This year, amongst my laundry list of new year's resolutions which include learning Spanish and completing 30 days of yoga, I've taken on a 30-day cleanse. Mine is:
* gluten-free
* dairy-free
* alcohol-free (gasp! I may have to make an exception for my birthday)
* sugar-free (uh ... at least trying)
* low caffeine (oh, sweet aeropress, I will see you in a month)
* And complete will an assortment of supplements, teas, juices and exercise
To each their own, but if you are attempting a cleanse this January, here are a few tips to get started:
1. Determine the rules
Figure out how long you are going to cleanse, what you are subtracting or adding to your diet, if you are focusing on cleansing a particular part of your body (digestive, liver, etc.).
2. Clear the Cupboard
Take a survey and remove all the items that you are not suppose to consume during your cleanse. Give them away to a friend or, if they aren't perishable, store them somewhere out of sight until your cleanse is through.
3. Plan ahead
Look up recipes that fit your cleanse. Go to the store ahead of time and pick up the necessary ingredients. I also signed up for a CSA during the course of my cleanse so I'll have fresh, organic, local produce delivered to my door. No excuse!
4. Pack your own snacks
Too often when you are hungry, it's easy to grab those chips or cookies or pasta or [fill in the blank] that are sure to spoil your cleanse. Be sure to carry around cleanse-approved snacks to avoid falling off the wagon.
5. Drink lots of water
Your body is going need to help flushing out all those toxins, so drink up and stay hydrated throughout your cleanse.
For those of you not cleansing this January, excuse the healthy recipes for the next month and wish me luck. Happy New Years, everyone!
Update: Today's Day #12 on the cleanse. And now that I am about to post a recipe that sort of breaks the rules (does real maple syrup count the same as processed sugar?), I have to be honest, I haven't entirely stuck to the cleanse.
ReplyDeleteI've been doing dairy-free, gluten-free pretty well. I've had my weak moments with coffee, which included sugar and creamer. Sigh. I've had wine, twice, and the prospects of this week don't seem to look like I'm going to be able to keep that one up much longer. But! Ultimately, I'm eating more fresh vegetables, drinking lots more water and tea, taking my supplements and actually feeling pretty good. So ... damn, I'm not getting down on myself. I'm just telling you like it is.