Why You Should Never Do A Detox

If December is the time for eggnog, then January is the time for juice cleanses. That’s right, detox season has rolled around again and it’s time for your favorite fitness stars to sell you a plethora of fancy teas, juices and diet pills all in the name of getting healthy.

It might seem like a great idea to try and rid your body of the toxic chemicals you filled it with at the end of last year, this isn’t the way to do it. Detoxes, while undeniably popular, are usually ill-advised, not properly researched and can be potentially dangerous.

Want to know more? We break down the very real reasons you shouldn’t go on a detox this month.

Your body has its own detox system

While it is true that getting rid of toxins such as pesticides and metals is a good thing, your body is already doing a bang up job at it. The liver, kidneys and colon are your natural detoxification system. If you’re eating well and drinking enough water, your body is looking after itself.

If you do insist on giving your body a boost, there are a few ways you can healthily assist yourself:

• Drink plenty of water to help your kidneys.

• Eat high-quality fats such as omega-3 to flush out your liver.

• Increase your fiber intake to improve your colon health.

You sacrifice your muscle

If you’re anything like me, you love to see your gains in the mirror. Unfortunately, when you embark on a detox diet, you risk losing all of your hard work in favor of losing a few extra pounds.

Most detoxes are really low in protein which means you’re essentially starving the muscles and instead of losing excess fat, you lose muscle mass. Protein is the macronutrient that helps build your booty and increase your gains and without it, your body actually becomes less efficient at removing toxins – ironic, hey.

It’ll all come back

Most of the weight you lose when you’re on a detox is water weight and after you stop, that will come back as quickly as it disappeared. The main thing you achieve when you fast for longer than a few days is reducing your body’s ability to metabolize the food you eat after the diet is finished.

– RELATED: Why You Need To Drink More Water –

It’s expensive

Considering maintaining your health and fitness is one of the most important parts of being alive, it’s curious to me that it must cost so much to achieve it. With gym memberships averaging around $45 a month it can be extremely demotivating to get active.

The same can be said for detox programmes. At around $50 a month, you could just spend the money on some organic fruit and veg and blitz up your own healthy smoothies.

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