To Boost or Not to Boost? - Day Nine

We're closing in folks. The finish line is in sight. Only one more day to go of this detoxing lark and I'm a free woman.

Free to do what though? Free to eat truck loads of chocolate (Easter is imminent you know)? Free to wolf down piles of pasta? Free to guzzle coffee and convince myself it's all for the worthy cause of keeping me awake?

Somehow I think not. Do you remember that horrendous day I had on Day Three? The detox headache from hell? Well I didn't think I would say this but I think it was kind of worth it. I mean I must have had some pretty grim stuff going on in my body if that's what withdrawal is like. Do I really want to invite more grimness in?

Breakfast: Eggs, tomatoes, cucumber & olives, Lunch: Tuna with balsamic vinegar & pine nuts, salad & boiled egg,   Dinner: Haddock fillets, oven baked ratatouille, garlic mushrooms & corn on the cob

And whilst I'm not ready to run any marathons just yet, I do feel very much awake. Yes. Without the caffeine. The herbal teas are taking a bit of getting used to but really I'm starting to question what coffee or tea really ever did for me anyway.

The fact that I love chocolate has not changed (and never will). Helen McCrea would need to be some kind of  all-powerful sorcerer to sort that. But now I know not only how to predict my cravings, but I also understand them and can prepare for them with wholesome, nutritious food. Raw cocoa is one of Helen's tip top recommendations. I knew there was a reason I liked her.

This morning I was asked, with only 30 minutes notice, to go on BBC Radio Newcastle as a phone guest. Eeek! Obviously, I was up for it but I was kind of nervous. The last time I was on the radio, only a few weeks ago, the BBC managed to lose me in their own building and I ended up bursting into the studio with only seconds to go to plug my business. Not ideal. But this morning, as I paced the floor of my living room, waiting for them to call, I felt alert, ready, positive.

I think it went okay too. I'm a little jaded that I didn't get a chance to mention my website (thecoolrulecompany.co.uk, if you're wondering), but I actually enjoyed chatting about the topic, which was toddlers and telly. Would I have been so in-the-moment if I'd been fuelled by sugar and caffeine as per usual? Perhaps not.

Hmm, Newsnight or Question Time?

So, I shall glide into Day Ten tomorrow with a whole lot of love for myself and my new-found mental alertness. I hope you'll join me for the home run!

Go well,

Abi

Sort out telly rules for your toddler and lots more besides with the amazing Cool Rule range. Just visit www.thecoolrulecompany.co.uk

Listen to my radio interview on iPlayer: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p015yrmt
Scroll along to about 9 mins, 12 secs to find me!

Find out about Helen McCrea's brilliant detox and fitness plans at www.femalefitness.co

Read Helen's expert nutrition blog at www.helenmccrea.co.uk

To Boost or Not to Boost? - Day Five

I've hit the halfway mark folks. From this point onwards I am officially closing in on the day when all this detox madness ends. And perhaps by then I will be convinced that it is not madness after all.

Breakfast: Courgette & pepper omelette & strawberries, Lunch: Mackerel with quinoa & salad, Dinner: Butternut squash soup with salad & sweet potato wedges

But, to be fair, I did have a hell of an energy surge today. Those of you who follow my blog regularly might remember one of my most popular posts, 'The Avoidance of Proper Cleaning' in which I use my well-worn housewife experience to give tips on how to meander around any real household cleaning. But this morning something strange happened.

I actually wanted to clean.

And not only that. I wanted to rearrange, declutter, reorganise. I actually moved all of the furniture in my living room to brand spanking new spaces, much to Little Tot's onlooking bemusement. If I hadn't known better (and I certainly do) I might have even called it 'nesting'.

Can all of this be put down to the detox? Possibly.

But after that bout of energy came lunchtime and I was faced with yet another protein-rich meal devoid of carbs and fun. Well, that's not entirely fair, the meal itself was fine. Delicious, even. It's just that it bears a striking resemblance to many other meals I've eaten over the last four days.

That's when I started to feel a little despondent. What am I even doing this for? The halfway mark seems to be a good time to ponder over that very point. What, exactly, do I want out of this? Is it going to be worth it? Wouldn't a little cup of tea and a Snickers bar make me feel better and set me back on the right track?

Look at it, the lovely thing

Well we all know the answer to that, don't we? You don't have to be a health expert to know that the average detox does not allow for chocolate breaks. Boo.

I decided to be honest on the Facebook forum tonight and let Helen know about my wobbly faith in the whole thing. As always, she came back with the perfect words of advice:

"This is when your body is saying"just have it" because it is so used to having the roller coaster ride. But now your education and determination will carry you through for another day or two. Once you hit that high you will realise that you cannot bottle it. Be patient. Everyone is unique, not everyone suffers. Some sail through it whilst others struggle. Just support your body. Give it what it needs not what you think it needs or wants."

How can I argue with that?

So let's get to grips with why the flip I'm doing this in the first place . . .

• In a bid to ward off my regular gloomy energy dips
• To get clued up on the health benefits of certain foods
• To get out of some bad, reactive eating habits (cue Snickers)
• To somewhat reduce the jelly belly my Tots have left me with

If I can hit even one of these targets during these ten days, I'll be one very chuffed lady. So with that in mind, I shall soldier on in this Snicker-less world for another five days. Just watch me.

Go well,

Abi

Sort discipline for your toddler the fun way by visiting www.thecoolrulecompany.co.uk

Find out about Helen McCrea's detox plans at www.femalefitness.co