If you’ve ever tried to lose weight – and let’s be honest here, most of us have – you’ve probably come across the idea of detox diets. A detox diet aims to cleanse toxins from your system, so it’s ready to receive all the new, wholesome goodness you’ll be choosing next.
Sounds great, right?
Yes and no.
Yes, because it can be an amazing way to kickstart your health journey – when done correctly.
NO, if you get lured into gimmicks like the ‘all pills, no food’ detox diets you see do often. These can be useless, or even dangerous.
So how should you be detoxing before a weight loss program?
Detox diet revamp – the metabolic reboot
Ditch the detox gimmicks and start your journey off the right way, with a metabolic reboot.
A metabolic reboot embraces all the positive benefits of a detox done well, while continuing to fuel your body with simple, low-inflammatory foods rich in nutrients. This gives your body the chance to expel toxins, heavy metals and waste in a way that is healthy and productive.
Over the course of five to ten days (depending on your circumstances and toxin loads) you’ll have the chance to give your organs a break while detoxifying your whole internal system. This will help you address imbalances to your carbohydrate intake that may be holding you back from losing weight and experiencing wellness. It will also increase your basal metabolic rate significantly if you commit fully to the process.
What a great way to incorporate new healthy habits into your journey to fitness, wellness, and optimal health!
How do toxins get into our bodies?
As we go through life, we accumulate toxins in our bodies.
This can be as a result of normal bodily functions – for example, the production of ammonia as the body breaks down protein. It can also happen as a result of exposure to:
- Food additives
- Pesticides
- Drugs
- Air pollution
- Water contamination e.g. Metals
- Household cleaners
- Cigarette smoke
- Heavy metals
- Compounds in the food we eat
- Substances in plastic bottles and containers
And many more!
It can be really scary when you start to think about all the possible sources of contamination for our bodies, BUT the great news is that there are so many things we can do about it.
A periodic metabolic reboot is one – and this is especially important before a weight loss program, because you’ll be losing fat from your body so you’ll want to flush out any toxins that were stored in the fat first.
Benefits of a metabolic reboot
During the process of detoxifying your body, toxins will transform into compounds that are easier for the body to remove, such as urine and stool.
The obvious benefits of this are that these nasty toxins and metals will no longer be messing with your wellbeing. As a result of this, you could see a multitude of benefits, including:
- The increase in your basal metabolic rate will help fuel easier weight loss
- Reduced oxidative stress (the nasty process that researchers have linked to everything from the development of chronic health conditions to premature aging)
- Boosted immune function
- More balanced hormones
- Better utilisation of the nutrients you put in
- Improved digestion
- More energy
- Clearer, brighter skin
- Fresher breath
- Less muscle pain
- Banishing the ‘brain fog’
What are the basic principles of a metabolic reboot?
There are a number of steps to a successful metabolic reboot – refer to your copy of The Healthy Habit Handbook for full details.
But there are a number of basic principles you should look out for in any worthwhile ‘detox’ diet.
- Make sure you eat only high-quality, nutrient-dense foods during the detoxification process. These should preferably be organic and contain all the essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants your body needs to successfully flush toxins.
- Drink lots of water. This will help draw the toxins out of your body and flush them away.
- Eat enough high-fibre foods. Similar to water, fibre will help move toxins out of your body more effectively.
- Supplement your diet with a good polyphenol-rich supplement. Polyphenols are naturally found in seeds, skins and peels of fruit and vegetables, and unsurprisingly we don’t get enough of them while eating a typical Western diet. These powerhouses are so important, however. They help maintain balance in the gut, boosting numbers of healthy gut bacteria.
- Train yourself to breathe through your nose. Breathing incorrectly can lead to fatigue, poor digestion, and reduced productivity. By breathing through your nose and maintaining the correct oral posture, you can increase the amount of oxygen available to your body. Learn how to do it here and here.
What’s next?
After your successful metabolic reboot, you’re ready to take on the world!
It’s time to learn how to optimise your health and fitness journey to make sure you get the maximum benefit from all your efforts.
To get everything you need to support you in this super exciting, life-changing period of your life, choose your ideal Pathway here.
