I have had A LOT of people asking me about detoxing lately ... must have something to do with spring cleaning! ;)
As of the writing of this post, I have only ever completed short detoxes. I have done a 3-day detox three times (so far) - August 2014, November 2014, and February 2015. I did the exact same detox each time, with very different experiences.
The first and third time, I had great success with the program, I was able to stick with it no problem - I wasn't hungry, I wasn't cranky, I felt great and my cravings were GONE. I also lost 2.5-3 pounds and all of the bloat in my stomach.
The second time I did the detox was such a completely different experience. I did not even complete the detox! I made it through the first day, but was irritable and unsatisfied. I entered day 2 with a headache, and by lunch time I caved and order a salad from the beloved restaurant next door to my office. I did not even bother getting back on it.
How is this possible you ask? Well, I carefully evaluated my experiences and realized that I did things my first and third time that I didn't do my second time. So, here are my Detox Dos and Don'ts.
DO: Research what kind of "detox" you want to do. Do you want something short and sweet or something longer and more comprehensive? Do you want a complete liquid detox or do you still want to be able to eat raw foods or do you just want to remove irritants? Ask your friends what worked for them, consult a wellness coach, even google it, but make sure you are selecting something that is right for YOU.
DON'T: Commit to starting a cleanse just because someone else is doing it, you think you "need" to, or any other asinine societal reason. Do a detox when YOU are ready to cleanse your body and feel better.
DO: Schedule your detox when you have some "down time" in your life. You will want some space during your detox because it will not just cleanse your body, all that emotional stuff is going to come out too.
DON'T: Commit to dinners, parties, or other "food-based" events during your detox unless you know you will be able to not partake in the food at these events. Do not sabotage yourself. If the event can wait, schedule for a different time. If it cannot wait, consider moving your detox date.
DO: Prepare for your detox - physically, mentally, emotionally. Physically prepare by getting all the food and supplements you may need and doing all the "meal prep" in advance so you don't even have to look at anything during your detox - you just select a bag or a box. Prepare mentally by setting up a schedule and advising others that you are doing the detox. Prepare emotionally by understanding that you will be more emotional during the cleanse. I suggest setting aside some personal time each day of your detox for a little reflection.
DON'T: Skimp on the preparation or do it day by day. If it is short enough (3-5 days) do all the prep work in advance so you are not tempted. If it is longer, do all the prep work 1-2 times a week.
DO: Follow the cleanse to a T! If you want the promised results, then follow the protocol. Most importantly, drink ALL the recommended water, take all the supplements, and eat what and when you are supposed to.
DON'T: Try to do intense workouts. Skip the HIIT and heavy weight lifting. Your body is working hard from the inside out. Do not over stress it.
DO: Some light stretching, yoga, and/or meditation. This is good for both your body and your mind.
DON'T: Ignore your body. If you need to break the detox, you need to break the detox. Your body will tell you what it needs.
DO: Have a post-detox plan. Know how you will alter your lifestyle after detoxifying your body. Don’t celebrate your achievement with giant piece of cake. Think of the cleanse period as a way to jumpstart healthier behaviors. Aim to maintain these habits rather than slide back into old ways.
If you want some more advice on detoxing or if you want recommendations for a detox that might be right for you, please feel free to contact me at kasey.phillips@gmail.com.
