The Once-Weekly Detox for A Cellulite-less Summer

You might call it the great debate: is cellulite in our genes, or is it a product of our lifestyle? One thing is certain, women (and men) of all sizes have it- and nobody wants it!

My experience is that diet and lifestyle are most definitely a factor in the appearance of cellulite. An improvement in diet and exercise may not eliminate cellulite for good, but it will be much more effective than any magical med-spa treatment that you’ve been tempted by in the past.

I was psyched to find that wellness guru Kris Carr of Crazy Sexy Life feels the same way. Kris recently posted her recipe for getting rid of cellulite: “Choose to do a 7-day detox each month, a 3-day detox every other week, or a 1-day detox every week to rid your body of the crummies,” she writes.

So why does detox help cellulite? Cellulite is caused by an accumulation of toxins and waste in the body, coupled with fluid retention. Cutting the processed foods and getting the body (and lymph) moving give great waste-eliminating results. Of course I’d say that this could be a lifestyle (90% of the time), rather than a weekly detox. Do you think you could do it?

Here is Kris’ recipe for a detox day, via CrazySexyLife.com:

-Start the day with a large glass of filtered water with lemon or cucumber slices. Add a dash of cayenne for an extra kick in the pants.
-Consume only liquids (green juices, non-dairy smoothies, herbal tea, filtered water) and raw fruits and veggies until noon every day.
-Drink tons of filtered water throughout the day, at least half your body weight in ounces. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, drink 75 ounces water. No sense in detoxing if the crud can’t ride the river out.
-Eat lots of raw fruits and veggies, preferably organic. The more the better.
-Have some raw nuts and seeds (about ½ cup each day) and cooked whole grains (about 2 cups total) spread out throughout the afternoon, but avoid wheat (gluten) completely.
-At least 80 percent of your diet should be comprised of raw foods, and 20 percent can be cooked grains, beans and vegetables.
-Include a daily multivitamin to ensure adequate vitamin B12 and vitamin D intake.
-Avoid all dairy products, meats, fish, sugar, gluten, alcohol and caffeine.
-Add more green juices and raw foods as needed for energy.

A detox day might look something like this:

7:00 a.m. – Large glass of filtered water with cucumber slices and a dash of cayenne.
8:00 a.m. – Green apple juice (recipe): Juice 1 collard green leaf, 1 kale leaf, handful spinach, 1 stalk celery, small handful parsley, 2 tart apples. Serve over ice.
10:00 a.m. – Herbal tea; 1 cup raspberries.
11:00 a.m. – Large glass of filtered water with cucumber slices.
Noon – Large green salad with: sliced veggies, ¼ cup raw cashews, olive oil and fresh lemon juice dressing; 1 cup brown rice.
2:00 p.m. – Large glass of filtered water with lemon wedge; hummus with sliced veggies.
4:00 p.m. – Herbal tea; 15 raw almonds.
6:00 p.m. – 3 cups mildly steamed broccoli, ½ cup quinoa, ½ cup lentils; filtered water to drink.
8:00 p.m. – Chamomile tea.