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So I kind of killed my first detox diet. I'm not good at the dieting, nevermind the fact that this was my first time. It wasn't bad but Fiancé teased me with some cheese Tuesday night as I cooked dinner. Yesterday morning I put the first nail in the coffin when I had a blueberry muffin for breakfast (I made them from scratch sunday AM - with fresh blueberries!).
I finished putting the FINAL nail in the coffin yesterday around 4pm with a bag of sour cream and cheddar chips. Bad, I know but I was craving something more...and the banana and clementines sitting at my desk just weren't doing it for me.
Fiancé claims he did some research of his own the other night and apparently there's no proof that detox diets work. Essentially, all you're really doing is lowering caloric intake. As Dr. Picco from the Mayo Clinic says:
"Some people report they feel better, "lighter," and more focused and energetic during and after detox diets. This may be due to their belief that they are doing something good for their bodies. But it may also be due to eating little — if anything — for several days. Calorie restriction can lead to heightened feelings of psychological well-being." [mayo clinic]
Essentially, what I've decided post-36 hour detox, is that I need a diet that's higher in protein and lower in carbs (I am a pasta FIEND). I need to cut out caffeine (did that, aside from the one-two cups of tea I have a day (max)- one of which is usually decaf), and I need to work out more. I can't say I felt lighter, though I definitely had a headache for a good 18 hours (which is common in detox diets), and I definitely didn't feel any energy increase, though I did sleep really well Monday.
Lucky for me, marathon #3 training begins next week so I'll putting in 20+ miles/week (Exciting!). Fiancé and I (with an exception of last night) have eaten pretty well this week - a nice balance of veggies and protein. So long as we can keep up this good eating, with the exception of last night when we were at some receptions, we'll be golden...without starving ourselves (not that he was participating in my crazy attempt at a detox diet).
So many people I read about said that detoxing changed their diet habits, they ate less, they ate better - but why edge on starving yourself with a low calorie diet for 5-21 days when all you really need to do is change your habits anyhow? It's something that Fiancé and I have been trying to do for a while but even the 36 hours that I detoxed for gave me a brighter perspective in how I can change my eating habits for the better.
So I'm going to steer away from the detox diets. At least until I
can commit to doing one for real (this week really wasn't a good week
to do one) and find one where I CAN stick to it. I guess my point is to
really do your research and find something that's right for you but
think about whether you really need to detoxify your body or maybe just make some simple changes in your diet.
Related Reading
Detox Diets, Do They Offer Any Health Benefits? [Mayo Clinic]
Detox Diet Benefits [Daily Detox Guide]
The Deal with Detox Diets [Womens Health Magazine]
