January has come to an end. You might have fallen off of the wagon in terms of your new years resolutions, but that’s okay! There is always a new meal and a new opportunity for a fresh start.
If you haven’t quite followed the healthy eating plans that you set for yourself on new years day and you want to look good for your sweetheart, I bet you’re thinking to yourself that a detox sounds like a great option. The only question that remains is: which detox program is right for you?
The problem I have noticed with most detox plans on the market is that while they make big promises of health, happiness and rapid weight loss, they tend to do just the opposite for my clients.
If you Google the word Detox, you will quickly be bombarded with ads for shakes, pills, exercise programs, bars, teas and my personal favorite: wraps.
These miracle solutions play into our “get rich quick” mentality, but the goal here is quick weight loss. Not only will most of these gimmicks waste your quality time and empty your pockets but they can also be emotionally damaging.
When I first started my journey from being an emotional eater to loving my relationship with food and my body, I discovered that to bring your body back to tip-top shape, you need to support your metabolism, not fight it.
To support and increase your metabolism, you need to give your body food.
I tell my clients that your body is like a car that constantly needs fuel. You can’t run the car efficiently if your tank is running on empty.
A lot of those unhealthy products advertised all over Google do the exact opposite for your engine, and this can be damaging.
This Valentines Day why don’t you give yourself a life long gift? One that doesn’t require you to buy all the latest fad tools and tricks to gain the results you want.
This gift you give yourself is one that your body will love, not only because you will have more energy but your waist line will thank you as well.
The following points are healthy lifestyle practices that I encourage making a part of your daily routine. However, you can ramp them up the first few weeks to help detox or reset your body, which just means you’re supporting your body and metabolism through healing.
Support Your Metabolism with Real Food
That’s right. Real proteins, real fats and real carbohydrates.
Fruits and veggies are very important. Some people are afraid of fats, however, even if they are real natural fats. I encourage you to try healthy fats like avocado, butter, cheese, dairy and quality proteins like meat, eggs and seafood.
I like to buy locally. I know where my food is coming from and the farmers are mindful of the care it takes to provide me with the highest quality ingredients. Purchasing local also supports locally owned businesses.
Do your best to stay away from processed foods and stick with whole foods.
Eat Every 3-4 Hours
Yes, you can eat every 3-4 hours and still lose weight!
I set an alarm on my phone to remind me to eat every 3 hours. When it goes off, I have a snack of an ounce or two of protein such as a hard-boiled egg, a serving or two of healthy fat such as a tablespoon or two of almond or peanut butter and fruits and vegetables, such as a half cup of grapes or a cup of carrots.
This helps stabilize your blood sugar levels and, in turn, supports your metabolism. I never feel too hungry or too full, it’s the perfect loving combination for my body to run smoothly and surely!
Always Eat Breakfast
Don’t skip this one! A lot of my clients say, “I never have time for breakfast” or “I don’t feel like eating in the morning.”
Breakfast is extremely important if you’re looking to have a healthy relationship with food and body and want to lose weight in a healthy way. People who eat breakfast have more energy for the day and are less likely to overeat.
I recommend eggs or oatmeal for breakfast, but you can also do dinner leftovers or a smoothie. Spending 10 minutes on eating breakfast is a worthy investment in yourself.
Love Yourself by Drinking Plenty of Water
This is very important! You can do sparkling water as well, but it’s important to keep your body hydrated.
Drinking water in the morning will not only make you feel better but also support your kidneys and liver, the organs responsible for detoxing. You never want to feel thirsty.
Thirst can be mistaken for hunger and in many cases will lead you to overeating. Keep a water bottle with you that you can refill, or if you know this is a big problem area for you, maybe set alarms on your phone to remind you to drink water.
If you want to give yourself a gift this Valentines Day that will last a lifetime, focus on these four strategies. You will feel better and your body will heal over time.
One thing that I find very useful is keeping a food and mood journal. This helps you identify which foods made you feel better or worse, which foods gave you more energy or less, and it tracks and lets you identify when you’re overeating.
All of these tools together will help you heal your body naturally by using real foods to detox.
Happy Valentines Day! Keep your body happy and healthy.
— Collin McShirley, MA, IMF, is certified and specializes in mindful eating, emotional eating, body image and self esteem; she provides coaching services in Santa Barbara, Montecito and Goleta; and she developed the program, “Break Free From Emotional Eating and Learn to Love Your Body.” She grew up in Santa Barbara, graduated from UC Santa Barbara and received her masters in clinical psychology from Antioch University Santa Barbara. Click here for more information, contact her at cmcshirley@gmail.com, and follow her on Twitter: @CollinMFTI. Click here to read previous columns. The opinions expressed are her own.