Prepare your body for the party season and try a pretox with the Ultimate Christmas Diet.
Chances are you’re asking “Christmas diet? Is there such a thing?” and “What’s a pretox?”
Unlike a detox, which punishes you for enjoying the Christmas party season, a pretox helps your body prepare itself for the extra goodies you’re likely to be having over the next couple of weeks.
ALSO SEE: How to stress less this festive season
It’s packed with foods that help your body maximise enzymes help it neutralise alcohol and process fat. As a result, your body copes with the excess of Christmas more effectively.
Let’s pretox!
Simply pick one of our breakfasts, lunches and dinners from the ultimate Christmas diet and eat two other pieces of fruit, or 1 piece of fruit and 28g of nuts throughout the day. Let your body do the rest…
Breakfast
2 eggs poached, boiled or scrambled, plus 200g chopped fruit or fruit salad.
125g low-fat yoghurt with 28g mixed nuts and 1 chopped apple or pear.
Smoothie made from 200ml of skimmed milk or soya milk, ½ banana and 2 handfuls of any berry with 15g flaked almonds.
200g reduced sugar baked beans with grilled mushrooms and tomatoes.
1 piece of toast topped with ¼ avocado, mashed, and sliced tomatoes.
ALSO SEE: How to beat stress eating
Lunch
Dip (100g artichokes hearts blended with low-fat yoghurt) served with crudités and 1 small whole-wheat pitta.
Salad of beetroot, artichoke, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and onion with 100g canned tuna, chicken or prawns.
½ avocado topped with 150g prawns or chicken. Serve with chopped tomato and cucumber.
150g hummus or guacamole served with carrot and broccoli crudités.
½ can broccoli, cauliflower or bean-based soup; salad of lettuce, cucumber and 3 artichoke hearts.
Dinner
125g any fish fillet, grilled, served with roasted vegetables (pepper, aubergine) tossed with 3 chopped olives and 3 artichoke hearts.
Salad of rocket, beetroot and cherry tomatoes topped with 2tbsp cooked lentils (as directed or canned) and 2 slices back bacon, well grilled.
100g gammon steak or lean pork chop served with 200g low-fat cauliflower cheese and green beans.
Stir-fry of 100g chicken, prawns or beef, served with vegetables and 28g of cashew nuts.
100g lean pan-fried steak or grilled chicken breast with salsa (¼ avocado, tomato and red onion mixed with fresh coriander); salad.
Pre-Christmas drink
Aim to drink eight glasses of fluid each day – water’s great, but green tea is better. Studies show it revs up your metabolism and increases levels of vital detoxifying hormones by as much as 80%.
ALSO SEE: How to reach your daily water intake
Your body will love
Artichokes increase bile levels in the liver, which helps break down fat.
Avocado As we age, our body produces lower levels of the detox hormone glutathione – one reason why hangovers worsen as we age. Avocados are rich in glutathione.
Beetroot contains betaine, which helps your body break down fat.
Broccoli contains glucosinolates, which help your liver produce higher levels of detox enzymes.
Fruit contains fructose, and fructose helps your body process alcohol.
Nuts Hangovers are worse in women who are magnesium deficient. Nuts are great sources of magnesium.
DISCLAIMER: Before starting any diet, you should speak to your doctor. You must not rely on the information on this website/newsletter as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare provider.
