First thing’s first..Happy New Year!! I am looking forward to 2014 with great anticipation and excitement! Since 4 is my lucky number, this one just HAS to be a lucky year- a year ending in 4, I will be turning 24, and I am starting it off right, by escaping the chilly, gloomy, frigid months of upstate New York to scuba dive in Costa Rica!! Bring it on 2014! 🙂
Now on to the fun part.. This year, I am trying a new approach to my overall health and wellness. I want to treat my entire body better- by eating healthier, sleeping more, relieving stress, and working out! It seems like a daunting task and may be a bit vague, but it’s better than just…”I want to be healthier in 2014″, yeaa how many people are saying that. Most importantly I want to become healthier in a sustainable and realistic way. Although I am starting with a detox, the overall meal plan will be easy to follow the entire year. I feel like I have overindulged this holiday season, eating tons of Christmas cookies, sipping lotsa wine, and skipping too many dates with the gym. Eh, oh well, we’re all human. So, to reset my body, and stop feeling like junk, I am detoxing for three days. I am not starting this healthy life makeover with a detox to lose weight. This plan has so many beneficial aspects that many other detoxes and juice cleanses don’t have.
1. This is a full body reset: If you are generally feeling like…well to put it bluntly… crap. You know, the groggy, sluggish, yucky feeling- kind of like a holiday hangover…the antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals included in these recipes will help rid your body of toxins.
2. You can focus on different problem areas. I love these recipes because they will help clear and improve my skin. My skin HATES winter, it is always so dry and even painfully cracked all winter long. The vitamins in these drinks will help improve my skins health and overall appearance. I will also be sufficiently hydrated-something skin always appreciates!
3. Making up your own recipes, or using these ones is much more affordable compared to packaged juice cleanses. These materials can be found at any supermarket. I tried to use recipes that had some similar ingredients and didn’t include too many exotic fruits or hard to find ingredients.
4. It is easy to modify depending on your preference. If you hate the taste of ginger, you don’t have to add it-or even buy it! You can substitute a different ingredient, or leave it out completely. The recipes can all be changed to your liking. That is the other problem I have with prepacked juice cleanses. If they ship you a cleanse and you don’t like the flavor of one of the juices, you’re screwed!
5. After this detox it is easy to get back to “real life” eating without shocking your body. Instead of jumping back into eating and drinking everything you please as soon as your done with your “cleanse” I have found it is easier on you body to slowly add foods into your diet. This also helps with cravings!
It is so simple to follow, your body will feel amazing in just three days. First, lighten up your toxin load. Eliminate alcohol, coffee, cigarettes, refined sugars and saturated fats, all of which act as toxins in the body and are obstacles to your healing process. Next, for three days choose a yellow recipe every morning when you wake up, a green drink in the afternoon, and a blue drink in the evening for dinner. You can have as many snacks of fruits and vegetables as you want. And drink plenty of water! For the first three days, only the smoothie recipes (slight adjustments are alright!) and fruits and vegetables can be eaten. Then from day 4 on more food groups will slowly be added.
I am not usually a supporter of ridiculous juice cleanses that cut calorie intake dramatically, or claim to make you shed 15 pounds in three days. This is not that sort of cleanse. This is not a liquid only diet, and you will still be consuming calories. This is just a way to reset your body, eliminate toxins, and begin a healthy year! Follow me as I try this detox plan and update my blog with my progress!
yakkaFIT 
Pingback: Grocery List: 3 Day Detox | yakkaFIT