Real Food Reset: Day 1

 

Today's Feature Meal: Creamy Kale Caesar

A tasty salad filled with nutritious kale, smoked tamari tempeh and crunchy roasted almonds, all tossed in a creamy cashew dressing for that true Caesar taste.

  

A Snapshot Of What You'll Be Eating

We’ve packed this five-day plan with loads of nutritious food, but if you’d like to dive even deeper, there are a few more things you can do to really reset and squeeze what you can from the week.

Caffeine. Most of us can’t go a day without our beloved coffee, but as this is a reset, use this week as an opportunity to be intentional with your caffeine consumption. This may be reducing from two cups to one or waiting until after breakfast instead of having it upon waking. It may be swapping to green tea or matcha, or even giving it up completely to allow your natural energy levels to recalibrate. Choose your own adventure and what feels right for you. If you are having coffee first thing in the morning, try to drink at least one large glass of water prior, since coffee dehydrates you, and we want to be hydrated!

Hydration. Hydration is undeniably important throughout the reset. Even minor dehydration can lead to cognitive problems, poor sport performance, dull skin, and water retention. It can even masquerade as hunger potentially causing cravings and overeating.

For the five days, aim to consume a litre of water a day, preferable mostly in the first half of the day and particularly upon waking when you are the most dehydrated. This is a great time to make a habit of morning hydration.

Mindful eating. Health extends far beyond just what’s on our plate, and since your food is covered this week, take some time to practice mindful eating. When we are stressed, we don’t digest food well, and often we aren’t conscious of what we are eating, especially if you are eating in front of the phone or tv, which can cause cravings and overeating.

Try to carve out some time to sit and eat with no distractions. It may feel hard, but I promise you will feel so much better, and you’ll develop a much more intentional way of eating.

Is there anything else you feel needs a reset in your life? Maybe you want to do a social media cleanse while you’re at it or start a meditation practice or learn a new skill. Make it yours.

And that goes for the meals too. Don’t feel bad if you want to add your own flare or add in some extra snacks. If you want a gentler approach, it is there for you. And if you are committed to following it exactly, this is great too!

If you’d like to supplement with snacks, go for some of these options:

• Nuts and seeds
• Coconut yoghurt with cinnamon
• Fresh fruit
• Chopped raw veggies with hummus

Take some time now to set intentions for how you want these five days to go and your reason for doing it in the first place. Make a daily checklist of things you want to achieve like drinking water in the morning and 5 minutes of meditation. You can do anything for five days! Good luck!

– Liv Kaplan, IKU's resident Nutritionist and Health & Wellness expert

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