How do I prepare for my five day cleanse and reset?

My general tips for preparing are: 

• Pick a date to start and choose a time when your schedule is as light as possible. The fewer obligations you have, the easier it’ll be to stick to your cleanse. In particular, try to avoid days when you have social events that involve food.
• Get your friends and family on board. Tell supportive people in your life what you’re doing and why.
• Write down all of the reasons you want to do this cleanse. Post your list on your fridge or your bathroom mirror, where you’ll see it every day during your cleanse. This will inspire you to stay the course even if things get challenging. Imprint your desire for change in your mind and double down on any meditations, affirmations, visualizations, journaling, or reading that will help you to imprint the desire to change your life.
• Clean out your kitchen. Remove any foods and drinks that are a temptation for you. Toss out the foods you want to avoid, donate them to a food pantry, or ask a friend or neighbor to hold on to them until you finish the cleanse. If you can’t get rid of “no” foods because other people in your home will be eating or drinking them, at least stick them toward the back of your pantry, fridge, or freezer. (Out of sight, out of mind.) Also, if you’re the family cook, consider making meals for your family members ahead of time and freezing them. In addition, ask another person to do the serving and kitchen cleanup on your cleanse days.
• Gently prepare your body. During the two to three days prior to starting your cleanse, drink lots of water to hydrate yourself. Ease off on heavy foods and carbs, and center your meals around lean proteins, leafy greens, and healthy fats. This will allow your body to transition easily to the cleanse.
• Most importantly, mentally prepare yourself. Be honest with yourself. You may experience hunger or the desire to crunch on something. You may want to give up. If this happens give yourself a pep talk. Have a positive mantra going, tell yourself “You got this!” and remind yourself why you are doing this. Keep your goal in the front of your mind to help you stay strong and stop you from looking for an escape hatch.
• And finally, join our private Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/DrKellyannsCleanseandReset. You’ll meet a fun and supportive community of people who’ll be doing the cleanse right along with you.

Can I do the Cleanse and Reset if I am a diabetic?

My Cleanse and Reset is a food-based cleanse containing fat, carbohydrates, and protein. You can find the macronutrients of each meal in the Cleanse and Reset kit here. Then check with your doctor to be sure these macronutrients fit within the guideline your doctor recommends for you.

Can I take my medications and supplements?

Yes. My Cleanse and Reset is simply food portioned in a specific way to jumpstart your health so continue to take your medications and supplements as your doctor prescribed.

Will we be able to work out on this cleanse?

Low-intensity workouts like walking, yoga, and pilates should be fine. If you do high-intensity workouts, long-distance running, or heavy weight lifting you may want to pause these workouts during the cleanse. 

Is there a specific time to have each meal?

While there are not specific times to follow with my Cleanse and Reset I do suggest spreading them out throughout the day to keep hunger and cravings at bay. Another suggestion is to make sure a smoothie or soup is planned for when cravings and hunger typically hit you the hardest. 

What is the difference between the bone broth and the lemon chicken soup?

The bone broth is just dehydrated bone broth and spices and contains 15 grams of protein and no fat. The lemon chicken soup is a complete meal with 20 grams of protein, 13 net carbs, and 12 grams of fat. The lemon chicken soup is made with dehydrated bone broth and vegetables plus herbs and spices and prebiotic fiber from konjac root.

Do I need a blender? 

You don’t have to have a blender, but a lot of people do enjoy the consistency better if blended! A shaker bottle for the smoothies is helpful and a mini-frother works great for soups and smoothies, but you will still be able to do the cleanse and reset without these things.

What can we drink during the 5-Day Cleanse and Reset?

You can have water, lemon water, infused water, unsweetened sparkling or mineral water, and unsweetened coffee or tea. Everything else is off limits until your cleanse is complete.

Can I add anything to my coffee or tea?

My typical answer is, No, because I firmly believe we all need to train our bodies to not rely on sugar, but I also understand I will never stop getting asked so I hope these guidelines help.

For each 12 to 16 ounces coffee you can have:

• A touch of monk fruit or stevia
• A serving of unsweetened collagen creamer
• 1 scoop of collagen or bone broth protein powder
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of unsweetened almond or coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon of MCT oil, coconut oil, canned coconut milk, or ghee

Please note, if you like adding fat to your coffee I suggest only having one, two at max, cups of these say per day. I am a proponent of consuming healthy fats but too much fat can interfere with weight loss efforts.

What can I do if I’m hungry/starving?

The first thing to do when you think you are “starving” to distract yourself. Hunger often strikes when you're stressed or bored. Personally, I love getting outside for a walk, taking a bath, or reading a book, or calling up a friend. Once your mind is off food the hunger often goes away.

Also, drink some sparkling mineral water--the tiny bubbles really fill you up! And keep in mind, sometimes we feel hungry when in reality our bodies are just dehydrated. You can even make your drink festive by adding some cucumber or lemon slices. Or even some mint. It’s refreshing, filling, and sin-free!

And of course there is my go-to, bone broth. Nothing could be more satisfying than sipping on a cup of bone broth. It’s warm, rich, and absolutely delicious and fights off cravings almost instantly.

As a last resort you could add a little more fat to your meals. When it comes to hunger, fat is super satiating. And a little goes a long way. But, if you choose to do this, blend a serving of fat into one of your meals. Good choices are a ¼ to a ½ of an avocado or a ⅓ cup canned coconut milk into your soup or smoothie.

Can I add anything to the meals in my Cleanse and Reset kit?

I recommend only adding water as directed on the packets for optimal results. Trust the process and I know you are going to be amazed at your results! If you are questioning the plan before you even start, remind yourself why you are doing this.

That said, I don’t want you to give up either. If you’ve given it your all for a few days and you’re still struggling here are my suggestions:

• Mix your smoothies with unsweetened almond or coconut milk.
• Blend a ¼ to a ½ of an avocado or a ⅓ cup canned coconut milk into your smoothie or soup.
• Blend a tablespoon of flax, chia, or hemp seeds in your smoothie.
• Blend a handful or two of leafy greens to your smoothies or soups.
• Add a scoop of collagen powder to your smoothie.
• Add a packet of bone broth to your soup.
• Add dried herbs and spices to smoothies and soups to satisfy your taste buds.

DO NOT add any fruit or starchy vegetables to your meals. Increasing carbs and sugars will increase your hunger and cravings.

With the exception of the suggestion listed above, DO NOT add solid foods to your meals. I have designed this cleanse to give your body a rest from the hard work of processing food. This “holiday” will allow for optimal healing and rejuvenation. And I’ll say it again, trust the process!

How can I make my meals taste better?

Taste buds are so individual so if you find yourself not completely in love with one of the meals try these suggestions below to tweak the flavor.

Lemon Sip

This is hands down most people’s favorite part of the Cleanse and Reset, but if you find the Lemon Sip too bitter, too sour or too sweet simply add more water. You can also try drinking it in warm water or hot tea, or mixing it into a glass of unsweetened iced tea. If you’re feeling really adventurous try a sprinkle of ginger or cayenne pepper.

Super Smoothies

If for any reason you find one of the Super Smoothies too sweet, blend a handful of leafy greens into it and/or a ¼ to ⅓ cup of canned coconut milk to smooth out the sweetness. 

Unsweetened cocoa powder is also a great way to balance out the sweetness of the smoothies. In the Super Berry Smoothie this will create a chocolate-berry smoothie reminiscent of a chocolate-covered strawberry and in the Super Chocolate you’ll get a double chocolate “treat”.

A dash or two of cinnamon goes really well with the Super Vanilla Smoothie.

And, you can always add more water if needed to create the desired flavor intensity. 

Lemon Chicken Soup

I love the Lemon Chicken Soup because it reminds me of the Greek lemon chicken soup, Avgolemono Soup. But if you’re looking to change this one up a bit here are some suggestions:

• Add some lemon juice
• Add a little lemon pepper
• Add onion and/or garlic powder or dried chives
• Try 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast
• Kick it up a notch with a little hot sauce or cayenne pepper
• Blend ¼ avocado or ¼ cup coconut milk for added creaminess
• Blend a handful of leafy greens
• Make it Italian with some oregano and basil or thyme

Do I have to consume all packets?

The basic answer is, No, you do not have to consume all packets and meals if you’re full and not hungry, but I do recommend you are careful to not get your self ravenous later in the day which will then tempt you to reach for something you shouldn’t, like a bag of chips or your kids leftover pizza.

And personally, while skipping a bone broth or smoothie here and there will be fine I do want you to be mindful of your hydration and the lemon sips are a great way to stay hydrated and support the detox process.

I missed a few packets, can I consume them on another day?

If I missed a few of the lemon sips earlier in the cleanse you can consume them on later days throughout the cleanse. If you missed a packet of bone broth one day you can have it on another day as well. If you missed a smoothie or soup one day you could add one on another day if needed but do not add more than one additional meal on another day.

Can I add monk fruit or stevia to my lemon sips or smoothies?

No, I do not recommend adding additional sweeteners to lemon sips or smoothies and here’s why. I have formulated each meal on the cleanse to have just enough macronutrients to satisfy you while still supporting detoxification. Protein and fat will keep you full and satiated and there is just enough carbs and sweetness to fend off most cravings. If you are constantly bombarding your taste buds with overly sweet meals and drinks you are going to be in a constant state of crashes and cravings… not good for cleanse and reset!

Can I add fruit to my smoothie?

DO NOT add any fruit or starchy vegetables to your meals. Increasing carbs and sugars will increase your hunger and cravings.

What snacks are allowed?

No snacks are allowed. Again, you need to trust the process and the plan and I know you are going to be amazed at your results! If you’re snacking all day you will never give your body a chance to rest and remove your meals in an efficient manner.

Can I chew gum on this diet?

I don’t recommend it because it confuses your body and makes your digestive system think that solid food is coming. Also, most gum is loaded with artificial flavors and colors. Once you’re done with your cleanse, a healthy, additive-free type of gum is fine.

What do you do after the cleanse?

Please, please, please, I beg of you NOT to dive head first into a pizza or bowl of ice cream. If you do this you’ll end up feeling bloated and miserable. Eat lightly for two to three days before getting back to your usual diet. I recommend eating small servings of clean, natural, easy-to-digest foods—for instance, lean poultry or fish, sautéed veggies, and berries—and then slowly adding in other foods over time.

Consider these combos for your first post-cleanse meal:

• 2 to 3 eggs cooked how you like with a half an avocado sliced on top
• Leafy green salad with chicken, fish or shrimp and an olive and vinegar based dressing
• Unsweetened coconut yogurt with a sprinkle of seeds or crushed nuts and handful of berries

I recommend you have a plan for how you will maintain your wins and stay on track. Both my 21-Day Bone Broth Diet and my 10-Day Belly Slimdown are great plans that will keep you eating healthy and optimize your results. Another option would be to follow the guidelines of my Bone Broth Lifestyle.

How often should I do this cleanse?

I cleanse for five days at the beginning of each season which is a great place to start but you can repeat this 5-Day cleanse every month if you’d like. Some people like to keep a 5-Day Cleanse and Reset kit on-hand so they can do one or two days when they get a little off track.