Have you ever heard of a Water Detox? Well if you have not, a Water Detox is like a program or a commitment where you abstain yourself from eating or drinking anything other than WATER which could last for a couple of days to weeks. The span of this detox depends on the individual but the most common time frames lasts from 3 days to 21 days. Some people use this detox for weight loss while most consider this program as a way to 'restart' their metabolism and cleanse the body. I'm going to do this cleanse because of both reasons. I am currently suffering from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and Borderline Diabetes Type II.
I decided to do a 10-day cleanse because I feel like a 3-day cleanse isn't enough for me to restart my metabolism but at the same time I have zero confidence that I can withstand a 2-week cleanse without cheating. My detox shall start two days from now because I am trying to prep my body for the psychological, emotional, and physical war it shall conjure for the next couple of days.
So, how do you prepare for a water detox?
- START A JOURNAL - Writing down what you're feeling before the detox is of utmost important. This shall serve as your source of strength when you feel like you're giving up along the way. It is also meaningful that your jot down the anxiety that you will be experiencing while doing the cleanse to help remind you on how far you've gone and how long you still need to go. Remember that lots of people have done this detox and so far, most have positive responses and are willing to do it again.
I Suggest that You Narrate the Following In Your Journal
1. What made you start the detox and decide to suffer such consequences
2. What you expect to achieve after the cleanse
3. What you're feeling physically and emotionally, when you're feeling it, and what you're doing to overcome it
4. Your source of strength or your inspiration
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3. What you're feeling physically and emotionally, when you're feeling it, and what you're doing to overcome it
4. Your source of strength or your inspiration
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- REMOVE ALL CARBOHYDRATES AT ONCE - This idea differs for a lot of people but I suggest cutting off all of your carb intake at once- chocolates, pastries, sugar and the like. Not that you're being hard on yourself but, personally, babying myself in terms of lessening my carb intake never worked. It's like stopping an addiction, it's either your stop or you don't. Especially that i'm of Asian descent, my body has this weird craving for carbs like rice and potatoes. Just remove it. It's going to be extremely painful but do your best. Do not be too kind in cutting out the carbs. This detox will make you cut out everything that you're eating and drinking- remember that. The reason why we're focused on removing the carbohydrates this early is because, unlike any other food group, carbs make you crave. It's not you but it's how our brain was made up. Be strong. Mind over Matter.
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- TRY BEING VEGAN - A few days before the fast, try to limit your intake of meat. But unlike cutting off carbs like my last suggestion, you do not need to be all out on this. The reason why some people need to do this, myself included, is because some people crave the tender and juicy texture of meat or dairy. In order for you to get used to the bland taste of water, try eating vegetables without sodium for a couple of days.
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- PREPARE BOTTLES / GLASSES TO BE USED - I will use my 400 mL water flask (as displayed above) as my go-to bottle during this cleanse. Measuring your water intake is the most important part of this program. According to some studies, a person needs at least a healthy amount of 2 Litres of water per day. Obviously if water will be the only source of nutrient intake your body will have for a couple of days, you would need to drink more. My personal goal is around 4 Litres to 6 Litres of daily water intake.
WARNING: Drinking too much water in one go, or in a given amount of time can cause alkaline poisoning. Indulging too much water on a short time span is not the way to hit your goal.
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- DOWNLOAD APPS THAT COULD HELP - You can't always have your journal with you and you won't always remember how much water you had in the day. I am more of a paper-post-it person so using smartphones is not really something i'd call 'ideal' in making me remember. However, I have proven that using apps such as Plant Nanny and Wunderlist helped a lot during commutes and hectic schedules.
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- TELL SOMEONE - Tell someone whom you know would support your decision. It is preferable that you tell this detox program to someone who lives with you, probably your family or partner. Support from others is very important in this detox because it's going to be hard. Also, there might be times when you'll feel like you're about to collapse and it is important you tell someone who's always with you what you're going through so he or she knows what to do when an emergency happens.
So that's that! Let me know if you have more suggestions and more opinions on detox and fasts. Thank you!
xoxo Janina
