Emerging from the holidays having put on a little weight and feeling guilty about overeating? Cheer up — you're not alone. Holiday dietary indulgences usually come at a cost. Most of us gain weight and add some pounds during the holidays. Therefore, it may sound like a good idea to stop feeling crummy after the season of toxifying the system with a hearty winter-eating pattern. For men who want to lose weight and get back on track after the holidays, before buying diet books or loading up on detox juice that could have them feeling great and losing weight in just a few days, there are some points to consider: - Dieticians and nutritionists believe that though detox diets claim they can help flush the toxins out from the system, the body already has an amazing detoxification system in the liver, kidneys, and colon. They also state that there isn't any reliable research to show that detox diets really do anything more than what our bodies do naturally in response to reducing sugar, fat, and calorie intake. - Most detox diets are super low in protein. Though drinking six glasses of green juice daily may help you lose weight temporarily, it will not deliver the needed protein to build or maintain muscle. So while you may be losing weight, some of that weight may be muscle mass because you're essentially starving your muscles of their building materials. - Detoxing isn't an eating disorder, but it can encourage a poor view of good nutrition. When your 10-day sentence of only ingesting detox juices is over, you're probably going to want a cheeseburger, large fries, or a chocolate milkshake, things you wouldn't have downed if you hadn't just starved yourself for a week and a half. Plus, such food will likely lead you to feeling terrible about your body and yourself in general, putting you on the path to another restrictive eating period in a vicious cycle. - Finally, dieticians say that what you consume can really help you feel better. Cut out the junk. Eat more protein, vegetables, and grains. Lay off the sugar and drink lots of water and maybe also go easy on the toxifying.
