January is that time of year when we are bombarded with the latest and greatest detoxes and new diets. In every newspaper and magazine you will find an array of different options to choose from. This morning it was the Red Carpet Detox and the Ice Diet....and that was just in one newspaper.
Whilst in principle I am not against the odd 'detox' - although I prefer to think of it as just getting back to basics by eating more cleanly and cutting out the rubbish. The problem that I have is that many people jump on these options with gusto only to find that they have crashed and burned before the end of January, or come 'off' the 'detox' and get back to their normal, often chaotic ways of eating. I strongly believe that this quick fix mentality is never going to get anyone the results and health that they deserve. Eating well and nourishing your body has to become a way of life, something that you do every day, week, month over the course of the whole year. Year after year.
It is a constant process. Know when you are eating for comfort and making the wrong food choices. Understand how being disorganised around food leaves you open to poor food choices. Be aware of when you are treating food as fuel and just eating because you are hungry. Think about how many time in the day you are ACTUALLY including some fresh fruit or vegetables. Eating enough veg, but are you getting enough leafy greens? Are you stuck in a rut and eating the same breakfast / lunch day after day? Do you know how much sugar is in your cereal and could you swap to a better option? Are their ways that you can layer in the goodness each day - a sprinkling of seeds, a small portion of nuts, some good essential fats? Are you drinking enough water? How much tea and coffee do you drink? What about sugar? - how much 'hidden' sugar is in the foods that you eat?
I could go on but none of us can get this all right in one quick detox. These are new habits that you have to make and that takes time. It is best done in a slow and steady way one step after the other. So if you are one of those people who crashes around from one detox / diet to another then maybe it is time to stop and think - time to do something different.
January is a great month to make changes, but make them sustainable and additive. Step by step through the course of the year you could make a really significant difference to the way you eat. I am a big supporter of juicing, but it is not just for January. Try to incorporate green juices rich in vegetables into your daily routine throughout the year. If you are going to do a detox or a cleanse make it part of a bigger journey towards healthy eating, not just a one off in January.
My plan this year is to eat in colour. It is all very well to ensure that you get your minimum of 5 fruit and vegetables, I (usually) do that. But I get stuck in a rut and eat the same foods over and over again. So this year I am going to focus on my colours to help me learn to use some fruit and vegetables that I don't normally use. January for no particular reason is green.
Wishing you a happy and healthy 2015