I know guys, I know. Me. The eternal Bon Vivant. Someone who’s never turned down a glass of wine or slice of cake in her life. Someone whose entire career has centered around food and drink. That’s right, me. I’m starting a detox diet. Who would have thought?! I’ve never encouraged anyone to deprive themselves of the things they love, especially not myself! So, why change now?!
Well, it’s no secret that I’ve been enjoying myself this summer with vacations, parties, wonderful meals, and plenty of wine. As summer winds down and I approach my next big birthday, I’ve started to feel the toll it’s all taken on my body! With an active and social lifestyle, I find that drinks, rich foods, and often lack of sleep are unavoidable. On top of all that, life’s daily stresses, makeups, and pollutants have added more and more toxins into my body. So, I have decided to undergo a radical change! From September 15th to October 15th, I’ll be doing Dr. Sara Gottfried’s Detox Challenge!
Have you heard of her Detox Challenge? It’s no piece of cake, but it’s been shown to balance hormones, double your energy, and boost metabolism in 30 days. I first learned about Dr. Gottfried when Flirting with Flavors catered the launch party of her book, The Hormone Cure. Since then, I’ve been amazed by her work. When I got an email prompting me to join her detox, I decided to take the plunge! So, for the next month, I’ll be updating you with my progress, how I’m feeling, what I’m eating, and detox-approved recipes! I’m so excited to take on this extreme challenge. I hope I can do it! The light at the end of this tunnel is my birthday, which strategically falls the day after I finish. You better believe I’ll be eating my WHOLE birthday cake this year!
These are some of the general guidelines of the challenge. There are daily routines to follow, foods to omit, foods to eat more of, and also tips for success. So, here’s the rundown of what I’ll be trying to stick to each day:
Daily Routine:
- Drinking hot water with lemon
- Eating breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up
- Drinking plenty of water (at least one infused with 2 T apple cider vinegar)
- Taking hot baths with epsom salts
Dietary Guidelines
1) Eliminating Red Meat and Alcohol
- This resets your estrogen levels. Women typically suffer from estrogen pollution! Too much of it causes weight gain, moodiness, autoimmune disorders, and more!
2) Gradually Increase Fiber Intake
- The goal is to eat 1 pound of fresh veggies per day, half cooked and half raw. This will allow me to work up (in increments of 5 grams) to a total fiber intake of 35-40 grams of fiber per day.
3) Upgrade Your Microbiome
- This means improving the healthy bacterial environment of my digestive system. By eating probiotic- rich foods like saurkraut and kimchi or by taking probiotic supplements, you can boost your microbiome. This is important because it helps stabilize blood sugar and controls how we respond to the foods we eat.
4) Eliminate Sugar
- Refined sugar slows the metabolism by putting blood sugar levels on a rollercoaster. Eliminating refined carbohydrates helps stabilize these levels and prevents cravings. Unrefined carbohydrates like sweet potato and quinoa release energy slowly and can be enjoyed (in moderation!) on the detox.
5) Eat Lean Protein and Healthy Fats
- The detox encourages you to eat 20-30 grams of protein with each meal from sources like legumes, low-mercury fish, and other lean proteins. Healthy fats like coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado are an essential part of the diet—they should make up 25-30% of my calories!
6) No caffeine!
- This one will be rough!
7) Drink Apple Cider Vinegar!
- Adding two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to water helps reduce sugar cravings and regulate blood sugar levels
8) Eliminate dairy and gluten
- This is particularly hard because dairy contains morphine-like casomorphins! It’s also been shown that as many as 1 in 3 people have a gluten sensitivity. When I reintroduce it into my diet, I’ll have to see how I feel!
9) Sleep more
- This prevents fatigue from the intense detoxifying process!
How to Resist Temptation
- Reframe the detox as a holiday for my body! I’m treating my body to good health!
- Use “don’t” instead of “can’t” when explaining restrictions. It’s empowering!
- Keep healthy fruits and veggies on hand ready for snacking to prevent cheating!
- Use my birthday as a light at the end of the tunnel! October 16th can’t come soon enough!
**All guidelines come directly from the Dr. Sara Gottfried Detox Challange Manual
Wish me luck, guys! I can’t wait to keep you updated along the way. I’ll be trying to keep a food journal, come up with new and delicious recipes, and NOT become a hermit over the next month.
I promise this won’t happen to me!
If you’re interested in detoxing yourself check out http://www.saragottfriedmd.com/detox/ for more information about how you can get on board! Dr. Gottfried typically runs two detoxes per year, so if it’s too late to sign up now, there’s always next time. If you’re detoxing, have detoxed, or are thinking about detoxing, please comment, email, tweet, or facebook me with details! Let’s do this!
