Yeah, I hear this all the time: “I just don’t have the time.” Yup, you’re so busy that you don’t have time to incorporate new habits into your life, let alone the healthy ones. Yeah, yeah, right, it’s not that you don’t WANT to be healthier or take care of yourself, but you don’t have time to start yoga, chop and cook fresh veggies and fruit, meditate, take a relaxing bath. If you HAD that kind of time, you’d do it! Right??

I’m calling bullsh*t on this one.

You don’t have the time to NOT think about your health.
@HayleyHobson (Click to Tweet!)

You only get this life, right? When are you EVER going to have or make the time you need to do healthier things? How much longer do you think your body will go at the pace you’re going without you doing something healthy to support it?

I start most of my clients off with a detox program when we start working together. I, myself, do a detox several times a year. And I always learn something new about myself.

At its MOST basic, a good detox program lasts for about seven days and has you stop eating things you know are bad for you and start eating things you know are good for you. It’s not rocket science. For seven days, cut out sugar, caffeine, alcohol, meat, dairy, and processed food, and for seven days, pack in purified water, greens and more greens, veggies, and fruits. Boom! Simple detoxing.

Most people consider doing a detox for straight-up health reasons like: I want to kick the sugar habit; I want to get back into my skinny jeans; I think I might be sensitive to gluten. Detoxing is a quick way to do all that. But you’ll discover quite a lot when you’re doing a detox program that can lead to detoxing other areas of your life.

Dude, it’s just a cookie

A vegan detox is a little radical for some people. So, while you may be excited, you might find other people in your life are not. They might question it. They might make fun of it and you. They might even try to sabotage you by showing up at your door with fried chicken. So, are those the people you really want in your life? Think about that for a second. What’s the price of your “frenemies?” Detoxing will show you who is really in your corner and can be happy for you simply because you’re happy.

Detox and De-clutter

Eliminating some of your go-to foods in a detox is less painful when you get them out of your house completely. Detoxers will often empty the cupboards of Nutella and chips and toss the sticks of butter and Parmesan from the fridge. It’s much easier not to be tempted when those tricky things are just not around. What else is in your environment that is toxic for you (remember this is a detox)? Stacks of magazines by the bed? A desk littered with old bills and notes? Cleaning products that feel like they’re burning off your eyebrows when you use them? When your body starts feeling lighter, you want your space lighter too.

Lighter, physically and mentally

Something magical happens when you detox. When you stop filling yourself with crap, you gain some wiggle room in your life. You get really familiar with how your body works and how the things you put in it affect you. Some people say their intuition gets sharper and their creativity spikes. I know when I’m into about day five of a detox, I slow down and get really connected to my higher purpose and the people in my life.

XO, Hayley

Hayley Hobson is an author, speaker, business coach, yogi, Pilates instructor, and holistic nutritional expert based in Boulder, CO. Her unique and intelligent style promotes strengthening while softening—empowering her clients to heal not only their physical bodies but their hearts and minds as well. To learn more about her nutritional courses, events, and custom programs, visit hayleyhobson.com or follow her on Facebook or Twitter.

*Image courtesy of RelaxingMusic.