The buzzing sound of the alarm clock wakes her. She gets up and heads to the kitchen. It’s time to make one of the daily breakfast shakes she has made for the previous 29 days. Feeling a craving for vanilla today, she adds the flavored powder into the blender along with two cups of frozen strawberries, blueberries and boysenberries. Then, she adds the powdered booster shot for that extra lift. Finally, after adding some water to the mixture, the sound of the blender fills the room. She pours herself a nice, cold glass of the freshly made shake while saving the rest for lunch.

It is a good thing Ms. Stephanie Contreras, the Hill’s athletic director, likes her shakes, because they were her primary source of sustenance during the cleanse and detox she did for the entire month of February.

“I started the cleanse and detox on the third of February, and I finished on the third of March,” Ms. Contreras said.

Why did she do it? After a knee injury last year, Ms. Contreras has been seeking out ways to feel better during her period of recovery. Former Flintridge Sacred Heart teacher and current Arbonne consultant, Julee Meyersieck, challenged Ms. Contreras to the 30-day cleanse and detox program. Ms. Contreras figured this was perfect timing to help her recovery and gladly accepted.

Overall, sticking to the strict regimen of the cleanse was easy for Ms. Contreras, because the results kept her motivated.

“I did 30 days, and now my joints don’t hurt, I have lost 10 pounds, I have lost two and a half inches on my waist. I am feeling great. I have learned to change my eating habits and my body feels lean again,” Ms. Contreras said.

In addition to the shakes, Ms. Contreras found other ways of eating healthier during her cleanse.

“If I got hungry through the day, I usually had some raw nuts, green organic apples, almond butter or celery with hummus,” Ms. Contreras said.

For dinner, Ms. Contreras planned meals consisting of protein, non-starchy vegetables, high fiber carbs and a small amount of healthy fat. However, this all ended after 7 p.m., when she did not eat or drink anything beyond cups of tea.

While her 30-day trial is up, Ms. Contreras is continuing her newfound healthy eating habits, while occasionally treating herself, too.

“I got a Shamrock Shake on St. Patrick’s Day, and it was delicious,” Ms. Contreras said.