We are flooded with information in the media about fad diets and extreme detox plans and the information can sometimes be misleading. In this entry I want to explain the importance of a proper lifestyle where you detox on a continual basis, as opposed to a strict diet or short-term detox. This approach is much more effective, and is sustainable for the long-term. Let’s talk Diets vs. Detox.
“Diet” technically means to restrict oneself to small amounts or special kinds of food in order to lose weight.
“Detoxify” is defined as changing eating habits in an attempt to remove toxic substances or qualities. The problem is that many of us think of “detox” as a noun, as in to do “a detox” for a few days here and there. I emphasize “detox” in the verb form, ie detoxing continually, as we also amass toxins constantly.
When you diet, you are literally limiting yourself certain types of foods in order to follow the diet’s guidelines, or meet a calorie restriction. However, depriving yourself of certain foods can result in a lack of satisfaction, which is definitely not sustainable. One of the main reasons why I don’t believe in diets is that most people end up cracking and going back to the same way they were eating.
You may feel “skinnier” on a restrictive diet plan because it may result in losing a few pounds, but your energy may by down and your skin will look like crap. I see people all the time that lose some weight and look 10 years older than their real age, as their skin looks drawn and lined!
The focus should instead be on creating a proper nutrition plan that will satisfy all of your urges, while eating in such a way that we are continually cleansing the body of toxins, and reducing the amount of toxins we continue to amass in the body. If you incorporate antioxidant-rich, fibrous natural foods in your diet, you will detoxify the body by cleansing it from the inside out. While doing so, you will naturally lose weight, and most importantly, you will improve your health.
My program is about looking and feeling your best, and having an abundance of youthful energy. The easiest way to start your detox-lifestyle is to start drinking the Glowing Green Smoothie and start shifting your diet to include foods primarily from the Beauty Food Circle. The high concentration of greens and natural plant foods will flood your body with alkalinity and remove toxins. You will feel and look absolutely beautiful.
Want to know about more foods that will give you energy and help you lose weight? Check out these previous entries: 25 Snacks That Will Give You Energy Throughout The Day and 10 Foods You Wouldn’t Expect to Help You Lose Weight.
Here are some detox questions that you’ve asked me, word for word, on topics that come up frequently:
1. Do you suggest easing into your detox solution slowly, or starting full force?
My program is not “cleanse” or “diet” that we adopt for 21 days or a few months only to go back to our old ways. It truly is a long-term way of eating, and a shift in our lifestyle.
It also doesn’t mean we have to give up all our favorite foods immediately and never have them again, but rather to shift our whole way of thinking about what is truly healthy and nourishing for our bodies, so that we can make better choices for the future.
Since we are adopting a new lifestyle, I do suggest transitioning the diet. If we make changes and start to feel better, we strengthen our resolve to stay on the program and make additional changes.
2. I started the program and I don’t feel the energy everyone talks about, and I even gained a few pounds. Why is that?
To answer this question, I went back to the Beauty Detox and quoted myself, since I think this is a really important part of the book many people skip over:
Well consider that most of us have at least a few decades worth of eating acidic foods, the putrefying and fermenting residue of which is lodged as sludge in varying degrees in different parts of our body.
If we decide one day to make a radical shift to our diet to eating only or a high percentage alkaline foods, namely fruits and vegetables, we are also unleashing the strongest possible cleansers that we can put into our bodies.
What happens when we pour a dozen whole bottles of Liquid Drano down a clogged pipe? We will peel free a massive amount of matter from the sides of the pipe, and we better be sure that this clogged old matter leaves the pipe altogether. Otherwise it will get stuck right in the middle and we are worse off than if we just left it all encrusted to the sides!
This is exactly what can happen when we make drastic switches in our diet very quickly, even when they are with very good foods. We wake up sleeping demons that are in the form of toxic waste!
If we neglect to wake up a limited amount of toxins at a time that can then leave the body in a controlled way, we run the risk of awakening too many toxins at once. Awakening too many toxins can have very unpleasant side effects such as headaches, nausea, dizziness, breakouts and other skin eruptions, diarrhea, etc. and can actually make us quite sick.
In some cases, as lots of acidic waste is kicked up our body has to retain more water to neutralize it, and we might feel a couple pounds heavier right in the beginning. Don’t worry–This will go away!
It is essential to transition our diets properly. If the toxins don’t leave the body quickly, and don’t all leave, all we’ve done is re-awakened poison, and now it has been brought to the surface where it will be reabsorbed by the tissues.
I’ve seen it way too many times with overly enthusiastic clients and readers on my blog! Oftentimes when people make a transition to more alkaline foods and become a vegetarian they feel weak. Their friends and family say, “See? You can’t eat that way, it doesn’t suit your body and you are deficient in protein and nutrients!”
Have you ever met someone that tried to become a vegetarian and started to feel awful after a few weeks or months? That person goes back to eating meat and how they were eating before and immediately starts feeling better. Why?
What is actually happening is not a lack of nutrition in the body or a lack of some key nutrient like protein (assuming they are eating the Beauty Detox way with a variety of whole plant foods).
Rather, it is because they are getting poisoned from the inside out by their own toxins which the newly integrated, powerfully cleansing foods have shaken loose.
Those very poisons are the acidic, toxic residue which keep us from efficiently absorbing nutrition into our bodies. That is why transitioning and cleansing along the way are so crucial to break through into new levels of health, healing and beauty.
3. What are other detox symptoms? How soon will I start looking and feeling better?
Some typical, temporary cleansing symptoms include: Headaches, sore throat, exhaustion, skin rashes or eruptions, aches and pains, soreness, moodiness, dizziness, and feeling lightheaded.
These symptoms are usually the strongest in the first few weeks as you shift your diet to the Beauty Detox Solution – if you actually experience them at all. If you continue to stick to the main principals, a large amount of toxins will be flushed out of the body. By the end, you will feel and look incredible and your body will be so much cleaner.
The exact timing for major, noticeable improvements depends on your individual body and the condition it was in when you started the program. It can be as short as one or a few days, or for some a few weeks.
The main thing is to stick with it because every day you make better dietary choices you are making huge improvements not only for your physical health, but for your energy and your mental well-being, which will affect all aspects of your life. Stay on the path- or get back on when you wander!
4. Do you suggest keeping up a regular exercise routine when starting the Beauty Detox Solution if you are making significant dietary changes?
Again, this program is a lifestyle, so be patient and listen to your own body, since you know it best. I have had clients that started the program and needed to take a break from intense workouts and let their body focus its energy on adjusting and cleansing.
I’ve also had many, many clients that actually increased their workouts due to a surge in energy and motivation very early on in adopting the program. Most of these clients have kept up their increased exercise routine, since energy is in abundance on the program!
5. What foods do you suggest for people who have a big sweet tooth. Sometimes fruits don’t fully satisfy my sweet cravings!
If you get a sweet craving for desert, especially while transitioning, herbal tea or unsweetened almond milk that has been warmed with stevia might satisfy you. 1-2 ounces of an organic, 72%+ cacao, dairy-free dark chocolate bar is another choice, though we do not want to consume chocolate every day.
Also, try some of my healthy dessert recipes here on the blog and in the Beauty Detox Solution. On a personal note, I’ve been obsessed with chia seeds of late, and have been having them vanilla-flavored almost daily as a treat!
Chia seeds are very filling and full of essential fatty acids and antioxidants. Take the Chia Seed Delight recipe and just swap the raw cacao for ½ tsp or so of vanilla flavoring (not vanilla extract). See what you think!
6. What do you do if there aren’t many healthy options when at social gatherings or eating out?
Prepare by eating well the day of a big party or when you know you’re going out to dinner. If you’ve been eating well all day, you’ll be in a stronger mental position when you arrive for the event or dinner.
Come to the event fully hydrated, and if you don’t think you’ll find raw veggies or salads to star the meal with I would have some before you leave, or even on the way there! (Note: I stuffed a container of cucumber slices into my purse to eat first at the backstage party at the Kenny Chesney concert a few weeks ago! )
Take digestive enzymes, do your best to stick to your Beauty Food Pairings, and chew well! Don’t overindulge… but do enjoy yourself! If you are happy and grateful for what you’re eating and not feeling guilty while you eat that will help your food digest better also.
Don’t go “off” two days in a row. The next morning, get back to your hot water with lemon and Glowing Green Smoothies (GGS)!
All my very best,
Kimberly
A very heartfelt THANK YOU.
I discovered your blog a few months ago and it has changed my life. I immediately went out and purchased your book and promptly finished it within hours. I have been battling a debilitating eating disorder for 13 years and truly thought I would be haunted by these issues for the rest of my life. After I read your book I felt a sense of hope. I have learned to be thoughtful to what I put in my body, how it is prepared, and what my needs are. I now enjoy and am excited about food for the first time in my life and I am so grateful to you for that. Thank you Kimberly.
Take the very best care,
Michelle
Hi Michelle, that’s so wonderful. Thanks for sharing! No matter what issues we’ve had in the past the exciting thing is that we have unlimited power to move forward, make better choices, and heal all aspects of our mental/physical being, since they are intrinsically connected.
I am so happy for you- and you have our support!
Love, Kimberly
Hi Kimberly,
I recently bought your book and have been trying to incorporate some of the things you mention. I had a quick question about taking digestive enzymes. Should I be at all worried about my body developing some kind of dependence on the digestive enzyme pills? I worry that if I take them regularly with each meal, my body will start to produce naturally fewer enzymes as a way to balance against the pills. I was hoping you might know given your experience. Thanks so much!!
I was wondering this too. I also purchased the mag ox supplement and I know you book says it isn’t habit forming, but still wonder if I need to occasionally take a break (like a month on it, 2 weeks off?)? Thanks!
Hi Guys,
You can and should certainly take a break from the MagOxy. Find the usage that’s right for you, whether you take it a few times a week then take a break for a while, or use it only occasionally, etc. Everyone’s body is different, so it is impossible to generalize. Listen to your body and see what works best.
The digestive enzymes should be taken with cooked and especially heavy foods. It won’t affect our bodies’ own enzyme production.
xx
Hey Kimberly!
I picked up your book recently, and have fallen absolutely in love with it. I’ve been vegan for about a year and half now, but that didn’t completely solve my problems. All of the information in your book just makes so much sense, and I’m truly excited to go down this path :).
Great Keri! Hope the adjustments you make help you achieve all your goals, and help you feel more balanced and energized!
Hi Kimberly,
I just found your blog recently and have your book on order, I can’t wait to receive it! I made a batch of GGS last night and while I do love cilantro in guacamole, I don’t think I care for it in the smoothie. Can I add something in its place? Thanks!
Hey Jodi! You’ll see in the book how I encourage people to mix and match greens. You can totally skip the cilantro! :)
Wow this is exactly what I needed to hear! I’ve been following your program for a couple of weeks now and the last couple of days I’ve felt completely exhausted and dizzy (all combined with a severe headache and a return of acne :-S). Now I known that I’ve probably been poisoned by my own toxins ;-). I hope it’ll get better soon.
I’ve been a vegetarian for about six months now, and (flexible) vegan for the last couple of weeks. So I don’t think it’s about a lack of meat in my diet. Maybe it’s because of a lack of sugar? I’ve definitely reduced the amounts of sugar I used to eat (in various forms). Could that cause the the lack of energy too?
Detox symptoms are caused by the adjustments in the body to the new diet, and yes, the ridding of toxins! It takes energy in your body to detox, which is why you may feel tired, but it is like cleaning house that in the end you’ll feel better!
I love kombucha to satisfy any cravings. I haven’t heard you mention it lately….any thoughts or recommendations on when (time of day, with/without food?) to drink? I usually do 8 oz a day a few times a week. Thanks! Love your book!!!
Hey Meredith,
I would have it between meals, as it is still a liquid. Get the low-sugar flavors, as some still have a lot of sugar. I think it has a lot of benefits.
xx Kimberly
I brew my own kombucha (so it’s low sugar) and I occasionally use it instead of water in my GGS in the morning. Any problem with this? It’s nice when I’m shifting toward more vegetables and less fruit in the smoothie.
I am going upstate NY to Ithaca for a week camping, hiking etc. I am following the BB meal plan. I do feel a bit low in energy and was wondering if I could still follow the BB and do all these activities. I was addicted to cooked food and now I eat a salad for breakfast and I don’t even feel like I’m missing anything. I am yet to try the GGS for breakfast because I shouldn’t have any fruits. Any snack ideas would be much appreciated, I am still in the process of reading the book. But I was so excited that I started BB right away. Love & Joy.
Hi, Kimberly,
I love your blog and you are such an inspiration to me. Thank you!
Best wishes from rainy London!
Please help me Kimberly!
I live in BRASIL, a cousin of mine showed me your blog. I was wondering what you feel about supplement nutrition as a method to LOSE WEIGHT. I just arrived from a meeting of a company that provides those kind of products (HerbalLife). They say it has all the nutrients that our body need. They have these teas that will give you energy all day long. The thing is, i need to make an extra money, in partial time, and this company offers an opportunity… but i was suspicious. I could see that a lot of people is believing in this thing, anyway, i just don’t want to do something that will be bad for other people. This is why i am asking your help to elucidate me and others about this kind of products. Are they bad for our health? Why?
I think this could be a nice post.
Best wishes, EVA
Ps. Sorry about my english.
It’s me, Eva, again. I didnt say that the scheme is to change 1, 2 or even 3 meals along day for those shakes in order to lose weight.
Thank you.
Very nice post
Kimberly,
You talk alot about fiber, which is important but sometimes hard to get all that we need. So what do you think about PGX?
Love your book! Can’t wait to hear what you think.
Hi Kim,
I am a dancer and have a very active job on top of dance. I feel dumbfounded on what to eat if I am not eating fruit with exercise. I usually exercise and have dance practice at night and have a snack afterwards. How can I begin this program without feeling like I am missing something (like fruit)?
you mention not to consume chocolate everyday, why is that?
Dear Kimberly;
i have just finished your book, i never knew i could read this fast, it was such a joy :) i have just started on your diet, am in the first phase :)
i have a couple of things that need to ask about:
1. i am consuming around 2-3 avocados a day, and i know that an avocado has about 228 calories and is high in fat, and so is tahini, wouldnt this make me gain weight???
2. am afraid that am applying the detox in a wrong way as am applying everything to it strictly and depriving myself from food that i will eventually go back to eating, i mean i cant ever not eat eggs for breakfast??? if i have to make simple adjustments to my diet , i dont know what they are and how to apply them, and am afarid if i go back after 3 months to eat something normal, my body wont cope??
thank you :)
did you know that the brain requires two thirds of the energy that is stored in the body and is given to the brain in the form of fructose ans glucose?
if not, then I advise you to refine your diet to include fruits as well, as they are good sources of sugar and fibre. – being fibrous they slow down the intake of sugar, and thusly there’s a balance of sugar and that is needed by the brain…
if you don’t include fruits then you will burn out with exhaustion – there’s a reason why people need sugar!!! and it is for the brain to produce it’s brain fats and to have it metabolised for the energy..
don’t write back!!!