New year new me — Clarins!
But if that seems too much of a difficult task, try this quick-fix, easy-to-follow seven-day plan. When you actually get started is up to you! You’re willing to take your car in for an annual MOT, so why not your body? Giving your body a much-needed detox can be easier than you think, and if there’s ever a time of year to make the effort, this is it.
Day 1: Easy does it
Nursing the mother of all hangovers, today is definitely not the day to attempt anything too strenuous. Reduce your caffeine and alcohol intake by half, and if you smoke, don’t. If you’re feeling sick, have a cup of ginger tea to relieve the nausea and an apple for a slow release of fructose to even your blood sugar levels.
Day 2: Flush it out
Drink at least two litres (or eight glasses) of water a day to flush toxins through your body, and if you can’t do without a cup of hot stuff, try chicory, barley or green tea, rich in liver-boosting flavonoid chetchins.
Day 3: Sweat it out
There’s no quicker way for your body to clean itself out than by getting your heart pumping. Get in at least 45 minutes heavy-to-moderate aerobic exercise every day, varying your schedule as much as possible.
Day 4: Fuel up
Before trying to clean your body, fill-up with essential vitamins and nutrients to eliminate anti-oxidants, which put too much stress on your liver. Fill up on fruit and veg including kiwi fruit, broccoli, red peppers, brazil nuts, walnuts and wild rice, and oily fish.
Day 5: Love your liver
Recharge your body’s main toxin-buster with milk thistle, which speeds up the replacement of old liver cells and protects against future alcohol abuse; artichoke leaf extract, which helps reduce cholesterol and protects your liver from general misuse; and dandelion root, which strengthens liver function while aiding digestion.
Day 6: Be kind to your kidneys
Banish kidney stones and boost your peeing power. Each day drink two glasses of cranberry juice or dandelion tea to help flush toxins out and prevent any urinary tract infections (UTIs); and eat foods rich in vitamin B6 (fish, avocados and bananas), and vitamin C (kiwi fruit and oranges) and magnesium (wild rice and broccoli).
Day 7: Bellow booster
Improve the capacity and function of your lungs by eating an apple a day, rich in the antioxidant querticin. Alternatively, go for dark berries such as blueberries or blackberries, packed with proanthocyanidin antioxidants, and melon, rich in beta-carotene, especially useful for healing smoke-damaged blowers. Feeling sluggish after the last month of indulging in chocolate, wine, and cookies? Kick off the new year with a two week detox diet. It supports your body’s detoxification functions by increasing elimination from the body, cleansing the colon, enhancing circulation to clear toxic substances, eliminating foods from the diet that require detoxification or are allergenic, and providing nutrients to support and protect the liver which is the main organ involved in detox.
Weight loss for the new year!
Are you determined to meet your weight loss goals this year? If healthier habits and weight loss are among your new year’s resolutions, give yourself a pat on the back for making health a top priority. The hard part is actually sticking to it and making real changes! Here are a few tips to help you keep on track with your weight loss resolution.
Write your goals down
If you want to truly do something, write it down. Journals, food diaries and to-do lists are extremely important to your weight loss plan. Brainstorm all of your goals onto one piece of paper and then rewrite each one as a contract with yourself. Put your contract somewhere that will keep you reminded of the promise you have made. The fridge is a great place since this is the main area which will make or break your resolution. Refer to your contract daily to remind yourself of your long-term goal.
Set a definite date
If you just say you’re going to meet your goal sometime within the year, that will not work. In fact, you will probably fall into the “I’ll start next week” trap. Instead, mark your calendar for a certain date for each goal that you want to achieve. For example, by March you want to be walking three kilometres a day.
Remove the temptations
– Lean protein (chicken breast, turkey breast, fish, egg whites)
– Fresh fruits (oranges, apples, grapes, strawberries)
– Raw vegetables (mushrooms, broccoli, squash, green beans, red peppers)
– Healthy snack foods (non-fat cottage cheese, sugar free jello, protein bar)
– Bottled Water
Meet mini-goals
Make small changes every week and they will add up in time. It’s easier to move little pebbles than an entire mountain, right? Here are some examples of weekly changes you could incorporate into mini-goals: Week one: Drink 10 glasses of water per day. Week two: Take the steps at work instead of the elevator. Week three: Switch to diet sodas. Week four: Eliminate fried foods. Week five: Begin eating one vegetarian meal per week.
Friends for ever
You don’t have to go it alone! Tell your friends and family what you want to accomplish and tell them how they can help you (and warn them of what doesn’t help). Telling someone else your goals will probably make you feel that much more dedicated to reaching them. By incorporating the important tips above, you will have a better road map to succeed with your new year’s weight loss resolution!
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