Pre Fashion Week Detox with Cru-8

Fashion week is one of the busiest times of the year for me, so it’s super important that not only do I look my best, but I also need to make sure I’m at my optimal health in order to deal with the full on schedule and travelling involved.

So when the Chelsea based health food company Cru8 got in contact with me, it was the perfect timing for me to try out their Paleo detox diet, to help me reset my digestive system and restart a healthy eating plan pre my hectic month.

What is it?

I opted for a 4 day cleanse. It’s a Paleo detox which is modelled on the diet that our Palaeolithic hunter-gatherer ancestors would have eaten, based on protein, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds, which also means no gluten, no wheat, no sugar, no caffeine, and no refined/ processed foods. It’s made up of purely raw, Lo-GI, nutrient dense, slo releasing superfoods.

It’s a high raw, mainly plant based diet, which has been proven to significantly reduce inflammation, aid weight loss, balance blood sugar and create healthier gut flora, which brings about increased energy levels, clarity of mind, better productivity as well as an uplift in mood.

What do you eat?

The diet itself consists of 3 meals a day and 2 snacks/juices in between. The ingredients are all organic, local produce, mixed up to create rainbow salads, filled with vitamins, proteins and minerals. The sizes of the portions are ample and the daily packs are delivered straight to your door, if you’re in the London area. I loved how delicious the lunch time salads were and was surprised at how long I stayed full after eating them. I often didn’t need my afternoon snack and went straight to supper.

Here’s a typical menu for day one and two of the meal plan:

Day 1: Cinnamon buckwheat granola (my favourite!), blueberry morning snack, salmon Nicoise rainbow salad for lunch, afternoon snack of sprouted buckwheat granola bars, evening chicken bone broth with courgetti spaghetti.

Day 2: Poached eggs on paleo bread, Grapefruit and pomegranate snack, the most delicious Harissa Chicken salad for lunch, cacao activated almonds mid afternoon and broccoli soup with kale crackers for dinner.

So as you can see, it was made up with really tasty and easy to enjoy meals.

Cru8 Muesli Breakfast on day 3

Above: the Salmon Nicoise salad and below the Harissa chicken salad, which was so full of flavour.

The Verdict

Day 1: This was pretty easy for me because I already eat quite healthily. There was plenty of food for me to eat throughout the day and I didn’t get hungry or crave ‘naughty’ foods at all.

Day 2: I started to feel the effects on my gut, it felt a little swollen and heavy, which I was told was my body releasing toxins that had stored up over the years. I had all the meals prepared for me but to be honest I didn’t end up eating everything that day.

Day 3: The meals were delicious, especially the poached eggs on toast and the super-yummy, chicken salad with a nut based dressing/humous. I felt that I couldn’t actually eat all the meals on this day, as the portions were quite big for me. But Alexi from Cru8 said it was ok to eat mindfully. By the end of the day I also developed a bit a headache, which I was told was again to do with with the toxin release.

Day 4: The headache continued but my stomach was slowly going back to normal. I was told this is completely normal as my digestive system was purging all the toxins and trying to get back to a neutral healthy state. This was the last day of the diet so I went out shopping and bought ingredients for the rest of the week. Everything I bought was fresh natural veggie produce and proteins.

Day 5: I finished the plan and I started introducing my body to some of my normal meals again. In an effort not to undo all the good work, I tried to keep up with the paleo ethic as much as possible.

It has seriously had an effect on my overall emotional and physical well being. I’m full of energy and not tired, which in turn makes me more productive and happier. It’s also lead to me not drinking so much alcohol, because I don’t want to undo all of my good work. My stomach feels much flatter and more comfortable too.

Overall I loved the eating plan. Not only did it make my life so much easier, as I didn’t have to worry about my daily meals, what to buy, when to cook, but it has really given my new healthier lifestyle a great kick start! I would thoroughly recommend this to anyone who wants to make a change to their diet, whether to promote weight loss or just feel happier and healthier. I can’t wait to try it out again soon.

If you’re planning on doing this before an event or to loose weight to fit into an outfit, it’s not really that kind of fasting diet. It’s more to do with changing your lifestyle and becoming healthier. I do recommend it for everyone though, the detoxing side effects are worth it in the long run. It’s really changed the way I think about food and what I’m putting inside my stomach.

The 5 day cleanse costs £225 and can be delivered to your door if you live in the central London area.

To check out individual meals and visit the Cru8 HQ, pop into Chelsea Farmers Market, Tuesday to Saturday, or log onto www.cru8foods.co.uk for more details.

Happy eating! xx