You've spent the entire year watching your weight and exercising in order to stay in shape and get healthy - and then the holiday season rolls around. You can be forgiven for indulging a little bit - the holidays are meant to be enjoyed and its difficult not to partake in those delicious meals with family and friends. But after enjoying all of those holiday deserts and egg nog, you're probably ready to get yourself back on track. The following are a few detox tips that will help get you back to your former, healthier self:
Drink water in the morning
Start the day off on the right foot by drinking a large glass of water as soon as you get up. There are a number of reasons why you should do this. You'll help to hydrate yourself, for one. This is more important than it sounds - many people mistake being dehydrated for being hungry. If you drink water as soon as you get up, you won't feel as hungry. Water will also help your body flush out toxins, provide fuel for your brain and help boost your metabolism.
Eat foods rich with magnesium
The holidays can be pretty stressful, especially if you've been hosting family and friends at your home. Snacking on foods like pumpkin seeds or almonds will help give your body plenty of magnesium, which can help to reduce your stress levels. In fact, taking magnesium tablets before you go to bed can also help improve your sleep.
Eat foods rich in fibre
Fibre is hugely important because it will help you to maintain your blood sugar levels as well as encourage the elimination of your body's toxins. Fibre is also known to help reduce the feeling of hunger and bloating. Fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, brown rice and oats are all packed with fibre. So start the day off with a banana or a bowl of oatmeal and end the day with a dinner that includes brown rice and vegetables. If you feel the need to snack during the day, have an apple!
Eat alkaline-forming foods
Alkaline will help to keep your body's pH levels balanced , thereby helping to maintain your blood sugar levels as well as reduce inflammation. Alkaline-forming foods that you should be part of your diet include lemons, pears, kale and parsley.
Eat lots of greens
Dark green leafy vegetables are packed with nutrients that will support your liver and help to get rid of the heaviness that your body is feeling after your holiday feasting. Your meals should consist of at least 50 percent dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale and arugula, to name a few.
Avoid dairy products
It can be difficult to avoid milk and cheese (who doesn't love cheese?), but dairy products are very heavy and difficult to digest. Not to mention that dairy is highly acidic - which will throw your body's pH levels out of wack. If you're trying to cleanse your body, then at least cut back on the dairy if you think you're going to have trouble eliminating it from your diet altogether. There are a lot of great alternatives for dairy products out there that you can try instead. For example, almond milk is a delicious dairy-free alternative to regular milk. Coconut milk and hemp milk are popular alternatives as well.
As much as you probably enjoyed eating that enormous holiday meal, odds are you didn't feel too great afterwards. Use these tips in order to detox from your holiday eating binge and to get your body back in a healthy state as quickly as possible.