We'll be honest here: we don't really see ourselves as the week-long juice cleanse types. While we briefly hopped on the train—albeit in the name of, ahem, science and stuff—the cleanses we dabbled with lasted mere days. What can we say? A girl's gotta chew.
Instead, we prefer to go the route of a little thing called balance—you know, with a dumbbell in one hand and a mojito in the other. Kidding! But seriously: if you've been keeping up with The Cov, you know we've previously explored the trials and tribulations of attempting to be all alkaline water and kale chips while everyone else is all tequila shots and tacos, and we've come to the conclusion that we're all for everything in moderation (including, at times, moderation). That said, when it comes to feeling your best in the neoprene bikini or OG one-piece of your choice, morning mediation and loading on the SPF isn't exactly going to cut it. There are, of course, those of us who are happy to slide into a bather 24/7/365, and at any size, and we're sending all the clapping-hands emojis in the world out to them. For the rest of us, however, we reached out to our girls at Bonberi for something a little more, uh, rigorous than healthy hor d'oeuvres and setting your intentions for the day—a custom seven-day cleanse.
Dear Coveteur Readers,
At bonberi, throughout the year, we make health and vitality our focus, but during the warmer months, we like to amp it up. After all, those itsy-bitsy-Missoni-bikinis don’t wear themselves! Below, we’ve outlined a week-long program that we turn to and will no doubt detoxify and de-bloat while providing you with ample nutrition. Read on and enjoy!
With Love,
Nicole & Vanessa
1. Increase water-containing, alkaline vegetables and vegetable-based juices, particularly in the morning. The more colorful, the better!
2. Cut out alcohol, sugar, oil, wheat, dairy and red meat. Sticking to a low-grain, low-fat, low-sodium “diet” will reduce water-retention (AKA cellulite).
3. Aim to stay raw until lunch or dinner (We find avocados help satiate hunger, just don’t overdo it.)
4. Combine food types appropriately (IE: no proteins with starches; eat fruit alone or leave it alone.)
5. Always eat a raw salad before cooked food to help aid digestion. (Avoid raw cruciferous veggies like cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts as they tend to create gas.)
6. Drink lots of water (room temperature, ice water will hamper digestion) and herbal tea to assist in flushing out toxins and keep you hydrated, but try not to drink water during meals. Add cucumber, lemon or mint for extra flavor and alkalinity.
7. Aim to start every day with warm water and lemon. It will wake up your digestive system, assists in flushing out toxins and it's alkalizing for the body.
8. Eliminate every day. Yes, become friends with your bathroom. If you're not eliminating on your own, amp up the sweat sessions or try natural supplements such as Natural Calm or Mag O7 to facilitate elimination.
*Extra Credit: We love to dry brush in the morning and to sweat as much as possible to facilitate detoxing through exercise, Epsom salt baths and infrared saunas. If you want to be an A+ student, schedule a colonic at the end of the cleanse. Remember, detoxing is not what you put in, it's what comes out.
DAY 1
*Add a sprinkle of cayenne for an extra kick
Green Juice (Kale, celery, ginger, lemon, cucumber and romaine)Post Workout: Bonberi Babe Protein Smoothie
-Vegan protein powder (We like Sun Warrior)
-1 cup water (forgo almond milk for this week)
-1/2 banana
-1 bunch of spinach, kale
-1/2 teaspoon of Maca powder (this will give you energy and keep you focused throughout the day)
-Optional: blueberries or raspberries
Lunch: A large chopped salad of romaine, red peppers, raw corn, shredded basil, raw zucchini, avocado and cucumber with lemon, dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar dressing.
Dinner: Large raw salad (avoid raw cauliflower or raw broccoli) with tamari, lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil with poached salmon over shitake mushrooms (link)
Evening: Cup of hot lemon water or herbal tea (we like ginger, peppermint or dandelion tea for detoxing)
DAY 2
Morning:Warm water with lemon and a dash cayenne pepper
*Drink water throughout the day to flush your lymphatic system and keep you hydrated.
bonberi “Chocolate Mylk” Juice
-1 bag of large organic carrots
-3 organic romaine hearts
Post Workout:Tropical Protein Shake
Lunch: Mixed salad of romaine, red cabbage, red peppers, cucumbers and 1 sliced avocado with Oil-Free Lemony Detox Dressing
Dinner: Raw mixed green salad dressed with lemon, dijon mustard and sea salt; Toasted Sesame Quinoa Salad w/ 1/2 avocado
Evening: Cup of hot lemon water or herbal tea
Optional: 2-3 squares of 70% organic dark chocolate or higher
DAY 3
Morning:Warm water with lemon and a dash cayenne pepper
*Drink water throughout the day to flush your lymphatic system and keep you hydrated.
Red Goddess Juice:
-1 beet
-4 carrots
-1 inch knob of ginger,
-6 celery stalks
-1 heart of romaine
Post Workout:Green Smoothie Bowl
Lunch:Simple Salad Nori Wraps (http://bonberi.com/journal/2014/1/9/simple-salad-nori-wraps)
Dinner: Raw romaine salad dressed with Oil-Free Lemony Detox Dressing; Mountain Vegetable "soba" noodle soup
Evening: Cup of hot lemon water or herbal tea
Optional: 2-3 squares of 70% organic dark chocolate or higher
DAY 4
Morning:Warm water with lemon and a dash cayenne pepper
*Drink water throughout the day to flush your lymphatic system and keep you hydrated.
Post Workout: bonberi babe Protein Smoothie (See recipe above)
Lunch: Small mixed greens salad dressed with ½ avocado, dressed with lemon and sea salt; Creamy Raw Carrot Soup
Dinner: Tomato and basil salad dressed with lemon and sea salt; Halibut Cooked In Parchment
Evening: Cup of hot lemon water or herbal tea
Optional: 2-3 squares of organic 70% dark chocolate or higher
DAY 5
Morning:Warm water with lemon and a dash cayenne pepper
*Drink water throughout the day to flush your lymphatic system and keep you hydrated.
Post Workout:Tropical Protein Smoothie
Lunch: Arugula salad with ½ avocado dressed with lemon and sea salt; Chilled Asparagus Soup (no cheese)
Dinner: Raw zucchini salad dressed with lemon and sea salt; Salmon Oreganata
Evening: Cup of hot lemon water or herbal tea.
Optional: 2-3 squares of 70% organic dark chocolate or higher
DAY 6
Morning:Warm water with lemon and a dash cayenne pepper
*Drink water throughout the day to flush your lymphatic system and keep you hydrated.
Post Workout:Green Smoothie Bowl
Lunch:Chopped spinach, avocado, steamed asparagus salad
Dinner: Raw arugula salad with shaved zucchini and dill, dressed with lemon and sea salt; Saffron-poached cod
Evening: Cup of hot lemon water or herbal teaOptional: 2-3 squares of 70% organic dark chocolate or higher
DAY 7
Morning:Warm water with lemon and a dash cayenne pepper
*Drink water throughout the day to flush your lymphatic system and keep you hydrated.
Green Juice (Kale, celery, ginger, lemon, cucumber and romaine)
Post Workout: bonberi Babe Protein Smoothie
Lunch:Detox Sushi
Dinner: Raw zucchini salad dressed with lemon and sea salt; Elyse Taylor's Spicy Red Snapper
Evening: Cup of hot lemon water or herbal tea
Optional: 2-3 squares of 70% organic dark chocolate or higher