I’ve never been one for extreme detoxing… I did a modified juice cleanse, as an experiment, and it was quickly my last (which I anticipated it would be…). Instead, I prefer to fall back on whole foods, clean living, and regular workouts. Yet, when Tone It Up shared a free 5 day post-holiday detox plan, I was curious. I absolutely love their workouts, and what they stand for, so I decided to give it a try (you can read about my BBG vs. Tone It Up experience). So, today I thought I’d share my experience with it, how I modified it, and my overall impressions…. just in case you’re looking for some kind of meal plan or detox experience yourself…..
1. Foods: I think when the term “detox” is used is signifies deprivation. Yet, with this plan, I found it to not be depriving at all, and actually found meals that I am going to incorporate into my regular meal planning (like their chocolate pudding for dessert… and the apple with cinnamon for a mid morning snack….). There is a big focus on veggies and proteins, with fruit being the main source of carbohydrates, so that meant no grains (corn, rice….). They do say no to added sugars, fried foods, alcohol, creamy dressings (so I opted for the primal kitchen honey mustard since it was basically just avocado oil, vinegar, and herbs….), dairy (which I already don’t eat), starches after lunch, salty foods (i.e. chips, pretzels, cereals, crackers…), soda, and fake sugars. While I know this list sounds long, it’s really not that bad when you’re focused on eating basic ingredient foods (chicken + veggies…. large green salad with tuna and veggies…. chia seed pudding… egg scrambles….).
They also explain the scientific reasons why you will be eating the foods they have on the meal plan… which was actually very educational for me. It grouped them into antioxidant foods, detoxifying foods, anti-inflammatory foods, and fiber packed foods.
There are several meals plans for all dietary restrictions…. vegetarian, vegan, gluten free…..
2. Preparation: The plan also helps you fully prepare for the five days ahead by providing you with a grocery list and daily meal plan (in conjunction with workouts….). Preparation is key for success, so it made it super easy for me to run through the grocery store, with the list, and grab the essentials. Also, a lot of the breakfasts, like the chia seed pudding, can be made within 10 minutes and placed in a container for up to 5 days…. making a super easy grab and go breakfast option.
3. Customizable: This might be one of my favorite parts of the detox plan. You can easily add up to 250 calories when you’re doing higher intensity workouts, feeling low on energy (who wants to feel that way??) and if you’re not going for the 1-2 pound weight loss. Since I wasn’t looking for weight loss, just the de-bloating, cleansing, and metabolism boosting benefits I added in daily…. A few add ons I used included:
5 egg whites with my breakfast scrambles
1/2 cup quinoa when I went to lunch with my sister and mom
1/2 medium avocado with my salads
1/4 cup almonds with my morning apple snack
1 cup berries with my morning chia seed pudding
1/4 cup sunflower seeds with my salad
2 tbsp almond butter with my apple snack (not in conjunction with the almonds)
What this allowed me to do was listen to my body… how was I feeling? What was my body needing? I find that so many detox plans lack in that area… it’s a strict formula which allows for no flexibility….
I was also able to mix in my own meals that followed all the ingredients and guidelines they set forward, which made it not feel like a detox at all.
4. Taking With Me: A few things I added during the plan was increasing my water intake to about 80oz a day (they recommend 90, but I couldn’t quite get there!) as well as their morning mocktail of lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, water, and cayenne pepper (loved starting my morning that way….). I found that the more water I consumed, the less bloated and hungry I felt. I’m for sure continuing both and incorporating them into my daily routine.
As I mentioned above there were several meals that I loved and will continue to make… the red lentil soup, chia seed pudding, beet salad, and the chocolate mousse (I mean, a detox plan that includes dessert…. need any more convincing??).
5. Overall Impressions: I highly recommend this detox plan for anyone looking to de-bloat, cleanse, and get a jump start on clean eating. It’s very manageable, and easily fits into a daily lifestyle. Tone It Up also launched an app with studio workouts… and I seriously love those too. When I started Tone It Up last April I began noticing so many changes in my body… I literally “toned up.” I love their focus on strength training, and making working out fun… along with those occasional glasses of wine and indulgences…..
And now, a few recent workout looks…..
(windbreaker, capris, cap)
