So, you’ve made it through your five-day cleanse. You’re feeling rejuvenated. Energized. Slimmer. Healthier. And you’re practically glowing! But now what? You’ve worked hard for these results, so how do you maintain this look and feel? How do you make sure you’re equipped to make this a healthy lifestyle change and not just another fad cleanse or diet? When you successfully complete my Cleanse and Reset, you’ll already be on the right path. The choices you learned to make during your five-day cleanse will set you up to continue making those good choices, so you savor the results. And just as you were guided through your Cleanse and Reset with all the tools you could possibly need, you'll also have my Lifestyle Plan to help guide you through your journey after your cleanse!

Maintaining Your Ideal Weight

If one of your goals during the Cleanse and Reset was slimming down and burning off stubborn belly fat, I know you won't want to risk it creeping back upon you. The five-day cleanse gets you to your goal with all the added health and skin benefits. But now it’s up to you to keep it off. Let’s make sure they’re going to be lasting results.

Don’t Revert to Your “No” Foods

When your five-day cleanse comes to an end, you won’t find your body or taste buds craving the toxin-filled junk you were once loading up on. So, don’t give yourself any reasons to be tempted down the road. The Cleanse and Reset taught you what is truly healthy and beneficial for your skin, mind, and body. Don’t take these invaluable pieces of information for granted! Remember which foods led you down the road to inflammation, chronic fatigue, and signs of early aging. How did they make you feel? You don’t really want to risk going back there, do you?

Remember that “healthy foods” aren’t always as healthy for you as you may think:

•       Low-fat and whole-grain items have been linked to obesity and diabetes
•       Grains can lead to the storage of belly fat
•       Stored belly fat is loaded with toxins and wreaks havoc on your body and    cells
•       Too many grains cause spikes in your insulin levels
•       Exacerbating skin issues, such as Psoriasis, Eczema, and Rosacea
•       Grains contain substances known to cause a leaky gut

You know, your body can even do without grains. When you look through the minimum daily requirements listed on nutritional labels, you don’t see information for grains, do you? Without any science to show our bodies need them, they aren't considered a dietary necessity.

And you certainly don’t want to risk bringing back inflammation by falling back on your “no” foods. Don’t forget the trouble inflammation can cause, including:

•       Fine lines and wrinkles
•       Sagging skin
•       Dry, dull, irritated skin
•       Chronic fatigue
•       Leaky gut
•       Risk of many additional diseases and illnesses.

Get Your Fill of “Yes” Foods

Focus on healthy fats to help maintain the results of your five-day cleanse. Your body relies and thrives on them and benefits in ways including:

•       Building up cell membranes
•       Supporting your brain health
•       Producing hormones

When you neglect to include healthy fats in your diet, you risk gaining your weight back, feeling run down again, the return of cravings, and digestive issues. By continuing to keep healthy fats and clean proteins in your daily routine after your five-day cleanse, you’ll support the lasting effects you’ve achieved from your successful cleanse and reset. Keep loading your body with collagen and bone broth. There’s no better way to keep up your healthy lifestyle!

Continue to add plenty of non-starchy veggies to your daily meal plan. To keep those cravings and hunger pains at bay, don’t forget to keep adding in your small portions of healthy carbs to help keep your energy level up. It will also continue to provide benefits you received during your Cleanse and Reset, including:

•       Supporting brain health
•       Strengthening the wall of your gut
•       Lowering insulin levels
•       Keeping your skin healthy, firm, and hydrated
•       Ridding your body of inflammation and the risks associated with it
•       Burning off belly fat
•       Bringing healing and restoration to your cells

Committing to a Healthy Lifestyle After the Cleanse and Reset

After completing the Cleanse and Reset, my Lifestyle Plan will be a tool to guide you and help you stay on the right course. Use these tools to teach you to fight off old habits, cravings, and any thoughts of indulging in your old ways. One of the most beneficial tools is following the 80/20 rule. My lifestyle tools will allow you to eat the foods you love without cheating or feeling any guilt. And you’ll maintain the rewards of your five-day cleanse! Right about now, you’re shaking your head in disbelief, aren’t you? I don’t blame you, but here's why it works:

Enjoying an 80/20 Lifestyle Plan

Eighty percent of your meals should be made up of incredible superfoods that will:

o   Flood your body with nutrients

o   Help keep your blood sugar low

o   Continue to ward off inflammation

o   Support your metabolism

Twenty percent of your meals can be made up of portions of the foods you desire.

Does the 80/20 Plan Work?

By allowing yourself these indulgences, you curb your cravings and reduce the risk of falling back into old patterns. You help maintain your achievements without sabotaging your hard work. When you commit to following the eighty-twenty plan after your five-day cleanse, you fill your body with such an abundance of nutritious foods that you can afford to treat yourself to goodies without the worry of damage. It’s one of those rare times you’ll get to have your cake and eat it too!

Practicing What I Preach

I know the 80/20 plan works because it’s the plan I follow to maintain the benefits of the Cleanse and Reset. When I do, I look and feel fantastic and better than I have in years. The twenty percent never leaves me feeling restricted, hungry, or deprived. I don’t have to worry when I attend dinners or events because I know I’m allowed to reward myself for my healthy habits. I never feel guilty or find myself eyeing the dessert tray with jealousy, so there's really no excuse to stray from the Lifestyle Plan. If I can make it through the five-day cleanse, I can certainly embrace the 80/20 plan, right?

Portioning eighty percent of your meals to focus on your health with room to enjoy really sets you up for success. It makes maintaining your five-day cleanse benefits much more attainable and appealing. Just be sure to fill your body with the healthy choices you’ve learned to rely on during your cleanse and reset, and you'll be good to go.

•       Never-Ending, Non-Starchy Vegetables

Load up! Seriously. Non-starchy veggies will fill you with all the nutrients and fiber your body needs to keep weight off, reduce bloat, and keep your skin radiant. Take advantage.

•       Small-Portioned Starchy Fruits and Veggies

This group provides an additional surge of energy when you need it. Can’t beat that!  Just be mindful of what “small” means, and you’ll be fine.  

•   Powerful Proteins

Fish, poultry, organ meats, eggs, beef, and of course, bone broth are excellent choices to maintain your health. Even the simplicity of adding in a collagen supplement works. These proteins provide essential amino acids needed to cleanse, repair, and rejuvenate your body. Ensure you’re getting the most amount of nutrients and the least amount of toxins by buying meats free from nitrates, nitrites, and sugars. Many toxins collect in the skin of the chicken and fat of beef. Take care to remove these as much as possible.

•       Healthy Fats

Don’t forget to make healthy fats a part of your diet after your five-day cleanse. If you get stuck on ideas, pull out my Cleanse and Reset book and go through it again. A refresher is always a great way to boost your creativity and whip up some new recipes. Or try out a few of those recipes you didn’t get to during your five-day cleanse.

The Template: Maintain with the Eighty Percent Rule

When you complete the Cleanse and Reset, you'll want to do whatever it takes to keep that slim, sexy figure, youthful skin, and healthy, energetic body, right? Portion control is the key. I’ve done all the hard work for you and outlined the perfect eighty percent template. Learn it. Live it. Love it.

•       Fruit

Once you wrap up your cleanse and reset, keep a healthy portion of fruit on your daily menu. One serving of fruit can be half an apple, or around half a cup of berries. They will help you maintain your health after you cleanse and reset. Spread out your fruit throughout the day to keep your sugar intake as evenly distributed as possible. Try to stick to no more than two servings per day.

•       Fat

These are just a few of my favorite go-to healthy fats that help maintain my efforts after the five-day cleanse:

o   One serving of chia seeds is equal to four teaspoons

o   One serving of flaxseed is equivalent to two tablespoons

o   One serving of avocado is roughly 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 of the avocado

o   One serving of coconut milk is equal to 1⁄3 cup

o   One serving of almond milk is equivalent to eight ounces

Veggies

•       Non- Starchy Options

A serving of non- starchy veggies should not exceed the size of a softball. You can fill up on two to three servings to satisfy your hunger and add extra nutrients.

•       Starchy

Limit yourself to one serving of starchy veggies a day, but ONLY when you feel like you could use a little jolt of energy. Try them after a strenuous workout. Ladies should have a baseball-sized portion. Men should eat a portion roughly the size of a softball.

Keeping Your Gut Healthy

Be sure to work on keeping probiotic and prebiotic foods in your daily diet. They work wonders for your maintenance, so add them to your meals whenever you can.

o   Prebiotics act a lot like fertilizer for your gut bacteria. These foods include leeks, garlic, onions, and unripe bananas.

o   Probiotics contain healthy bacteria that help reseed your gut. You can include pickles, sauerkraut, and kimchi to your diet. Keep in mind; you'll benefit most by purchasing these in the refrigerated section. The healthy bacteria in these foods have been killed off from shelved versions because they’ve been pasteurized.

Unhealthy Health Foods

So, why are some of your favorite healthy foods not on the eighty percent lists? The truth is, they may not be healthy for you after all:

•       Seed oils

Sunflower, corn, and canola oils are heavily processed and are often rancid by the time you purchase them. They have horrendously high levels of inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids and low levels of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. Margarine is even worse for your health, so just stay away.

•       Dairy

You may have come to realize that dairy products are the source of your bloating, and many of your skin concerns. If you aren’t absolutely sure your body tolerates dairy well, you should avoid them altogether. It will help you maintain those incredible cleanse and reset results.

•       Soy

Soy foods are healthy, right? Most of them are “Frankenfoods” and loaded with not-so-good-for-you ingredients. They contain substances that can affect your thyroid and put you at risk for autoimmune thyroid disease. It’s just not worth it, so avoid soy products whenever you can.

When you put your health first and develop long-lasting habits, avoiding these foods won’t even be a thought. You put in the work to complete your five-day cleanse and deserve to make those benefits last. This is the perfect time to continue your healthy lifestyle journey. My Lifestyle Plan can help you maintain the results you haven’t experienced in years! Don’t let your cleanse and reset be just another quick fix. Choose to make and keep the necessary changes that will provide you with lasting results. So, are you ready to extend your five-day cleanse results? Grab the tools you need now!

Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!