I love January. It’s the start of a fresh new year full of possibilities, and the perfect time to declutter. But this article is not about throwing away, donating, sorting, and organizing the stuff that’s lying around in your house.  I did do some of that regular decluttering last month, as usual, but this year I decided to say yes to a friend’s invitation to join her in an annual detox to declutter my body, too. Tomorrow is the last day of the program, and I want to share five things I learned and hopefully inspire you to give detoxing a try.

1. I missed salt more than I missed sugar. This was a huge surprise. 

I was told to expect sugar cravings galore in the first four days, but they didn’t come.  Maybe it’s because I enhance my water with craving-reducing essential oils? I don’t know. But I was grateful I never felt like cheating on the detox with ice cream or chocolate.  Let me tell you, though, I was really tempted by French fries and Tostitos!  I wanted something savory SO BAD. I had no idea how much salt there is in the regular American diet until I was preparing my own food and not allowed to add salt. Everything was so bland! Going forward, I plan to use salt – but I will purchase foods that are low in sodium or that have no salt added, and I will add it myself. I know now that too much is not good for my body, and that even a tiny amount will make me happy.  

2. I felt good on this program. I had plenty of energy and no digestive complaints.

Before the detox I experienced some gas and bloating routinely, and I often felt tired. Even on the two days when I could only eat watermelon, I did all my usual activities – including serving a very high calorie lunch, full of flavors both sweet and savory, to 50 young adults. 

3. I took better care of my body in other ways unrelated to eating.

I exercised more – with a good attitude! I got to bed earlier and woke up with my alarm clock, and I drank more water.  I think putting good things in my body made me aware of the other things my body needs me to do, and I wanted to make it happy. 

4. I learned that I’m capable of doing hard things when I have made the choice to do them. 

One of the advertised benefits of the detox program I did was the online support. There were emails every day with videos or podcast recordings teaching us how our bodies work and why we were doing specific things during the detox to support cleansing. There was also a Facebook group to help keep everyone accountable to stay strong and not quit. I enjoyed the emails and education, but I found I didn’t need the accountability factor.  Maybe it’s because of my rebellious nature, but I decided I was the kind of person who would not cheat, and that identity kept me on track. 

4. My body is amazing!

The cells in my gut can completely regenerate in just a few days. If I feed my body with really good food instead of Oreos and Reese’s PB cups, it will build happy, healthy cells with it. If I give my body the tools it needs with good nutrition, it can declutter itself and heal from my previous toxin-hoarding habit. 

Your body is amazing, too, and I feel confident that anyone who undertakes to follow a healthy detox plan will be glad they did. I am planning to do it every January from now on. I feel renewed physically, but I think my favorite thing about an annual detox is knowing that with the help of all those green smoothies, I’ve cleaned every nook and cranny and taken out ALL the trash that was cluttering up my insides. That feels good!

If you want to learn more about what I offer in my coaching programs, you can schedule a free consultation here. I would love to talk with you and help you imagine your much-more-than-satisfactory life, “up” on a higher level.  You can also get my FREE UpPlanner Here