This is the week of detox. Following on from this weekends impromptu digital detox I’m now trying the food version, it’s the end of day 3 of a 12 day detox. They say the first few days are the hardest so I thought it’d be a good time to share my thoughts.
It’s true I’ve been indulging over the past few months and have picked up some unhealthy habits I feel I need to address. By doing this detox I’m hoping to kick start a new healthy routine and give my health some much needed attention. It’s a first for me, whilst I’ve had yoga ashram diets and lived very healthily at times I’ve never done a detox so I’m intrigued what I find.
I have a love of food (bread in particular) and knew I’d been getting into unhealthy habits. I also knew this would be a real challenge for me given my attachment to food but I’ve surprised myself by sticking to it religiously so far and not kicking and screaming anywhere near what I was expecting!
It mainly involves eating nothing but raw fruit and veg, mostly blended. Three meals and snacks but no caffeine, meat, dairy, wheat, sugar or alcohol. Gentle exercise of 30 minutes a day is recommended which even for me is achievable and what’s more it recommends I stay out of the gym and away from high intensity workouts (a bonus!) The bits I love most are the rest days, saunas and massage on the schedule though.
I have always loved food and am aware I often eat for reasons other than being hungry. I have attachment issues with food. It’s not just the steady weight gain though that forces me to action but the drain on my energy, the clarity of my skin, my concentration levels and how fit I feel when I exercise. I’ve been aware for a while that all of this needs improving and there’s a bigger issue at play but it’s easier not to bother sometimes and reach for those foods and habits that comfort us. But eventually I am at a point where action is necessary and I am ready. Especially as we head into winter.
So I’ve taken the plunge and so far surviving well. Yes there’s been cravings and temptations but there’s not been as much hunger as I’d imagined, however that’s not always the reason that we reach for food I know.
It’s amazing how much time we spend thinking of food, what we’re having to eat, buying the ingredients and then preparing meals. Once we’ve done our morning juice that’s it for the day (aside from some raw veg snacks and nuts and seeds). There’s much more time in the day. However, much more time spend day dreaming about food since I’ve been detoxing – mostly pizza!
It’s a good chance to rest too as for the first few days I didn’t feel like doing much else. It’s funny that I’m eating more healthily than ever yet I feel worse! It’s those initial few days whilst your body starts getting rid of the toxins and withdraws from things like sugar and caffeine that are the worst. I'm glad to say my 2 day headache has now gone though :-)
The energy levels are much improved once the body has adjusted, not to mention better skin, a flatter stomach and just that feeling of health. Healthy food tastes better and the cravings for junk food are diminishing (although I do still spend a lot of time thinking about pizza).
Support has been an key ingredient. My partner and I are on this journey together which when you live together makes this so much easier, it also gives me someone to compare notes with, encouragement and a feeling of not being alone in the challenge.
So I’ll keep going and let you know what next week brings at the conclusion of this challenge.