So you finally decided to do it: You\u2019re going to do a cleanse.<\/p>\n
You figured out which one is right for you, and you\u2019re prepared for what you need to do during your cleanse.<\/p>\n
But what are you supposed to do before? Or after? Does it even matter?<\/p>\n
It does matter.<\/p>\n
Why? Because by doing a little preparation, you \u2018ll make the transition into a cleanse feel less\u2026 challenging, and by easing slowly back into a regular routine afterward, you\u2019ll help make your healthy new habits more likely to stick.<\/p>\n
And of course, any time you make significant changes to your diet, it\u2019s always a good idea to check in with your doctor first, especially if you take medication or have a health condition.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re doing 3-Day Refresh, don\u2019t stress too much about what you eat beforehand; it\u2019s OK to start right after a calorie-bomb weekend or holiday feast.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what the Refresh is designed for,\u201d says Paige Bente,\u00a0M.S., R.D., C.S.S.D.<\/span>\u00a0\u201cThis is a way to get back on track.\u201d But you can make things easier for yourself by prepping your meals ahead of time.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll also want to taper off heavy exercise. It\u2019s generally not a great idea to head into a serious calorie deficit situation when your body is trying to replenish glycogen or repair muscle.<\/p>\n For a longer cleanse like Ultimate Reset, you\u2019ll probably want to do a little more prep work.<\/p>\n In addition to tapering off your workouts, make it a point to get more sleep and alert your family and friends so they can cheer you on. If you need a little more support, there\u2019s a Facebook page full of people who have your back.<\/p>\n Sure, you could eat a whole pizza for dinner the night before your cleanse starts, but intentionally bookending your cleanse with greasy grub as the \u201clast meal\u201d reinforces the idea that healthy food is something you have to suffer through.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is not your last chance to eat junk food,\u201d says Denis Faye, M.S. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing wrong with indulging occasionally, but don\u2019t make healthy food the villain.\u201d<\/p>\n Instead, remind yourself why you\u2019re doing the cleanse in the first place \u2014 and focus on the tasty recipes you have planned during your cleanse.<\/p>\n Sorry, coffee lovers, but it\u2019s gotta be done. If you\u2019re struggling to imagine mornings without coffee, we feel you \u2014 but easing up slowly beforehand will be a lot easier than going cold turkey on Day 1.<\/p>\n Ultimate Reset is high in fiber, so if you don\u2019t already follow a high-fiber diet, consider upping your intake in the week leading up to your cleanse.<\/p>\n \u201cFiber is good for you, but it can also make you a little gassy sometimes, especially if you\u2019re not used to it,\u201d says Faye.<\/p>\n Adding more fiber before you start a cleanse will give your body extra time to adapt.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n A no-holds-barred cheat day might sound like a fantastic idea, especially when you\u2019re craving a plate of loaded nachos. But the day after your cleanse is not a good time to go all-out.<\/p>\n \u201cYour body has been working at its ultimate capacity,\u201d Bente says. \u201cYou\u2019ve been putting healthy, whole foods in \u2014 to shock it with a highly processed meal is going to make you feel sick.\u201d<\/p>\n If you completed the Ultimate Reset (well done, you!), start adding grains back into your diet during the first week afterward, and pay attention to how your body reacts to each new food.<\/p>\n If something makes you feel sick, gassy, or congested, Faye says, you may be sensitive to that food.<\/p>\n In the second week, as your body adjusts, you can boost your portion sizes a bit and add legumes and tempeh back in.<\/p>\n Three weeks after, you can slowly start adding meat back into your diet (if you eat meat, of course). Start with organic yogurt or eggs, then add other animal products back in slowly.<\/p>\n You can always use your cleanse as a jumping-off point to try a vegan diet or cut back on carbs.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t have to introduce every food back,\u201d Faye says. \u201cJust because the [Ultimate Reset] guide says you can reintroduce animal protein in week 3, you don\u2019t have to \u2014 it\u2019s only if you want to.\u201d<\/p>\n Start with some of these post-cleanse recipes to help you get started.<\/p>\n If you had to boost your water intake to get through the cleanse, that\u2019s actually a hint that you may not have been getting enough water in the first place. Even after the cleanse is over, Faye says, \u201cThere\u2019s no tapering off \u2014 just keep drinking water.\u201d<\/p>\n Not sure how much water you need? OzHelp recommends using your body weight as a general guide to get started.<\/p>\n Drink your body weight, divided by two, in ounces. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, that would be 150 divided by 2, which equals 75. That\u2019s 75 ounces of water every day.<\/p>\n But note: That amount will change depending on your activity level and the environment you\u2019re in, but it\u2019s a good place to start.<\/p>\n Processed foods, sugar, alcohol, tobacco, and artificial sweeteners should be avoided as long as you possibly can after your cleanse. \u201cIf you can stay away from them forever, great,\u201d Bente says.<\/p>\n After the tune-up your body gets from the cleanse, you may find you no longer crave junk, anyway.<\/p>\n By taking a little time to prepare and care for your body pre- and post-cleanse, you\u2019ll reap the rewards long after it\u2019s over.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" So you finally decided to do it: You\u2019re going to do a cleanse. You figured out which one is right for you, and you\u2019re prepared for what you need to do during your cleanse. But what are you supposed to do before? Or after? Does it even matter? It does matter. Why? Because by doing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2125,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[21,65,66,174],"class_list":["post-2124","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","tag-3-day-refresh","tag-clean-eating","tag-cleanse","tag-ultimate-reset"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2124","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2124"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2124\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2125"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2124"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2124"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2124"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}DON\u2019T Go on a Pre-Cleanse Binge<\/h3>\n
DO Cut Back on Caffeine<\/h3>\n
DO Eat More Fiber<\/h3>\n
What to Do After Your Cleanse<\/h2>\n
DO Take It Slow<\/h3>\n
DO Observe How Your Body Reacts<\/h3>\n
DO Branch Out Slowly<\/h3>\n
DO Add Animal Products Last<\/h3>\n
DO Reevaluate Your Diet<\/h3>\n
DO Stay Hydrated<\/h3>\n
DON\u2019T Go Back to Bad Habits<\/h3>\n