Deciding to live a healthy lifestyle can be a big step. For some, it may be a complete change of diet and exercise that your body is not used to. Being prepared for your cleanse and reset can help ensure a smoother transition. To help you achieve your goals, there are a few steps you can take to set yourself up for a successful five-day cleanse before you get started. Let me walk you through them:

1. Choose Your Start Date
2. What’s Your “Why?”
3. Ask Friends and Family for Support
4. Clean Out That Kitchen!
5. Stocking Up and Batch Prepping
6. Clean Water is a Must
7. Build Your Smoothie Strategy
8. Slowly Start to Prepare Your Body
9. Know What Each Day May Bring
10. Be Prepared for Two Challenges Ahead

1. Choose Your Start Date

There's nothing better than being prepared and organized. That applies to your cleanses too. Setting a start date is the perfect first step. If it's possible, try to choose a time to start your five-day cleanse when your schedule isn't as hectic. Your cleanse and reset will go much smoother if you have fewer commitments that have the potential to distract you. We don’t want any reasons for you to not stick with it! If you have events coming up for instance, you may want to start your five-day cleanse afterward to avoid temptation. You may think you can resist one little cupcake but when everyone at the birthday party has one in hand, can you promise me your sugar cravings won’t get the best of you? Take a peek at your calendar and set the best date possible to help you start off on the right foot.

2. What’s Your “Why?”

Focusing on your “why” helps set you up to reach your end goal. So, what is your “why?” Why do you want to start this cleanse now? What do you want the end results to be? Do you lack energy? Are you feeling unmotivated, burned out, and unhappy? Do you have areas of your body that you want to target such as extra belly fat or dull, wrinkled skin? Whatever it is that’s motivating you to take this step towards a cleanse and reset, write them down and be proud of the actions you're about to take. I want you to put this list somewhere you'll see it every day during your five-day cleanse. Let this list inspire you and when you feel things getting challenging, let your list remind you of what your end result is going to be. Encourage yourself and get the support of others. This five-day cleanse will be over before you know it, and your body is going to thank you for the results!

3. Ask Friends and Family for Support

There's nothing like a supportive team of people behind you who believe in you and will be there to cheer you on. Let your friends and family know about your five-day cleanse and the goals you have to cleanse and reset your body. Explain the benefits this cleanse has to offer and share your “why” with them. Let them know how they can help and support you while you work to reset and rejuvenate your body and mind. Ask them for their encouragement if they see you struggling so you can get back on track. Your loved ones will understand the need for a healthy jump start. Who knows…you may even find a few of them that are inspired by the idea and want to join you. Now, let's be real here. We all have one or two in our bunch who thrive on being the Negative Nancy of the group. Don't let this discourage or distract you one bit. You've set out to make a change in your lifestyle, so keep your focus on your cleanse and reset goals and show them you can do it.

4. Clean Out That Kitchen!

You knew this part was coming at some point, so let's get to it. I walk you through the “yes” and “no” foods to keep, avoid, and shop for, along with a ton of delicious recipes in my Cleanse and Reset book. I want to make this as uncomplicated as possible by arming you with all the tools you need to succeed. Get rid of “no” foods that could cause temptation or setbacks. Now, I'm not saying go and throw out everything “bad” in your fridge and pantry but be smart about what you keep on hand. Donate unnecessary food to your local shelter or ask someone to hold on to it for you until your five-day cleanse is over. Here are a few ideas of “yes” foods that are unlimited to you, to help with your kitchen raid:

You DO want foods such as:

• Broccoli
• Cucumbers
• Mushrooms
• Spinach
• Kale
• Zucchini
• Avocados
• Ghee
• Tomatoes
• Summer squash

5. Stocking Up and Batch Prepping

Being prepared mentally for your five-day cleanse is just one part of the battle. If you can prepare your meals ahead of time, you'll be in fabulous shape. I always like to plan a batch prepping day so that everything I need is ready and easily accessible to me when I start my cleanse and reset. This eliminates any temptations I may have if my schedule gets hectic and I feel like grabbing something convenient instead. Batch prepping has come to be a day I thoroughly enjoy, and I attribute a tremendous amount of success to taking advantage of this step in my preparations.

When I designed this cleanse, I wanted to be able to knock out everything I needed with one shopping trip and one or two batch prep days. After I have chosen my cleansing start date, I immediately schedule my shopping and batch days, then get started on my list. In Cleanse and Reset, you'll be able to see exactly what I buy to help simplify this portion of your preparation.

6. Clean Water is a Must

Not everyone realizes how important it is not only to eat clean but to drink clean as well. During your five-day cleanse you'll want to avoid drinking tap water. I go into more detail in my book but trust me when I say your tap water isn't clean. If there isn't a filtration system in your home, pick up a filtering pitcher. It's a great habit to get into even after your cleanse. I also like to have a water infuser bottle on hand for my detox water. It's certainly not necessary, but it is a handy tip I like to pass on. Having it around will also remind you to make sure you're getting enough water in your system throughout your five-day cleanse.

7. Build Your Smoothie Strategy

Now it's time to put together your smoothie strategy. If you already have an efficient blender, great! If not, it's an excellent investment that will make your cleanse easier, less expensive, and healthier. But if it's not in your budget, not to worry…getting your smoothies from a smoothie bar works too, IF you follow my guidance. 

It's important to remember that most of your on-the-go smoothies contain way more sugar than you can imagine. So, all those times you thought you were swinging by to grab a healthy fruit smoothie, you were mostly appeasing your sweet tooth. But if you stay away from the menu, you'll do just fine. Ask to have an off-the-menu smoothie made for you and let them know exactly what you need:

• A list of the main ingredients for your smoothie; remember your “yes” and “no” foods
• Substitute water for the apple, beet, or carrot juice they typically use as their base

And AVOID store-bought smoothies like the Plague! There's even more sugar in those pretty little bottles than you'll find at the smoothie bar. Just don't do it! 

8. Slowly Start to Prepare Your Body

At this point, you're almost there. You'll want to begin two or three days before the start of your five-day cleanse to prepare your body for the change slowly. This includes lots of clean water. Hydration is essential, so don't skip this part. Start weaning your body off of carbs and any other dense foods you may normally eat. Try to take in lean protein, healthy fats, and lots of nutritious leafy greens instead. Taking these steps will help your body transition more easily when you start your five-day cleanse.

9. Know What Each Day May Bring

I want you to be mentally prepared for what each day may bring during your cleanse and reset. Keep in mind, everyone's results will be a little different. If you are not already following a keto plan and do not plan to do the Keto Push, here’s what you can typically expect each day on your cleanse:

• Day 1: Your body is full of energy, and you are ramped up for your transformation.
• Day 2: Your body is likely still adjusting to your new meal plan, but you’re on your way!
• Day 3: You're starting to notice you're not bloating anymore. You’re probably experiencing other positive changes in your digestive system as well.
• Day 4: By now, you and others around you can see the amazing transformation you're going through. You're feeling like your insides are much cleaner while you and others are noticing a brightened complexion, a slimmer waist, and a boost in your mood.

If you’ve been limiting your intake of starchy fruits and vegetables, day four may have you feeling a touch of the “carb flu.” More on this in a moment.

• Day 5: You’re feeling revived. You can actually feel clean inside your body. You made it, and you're ready to take on anything! 

10. Be Prepared for Two Possible Challenges

I mentioned the carb flu earlier. A drastic cut in your carb intake causes your cells to burn fat in place of sugar for energy. While this is kicking fat-melting into high gear, it can cause flu-like symptoms I call the carb flu. Don't worry; it's a temporary and short-lived side effect of your cleanse and reset. If you tend to eat a lot of carbs in your regular diet, your cells don't have to work all that hard on getting fuel. You've pretty much become their sugar supplier; showering them with more than enough to allow them to cruise on autopilot. So, when you strip them of their sugar source, they are forced to get to work to burn fat. Fat burning is much more difficult on your cells and can cause you to feel tired and irritable. Although this doesn't sound very pleasant, it's a sign that you've thrown your body into fat-burning mode. Your feelings of sluggishness are entirely normal, but you'll want to keep this in mind if you need another reason to schedule your five-day cleanse during a less hectic week. Your body is working hard to rid itself of toxins, so you may also experience additional symptoms, including:

• Runny nose
• Acne outbreak
• Slight digestive issues

I recommend keeping a journal during your cleanse so that you can track how your body is feeling, noticeable progress, and signs letting you know you may be getting a touch of the carb flu. Going for a walk or other light activities will help you through this time. 

The second possible challenge you may face during your cleanse and reset is what I often call the “sugar demon.” Those of you with a major sweet tooth already know what I'm talking about. Yes, you're going to be giving up the majority of your sugar intake for five straight days. It's a tough habit to break, especially considering our bodies were wired to crave sugar for energy. But limiting your sugar intake is a must during your cleanse, and I can't stress enough how beneficial it is if you can do it daily. There's no denying it will be tough, but the benefits you will reap at the end will be more than worth it.

And there you have it. All you can expect from your five-day cleanse, outlined for you. No surprises here; just a blueprint to help you achieve your restoration goals. Ready to start preparing for your transformation to a healthier you? Grab my Cleanse and Reset and let’s get started!

Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!