Detox diets - we’ve all heard of them. Most of us have done one, or maybe a few! The lemon-cayenne pepper detox is probably the originator of them all. I know I did it for 3 days myself back in college. I went in like most do, thinking it’s the way to jump start my weight loss journey and get on track. And yes, to a degree it did just that. But the second I made it through those 3 days and 5lbs down, I chowed down on some pizza. By the next morning, I was at 2lbs less then my weight before I started the diet. I’m sure you’ve all experienced this. A moment of “YES! I did it!” followed by disappointment.
This is normal, because it is a DETOX. That means it’s purpose is not to get rid of fat, but rather to cleanse, and rid your body of disease-causing toxins. If you are not taking in solid food, then you will certainly lose weight. There is literally less mass inside your body and therefore, you will weigh less. That’s just logic.
Instead of focusing on the scale as the indicator of success in your detox, pay attention to the way you feel. Do you feel lighter? Do you feel less bloated? Do you feel more energetic? These are the questions you should be asking. And from there you can start fresh with your nutrition and overall eating habits. If you are trying to drop fat and increase your overall health then you should be using your detox as a tool in order to clear your body and intestines of unwanted junk, and use that as a springboard into eating like you should be eating all the time: eating clean proteins and veggies.
You may not like this saying, but what I tell all my clients is, “If you can grow it or if you can kill it, then you can eat it.” It’s as simple as that.
Check out my last blog about My Essential Liquids (my “I can’t live without these” liquids).