Happy Motivation Monday! There’s nothing like a new beginning (beginning of the year, beginning of a season, beginning of a new job, or whatever it might be) to motivate us to get off to a fresh, new start. So, with the start of Fall yesterday, I’m embarking on a “Fall Reset” … care to join me? 
My motivation for doing a reset stemmed from noticing that I’ve been dipping into the candy jar and scooping into the ice cream a little more than usual recently. For me, the Fall Reset is not about losing weight, and it’s not about restricting food (I intend to eat just as much as usual … after all, I need to keep fueling my workouts! It’ll just be a little cleaner for this week). It’s certainly not about one of those too-intense (in my opinion) cleanses that allow you to only drink maple syrup and cayenne pepper. First, I don’t think that’s healthy, and second, I love food too much!
What the Fall Reset IS about (for me) is emphasizing the fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats, and water, and limiting the added sugar and processed foods (similar to what I did during the week I did an Added Sugar Challenge!). So, it’s kind of what I try to do every day, just with a little more focus for this week. Here’s what I’m going to try to do: 
Did you know that all of those foods were natural detoxifiers? You should know that your liver (along with your immune, respiratory, and excretory systems) does a fantastic job of detoxifying your body naturally, which is why I don’t believe in cleanses that involve severe calorie and nutrient restriction. But the foods in the graphic above have beneficial detoxifying powers that help your body along!
I’m all stocked up on fresh, delicious produce since I went to the Farmer’s Market this weekend, and having fresh fruits and vegetables in clear eyesight makes it so much easier to get excited about cooking and eating them! And don’t worry, you know I enjoy some kind of dessert every day, and that’s certainly not going to stop! But for this week, I’ll be sure to choose fruits, yogurt, or some of my top 10 healthy desserts instead of ice cream :). 
(picture source)
So tell me in the comments … Want to join me on the Fall Reset? I started yesterday and I’m going through Friday, but feel free to do it for as long as you’d like … a meal, a day, a week, or longer! If not, what can you do this week to make yourself a little bit healthier?
What a great list for fall! I am so excited for fall recipes with some of my fave foods!
I love Fall foods, too! Thanks for stopping by!
Wow, I love the idea of the “fall reset” and I think it is definitely something I NEED and WANT to do. Thanks for sharing it! 🙂
Awesome, Cori! Glad you’re on board … it’s been fun to see how many of these awesome foods I can cram into a day … yesterday I got 10 out of 12!! 🙂
I completely agree with you regarding those “cleanses.” I try and explain to my clients how well our body detoxifies itself if you feed it the right foods. But you’re completely right a lot of people just aren’t educated and eating healthy can be so overwhelming.. so i always say try to stick with REAL foods as much as possible and it takes the guesswork out of trying to figure out the nutrition labels.
I’m definitely on board for the fall reset!
Glad you’re on board, Cori! Way to go for trying to educate your clients … they’re lucky to have you!
Give me a week and I will be joining you- moreso to recover from the lack of sleep I’ve been having recently to compensate for study/work/gym/life- I feel physically U have been lagging a little bit in all areas!
I love its not restrictive at all- none of this no carb/low fat crap.
I have been lagging a bit physically? Gee, thanks! 😉 Yep, for me, the non-restrictive thing works better … I love food so focusing on things I can/ should/ will NOT eat seems a lot harder than focusing on all the things I want to add in! Now get yourself some sleep!
Ahh sorry I meant me! I wish I could sleep- its 12.15pm and I should be essaying 😉
:). I figured that’s what you meant, although I thought it was funny you were calling me out! No more blog-crastination … go do essays!
it’s hard for me to partake in these kinds of resets even if they are relaxed and chill like yours (i like it!) because it can lead me to restrictive tendencies/thinking. but i like how instead of saying “no this” or “zero of that” you’re focusing on ADDING cleaning/whole foods and limiting (but not cutting out) the processed or more fun things.
Yes, Caitlin, please forget everything about this if it can be triggering at all. I am a huge believer in focusing on adding in healthy things because it achieves the same goal and feels less restrictive (for me)! Most importantly, GOOD FOR YOU for knowing yourself well enough to know what works for you and what doesn’t! <3
I could really use this! I think I’ve destroyed my liver with all of the tylenol and advil I’ve been taking. Have been thinking about incorporating more anti-inflammatory foods and this may be the perfect excuse (since my motivation has been lacking lately).
Oh no, I’m sorry you’ve had to take a lot of tylenol and advil recently! Yes, they can really add up and strain your liver, so it’s a good idea to give your body a break if you can! For what it’s worth, Tylenol (acetaminophen) is worse for your liver than Advil (ibuprofen). I know the CDC did a big study on this which I can’t find at the moment, but here’s a Harvard Med School little blurb: http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/12-things-you-should-know-about-pain-relievers.shtml
YES!
As a critical care nurse I think acetaminophen is one of the scariest drugs on the market. Through aggressive marketing it’s been presented as a benign, safe drug. It is so far from that!! If you ever want to kill yourself in the slowest, most painful, excruciating way, take an acetaminophen overdose. Horrid, horrid stuff. And as Megan said, Tylenol hates your liver. Ibuprofen can be rough on your kidneys, but even if you screw up and toast your kidney’s there’s options (although not terribly attractive options) for your survival. You can’t live without a liver. Period.
In the link Megan provided, the upper dose limit of acetaminophen is listed as 4 grams daily. I will tell you that both hospitals I’ve worked at have now instituted a 3 gram daily limit for safety reasons.
Personally if I have to take something I take naproxen for overnight, and ibuprofen during the day.
Yikes! You scared me, Robert! I take ibuprofen only a handful of times per year, and you’re making me very glad about this. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
I did a fall reset two weeks ago! It is going well so far. Definitely a fan.
Aww, Dave, I didn’t know you were still reading! This makes my day. Nice work on being ahead of the game with the Fall reset. And you’ve been kicking butt with your runs, too … I was thinking the other day that it’s been about a year since you started (or re-started) running + healthy eating … and now you’re a poster child! Way to go!
I’m in! I will focus on it this week through Friday! Trying to get my body as healthy as I can right now! Great time to do this and help to clean up my diet! Great post! 🙂
Yay, glad you’re in too, Sara! I think times when you have a little break in your training or a slower week are the perfect times to focus on eating as cleanly as possible. And you’re doing great already, so keep it up!!
Love this! I definitely like the idea of a fall reset. Plus all of those detoxifying foods are delicious so I’m completely on board with making them! I think new seasons always feel like new beginnings. It’s one of the best things about them.
These are some of my favorite foods, too, Amy :). That’s why the whole reset idea isn’t too scary … fruits and veggies I love, plus the opportunity to kick Fall off in a healthy way, and to feel energized and refreshed? Count me in!
It’s always a battle of time, budget, and ease of prep here in our household with to full time job parents and three active kids. I do most of our grocery shopping and meal prep, so I’m always on the lookout for easy swaps or smart(er) choices at the grocery store. When I can’t seem to get around more processed foods I always choose those with healthier intentions (if nothing else). Whole ingredients, no sugar added (and no artificial sweeteners), no MSG, lower salt when available, saturated fats from plant sources, etc.
It can be tough!
I wish our food/grocery industry made it more difficult to buy unhealthy things with added crap, and much easier to buy whole foods instead if the other way around.
Shameful really what an unsuspecting buyer will end up putting in their mouths if they accept the marketing at face value.
Robert, I completely agree with everything you’ve just said. It’s one of the things I feel most strongly about … the blatant deception by food marketers that make consumers so much less healthy. It’s one issue when people are eating McDonald’s three times per day (and I still think these people just need education, but a different kind), but it’s another thing completely when people are TRYING to eat healthily and buy things that say “heart healthy” or “includes whole grains,” only to find out that the product is 60% sugar and 0.5% whole grains. So sad! Of course, the MBA-side of me completely understands it and understands that’s what sells, that’s what they “need to do” to make money. BUT I have a huge moral problem with it. Anyway, I think you’re doing exactly the right things – we ALL (OK, most of us) have to rely on processed and packaged foods sometimes, but when we do, we should focus on exactly what you said – whole ingredients, and as little added sugar/ salt/ trans fat/ etc. as possible. Your family is lucky that you’re looking out for them!
I’m in !! Just back from a week of vacation, and need a restart.
Perfect. Thanks.
Awesome! Another perfect time for a reset … although it sounds like you did a great job of sticking to a very healthy lifestyle on your vacation!