In my last blog post, I was ending Phase 1 and starting Phase 2 and was concerned about what impact having foregone protein for that week would have on my athletic performance so I wanted to give you an update on that.

I deliberately eased back into things last week so I could have been feeding my muscles protein for a bit before pushing them to get right back to it. So I started out easy with some walking and by Thursday I did a pretty intense strength training circuit and then did an hour-long cardio dance class on Friday. So I was able to get back into things fairly quickly. I was definitely sore after the fact, but I don’t think it was much more so than it would have been otherwise.

Since last week, I have done a 4-mile run one day, followed by a 3-mile run the next, plus some arms and abs and yardwork and I’m feeling really good.

So, if you’re concerned about cutting out major protein sources for a week, don’t be. Both physiologically speaking and speaking from my experience, there are no adverse effects from this one week without protein (note: men who participate in Fresh Start can consume certain proteins during the cleanse week).

In terms of food, I am still not craving the things I used to crave. Let me be specific: I haven’t craved pizza once since my cleanse week. I always always always want pizza, so this is a really BFD. Add to that, coffee, wine, bread – all things I love and were always my vices – I don’t crave them! Imagine you’re trying to lose weight or get on a healthier track. Now imagine how much easier it would be if you didn’t crave cake or pizza. How amazing is that?! So you can see how this program is a great way to get you set up for sustained weight loss.

One final food note: I’m only human and I did cheat over the weekend. I had Mexican food and two beers… and MAN did I regret it. My body just isn’t used to beer and corn chips and cheese anymore – and it shouldn’t be! I should say, if I had moderated better, I probably wouldn’t have had that much of a reaction, but the fact is that my body has changed.

In the next couple days I’ll be posting some smoothie recipes on the blog to keep things more exciting for Phase 2, so be sure to check back for those.