- Getting ready for the beach this summer (or any other time:))
- No refined sugar and minimum of fructose
- Min 400 ab exercises per day (200 morning/evening)
- 5 day juice detox for a head start!
- Healthy juice recipes!
I have decided to give myself a beach challenge!
My aim is to see how I can transform myself over the next thirty days without too many alterations to my life and daily routines. As you know (by watching and following me on this site) I already eat very healthy, trying to choose only natural foods and organically sourced as well as avoiding gluten, dairy and refined sugar. I also try to stay active during my days but definitely not an extremist when it comes to exercise.
The only two things I have decided to change are:
- Abdominal exercises, a minimum of 200 repetitions *2 (first during my morning rituals and secondly in the evening)
- Minimize the intake of fructose (refined sugar is already close to zero), as I currently eat quite a few fruits…
When in the gym (guessing I will average 2-3 times per week during this period tops), there will be a bit of a focus on my abs so that should take the number of repetitions up on those days. If you click here, you will find a short video on the exercises I do at home (by no means am I a fitness expert but this is the way I perform them in case you need inspiration:)). I will break my exercises down to fit me (number of reps) and my current fitness level and of course I want you want to take me up on this challenge!
To kick this off I have also decided to do a liquid cleanse which similar to juice detox/fasting but I will include for example home-made bone-broth so not only vegetables. I will do this for the first five days to supercharge myself and my body. It’s of course very important to use good quality food so organic vegetables only!
The whole point of doing the cleanse is to strengthen my body and mind (even more). Throughout history, people have been doing cleanses both for religious as well as health reasons. Most of us are pretty good at taking care of our outside (guess you shower most days and so do I) but the inside is even more important to take care of. When we notice something weird on our outside, it usually means that something has been going on inside of us for some time and it might take time to reverse…
One of the key benefits of a cleanse is that the body will have a chance to “recover” and build new fresh cells as it is not busy with digesting food all the time. The nutrients in the liquids are easier absorbed by the body compared to when eating whole foods. This means that our body can focus on getting rid of the toxins we all have inside us in order to heal itself and make us stronger and healthier!
Benefits of a cleanse:
- Stronger Immune System
- Mental Clarity
- Weight Loss
- Improved Digestion
- Better Sleep
- Increased Energy
- Prevents Diseases
My fasting will last for five days which I feel is adequate this time but sometimes I will do a few more days (now I need to start my exercising as well:)). During your first days of fasting you should not push yourself too much as the body is starting to adapt. If you were to try this for your first time, be aware that the first 1-3 days are the harder ones as this is when the body is adapting and also starting to get rid of your toxins. It is advisable to discuss a fasting session with your health practitioner so that you are sure to do it in a way that works for you and your body.
As you are detoxing you may experience headaches, nausea, fatigue, aching joints, mental fogginess and mood swings. A big glass of water with rock salt (1 tbsp/l and do NOT use your normal table salt!) can ease some of the symptoms. Keep in mind when you are feeling discomfort, this means that the fast is working and your body is cleansing itself and getting rid of toxins, so it’s a good thing!
How to get started
You can just use your normal juicer (not blender as we are not doing a smoothie cleanse) and go for it but ideally you should:
- Buy a good quality slow-juicer (you want a juicer, which doesn’t kill all the nutrition in your components) and if you need some inspiration, have a look at this thorough review on juicers!
- Make bone-broth that lasts for the week (approx 1 cup of 200 ml) for two people per time you include it)
- Buy a variety of all colours of vegetables, fruits and herbs (preferably organic)
- Use wheat grass which is a powerful detoxifier
- Tongue scraper (a lot of toxins will be cleansed out through your mouth so it is important to get rid of it)
- Coconut oil for oil pulling (teaspoon of oil that you keep in your mouth for 10-15 min for further cleansing of your mouth
- Apple cider vinegar to have with your water in the morning (1 spoon (of your choice) per glass), it’s a great detoxifier!
Before you get started I would recommend you to think about WHY you are doing this. What the outcome will be (healthier, happier and more mental focus etc) then use your lazer focus to determine in your mind (visualize) how you will do it. Then purchase all the ingredients that you need and also have a relatively empty fridge and cupboard in case you might get tempted to grab something to bite during the first couple of days. If you attended Tony Robbins UPW in London, I know this will not be a problem as you now have the mental toughness to walk on FIRE, so this will be like a walk in the park where you will enjoy the whole journey!!
Be creative with your juices as there is a broad variety of fruit and vegetables one can use (we will give some tips below and then post daily what we make) like mushrooms, potatoes, pumpkin, sprouts, beans, garlic etc. Also be aware that you can use the pulp to do bread or muffins so there won’t be anything to throw away, you will use it all (we will put up some recipes for that)!
The daily procedure
Every day you should aim to drink a lot of water during your cleanse, the rule of thumb is a water intake of 1 liter per 22kg body weight. Juice approximately 2½-3 liters and then one cup of bone-broth for breakfast.
So a normal day would be something like this: first thing in the morning I drink at least 2 glasses of water with lemon and apple cider vinegar (before starting my morning ritual), then have a cup of bone broth or juice. Do remember to spread out your juice intake throughout the day so for me that would mean around 500ml 5 times a day. Remember to keep up the water intake throughout the day as well! Movement is very important throughout the fasting as it helps to clean out the toxins. Listen to your body and do gentle exercises as walking or yoga (no crazy sessions!). Try meditation even if it is just a breathing exercise for a few minutes and try to relax as much as possible during the your cleansing. Also, sitting in the sun for at least 15 min will get your body and mind energized.
To make it as easy as possible, prepare a large quantity of juice every time you make your juice and then just put it in the fridge to use later (and yes, there will be a lot of juice to make). You can of course buy your juices as well. There is now a great variety shops offering this but if you do, make sure you know what you are getting (good quality and organic ingredients). I normally also complement by drinking some additional coconut water, just make sure it is 100% natural.
Some juice inspiration
When you do your juices, aim for a 80/20 ratio between veggies and fruits. Leafy greens are great for you as they contain chlorophyll, which oxygenate your body and that helps to clean and detoxify your body!
Green Sprout Juice
- 1 small cucumber
- 1 large kale leaf
- 1 large handful of sprouts
- 1 celery stem
- 1 large broccoli stem
- 1/2 pear or green apple
Green Fennel Juice
- 1-2 celery stems
- 1/2 cucumber
- 1 large kale leaf
- 1/8 fennel bulb
- 1 green apple
- 1/2 lemon, peeled
Green Herb Juice
- 1 medium zucchini
- 2-3 large kale leaves
- 1 green apple
- 1 small handful coriander
- 1 small handful parsley
- 1 lemon
- 1 ginger root
Potato Berry Juice
- 1 sweet potato
- 2 pears
- 1 red apple
- 1 ⅓ cups of berries
- dash of cinnamon
Pineapple Ginger Juice
- ¼ of medium pineapple
- 1 capsicum
- 1 handful of mushrooms
- 1 lemon
- 1 small piece of ginger
Orange Juice
- 2 carrots
- A big piece of pumpkin
- 1 orange
- 1 small piece of turmeric
Beetroot Juice
- 2 carrots
- 2 beetroots
- 2 apples
- 1 lime or lemon
Watermelon Mint Juice
- A piece of watermelon
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 celery stick
- 1 handful of mint
This is my personal detox experience and if you wish to do something similar and want more recipes, follow us on Facebook and Instagram (life.on.our.terms and healthy.travelers) for more pictures and details! I would also recommend that you talk to your health practitioner so that it matches your individual needs and goals 🙂
Kick ass and good luck!
– Jakob
Leave a Reply