Four Weeks to Your Best Self
Change Your Life This Month!
If you've been eating, drinking, and being a little too merry, have we got the cure for you! Break out of your post-holiday stupor with our annual Whole Living Action Plan, a 28-day jump-start on a year of total mind and body wellness.Before your plan begins, start your day with hot water and fresh lemon juice. This can aid in the detoxification process you'll be following in the coming week. Make sure to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. If you're a coffee drinker, start to wean off; swap one cup out for green or white tea.
Check Out Your Kitchen
What foods can you share, give away, or toss that aren't part of the plan? (Hint: Most processed foods fall into this category.) What foods will tempt you and make it hard for you to stick to the plan (read: candy, cookies, soda)?How fresh are your cooking oils and spices? If you don't remember when you purchased them, now's a good time to upgrade to fresher, healthier options. Remember, these changes aren't just for the next four weeks, but will hopefully become healthy habits for life.
Shop for Food
Block out at least an hour (you don't want to be rushed) today to go to the grocery store with your Action Plan shopping list and purchase the things you'll want to have on hand, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, extra virgin olive oil, and organic, lean proteins. Because you'll be emphasizing fresh foods, you only need to shop for a few days at a time.Next: Plan Shopping Lists: Weeks 1 and 2
This list contains everything you need to make the 14 daily recipes from Weeks 1 and 2 of the Whole Living Action Plan; these are also the core ingredients of a cleansing detox meal plan free of common allergens and processed foods.The following ingredients will make only the one featured recipe for each day. Refer to the Detox Dos and Don'ts list and the additional options in the Detox Recipes gallery for help choosing more foods and supplementing your shopping list.
(For Weeks 3 and 4, you have more freedom with what you can eat and are encouraged to create your own healthy meal plan.)
Week 1
Animal ProteinBoneless, skinless chicken breast, 8 oz.
Wild skinless salmon fillets, 4 6-oz.
ProduceBaby arugula, 3 cups (11/2 oz.)
Collard leaves, 1 cup
Baby bok choy, 2 heads
Red cabbage, 1 small head
Shiitake mushrooms, 2 oz. (about 4)
Carrots, 2 medium
Celery, 1 stalk
Scallion, 1
Golden or red beets, 1 pound (about 6 medium)
Sweet potato, 1 large
Red onions, 2 medium
Yellow onion, 1/2
Garlic 1 clove
Fresh ginger, 1 3-inch piece
Fruit, such as mango, grapes, plums, and citrus, 4 cups sliced
Avocado, 1
Lime, 1
Lemon, 1
Fresh mint, 1/4 cup chopped, plus leaves for garnish
Fresh cilantro, 2 tablespoons chopped, plus leaves for garnish
Frozen ItemsFrozen mixed berries, 2 cups (9 oz.)
Grains, Legumes, and SeedsMillet, 1/4 cup
Black beans, one 15-oz. can
Dried lentils (such as French green or black beluga), 6 oz. (3/4 cup)
Green lentils, 1 cup
Sunflower seeds, 2 tablespoons
Pantry ItemsLow-sodium chicken stock, 4 cups
Pomegranate juice, 1 cup unsweetened
Almond butter, 1/2 cup
Applesauce, 1/2 cup unsweetened
Coconut flakes, 1/4 cup unsweetened
Tahini, 1/4 cup
Honey, 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons
Extra-virgin olive oil, 6 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons
Apple-cider vinegar, 3 tablespoons
Red-wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons
Dried Herbs and SpicesBay leaf, 1
Coriander seeds, 11/2 teaspoons whole seeds or 1 teaspoon ground
Freshly ground black pepper
Coarse salt
Next: Get the Right Gear
In the coming weeks, you'll be challenging yourself with new strength training and cardiovascular exercises. Our routines are perfect for beginners and don't require any technical equipment, but you should have clothing you feel comfortable moving around in, and a decent pair of sneakers.Unless you plan on sticking to the treadmill all month, a few outfits you can wear on chilly winter walks and jogs will come in handy, as well. A pair of three- to five-pound hand weights is used for some Action Plan moves, or you can use full water bottles.
Next: Find an At-Home Sanctuary
Size up your home and select a quiet space that feels ideal for practicing meditation, yoga, deep breathing, and other stress-reducing techniques.If you can't give up an entire room to a stress-relief practice, try making one corner more peaceful by setting up cushions, candles, and other objects that bring you comfort and calm.
Next: Ready, Set, Action Plan: Weekend Prep Days
Cut Out More Caffeine
On Sunday -- the second and final day of detox prep -- go a little further and swap out another cup of coffee for herbal or green tea. Take notice of (and start to avoid) other sources of caffeine in your diet, such as soda and chocolate. Trust us, this will help transition you into the no-caffeine zone ahead!
Next: Think Ahead
When it comes to doing the Whole Living Action Plan, a little prep goes a long way. Don't let yourself get caught with no detox-friendly foods on hand and ready to eat.Cook up some brown rice to keep in the fridge for meals, wash and ready fruits and veggies, and keep some nuts on hand for when you get hungry.
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