In this Ultimate Reset Review, I’m going to profile Beachbody’s 21-day, 3-phase program detox. Beachbody claims that The Ultimate Reset provides you with everything you need to reclaim your body’s natural balance, release the harmful materials you may be storing within you, and restore your system to its maximum health. I’m on a mission to find out.

The Ultimate Reset Review: Week 1

Day 1: The Ultimate Reset started today, and I have to say, it wasn’t so bad. The food was great (eggs/spinach/toast for breakfast, salad for lunch, salmon/potatoes/asparagus for dinner), nice and fresh… really, how it should always be. Drank plenty of distilled water. And the supplements are easy to take, with perhaps the exception of the Alkalinizer, which had some funkiness to it. The hardest part was the lack of caffeine. Felt slightly tired most of the day and am fading fast tonight. But all and all, a good first day, which should be expected given how we’re just getting going.

Day 2: Another decent day for The Ultimate Reset. Food was solid (got to have a bean & rice taco at dinner with a healthy side of guacamole). The Alkalinizer hasn’t grown on me any though. Yuck. Otherwise the supplements are simple. But the timing of the supplements has proven difficult to get in a much needed snack. I’ll have to work on that. Been sleepy a bit but hopefully that will improve.

Day 3: No real complaints on the taste of the food: good flavors and great variety. In fact, we had homemade nori wraps! I liked them so much I purchased this awesome Sushi Made Easy device to help simplify the process, which leads me to my next point: the food prep is quite an endeavor. For the uninitiated, it’s like culinary boot camp. But there’s merit in that I believe, as it makes us more in tune to what we’re putting in our bodies as we move away from buying factory foods.

Still a little sleepy during the day and have been fighting some mild headaches since yesterday. The Ultimate Reset guidebook said this is normal, but to not take anything for it. So I haven’t. My guess is it’s the lack of caffeine. Oh what I’d give for some ibuprofen!

Day 4: The headaches have gone away, but the sleepiness hasn’t. I haven’t been getting the good rest I was expecting and I think it’s due to the high water consumption. The Ultimate Reset suggests taking your body weight, divide it in half, and that number in ounces is how much distilled water you should have. I think I’ve done more than that, which is permissible assuming you don’t mind two to four trips to the potty in the middle of the night. I do mind so I’m cutting back.

Day 5: One of the harder things for me about this cleanse is not having anything to drink with my meals. You are not supposed to drink anything 30 minutes before or after a meal but sometimes, it’s really helpful to have a glass of something to wash down that dry whole-grain toast. But I press on.

Day 6: Today started with an unusual breakfast of baked tempeh with avocado and kale. Not a typical breakfast and frankly, not something I’d want to eat again really. It wasn’t bad, but not how I want to start my day. The root medley and zucchini cashew soup dinner on the other hand was wonderful, the surprise hit of the week for me. Sleep still hasn’t been great. But the hardest part about today was not having my weekly Saturday night treat which usually consists of a giant cookie and a Diet Coke, while watching a movie. I really look forward to this each week, so that was a little bit of a struggle.

Day 7: This was the first day I’ve noticed a difference in how I feel: I have more energy. Now I’m not one who usually struggles in this area, but I’m also one who can take a nap most any day, not because I’m exhausted, but because I just love naps. However today, I couldn’t sleep. As with my Saturday night treat, I really look forward to my Sunday afternoon nap. So on one hand this was a bummer that I couldn’t fall asleep. But on the other hand, hey, I’ve got more energy and I feel really good. My wife mentioned she noticed her energy levels increasing as the week went on as well.

The Ultimate Reset Review: Week 1 Results

I had more energy. My digestion was already good but probably slightly improved. And, I lost 9 pounds! In all fairness, my starting weight was probably exaggerated from some poor eating choices the prior weekend. But still, even if it’s only 5 pounds, that’s significant.

The Ultimate Reset Review: Week 1 Conclusion

This week wasn’t easy but it wasn’t brutal. I rarely felt hungry thanks to a nutrient-packed, filling menu and increased water consumption. I missed my caffeine early in the week and really missed my Diet Coke. But those are things I need to cut way back anyway. Only one supplement is gross, but it’s doable. And while there were a couple strikes on the menu, there were plenty of hits and a few home runs. Excited to see what happens during The Ultimate Reset Week 2!

The Ultimate Reset Review: Week 2

Day 1: Today kicked off Week 2 of The Ultimate Reset. Having lost 9 pounds in the first week and am excited, though a little nervous about Week 2. For starters, the next 14 days will be Vegan. It can be a challenge to get in enough protein on a vegan diet for my body and I don’t want to walk around feeling hungry constantly.

That wasn’t in issue with Week 1, but I had some chicken, fish, and some dairy throughout the week.

Week 2 on The Ultimate Reset also is the Release Phase, which requires the Detox supplement 3x daily. And while it’s not as funky as the Alkalinizer supplement, it’s not something I will be looking forward to.

On the plus side, most breakfasts consist of generous amounts of low-glycemic fruit. Plus there are new recipes that sound promising.

So today went off without a hitch, save for the flavor of the Detox, which I’ll never really enjoy.

Day 2: As with yesterday, today was another solid day, with the exception of a non-fruit breakfast: miso soup, avocado, and chickpeas. But redeeming the breakfast soup was the dinner soup: sweet potato and roasted red pepper bisque. Energy wise things are going well. And other than the taste, there have been no ill-effects of the Detox supplement. Detoxes can often lead to frequent bathroom trips, but The Ultimate Reset claims that it’s a “gentle detox,” which so far has been the case.

Day 3: Today was pretty much the opposite of the past two. I wasn’t excited at all, primarily because it was date night and we typically enjoy a nice, relaxing dinner out. Instead we were stuck with quinoa lentil pilaf and steamed broccoli. Now for the most part, I like these things. BUT NOT ON DATE NIGHT! And I let my frustration carry throughout my day. Furthermore, the thought that we were only 1/2 through this thing started to bum me out. Regardless, I’ll do better tomorrow.

Day 4: Or maybe I won’t. I thought today would be better, but it wasn’t much better really. While I’m digging the fruit breakfasts, I’m starting to tire of all the salads. But one to always find the silver lining, we’re officially past the halfway mark!

Day 5: My attitude was much better today. Not sure if it’s because my favorite basketball team plays tonight, or if it’s because I’m off work today. Regardless, I let that good attitude carry over to my diet and ate everything with a much happier heart. And that’s no small task given our dinner from hell: Mediterranean roasted beets, coconut collard greens, and quinoa. The only thing that got me through it was the pace at which I sucked it down. Momentum baby! Too much thinking about it and your dead meat.

Day 6: By now, I’ve mastered the art of the Detox chug, so I’ve got that going for me today. However, food wasn’t my favorite: chickpeas, spinach, and avocado don’t exactly scream breakfast of champions. And I learned that there is something worse than roasted beets… cold, leftover roasted beets in my salad. Dinner was good though: kabocha squash with garlic tahini filling and steamed vegetables. Considering today’s menu and the fact that I don’t get my weekly treat, my attitude was quite remarkable… or I’m in a state of hilarious denial. Eight days left! WAIT… EIGHT WHOLE DAYS!!! NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOooooooooo.

Day 7: Really good day today. Food was solid, including our kabocha squash soup (yep, you use your leftovers often times to make meals for the next day) and edamame and roasted corn succotash dinner. Energy was again a non-issue. I had zero energy issues during my solo trip to the zoo with the kids (with Silas on my back no less). Unlike last week, I managed a short-nap (though still couldn’t do my usual 2 hour+ Sunday snooze fest). Plus it concluded the use of the Detox, which, true to their word, never did result in constant potty breaks.

The Ultimate Reset Review: Week 2 Results

I continued to have more energy, only needing green tea one time for a little pick-me-up. My digestion stayed great. And, I lost 4 more pounds! This means I’ve lost 13 pounds in just two weeks… without even exercising.

The Ultimate Reset Review: Week 2 Conclusion

This week was much harder than last week. While I rarely felt hungry, I missed some good old fashioned animal proteins. And more than that, I missed dinner out with my wife.

I also miss exercise. While it’s great to get these kind of results with no exercise, I miss getting my heart rate up and sweating a ton. I got great results from P90X2 by combining clean eating AND smart exercise. I’m really missing the second half of that equation.

But one thing I don’t miss, beets. In fact, I will never, ever miss beets. Ever.

I’m coming to really appreciate how this process is making me examine my relationship with food. I tell my kids all the time that every meal doesn’t have to be our favorite… and if it does, we need to assess our priorities. Food is a gift that can be enjoyed, but when it becomes a daily focus, there is some serious introspection to do. We need to think of food as fuel first and foremost, and The Ultimate Reset is helping me do just that.

The Ultimate Reset Review: Week 3

Day 1: It’s Monday and also the start of Week 3 of The Ultimate Reset. I’m up to 13 pounds lost. Week 3 is the Restore Phase in which we’ll further cut back grains, add even more produce, and take the Revitalize supplement which should “restore healthy bacteria to a freshly scrubbed digestive tract.” The best part about Revitalize could be that it’s in pill form. No more nasty Detox chug fest.

Todays meals were fruit for breakfast and for dinner, sweet potato, veggies and quinoa. But the Asian Cabbage Salad for lunch was the surprise hit of the day, for both me and our 15 month-old, Silas. Don’t believe me? Check out the video.

Day 2: Today was another sunny day in Foodland. More fruit for breakfast. In fact, everyday this week we get fruit for breakfast. For lunch I was short of time so I had The Ultimate Reset-approved Tropical Strawberry Shakeology. And for dinner, another surprise hit: curried cauliflower. I’d share the picture but it’s hard to ever make beige-colored food look good. However, Kim cooked it perfectly and even Myla (who we could have named Mikey) could tolerate it.  So that’s two days in a row of delicious food discoveries. We’re on a roll.

Day 3: You know what that is?

 

The sound of progress. All good things came to an end today, including the meals I had to eat. The worst of the offenders was the Moroccan Carrot Salad. Imagine a pound of wet, matchstick-sized carrot shards with an amalgam of mystery seasonings. Now imagine three more pounds of the exact same thing and that’s what it felt like I was eating. There is no question in my mind I’m going to wake up with Oompa Loompa skin. And that’s the good news!

I had to cook Thanksgiving dinner for my family. A dinner with all the ‘fixins. A dinner after which there’d be leftovers for miles. A dinner that comes but once a year. I’m ready to go Jack Bauer on this cleanse.

The bad news was in preparation for tomorrow, I had to cook Thanksgiving dinner for my family. A dinner with all the ‘fixins. A dinner after which there’d be leftovers for miles. A dinner that comes but once a year. I’m ready to go Jack Bauer on this cleanse.

Day 4: It’s a good thing Thanksgiving is more than just about the food. Surprisingly, the actual meal wasn’t so hard to bypass. It was the temptation of a nibble here and a nibble there, getting more for people, and, well… the smell didn’t help. But we stood strong and feel empowered for it. And as a small reward, even though we weren’t scheduled for it, we did indulge in a roasted root vegetable medley and it was quite good. It gave us a taste of that fall, earthiness that’s especially yummy this time of year.

Day 5: Woah! I didn’t see this coming. This whole Reset I’ve been looking forward to the avocado-cucumber soup. I love me some avocado cause a) they’re delicious b) they’re great for you and 3) they harken Mexican food, of which there are few people who have a greater passion for than myself. Trust me… I know of what I speak.

Anyway, the soup was bad… I mean, really bad. If I were an avocado, I’d be humiliated to die that kind of death. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t quite beet bad, but a terrible disappointment to say the least. Good thing this is the home stretch because if this was Day 1, the program would go promptly back in the box and driven immediately to the Post Office to return to Beachbody for my Money-Back Guarantee. I may have even paid extra for two-day shipping to expedite the whole process as my palette’s Mexican sensibilities were so offended.

Day 6: You ever stay up so late that you start getting slap-happy? That’s me and Kim today, all day, but with less happy and more angry. If I didn’t feel so good, it’d be all angry.

Day 7: Today is the day! Our fortitude has paid off. We have concluded our journey as of dinner tonight, which was a nice vegetable stir-fry, a meal that’s become a personal favorite of mine during these three weeks. Again, I had trouble taking a nap and that’s got me thinking this energy could be here to stay. Perhaps starting exercise tomorrow will change that… it will be interesting to find out. Regardless, I’m so glad I did this and can’t wait to see the final results.

The Ultimate Reset Review: Week 3 Results

Greater energy is now the norm. My digestion is picture perfect (NOTE TO SELF: Avoid using the term “picture perfect” in future descriptions of my digestion). And my weigh-in this morning showed that I lost 3.5 more pounds. This means I’ve lost over 16 pounds in three weeks! And the closest I came to exercise was when I broke into a sweat from my beet-eating flashbacks.

The Ultimate Reset Review: Week 3 Conclusion

Week 3 was harder than Week 1 but easier than Week 2. I hit the wall with 3 days left… like mile 20 in a marathon. But the nice thing was, the struggles were rarely from hunger and more often than not, I enjoyed the food. I mostly hit the wall cause I was tired of the routine. I was ready to get in the holiday spirit, but instead I had to put one foot in front of the other. And while I never truly considered quitting, cheating with a big ‘ol cookie did cross my mind. But I knew I would be disappointed in myself if I had. I’ve heard it said that an ounce of regret weighs more than a pound of pain and I believe that to be true. So I pressed on.

I pressed on with the promise of accomplishment around the corner, with being able to start a new exercise program (Body Beast here I come!), with knowing that I was resetting more than just my biological systems, but also my emotional ones…. outlook, excitement, and confidence. And that’s arguably the ultimate reward.

The Ultimate Reset Review: Final Conclusion

If you’ve read this far, then you know I’ve had my ups and downs with this program. I had a hate-hate relationship with several of the foods I was forced to got to eat. But I also saw tremendous results, including weight loss and increased energy. But the biggest benefit to me was how it forced me to take a closer look at my relationship with food. We are meant to enjoy food. But perhaps I enjoy it a little too much if I’m grumpy cause date night gets no dinner out? And yes, I do consider this new perspective a benefit because our fitness is so much more than physical… it’s emotional and intellectual. And for many, it’s spiritual.

As you can tell from this Ultimate Reset Review, in spite of a couple yucky menu items, I would highly recommend the Ultimate Reset for most everyone as it can help your energy, help with losing some weight, and help highlight your relationships with food.

It’s just too bad it didn’t reset my taste buds for beets… YUCK!

The Ultimate Reset Review: Order Here & Get Free Coaching

If you purchase a The Ultimate Reset or any Beachbody home fitness program through a Guru, it comes with free coaching. Why do you need coaching? Because there will inevitably be questions about the diet, recipes, moves, progressions, nutrition guide, supplements, rest days, and so on.

Plus it gives you access to exclusive Home Fitness Guru Challenge Groups for additional accountability, support and encouragement.

Give the Ultimate Reset a try today!