I finished up my 21 day whole foods detox almost 2 weeks ago and just last week I took my after pictures.

It’s true – a picture is worth a thousand words. Honestly, I felt different – lighter, clearer – and a little slimmer (and my husband kept telling me how skinny I looked), but my body itself felt largely the same. That’s why comparing my before and after shots was really eye opening.

Over the 21 days, I lost a total of 12 pounds (a lot of which I think was muscle mass) and 8.5” inches – mostly from my waist and hips. (you’ll note the difference in my love handles and abs – winning!)

But more than losing weight and inches, I learned a heck of a lot about myself and my body on this 21 day whole foods detox; THAT was my goal – to refine what I know about what my body needs. Here are some of my main takeaways (remember: this is for ME and my body; your body might work completely differently).

Abs ARE made in the kitchen
- I have heard (and personally say this) pretty often... this week just affirmed it’s true. I didn’t do a single crunch, but look at my stomach!
My body thrives on VEGETABLES
- I felt the absolute best during Week 3 – which was limited grain vegan and packed with lots of yummy veggies. The trick is to keep it interesting with a variety of different colors, textures, and tastes.
I NEED exercise
- Exercise is a major stress reliever for me and as a work-from-home’r it helps to break up my day and get me out of the house and away from my laptop. 21 days without any exercise except some gentle yoga and walking was KILLER – I really need some sweating and straining.
Too many grains really block up my system
- During weeks 1 and 2 of the detox, there are grains at almost every meal. I love grains and so does my tummy, but the rest of my GI system, not so much. I’ve experienced this before when traveling to the Philippines; eating rice at every meal leaves me constipated. I do best with grains every other day or so.
It’s OK to give myself a break
- This was a tough one for me. I’m a chronic go-getter and those who know me well know I am ALWAYS doing something. During these 21 days, I made a conscious effort to SLOW DOWN, sleep in, appreciate more, and fill my days with intention and purpose. Eye. Opening. This is something I’ve kept with me and plan to continue.
I CAN live without caffeine
- I really lucked out... I only experienced 1 day of caffeine withdrawal (the norm is 3-4 days), but that single day was debilitating enough. I have no desire to go back to drinking caffeine regularly. But, I love my morning ritual of coffee and a book, so for now it’s high quality, fair trade decaf for this girl.
70-90 ounces of water is my sweet spot
- Yowza! That sounds like a lot, doesn’t it? And, in all honesty, I’m running to ladies’ quite a bit... but this is what really helped boost my energy and provided me with mental clarity. (For reference, this is about 60-75% of my post-detox weight in lbs...you do the math)

If you think this is for you, make sure you check out this post to determine if this is a good fit for you and then let’s talk.