Detox Week Tricks & Tips

Sometimes detox can be difficult. In my mindset, it actually feels harder because we do focus on it so much - it's like telling yourself not to look at something - it makes you want to look harder! Nutrition is a lot harder than just working out 5 days a week. It's a 24 hour battle of what I place in my mouth and what I eat. Reading labels in the grocery store, takes time and effort. A good fitness routine has to include fueling your body for performance with healthy, nutritious food.

Here are my few tricks that I employ to have a better Detox week:

1. Out of Sight, out of mind. Cutting out alcohol and soda are the two easiest do because, well, I simply don't buy these things so they are not being seen. If it's not in the fridge, it's not a problem. Get those trouble items out of sight and out of mind! It can be whatever food you have trouble with (not just alcohol and soda). Remove them from your pantry if you have to.

2. Mind over matter. Be conscientious of why you're stuffing another chip in your mouth. Are you actually hungry? Or is it just a habit that you eat, just because you are bored? Or at your desk and that's what you've always done? Break those bad habits! I used to eat the whole apple chips bag which is 2.5 servings when I watch my TV shows, not because I was hungry but because that was my routine. Change that up! For me, I've been munching on a plum or some kind of fruit instead!

3. Grab the water instead! This trick also goes along with tip 2. As an overeater, I used to snack all day long. I wasn't necessarily hungry and it was not necessarily always healthy snacks either. So now, instead of grabbing for those snacks, I grab my water jug. Find a good substitution for those unhealthy snacks! Whether they be a burpee or herbal mint tea - something else to do/drink instead of all those snacks. I'm not saying to starve yourself, but don't snack all afternoon.

4. Include your family. It's so much easier to have my husband Ryan on board than not. Have a chat with your family member(s) so you're not making separate meals for each of you. Trust me! It'll be so much easier to stay on track!

5. Try different salads. When I first started Kaia, I hated eating salads. I asked myself why and came to the realization that it was only one type. So I started ordering different types and found that I liked certain salads and not others. This can be miserable at first but when you like your greens, you will more likely to eat them! Same tip goes for vegetables that maybe you've never tried. How do you know you don't like it? My tip is to 6. try things at least twice. First time you try something might be circumstances - you've had a bad day or there was something else that didn't mix well with it. Second time you try something, maybe try cooking it differently? You should definitely know if you still dislike this specific item. I'm not talking about trying meth twice now - I'm speaking of good healthy greens, veggies and nutritious items. Open up your world of food. It doesn't have to be chicken and asparagus for the rest of your life!