Need a Post Holiday Detox (Mental + Physical)?

Feeling the need for a Post Holiday Detox?

The last week of December can often feel like a “throwaway” week. So many people are still traveling, we’re all still munching on holiday leftovers and eagerly anticipating the countdown to the New Year.

However, this transition period between holidays is the perfect time to plan ahead and start 2020 off in a healthy direction with a post-holiday detox. It’s time to sweep out the cobwebs from the previous year and dust off those goals for the future with a little mental and physical reboot.

Now detox doesn’t have to be a scary word! In fact, it can be really gentle, because you’re in control, and it’s so beneficial for your mind, body and soul. So, in honor of the new decade, I’ve put together my favorite post-holiday detox suggestions to give your mental and physical health a little boost starting January 1st.

Get ready for a clearer mind, a healthier, happier heart and a can-do attitude!

Get a Little Mental

First and foremost, think about how you want your year to begin.

For me, I want to hit the ground running on January 1st feeling fresh, so I don’t usually party hard on New Year’s Eve. I like to start the new year feeling good, so I stick to having just a few healthy cocktails early on in the night. And look, no judgment if you prefer to live it up before the ball drops though—you do you! And if so, check out my tips to avoid the holiday hangover here.

I also like to begin the year doing something that really grounds me and fills me with joy. I want to feel connected to my body and the earth as much as possible, so for me, it almost always means going snowboarding. (Fingers crossed for snow this year!) This is my long-standing New Year’s Day tradition, and on the years that I couldn’t hit the slopes, I’ve just enjoyed a mellow day with friends, recharging over a delicious meal—and yes, a few glasses a bubbly too!

Plan to do something that makes you feel good.

An intense yoga class. A scenic hike. Any activity that brings your focus back to your body. When I am snowboarding, I am not shuffling through my mental to-do list or stressing about work. I am concentrating on my movements, my balance, and my breath.

Next, commit your thoughts to paper.

I always do some journaling or freewriting on New Year’s Day. Write down what you’re thankful for from the previous year, and get clear about what you want to manifest in the year to come.

Too many people get sidetracked by all the things they didn’t accomplish yet, so I think it’s really important to turn that thinking around and take a gander at the things in your life that truly bring you gratitude.

A practice that one of my friends shared with me is to create a Joy Jar.

Every time something good happens during the year, he and his wife write it on a piece of paper and put it in the jar. Then on New Year’s Eve, they remove all the pieces of paper from the jar and read each piece out loud to remember and appreciate everything wonderful they are grateful for in their lives. Such a sweet ritual!

You don’t even need to write for a long time; even 5-10 minutes is great. Or you can take it a step further if you’re really feelin’ it and host a vision board party. I love having a visual representation of my goals for the year, and all you need is a poster board, some magazines, a pair of scissors and a glue stick.

Regardless of how little or how much you do, a big part of detoxing your mind is letting go of the thoughts and feelings that will end up hurting you in the long run, such as “Oh, I didn’t do this… and I didn’t do that…” When you give your energy to those negative thoughts, you start the year feeling like you’re already behind. Choose gratitude instead and acknowledge setbacks without judgment. Plus, the clarity around what new goodness you want to bring into your life will help you wake up January 1st with a fresh perspective and a good motivational kick in the pants!

Gratitude reciprocates, so send yourself a little self-appreciation.

Let’s Get Physical

When you hit the gym next month, don’t fall back on the same old exercises. Mix it up! Try your hand (er, fist) at boxing or check out one of these new wave workouts. A change in your routine can be really helpful if you’ve reached a plateau with your fitness goals, or your workouts are beginning to feel stale. Our bodies require us to do different exercises for it to keep responding, so the new year is a great excuse to spice things up.

It’s also important to maintain a balance. So many people try to do everything cold turkey this time of year: killing themselves at the gym, pushing themselves too far too fast, massively altering their diet, etc. If this sounds like you, just remember:

You cannot move forward unless you also take time to detox and rest.

This means Self-Care—you knew it was coming! Schedule those massages and steam room sessions in advance. Start dry brushing. If you don’t already do this, I recommend doing it every morning in 2020. It helps detox the biggest organ in our bodies – our lymph system.

Then turn toward your kitchen and trash those unhealthy leftovers, like buttery side dishes, fried foods, and holiday candy and cookies. Donate or give them away to friends if you can, but don’t keep them around your home where you’ll continue to nibble.

Get back into the routine of having warm lemon water first thing in the morning. It’s a great gentle way to detox your liver, jumpstart your digestion and hydrate your skin. Or give my Morning Lemon, Ginger & Turmeric Tonic a try.

If you have really fallen off track, remember to start slow.

Remove those sneaky snacks from your diet one by one, like processed or fried foods, sodas, fast food, pastas, etc. It’s so easy to get addicted to junk foods and especially sugar, so if you try to quit cold turkey, there’s a strong chance you’ll backslide before you even see the benefits of your hard work. So eliminate one thing a week, and don’t beat yourself up! We all indulge over the holidays, myself included, so you’re in good company. 😉

If you’re looking for a place to start, I suggest sugar (find some awesome alternatives here). It’s all encompassing; sugar is such a main component in processed foods, baked goods, and packaged breads. Plus, most of us indulge in lots of sugar over the holidays, so your body is probably in need of a little TLC.

Sugar can make us feel sluggish and look haggard, so don’t forget to start catching those regular Zs again (learn how to set up a slumber sanctuary here) and hydrating your body with lots of water too.

Reconnecting with your body through exercise and better daily habits combined with detoxing your mental state is going to help you feel like the badass beauty you truly are. Even if your holidays were a relaxing, refreshing blast, you can still benefit from a little New Year’s detox and reap the benefits of taking good care of yourself.

What are you favorite ways to get ready for the New Year? Do you have your own ritual for January 1st? Can’t wait to hear about it in the comments below!

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LOVE + Happy New Year!