Why You Don't Need to Detox After the Holidays

With the holidays behind us and the new year freshly here, chances are your body isn't in tip-top shape and you might be feeling sluggish. And that's ok! With all the tasty appetizers, late meals, fancy drinks, sugary treats, family time and travel it's easy to slide into one festive meal after another without moderation and say you're going to start in the new year.

At this point you might be thinking, "I should do a mini reset, like a simple detox to start fresh." Or if you're not thinking it, maybe you're anticipating I will say it. Spoiler alert: I'm not. This idea of a midwinter detox is a common theme I hear people forcing upon themselves that is actually not helpful.

So, why is a detox not ideal post holidays?

It's now the heart of winter and your body needs consistent nourishment and consistency with food, movement, socializing and sleep to stay warm, balanced and happy. Going into a detox now would take a lot of energy and self-control to follow through and be the opposite of what the body naturally needs right now. Winter is a time for slowing down and rhythm. So ideally, diving head first into a detox is best during the seasons of spring and fall to be in unison with nature, when things naturally want a refresh.

Detoxing after the holidays implies that the holidays are toxic; they're not. This swinging of the pendulum from super indulgent to super healthy messes with your metabolism, hormones and cravings. Food during this time of the year is important and is meant to be shared with loved ones to celebrate. Introducing themes of shame and stress after you've enjoyed yourself is a real downer and unnecessary.

Thinking you need a detox is also not helpful for your mental health. This mindset looks too much at the past in terms of what you did "wrong" or "how you weren't making healthy decisions." Or that "food is bad and relaxation is lazy." Keep nutrition in perspective, what you ate over the holidays is probably not that much worse than what you usually eat. Remove the guilt and increase your self-compassion.

The good news about all of this is your body doesn't need a restrictive diet or an influx of hours at the gym to "get back on track." More than anything, it craves gentle ways to feel vibrant and alive after a shift in your typical routine.

Ease back into balance with these feel-good habits