Summer Cleanse: Part 1

This is a 3 part series on how to cleanse and detoxify your body. Look for parts 2 and 3 coming soon.

Summer is upon us and many of us are putting on swimsuits and smaller clothing for the first time in months only to find that our last minute work outs and dieting did not work as effectively as we thought. With the incoming sun, we find that just like the plants, we've grown. Some people call it their "winter coat", but I will take my denial 1-step farther and just swear that the sun made me grow just like it did the plants, so my summer clothes are a little tighter than I remember. Being from the greater Seattle area where we've seen 6 months of straight rain, with a sudden onset of more frequent sun, it almost seems like a viable story, so as they say, "That's my story and I'm sticking to it!"

Whether it's your "winter coat," the "freshman 15", or the fact that the sun made you grow like a weed, the fact remains there is still those extra pounds that are just lingering like a bad penny that can no longer be ignored, so what can we do to decrease those sizes a little more rapidly?

Time for a summer cleanse!

The great news is that since it is summer, it is the easiest and best time to drop size and do a cleanse. You may argue that there's vacations and barbecues to contend with, and while I agree that there's pitfalls, most food that is readily available is fresh, full of water, high in fiber, and great for flushing the system. Heavier food like cream sauces, heavy pastas, sweet heavy cakes, etc are easily exchanged for olive oil based salads, fresh fruits, and grilled veggies. SOOO what is the best way to lose those last 10 pounds this month?

Well if you calculate healthy weight loss at 2 pounds per week, you can easily lose 8 pounds in 1 month. Add in a bit of exercise and walking during these beautiful summer nights, and losing another 2 pounds could easily be managed with enjoyment. Yes, there will be some sacrifices that you have to make, but the rewards will be worth it.

1. Time to give up dairy temporarily. Cut most dairy including milk and cheese. You can have 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt with 1-1/2 Tbl of honey and 1/4-1/2 cup of fresh fruit. This can be breakfast or dessert or an evening snack. Plain Greek yogurt is higher in protein than it's sugary counter parts, and adding the honey and fresh fruit (I prefer berries of any sort), makes it feel more like a dessert or treat. If you drink cream in your coffee, switch to coconut milk or coconut cream (the REAL stuff in the can, not the sugar laiden processed crap). This will give you boost of good fat in the morning and jump start your metabolism; especially if you eat protein like a boiled egg or turkey bacon for breakfast.
   

2. Walk 20-30 minutes per day. If it's very hot where you're from, enjoy the cool evenings as the sunsets. If you already have a workout routine, you can add this in addition to it to step up the weight loss.
   

3. Meditate. Yes, that's right, meditate. Meditation has been shown to calm the mind and reduce the cortisone levels that increase with stress. Cortisone is responsible for excess belly fat. Meditating 10-20 min a day will decrease the overall cortisone levels in our body, which will allow the midsection to let go of some fat reserves.
   

4. While I'm on decreasing cortisone levels, make sure to enjoy your vacation if you're taking one over the summer. Many people take a vacation and over-schedule themselves to see everything. This can cause additional stress and fatigue from running around maintaining the hectic schedule you were supposed to leave behind. This will not do. Make sure you include down days to relax and recover, so you do not need a vacation after your vacation.