It's a common misconception that, in order to lose weight, you must deprive yourself of everything even remotely tasty. Though it makes sense in essence -"eat less, weigh less, duuh"- if you take a dramatic approach to weight loss, you can actually do your body much more harm than good, and it is almost inevitable that any weight lost will reappear as soon as you revert to normal eating habits.
Every single day, particularly at the start of a new year, we have a million and one faddy diets forced down our throats, most of which do more harm than good. Your body is a hard working machine, and it needs the right fuel to function. If you starve yourself, your body will go into survival mode making you irritable, anxious, emotional and, above all, pretty ghastly to be around. Over a prolonged period of time it will slow your metabolism, break down muscle tissue and weaken your bones, particularly when combined with exercise. Plus, nobody likes a preachy foody bore; extreme dieting is a terribly lonely existence - just you and your quinoa, against the world.(Speaking from personal experience here...)
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A big breakfast bowl packed full of berries with a little lime zest and creamy Co-Yo - recipe here |
Despite tasting absolutely glorious, the balanced plans can help you lose up to five pounds per week, depending on your starting weight, and leave your skin glowing. The packages are a little expensive for most of us, but the ethos behind The Detox Kitchen is priceless: forget calories and listen to what your body wants and needs - never, ever deprive yourself. Staying slim, healthy and happy is easy if you try - it's a marathon, not a sprint, and nobody can run on empty.
Roasted aubergine with spicy brown rice, roasted cherry tomatoes and lemon scented soya yogurt - stay tuned for the recipe |
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A super quick and simple snack pot of raw spinach, shoots, 1/2 an avocado and two boiled eggs - it's the perfect pre-gym protein hit. Make it a meal with this variation. |
Lily's tip is to differentiate between hunger and thirst, if you feel as though you could use a snack, have a cup of mint tea or water instead, and if the hunger persists have a handful of nuts or a veg-based juice. The packages are supposed to be a minimum of three days, but just one day appears to have done me a world of good - my indigestion is eased and I have a little more energy. You can tell you've done your body a world of good.
If you like the sound of the cleanses, you can book one here, or I have a little twist on the plan listed below, for you to try at home. I personally don't have a juicer, so instead I have substituted the juice for a small raw salad, as per the second snack of the day.
* Quinoa, apple and goji berry porridge or toasted oat, chopped almond and golden raisin muesli with rice milk and blueberries (just pop all muesli ingredients on a baking tray, drizzle with raw honey and toast for 10 minutes or so until golden, add the rice milk and a handful of blueberries)
* Clean and Crisp snack pot: 1/4 cucumber diced with 1/2 sliced apple and lemon juice
* Quinoa, fennel and tomato salad or chickpea and courgette salad with spinach and salsa verde (blitz a handful of parsley, mint and coriander with lemon juice, a little apple cider vinegar, rapeseed oil and a sprinkle of chilli flakes)
* Steamed broccoli (cooled) with chilli flakes and lemon
* Cauliflower cous cous with cashews (seriously delicious!)
* If you're feeling virtuous, stew an apple in water with cinnamon, nutmeg and a little raw honey, or for a real treat try the infamous raw cacao and beetroot brownies (be careful - it's tricky to stop after one...)
Happy healthy eating! For more daily inspiration, be sure to follow The Detox Kitchen on Instagram at @TheDetoxKitchen.