1. Fit it into your lifestyle

Trainer Chris Wilson, Renouf Personal Training

“Instead of getting clients to completely reduce everything, we get them to write down what they’re currently eating and drinking over a three to four-day period and go from there, ” Mr Wilson says.

“It’s always easier to build new habits into a lifestyle — if I gave them a perfect plan to follow, chances are it would only last a week or so.”

My top tip:

Don’t fret about the scales: “Muscle mass does weigh more than fat — do a few basic measurements before you start your detox (around your belly, under your rib cage and around your hips). Measure again after 21 days to see if you’re on track.”

2. Don’t restrict yourself

Dietitian Kate Gurdof, spokeswoman for the Dietitians Association of Australia

“Dietitians don’t love the word ‘detox’— often that involves fasting and restriction of food groups, ” Ms Gurdof says.

“I think just eliminating processed, high-sugar, high- saturated-fat foods and alcohol is best.”

Ms Gurdof recommends replacing these undesirable choices with good, wholesome foods such as fruit, vegetables and whole grains —“and a lot of water”.

My top tips:

Don’t over restrict yourself: “Over restricting and cutting out whole food groups can lead to nutrient deficiency over a long period of time.”

Watch how you’re cooking as well as what you’re eating: “Go back to steaming, baking or lightly stir-frying.”

3. Grab a friend and plan ahead

Naturopath Melissa Hohaia, Perth Natural Medical Clinic

Ms Hohaia says the hype around detoxing has meant many people have forgotten that their body “detoxes” naturally every day.

“Detoxing is a normal process the body goes through — it’s not something we’re forcing, ” Ms Hohaia says.

“The only reason we need to detox nowadays is that the exposure (to processed foods) starts to outweigh what the body can keep up with.”

Ms Hohaia explains that the detox process depends on how healthy your body is when you start. “When we’re detoxing, the body is releasing stored toxins — if all those toxins are mobilised and the body isn’t able to package them up and safely excrete them, it can actually do more damage than good.”


My top tips:

Preparation: “Plan your week or day ahead of time and make sure you’ve got things pre-prepared.”

Focus on what you can have: “A lot of people end up with a list of what they can’t have — switch and focus on things you can include.”

Rally your family and friends: “The more people you can rally around and get involved, the better.”

 

Get the most out of your cleanse by:


•Cutting caffeine slowly.

•Getting a shopping list together to organise yourself with healthy eating.

•Drinking lots of water leading up to and while detoxing.

•Trying a probiotic, soluble fibre and a natural antibiotic (such as garlic supplements) to assist with your body’s cleansing.

 

© The West Australian