Let the whining begin.

Today is day 14 of our cleanse, and I've hit that proverbial brick wall that I knew was coming. Strangely, it has hit me far later into the cleanse than it did last time, but it's here nonetheless. It certainly doesn't help when your parents are on vacation and sending you pictures of the food they are enjoying:

I could actually smell this picture when it came through on my phone.

Whimper, cry, sniffle.

Yesterday, I was downright whiny and gave my husband every reason in the book to want to leave me on the spot. Instead, with him being the prince that he is, he took me to Whole Foods, a place he loathes, so we could find me something fun to eat. Forty-eight dollars later (cough, hack, scream), we went home with a bag of goodies for the week. Our last week. Thank God.

In all honesty, though, I have to say that we feel magnificent. As hard as the hard days may be, they're all worth it in the end. We both have lost about 5 pounds, and feel lighter on the whole. No more heavy, bloated, dragging feelings here. Some staples we have found to make eating fun this time around have been:

These are delicious with hummus or soup. $3.69 a bag

I don't think I've met a hummus I don't love, but this one has really grabbed me lately. Granted, it's no Grandma's Humus, but it's still pretty damn tasty. $3.99 a tub

An old standby - the infamous booger green drinks. These are just as good as Naked. $8.99 a jug

FINALLY! A delicious, drinkable probiotic beverage. Thank you, Kevita! $3.29 - $5.29 a bottle, depending where you shop

One of my favorite things at work these days - it's called "Healthy Snack", and it's essentially poser sushi for non-pescatarians like me. It's got cucumber, carrot, and avocado, and I just can't get enough. $5.99 per tray

Edamame salad - it has edamame, carrots, radicchio, shallots, and a tangy vinegary dressing, made fresh daily at my night job. $3.00 - $5.00 a carton, depending on weight

Quite possibly my new favorite food in the entire universe. Seriously. I can't get enough of this dried coconut, it's absolutely amazing. $1.99 a bag

All I can say is thank God for Hail Merry. This company makes desserts for people like us, and they only use agave syrup for sweetening and raw oils for making their out-of-this-world items. This coconut vanilla creme tart changed my life. I had no clue something vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free could taste this good. All hail Hail Merry! $3.29 per tart

We tried the macaroons, because the tarts were so outstanding. These did not disappoint! I could eat them all day, everyday, honestly. $4.99 per bag

(Stock photo from earthbalancenatural.com)

These are a marvel of healthy eating. Absolutely delicious and not one unnatural ingredient in the list. These will become staple in our house, even long after this cleanse is over. $4.99 per bag

As you can see, eating clean comes with a price. No wonder people eat like crap - it's so much more affordable. Quick, cheap, and easy seems to be the mantra these days, but your precious body ends up paying the price. It's hard not to fall into the quick, cheap, and easy trap - I speak from experience. But, having now done this cleanse twice, it's nearly impossible to ignore the difference in how we feel. Our bodies are trying to tell us something, and they are what serve us every day. The least we could do is listen. This also forces you to get creative, which is never a bad thing! We came up with these as our new version of quick, cheap, and easy:

Vegan tostadas! Fat-free organic black refried beans with roasted red jalapeno ($1.29), shredded cabbage ($1.29), organic tomatoes ($2.99), and vegan "cheese"($3.00) on red corn tostada shells ($2.00). Total cost of items to make these was $10.57 and we can get about three meals out of the ingredients. Can I get a hell yeah?

This chili is affordable ($2.99), large enough to share, and stellar on a baked potato.

Any brand cous cous is my favorite, and at $1.89 a box, I can get two cheap lunches out of it.

Texas Caviar is a delicious snack and the recipe makes enough to feed an army. One can of black beans, one can of corn, three roma tomatoes, cilantro, and red wine vinegar make an affordable, healthy side dish or snack. Total cost to make was less than $5.00 and we have enough to last all week.

Another affordable, delicious lunch idea - Amy's Lentil soup. $1.92 per can is a small price to pay for this unbelievably tasty, healthy meal.

Even if you don't like sweet potatoes, you will most likely still like these. I've been eating these for ages, and was very happy to see they fell into the dietary guidelines of this cleanse. They pair nicely with the Texas Caviar above, hummus, or pretty much any salsa. $2.50 per bag

In addition to the cleanse, we have been working out daily. Yes, every single day. And our little dude has even gotten in on the exercise. Can I tell you how much more fun working out is when you do it as a family? I searched and searched, and finally found a workout regiment that is challenging, but not impossible, and it takes up less than an hour of our day. Perfect! Here's what we do:

I realize the typing on here is practically microscopic, but I think if you click it, you can zoom in more. It's a combination of jumping jacks, crunches, lunges, planking, push-ups, squats, tricep dips, and running. It mixes things up each day, and gradually increases your running weekly. It's been great fun to do together, and you are definitely sweaty and feel like you have worked out by the end of everything. I'm happy I found something we all like doing, because we are way more inclined to keep doing something if we like it. 

Aside from maintaining a healthy lifestyle, my days have been filled with lots of work. I'm still counting down the minutes until summer is over. Aaron and Z have had lots of fun hanging out together during the days, and taking adventurous bike rides all around town. I'm glad they are getting this bonding time together, especially at Z's age. He needs his dad more now than ever, and luckily, I married a great guy who wants to be there for him. 

Now, onwards to days 15 - 21. No more whining allowed, on my part. More to come!