The 7-Day Weight Loss Detox

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

Are you on a Detox diet? Everyone here in Toronto seems to be at one time or another…

Recently, one of my clients told me about his detox plans.

For 7 days of the year, he buys a detox kit and follows the instructions to cut out all alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and refined carbohydrates – all while taking some supplements to help “detoxify” the liver and kidneys and extra fiber to help cleanse the colon.

Now I don’t mind this client doing this, because he is a model client and follows a very healthy lifestyle all year round. At 40, his blood pressure is very healthy, he lost a few pounds of body fat last year, and despite being in a high-stress financial job, he is a picture of great health.

Is the detox going to significantly improve his health? No, not really. Most of them aren’t dangerous either, but a 7-day detox won’t reverse 40 years or even 1 year of a poor lifestyle.

I’ll admit that detox diets might help kick-start your weight loss program, but just realize that they are not a quick fix to your health problems. The long-term fix is dumping the Western Lifestyle.

Besides, if you think you can remove all the toxins in your body, you are being fooled. It can never happen. With every breath you take and every move you make, you are creating waste products in your body.

And many toxins are fat-soluble – meaning they are stored in our fat cells for months, and slowly released over time. So you’ll never truly detoxify…but enough of science class…

Just remember: 7 days of the cleanest living can’t reverse 51 weeks of the Western Lifestyle – you have to make healthy living a full-time lifestyle. It is much better to spend all year avoiding as much crap as possible than to try and sort it out in one week.

So let’s take your new healthy lifestyle week-by-week with the 7-day fat loss plan.

• • Weight Loss Detox Day 1

    In today’s Turbulence Training workout, choose an alternative form of interval cardio for this workout.

    For example, if you are a beginner, and you have been doing only walking for cardio, try and use the elliptical machine or Stairmaster today.

    This is called cross-training and helps avoid overuse injuries caused by doing the same thing over and over again when you aren’t prepared for it. If you are advanced, try some of the bodyweight circuits in place of running or cycling intervals.

    To do bodyweight circuits, pick 3 lower body and 3 upper-body exercises, and alternate between them. Do 10 reps of a lower body exercise, then 10 reps of an upper body exercise, and so on.

    Go through the 6-exercise circuit 3 times for a 15-minute session.

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  • Weight Loss Detox Day 2

    Between Turbulence Training workouts, take a day off from the gym.

    On your off days, your exercise requirement is just 30 minutes of fun activity. It can be traditional cardio, sports, or bodyweight exercise.

    In addition, you need to clean out cupboards. Do NOT be afraid to throw out food – if it’s garbage food, it’s better in the trash bin than in your fat cells.

    After you have cleaned out your pantry, prepare a healthy shopping list. Complete a 7-day food entry and identify your trouble spots. Then organize your shopping list to provide solutions to your eating problems.

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  • Weight Loss Detox Day 3

    Back to your regularly scheduled Turbulence Training workout.

    Since we’ve been inspired by the 300 Movie Workout lately, I want you to make a small change to your workout today and reduce the rest intervals between sets. For today only, take no more than 30 seconds of rest between exercises. Get your workout done in record time. Do a full warm-up before training though, of course!

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  • Weight Loss Detox Day 4

    Another off-day from the gym (whether you train at a mega gym or in the comfort of your home gym).

    Choose an activity and have at least 30 minutes of fun. Yoga is great as well, to help reduce work-related stress.

    In addition, let’s make one more nutrition change. Today, I want you to eat one new fruit and one new vegetable. If you aren’t already eating grapefruit, try one today and see how it helps fill you up because it contains a lot of soluble fiber called pectin.

    Add a new vegetable, such as steamed asparagus or broccoli to your dinner.

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  • Weight Loss Detox Day 5

    Do your last Turbulence Training workout of the week today. I always like to slip in an extra superset on the last workout of the week. Pick your favorite biceps and triceps exercises and do them back to back for 3 super-sets of 8 reps each.

    Inject even more fun into your training & reward yourself for all of your hard work.

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  • Weight Loss Detox Day 6

    For most of you, this will be the weekend. That means you should have extra time to check in with your social support group.

    So why not meet up with a friend who is also trying to lose fat and/or build muscle and talk about what is working for you and where you are struggling? Essentially, it’s your fat loss mastermind group!

    As part of your meeting, choose a fun activity that you both want to do for at least 30 minutes. Make this activity-based meeting a regular habit on the weekend.

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  • Weight Loss Detox Day 7

    Get an early start on the day with 30 minutes of a fun activity and yes, walking around shopping can count towards your 30 minutes of activity – and then prepare your meals for the rest of the week.

    Plan, shop, & prepare for the week ahead. Make sure to include 1 new fruit and 1 new vegetable on your grocery list.

    Getting this done early allows you to spend the rest of the day outdoors, go to church and socialize with friends after, or spend the better part of the day with your family.

Remember that Turbulence Training is all about creating the optimal fat loss lifestyle – giving you more fat loss results in less workout time while freeing up your life to spend doing the things you love with the people you love in the body that you love!

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines.

His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week.