A Functional Medicine (FM) detox has widespread health benefits. There are many detoxes you can do, but a true FM detox goes above and beyond to best support the primary detox organ - your liver - to remove the accumulation of harmful toxins from your body that have seeped in through food, the environment, and even beauty or other household products. It's also a great way to lose a few extra pounds! As you plan your FM detox, it's important to understand how to detox to lose weight and maintain benefits afterward for lasting results.

It is important to consider that the primary goal of a FM detox isn't just to lose weight. It does so much more to rebalance the body at a deeper level, which, in turn, can make it easier to kick start weight loss and maintain a healthy body weight going forward. A more balanced body functions better overall so you feel better and often look better too plus you may also experience better energy, sleep, mood and stronger digestion as a result too.

The Importance of a FM Detox

Every day, we come into contact with potentially thousands of toxins. We're also exposed to volatile organic compounds (VOCs), diesel fumes and brake dust. Now, more than ever, it's crucial to be cognizant of this and to incorporate a quarterly or seasonal detox into your wellness routine.

When we fast and let our digestive system rest for an extended period of time, we can help reduce our toxic load at a deeper level. Doing this can help balance both blood sugar and hormone levels while stimulating the process of autophagy, which is when the body cleans up and out older, damaged cells so it can make newer, healthier ones.

A FM detox works as a total body reset. It has been shown to facilitate weight loss of anywhere from 5 to 10 pounds in as little as a week. As the liver detoxification process is supported and healthier levels of inflammation are restored, we reduce toxic water weight and our body becomes more balanced overall. t is likely you will experience weight loss as a result of going through a FM detox protocol, but in order to maintain your results or continue to make progress, you will need to continue to incorporate appropriate diet and lifestyle foundations.

People may easily regain any weight lost after an FM detox if they return to their old eating habits and lifestyle. For example, if you end a detox and jump back into eating a lot of processed foods, refined sugar and alcohol it is likely you will gain the weight back quickly. Instead, to achieve long-lasting results, it is best to test out multiple variables in your diet as you come off a detox so you can see what works for your body and what doesn't.

Test Variables To Help Maintain Weight Loss

After you finish your FM detox, test one variable at a time. For example, start by having a simple smoothie for breakfast. It's a great way to give your body the nutrients it needs daily and keep you satiated all morning. Continue with the all-in-one shake powder but add in some frozen blueberries, a handful of greens and a tablespoon or two of healthy fats and see how your body responds.

If you continue to feel great after a week or two, and if weight loss is consistent then this is working well for you. You can add in more starches at lunch, post-workout and at dinner - do it gradually and see how your body responds over time. If you experience any symptoms that may suggest a food sensitivity like brain fog, feeling puffy and bloated or skin issues - remove the new foods you have added or you could run an at-home food sensitivity test to confirm what foods may be causing a reaction.

Continue to test different foods one by one during your lunch and dinner too. The goal is to maintain a robust metabolism where you can enjoy food without gaining weight.

Tips To Fine-Tune Your Diet

As you continue to adjust your diet with the goal of achieving a healthy weight and a balanced body, keep the following in mind:

• Prioritize whole foods. For long-term health, the majority of your meals should be made up of whole foods - fruits and vegetables, high-quality proteins and healthy fats. Eat three balanced meals a day and if you need a snack, try a greens juice, a piece of fruit or hummus with raw vegetables.
• Slowly incorporate more starches. At lunch, you can start to add half a cup to one cup of sweet potato, yucca or Japanese yam with olive oil and sea salt, or your choice of gluten-free grains like oats, rice or quinoa. Monitor any changes and if you continue to feel good and maintain your weight or continue to lose weight if that is a goal, you can then start to add another half to one cup at dinner and monitor any changes over time.
• Incorporate a flex meal. Once a week, enjoy whatever you'd like - this includes your favorite takeout or dining out, dessert and beverages. If you start to feel any symptoms, realize your upper limit may be one cheat meal a week.

As you start to become more in tune with your body and the foods you eat, you may recognize certain signs or symptoms. You can help identify any digestive issues by running a functional medicine lab test that looks at whether your immune system is reacting to certain proteins in food. Working alongside a certified integrative healthy practitioner, you can identify your individual nutrient deficiencies or accumulated toxicities and implement a personalized wellness plan to continue to rebalance the body at the deepest level.

By following these steps, you should find success in not only cleansing your body of toxins but maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle over the long term.