My Five Days on the Kroma Reset
It’s become a little tradition around here to do a nutritional reset in the new year and Kroma’s program has been on my list. Mostly because the colorful packets are so aesthetically pleasing. But more seriously because this reset allows for the consumption of real food while on it. I also prefer savory broths over sweet juices, especially when the program is longer than a day. Truth is, Kroma is a nutritional powerhouse. Each and every packet of the 45 packets in the 5-day reset is made with the cleanest and healthiest ingredients. Ingredients that make your body feel good. A difference you understand as soon as you start the reset and that you want to continue for as long as possible when the reset is over. So that’s why it’s been a no-brainer for me to make these resets part of my life and to take you all along with me.
In past years, I’ve done 1-3 day juice cleanses and the 3-day Owl Venice reset a few times. Once I moved from an all juice cleanse to a program that included broths and real food, I wasn't turning back. And that’s because of life. My life is busy and active, and I like to keep it that way, even when I am resetting. Plus, the whole point of a reset for me is to bring some lessons learned from the reset into my life post-cleanse. And how can you do that without allowing for a normal level of activity. Being active is also kinda my thing so it’s important for me to see how my activity level is effected on these nutritional resets. I’m always trying to answer, “can I truly workout in the same manner when I am eating less calories.” And with Kroma, the answer is yes… mostly because while on the Kroma reset, I was consuming about 100 grams of protein a day!
People decide to do a reset for a number of reasons. I love that Kroma considers the various reasons for a reset when designing the nutritional protocols of their programs. There is a protocol for someone looking to jumpstart a weight loss journey. There is another for someone looking to improve their endurance and performance by resetting their diet. But most of the people who do the Kroma reset, me included, do it to create long-lived, healthy habits that make a real impact on their lifestyle.
Over the years, I’ve learned that preparation for a reset is key. Mentally, you need to go into this knowing what you are going to get. And physically your body needs to be ready. If you drink coffee every day, you absolutely need to wean yourself off the week before. If you attempt to eliminate coffee on the reset, your body will be dealing with all kinds of withdrawal symptoms that will detract from the progress of the reset, while making you super uncomfortable.
I found the preparation for this reset to be very easy. While you do need to food shop, the list is simple and won’t cost you a lot. You want your fridge to be loaded with options that you can eat so that you don’t reach for the other stuff. Kroma gives you a general food shopping list. For example, they tell you “veggies” instead of which ones (although they do say which ones to stay away from) and how much. The same goes with the non dairy and unsweetened milks. Fruits are even less specific, listing “berries” only. I would have liked a little more guidance on the quantities and specifics, especially when it comes to animal protein. And If I missed this information somewhere, it should be more readily available. I would have liked some guidance on how much meat I could eat at lunch and dinner with the broths. Instead, I just listened to my body and made sure I was nourishing it — I figured with that premise, I couldn’t go wrong. I do think that if you are on the weight loss protocol, the specific amounts of real food are more defined and provided to you.
Which leads me to where you can find the information about your protocol while you are resetting: on the app. I love that there is a helpful Kroma app that guides you through your days on the reset. This guidance is based on your specified goals and corresponding protocol. The app should serve as your own personal nutritionist and is a good idea, but I think it falls a little short. I would have liked some more details throughout the day and more daily tips and tricks to get the most out of my reset… kinda like what I try to do for you guys on social media as I am going though it. (If you missed this, you can find it in my stories highlights by clicking on the “nutrition” highlight with the apple).
The food of the Kroma reset is by far the best tasting food I’ve consumed on a nutritional reset. While packaged food may seem unappealing, don’t be deceived. Each packet is loaded with delicious flavor bombs (like pink Himalayan salt, turmeric, coconut palm sugar, maple sugar, monk fruit, pumpkin pie spice, and ginger extract) that make a real difference when you are eating these things for five days straight. They also give you some variety. For example, the smoothies, the lattes and the broths are different flavors each day. I love that plant proteins are part of the reset, including pea protein, chocho plant protein, sprouted brown rice protein and pumpkin seed protein. While the reset includes chicken and beef broths, there is a vegan reset option available.
Each packet on the Kroma reset is loaded with the good stuff. And I mean the really good stuff. But my favorite is the Beauty Matcha, which is chock-full of pure health. Just listen to this ingredient list: bovine collagen, ceremonial grade match, turmeric root extract, ginger extract, monk fruit, beauty mushroom blend, maple sugar, goji, maca and Himalayan pink salt. Yes to all of this in my morning cup!
The Kroma reset is five full days. I had never done a reset that long and on day 2, I was questioning the length of it. But day 2 is always the hardest day to get through and already by day 3, I was more accustomed to the foods I was eating... and wasn’t eating. And by day 5, I wasn't ready to stop eating like this because I felt so damn good. I also found the afternoons to be the most challenging time of day while resetting. And I blame the kids. They come home from school and just start snacking. A goldfish has never looked so good. Knowing that this is a tough time, I saved a few of my afternoon “snacks” (the afternoon latte and the OMG Cookie Butter) for the time when the kids came home so I could be “snacking” while they were snacking.
Kroma serves as an elimination diet. The food is clean and carefully sourced. There is no cane sugar, no fillers, no dairy, no gluten, no GMO’s. And everything is organic. When you are only eating the cleanest, most digestible foods and then reintroduce other foods back into your diet, you can really see what and how certain foods affect your body. And from there, you can decide how to alter your everyday diet to bring back all those good feelings you had while on the reset.
So let’s get to those feelings and why I do this. The results are probably why you are reading this blog post in the first place. From day one, I just felt lighter and more comfortable on the reset. I had no stomach discomfort or bloating, which I usually get from food as the day goes on. While losing weight wasn’t my top priority, I did lose about three pounds on the reset. Now I know I won’t keep those 3 pounds away because they left so fast, but it is motivation to keep eating this way. I went right from my reset to wearing a bathing suit on vacation. I felt more confident in my bathing suit, and I noticed that my muscles were more defined… but that could have been due to my more sun- kissed skin! Another huge effect I felt while on the reset was the calming effect these foods had on me. It’s no surprise when you look at the ingredient list which includes foods that intentionally calm your mind, like Ashwagandha. But there is also something very soothing about sipping your meals. I mean, you really cannot eat soup in a rush. And it's a welcomed change to my usual, hasty meal times.
For me, the whole point of doing a reset is to carry some of what I learn into my everyday life. I don’t want that reset feeling to end. And it doesn’t have to when you can continue to eat (or not eat) some of what you ate on the reset. For one, I am going to focus on eating less sugar. I can do this by choosing unsweetened non dairy milks (and probably not ever drinking oat milk again). I plan to eat berries when I need something sweet instead of the gummy candies I usually go for. When I am craving something salty, sipping on a savory broth will do the trick. I also cooked some very clean, protein-loaded meals while I was on the reset, and I plan to eat more dinners like that. A favorite of mine was a blend of ground turkey, kale, zucchini and avocado, served over quinoa… chef’s kiss!
With Kroma, you can buy all of the components of the reset separately in order to make them part of your everyday life. So here is what is in my Kroma shopping cart after the reset:
The Beauty Matcha Latte because while I already drink matcha every morning, this one is loaded with so many extras that make my body look and feel its best. And why shouldn’t I get more out of my morning cup?
The Super Porridge because I often struggle with knowing what to eat for breakfast if I don’t feel like making eggs. The porridge (like all of the packets) is so easy to prepare — just add water or non dairy milk. It’s the perfect amount of nutrition for someone who doesn’t always feel hungry in the morning but needs the energy without the sugar for a morning workout.
The Chicken Broth because it tastes so delicious. Like I said, I plan to sip on it at the times I am craving something savory. And I plan to make it into more of a meal by adding chicken, greens like spinach or escarole, and those surprisingly yummy kelp noodles.
The Fasting Tea because I shocked myself by looking forward to this cup every night. I am not a tea drinker and have never been but this tea is different. It’s light and fragrant and has this crave-worthy sweet aftertaste that made me make two cups on some nights. The tea also promotes healthy digestion and eases cravings. I am an evening snacker, so if there is something beneficial that can occupy me instead of reaching for the kids’ snacks, I’m all for it.
And the OMG Cookie Butter would be on this list if I thought I could control myself and not eat the whole jar in one sitting. But I can’t, so I am not getting it this time. Maybe you have more will power than I do!
If you are interested in trying the Kroma reset or at least some of the Kroma products, use my code BROOKE15 for 15% off all Kroma products. After doing this reset, I have a feeling that 2025 is going to be the healthiest, most satisfying year yet!
*This post contains links that are commissionable for me, at no cost to you. Rest assure that I only write about products I genuinely use and love and that will never change!