Detox cleanses don’t have to leave you starving and deprived. While all-liquid cleanses like juice and smoothie cleanses have become popular, we prefer detox cleanses that focus on filling your body with healthy, cleansing foods that kick start the detoxification process. With these cleanses, you still get the same amazing effects, without feeling completely low energy, distracted and sluggish. 3-day detox cleanse plans are one of the best ways to kick start your diet and leave you feeling great! Take a look at our favourites below!
What is a Detox Cleanse?
A detox cleanse is a specific diet that helps rid your body of toxins. Although your body is able to naturally rid itself of toxins, there are certain foods that can enhance the body’s natural detoxification system. A typical detox involves a period of fasting, followed by a strict diet of fruits, vegetables, fruit juices and water. Sometimes they also include herbs, teas and supplements.
Cleanses kickstart your body’s natural cleansing process by avoiding solid food or a specific food group, such as sugar, caffeine and processed foods. This eliminates toxins and gives your body and digestive system a chance to reset, heal and more easily absorb nutrients from food.
There are different types of detox cleanses out there. Liquid cleanses are one type of detox that require you to replace solid food with liquids for a period of time. Other cleanses allow you to eat solids and liquids, and these assist in resetting your system, helping you achieve long term weight loss results. These are the cleanses we’ll be focused on in this post!
9 Pros and Cons of Detox Cleanse Plans
Pros
1. Eliminates Toxins
As the word “cleanse” describes, detox cleanse plans are meant to help your body eliminate toxins. They help give you a reboot and lead you along the path to healthy eating habits.
2. Aids Weight Loss
Although cleanses aren’t meant to be long-term weight loss plans, they do help jump start your weight loss journey. They’re a great first step in leading you towards your weight loss goals, and you can use the cleansing period to begin creating a healthy relationship with food and banish unhealthy eating habits.
3. Increased Vitamins and Minerals
Typically, cleanses consist of eating lots of fruits and vegetables, either in whole or liquid form (juice, smoothies, etc.). When on a detox cleanse, you’ll benefit from an increased dose of vitamins and minerals that you’ll get naturally from all the fruits and vegetables.
4. Highlight Food Sensitivities
Cleanses can also help you identify food sensitivities since you have to eliminate certain foods for a certain number of days. You can then slowly reintroduce potential trigger foods to see if there are any foods that should be taken out of your diet completely.
5. Eliminates Bad Food Cravings
After going on a cleanse, you may realize that you don’t crave things like caffeine and sugar. Cleansing plans often require you to follow a schedule, which keeps you from snacking when you’re lonely or bored, and overeating at meals. Empty calories and mindless eating are two of the major things that lead to weight gain, so doing a cleanse can help get your health and weight back on track.
6. Resets Your Taste Buds
A cleanse will reset your tastebuds, since you’re cutting out things like over-processed salty foods, sugar and caffeine. These things can actually make your taste buds numb, making it difficult for you to enjoy food in its natural state. Resetting your taste buds will help you enjoy good food again and make it less likely for you to crave salt, sugar and caffeine.
Cons
1. Not Effective or Sustainable Long-Term
Keep in mind, that detox cleanses are not intended for long term weight loss. They’re a short jump-start to healthy eating habits, but are not effective or sustainable long term. You should not be constantly cleansing, as your body will miss out on the essentials it needs to function properly.
2. Decrease in Energy
Cleanses are low in calories and carbs, which can leave you with very little energy. You shouldn’t exercise for prolonged periods of time while on a cleanse due to the low amount of calories you’ll be consuming, and it may disrupt your metabolic rate and blood glucose levels. Stick to light exercise such as a slow-paced yoga class or walking.
3. Increased Bowel Movements
During a detox, you may experience gastrointestinal distress and frequent bowel movements. Make sure to have an easily accessible bathroom for the duration of the cleanse, or at least the first couple days to see how your body reacts. You may think that frequent bowel movements are a good thing, but that’s not always the case. You may be flushing out essential nutrients and electrolytes that keep your body functioning.
How Long and How Often Should You Do Detox Cleanses?
Three days is an ideal amount of time to do a detox cleanse. It’s the perfect amount of time to eliminate toxins from your body and reset your body and taste buds. Since you have low energy on cleanses and you’re not getting the proper amount of sustenance, anything longer than three days can be tough. In terms of how often to do detox cleanses, it’s recommended to do them three or four times a year. Whenever you notice yourself feeling particularly bloated or sluggish, a detox cleanse can be just the thing to get you back on track!
3 Best 3-Day Detox Cleanse Plans
1. The Women’s Fitness 3-Day Detox Diet
This detox plan consists of replacing breakfast, lunch and snacks with juices, smoothies and soups, while allowing for a nutritious dinner. Breakfast is a cup of water, followed by a different green juice each day to help kick-start liver health. You’ll have a mid-morning smoothie for snack, soup for lunch and a protein-rich dinner. Check out the detox cleanse plan here.
2. Byrdie’s 3-Day Healthy Detox Plan
This 3-day meal plan will help your body reset, de-bloat and get you back to healthy habits. It cuts out dairy, sugar, meat, caffeine, gluten, processed foods and alcohol. Each morning starts with a warm glass of lemon water to kickstart your digestive system. This is followed by a superfood smoothie with a protein source, a fat, and fresh fruits and veggies. For lunch, you’ll load up on raw veggies and dark leafy greens, and for dinner, a fibre rich soup will keep your satisfied. Finish off our day with a calming tea like chamomile or peppermint. See the detox cleanse plan here.
3. Hungry for Change 3-Day Detox Plan
With this 3-day detox plan, you’ll have a lemon ginger detox drink when you wake up, followed by a super detox green juice for breakfast. Your mid-morning snack will consist of cucumber, celery and carrot sticks, and for lunch you’ll have a sushi salad or green salad. Your afternoon snack is almonds, and your dinner is a potassium-balanced soup. You’ll also have a chia pudding dessert, and end your day with chamomile tea. Check it out here!
Detox cleanses are a great way to kickstart your weight loss! Use these tips and detox cleanses to get your health in check!
