Detox and Weight Loss Misconceptions You Should Be Aware Of

The ‘detox for good health’ industry is a billion-dollar one. You may have seen many different brands of detox teas being hailed as the ultimate solution to weight loss. Most of the time, this is just substantiated marketing hype to get people to part with their money.

That said, detoxing your body does have its benefits. It reduces inflammation, increases energy levels, strengthens your immune system and so on.

Because of these benefits, weight loss comes relatively quick. Very often, people struggle to lose weight because their bodies are inflamed. Despite a caloric reduction and exercise, the weight still doesn’t seem to come off.

That’s due to the fact that the cells are inflamed and not responding. So, with a detox and a reduction in inflammation, easier weight management is possible. Detoxing your body has its place in a weight loss strategy, but it’s not the be-all and end-all of weight loss.

Now let’s look at some of the common misconceptions associated with detox and weight loss.

• You’ll lose a lot of fat

No, you won’t. Let’s be clear about this. There are many people who go on a detox tea diet or some lemonade diet, where all they consume are these teas.

While it’s possible to see a loss of several pounds during a 3 to 7-day period, most of this weight loss will be water weight. There will be some fat loss, but for the most part, it’s just water.

So, don’t be elated and believe that you’ve lost a lot of fat. The moment you start eating, you’ll gain back several of the pounds you lost because the salt in the diet will retain water.

• It is absolutely necessary

If you watched weight loss reality shows, you’d often see them make the contestants go through some detox in the first 3 or so days. This can make you believe that a detox is a MUST before you start on a diet.

The truth of the matter is that if you clean up your diet and cut out processed foods, your body is more than capable of gradually detoxing itself and you’ll lose weight.

You do NOT need a detox tea to lose weight. It may accelerate the process a little, but you’re still fine without one – provided you’re on a nutritious, wholesome diet.

• It’s all you need

Detoxing your body will NEVER replace a calorie restricted diet and exercise. These 2 components are the cornerstones of all successful weight loss.

People often try to take the easy way out and hope to lose weight just with the detox teas. This never happens because the moment you go back to your regular diet, all the pounds you lost will return with a vengeance.

The best way to steadily lose weight and keep the fat off permanently will be to incorporate an exercise regimen in your daily schedule and make clean and healthy eating a lifestyle choice.

• Once is enough

Detoxing the body once does assist the body with the process, but that doesn’t mean that’s the first and last time you do it. Doing a detox once every 3 months can be beneficial because of the amount of toxins and metals that’s present in our food and environment.

At the end of the day, a detox is useful and can aid in weight loss, but it’s not a permanent solution. Use it as a tool to achieve your weight loss goals and you’ll feel better and look better.