Detox

 

There might be a day when something so new, some break through in science or revolutionary new idea comes around, but it’s not today. Today, I’m going to re-enforce what you probably already know and don’t want to hear and hopefully, make a strong enough impact that you actually DO something different….today.

I hope you do something that is basic and simple and boring and will give you the best results!

Juicing and “detox” plans are everywhere and I have to say that I am not a huge fan of the typical juice and detox plans that are  floating around.

Cayenne pepper and maple syrup? Come on! That one’s been around for years and I’ve seen many people drink this concoction for days, lose a few pounds of water and puff back up.

Most detox plans equal nothing more than a prolonged laxative effect. Meaning that you feel “cleansed” and lighter, but it’s not TRULY “cleaning you out”.

Having regular bowel movements is important (Paul Chek of the Chek Institute even has pictures and names of different types of poops in his book How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy!) and if you really want to detox, you need to be eating in a way that does it daily.

Here’s a good start:

#1 Water – I know you are tired of hearing about how much water you need to drink.

But do you know why every fitness professional, magazine and website tell you to drink water?

Because it’s important!

So drink a LOT, and first thing in the morning is a great time to start. Squeeze some fresh lemon in your water, too. Lemon helps balance out you pH level (more so than limes).

While you have been asleep all night your body is still working hard,  repairing itself, filtering out toxins and doing other processes. All these functions take water and you are not taking any water in at this time, so that means by the time you wake up you are already slightly dehydrated.

Before you make your digestive system have to start working again on coffee and creamer, etc., down a big glass of water with lemon.

That is the first daily thing you can do to detox.

By the way, if you are dehydrated (and most people are), burning fat is the last thing your body will do. If you want to detox in the hopes of shedding fat, you must, must, must get enough water – daily!

#2 – Eat Your Vegetables, especially dark green leafy ones.

You are what you eat and dark green leafy vegetables are powerhouses!

They are loaded with vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, phytonutrients.

Some detoxing vegetables include cilantro, cabbage, cucumber, asparagus, red onions, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, watercress. Find ways to incorporate these vegetables into your meals.

Eat your vegetables. And every meal is a nice frequency.

Start with breakfast. Water saute up some spinach and kale, throw in some egg whites and and egg and viola…there’s one serving of leafy greens that you can check off!

#3 –Cut Out The Junk -A few lines ago (and in last week’s newsletter) I said you are what you eat.

Just like dark green leafy vegetables can make you a superhuman, eating a ton of processed crappy foods can make you, well,……less than
superhuman.

Junk and processed foods  will make you tired, weak, foggy brained, anxious and lethargic. So STOP already!

Things you will do well to limit or eliminate:

Caffeine (2 cups per day max),
Sugar
Alcohol
Dairy -no more than 2 servings a day (if at all)

Consider dropping altogether:

Corn
Soy
Grains

Some other steps to “detox” are

#4. Get 8-9 hours of sleep

#5. Dry Brush Your Body
Here’s an interesting article about the why, how and what of dry brushing” http://www.vega-licious.com/benefits-of-dry-brushing-your-skin-detox/

#6 Sweat!
Especially by exercising with great intensity. (you can also do a sauna – in addition to the exercise)

If you are a woman who says “I don’t sweat/perspire, etc. when I exercise” than please call me! I can help you solve that “problem!”

To wrap it up, I know this may not sound as exciting as the ad for that super cleanse you saw on Facebook, but it’s the REAL, natural way to detox.

If you don’t gunk up your body in the first place you won’t need to do those every once in a while gimmicks that make you real aware of where every toilet in the building is.

And lets be real, those “Miracle Detox Diets” are NOT REAL weight loss solutions. They give you a short lived feeling of “lightness”.

Commit to sticking to what’s real.

Real food, lots of water and effective workouts….that’s how you detox!

Since September and Back-To-School  is just as popular as New Year’s Resolutions, I’ll be back with some more REAL detox friendly stuff to kick off the back-to-school fitness rehab season!