Whole Body Action Plan Week 1: Purify and Assess

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Whole Body Action Plan Week 1: Purify and Assess

Why Start With Detox?

The first week of the Action Plan is about creating a clean slate: You'll ease into a four-day detox to supercharge your health. The mostly liquid meal plan delivers nutrients "in a fuel-injected way" that's less taxing on the body than solid foods, says "Clean" author Alejandro Junger, M.D., creator of our detox program.

"When the digestive system is working less rigorously, your body can focus on detoxification," Junger explains. Driving out toxins, he adds, can help you start to feel revitalized from head to toe.

Whole Body Action Plan Week 1: Purify and Assess

Days 1-3: Prepare to Cleanse

In the three days before your detox, focus on whole grains, vegetables, fruit, fish, and chicken; avoid sugar, dairy, fried foods, and other foods on the Detox Foods to Exclude list. Drink plenty of water, and ease up on the caffeine: Try green tea over black tea or coffee.

You can also head to the store with this handy detox shopping list, which includes all the ingredients you need for days 4 through 7 (Thursday through Sunday if you start on a Monday).

People with certain health conditions shouldn't detox; if you're not sure, check with your doctor.

Foods to Include; Foods to Exclude

Whole Body Action Plan Week 1: Purify and Assess

Days 1-3: Measure Fitness

During this pre-detox period, assess your fitness with four simple tests, developed by Kent Burden, mind-body program director of the Ojai Valley Inn and Spa. Record the results in a journal or on your free Action Plan Blog so you can track your progress.

"If you aren't happy with your fitness test results," says Bob Harper, trainer on "The Biggest Loser" and author of "Are You Ready!", "remember this is just a starting point on your way to becoming stronger and healthier."

Assess Your Fitness

Whole Body Action Plan Week 1: Purify and Assess

Days 4-7: Detox

During your four-day detox, stick to liquid meals (fresh juices, smoothies, and soups) for breakfast and dinner and a solid meal at lunch. If you don't have a juicer, grab a smoothie or visit an organic juice bar.

For snacks, try raw veggies, fresh berries, or raw almonds along with herbal tea. Keep drinking lots of water, flavoring it with lemon or mint if you want. And for optimal cleansing, leave at least 12 hours between dinner and breakfast.

Get Detox Soup and Smoothie Recipes

Whole Body Action Plan Week 1: Purify and Assess

All Week: Move and Rest

Devote half an hour daily to gentle exercise (stretching, leisurely walking, or yoga) to rev up your circulation. Your energy levels may fluctuate during the detox, so rest when you're tired instead of struggling through. And be sure to get eight hours of sleep each night.

Try Our Detox Yoga Program

Whole Body Action Plan Week 1: Purify and Assess

All Month: Keep a Journal

Throughout the Action Plan, take time each day to keep a journal or an online Action Plan blog about the experience. 

The journal is a way to set your goals for better health, to begin paying attention to what you're eating and why, and to figure out what's really causing you stress. And at the end of the Action Plan, it will be a record of your results.

Create an Online Journal

Whole Body Action Plan Week 1: Purify and Assess

Transition to Week 2

Once your detox is done, ease back in to eating normally (but healthfully). If reintroducing a certain food alters your mood or energy level, note it in your journal. Keep your caffeine intake light, and drink plenty of water.