Starting to get organized

As I go through this I will photograph what I eat every day and list out my menu for you.  The Plan requires you to take a base weight and then weigh yourself every day to see whether the food works for you based on whether your weight went up or down. Pretty simple.

It also suggests you use a digital basal thermometer to check your resting body temperature to determine thyroid function.  I can do that.  Lying in bed with a stick under my arm? Sure.  Why not.

The concept for the first 3 days is to cleanse on a primarily vegetable based meal plan. Being the kitchen dork planner that I am, I was immediately looking for a shopping list to try to determine what all I needed to have on hand to complete the first 3 days and then prepare for the rest of the week.

It doesn't exist.  So iPad in hand I endeavored to add up all the broccoli, carrots and other items needed and here's what I got based on the Day 1-3 Food Prep document posted on The Plan's website which tells you how to prepare for those 3 days in 70 minutes.

Here's the list I came up with based on the prep list. Be prepared - it is a wee bit daunting. Eight heads of broccoli??  But I have some ideas for how to make it more manageable which I'll share tomorrow.

Vegetables

8 heads broccoli
16 carrots
4 onions
1 beet
7 zucchini
2 heads garlic
1 piece fresh ginger
1 avocado
1 large bunch kale (or 2 small)
1 organic orange
1 organic chicken

Pantry Items

2 cans coconut milk*
1 carton low sodium organic chicken stock (I couldn't find organic AND low sodium)
1 cup flax seed
Cinnamon
Fresh black peppercorn
Cumin
Cloves
Sriracha Sauce
Chipotles in Adobo
Extra-virgin Olive Oil

This is not an official list and I might have missed some stuff...so be sure to double check. Also it doesn't include the fruit and other items you need.  Just the basics.

*A Note on Coconut Milk

Always look for coconut milk with as few ingredients as possible and always without carrageenan.  Carrageenan is a thickener and stabilizer used in food production and it is what keeps coconut milk from separating. Sometimes you actually want that thick stuff that collects, like when making coconut whipped cream but it won't work if it contains carrageenan.