Can You Lose Weight with Body Cleanses?

In our lifetimes, we've all experienced a lot of firsts in the health and wellness movement.  Remember the first time you tried aerobics?  Or a step class?  How about the first time you bought an organic food?  Or thought about "going green"?  These things didn't exist during our parents' time; the very words "organic" and "going green" weren't even part of their vocabulary the way they are today.

Today there's no argument that we accumulate toxins in our bodies from the air we breath and the food we eat.  Personally, I've made some changes, like trying to reduce the amount of plastic I use, buying natural cleaning products for my home, and I even bought a hybrid car last year.  I've had a few people ask me about what I think of body cleanses, especially since they can be marketed as a way to lose weight.  Is it true?

First of all, the goal of a body cleanse isn't weight loss.  It's to eliminate toxins that have been building up in your body and that can, in many cases, promote fat retention and weight gain.  So the detox regimen does often lead to weight loss as you cut out processed and refined products and focus on clean sources of food.  When I go on my Fast Track diet, for example, I not only drop extra weight, but I also feel rejuvenated and "cleaned out".  (You can find my complete Fast Track program in my book Feed Muscle Shrink Fat.)

Some of the most effective methods for gently cleaning out the body are all-natural, everyday activities.  Rather than taking handfuls of supplements or fasting for days (which can have a negative effect on metabolism, not to mention zapping your mood and energy level), I recommend trying these five "Outs":

5 Ways to Cleanse Your Body Naturally:

 1)   Sweat It Out:  Sweating is one of the body's best methods of eliminating toxins.  The skin, after all, is the largest organ and because of its size and area, it eliminates more waste from your cells than your colon and kidneys combined.  If you're looking for a new way to get your sweat glands and heart pumping, try my Tummy Trimmers DVD workout.

2)      Breathe It Out:  Don't forget that exercise comes with stronger inhalations and exhalations, and breathing is another way your body gets rid of waste.  The more you breathe, the more you naturally detoxify your body.  

3)      Digest It Out:  There's a lot going on between the time you put something in your mouth and it leaves your system.  You can enhance this process with enzymes and probiotics.  Enzymes are what help break down food so you can absorb nutrients and reduce the production of digestive by-products that can be toxic to you.  A good probiotic, which literally means "for life," will also help maintain your body's natural balance of good bacteria.  They can help destroy bad bacteria that increases your body's toxicity.  Try our Rainbow Light ProbioActive1B to promote daily digestive health, immunity and vitality.    

4)      Sleep It Out:  This may sound like a strange recommendation, but it's true:  Sleep is essential to health and well-being, including your body's natural ability to get rid of toxins.  Just about every system in your body is affected by the quality and quantity of sleep you get a night.  Hormones like those which control hunger, appetite, metabolism, muscle and tissue repair, and even fat retention or loss are all under sleep's spell.  If you can get enough sleep to feel refreshed in the morning and energized all day long, you'll be amplifying your natural detoxification capacity.

5)      Clean It Out:  There are two easy things you can do that will help your body clean itself up naturally.  One is to boost your fiber, which has been shown to aid your bowel movements and prevent your body from absorbing toxins.  Shoot for 35 grams a day; it will sweep toxins and calories from your body.  And secondly, clean out your kitchen.  In my latest book, I call it one of my "Laws of Living Lean": Make Your Home a Healthy Environment.  The top three "To Do's" for this law: 1) Discard anything that contains trans fats, hydrogenated fats, high-fructose corn syrup, or added sugars; 2) Replace high fructose corn syrup-based condiments, spreads, and salad dressing with natural, organic alternatives; and 3) Discard items with artificial sweeteners made with chemicals (Splenda and Stevia are OK to keep, or try agave nectar).

Someday, history will probably call the Green Movement a defining feature of our time, offering many innovations that will help create healthier lives for generations to come.  And while the a "body cleanse" may sound like a new-age concept, they've been around for as long as humans have walked the earth - especially when you consider how the body naturally cleans itself up once you clean up your diet and get moving.