Let me guess. You over-indulged a bit over the past few weeks? I’ll also venture a guess that since New Year’s happened to fall on a Friday this year that the festivities and celebrations spilled over into the weekend?
The internet and social media are swimming with detox plans right now. I’ve tried some detox plans in the past that were so sparse that my gnawing hunger caused me to derail even further.
My approach is a bit different. Less aggressive. More “user-friendly”. Forgiving might be a better word.
Raise your hand if after a night/week of parties, all you want to eat is a bacon double cheese burger with a load of fries. And a “diet” soda, of course. Something about all of those greasy calories seem to sop up the excess alcohol and alleviate the headache, but in reality they just add to the toxic mix that has taken over your gut and blood stream.
Here’s what I like to do – simply reintroduce some high quality, nutrient dense calories to start sucking all of the badness out of my system and go back to eating a sensible, plant-based diet.
I don’t place any limit on how much I eat for this “detox” day since, although it seems like your body is just craving calories, it’s really craving nutrients, so pack in as many as high-quality, nutrient-dense foods as you like. And for heaven’s sake, drink water! Not coffee or energy drinks. Just good, old-fashioned water. And a lot of it! And throw in some fresh lemon or lime juice to boot!
Here are the recipes that help get me feeling back to “normal” after an extended fall off the wagon:
Breakfast: I like to have a big, satisfying bowl of fiber-filled oatmeal with fruit and nuts, as well as a cleansing smoothie:
5-Minute Oatmeal, Fruit & Nut Breakfast
Breakfast Detox Smoothie
This is so refreshing and easy to make. This recipe makes two servings.
Ingredients
1 cup diced Granny Smith apple (about ½ medium-sized apple)
1 cup diced seedless cucumber (about ½ English cucumber)
1 cup diced honey dew or casaba melon (about ¼ medium-sized melon)
½ cup coconut water (or regular water)
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 cup yogurt
2 teaspoons finely grated ginger
1 tablespoon hemp seed
½ tablespoon agave nectar or honey
Directions
Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and mix for 1 – 2 minutes until completely smooth. Serve immediately.
Lunch: Of course, you know I’m going to have a massive salad, followed by more greens in the form of a smoothie:
Mixed Herb & Greens Salad with Black Beans, Sliced Almonds & Currants
Spinach Kale & Avocado Smoothie with Lime & Flaxseed
Dinner: I like to have a big bowl of miso soup and another huge salad for dinner.
Mushroom Onion & Tofu Miso Soup with Carrots & Spinach
Mixed Herb & Lettuce Salad with Black Beans Avocado & Pepitas
So there you have it. My one-day eating plan to get myself back on track after an extended trip off the rails.
BTW, now might be a good time to put together a list of those New Year’s Resolutions…….
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