Nowadays, more and more people are becoming interested in staying in shape, eating clean and maintaining an overall healthy and sustainable lifestyle. Diets and detox sessions are a big part of that. In fact, the latter have surpassed fad status and become ingrained in our habits. But just how effective can drinking green juices for one week straight be?
According to an article on holistic detox published by www.soundbodylife.com, truly cleansing your body from harmful substances is an intricate process. It involves balancing your entire life so that you achieve a cleaner, more sustainable lifestyle. For this reason, you will need to find the perfect equilibrium between your meals.
Cleansing through Diet
Going on a juice cleanse is thus not a good way to go about things. Not only does it deprive your body of essential nutrients, but it is also ineffective in the long run because you will mostly shed water weight, then be back to your old antics in no time at all. Adopting a full meal plan is the best approach, such as Cosmopolitan’s 7-day cleansing diet.
The focus should be on combining detoxifying smoothies and juices with organic dishes prepared with the best ingredients. This maintains your well-being, while at the same time promoting weight loss and cleansing the body of impurities. All in all, it’s a major win on all fronts, so why not try it next week?
Day 1
Start the day off with a bang by drinking an antioxidant-packed red smoothie made from red grapes, carrots, health-beneficial beetroot and mixed seeds. Add yogurt and honey for texture and enjoy. Enjoy a spinach and avocado salad at lunch complete with walnuts and balsamic vinegar as dressing, then have an apple for an afternoon snack.
If you’re feeling extra nibbly, a handful of unsalted peanuts should do the trick and regulate your blood sugar levels until dinner time. This curbs cravings and prevents you from binge eating. End the day with a refreshing bowl of tabbouleh vegetables to boost your immune system and keep you satiated.
Day 2
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As day two of your cleanse starts, the red smoothie is still your best friend. Then, as lunchtime nears, prepare a hearty bowl of Moroccan chickpea and vegetable soup. The onions and garlic in it stimulate both the immune system and the metabolism. Keep your afternoon snack on the same note by indulging in some unsalted nuts. Pair them with a satsuma.
End the day with some bio yogurt tzatziki and crudités. Due to the live bacterial cultures in the yogurt, your immune system will be boosted. Furthermore, it will also help speed up your digestion, which flushes toxins out of the body more efficiently. Red pepper, carrot, and celery sticks make the perfect refreshing addition.
Day 3
To mix things up, make your morning smoothie green this time. Blend together peeled kiwi, green grapes, spinach, watercress and mixed seeds. Add bio yogurt for texture and water to thin. Yesterday’s Moroccan soup is today’s lunch still, and the afternoon snack will follow. Pair the nuts with a red apple for this afternoon’s invigorating snack.
Crudités are still your best friend come dinner time, but use hummus dip this time around. Adding some lemon juice and coriander to the chickpea paste brings a hefty dose of vitamin C to the table, while at the same time giving the entire meal a refreshing citrusy zing. Season lightly with salt and pepper to bring out the flavors even more, and you’ve got yourself a meal.
Day 4
Enjoy your deep green smoothie in the morning, then for lunch prepare another fresh salad. This time around, use bean sprouts and broccoli for a boost of protein and beneficial enzymes. Snack on unsalted nuts and fruit, then finish the day with a grilled salmon fillet rich in omega-3 fatty acids and a side dish of lightly sautéed spinach.
Day 5
Tired of smoothies? It’s time for a change. Day five’s breakfast brings bio yogurt and a fruit cup of grapefruit, kiwi, ripe pear and mixed seeds. Potassium-rich celery and leek soup is the ideal lunch on Friday, followed by the customary nut and apple snack. In the evening, enjoy a flavorful pepper, almond and ginger stir fry complete with bean sprouts.
The vitamin C and E in your dinner dish leave your skin feeling rejuvenated and plump, while ginger works wonders on the immune system. When you are looking to detox through diet, the ingredients you use and their properties should always be on the top of your list of concerns for the day.
Day 6
Now that the weekend’s here, another breakfast treat awaits. On Saturday, enjoy a bowl of apples and muesli to keep your cravings at bay come lunch time. Then, round two of yesterday’s soup will follow. Have your snack, then end the day with a light, yet tangy orange, radicchio, and almond salad topped with a spicy vinegar and mustard dressing.
Day 7
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If you’ve gotten to day seven, a round of applause is in order. You are officially entering the last day of your cleanse, which means that come tomorrow your diet won’t be as restrictive. Nevertheless, you should ideally keep eating as healthy as you have been during the past week so that you maintain your results and improve upon them.
As for the day’s menu, start off like yesterday with some apple muesli, then it’s time for day two’s dinner to become your lunch. After that, you will have your usual snack. For dinner, prepare a delicious salad with lentils, red pepper, butternut squash, broccoli, and rice, steamed. Use soy sauce as dressing for some delicious flavor.
Bottom Line
Although weight loss trends promote juice and tea cleanses, the secret actually lies in a balanced diet. By eating varied, colorful and flavorful meals prepared from the best organic ingredients, you will undoubtedly achieve the best possible results. All you need is a bit of imagination and a lot of discipline.
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RD Neha Kava
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