Dear January,

I just wanted to drop you a line. Align our expectations because I wouldn’t want to disappoint you. I wanted to let you know that when you come on by, I shan’t be detoxing. I have a fantastic eliminatory system that does this for me. Mucho kudos to my kidneys, liver, lungs & lymphatic system. I will be eating nourishing foods (the ones I like), I’ll move & drink water to help support these systems. 

I shan’t be eating ‘cleansing’ foods. There is no food that can ‘cleanse you’. See above. I will aim to keep hydrated instead. Water, herbals teas, normal tea, weak squash all do the job well. Fibre will keep my digestive system happy and moving. We often don’t get enough. 

I shan’t be getting up at six to exercise four days a week because this is real life. I get tired, the kids wake, it’s cold. I will move in a way that makes me happy. If it’s cold out I might do some yoga. If I’m under par, I will walk the dog, if I’m feeling strong I’ll sweat it out with weights. Some days I’ll opt to rest instead. If I tune in to my body, if I move in a way that I enjoy and find fun, I am more likely to sustain these changes. 

I shan’t avoid sugar, carbs or fats. Instead I will nourish my body gently and not demonise any one food. Btw carbs are vital. They are our bodies preferred source of energy, especially our brains! Be kind to carbs January.

I won’t be touching an alkaline diet (you can’t change the PH of your body, it is tightly regulated by something called homeostasis, if eating kale could do this we would all be very sick/dead).

I won’t be adding spirulina to smoothies because it tastes like the bottom of a pond.

I won’t be juicing, drinking skinny teas, drinking my own pee (yes this is a thing), forcing my body into an un-natural state of ketosis or drinking turpentine to cleanse my body of Candida (I actually had someone ask me to endorse this once. I didn’t).

I will still be eating bananas.

I won’t be buying into a diet culture that thrives on us failing, feeling guilty and seeking the next quick fix. Funny, the global weight loss market is worth £170bn+ but we aren’t any healthier.

January, I shan’t be doing any of these things. So be a doll and bog off with the guilt trips, the unrealistic social media images and your miracle weight loss juices, powders and teas. I’m in it for the long haul. I love my body, heart and mind enough to keep all three of them well, gently.  

Love Rose x

If you would like to discover how to make peace with food, establish realistic, lifelong and sustainable changes and nourish your body gently. I can work with you 1:1, hit the contact Rose button.