Do you want to lose weight fast so that you can rock that bikini this summer or fit into a Christmas frock? Has a “detox” crossed your mind as a quick way of losing that weight and getting healthy?
A detox does seem to be a popular way of “cleansing” your body of toxins and there is no shortage of them out there for you to spend your money on. But, is a detox for you? Personally, I would rather buy a new pair of shoes or a new dress!
Most of the detoxes suggest that you cut out certain foods / food groups. Or cut out food all together for a few days or a week. If this type of thing works for you and you get results then go for it! It’s not something that I would be successful doing. There is no way that I could not eat for days on end and only drink my daily intake. That being said, I do think that many of us over eat. Portions too big, boredom eating, emotional eating or even eating when not hungry just because it’s time to eat.
So, back to a detox. Your body actually does a great job of detoxifying itself each day through the liver and kidneys. Do we put too much extra pressure on these organs? I do think that sometimes yes we do .. think alcohol, caffeine, processed foods. Could we “lighten the load” on our body? Definitely! This is one of the best ways to give your body a detox. Your body is a wonderful machine that is capable of rebuilding, renewing and replacing its cells and “detoxing” on its own. All you have to do is feed your body with everything it needs to do that! Ultimately there is no diet or detox on the market that will do what getting back to basics eating can do!
The information I have provided below is a basic way to detox / cleanse your body .. it’s really just getting back to basics with your diet and choosing more healthful foods. This information is not meant to replace that which your health professional recommends ( I’m not a nutritionist or dietician ), however it is a guide for how to lighten the load on your body and kick start your healthy eating routine and help eliminate some foods that really do add pressure to your already hard working body.
Some everyday habits to get you started …
- Start the day with the juice of 1/2 a lemon squeezed into warm water. Wait 20 minutes before having breakfast.
A few of the benefits of drinking lemon juice in warm water …
Getting your metabolism started for the day
Helps improve immune system
Helps clear the skin
May help relieve constipation
- Aim for at least 8 hours sleep each night. This will allow your body to repair and rebuild cells and refresh you!
- Get out and get moving! Aim for 30 minutes of activity at least 4 – 5 times per week.
- Ensure you are drinking a minimum of 2l of water each day. This does not include tea, coffee etc. What helps every process in your body so get a glass of water now!
Healthy Eating guidelines
- Include LOTS of fresh vegetables especially green leafy ones, veg for snacks is a great way to get more into your day
- Include 2 small serves of fruit each day, however avoid dried fruit ( way too easy to over eat! )
- Include 100g – 120g chicken or white fish as your lean protein
- Limit red meat to one serve for the week
- Avoid all processed meats
- Avoid bread, pasta, cous cous etc .. small serves occasionally are fine, however these are easy to over eat and can lead to bloating, so avoid for a little while
- Allow yourself a small serve of quinoa or brown rice twice throughout the week
- If you feel you need carbohydrates, choose sweet potato with your meal
- Limit dairy to one or two small serves a day
- Avoid alcohol and fruit juice
- Limit yourself to one coffee / tea per day. Preferably black no sugar. If you really want, ditch the coffee for a few weeks.
- Green tea / white tea is fine
- Avoid ALL processed foods
- Avoid sugar, refined or otherwise. Check labels for ingredients ending in “ose” as this is just more sugar. A small amount of honey or maple syrup is OK
- Avoid all cakes, biscuits, lollies, chocolates etc ( I know, all the yummy stuff! )
- Limit your intake of nuts to 2 small servings per week .. while these aren’t a bad snack, it’s so easy to overeat these so portion them out!
Again, these are just some guidelines to follow to help you break the cycle of unhealthy food choices and overeating. It may require some preparation and planning on your part but this is a great habit to get into and your health will definitely benefit from sticking with these guidelines.
If you feel hungry, you may need to drink some more water, or you may need to increase your veg or protein intake. Shock horror, you may even need to add a few extra carbs to your meals.
So tell me, have you tried to “detox”? What did you do? Were you successful?
As I mentioned before I’m not a nutritionist or dietician and this is not meant to replace their professional advice. This is merely a guide as to what I personally do if I feel that I have been over eating or indulging too much. I get myself back into healthy eating habits.
If you have any questions please feel free to email me or come by and visit me on Facebook if you haven’t yet.
Stay Active, Stay Healthy!
Vic x
