to think about food, but obviously, eating behaviors are so ingrained in our culture that I just feel anti-social with my juices. I think that’s the most difficult part about this cleanse. If my roommate or friends or coworkers were going through this with me, it would be a lot easier to stay focused on the goal and indifferent towards normal food routines. Without support, it's hard.

Around noon I feel like I’m crashing. Despite the P.A.M. Juice, I’m so tired, I can barely keep my eyes open. It helps to write about it if only to distract myself and give me something to do other than bite my nails or gnaw on the inside of my mouth. I daydream at my desk about going home, getting in bed, and sleeping my way through the next day and a half of this cleanse. Not realistic for those of us with desk jobs but maybe that’s how the celebrities get through it? On to Green Juice Part II now.

My temperature keeps fluctuating. Not sure if that’s typical of a detox but I’m hot then cold then freezing then fine. I keep taking my sweater on and off. Could just be the air in my office, but it seems worse than usual.

Bam. Made it through #4 – Spicy Lemonade. Poured it over ice again and it was actually tasty. My headache got worse though and the fact that there is no end in sight makes me pretty grouchy. Time for beet juice. Wahoo.

C.A.B. Juice is fine. Mostly my body just feels unhappy. My stomach is gurgling weirdly (is it hungry? Is it hurting? Is it confused?) and I have a splitting headache. Day two is every bit as hard as I envisioned. I’m not sure if all this is normal or if I have less willpower than the people who normally do cleanses. This is just a very strange way to go about life. Very isolating.

Sixth and final juice of the day and I’m officially 67% done with this cleanse.  I went for a walk with a friend after work which tired me out so despite how gross the Cashew Milk was on Day 1, I found myself looking forward to it today. Breast milk never tasted so good. My body was craving the thicker, sweeter consistency of Juice 6 and I found that I could almost pretend I was chewing if I let some of the grainier cashew pieces linger near my molars before gulping it down.

My body feels exhausted but sleep comes easily. Can't wait for Day 3. Let's wind this thing down!

BluePrintCleanse: Day 1

Let's do this journal-style!

Juice 1 (GREEN JUICE) tastes like lemony grassy apple juice. It smells much worse than it tastes. Despite the cute, non-threatening bottle, it’s just so much darn liquid - took me about an hour to get it all down. I put it over ice in a fun, yellow cup so I didn’t have to see just how green it was and the ice kept it cold for the hour-long sipping sesh. Also, the cubes were a much welcomed crunchy treat at the end.

Juice 2 (P.A.M.) is delicious! I’d drink this on a regular day instead of iced tea. It’s a refreshing combo of pineapple, apple, and mint. Unfortunately, it’s also got 45 g of sugar! I know it’s “natural” sugar and not artificially added, but still. That seems like a lot, and just knowing what’s in it makes my teeth feel a bit grimy. (Bathroom break). No seriously, it’s crazy how many trips I’ve taken so far. Before noon I racked up 6 visits down the hall. Really putting a damper on my productivity. Also, feeling a bit unfocused and distracted. Not hungry exactly but not un-hungry. Tired and spacey. My tongue doesn’t feel great after the last juice. Sipping water gives me some relief but it just makes me have to use the restroom and frankly, I’m tired of getting up to pee every ten minutes. Feeling discouraged and haven’t even made it halfway through day 1.

Juice 3 (GREEN JUICE - again!). This one is rough getting through. I’m tired of beverages. Really starting to think of the cleanse thing as a way for celebrities to publicly starve themselves with minimal backlash. I don’t feel “full of energy!” or “glowing!” I feel tired and kind of weak.

Juice 4 (SPICY LEMONADE) has definitely got some zip! It’s surprisingly light and tasty and not too sweet, which I like. I should probably increase my water intake but the juices are so much liquid on their own, the thought of adding a glass of water in between each one seems impossible. At this point in the day, I’ve now made nine trips to the bathroom which I’d say is about triple my usual count. The time spent away from my desk in the restroom though is regained by not taking a lunch break or running across the street to buy snacks. In fact, the only time I’ve been away from my desk today has been bathroom breaks and one neighborhood walk. So maybe I’m being more productive after all. Getting nervous for Juice 5…

Juice 5 (C.A.B) is bright pink! If you like beets, it’s pretty tasty and luckily I LOVE beets but it’s also got a great gingery kick. A pleasant shift from the spicy lemonade. I’m not hungry anymore either. That completely vanished around 4 pm. I feel a tad bit shaky though and my mouth feels weird. I’m not thirsty exactly but my saliva feels different than usual. Kind of a gross thing to notice but it’s the biggest change (besides non-stop bathroom breaks) that I’ve noticed.

Juice 6 (CASHEW MILK) was the drink I was most looking forward to because I'd heard such great things. I'm going to be honest - it tasted like breast milk. Or at least, how I imagine breast milk would taste. I gagged my way through it and only managed to choke it down after putting it over ice and not breathing through my nose (the smell was the worst). I'm not a big milk fan and I'm totally grossed out by soy milk and almond milk so I'm not sure why I thought I'd like this but it just seemed like it would be a nice change of pace. Unfortunately, I was imagining milkshake deliciousness and this was merely sweetish, mucus-y nut water.

Having tried all six juices now, I'm curious which ones will be "favorites" and which ones I'll dread tomorrow. I have to say, the green juice was a lot better than I would have expected (maybe the key to this cleanse is low expectations...) but I'm not exactly looking forward to drinking it for breakfast tomorrow. Maybe if I get hungry enough, it'll start to seem crave-able.

Overall, I'd say it was an exciting first day with many strange feelings and tastes. I feel hungry but not starving. I'm not headache-y, but I was yawning more than usual on my drive home and I crawled into bed around 7:45 pm (with the last of my cashew milk). I'm curious to see how well I'll sleep during the cleanse and if I have energy to wake up and go to the gym as usual. Oh - and perhaps most interesting... when I weighed myself before bed on Day 1, I was a full pound heavier. Definitely surprising.

More updates tomorrow!

FDA Approves New Weight Loss Drug, Qsymia

The FDA has officially approved two new weight loss drugs for carefully controlled use among overweight and obese Americans with a BMI of 30 and above (or 27 and higher if they currently suffer from an existing weight-related condition such as hypertension or diabetes). This is exciting news in the world of weight loss because diet pills rarely make it to market due to the inherent risks involved with the targeted consumer. Before Qsymia (phentermine/topiramate) and Belviq (lorcaserin) were approved this past month, the last diet pill to go to market was Xenical (orlistat) in 1999.

Qsymia, Vivus Inc.’s drug that was pushed through this week, is a combination of two existing drugs: an appetite-suppressing stimulant, and an anti-seizure medication that has been shown to promote satiety.

Although this sounds like a promising way to shed pounds, diet drugs come with a wave of controversy and significant questions about safety.

If an individual is artificially suppressing his appetite and increasing his satiety as Qsymia intends, then three key issues arise:

1. Why/how would the user ever learn to eat healthy foods that can actually do these things naturally?

2. Why would the user ever learn to avoid the sugary, refined carbs and salty foods that promote continual binging and overconsumption?

3. Why would the user ever deal with the emotional and psychological issues that truly underlie an individual’s poor eating habits?

If a drug can take care of the “hard” stuff, then the individual never learns to tackle the fundamental cause behind excess weight head-on. Obesity aside, what about the other dangers associated with poor diet and lifestyle? What about cancer and heart disease? Weight loss should be, needs to be, a learning process. As you’re losing weight, you have to learn how to healthfully maintain your new size.

If someone is going to use a weight loss pill to assist their weight loss process, it must be in conjunction with some form of weight loss program, or provision of education/guidance/counseling for diet and exercise.

For many, weight loss can seem an insurmountable hurdle, but after years in the healthcare industry, I’ve found that if you give someone a pill, they often stop trying.

Best case scenario, this new drug can help an overweight or obese individual jump start weight loss, but then comes the rest. The approval of Qsymia is not going to make a huge impact on the obesity epidemic as a whole but some people may find it helpful.

Help Wellness Corporate Solutions Win the Social Madness Challenge

Wellness Corporate Solutions is participating in the Social Madness Challenge hosted by The Business Journal.

We are a small company with a BIG vision.

We believe good health is contagious and we've made it our mission to spread the word. Through the power of social media, we have been able to reach an audience larger than we ever imagined possible.

The winner of the Social Madness Challenge (which is currently halfway through Round 2 - yes, we made it this far!) will receive $10,000 to be awarded to the charity of their choice. If we were to win, the prize would be divided between the three non-profits we support.

Girls on the Run

A Wider Circle

The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration

So vote for WCS today to help us make it to the next round of the challenge. We are currently the underdogs (in 7th place of 8 spots) but we know with the help of our biggest fans, we can give the current first place company a run for its money.

Here's How YOU Can Help:

Vote for WCS on the Social Madness Challenge Site
Like WCS on Facebook
Follow WCS on Twitter
Connect with WCS on Linkedin

Thanks for all your support!

How the Workplace Leads to Weight Gain

It starts innocently enough. A birthday cake for the birthday girl, donuts for the early morning meeting, ice cream on the first warm day of the year… but before you know it, the office saboteur is in full-on pusher mode and you’ve gained five pounds of pudge from snacking at work.

A recent WSJ article highlights the sneaky ways colleagues can ruin your health and offers tips for you to (politely) fight back.

For anyone on a diet, it’s hard enough to consistently make healthy choices, but when friends and coworkers entice you with goodies on a regular basis, it can become downright impossible to stick with your plan.

Even for those of us who aren’t on a strict eating regimen, cookies and sweets are frequent temptations at the office. No one would dare leave a half open pack of cigarettes lying on their desk in view of their boss and coworkers, so why do so many employees feel like a candy bowl with treats for the taking is any better?

Of course, the general outlook towards candy is considerably more favorable than our outlook on cigarettes, but research shows that obesity-related chronic diseases are the overwhelming cause of death in America today. Two-thirds of the population is overweight or obese and the needle is only nudging higher. If the majority of Americans (60%) struggle with their weight, isn’t a candy bowl almost antagonistic in nature?

Employees who aim to be healthy should not be villanized or made to feel silly for their efforts. Instead, workers who lose weight (or maintain a healthy weight) should be considered champions of health in their organization. Those health-conscious individuals who go for a walk on their lunch break and do lunges down the hall to the restroom are, studies suggest, the most focused, most productive, and least costly (to the company) employees around.

How do you compare? Are you a workplace diet saboteur or a wellness champion?

Reap the Benefits of Cardio

"MOVE YOUR BODY AND YOUR HEART WILL FOLLOW" - Lululemon Manifesto

Eating is fun, no doubt, but in order to balance out calories consumed with calories burned, it’s important to add plenty of movement to your routine. For those who like to kick it into high gear, there are numerous types of cardiovascular exercise that get the limbs moving and the heart pumping. The key component of cardio is to elevate that heart rate!


Cardiovascular workouts are also known as "aerobic" exercise. (Ignore the flashbacks of neon-colored spandex and Jane Fonda fitness videos!). This term is broad and refers to much more than a step-class. Aerobic exercise applies to physical activity during which the body relies on oxygen to help produce energy. Muscles like the heart and lungs work hard to transport and deliver oxygen to the body during exercise, which makes them stronger and more efficient!

Many types of common activities and sports fall into this category of fitness. Check out this link (courtesy of Self Magazine) for a list of high intensity cardiovascular workouts aimed to fight boredom and maximize health gains.

Top 5 Reasons to Incorporate Cardio Exercise into Your Routine:

1. Reduce Body Fat. When your heart rate is elevated, your body works harder (i.e. burns more energy/calories) to keep you going. This is an integral factor of weight loss or weight maintenance, and helps reduce overall body fat.

2. Improve Mood. A consistent exercise routine that incorporates cardio and strength training has been shown to reduce feelings of anxiety and/or depression, improve mood, cognitive focus, and sleep.

3. Avoid Illness. Aerobic exercise stimulates the immune system, which puts the body at a lower risk of infection.

4. Reduce Health Risks. Cardiovascular fitness isn't just essential for heart-health, it has been shown to reduce the risk of osteoporosis, cancer, type 2 diabetes and obesity.

5. Age Well. Studies show that active individuals maintain their independence as they age, keep their minds sharp, and minimize the risk of cognitive decline. Regular exercisers live longer than those who are sedentary throughout life.

Note: If you're starting a new workout routine, give yourself time to adjust. Start slowly and build up endurance over time. If you feel faint, dizzy, or sick while working out, stop exercising immediately and talk to your doctor.

Nix the New Year's Resolution! Opt for New Year's Goals to See Success

As we kick off another year, most of us have finalized our New Year’s Resolutions. The first couple weeks tend to start off with high hopes and intense dedication, but by the time spring rolls around, odds are we will have long abandoned those newfound behaviors and slipped back into old routines.

Maybe it's time to approach things differently! Instead of resolving to make rigid changes or focusing on vague aspirations, set goals that you can quantify, make progress towards, and achieve.

Resolution: A firm decision to do or not do something.
Goal: The result or achievement toward which effort is directed.

Not sure if you’ve made a resolution or set a goal? Ask yourself these 4 questions to find out!

1. Are you focused on something specific? While resolutions are often vague and undefined, goals should be clearly measurable. A resolution is usually something like "Lose weight" or "Save more money". A goal should be specific, such as, "Get at least 30 minutes of physical activity, four days per week" or "Put $100 per month in a savings account".

2. Do you have a plan for progress? Goals are something we work to achieve and typically involve creating a plan for progress. For example, a training schedule for an endurance event, or a weekly meal plan when shopping for groceries. The plan offers steps to follow and allows habits to develop to keep you on track.

3. Will you feel a sense of accomplishment? Resolutions tend to be very firm, set-in-stone behaviors - "Go to bed by 11 pm every night", "Stop eating junk food", "Exercise more during the week" - whereas goals allow for baby steps and small successes along the way. Once you begin recognizing these accomplishments, feel proud of them! Let that excitement fuel the growth toward continued success.

4. Do you want to do this? Generally, when goals are set, we take something from our "bucket list"' and are finally prepared to work for it. On the other hand, resolutions are usually behaviors we think we should adopt, but may not necessarily be ready to commit to.

So take 5 minutes (or 10 or 20) and revamp your resolutions into goals. Once you do this, you'll find yourself on a much better path for success in 2012!

What's on your list of New Year's Goals?
What tips would you suggest for staying motivated to achieve these goals?

Quick Method Of Diabetes Testing Faces Criticism

Despite the health benefits that can result from an awareness of glucose levels, the popular A1c diabetes tests have recently come under fire. In a recent Washington Post article, David Sacks, chair of the National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program, argues that the 5-minute fingerstick tests are meant to monitor fluctuations in blood sugar levels for clinically diabetic individuals, rather than serve as a diagnostic tool. The A1c tests have sprung up at health fairs, CVS MinuteClinics, and pharmacies across the country as a preventative measure, and are even offered as company perks to encourage employees to be proactive about their health. The fingerstick A1c test can be a great resource for many Americans who are unable to make it to the doctor regularly, and are often included in comprehensive health screenings which check blood pressure, cholesterol, and body composition as well.

A1c tests are far simpler than the approved “gold standard” for diagnosing diabetes, but that does not mean they should be dismissed entirely. In the longer diagnostic tests, a patient will fast for 9-12 hours and then drink a sugary beverage to allow for before-and-after blood analyses by a doctor. Often, several follow up visits are required to create an accurate account of glucose levels over time. Critics of the A1c tests argue that in comparison to the more elaborate glucose testing performed under a doctor’s care, "these tests don't have to adhere to proficiency standards. There's absolutely no way to monitor how well these point-of-care tests are performing." Although some studies point to inaccuracies among the tests (unnecessarily worrying some and perhaps placating those who are truly at risk), many health care providers are quick to point out that the immediate results these tests provide are often just the first step towards proper care.

As a wellness company, we like to focus on the benefits of any kind of preventative testing. At no point during a screening do we diagnose diabetes, hypertension, or heart disease – we merely collect data, provide results, and suggest the participant make an appointment to further discuss results with a doctor. For many employees, they have no idea where they fall on the general health scale and getting a sense of their overall health status can be a true eye-opener.

Walgreens spokesman Jim Cohn claims that quick diabetes testing is a valuable health-care resource: “These tests are not used to provide a clinical diagnosis or recommend any treatment,” he says. “What we do is provide patients test results and encourage them to report the results to their primary-care provider."

For more information about diabetes and A1c testing, check out this link from the mayoclinic reference library.

Fat Figures Now Favored?

Losing weight is no easy task (as most dieters can attest to), however, doctors have a new challenge ahead of them. Recent research suggests that many obese patients think they look just fine the way they are. Although positive body image is important in a time when so many women (and men!) suffer from low self esteem and disordered eating, there is an important distinction between how much fat is aesthetically pleasing and how much fat is healthy.

In a study of over 2,000 Texans with BMI’s greater than 30 (medically obese), participants viewed nine illustrations of bodies on a scale from very thin to very heavy. The volunteers were asked to pick their ideal shape along with the one that most closely resembled their own body. From this already over weight sample, about 165 people (8% of the group), chose ideal body shapes that were the same or bigger than their own, which suggests a misunderstanding of healthy weight.

Another important finding from this study was the role race played in body image. It probably comes as no surprise that only 2% of the white women surveyed were happy with their overweight frames, but 14% of black participants actually preferred the heavy, unhealthy body types over a thinner shape. Clearly, social cues factor into self image and the recognition of obesity. In the U.S. today, two-thirds of adults are overweight or obese. This “frequency of fat” has helped normalize obesity in the public's perception. As a result, we often forget that obesity is more than just inconvenient - it's dangerously unhealthy too.

In order to maximize overall health for Americans, doctors can use findings from this study to provide patients with the most effective, individualized care.