How to Jump-Start Your Post-Holiday Detox (Without a Juice Cleanse!)

After packing on a few pounds from all the holiday fa-la-la-ing, you can’t help feeling bloated and sluggish. Chances are that right about now, you’re desperately searching for a reboot.

In the past, January always meant signing myself up for a juice cleanse, which required forcing down foul-tasting juice for a week and completely clearing my calendar because I couldn’t handle being around solid food without wanting to punch my friend in the stomach and run off with her pizza.

Sounds like fun, eh? Trust me—it wasn’t.

Sure, by the end of the cleanse I’d fit back into my skinny jeans … but then a few days later, I wouldn’t. In fact, I’d gain all the weight back I lost and then some.

For those who struggle with emotional eating, cleansing can be torture and only guarantees a binge later on. That’s why instead of going on a cleanse, I plan what I call a “detox done right.” It’s an affordable, luxurious week of self-care, pampering and nourishment that doesn’t turn me into hermit or starving psycho. It’s more effective, restorative and a whole heck of a lot more fun than a cleanse.

Here’s an example of five simple things I include in my five-day detox:

1. I pack my day with dark leafy greens. Eat ‘em raw, blend ‘em in a smoothie, stack ’em on a sandwich … There are thousands of ways to make greens tasty. And it’s a good thing, too, since they are one of the most energy-rich foods. A head of kale is cheaper than a cup o’ joe at Starbucks and more powerful at detoxing your blood and body than a juice cleanse.

2. I drink dandelion-root tea. This powerful little secret weapon is waiting to be purchased in the tea section of Whole Foods. Known for a heavy-duty detox of the liver, it’s great to sip after having one too many glasses of champagne. Plus, it will cleanse and improve your skin, which means no pimples.

3. I turn off all my lights at 9 p.m. and wind down before bed by candlelight. I can literally take on the world when I have had a good night’s sleep, and I bet you can, too. Plus, you body goes through a daily natural detox process while you sleep. The more you sleep, the better you’ll feel.

4. I fill up on fun. Believe it or not, fun is an essential ingredient in losing weight and keeping it off. Without it, it’s easy to get stressed and cranky and turn to chocolate, cookies or alcohol to take the edge off. So I take daily dance breaks, walks outside, time to play with my dog, smile at everyone I see, and have dinners with old friends and laugh a lot.

5. I spend multiple hours at the spa. Rebooting shouldn’t require booking a massage that leaves a hole in your wallet. I love visiting Chung Dam Spa and Fitness,  a local spa that has plunge pools, hot tubs, saunas, showers and steam rooms for less than $50 for the day. And when I leave, I feel like a million bucks.

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Jessica Procini is a certified holistic health coach and weight-loss expert, speaker, and founder of the web TV series called J-CiniTV. She’s on a mission to support women in losing 20 pounds in 90 days without starving themselves, giving up chocolate, or worrying about silly things like calorie counts. Instead she teaches women how to Laugh Themselves Skinny. As a talented comedian, Jessica brings her humor and ability to find fun in all things to her clients so they can have a freakin’ blast while slipping back into their skinny jeans. 

She takes her training from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, the Institute of Psychology of Eating, certification in the Transformational Coaching Method and a decade of her own struggles with calorie counting, binge eating, exercise addiction and losing weight being absolutely miserable. Her passion is teaching women how to eat their favorite foods without gaining a pound or spending hours on the treadmill.