Doing a detox, especially for the first time, is a guaranteed life-changer. I’ve done many detoxes over the years, and each time I walk away with a newer, refreshing outlook on myself, my eating behaviors, how I look, and how I feel. And yet, it’s also challenging.
Although I love the end results, including clearer skin, weight loss, more energy, better digestion, to name a few, undoubtedly I have to psyche myself up to do one every time.
Some detoxes are more like fasts, and allow for no solid foods for the duration, while others follow the tenets of clean eating only such as lean, organic proteins, organic veggies, no-sugar added juices, and certain herbs and spices.
For someone who’s used to eating whatever they want whenever they want, it feels more like a diet than a detox! Can you relate? There is one fundamental difference though that makes all the difference.
Dieting is intended for weight loss only, whereas detoxing works throughout multiple body systems to promote healthy gut, liver and immune function, with weight loss being an added side benefit. Lasting an average of 3-10 days, detoxing doesn’t negatively impact metabolism either the same way long-term dieting does.
All that being said, changing your diet, whether it’s for dieting or a detox, can seem daunting, particularly if you use food to relieve boredom, soothe depression, manage anger, or overcome loneliness. In other words, if you’re an emotional eater and have yet to break your destructive eating habits, modifying your diet in any way would seem less than exciting.
The good news is, doing a detox can help, because it not only detoxes out harmful toxins from your kidneys, liver, spleen, and everywhere else, but it detoxes out negative emotions too plus makes you more aware of how often you eat when you’re really not hungry for actual food and can help you break emotional eating patterns.
If detoxing is something you’re about to embark on, whether you’re a newbie and old pro, I’ve discovered seven surefire ways to psyche yourself up to do a detox, which are:
1. See It As Surgery
You’d never not follow doctor’s orders after surgery, which is exactly how you should see a detox, because it is that serious. If done often enough, detoxing is a highly preventative way to avoid disease down the road, therefore eating according to protocol during a detox is as necessary as following protocol after surgery.
2. Do Your Research
Just a few years ago, hardly anyone knew what a GMO was. My, how things have changed! Genetically modified foods, thanks to the US government and their alliance with Monsanto, have allowed GMO’s to become more mainstream than ever.
As a result, detoxing has become even more critical. No one is immune from toxins, no matter how perfect your diet is, and the only way to rid yourself of deadly toxins like GMO’s is to detox. Isn’t that cause enough?
3. Focus On The Results
Who doesn’t want glowing skin, a smaller waistline, mental clarity, more energy, and the list goes on? I’d say everyone! Which can and does happen as a result of detoxing, minus the mental anguish of thinking all of your favorite foods are forbidden forever.
Detoxes aren’t meant to last for months on end, however the benefits do. Even one as short as only a few days can reap long-term results that last all year long!
4. Use Sticky Notes
A great easy way to psyche yourself up to do a detox is to post sticky notes wherever you’ll see them often! Write down affirmations, encouraging words and pictures of how you’ll look when the detox is done. Put them on your bathroom mirror, fridge or kitchen cabinets. Virtually any place you know you won’t miss them, even as far in advance as a few weeks!
5. If Weight Loss Is Your Thing You’re In Luck
Although detoxes aren’t meant to be diets, undoubtedly you’ll lose weight. You can’t help it! Detoxing releases stored toxins from fat tissue, which is a main cause of excess weight, therefore it only makes sense that once toxins are released, weight goes right along with them.
6. Eating Becomes Easier
Believe it or not, although you’re temporarily banned from certain foods, eating becomes much easier when you detox, because there’s less confusion about what to eat. When you’re restricted to only eating what’s on the detox, there’s no questioning what’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner, which eliminates the tirade of trying to figure out what to eat in the first place!
7. Detoxing Doesn’t Require Counting Anything
As with dieting, detoxing rarely requires weighing or measuring food, or you, which is a relief in a world where numbers mean everything. Counting calories or points or anything else doesn’t matter when you detox. All that does matter is that you eat, breathe and live according to the detox until it’s done, which doesn’t even have to be a very long time at all to guarantee an amazing outcome.
The benefits of detoxing far outweigh any perceived benefits to dieting no matter how you look at it. The only real benefit to dieting is weight loss, which automatically happens when you detox anyway, plus a whole lot more. Once you break the diet mentality, which is often an effect that naturally accompanies detoxing too, you’ll never look at detoxing – or food – the same way again.
