Detox Diary - Meal Hints and Tips

Detox Diary - Day 1

It may be a Tuesday - not all detox programmes and healthy eating initiatives have to start on a Monday! - but I'm conducting a little experiment to show you how following a clean nutritional food plan for a 9 day period (in homage to the Clean 9 super-detox!) can be easy and fun! 

After your Forever Living Clean 9 detox you will feel amazing; light and full of energy, improved skin condition; have a clearer and more positive way of thinking AND you will have dropped a few pounds to boot! But as I explained; this programme is not to be confused with a diet - it should be seen as a starting block to a new way of life; and should change your attitude towards your diet and ultimately towards yourself! 

A real bugbear of mine is that healthy eating means a boring diet. Not true! Over the next 9 days I want to share a few of my favourite foods and meals with you and hopefully provide a little inspiration for your recipes at home. Simple to prepare, easy ingredients to source and really tasty!

If you are embarking on a clean-eating programme; for the first couple of weeks at least, you will find it helpful to start keeping a food diary. This gives you some idea of what foods you enjoy; the meals that you keep going back to and the foods that you love to eat (I mean sneaky snacks! - maybe we could find a healthier alternative?!). The key is to be honest. Details matter - don't miss out the little 'extras' while you are starting this journey - as with most Mummy's, I used to be terrible for picking at the left over food on the plate of my son's dinner! I used to squeeze washing up liquid over it as soon as he finished his meal - this stops the temptation as it's completely inedible and also stops me from consuming the unwanted calories - do I really need it?!

I usually introduce a session of clean-eating into my diet every so often to re-encourage good habits and to dispel the bad ones - especially if I feel that I have been 'burning-the-candle-at-both-ends' as I have of late! (Sunny evenings with gin and tonics and glasses of wine in the garden!)

Detox Diet: Day 1:

I started my day at 6.00 - the lighter mornings make it easier to start your day on a good note! - half an hour of yoga and 15 minutes of running... simple light exercise! Remember, exercise is more than just keeping fit - it gives you time to yourself and time to think. 

Morning Wake-Up: Hot Water and Lemon
(A great digestion cleanser - I really enjoy drinking this in the morning over tea and coffee - try with freshly grated ginger too if you want more of a boost!) Throughout the day keep hydrated with lots of water; it is what your body needs most!

Breakfast: Boiled Egg and Asparagus with Green Tea and Lemon
Lunch: Prawn and Sashimi Salad with Coconut Water
Snack: 1 Rice Cake with Peanut Butter with Sunflower Seeds 
Dinner: Salmon Fillet (cooked in walnut oil) with Brown Basmati, Quinoa and Salad

Cheats?!: Planning a detox on the day I organise a trip to the cinema is not the best idea BUT I've found a guilt-free (kind of!) alternative to popcorn - Metcalfe's skinny popcorn is delicious and with only 115 calories per 25g serving (a large bag is 75g) it is a go-to option if you feel you must snack! I've chosen 'honey on toast' flavour and with three of us sharing it I probably won't even get my 25g serving! 

Tmw: Detox Diet: Day 2

Chow down on Chai!

If you haven't tried them before, Chai seeds are being hailed as the new 'super-food' and are fast becoming a go-to nutritional additive for many people's diets. I absolutely love them - they are easy to add into your meals and because of their delicate taste they won't overpower other ingredients. As they are a grain they will soak up any liquid added to your meal adding weight and texture in the process.

I'll admit the texture that they add to a meal can take a bit of getting used to but for me they add interest to plain breakfasts - I add mine to gluten-free porridge made with coconut milk or even natural yoghurt with berries. They are, believe it or not, one of the healthiest foods on the planet and are loaded with nutrients (one of the best sources calorie for calorie) which can have an important benefits for your body and brain function.

Chai seeds are a whole grain food - usually grown organically - are non-GMO and naturally free of gluten (so they beat that bloat!). Despite their tiny size, they are packed full of protein, fibre, Omega-3 fatty acids and are loaded with antioxidants.

On the plus side; chai seeds are widely available and are really easy to find in the supermarkets - usually stocked alongside nuts and seeds. Tesco stock a great label called 'The Chai Co' - their 'Chai Shots' 10 pack are good for gauging how much to add to meals and include shots of both the black and white seeds (both white and black seeds have absolutely no nutritional difference but the white seeds tend to work better aesthetically for sweetened puddings and breakfasts). 

Quick Chai Facts...

Chai seeds are the tiny black seeds from the plant Salva Hispanica (which is related to the mint) and grows natively in South America. The ancient Aztecs and Mayans prized chai seeds for their ability to provide sustainable energy - 'chai' is in fact the ancient Mayan word for 'strength'! 

Quick Chai Breakfast...

I usually sprinkle a few chai seeds on my porridge or yoghurt in the mornings to give my first-start to the day a bit of oomph! Here's another alternative; 'Strawberry Chai Shake'. It isn't the sort of grab-and-go breakfast that many of us need on busy days but it is worth trying once in a while! 

(Note; this serves 4 so divide where necessary for single portions as it does need to be made fresh)


Serves 4 (GF, DF)

5 tbsp chai seeds
400ml almond milk
1tsp vanilla extract or paste
1 tsp of ground cinnamon
12 strawberries
a few mint leaves
1 x 250g carton of coconut cream

1. Put the chai seeds into a large lidded jar. Pour over the milk, add the vanilla and ground cinnamon. Put on a tight-fitting lid and shake well. Leave to stand for 10 minutes; shaking occasionally. 
2. Meanwhile slice a few strawberries and put to one side. With a hand blender, blend the strawberries with the mint leaves until smooth.
3. Spoon the soaked chai seeds and liquid into 4 glasses. Spoon a layer of coconut cream on top followed by a layer of the strawberry puree. Top with the strawberry slices and a few small mint leaves. Enjoy!

272cals; 20g fat (12g sat fat); 5g protein, 8g fibre; 19g carbs; 6g total sugars; 0.2g salt

Recipe accreditation: Amelia Freer's fabulous recipe book - Eat. Nourish. Glow.

The Deal with Detox

detox

informal

noun

ˈdiːtɒks/

1. 1.

   a process or period of time in which one abstains from or rids the body of toxic or unhealthy substances; detoxification.

   "he ended up in detox for three months"

verb

diːˈtɒks/

1. 1.

   abstain from or rid the body of toxic or unhealthy substances.

   "he checked into a hospital to detox"

Have you ever been on a fad diet? Whether your diet choice was either the Zone, the Atkins, Paleo, Macrobiotic or even Weight Watchers; did they work for you? Were they easy to follow and most importantly easy to stick to? And was it a lifestyle choice? Something that you could integrate into your everyday life? I was always led to believe that to say that you were 'on' a diet, ultimately meant that at some stage that you would need to come 'off' it; so realistically it is a quick-fix for the short-term; not a long-term option.

Don't get me wrong, there are undoubtedly some quick-fix diets which deliver fast results; ever heard of the Cayenne Pepper diet?! A nutritionist's nightmare! But if you want to keep your health in-check and meet your body's unique nutritional needs, in the long-term, these simply don't work and can be incredibly detrimental to your overall health.

Cutting out whole food groups for example is not a good as idea; as each one has vital nutrients that your body needs. Most eliminated 'Enemy No 1' - the carbohydrate; banished from many women's diets to achieve fast weight loss, acts as our body's fuel - our brains only function on glucose and carbs break down into glucose. The most sensible option would be to switch from refined carbohydrates to unrefined carbohydrates as the latter contains more natural nutrients; as opposed to the former, which are mainly processed which in turn removes many essential vitamins and minerals. Choose natural foods such as wholegrains (brown rice, multi-grains), legumes (soybeans, lentils, peas and peanuts) - they sell a great 'sprouted' legume range in Sainsburys which are delicious sprinkled over salads! - fruits and uncooked vegetables instead of food made with white flour such as bread, cakes and pizza. The thought process behind healthy eating is based on pure common sense!

Don't get me wrong; healthy eating shouldn't be about depriving yourself and cutting out the foods that you enjoy - a little bit of what you like will not do you any harm in the long-run - although you want to eat healthily the majority of the time - roughly about 85% - you should leave room for the indulgences like cake, pizza and crisps - the key is to opt for moderation and be aware of portion control.

Without me looking too much into healthy eating hints and tips which have worked for me; (I'll focus on these in other posts) I wanted to concentrate on the benefits of detoxification.  

So why choose detoxing over dieting?

The biggest thing that detoxing helps with is to allow the body to rid itself of any excess waste it has been storing. It provides that boost. Detox programmmes are designed to purge itself and to cleanse the liver, kidneys and colon. Cleansing the colon is an important part of the detoxing process, because those toxins need to exit the body and an uncleansed colon can cause those toxins to be reintroduced into the body. 

It is easy to see how a detox diet would help you to lose weight in the short term but a healthier way to look at it would be to establish long-term eating habits, and rid yourself of unhealthy habits. When you detox your organs begin to function the way that they should and because your immune system is boosted and you'll absorb nutrients better; strengthening in the process. The condition of your skin will improve - clearer and smoother skin - who doesn't want that?!

Embarking on a detox isn't about 'dieting'; it should be looked as more of a way of life. It is hard to change a long-standing habit but a detox programme - regardless of length - is a sure fire way to put a wedge between your old ways and your new ones. We all have addictions in our diets - such as sugar, caffine, fried foods, alcohol - and a detox can be used to kill these cravings. When you stop filtering these go-to options into your diet on a daily basis and replace them with healthy alternatives, it encourages good habits. When you have cleansed your body and realised how amazing you feel, you can retrain your thought process and in turn be more likely to stick to your new habits. 

In line with my way of thinking; 'a healthier body = a healthier mind'; a detox contributes to a sense of clearer thinking; it makes sense seeing as many of the sugar-filled and fat-filled foods that surround us each day will cause us to feel lethargic and can factor heavily in the quality of our thinking. The basis of a detox is an improved sense of well-being - when we look good; we feel good and when we feel good; good things happen. Detox is often strategically used by many as a way to kick-start weight loss but really there's no better reason than just to feel better. When you set the stage for well being you are going to undoubtedly improve all areas of your life - better relationships, increased productivity and a new found or renewed zest for life. 

So what's stopping you? See the C9 detox programme

Ready, Set... Goal!!

'By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail' Benjamin Franklin

Let's start with your goals. Everyone has them. Whether they are monumental and take time and effort to reach - to small scale and easily achievable (tiny steps!) we all have something that we want to aspire to. It could be wanting to try out a new look which you have been musing over for a while, working on your positivity to make you feel better about yourself; to losing a few pounds before your summer hols and crossing your fingers that you can be beach-ready and confident in a matter of weeks! 

The key is to be realistic; plan your goal and strive to reach it; record your progress by using a journal, diary or app and most importantly, make sure that you commit to your aspirations... shout it out! Planning in advance, even if it's just a day; will make it less likely that you will lose focus. Surround yourself with positive people - your own little team who will spur you on, support you and be there when you need a pick-me-up on a down-day and a pat-on-the-back on an up-day. 

Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow' Plato

Set a target you'd like to reach and write it down. Don't make it time sensitive - visualise yourself achieving your goal. When charting your progress, record how you feel, choose descriptive words and write it down... be kind to yourself! Never say things to yourself that you would never say to anyone else; and most importantly do your best. Don't compare yourself to others, never strive for perfection (keep it real!) and and be the best that you can be! Good luck on your journey!

Wisdom Wednesday

Eat yourself thin!

Healthy eating doesn't have to be about 
hard work and tasteless food; applying simple changes to your eating habits can be inspiring and delicious and can really make a difference to your whole quality of life. As a lover of food; I have always been guided by taste - but for many years this consisted of quick, convenience food which allowed me more time to focus on other priorities in my life rather than making sure that my body was getting the healthy balanced diet that it needed. Most weeks I veered from being super-sensible and eating the food I genuinely enjoyed like fish, avocado, fruits, salads and nuts to existing on Muller light yogurts and sweets. My moods constantly dipped, I felt tired and run-down and although I was slim on the outside; I wasn't healthy on the inside. 

I soon realised that something had to change. The journey into changing the way that I ate and how I perceived foods was a long and difficult one. I really missed the quick-fix 'meals' after a few glasses of wine with friends; the quick-fix 'meals' hashed together while quickly getting ready to meet for a few glasses of wine with friends... (there's a pattern here!!) I didn't have time to get more assertive in the kitchen and actually 'assemble' a nutritious healthy dinner! But something had to give; and soon creating nutritious meals become less of a chore and more of a pleasure. 

Over time, I began to appreciate the fact that I knew what was going into my meals. I looked for recipes which consisted of all of the food groups - proteins, fats and plants - needed to encourage optimum health - a simple and 'clean' way to think about eating. Here are my three golden rules; 1. I know it's expensive but try to opt for organic where possible 2. be creative in your kitchen and 3. move out of your comfort zone with your cooking and eating habits - you may surprise yourself!

Read my blog for inspiration to try new 600 kcal recipes, get Aloe healthy and change your outlook on life. Embrace the new you!!!