Detox Your Body and Keep Weight Off Naturally

Detox Your Body and Keep Weight Off Naturally

Most of us have probably tried some fad diet or other trying to lose weight or stay at our ideal weight. Some of these diets can be extreme, while we give up others and go back to our previous unhealthy lifestyle. But what if you could keep that weight off naturally and give your body a helping hand just by detoxing?

A detox is not a cleanse

A detox is not the same thing as a cleanse. A cleanse is a way of helping your body recover from illness, a weekend of fast food, partying or late nights. A cleanse generally means staying on a regimen of fluids such as fruit or vegetable juices and water for one to three days. You can use a cleanse as a temporary fix, but it is not something you should do over a long period of time. It is far more sustainable to give your body a helping hand by adjusting your lifestyle instead.

Detox to help your body

Our bodies are designed to detox naturally, but sometimes they need a bit of help. If we think about our ancestors, they probably didn’t have access to chocolate bars, burgers, French fries and pizza or chemical additives to make sure their food stayed fresh for longer.

Modern life

Unfortunately, due to our modern lifestyles, we are confronted with unhealthy food and substances on a daily basis, not to mention a lack of exercise. When you are thinking of detoxing, the first step is to look at your daily diet and way of life to see what simple changes you can make.

Substitutes for a Healthy Detox

One of the easiest ways to help your body detox is to substitute one unhealthy item for a healthier option. In that spirit, we’ve compiled an easy list to give you some ideas.

- Replace your morning caffeinated coffee with decaffeinated varieties. You may want to take this step gradually as cutting out caffeine too quickly could give you a headache. A good tip is to make a jar with a blend of half caffeinated coffee grounds and half decaf grounds to gradually wean yourself off the caffeinated coffee. Any side effects do go away after a day or so, but this will make the process easier.

- Why not drink some lemon juice and honey first thing in the morning? This is a wonderful way to start your detox. The lemon juice will kickstart the detox, while the honey will give you some extra energy and enhance the lemon's taste.

- During the day, if you usually drink ordinary tea, why not experiment with some other teas? Green tea is popular, but if you're not a fan, try chamomile, herbal or rooibos. Also known as red bush, rooibos is a delightful tea from South Africa that is caffeine-free and low in tannin, so it is a great substitute for ordinary tea. You can make it with a dash of milk if desired.

- Don’t forget your water. One of the secrets of successful detoxing is to keep hydrated, and drinking good-quality water is the best way of increasing your hydration. Home filtered water is good, as is water that has been filtered from natural sources. There are many popular makes available, and the pure chemical-free flavor will make you think you are detoxing just by drinking it.

- If you are short on time, why not replace one meal a day, such as lunch, with a pre-made detox plan, such as this Basic Detox Kit? Formulated to give you all the nutrition you need, it will free you up for some other activities such as yoga, a calming afternoon walk in the park, or even a swim. 

- Try to enjoy a diet that sticks as close to natural foods as possible. Include yogurt, which will provide you with healthy probiotics; organic fruit and vegetables free from pesticides; and free-range chicken, turkey and eggs, which will help the detox process while providing daily protein.

- Have an uncooked serving of food such as a salad with your meal and include some fresh vegetables, nuts, seeds and a dressing of olive oil and lemon juice.

Just by changing a few things in your diet and adjusting your daily routine, you will be well on your way to detoxing your body, and you never know - it may just become a habit. That means you won’t feel the need to go back on one of those fad diets any time soon!