Should You Do a Detox Diet?

You've no doubt heard of (or maybe even tried) a detox diet, where you supposedly shed pounds fast by drastically cutting back on the amount of calories you consume. Unfortunately, if you do this for more than a few days, your body thinks it's starving and begins to digest protein in your muscles, which besides being unhealthy also results in fewer calories being burned.

So, what to do if you'd like to "cleanse" your body without trying a potentially dangerous or drastic diet? Consider a one-day "light diet," where you consume healthy liquids—water, fruit and veggie juices, unsweetened tea—for a day to give your digestive system a break. This can help reduce bloating and constipation, as well as prepare you mentally to start on a healthy way of eating. Just be sure not to go under 1,000 calories, and to also eat veggies and light meals with some protein to keep yourself healthy.