Friends, it’s time. The past year has been a whirlwind of change, work, stress, no sleep and way too much eating and drinking for all the wrong reasons. I’ve been eating on the run, reaching for too many carbs, skipping too many workouts. And I’ve sort of had it with myself. I deserve better. My body and spirit deserve better. And there is really no excuse. Good health is hard work but the benefits are endless. So for the month of January, I’m eliminating all of the food groups with the potential to wreak havoc on my organs, stress my system, drain my energy and dull my skin. Coincidentally, these are the same foods that I tend to over indulge. Hmmm . . . Here’s what’s off the menu for the next 30 days:
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Dairy
- Gluten and Wheat
- Unrefined carbs (bread, pasta, rice)
- Sugar (with the exception of fruit)
I hesitate to use the word “diet” because I’m eating plenty: veggies, fruit, nuts, chicken and fish, beans and legumes, whole and sprouted grains, and soy milk and tofu. (Fit Sugar just ran an awesome roundup of 10 foods to help you detox). A few more days and I know the cravings will subside, my headache will dissipate and I’ll get the clarity that comes with sitting with your feelings instead of eating or drinking them. After 30 days I plan to reintroduce each food type in stages, to assess my body’s response and identify sensitivities. For more information about proper detoxing and potential benefits, ExperienceLife.com is one of the more well-rounded resources.
Has anyone else done an elimination diet or major detox? Do tell. I’ll keep y’all posted on mine!
Filed Under: detox, elimination diet, gluten-free, juice cleanse
Hello lovelies! I'm Elizabeth Dehn, a beauty writer + lifestyle editor who's equally fanatical about lip gloss as juice cleansing. I live in Minneapolis with Mr. Bets and our white lab, Molly Thomas . . . 
Kudos to you, Elizabeth! I’ve been doing a similar detox for a few years, but it’s only for 10 days (with a “Miracle Juice” day thrown in there, too) and while I never think I could sustain it over a longer period of time, it is a great reset button…especially after the holidays. Good luck to you!
I’m doing Gwyneth Paltrow’s cleanse I saw in a magazine: http://www.redbookmag.com/health-wellness/advice/gwyneth-paltrow-cleanse. It’s for 5 days, but I’m hoping after those 5 days I’ll want to continue! Especially cutting down on wheat and dairy.
I was planning to do the Whole Living 28 Day Challenge but now that the magazine has gone under, I’m winging it. Basically planning to eliminate most of the same things you are starting Monday. Good luck and may your headaches subside soon!
Best of luck! Hopefully you won’t have any birthday parties or events to attend. That’s my biggest downfall. Gluten and alcohol are the toughies. Cutting out refined sugar and drinking more water is where I’m starting. Make sure you ease back into the eliminated foods when you’re done!
I did The Clean Program last January. The first couple of days were tough, but I stuck with it and felt great, lost weight, and become more aware of what my body really needs. I still apply some of the same prinicipals of the elimination diet when I need to reset again. Good luck!
I’ve done a detox plan before, it was a 21 day cleanse that was pretty much going vegan because so much stuff was taken out. It was incredibly difficult and didn’t notice changes until I went back to my other way of eating and how sluggish and lethargic I felt on all the junk.
Do to have a headache from no caffeine ?
Thanks everyone – love hearing your stories! Makes it easier to stay the course.
@Lucy – I have don’t Gwynneth’s cleanse and really liked some of the recipes. She’s coming out with a healthy eating book in April! Now if only we had personal chefs, too . . .
@Pat – No headache after a couple days. I am drinking green tea in the morning if I need it!
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