5 Ways To Detox After Thanksgiving Without Turning To A Juice Cleanse

It's the week after Thanksgiving and if you're seriously hurting, we don't blame you.

You ate tons of stuffing, drank an entire bottle of wine and polished it off with five slices of pecan pie.

While there's no question you had a delicious, fun-filled day, chances are you're not exactly feeling your best.

You're bloated and hungover, and you're pretty sure the 15 minutes of yoga you just did didn't undo much of yesterday's damage.

In fact, you feel so disgusting you're contemplating a juice cleanse. But is it really worth the light-headedness and constant hunger just to get back on track?

Good news, people who really don't feel like subsisting on liquid for days: You don't have to!

The first thing you should know is your body is pretty damn good at healing itself.

As nutritionist Lisa Hayim explains to Elite Daily,

Our bodies, under normal conditions, are well equipped to do the detoxification job. Both the kidney and liver are usually effective at filtering our blood, creating a balance and eliminating waste and toxins. That means, there are plenty of other ways to rebound after a weekend of too much drinking and eating.

In other words, you don't need a juice cleanse. But you can do a few things to help your body out along the way -- and they don't require much work at all.

Skip the packaging.

While your body can get back on track on its own, putting great stuff into your body a few days after your Thanksgiving meal will help speed up the detox process.

Hayim recommends skipping anything packaged that's full of "toxins" (like sodium and preservatives) and going straight for the good stuff. Think whole foods and tons of veggies.

She tells Elite Daily,

Focus on whole, raw, fresh foods -- especially fruits and vegetables. Foods like raw baby carrots, bell peppers and salads can flush the body with micronutrients and make a delicious snack. Try to have at least one fruit a day and one source of greens (a good place to get greens is by throwing them in your smoothie).

That doesn't sound too hard, right?

Hydrate.

Ah, the power of water.

Drinking tons of it will get the bad stuff out of your body fast, so get going on that one ASAP.

Hayim explains,

Hydration cannot be stressed enough during this time. While your liver and kidneys are working hard to filter the blood, consuming enough water is essential for keeping things moving quickly and fluidly. Begin your day with at least 16 ounces of water, preferably warm, and focus on consuming all day long.

Warm water too bland for you? Health coach Emily Littlefield recommends green tea, as it will keep you warm, hydrated and energized.

Eat small meals.

Although you may be tempted to eat as little as possible after treating your body like crap for a few days, it's best to eat several small, nutritious meals throughout the day to get your metabolism back on track.

Nutritionist Michelle Blum advises,

Think roughly 200-250 calories, five to six times through out the day. Focus on foods packed with nutrition such as fruits, veggies, lean proteins and healthy fats that will help restore vitamins and minerals, which are the tools your body needs to run.

Eating six times a day doesn't sound too shabby if you ask us.

Focus on healthy fats.

In case you haven't heard, fat will not make you fat.

Healthy fats give you energy and keep you full for longer, helping you maintain a healthy body weight.

And when you're coming off a day (or four) of filling your body with too much alcohol and high-calorie food with little nutritional value, you'll need to incorporate these healthy fats into your diet.

Blum explains that healthy fats like nuts, flax seed oil and avocado help reduce inflammation, which will help get your body back on track a whole lot faster.

Avocado toast, anyone?

Exercise

Exercise is great for lifting your mood, burning calories and busting stress.

It's also key in coming off that "toxic" Thanksgiving meal (or meals) of yours.

Although a long run might be a little too intense at first, try going for a brisk walk to get your body back on its exercise track. Then find a way to sweat.

Hayim tells Elite Daily,

Another way our body detoxifies is through sweat. In this winter months, it's not always easy to work up a sweat. Try a hot yoga practice or a steam room, and remember to hydrate afterward!

We're not sure about hot yoga, but that steam room sounds pretty awesome.

Don't get us wrong, eating everything in sight on Thanksgiving is awesome. Just make sure you take care of your body after.