The months prior to spring break are usually spent dieting and in the gym to get the perfect beach bod. Once break begins, caution is thrown to the wind and it’s easy to lose track of your health. As you make it back to campus and classes are back in session, it’s time to get back into the swing of things! Detoxing is meant to boost your energy and immune system while giving your body the chance to reset. While juicing is a popular method of detoxing, it can be expensive for a college student and difficult to accomplish if you live in a dorm. Keeping it simple and sticking to the basic principles of a detox can go a long way in cleansing your system! So, if you’re looking to detox after spring break or to simply start living healthier, here are some tips to get on track.
1. Exercise
Exercise is a great way to kickstart your body’s natural detox. It increases blood flow, flushes out the lungs, and cleanses the skin as you sweat. If you’re detoxing, it is important to remember not to overdo it physically. Avoid intense and long training sessions during your detox. If you’re naturally active, you may need to put some extra thought into your diet in order to make sure you’re getting the proper amount of fuel and working out at a safe level. Exercises that work the core are great for detoxing. I enjoy yoga classes, as they are known to compliment the natural detox process.
2. Hydrate
Hydrating is key to a successful detox, especially after drinking piña coladas and margaritas on the beach over spring break! Consuming excessive amounts of alcohol dehydrates your body. The best way to fix dehydration is by drinking a lot of water. The average person should consume around 2 liters of water per day! During your detox, focus on making your daily water intake and staying hydrated, especially if you are hitting the gym more often. Decaffeinated teas like green tea and black tea promote better health and are also great hydrators.
3. Fuel
Adjust your diet to enhance your detox! When it comes to detoxing, some people like to eliminate eating all solid foods besides fruits and vegetables for a juice detox. However, this isn’t the only way to alter your diet in order to cleanse your system! The most important thing is to eliminate processed foods. Lowering the amount of sugar and fried foods you eat will leave you feeling more energized, complimenting your new exercise routine. Being in school, maintaining a healthy diet can be difficult. Simply being more aware of the things you are eating and limiting your intake of unhealthy foods will help immensely.
4. Rest
Last, but definitely not least, get some rest! Many of us miss out on hours of valuable sleeping time during spring break. A lack of sleep can cause your metabolism to slow down and you may gain unwanted weight. To function to our full ability, we need 6-8 hours of sleep every night. By maintaining a balanced sleeping schedule, you will feel more energized, have a stronger immune system, focus more in class, and be able to stay in shape during your detox.