I used to be on a mission to lose weight and be skinny.

I felt like I tried everything under the sun to have the body of my dreams. From cleanses to detox programs, nothing seemed to work. I never felt 100% fulfilled.

Once I started learning about nutrition and my own body, I learned that our bodies always try to stay in balance. They want to be healthy, well, and function properly.

Depriving myself of good, healthy food wasn’t exactly helping me out. It just dragged me down. I knew that these cleanses just had to go!

Long story short, my life did a total 180! I looked and felt so much better, and I didn’t have to starve or juice to get that way. Now that I finally GET the whole detox thing, I want to share with you exactly what it is.

So, sit back, forget everything you thought you knew about detoxing and enjoy the ride…

DEMYSTIFYING DETOXING

The first step in getting a happy body that functions properly is cleansing and detoxifying. Detoxing is merely a systematic approach to helping your body remove toxins stored in its fat, tissues, and organs.

Gone are the days of the Master Cleanse. You know… fasting, drinking a weird concoction of spicy lemonade, headaches, emergency bathroom runs, crankiness, and all of those other unpleasant things.

These methods are only quick fixes that won’t work for you long term. Simply put, detoxing isn’t what you think it is!

OKAY, SO WHAT IS DETOXING REALLY?

I define detoxing as “lifestyle changes that reduce the exposure of toxins while nourishing and supporting the body’s abilities to improve digestion and elimination.”

Simple, right?

You see, detoxing doesn’t mean juicing yourself to oblivion or making weird drinks that promise to flush out your system.

These methods are cheap, quick fixes, and can do more harm than good to your awesome body. They frankly don’t work.

HERE’S WHAT YOU SHOULD DO TO KICK-START YOUR DETOX

• Eat whole, plant-based foods. This means no processed foods and nothing that comes in a can or a box. So those protein bars, granola bars, and canned fruits have got to go.
• Buy organic. Conventionally grown foods are covered with pesticides and other toxins, which makes detoxing pointless. Buying organic food ensures that you won’t be digesting these pesky pesticides or harming your body.
• Drink lots of water. Have as many glasses of water as you can a day and make sure it’s filtered water, so you’re drinking the cleanest.

Water is one of the easiest ways you can start flushing out your system because it’s so readily available. Not only does it clean your body, but it keeps you hydrated, manages your weight, and can give you clearer skin!

As a bonus tip, have a warm cup of water with some freshly squeezed lemon in the morning to get a jumpstart on your detox. It’s healthy AND refreshing!

DON’T FORGET YOUR PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS!

• Avoid toxic chemicals in your care products. Unfortunately, we’re surrounded by chemicals, but you can reduce your exposure to these toxins by buying products with natural ingredients in them. They get the job done just as well without hurting your body OR the environment.

Bonus tip: Check out the app “Healthy Living” by the Environmental Working Group. It’ll help you easily scan products and learn more about their ingredients.

As you start making better choices about the food you eat and how you live, use your body’s clues to observe the changes that are taking place.

As you can see, I said nothing about starving yourself or limiting yourself to only juices or shakes for days at a time.

Those gimmicks don’t work long-term.

Changes in your diet and lifestyle can trigger all kinds of reactions, so remember to be patient and observe the process. What, at first, is out of the ordinary, may quickly turn and become a new state of calm, control, and clarity, unlike anything you’ve experienced.

LITTLE STEPS = BIG CHANGES

Remember, transforming how you eat and think is a whole-body lifestyle change.

It’s not a “lose weight fast” technique, a “magic bullet” or a program you follow for seven days and then go right back to your old ways.

If you eat clean food and exercise regularly, but then return to your old habits, you are only putting a Band-Aid on the problem rather than fixing it.

Your hard work will be for nothing.

My goal for you is to show you how wonderful your life can honestly be.

Show you how healthy you can feel, how much energy you can have, how better your skin and hair can look, and how easy it is to maintain your ideal weight.

As you start implementing some of these suggestions and start experiencing some of these incredible benefits, you won’t want to go back to your life as you know it today!