BY AMANDA MONTELL
Pinterest
PHOTO: @OUTDOORVOICES
For the past few months, you've been eating way too much Shake Shack, drinking way too much rosé, and, now, here we are: bloated, tired, and in desperate need of a detox. "One negative effect of poor eating and drinking over the course of time is a broken metabolism," says Sarah Asay, a registered dietitian at BistroMD, a doctor-designed and chef-prepared healthy meal delivery service. (Yes, it is possible to break it, after all.) "Metabolism dysfunction may present as weight gain, increased blood pressure and cholesterol, less energy, food cravings, and trouble sleeping." Sound familiar? Well, luckily for us, there are healthy (yes, healthy) ways to detox your body—and in just 24 hours to boot.
"The good news is these symptoms can be reduced or alleviated with lifestyle changes," Asay says. But who wants to wait six months to patch their metabolism back together? No one. Luckily, there are a few simple changes that you can make today to kick your body into detox mood fast. Read on to learn six easy ways to detox your body in 24 hours or less.
1. BINGE ON SLEEP.
PHOTO: URBAN OUTFITTERS
"Giving yourself a good night's rest is one of the best ways to detox your body and re-set," Asay says. "Sleep has been connected to weight loss, reduced cortisol levels and stress, and improved overall health." The best part about sleep is that it takes absolutely no effort—just make sure the temperature of your room is cool, and give yourself a 10-hour block to snooze.
2. DRINK A BIG GLASS OF WATER RIGHT AFTER YOU WAKE UP.
BKR Glass Water Bottle ($35)
… and right before you go to sleep. And throughout the day as well. "When you think about it, while our bodies are asleep, we go seven or more hours without any hydration," Asay says. "By providing your body with hydration upon waking, it refreshes and energizes our cells."
3. TAKE LOTS OF STRETCH BREAKS.
PHOTO: @OUTDOORVOICES
"Take a break once an hour, even if only for five minutes, to stretch and move around!" Asay encourages. "This will decrease fatigue, get your blood flowingthrough the muscles, and get your heart rate up, burning calories." (Plus, a quick stretch break is probably one of the most enjoyable ways to detox your body, no?)
4. REACH FOR BLOAT-BUSTING BEVERAGES.
Yogi Lemon Ginger Tea ($8)
Ingredients like lemon, ginger, peppermint, coconut, and cayenne powder all encourage digestion, which will alleviate bloat quickly. Infuse your water with some fresh lemon or brew a pot of ginger tea.
5. AVOID YOUR WINE STASH.
PHOTO: STOCKSY
Sadly, that "hair of the dog" mimosa is not detox-friendly. "To our bodies, alcohol is a toxin, which means when we ingest it, our bodies will work to metabolize the alcohol before other sources of energy," Asay says. In other words, while your body is busy working on the alcohol, the other calories in your food or drink will store as fat. Not to mention, alcohol will dehydrate and fatigue you. If you're serious about detoxing quickly, lay off the stuff.
6. BUT DON'T DEPRIVE YOURSELF.
PHOTO: GATHER & FEAST
When your body feels gross, your gut reaction (no pun intended) might be to swear off everything but green juice and water. But Asay says this type of thinking can be a mistake. "No single food or drink should be considered off limits," she says. Instead, picture the foods you love on a spectrum of how much—there are those you should eat a lot of, and there are those you should eat more sparingly.
"Some examples of items to consume sparingly would be deep-fried items, sugary beverages, unfulfilling snacks like candy or chips, and highly processed meats such as hot dogs or bologna," Asay says. But if 7 p.m. strikes and you find yourself desperately craving chocolate, don't stress. You can still have a few squares of chocolate or a handful of chips. As long as your choices are mindful, your detox will still work.
Next up: These 4 sugar detox recipes will help you recover from your cookie coma.
PHOTO: @OUTDOORVOICES
For the past few months, you've been eating way too much Shake Shack, drinking way too much rosé, and, now, here we are: bloated, tired, and in desperate need of a detox. "One negative effect of poor eating and drinking over the course of time is a broken metabolism," says Sarah Asay, a registered dietitian at BistroMD, a doctor-designed and chef-prepared healthy meal delivery service. (Yes, it is possible to break it, after all.) "Metabolism dysfunction may present as weight gain, increased blood pressure and cholesterol, less energy, food cravings, and trouble sleeping." Sound familiar? Well, luckily for us, there are healthy (yes, healthy) ways to detox your body—and in just 24 hours to boot.
"The good news is these symptoms can be reduced or alleviated with lifestyle changes," Asay says. But who wants to wait six months to patch their metabolism back together? No one. Luckily, there are a few simple changes that you can make today to kick your body into detox mood fast. Read on to learn six easy ways to detox your body in 24 hours or less.
1. BINGE ON SLEEP.
PHOTO: URBAN OUTFITTERS
"Giving yourself a good night's rest is one of the best ways to detox your body and re-set," Asay says. "Sleep has been connected to weight loss, reduced cortisol levels and stress, and improved overall health." The best part about sleep is that it takes absolutely no effort—just make sure the temperature of your room is cool, and give yourself a 10-hour block to snooze.
2. DRINK A BIG GLASS OF WATER RIGHT AFTER YOU WAKE UP.
BKR Glass Water Bottle ($35)
… and right before you go to sleep. And throughout the day as well. "When you think about it, while our bodies are asleep, we go seven or more hours without any hydration," Asay says. "By providing your body with hydration upon waking, it refreshes and energizes our cells."
3. TAKE LOTS OF STRETCH BREAKS.
PHOTO: @OUTDOORVOICES
"Take a break once an hour, even if only for five minutes, to stretch and move around!" Asay encourages. "This will decrease fatigue, get your blood flowingthrough the muscles, and get your heart rate up, burning calories." (Plus, a quick stretch break is probably one of the most enjoyable ways to detox your body, no?)
4. REACH FOR BLOAT-BUSTING BEVERAGES.
Yogi Lemon Ginger Tea ($8)
Ingredients like lemon, ginger, peppermint, coconut, and cayenne powder all encourage digestion, which will alleviate bloat quickly. Infuse your water with some fresh lemon or brew a pot of ginger tea.
5. AVOID YOUR WINE STASH.
PHOTO: STOCKSY
Sadly, that "hair of the dog" mimosa is not detox-friendly. "To our bodies, alcohol is a toxin, which means when we ingest it, our bodies will work to metabolize the alcohol before other sources of energy," Asay says. In other words, while your body is busy working on the alcohol, the other calories in your food or drink will store as fat. Not to mention, alcohol will dehydrate and fatigue you. If you're serious about detoxing quickly, lay off the stuff.
6. BUT DON'T DEPRIVE YOURSELF.
PHOTO: GATHER & FEAST
When your body feels gross, your gut reaction (no pun intended) might be to swear off everything but green juice and water. But Asay says this type of thinking can be a mistake. "No single food or drink should be considered off limits," she says. Instead, picture the foods you love on a spectrum of how much—there are those you should eat a lot of, and there are those you should eat more sparingly.
"Some examples of items to consume sparingly would be deep-fried items, sugary beverages, unfulfilling snacks like candy or chips, and highly processed meats such as hot dogs or bologna," Asay says. But if 7 p.m. strikes and you find yourself desperately craving chocolate, don't stress. You can still have a few squares of chocolate or a handful of chips. As long as your choices are mindful, your detox will still work.
Next up: These 4 sugar detox recipes will help you recover from your cookie coma.