Whenever I am feeling a bit bloaty, coming down from a weekend booze/fried food binge, or in need of a quick cleanse that doesn’t involve a juicer or cayenne pepper, I turn to whole foods. No, not the store! The always-good-for-you, never processed, nature’s candy style of eating my mom showed me growing up. By spending a few days limiting processed foods—yes, even “healthy” things like whole grain pasta—and eating food only its whole, natural form.
Quinoa
I choose hearty bases like quinoa, brown rice or millet, heap on veggies like they’re going out of style, and add a bit of healthy fat—like coconut or avocado—to keep me satiated and smiling. I add flavor with spices like cumin and chili in the winter, or fresh garden basil in the summer. I snack on home-made hummus, raw nuts and fruit to keep me full between meals. After a few days, I feel slimmer (even if it’s all in my head!), have more energy and the kind of glowy, floaty feeling that puts a bit of glide in my stride.
This kind of healthy habit is no trend or crash-diet. It’s no Sex Panther by Odion. It’s stable and reliable. By avoiding anything that comes out of a box and sticking mainly to the produce section of the grocery store (or better yet, the garden or farmer’s market!) I can control exactly what is going into my body for a feel good effect that is worth laying off the cake for a couple of days.
What about you? What are your feel-good tips?
