Welcome to Whip it Up Wednesdays!!

I just got back from Vegas last week and let’s just say I wish what you eat and drink in Vegas would stay in Vegas..lol

After 8 days of complete indulgence and zero exercise (does hrs of shopping and sky diving count..lol) , let’s just say my body was feeling it.

My belly was extended as if I were 6mth pregnant again, I hadn’t had a good movement in days (if you know what I mean…lol), my skin was starting to breakout in tiny pimples and I just felt itchy and dirty all over.

Have you ever felt like this after a vacation or a few days of straying from your clean eating and exercise plan?

Did you feel like you just needed a detox?  Something to just flush all the cramp out of your system?

Yes!

Well, I sure did!

So today on Whip it Up Wednesday I’m sharing the 72hr Detox Plan I followed to deflated my extended belly, get my bowels moving again and bring my skin back to life.

First, I took a trip to my local health food store, Healthy Choice on 655 Topsail Rd. and started to assemble my kit.

Make sure when you arrive at the health food store you befriend the sales clerk and tell them what your needs are. The term detox can mean many things, so share with the clerk the symptoms you are experiencing, and what your main detox objectives are as the items you purchase may vary depending on your symptoms and gaols.

For me, my goal was to calm my digestive track, eliminate all the toxins sitting in my bowels and to clean my pores so my skin could breathe again.

Here is what was in my kit:

Fresh Lemon – add to my water. Helps to cleanse the liver, helps to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria in the colon, effective at dissolving uric acid (often the cause of pain and inflammation in joints). The MOST important benefit – it assists in the process of digestion and elimination.

Hemp Hearts – excellent source of fiber, protein, and essential fats.

Ginger Green Tea – ginger calms the belly and green tea is high in antioxidants and promotes fat loss via increasing your metabolism.

Senna Tea – the absolute best non aggressive laxative on the market

Dandelion Root Tea – optimize the function of your liver, gallbladder, and kidneys. Also helps to cleanse the skin and help reduce water retention from flying and consuming foods high in sodium.

Peppermint Tea  – treats irritable bowels, controls flatulence, improves digestion and reduces heartburn

Herbal Water Pill – help reduce water retention

Almond Oil, Exfoliate Face Cloth and Body Mit – used to exfoliate the skin and replace with natural oils

Eucalyptus & Mint Epsom Salts – sweat out toxins and relax your muscles

Next I went to the grocery store and picked up a bunch of fresh fruit and vegetables to ensure I ate foods that supported my detox goals and that would not rob me of important nutrients, and leave me feeling hungry, fatigued and nauseous.

The market is full of detox diets, products and plans promising weight loss and increased energy levels, but sadly many of them can actually be more harmful than helpful.

So here is what my 72hr plan looked like:

Sample Day:

Up rise drink 20oz of freshly squeezed lemon water

Take Herbal Water Pill as per directions

Meal 1: Creamy Quinoa Porridge Topped w/ Prunes – recipe below (quinoa is a gluten-free whole grain that is easy to digest, high in protein and fiber. When topped with prunes and hemp hearts you create the perfect laxative).

1 cup Sena Tea – be sure you will be close to a bathroom within the hour. This tea works quickly!

***Shower and exfoliate with almond oil***

Meal 2: Green Goodness Smoothie – recipes below

1 cup Ginger Green Tea

Meal 3:  2 cups of Veggie Broth – recipe below. And ½ cup blueberries or blackberries. Or a mixed green salad, with lots of chopped veggies like mushrooms, bell peppers, cucumber, red onion, or your favorite veggies. Drizzle with olive oil, fresh lemon and sprinkle with 2 tsp. of hemp hearts.

1 cup Ginger Green Tea

Meal 4:2 cups of chopped raw veggies, drizzled with olive oil, fresh lemon and a half sliced avocado. You can choose veggies like celery, radishes, bell peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, sliced cucumber, or whatever your favorites are.

1 cup Dandelion Root Tea

Meal 5: 4oz of baked fresh fish, such as cod, sole, trout, or halibut; bake with fresh lemon and olive oil. Serve with two cups of steamed vegetables. Choose at least four different vegetables of different colors, textures, and flavors. (I.e. a starchy vegetable like red potato, sweet vegetable, or squash, a green veggie like bok choy, broccoli or kale, and a pungent vegetable like scallions. Steam or sauté veggies with fresh ginger, garlic and olive oil until tender. Do not over cook.

1 cup of Peppermint Tea

*** Before bed enjoy an Epson salts bath and drink 1 cup of Dandelion Root Tea ***

Lastly, commit to drinking at least 3 liters of water per day in addition to the teas. Add fresh lemon and sliced ginger. Avoid coffee, and caffeinated drinks, dairy, poultry and red meat.

You can mixed up the meals to create the perfect 72hr meal plan for you.

And, to help shrink and tighter your belly, make sure to add these unique waist slimmer platies moves from my friend Sylvia. They are the perfect complement to your detox plan.

Get Rid of your Muffin Top Today! Click Here: http://www.pilatesworkout360.com/friendsofcourtney/

Give this Detox Plan and Pilaties moves a try after your next indulgence and be sure to post your comments below.

Cheers to a cleaner colon, happy digestion, glowing skin and a slimmer waist! 🙂

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Detox Recipes:

Creamy Quinoa Porridge:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 cup water
1 pinch nutmeg
1 tsp grated ginger
1/3 cup chopped prunes

1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

2tsp. hemp seeds

Instructions:

In a small pot, stir 1/2 cup quinoa, a pinch of nutmeg and 1 tsp of grated ginger into a cup of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the prunes and almond milk. Cover again and cook another 5 minutes.

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Veggie Broth:

Ingredients:

2 red onions, roughly chopped

2 stalks celery, roughly chopped

1 fennel bulb, halved, cored and thinly sliced

2 leeks, white parts only, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

1 cup sliced shitake mushrooms

1 cabbage, roughly chopped

4 large cloves garlic, chopped

2 tsp. caraway seeds

2 tbsp. paprika

2 tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped

2 tsp. sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 quarts water

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients, except for the chopped parsley, in a pot. Add 2 quarts of water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Simmer covered for about 1 hour. Adjust seasoning. Serve topped with some freshly chopped parsley.

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Green Goodness Smoothies

Spinach Mango Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 cup spinach
1 mango, peeled & chopped
½ banana                                                                                                                                                                                                    ½ cup water

Spinach Peach Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 cup spinach
1 peach, seed removed & chopped
½ cup orange juice
½ cup ice (optional)

Tropical Green Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 cup romaine or green leafy lettuce                                                                                                                                                     ½ banana
½ cup pineapple

½ cup water

Berry Green Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 cup romaine lettuce or green leafy lettuce
½ cup mixed berries, fresh or frozen
1 apple, roughly chopped
½ cup grapefruit juice