I Gave Splendid Spoon and Soup Cleanse a Try and Yumm
Unless you live under a rock, you’ve probably heard or seen some of the different methods of ‘cleanses’ going around. There’s the juice cleanse, Master Cleanse, and now in a new forward motion, soup cleanses. I’ve always been intrigued for the reasons a cleanse may/may not work for me, and was hesitant to try one for years before finding Splendid Spoon.
What’s a cleanse?
In short, a cleanse is a chance to allow your system to ‘reset’ by introducing only liquid diet of rich, antioxidants and low calorie, low density protein sources (mainly plant based) to your system to clean it of toxins, sluggish digestive systems, and - yes - help you to loose weight and in theory eat healthier in the process.
My problems with a cleanse?
I like to chew my food, I don’t like ‘extreme’ measures of introducing a new method of nutrition to my body, and I find it unsustainable in the long run. Many of the cleanses on the market are 3 or more days of ONLY liquid nutrition. I love eating, and knew that I wouldn’t stick to a cleanse in this nature, was worried about feeding my body too little, and overall just wasn’t a fan.
Would I like to eat healthier?
Absolutely. I adore and admittedly am addicted to fast, easy and high caloric, sugary and overall unhealthy foods. Fast food and I have a great relationship. As a Mom of 3 and a busy professional running a doula business, I rarely have success at planning out my meals and following that plan. Even with healthy foods planned, the exhaustion of my day and schedule (and kids who rarely agree to eat what I cook) usually means I scrap the plan, waste groceries, and order takeout more frequently than I care to admit.
I stumbled upon Splendid Spoon, which to me was a great, realistic and happy medium between how I eat now, and eating more ‘mindfully’, as Spoon suggests. Their Program 2.0, which I am highlighting here, is outlined as follows:
5 breakfast smoothies, consisting of plant based nutrition, completely vegan and organic.
5 lunch bowls, with more substance, same vegan/organic thought process behind them.
You’re on your own for dinner. Eat healthful, or don’t.
1 full day cleanse - four soup/smoothies to enjoy and a bowl of heartier soup for dinner.
The 7th day you’re on your own again.
Pros: I get to choose when I want to be realistic about my implementations of healthy food, but #reallife can have some wiggle room. As my Mom says, ‘moderation in all things’ is great; life is all about balance, and few of us can stick to extreme new routines.
Breakfast and Lunch for myself are portable and already figured out. No more scrambling for a meal.
I was ready to give it a shot.
I logged in, ordered the plan, and picked my meals. I was - as I unfailingly, and sometimes dangerously so, usually am - optimistic since a lot of the options looked and sounded appetizing to me. I don’t have an issue with flavors, so I wasn’t too picky about the options. If you’re not a veggies and fruits person, this might be extremely challenging for you.
My food arrived a day before I planned to implement my ‘new diet’, and I have to say I have no CLUE how Splendid Spoon saves money on shipping. Look at all that insulation!!
The meals are easily packaged and split up so you can see how you need to organize. I was excited to begin!
Long story short: My days of being on my own for dinner and having the bowls and smoothies was actually a God send for me. The on the go nature of my meals meant I didn’t have to worry about putting something in my body to nourish me throughout the day.
I was actually full between meals, and more mindful of my hydration.
Dinner, for the most part, I planned, although we threw in a family vacation in there that threw me for a loop. I did partake in some Chicken Parm sandwich and felt 0% guilty about it.
Four days in, I noticed a few things.
The sugar detox reared its ugly head.
I am hopelessly addicted to processed foods and sugar is my biggest ill.
My body got the shakes, was tempting me to reach for the cookies, and I had a pretty gnarly headache the first two days. After this went away, I legitimately reached for healthier snacks, and didn’t really miss the stuff I usually NEED to get through the day (including the second coffee!).
The other part of my body ‘purging’ that sent me into a tailspin?
I broke out.
When your endocrine system is starting to rid itself of toxins, it releases them through your skin. I had a nice little rash of superficial pimples for a few days, and once I regulated, those seemed to clear.
I actually began to feel less bloated, had more energy, and felt healthier. All which I usually do when I commit to a good diet and make consistent food choices that are better for me, but with way less effort - no effort, actually. If you’re someone that does well following a plan that’s laid out for you and you don’t have to implement, this is for you.
Then came the day I was dreading, the cleanse.
Breakfast, or ‘nourish’ was a little iffy. I began to drink the Parsnip Apple smoothie cold and the texture was nah. When I heated it up like oatmeal - all the smoothies can be enjoyed hot or cold - it was MUCH better. I encourage you to play with each flavor and decide hot or cold, as it can totally change the profile of the flavors and make it easier to eat.
Next up were two ‘sustain’ drinks; a carrot turmeric and a pumpkin hempseed. On our way to a park, I threw this in my bag and it was really helpful to getting in some nutrition throughout the day.
Dinner was a bowl, and the bowls are life. All of the flavors of each soup/stew are incredible, and truly I began to look forward to each one throughout the week.
I was surprised to get to bedtime with only a little tummy rumbling for my ‘nightcap’, a vegan broth that made me sleepy.
Couldn’t believe how easy the cleanse day was.
So did I experience any other weird effects after the cleanse?
I did have some quite interesting bowel movement the next day, and I can say without a doubt, and with noticeable effect, am a ton less bloated.
I was looking forward to day 7 because I could ‘eat what I wanted’, but to be honest I didn’t go nuts. I felt like my system had been ‘rebooted’ and I craved healthier choices. That being said, I felt less guilty to go out for pizza, enjoy dinner with my family each night, and live life. My family really enjoyed that they didn’t have to eat the program either, which I always felt like needing to do to sustain any other food plan when I was picking ingredients and planning myself.
So overall?
If you’re looking for a sustainable, no-brainer option to get quick, easy nutrition into you, and reap a few health benefits without totally ‘shocking’ your system, go for Splendid Spoon. The food is delicious and easy to make a small change in your daily life and food habits with big results.
After a week, I was down 6 pounds and completely off of sugar. Not completely the reason I wanted to give it a go, but a great perk!
Some caveats:
If you’re breastfeeding or are a brand new mother, I’m nervous about the caloric intake count as being sustainable for nursing a baby. While the meals are healthy, I’d add in two more snacks and make a very protein designs dinner part of your plan for your health and to nourish your baby.
The plan for the 2.0 is pricey, in my opinion. $130 breaks down to around $8 a meal, which if you eat out is standard going, but that can be a make or break for some. They do also have options for just breakfast, just lunch, or just the cleanse too that make it easier.
Also, if you use my affiliate link, you’ll get $25 off your first order, and I’ll get $25 off mine! I’m into my second week, and while I think I’ll continue sporadically, I enjoy that there is no commitment to continue week by week. You can add or cancel at whim to suit your needs.
What do YOU think of cleanses and healthy balance plans? Will you be giving something like this a try?
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