HOW DO I PREP FOR MY REBOOT?

Set yourself up for success

CLEAN OUT YOUR PANTRY

Out with the old (dead food) in with the new (life-giving grub). The first and possibly most vital step to beginning your reboot is to clean out your pantry. Old habits die hard and it's easier if you have less temptation.

Start ridding your kitchen of processed, packaged food. Anything that has an ingredient you can't pronounce on it's label should go, both in the pantry and in the fridge. Anything on the excluded list is no longer welcome.

It's bittersweet because we like our junk... the ready-made sauces, the boxed cereals, the side dishes in a pouch

(i.e. the 30 second meals). I get it. But it won't work with your Reboot. If it's there, you will naturally want to grab for it in a moment of rushed hunger or intense craving.

(And p.s. we wouldn't recommend trying to eat it all up now before your Reboot either.)

Definitely get rid of ALL sugar- white & brown, organic & regular, powdered, granulated, liquid.

We promise you- it's the enemy.

We will use raw honey, dates and organic maple syrup and coconut palm sugar to lightly sweeten our treats.

Many of us have to think about our kids- their snacks and school lunches. They're picky eaters- we know. We've adopted the philosophy that you need to "put on your oxygen mask first before you can help someone else".

Start by moving all "kid foods" to one designated area of your kitchen and vow that you WILL NOT under any circumstances pick from there for yourself (and then exercise the self control to stick to your own rule).

When we get further into the Reboot and the more you learn, you may start to reconsider what you're feeding your perfect, precious tiny people too and opt to upgrade their food as well.

"Good for our taste buds, bad for our bodies" is how we like to think of junk food our house.

START STOCKING KEY ITEMS NOW

We will eat lots of quinoa, brown rice, chickpeas, coconut milk, tomatoes, oatmeal, apple cider vinegar, almond flour & millet flour, almond butter, nuts & seeds ( and of course plenty of fresh produce but you can't stock that yet).

If you can, purchase 1 to 2 of these items per week now- it will be less out of pocket on week 1 of your Reboot.

Head to Costco for most of the foods listed above at a way better bang for your buck!

Side note- If Costco went bankrupt- we would go into a tailspin.

If your budget won't allow for bulk purchasing to start, check out Trader Joe's or order on Amazon & Thrive Market and be sure to get organic if you can.

We will talk more about why later.

BEGIN TO RECOGNIZE YOUR EATING PATTERNS & CRAVINGS.

So here's the deal- If we're honest, we don't put much thought into what we eat- we just eat.

We get in the mood for something or we see something that looks appetizing and we eat.

Most days, we are in a hurry and don't want to be bothered with thinking about, let alone preparing our next meal.

This will change.

It's so important that leading up to our Reboot, you start being mindful of what's at the end of your fork (or spoon).

Because it's ultimately healing you or harming you.

Take note of your gluten (flour, pasta, bread, crackers etc), dairy and sugar intake.

These are the 3 most common toxic food triggers.

Make mental notes.

They'll be useful later.

JOURNAL

For most of us, this is an antiquated notion. Journaling? Come on.

"I am here to tell you- this is how I remember how sick I was. If I hadn't written down all of my "symptoms", I would have never remembered how sick I actually was.

Only now can I look back and see the reality and commit to move forward because I certainly don't want to feel like that-ever again."

-Jackie-

Grab a dollar store notebook and get busy. Write down as much about how you feel physically, emotionally and spiritually as you can.

Look, I had to be real with myself and you do too.

If you're not pooping every day, that's a "symptom".

If you suffer from anxiety, that's a "symptom" too.

Think headaches, thyroid imbalance, acne, weight, energy, depression, insomnia, brain fog... the list goes on.

Don't believe the lie that "age or stress" are causing you to feel this way (although they both play a part).

The root is toxicity and low performing body systems along with a lack of "real food" both in a physical & spiritual sense (we will talk more about this later too).

Try to remember- This is not a diet.

A diet is temporary.

We are here to help you learn how to take care of the beautiful body God gave you to live in.

LET'S TALK ABOUT CAFFEINE

So listen, if you're anything like us- you LOVE your coffee. We get it. We used to wake up just to drink coffee. The smell, the warmth, the pleasant morning routine, not to mention the boost of energy that we needed to get going and/or stay going for the day.

But therein lies the problem.

We should never rely on caffeine to give us energy. Our bodies should be fully sourced and self-sustaining. We are only tricking ourselves into the facade of energy. It's so temporary and is usually followed by a mid-day crash which results in another cup.... see the pattern?

This will likely be one of the hardest treats to give up. But you just have to. You may have a dull (or severe) headache for a day or two, three at most. I didn't but some do.

But coffee is totally non-negotiable, for now anyways.

So in order to prep yourself for your Reboot, try switching to decaf now. And try to skip a day here and there or delay your morning cup to late morning to begin to break the habit.

This IS NOT earth-shattering. It's just coffee:)

LEMON WATER

Now that you've committed to giving up coffee- on the days that you delay your morning joe, drink a full 8 oz glass of filtered water with fresh (or bottled not-from-concentrate) lemon juice. Just a big squeeze (or 1 TBSP).
This is a great way to start your day.

HABITS

Most Americans spend 2-3 hours a day watching TV, not to mention scrolling.

I get it. Most people like to "unwind" or enjoy "mindless entertainment".

But there are a million things that we can think of that are better alternatives to your favorite sitcom or drama and will aid in your healing.

For starters, try picking up a good book.

Clean Gut

Happy Gut

Chris Beat Cancer

The Maker's Diet

Eat Dirt

Living Foods Revolution

The China Study

Knowledge is power. The more you learn, the more you'll be determined to change: I promise.

If you really can't fathom giving up TV, try watching some of these documentaries to get you informed & inspired.

That Sugar Film

Food Inc.

At the Fork

Forks Over Knives

What the Health

The Game Changers

Fat, sick and nearly dead (parts 1 and 2)

King Corn

The Truth About Cancer

Please don't be naive or ignorant.

Don't pretend that "life is too short, I"ll eat what I want and enjoy it before I die."

That mindset will lead you down a dangerous path towards poor health and catch up to you sooner or later.

Get informed.

PRAYER

This should really be first, not last- but for sake of not knowing everyone's relationship with their Creator, I saved the best and most effective tool for last.

God created you. And He gave you this body to live in.

He was intentional about every detail down to the number of hairs on your head.

And He made our bodies to work in harmony. Each organ in synergy with the rest.

That's a miracle in and of itself.

And our only job with this body is to take care of it and use it to tell others of His goodness until the day He calls us home.

It's our Kingdom job.

I took my job for granted for far too long.

Now I approach my job as if it's the most important job in the world.

Prayer is vital to our health. God is our healer and great physician.

He is our counselor and comforter.

Talk to Him- openly and often.

He's listening.

And to much surprise for many- He WILL talk back!

Be sure to journal that too!

NOW GET READY!

WE ARE DOIN' THIS!

The Prep Stage- Pre Cleanse: FAQ

WHEN CAN I START?