As holiday getaway season approaches, many have visions of Instagram-worthy white sand beaches in their mind… and the dreaded anxiety of getting into a bathing suit that comes with ’em. And even though I’m an editor who’s up on all the latest diet trends (um, like the keto diet that gets Halle Berry her body) and dutifully takes my supplement powders via a morning shake a la Gwyneth Paltrow, I, too, tend to feel less than ready to don a bikini this time of year. With my yearly trip to the North Shore of Oahu on the horizon, I needed a plan, and I needed one quickly. Enter Urban Remedy.
Not just another clean-eating service, Urban Remedy aims to foster the belief that “food is healing,” combining bountiful vegetables with sustainable proteins in meals that satisfy the taste-buds as well as regulate blood sugar and nix cravings. When the brand offered me a three-day test run, I jumped at the chance to kickstart my pre-vacation diet. After choosing from their plans (which include keto, anti-inflammation, metabolism-fueling and more), I arrived home to a box filled with salads, portions of clean chicken and salmon, meal replacement shakes for breakfast, fresh juices, snack packs and “workout shots” on dry ice. Seeing as I wanted to shed weight and sculpt, I went for the three-day Kate Upton-curated plan, which rings in at $189, including shipping — if these salads, etcetera are good enough for someone who’s been on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue three times, this must be the one for me!
All kidding aside, the plan was, in fact, created “for and by Kate Upton,” with Urban Remedy creator Neka Pasquale, a healer who combines acupuncture with Chinese medicine and lifestyle modifications to help clients achieve “optimal health.” I loved all of the salads, which were loaded with vibrant veggies and nuts, seeds, beans, avocado and other yummy goodness. The shakes and snacks, too, were next level. The shots helped boost energy to get me to the workout studio, I especially loved the beet and tart cherry one, and a cayenne-spiked potion. Pretty much everything tasted fresh and delicious!
I must admit that throughout the three days of following the plan, I never once felt the deprivation that came with my usual resorting to “sad salads” to get beach-ready. The only caveat was that there was almost too much food throughout the day for me and I found myself bumping some of the juices into the next day.
So am I ready to post a bikini selfie on the ‘gram? Not quite yet… but I certainly learned that eating healthy doesn’t equal food boredom or starvation. Check out some of my favorite foods on the plan:
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