Pre or Post Vacation De-tox

I don't know if it's the wine at the play-dates (it's 97 degrees here...surely I read somewhere that white wine is a cure for heat stroke?), the entertaining kick we've been on, the birthday celebrations or simply swelling from the aforementioned ridiculous heat, but I have put on a few pounds this summer.  Given that I don't think a double chin would be especially encouraging in my marketing photos and that we are headed to the UK for a beach holiday in mid-August, I have decided to detox for a few weeks in hopes of getting back to my normal weight before we leave.  I am a big believer in nipping things in the bud when it comes to weight gain so whenever I feel the clothes getting a little tight, I try to lose the 3-5 lbs before it becomes 10-15.  If you don't think you could gain 10 lbs in two weeks in the UK, you haven't had a sandwich there.  They have never met a condiment they don't like - a grilled chicken sandwich comes with (seriously!) butter, mayonnaise and cheese - and it's considered gauche (i.e. American) to ask for anything special at a restaurant.  Anyway ... it's best I lose it now before I hit the pubs on the Cornwall coast. Because if there is a cure for jet leg and traveling with a toddler, it's a nice cold pint!

Many of you are probably traveling this summer and may need guidance on how to drop those post-vacation pounds, so I thought I would share with you what works best for me; but you may have a plan that works much better for you.  I have a big appetite and am fairly active so it's easier for me to change what I eat than to simply eat less. Also, since this is a pre-vacation "flush" (can you tell I hate the word diet?), I am not completely restricting alcohol or sweets like I might after a vacation when I have really over-indulged.

Whenever I need to lose weight or just that general "bloat" feeling that comes after a hedonistic spell, I cut out pretty much all carbohydrates except vegetables and fruit for at least a few days -- but no more than 2 weeks at which point this can become unhealthy especially if you are active.

Let me be clear: There are many many carbohydrates I consider to be very healthy (like steel-cut oats, quinoa, brown rice, etc.) that are an integral part of my normal diet, but to drop weight quickly, I find it behooves me to cut the non fruit and veg carbs as much as possible for 2-5 days.  If I find myself low on energy, I will add beans to a salad or have a sweet potato with my protein and veggies at dinner.

I also cut dairy -- not only does it bloat me and mess with my digestion, but it also adds a lot of fat (or sugar in yogurt) and calories without much fiber so you don't get much bang for your buck so to speak.

I limit sugar other than fruit, except I will allow myself 1-2 squares of very dark chocolate (70% cocoa) after a healthy dinner because the slight sweetness signals to me that I am done eating and satisfies me without adding too much sugar.

I also tend to eat more lean protein than usual. Animal protein is not only very filling but it can have a diuretic effect and I find the flat stomach that happens just a day or so after eating this way motivates me to carry on until the goal is achieved.  On my detox, I enjoy 2 eggs a day and up to 10 oz of lean, organic protein although I do not normally eat this much protein.

For those things I need to feel content (and functional) - ample healthy fat in the diet, small amounts of coffee and red wine - I just keep to a sensible minimum.  So enough olive oil and salt to cook with and season my food with, one cup of coffee, and a small glass of wine in the evenings.  You might be laughing at me for drinking on a "detox" but as many moms I know agree - once you have been pregnant and nursed a child, it seems insane to restrict alcohol completely just to cut a few calories! However, if it's really hard for you to have just one, best to avoid completely while on any health kick.

Here is a typical day on my detox:

Breakfast: Hot water with lemon, 1 cup of coffee and 2 free-range eggs scrambled with a cup or more of veggies sauteed in 1 tsp of olive oil. I often add fresh tomatoes once it's cooked.
Snack: Smoothie made with a fresh peach and frozen berries, water, a scoop of a good protein powder and 1/2-1 tbsp of flax oil (which adds healthy fat and helps regulates insulin so I don't feel hungry or crave carbs).  Using some frozen fruit gives it an ice-cream like quality which satisfies my craving for anything creamy.
Lunch:  5 oz salmon over a salad of arugula, beets and orange slices or "salad hold the lettuce" from this blog.  Dressing is a simple olive oil and lemon juice vinaigrette.
Snack: A large apple or a plate of fresh sliced tomatoes and cucumbers with a little olive oil and sea salt; spritzer of sparkling water, pure cranberry juice and fresh lime.
Dinner: Small glass of red wine, roasted chicken breast and a load of veggies!
Treat: 1-2 squares of extra dark chocolate

If I really needed to truly detox, I would cut the wine and the coffee and I have done this in the past, but this is more of "lose a few lbs and reset" plan.  I will do this for 2 weeks, but the weekends will be a little looser to accommodate social plans because who wants to be the person ordering steamed fish with no sauce at a restaurant?  Once I feel my clothes loosening, I will add the missed foods back in progressing from least to most offensive to my waistline, i.e. beans, nuts and seeds, then quinoa or brown rice then maybe some greek yogurt and sweeter fruits until eventually I am eating a wider array of foods but still sticking to my usual healthy diet which tends to be lots of organic fruits, veggies and fish; some organic animal protein; plenty of nuts, seeds and beans; some whole grains, a glass of red wine most nights (often more on weekends) and the occasional slice of cheese or sweet treat.

Everybody is different though.  If you find it easy to eat less food, but you still want satisfying tastes like peanut butter, I can recommend this detox from Gwyneth Paltrow's blog (I used to find it annoying but it's actually gotten much better and has some good tips on it). This is pretty restrictive though and should only be done if you truly need to lose weight or are "forced" to walk a red carpet once a week.

Just to reiterate: My plan is a weight-loss "detox" meant to be done for a short period of time. I hope I don't hear from any of you size-2s that you are loving the plan and close to your dream of being a zero. This is also not for anyone who is pregnant or nursing. Although I'll admit to watching my figure and wanting to look decent in a swimsuit like the next girl, Inhabit Health is foremost about being healthy, not skinny! And healthy can mean a size 10 for some, a size 2 for others.  So, use this or something similar as needed but be sensible and know when enough is enough.  If you really need to lose weight and need support doing it, I am taking clients now and you can visit my website for more information on my programs.

Cheers to your Health!