Detox review: Forever F.I.T. Clean 9 program

I love to challenge myself. When my yoga studio Balanzs told me a while ago that they were doing a yogachallenge, in which you join one yoga class every day for one month, I said HELLAYES to that! It wasn’t easy, but I managed to finish it! So when a new – not so easy – challenge came along, the answer was clear: YES! This time it was the Clean 9 program from  Forever F.I.T., in which you follow a program for 9 days that will give you a kick-start to a healthier body. So I started the program and let me tell ya, it wasn’t easy!

SUGAR MOMMA

That’s me! I love sugar and sugar loves me. I really need to get rid of my sugar addiction and that’s exactly what I did a while ago. Six weeks without sugar and the results were stunning. I wasn’t tired anymore, my face was flawless, I slept really good, I lost weight and I felt SO MUCH better!

I’ve been thinking about eating 100% sugar free again for a while now, but for some reason I don’t seem to manage, so I thought this would be a great way to start my sugar free eating habit again. Just reset everything and make a fresh clean start. That sounds good, right?! I received the box with all the products I needed in it just before I went on holiday, so I had something to look forward to when I got back. Needless to say, I enjoyed the tapas and sangria more than ever during those 10 days!

MONKEY SEE, MONKEY DO

My colleague Anna tried the Forever F.I.T. programme a while ago and her experiences made me curious about it.

ANNA: “The first two days were really hard because you eat next to nothing. I normally look forward to my dinner, but that’s not going to happen on the first two days. I went to bed hungry and I woke up hungry. Heavy shit. During the day it was much easier! I noticed that I lost weight quickly and my intestines were working well because of the aloe vera. For me personally, 9 days was too long. I used to have a binge-eating disorder and it took me a lot of effort to create a balance in my eating pattern. On day 6 I noticed that the old ‘urges’ rose again. I dreamt about food and woke up in the middle of the night and could stop myself just in time from running to the fridge. That’s when I realised I had to quit the program. Because of this program I had to deny myself a lot and I noticed at one point that this was counter productive for me. I quit the program on day 6 and I ate loooads of food that day. Afterwards I felt super weak and stupid. Luckily, a few days later I was able look back on this experience with a positive feeling. I now realise again how important it is for me to have a balanced eating pattern. All or nothing is not my thang! I just need to let go of it all once in a while to remain control. The aloe vera was really good though! It’s definitely is something you should try when you have troubled intestines.”

Let’s be clear: I joined this program because I thought it would be the right thing for me. Anna did not like it, and that’s okay, at #FITGIRLCODE there are so many different women and that creates different opinions. And that’s a good thing of course, because our community also consists of so many different women.

The SCEPTICUS IN ME

I should note that I wasn’t a big fan of detoxing at first: in my opinion it was the same as a crash diet. And I know what I’m talking about, I’ve done it all! Crash dieting, juice dieting, lemon juice diet… Of course back then I knew only half of what I know now. I now know what is good for my body and also what’s bad. Obviously, you shouldn’t stuff your face with M&Ms and Oreos right after you finish the detox. That’s just plain dumb. I know that if I don’t eat any sugar for 2 or 3 weeks, it’s much easier to continue eating sugar free. So that was my main goal. Next to that, I’ve always been a fan of fasting. Not so much because of the weight loss, but more because it clears your body and focusses your mind. You would be surprised how focussed you can be during fasting. I myself had loads of questions about such a detox and I’m probably not the only one. So I hope this review is of use for you!

My three goals

• I’m a sucker for sugar and I really want to live sugar free again. By following the Clean 9 program I want to get rid of the crap in my body and make a fresh start with my sugar free lifestyle.
• My stomach always causes me trouble, whether I’m very nervous or stressed out… Of course it’s not helping if you’re not eating healthy. I hope that this program will help me control my stomach problems better, because I will eat healthier.
• I’m tired too often. When I get up, after lunch and around 16:00... And I’m so done with that! So, bring me that energy!

WHAT’S IN THE BOX?

I did the Clean 9 program, and when I first opened the box it was a bit overwhelming, but when I sat down for a minute and read the instructions it turned out to be not so difficult after all. The instructions are easy to understand and it’s all explained very well. You can see exactly what you are supposed to take and it all comes with a small logbook so you can log your goals and your daily activities. I love fast results, so I was happy to see that you have to measure and weigh yourself on day 1, 3, 6 and 9. I also liked the idea of the three goals, so you’re not just randomly doing something. You can find all the information about it here. This is what was in the box:

• Forever Aloe Vera Gel™ (2x 1L)
• Forever Lite Ultra™ (15 meals)
• Forever Garcinia Plus™ (54 softgels)
• Forever Therm™ (18 pills)
• Forever Fiber™ (9 sticks)
• Tape-measure
• Clean 9 workbook
•  Forever Shaker

...and what are you supposed to do?

During the first two days, you eat nothing at all. You only drink aloe vera gel, protein shakes and take pills. You are allowed to have a few snacks, like fruit and veggies, but I found out about that at the end of the first day… Smartass. From day three on you keep on taking the aloe vera gel (but a bit less than during the first two days), you have more shakes and you’re allowed to eat one meal a day consisting of 600 calories. And this meal, dear Fit Girls, is the best EVER.

and we’ve started!

*I’m not writing down any advantages or disadvantages if there’s nothing new.

day 1

The pills are easy to take, just like the aloe vera gel. The gel is a bit sour, but doable. The vanilla powder is super sweet, but I just get took that with loads of water, so doable as well. In the morning I’m always in a hurry. The first day I had to measure myself and check what I was supposed to take for that day, so I really had to take my time for this. At the end of the day I noticed that you’re allowed to have some fruit and vegetables, so that was a nice surprise.

Advantages: I really took time for myself and I mentally felt stronger than ever: the fact that you’re at the start of something difficult gives a boost. I wasn’t as hungry and tired as I expected and you’re allowed to have fruits and veggies for a snack. YAY!

Disadvantages: The powder is really sweet, but that’s no surprise since you’re not eating anything. I had a bit of a headache and I went to the toilet like 3 billion times, but as long as you keep in mind that you’re getting rid of all the toxins in your body, those 3 billion trips to the toilet are worth it ;)

Day 2

Day 2 was much easier than day 1. That vanilla powder was still is way too sweet for me, though I was getting used to it. I assumed it would get easier step by step. Next to that, I ate an apple for lunch: best apple ever! I ate this apple because I was going for a yoga class in the evening and it’s not a good idea to do this on an empty stomach (37 degrees for 75 minutes!). Because I was having a hard time during this yoga class, I used the child's pose a lot. Later on during this class I suddenly felt stronger than ever and I found it much easier.  So, I advise you to do low-intensity workouts during the first two days. Because I got home quite late and therefore had a late dinner, I skipped the aloe vera gel for this day. Day 3 I had to weigh and measure myself again and I was excited!

Advantages: It was easier not to eat, after yoga I felt super strong and focused. I almost had no headache.

Disadvantages: Too often  having to go to the toilet, the vanilla powder was too sweet, I found the yoga class much harder than normal and  I was easily exhausted going up stairs.

Day 3

When I looked in the mirror this morning, I noticed that my eyes were much brighter. I’m not sure whether that was because I lost weight or because I mentally felt much better, but I saw a huge difference. I also noticed that I woke up more relaxed, but that could also have been because of my yoga class the previous. I weighed myself that morning and I lost 2 kgs and 3 cm around my waist. That’s good, right?! I was also going to have my first meal that day, couldn’t wait! I decided not to use any of the meal suggestions, but instead make myself a 600kcal salad consisting of rucola, lentils, spring onion, grilled peppers, chicken and goat cheese. In the instructions book you can find loads of recipes for your meal or something you can mix with your shakes. It was so good to finally eat something and it tasted like heaven. I normally add too much salt to my food, but because I’ve been fasting for two days this meal was much better without any salt. Then I went to yoga again.

Advantages: I noticed that my afternoon slump disappeared, I enjoy my food much more, I wasn't adding salt to food, and I was really creative with my meal.

Disadvantages: Because I had plans with friends, it took me some effort to plan my yoga class and my meals. So next time, I have to schedule that better.

Day 4

I decided to have my meal in the afternoon instead of in the evening, because I was going out for a drink (tea) with a friend. So I had a salad with rucola, beans, goat cheese, smoked chicken and grilled peppers. This salad was sooo good and I also gave some to Aranka. Anna recommended me to use the My Fitnesspal app, to make it easier to create a healthy meal of 600 kcal. I like the suggestions from the book, but I’m kinda addicted to salads, so I prefer a salad. I did notice that I was more hungry after my evening shake, so I had an apple and tea without theine.

Advantages:  No afternoon slump anymore and I wasn't tired as well. Also, my old jeans fit again. I really took time for my lunch and I hadn’t had any more headaches.

Disadvantages: This morning I was in a hurry to pack all the powders, gel and pills, and although it’s not that difficult, it got me a little stressed out. So, I made sure that everything was packed and ready for the next day. I was a bit more hungry in the evening compared to the past few days.

Day 5

Day 5 was a busy day at work, so I had my shakes and pills way too late. I also wasn’t hungry at all, so I didn’t eat the Forever Fiber sticks which you normally have as a snack. I noticed that I didn't have an afternoon slump around 16:00 any more like I always have. I was full of energy throughout the day and that’s awesome! I noticed that I was exhausted in the evening, as if I just spent my last bit of energy. So, I would really advise you to take everything in time, so for example set a timer on your phone. This will help you to ‘eat’ regularly.

Advantages: No afternoon slumps any more, my skin looked better, going to the toilet with more regularity.

Disadvantages: Because it was so busy at work, I continuously postponed preparing my shake. I just hadn’t had time for it. My teeth were becoming a bit ‘powdery’, I think that was because of the protein shakes. So, don’t forget to brush your teeth!

DAy 6

I weighed and measured myself again! I lost 2 kg and 2 cm around my waist. But more importantly: I felt strong and rested. And the good thing was, I was really looking forward to my dinner and already  thinking up a combination that I would enjoy even more. With 600 kcal I could make a huge awesome salad. I also ate more slowly (the third day of the detox I just inhaled the salad) so I really was enjoying my food. I started to wonder however what would  best to eat when I finished this detox, I couldn't find any information about this... but I asked my mentor Anouk.

 DAY 7

I had a very relaxed day. I already finished one full week so that meant I was almost done. I went to the Swan Market with a friend, so I had to bring the shake and pills with me. At first I thought that would be too much of a hassle, but it wasn't at all. I also expected to go crazy about all the good food they have over there, but that didn’t happen.  At one point I was walking by a fudge stand and I thought, “Oh I’d like that”, but that feeling went away quite fast as well. I really felt like baking sugar free snacks like brownies or banana bread when I finished detoxing. I also had to go to the toilet less often. I’d like to note that from doing this, I drank much more water than I normaly would, I now drink about 2,5L water per day, compared to 1L water per day before the detox. Yay!

DAy 8

I noticed less changes so it meant that I was getting used to it. I was really happy about the fact that my stomach wasn't bothering me any more. Love it! The MyFitnessPal app was really helpful, so if you need any help with composing your meals, you should download it! I was super hungry that, so that wasn’t good. I literally felt like eating anything and I don’t know why I felt that way. So, I ate cherry tomatoes to satisfy my hunger.

DAy 9

Finally the last day! BAM! When I woke up, I realised I was almost sad that I was almost done. I could easily have continued this detox for another week. Also, I wasn't looking forward to being able to eat crappy foods, so that was good, but I was actually looking forward to drinking coffee. My mouth was watering at the idea of drinking a huge cappuccino. I took my powders, pills and gels, just as usual. When I finally had my last vanillas hake I was like YEAH, I never have to drink this any more! You’re supposed to measure and weigh yourself again at day 9, but because I still had to finish day 9 I did this the next morning. The results are listed below.

short version

Okay, long story, good job if you read it all! Here I  have listed the advantages and disadvantages (in my opinion):

• My stomach wasn’t bothering me any more
• A lot of energy, I wasn’t tired any more and no more afternoon slump
• Regular eating pattern
• I finally drank 2L water a day
• Not using any salt any more (and that’s kinda shocking if you know me)
• This can be a big kick start to start eating sugar free
• I lost 6 cm around my chest
• I lost 6 cm around my waist
• I lost 6 cm around my upperlegs
• In total, I lost 6 kg

The only disadvantage, in my opinion, is that after you’re done with the 9 days detox, I felt a bit “lost” about what to eat. But, you are in regular contact with your mentor and you can ask him/her for tips if you need any. I already knew that it was important to eat healthy after the detox, but I’d like to have more information about what specific things to eat (for example more protein). Please don’t be afraid to contact your mentor, he or she will answer all of your questions! I also found the vanilla powder quite disgusting, but that’s personal of course. Maybe the chocolate flavour is better, I can only wonder now that it's over.

Then the big question: would you do it again? Yes, definitely! I think it’s really good to do a 9-days detox about 3 times a year, because to me it’s important to feel good. But the next time I’d like a different flavour of shake. I hope this review is useful for you and if you have any more questions, just ask! Are you interested in this detox and wonder what it might do for you? Send an email to the sweet people from Forever F.I.T., they can answer all of  your questions and help you get your own Clean 9! If you do decide to order your own Clean detox, just mention your full name and address, and they’ll immediately get you started If you’d like personal coaching, like I had, add your phone number to that e-mail so you can call or text your mentor. The Clean costs €120 (+ €6,95 shipping costs), but I personally think this is a really good investment in yourself. AND if you mention in your e-mail that you heard about Clean 9 via #FITGIRLCODE, you’ll receive a nice present along your detox.