cleanse/detox

I'm thinking about doing a cleanse so I can really get a fresh start eating healthy. I'm not sure where to start...does anyone have any cleanse/detox diets that they've done & liked? Any tips would also be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!

Replies

  • Wetcoaster
    Wetcoaster Posts: 1,788 Member
    This should be good....grabs a beer and popcorn.
  • ladynocturne
    ladynocturne Posts: 865 Member
    I know there are a lot of products out there promising to help with "detox". But honestly, your whole body is a detox machine! Just feed it healthy clean foods like fresh veggies, fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats (like those found in avocados and nuts) and watch your organs work their beautiful magic. =)
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    Awesome choice!! But what exactly are you trying to detox from?
  • BrainyBurro
    BrainyBurro Posts: 6,129 Member
    OP, the premise is false.

    you don't need to "jump start" anything and cleanse/detox programs are only designed to separate you from your money.

    they will cause you to shed water weight. you will believe that weight to be fat loss. you will be happy. then you will go off the diuretics and start eating normally again. the water weight will come back on. you will be sad. you will eat a gallon of ice cream to drown your tears.

    just skip all that nonsense and eat the gallon of ice cream. it's cheaper.

    or,

    count calories. stick to your daily calorie goal. avoid the scale for a couple of weeks. be normal. eat normal, just less. move more. this is actually how you "jump start" the weight loss process.
  • Rmolars
    Rmolars Posts: 28
    eating bad...I want to remove toxins from my body, have more energy etc. It'll be a start to get my eating habits on the right track.
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    eating bad...I want to remove toxins from my body, have more energy etc. It'll be a start to get my eating habits on the right track.

    What toxins? And why would you have more energy?

    Couldn't you just start...eating better now?
  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
    The only detox I ever do is if I've eaten a lot of salt lately. In that case, I'll usually try to drink 9 or 10 glasses of water a day instead of my usual 8 to restore the osmotic balance in my cells and encourage my body to flush the excess salt (and not retain water). That's what all supposed detox diets do anyhow, and this way you can shed the water weight for free and with full knowledge that it is, in fact, water weight.
  • BrainyBurro
    BrainyBurro Posts: 6,129 Member
    eating bad...I want to remove toxins from my body, have more energy etc. It'll be a start to get my eating habits on the right track.

    there is no such thing as eating bad. that's the mindset of a yo-yo dieter and it leads to yo-yo dieting. you don't have to restrict WHAT you eat, only how much and how often.

    your body is already removing all of the toxins from your body via the liver and kidney. any other "toxins" that the cleanse/detox scammers refer to are fictional. it's become a buzzword to scare people into spending money on useless fad dietary products. they won't do anything for you, but they do help the scammers buy beachfront homes in Malibu.

    if you want to get started again, start pre-planning your meals for each day or week in advance. make sure your calorie goals and macro goals are roughly met by those meal plans and stick to those meal plans. that'll get your habit-forming bevahior kick-started.

    learn more by reading these threads.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833026-important-posts-to-read
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member

    Ok, I read that link, but it doesn't actually name any toxins. Also, it states that "toxin" buildup causes your body functions to run less efficiently and become unable to do its daily functions. I am 29 and I have never cleansed, but my body is functioning just fine. What is up with that?
  • CrankMeUp
    CrankMeUp Posts: 2,860 Member
    NO.
  • Rmolars
    Rmolars Posts: 28

    Ok, I read that link, but it doesn't actually name any toxins. Also, it states that "toxin" buildup causes your body functions to run less efficiently and become unable to do its daily functions. I am 29 and I have never cleansed, but my body is functioning just fine. What is up with that?



    toxins that come from eating unhealthy foods
  • BrainyBurro
    BrainyBurro Posts: 6,129 Member

    people who want to get rich by selling useless weight loss products create websites to do so every single day.

    just because somebody has created a website full of pseudo-scientific jargon doesn't mean they are conveying any truthful facts. be skeptical. learn. read both sides. you'll see that the cleanse/detox proponents have ZERO science on their side. in fact, some of them will point out that the lack of science is proof of efficacy because they know a small percentage of people are prone to believe conspiracy theories about big pharma/medicine "hiding" the truth about cleanse/detoxes. it's all nonsense. they want your money. if they are selling a book or a cleanse product, then you know they will only say what they think they need to say to get your money.

    the fact of the matter is that all of these fad cleanses/detoxes last for 7-21 days because that's about how long your body can tolerate being dehydrated. you'll see water weight loss on the scale and they will give you some mumbo jumbo about how the cleanse caused you to lose fat. your very first day off the cleanse, you will gain most of it back as water weight.
  • BrainyBurro
    BrainyBurro Posts: 6,129 Member

    Ok, I read that link, but it doesn't actually name any toxins. Also, it states that "toxin" buildup causes your body functions to run less efficiently and become unable to do its daily functions. I am 29 and I have never cleansed, but my body is functioning just fine. What is up with that?



    toxins that come from eating unhealthy foods

    ^ these are imaginary. they don't exist. anything your body needs to get out of you is removed via the liver and kidneys.
  • obwize
    obwize Posts: 102
    I did something I called a cleanse. It consisted of eating the way I always want to eat... I was just more focused and didn't allow cheats. I understand wanting to cleanse processed food out of the system. For my cleanse I ate only foods that looked like food. Tons of veggies, fruits, meats, and whole grains. I had more energy purely because the food I was eating was easily processed by my body and didn't cause cravings or highs and lows like the candy I used to eat.

    HOWEVER, I know this isn't what most people consider a cleanse, they think of store/online products. I am NOT a fan of that. What I did is probably what others are talking about doing, just start eating well now. Your body WILL detox from chemicals if you simply don't put new ones right back in.

    Good luck.
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    1. Remove Toxins: The American Diet is riddled with toxins. Our food is so processed that we gain saturated and trans fats, as well as build ups of substances that we can not even pronounce. By cleansing our systems we are able to rid ourselves of those toxins so that we can feel fresh and energized.

    I can pronounce all the words. But it doesn't actually name a specific "toxin", just remains vague.

    2. Gain energy: Because of build up in our bodies we become less efficient. Our bodies become less able to complete its daily functions and processes. It is important to cleanse so that our body can function smoothly.

    Don't our livers and kidneys already provide these functions? I am confused. And if my body's daily functions and processes weren't completing, wouldn't I be sick?

    3. Better sleep: Cleansing allows not only our bodies to function more properly, but also our minds. When our minds process more smoothly we are able to go through diurnal cycles and sleep better.

    I solved this issue by buying a better mattress and cutting out caffeine after a certain time!

    4. Weight Loss: Cleansing rids the body of the unwanted junk. Cleansing, put simply, will shed pounds a majority of the time.

    How much "toxin" do you think is actually in our bodies? I've lost weight pretty good just tracking my calories and exercising.

    5. Feel Healthier: Not only will you have more energy, but that energy will be natural. For those coffee drinkers out there this will come as a pleasant surprise.

    I feel healthier because of my weight loss and exercising!! Then I freebase some caffeine for a MEGA JOLT!

    6. Improved Metabolic Process: Cleansing will allow your metabolism to run much more efficiently without all of the nasty garbage in your body.

    But my metabolism is running perfectly fine for my age. :huh:

    7. Psychological Wellness: Not only will you feel better physically, but mentally as well. With the knowledge that your body is now healthier and more finely tuned you will have that much less cognitive burden to carry around with you.

    But my wallet will be lighter, which stresses me out.

    8. It’s Simple: No fad diets, no intense workouts, just following a simple set of rules or processes and you will be a healthier you.

    Isn't this, in and of itself, a fad? :huh:

    9. Social Activity: Cleansing is a great way to meet other people or something to do with a friend!

    Why would cleansing allow me to meet other people? Plus I hate people. Phooey!

    10. Better Fitness: Being that you will become a more efficient person it makes sense that you will become a more finely tuned athlete.

    Wait...this doesn't make sense at all! Why would I suddenly become a finely tuned athlete?
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member

    Ok, I read that link, but it doesn't actually name any toxins. Also, it states that "toxin" buildup causes your body functions to run less efficiently and become unable to do its daily functions. I am 29 and I have never cleansed, but my body is functioning just fine. What is up with that?



    toxins that come from eating unhealthy foods

    Again this is non-specific.
  • sparkle814
    sparkle814 Posts: 78 Member
    While I do not believe detoxing or cleansing really does much to remove "toxins" from the body, I do believe it can by symbolic to help you feel like you've gotten a jump start and to get yourself back on track. It can be valuable to get yourself into the right mindset if that's what you think is going to help you.

    I have heard people say that they have had good luck with the Advocare cleanse (I have never tried it myself). There is a simple 10 day cleanse that just consists of a fiber drink combined with clean eating, and there is also the 24 day challenge which is more involved, comes with protein shakes or something too. It's pricey, though. The ten day cleanse is like 35 bucks and it's basically just ten packets of metamucil, lol. I have done a "detox" before that consisted of drinking a lot of water and eating primarily fruits, veggies, and chicken. That's probably a less expensive way to go about it.

    Whatever you wind up with, good luck!
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    This should be good....grabs a beer and popcorn.
    Pass me some! :drinker:
  • ken_hogan
    ken_hogan Posts: 854 Member

    Ok, I read that link, but it doesn't actually name any toxins. Also, it states that "toxin" buildup causes your body functions to run less efficiently and become unable to do its daily functions. I am 29 and I have never cleansed, but my body is functioning just fine. What is up with that?

    And I'm 43. Had cancer. Never detoxed. My body is also functioning fine. Just make healthy & drink your water & let your kidneys & liver do thir jobs of detoxing your body naturally.
  • Bernadette60614
    Bernadette60614 Posts: 707 Member
    I did a three week cleanse in May, supervised by a physician from Northwestern Hospital.

    The first week, all of us gave up: sugar, dairy, and any processed food. We were allowed protein powder (Thorne MediaClear), steamed veggies (Hamilton Beach makes an awesome steamer for about $25.00 on Amazon.), moderate whole fruit.
    No caffeine, no alcohol.

    I lost a couple of lbs, but even better, I lost the craving for processed foods.

    there are lots of crazy cleanses out there, but the goal of a cleanse is to eliminate foods which may not "agree" with your body (called proinflammatory foods.) A cleanse really isn't buying some package off the web or at Whole Foods, it is eliminating foods, seeing how you feel without eating them, and gradually adding foods back to see if you still feel good or if you start to feel worst.

    I resumed drinking a couple of cups of coffee a day (nothing like the 6 to 10 cups I drank previously), no longer drink soda, no products made from flour or sugar. I don't do dairy anymore. It takes some thought, planning and commitment...but...

    It has been worth it!

    For the first time in memory, I sleep well, I have energy throughout the day, I get up without an alarm clock, my skin has never been clearer and I'm not suffering from my usual seasonal allergies.

    GL!
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    I did a three week cleanse in May, supervised by a physician from Northwestern Hospital.

    The first week, all of us gave up: sugar, dairy, and any processed food. We were allowed protein powder (Thorne MediaClear), steamed veggies (Hamilton Beach makes an awesome steamer for about $25.00 on Amazon.), moderate whole fruit.
    No caffeine, no alcohol.

    I lost a couple of lbs, but even better, I lost the craving for processed foods.

    there are lots of crazy cleanses out there, but the goal of a cleanse is to eliminate foods which may not "agree" with your body (called proinflammatory foods.) A cleanse really isn't buying some package off the web or at Whole Foods, it is eliminating foods, seeing how you feel without eating them, and gradually adding foods back to see if you still feel good or if you start to feel worst.

    I resumed drinking a couple of cups of coffee a day (nothing like the 6 to 10 cups I drank previously), no longer drink soda, no products made from flour or sugar. I don't do dairy anymore. It takes some thought, planning and commitment...but...

    It has been worth it!

    For the first time in memory, I sleep well, I have energy throughout the day, I get up without an alarm clock, my skin has never been clearer and I'm not suffering from my usual seasonal allergies.

    GL!

    This doesn't sound like a cleanse. It sounds like a regimen for determining whether you have food intolerances. Did they tell you that you were removing toxins? If so, did they tell you which specific toxins were removed that would not have been removed by normally functioning liver and kidneys?
  • ChristinaR720
    ChristinaR720 Posts: 1,186
    Eat healthy and drink water and you'll be golden. No crazy detoxes, cleanses, or laxatives needed.
  • coreyreichle
    coreyreichle Posts: 1,031 Member
    Make sure you anti-oxidize, and get rid of any free radicals. Then you'll be at level 6 of diet woo.
  • Bernadette60614
    Bernadette60614 Posts: 707 Member
    I think we can spend a lot of time debating cleanse, toxins, elimination, allergens.

    What I wanted:

    To be free to cravings.

    To feel awesome.

    The result of this "cleanse", "detox", "elimination" was that I ...am free of cravings and I feel awesome.
  • trishklein
    trishklein Posts: 14 Member
    When I wanted to detox after I quit drinking, I would soak for 20-30 minutes in Epsom Salt. This has really worked for me, after soaking one a day for a few days I didn't get the detox headaches and flu like symptoms that I got before when I stopped drinking alcohol, so I am guessing that it will help you as well. It sure won't hurt. Also, drink enough water, and if you add lemon to the water, that helps your body detox also. Just a few simple things that won't empty your pockets. :) Blessings!
  • FunkyTobias
    FunkyTobias Posts: 1,776 Member
    This should be good....grabs a beer and popcorn.

    The beer and popcorn cleanse. I can get behind that.
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    The best cleanse is a lot of fruits and vegetables especially greens. The main thing about eating more fruits and vegetables is eating plenty of calories.

  • For them trying to sell a $300 "Cleanse" program you would think they would have came up with better lies.