Ah, the Christmas feast is behind you and so too (we hope) is the increased desire to squeeze in extra helpings of sugar, butter, cream, and cheese into every dish you placed on your table. Now that you’re over the holiday hump and want to get rid of the bloat, it’s time to get back on the health bandwagon and quickly too.
But how?
Doing a detox may be the cool buzz-worthy thing after a weekend of indulgence but the truth is, your body is set up to take care of the process on its own via a variety of systems. Extra help never hurts though. And there are some ways you can pitch in to help it perform, including one you may not have explicitly thought of: exercise.
If you’re you’re feeling full and bloated, here’s what you can do to detox right now!
Gift Yourself A Mini Detox
Meals full of an assortment of meats followed by alcohol tend to create a very acidic environment in the body, which can leave you feeling uncomfortable, full and bloated. If your jeans are feeling extra tight on the tummy, begin with alkalizing your body to optimize your system’s functions. Squeeze half a fresh lemon in some room temperature water. Be sure to have one to two glasses a day. Your first glass should be as soon as you awake. Alternately, you can slice a quarter of a cucumber and add a sprig of fresh mint to a tall glass of water.
You’re probably experiencing a carb coma especially if you have opted for seconds at Christmas lunch and dessert all weekend long. To turbo charge your metabolism, grate half a finger of fresh ginger into a cup of boiling water with either a white or green tea bag. Sip this brew slowly 2- 3 times a day.
It’s time to put your digestive system in recovery mode. Avoid heavy meals, as well as bread, pasta, rice & salt for the next few days. Have a fresh salad and fruit to increase your fiber intake and help eliminate the holiday happy meals. I usually include a digestive enzyme tablet after every meal to ensure that my body is breaking down the food well and extracting all the best nutrients possible from my intake.
No more juices or sodas! Reduce your coffee consumption. Coffee is very acidic so limit yourself to 1 cup of freshly brewed black coffee. To refresh your body the simple and effective way, drink 8-10 glasses of water throughout the day. I like to think of it as giving your intestines a good bath!
Go Green
You’ve promised yourself to ‘Go Green’ for the New Year but now is the perfect time to introduce the green smoothie to add that extra oomph of healthiness to your mini detox.
Blend/juice any 7 of the items below and consume within 24hrs
I cup spinach
1 handful swiss chard
1 handful of mint
1 handful of well- washed kale
1 green apple
3 celery stalks
1 cucumber
1 finger of ginger
1 lemon squeezed
Remember re-booting your system begins with a nutritional re-set. A clean body works far more efficiently at burning calories.
Get Moving
Do not stop, do not pass go! Get off the couch, put on your track shoes and head out! The idea is burn off some of the calories that you have put in. So you can opt for a walk or walk/run around your neighbourhood or the nearest park. If your gym is open – Go! Hit the treadmill and go for a 2 to 3 mile walk or run. Try to stay on for at least 40 mins. For an extra challenge, add a little bit of incline along the way. Outdoor Cycling or Spin class is also a great choice for a high calorie burn.
If you are housebound, there is no excuse! Pull out your computer and select any of these post-holiday work-outs that you can do in your own living room.
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness
http://www.shape.com/topics/home-workouts
Don’t wait till the NEW YEAR to commit to a healthier lifestyle. Start your detox today, in the present, it’s the best gift you can give to yourself!
Happy Healthy Holidays!
