Go Clean, Sexy You by Lisa Consiglio Ryan

Do you like to make New Year’s resolutions? Do you keep them?

We all know that by February most people’s New Year’s resolutions are a thing of the past.  It’s hard to say you are going to change and expect it to happen right after the big ball finishes its Times Square descent.  A few bad days at work, a cold, or simply not being ready for change can be enough to push us back to our old ways.

It takes time to change a habit.  Personally, I don’t think there is a magic formula to changing habits, since we are all unique.  I do know that when I’ve succeeded at adding a healthy habit, it was always a slow and steady progression.  And I also know how hard it is to keep moving forward when you aren’t seeing results or you just need a break from trying so hard.  Maybe instead of throwing in the towel, you just need to give yourself more time to change – and you need to build in some fun.

If eating and feeling better is on your list of things to do, Go Clean, Sexy You:  A Seasonal Guide to Detoxing and Staying Healthy might interest you.  Written by Lisa Consiglio Ryan, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and founder of Whole Health Designs.  Go Clean, Sexy You is a seasonal guide to detoxing and taking better care of yourself.  By making some small changes in your daily living, and setting aside a couple of weeks four times a year to truly focus on your diet, Lisa’s book might just be the guide you need to make those lasting changes.

If you’ve read a lot of books about wellness and healthy living, you’ll see some of the same ideas and discussions here – limit overly acidic foods, drink lots of water, move your body, etc.  If this is all familiar to you, you can jump right into the seasonal plans (more on that in a bit).  If you are just starting down the road to healthier living, Lisa’s detox program won’t make you run for cover.  Why?  First of all, Lisa acknowledges that we are human.  The occasional piece of birthday cake or glass of wine isn’t going to kill us and certainly shouldn’t mean that we are incapable of living a healthy life.  If we can try to do our best 80% of the time, we can back off and live a bit for the other 20%.  It’s the old Pareto principle at work.  Strive for balance, not perfection.

Once you’ve gone through the first part of the book, which discusses kitchen tools, FAQs and also has a really great section on making basics (smoothies, salad jars, juices, grains and legumes), you move on to the seasonal plans.  Lisa provides a 10-day menu for each season (the raw summer menu is 7 days), along with a shopping list.  Each menu focuses on seasonal produce that’s available in temperate climates.  The recipes are very simple, as you can see from the Spring menu’s Lentil Salad recipe below, and feed one or two people.  There is also a health focus for each season, and bonus recipes are included for after your “cleanse.”

Overall, Go Clean, Sexy You, is a great resource to have on your bookshelf.  Take away some of the tips and recipes, try a seasonal detox, or jump in for the full year.  Your body, your choice.

 

LENTIL SALAD

(Serves 1-2)

Salad

• 1 cup green lentils, rinsed and drained (make ahead of time according to package directions)
• 1/2 onion, chopped (1/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Dresssing

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation

Make dressing:  In a bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, mustard, and juice.

Pour dressing over lentils and add onion and tomatoes.  Mix well.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve.