a week before the wedding = wedding detox time

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, and I can stop checking Pinterest every few hours for fall-inspired recipes, it’s time to get down to business and keep myself from ruining all the hard work that I’ve put into getting in shape for the wedding! For some of you, this might be cutting certain foods out of your diet or kicking your workout schedule into overdrive. For me, it means maintaining my current cardio/strength training and starting a detox.

I know what you’re thinking…

A detox? Is it a good idea to starve yourself for a week before your wedding? Won’t your husband-to-be still love you if all the water weight hasn’t been squeezed from your body?

To answer simply, 1. I have no intention of starving myself (one day, I’ll have to tell you about the whopping two days that I made it on the “Master Cleanse”), and 2. don’t worry, this detox is completely for myself. It will make me feel more comfortable to have all of the “bad stuff” out of my system. (And it’s supposed to give you that healthy, I’ve-lasted-on-veggies-for-a-week-and-it-shows glow!) Plus, I’m pretty sure Spencer’s not marrying me for my “hot bod.” (Mean Girls reference intended.)

Being completely honest, this isn’t technically a wedding detox. About a year ago, I first tried the Clean Machine detox from LaurenConrad.com, and I absolutely loved it! I never felt like I wasn’t getting enough nutrients to sustain me, and the recipes are actually really good. The last time I did it, it was for a week right after New Year’s to jump start a year of healthier eating and consistent exercise. Here’s how it works (but be sure to check out the website because Allison Norton‘s explanations are everything!):

Breakfast: detox smoothie

This smoothie was actually my first foray into eating beets, and I was honestly surprised by how well it went. There’s definitely an earthy taste to it, but the other flavors (coconut water, strawberry, apple) do a good job of cutting that a bit with sweetness. Make sure to steam your beets well enough, so they’re not too tough, and I would suggest melting the coconut oil just a little, so it blends into the smoothie instead of coating the sides of your blender. I would also recommend making your smoothie the night beforehand and keeping it in the fridge until you need it. It just makes my morning easier, and I’ve also found that blending it ahead of time gives it enough time to settle, making it more palatable and easier to suck down with a straw. Overall, it kept me energized throughout the morning, and… how do I put this? It really gets your digestion going, so just be conscious of that when scheduling any morning meetings!

Lunch: alkalizing spinach salad

The salad is probably my favorite recipe of this detox. I seriously sometimes crave the (super easy!) dressing that goes on it. Something about the combination of the different flavors (spicy, acidic, garlicky) works well over the pretty ordinary bed of greens. Adding bell pepper, carrots, and cucumber makes it just filling enough to last you through to dinner time (and being completely honest, I usually leave out the avocados since they’re the most expensive element on the plate). Plus, this one is easy to throw together in the two minutes between blow drying my hair and rushing out the door to defrost my car windshield.

Dinner: cleansing veggie soup

The best thing about the cabbage soup is that it makes 6 servings in one go, so I usually time out my detox to last just this long. The fact that it’s a warm soup is also great; I hate having to eat cold meals for days at a time like in most detoxes. Now, I will admit that the broth is a bit acidic. Thank you, apple cider vinegar. But it’s not too bad, and if you’re a huge cabbage lover like I am, you’ll be able to suffer through it without really suffering at all. Oh, and the cilantro adds a nice, unexpected kick.

If you’re used to detox regiments that include starving yourself, drinking weird laxative teas, and choking down strange foods that you can’t pronounce the names of, you can thank God for the people at Lauren Conrad’s blog. While this detox won’t have you shedding miraculous numbers of pounds (because it’s not intended to do that), it will have you feeling more balanced as far as digestion goes and energized and purified overall!  I highly recommend it.

Have you ever undertaken a detox or cleanse? Was it crazy insane to follow or completely doable like the one I’m currently on? Feel like joining me for this little body purification ritual? I’d love to hear about it below!