Vegetarian/vegan/plant-based: When I’d hear people tell me they abide by one of those lifestyles, I’d roll my eyes a bit and think, “There’s no way I would EVER do that.” But as one of my favorite fitness trainers says, “If you want something you’ve never had, you have to do something you’ve never done.” In my case, I wanted to be free of back pain.
I’ve dealt with back pain for over 10 years. That’s a long time for anyone to deal with pain, but especially long (and unnecessary) when you’re in your 20s. Over the years, I have tried every fix under the sun: chiropractic, CBD, essential oils, supplements, stretches, exercise, lack of exercise, and the one that annoys me the most, “Just strengthen your core and back.” I could have a 6-pack and people would still tell me my core isn’t strong enough.
I’ve been in the fitness/health space for over 3 years and the company I coach through has a 21-day program called the “Ultimate Reset.” It has a reputation of being the hardest nutritional program they offer, but also the most rewarding. I’ve avoided this program for years, passed up on plenty of opportunities to do it with friends, and came to the conclusion it was just way too hard for me. I’ve never done well with restriction diets…or any diet at all. Portion control is more my thing.
But this fall/winter, my back pain had gotten to a point where I could no longer ignore it. With a vacation in February, I knew that if I didn’t do something about this pain, it would wreck my trip. So, with the council of the brave souls who went before me, I decided I would do the one program I swore I’d never do. But I never could have predicted what would happen within those 21 days.
What is it exactly?
“The Ultimate Reset is a 21-day process of eliminating certain foods and toxins from your diet, cleaning up your system, relaxing the nervous system, removing coffee, and providing antioxidant support for the immune system. It’s not designed to be easy. It’s designed to work. You’ll learn to shop for, prepare, and enjoy healthy, nutritious meals as you follow a carefully designed eating plan and supplement program.” – Ultimate Reset website
You gradually remove dairy, animal protein, grains, and pretty much anything and everything else that could possibly cause inflammation in your body. Because it is a gradual change, I found it to be easier than I expected rather than cutting out everything cold-turkey.
The meal plan is pretty strict, and I had to made some swaps because I couldn’t find some of the ingredients in the couple grocery stores I tried. Why is tempeh so difficult to find?? You’re also not supposed to workout because you want your body to devote all of its energy to detoxing. However, I had really great energy so I chose to workout during the program. Totally up to you – listen to your body.
The Supplements
Power Greens
• Power Greens is a combination of six powerful greens, including kale, spirulina, cucumber, celery, spinach, and chlorella. It’s important in the process of alkalizing your body. This one tastes pretty terrible, but it’s temporary.
• Power Greens comes in a convenient single daily-dose packet and is taken throughout all 3 phases of the program.
Soothe
• Soothe is a combination of aloe vera and curcumin.
• Aloe vera has also been traditionally used to support digestive health and the body’s response to oxidative stress. Curcumin, a household remedy in India that’s long been a staple in Ayurvedic medicine, is a natural extract of the spice turmeric. Like aloe vera, curcumin promotes digestive health and is known for its antioxidant properties that help the body fight free radical damage.
• Soothe capsules are taken daily throughout all 3 phases of the Ultimate Reset program.
Mineralize
• Adds natural minerals needed by the body.
• Mineralize is formulated with Pink Himalayan Salt, which is minimally processed and has a broad spectrum of trace elements. This beneficial salt and its elements are needed by the human body to help regulate fluid
absorption, avoid muscle cramps, and maintain fluid balance in the body.
• Mineralize is taken throughout each phase of the program and may be used as a seasoning with your meals.
Detox
• Ingredients traditionally used to help support healthy liver function and digestive health. It actually tasted pretty good. The texture was weird, but if you drink it with plenty of water, it’s (dare I say), tasty.
• Do not worry, you won’t be sprinting to the bathroom during detox week.
• Each single dose of Detox comes premeasured in its own sealed packet. You’ll take this supplement during Week 2 of the program.
Revitalize
• Revitalize helps support beneficial flora in the digestive tract.
• Probiotics help restore the balance of healthy bacteria in your digestive tract. They are live microorganisms (in most cases, bacteria) that are similar to beneficial microorganisms found in the human gut. They’re sometimes called “good” bacteria because they help break down carbohydrates, and provide a beneficial environment for the digestive tract.
• You’ll take Revitalize capsules daily throughout the Ultimate Reset.
Optimize
• Supports nutrient absorption and bioavailability.
• Optimize is a blend of systemic and digestive enzymes that function to help catalyze various
natural processes of the body. These enzymes, such as protease, bromelain, amylase, and lipase, can also help support nutrient absorption.
• Optimize capsules are taken throughout all 3 phases of the Ultimate Reset program.
Now that we’ve covered what the program actually is, part 2 of this blog dives into my personal experience with it. GO TO PART 2
