Exercising is a crucial component of any good, sane detox plan. Think about it: During a time when you're trying to eliminate as many toxins as possible, sweating is one of the smartest things you can do. Your skin is your largest detox organ, after all.
Luckily, I've got this part of the plan in the bag thanks to the fact that I'm a workout fiend. I do Pilates three mornings a week before work, try to sneak in at least one yoga class a week (two if I can), and I'm also a spin class addict. For me, sweating is an essential part of my day -- a completely enjoyable way to burn off stress and angst (not to mention calories).
In an ideal world, I'd also be making time to sit in a sauna (more sweating), dry brush my body before showering (which stimulates lymphatic drainage), and meditate (to help detox negative thoughts) while following this detox diet. But so far, I've only had time for my Monday-Wednesday-Friday Pilates sessions and a few spin classes each week. And I'm OK with that.
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Starting to see my svelter, sexier self emerge
An exciting thing happened at Pilates this morning: Priscilla, a fellow student whom I've been taking classes with for about two months now, says to me, "You are looking really good, Meghan." I blush, thank her, and then promptly sneak a glance at myself in the floor-to-ceiling mirror. I am looking good. Leaner. Less puffy. More toned. I'm at Day 19 and I'm amazed at how quickly this diet seems to be working.
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The power of a detox buddy
If you want to know the truth, there are a couple things that have kept me on track with this detox. The first is knowing that I have another appointment with Cahitas at the Murad Inclusive Health Spa after these 21 days are up. And because I'm writing about this experience, I'll be especially mortified if I actually gain weight, or if my skin reading is worse than my starting point. Turns out there's nothing like the threat of public embarrassment to bolster my willpower.
More impressive, however, has been the support from a detox buddy, my co-worker Sarah. She's following a similar, 21-day detox (read about her experience here) and we've been commiserating ("I'm hungry!"), whining ("Are we done yet?"), and celebrating ("I didn't cheat last night!") with each other every step of the way. The support has been helpful and much appreciated, and I highly recommend talking someone in your life into detoxing with you if you decide to bite the bullet and try a cleanse.
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Last day -- hallejulah!
It's Day 21 and although I'm convinced the way I've been eating for the last three weeks is (mostly) the diet I'll try to stick to for good, I'm still really, really excited to be D.O.N.E. I feel great (despite only 6 hours of sleep last night, I've got a ton of energy). I'm wearing my tightest pair of skinny jeans (and I slipped them on this morning with ease). And yet, I'm already plotting my lunch for tomorrow: A bacon cheeseburger with fries. I know, I know -- not a smart move. I'll chase it with a green juice.
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So, how'd I do?
At my follow-up appointment at the Murad Inclusive Health Spa, Cahitas tests me again and gives me my much-anticipated results:
Weight: 142 pounds (I'm down 5 pounds from my start date) Wrinkles: 81st percentile (up from the 69th percentile -- I'm liking these results!) Pores: 69th percentile (down from the 73rd percentile; not great, but not a drastic change, says Cahitas) UV Spots: 60th percentile (WAY up from the 17th percentile; Cahitas and I are blown away) Red Areas: 63rd percentile (up from the 46th percentile)
The five pounds I've dropped makes me happy-ish. To be honest, I'm a little disappointed it's not more. Vegan eatin' for 21 days and I didn't lose at least 10 pounds? Cahitas offers some consolation: "Since you lost these five pounds in a healthy, controlled way, the odds are good that you won't gain them back," she says.
Outshining any and all bitterness about my meager weight loss, however, is the impressive turnaround my skin seems to have taken. Even Cahitas is wowed by the major improvement in UV damage. "This tells me that the micronutrients you're getting in the green juices you're drinking every day are having a powerful effect on a deep level," she says.
If I ever need some motivation to fire up my juicer in the morning, I'm going to look at these results.
Detox. It's a word that carries so much hope -- and so much fear. Detox the smart way and you're in for clearer skin, more energy, and a smaller number on the scale. Detox drastically (Master Cleanse, anyone?) and you're likely to do more harm than good. But with so many detox plans out there, and so much conflicting evidence on the effectiveness of each, how's a girl to choose the cleanse that's right for her?
To get that answer, my co-worker Sarah suggested a few of us Total Beauty editors follow different detox diets and write about our experiences. And when the idea was a go, I was on the assignment like white on rice. Full disclosure: I'm not a detox newbie. I've tried a couple detox plans in the past and think of them like an old friend you can always count on for a kick in the booty when you need one.
And boy, do I need one right now. Lots of work, not enough time to shop for (and prepare) healthy foods, and a jam-packed social calendar has caused me to rely on caffeine, sugary snacks, and takeout dinners more frequently than I care to admit. I'm hoping "Crazy, Sexy Diet" -- a detox created by cancer survivor Kris Carr -- will lure me back to my healthy-living ways (and OK, get my skin glowing and tighten my tush while I'm at it).
