Quell cravings on a Cleanse Day with these evidence-based tips.
Probably the greatest challenge to overcome on a Cleanse Day is the temptation to eat. Many times appetite—the desire to eat that can be triggered by boredom, emotional stress, or even the smell or appearance of food—can be mistaken for hunger, which is a physical feeling when your body needs fuel to function. Listening to appetite cues when your body is not truly hungry can cause you to throw in the towel on a Cleanse Day along with your weight loss goals.
Fortunately there are some scientifically supported ways to curb appetite cravings so you can have a successful Cleanse Day.
Follow a schedule. Before attempting a Cleanse Day, make sure you have a schedule that includes exact times to consume Cleanse For Life, Isagenix Snacks or IsaDelights, and water. Even more important, stick to it! If you go three or four hours without consuming anything you are more likely to stray from your Cleanse Day plan. The 30-Day Cleansing and Fat Burning Guide (page 4) has a good example of a Cleanse Day schedule, but feel free to adapt the schedule to your lifestyle.
Drink water. Ever go the fridge, open it, and stare with inability to decide what you want to eat? You may just be thirsty. The signals in our brains that say, “I’m thirsty,” are very closely tied to the signals that say, “I’m hungry”. For that reason, we commonly mistake thirst for hunger. Studies have shown that drinking water can help curb appetite and even cause us to eat less at mealtime. In one study, subjects who drank 17 ounces of water 30 minutes before lunch ate 58 percent fewer calories than those who didn’t (1). Water drinkers also reported greater feelings of fullness. When tempted to snack on a Cleanse Day, reach for a glass of water.
Use Cleanse Day “tools”. When you make your Cleanse Day schedule, be sure to include Isagenix Snacks and/or IsaDelights. Not only will they give you something to look forward to and motivate you to say no to the box of donuts in the office kitchen, but they will also provide your body with the right kinds of nutrients in just the right amounts to help keep your blood sugar stable in order to fight fatigue and keep you feeling good.
Mix up beverage options. In addition to Cleanse for Life, Isagenix offers beverage options that are Cleanse Day-approved. A favorite among many cleansers is e+, an energy shot with naturally sourced caffeine from green tea and yerba mate. Caffeine has long been touted to curb appetite and support weight loss (2). In a pilot study, subjects using e+ while following a 9-Day Isagenix system trended toward greater weight loss results than those who did not use e+. Another beverage option to add variety to your Cleanse Day is the soothing and adaptogen-packed t+ Chai.
Keep exercise light. While you may think intense exercising on a Cleanse Day would supercharge your fat loss, it can backfire by revving up your appetite. Additionally, because you’re not consuming protein and carbohydrates in levels that support optimal post-exercise recovery, intense exercise on a Cleanse Day can cause fatigue, muscle damage, and injury. Save intense workouts for Shake Days and instead choose low-intensity activities such as walking or yoga.
While Cleanse Days can be intimidating at first, Isagenix provides you with all the tools and guidance you need to not only have a successful Cleanse but an enjoyable one. And if you do end up hitting a wall and have to break your Cleanse, turn to an IsaLean Shake—it’ll satisfy cravings and hunger, fill you up with dense nutrition, and will barely set you back from your goals. The great thing about Cleanse Days is, there’s always next time.
References
- Van Walleghen et al. Pre-meal water consumption reduces meal energy intake in older but not younger subjects. Obesity, 2009;15:1, 93-99.
- Lopez-Garcia et al. Changes in caffeine intake and long-term weight changes in men and women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2006;83:3, 674-80.
