Friday Five

This week’s Friday Five is going to focus on travel faves since we’re about to head on a beach vacation – but I also want to give you a breakdown of the 3-Day Meal Cleanse program I did with Define Foods. To rewind a little bit, Define is a fitness studio with locations throughout Houston that offer barre, cycling and yoga classes. I actually went to Define for years and used to take barre classes there several days a week before we had kids. It’s hard to get to the studio these days, but I always loved their workouts and have even tried their cycling class. Define Foods is a spinoff of Define, created by Define’s Erin O’Leary Stewart. Erin is a fitness and nutrition expert and her recipes are so delicious!

When Define Foods reached out to me to try their 3-Day Meal Cleanse program – the first thing I asked was – will there be food?! Because I am a solid “no” on any program that requires liquids only. No thank you, I need to eat. The program is a mix of plant-based foods (anti-inflammatory diet), cold-pressed juices and tea. All of the food is prepared and provided to you as well as a menu sheet of what to eat each day. I started the program on Tuesday afternoon (at lunch) and ended it this morning with my last green juice.

The only difficult part of the program for me was that you’re not supposed to drink coffee. I tried not to on Wednesday morning, but I started to get a bad headache so I had coffee before a morning meeting (after my green juice). If you follow the program “to a T” you’re not supposed to drink coffee, however, I already eat a very healthy diet so I didn’t feel the need to eliminate my coffee and subbed in green tea for my afternoon caffeine dose instead of having a second coffee. I also had an almond milk latte on Thursday morning right after my green juice and I didn’t develop a headache that day because I had coffee at my normal time.

The program is designed to “reset” the body – improve energy and concentration, brighten skin and help with weight loss. Weight loss is not a goal of mine, but I did lose a couple of pounds which I know I will gain right back when I resume my normal diet.

What surprised me most about this meal cleanse is that I wasn’t hungry. I think this is because I already eat a diet full of veggies, protein and fiber, so my body wasn’t going through the same experience/crash as someone eating a lot of takeout, fast food, sugar, etc. A lot of people messaged me asking if I was full on the salads and other meals and I can truthfully say I was. I fully intended to start eating GG crackers with a topping if at any point I felt I was having genuine hunger pains, but I didn’t have to do that – I even felt great after my evening workouts. Below is an example of what you would eat in a day:

Breakfast: NOURISH Juice

Mid-morning: Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding with Blackberry Compote

Lunch: Thai Chili Salad Rolls

Mid-afternoon: GLOW Juice

Dinner: Greek Quinoa with Kale + Almond Feta

Post-dinner: Cacao Maca Truffle (so delish btw!) & Living Tea

That may not seem like a lot on paper, but I felt satisfied and not like I was chomping at the bit for my next meal. I will say I did miss having animal proteins, but it’s a plant-based cleanse, so I didn’t want to add anything to it. All of the foods are made with seasonal local produce and each meal is vegan, refined-sugar free and gluten-free. Each meal comes with the most amazing, tasty and flavorful sauces and dressings.

My overall thoughts after completing this program – I think it would be a great fit for someone who wants to eat healthier but doesn’t know where to start. It will get you into the mindset and routine of eating healthy, portioned meals and snacks. Personally I could do away with the juices, but I know their ingredients are meant to be anti-inflammatory and that they add benefits to the overall cleanse program. Despite the fact that I did have a headache from not drinking coffee at my usual time on the second day of the program, I actually noticed that I had no cramps which never happens. I happened to start my cycle (sorry, TMI) the first day of the cleanse and normally I would have intense cramps for a day or two and had none. I have no idea if it was the diet or what – but it was nice side effect.

I have never eaten a plant-based diet before, and although I have no desire to be vegan or even vegetarian, I did enjoy the foods immensely and it taught me that I can be satisfied eating plant-based meals. It was nice to do the program before going on vacation since I’m sure I’ll be splurging a little bit there. The one critique I have is the juices – they tasted great, but I would rather just eat the real foods than consume them in juice form (just a personal preference). If you’re local and you’d like to try the program, you can use code “veronabrit” at checkout for 10% off, here.

Okay, let’s get into vacation mode.

P A C K I T U P
I ordered these packing cubes and they’re amazing and keep things organized ( I pack by category). I also ordered this adorable pink luggage “for Harper.” I put that in quotes because it’s so freaking cute and I know I’ll want to throw some of my stuff in there too (I never put valuables in checked bags, so it’s good for the items you want to take on the plane wih you). More fun travel essentials, here.

B L O U S E O F T H E M O M E N T
How cute is this sheer ruffle blouse? It fits TTS and the pattern is so summery and perfect to pair with high-waisted shorts.

W H O W E A R S S H O R T S H O R T S?
If you watched my IG stories last weekend, you saw the high-waisted embroidered detail blue shorts (see pics below) that I’ve declared “THE shorts of summer.” They’re incredibly flattering, under $100 and so light and airy that you’ll be OK in 95 degree temps.

B E S T D R E S S E D
I ordered this dress (size up) for our family photos on the beach and OMG. I love the lace pattern and think it will look so pretty against a beach at sunset. More gorgeous lace options here.

R U F F L E D U P
This swimsuit was a huge hit with y’all – I’m totally obsessed and can’t wait to wear it on the beach. There is also a blush version, here. Warning: it’s a splurge, but it’s so well made and def. splurge-worthy. I also got this white bikini and love the Swiss dot sleeve detail. More gorgeous ruffle swimsuit options, here.

B E A C H B O U N D
This striped, colorful beach blanket is coming with us and I think we’re all set for being able to locate our stuff at the beach, ha. Also — how cute are these colorful beach towels?!

A lot of y’all shopped my latest Trunk Club delivery via my IG stories, but I’m sharing them on the blog too, in case you missed them!the best nude heels ever | eyelet detail white tee – I kept this – it’s TTS and so cute – wearing a small! | corset eyelet tank white eyelet one piece swimsuit | blue bikini top and crochet beach pantsBlack eyelet dress | seersucker ruffle dress eyelet ruffle top | colorful stripe dress