How I Lost 10lbs in 10 days (Results May Vary)

Clue: it’s not about the weight

Context is everything. Always keep that in mind when you’re enticed by a headline.

My weight loss episode, for example, came by accident. I didn’t set out to do so and, quite frankly, I didn’t feel I needed to lose any pounds.

In my mind, I’ve always had a sporty, athletic build. And the idea of faddish diets repelled me.

So, the context.

As a personal development junkie, it was inevitable that I would one day get sucked into the Tony Robbins orbit. And I did. I guess you could say I’ve been a bit of a fan:

(Awaken the Giant Within is still one of my fave personal development books. Prime Tony Robbins. Check it out here.)

Anyway, back in the day, I signed up for one of his Unleash the Power Within personal development seminars. The first three days were high octane, flashing lights, blaring music, emotional intensity, singing your lungs out, firewalking, dancing like nobody’s watching, tears and laughter. The works.

It was…amazing. But exhausting. Because it was so tiring I nearly missed out on the final additional half-day session focused on health. It involved insights into diet, exercise, and hydration. The usual suspects.

The one thing I took from that session was a 10-day detox challenge Tony’s crew recommended we try out. The irony is, more than a decade on, it’s one of the few things I remember about the whole seminar. And the only thing I systematically apply on a regular basis.

The challenge was meant to give you more energy, improve your skin, reduce bloating, and so on.

In a nutshell, it was:

• No meat, dairy, caffeine, fried food, artificial sugars, alcohol, and nicotine.
• Do a minimum of 15 minutes of cardio exercise at least six times.
• Avoid combining proteins with carbs in a meal — so protein and fruit/veg or carbs and fruit/veg were fine.
• Have around three-quarters of your meals based on fruit or veg.
• Stay hydrated.

That was it. The result — 10lbs in 10 days. Gone. Pretty impressive on many levels.

But, fundamentally, it reflected a different story.

My lifestyle sucked

I was a relatively new expat living my best life.

I drank. A lot. I smoked, generally when I drank. Ate late-night doner kebabs to soak up a night on the beer. And then let my bed win in the battle for the gym the next day.

That was a classic weekend. Rinse, repeat. And with a sprinkling of heavy socializing and poor diet during the week. My About Me story touches on my journey to becoming an expat.

It was only after I had gone through that first detox that it dawned on me I’d been burning the candle at both ends…and in the middle. Life was optically fabulous but my lifestyle had to be managed — for my own wellbeing.

Ever since that realization, I’ve done a version of this detox twice a year, ranging from two weeks to one month each time. I’m not as strict on the rules these days. I allow myself seafood and I have no issue with combining different food groups. But the spirit of the rules remains.

The upshot:

My lifestyle has changed dramatically since then. I don’t smoke, my alcohol intake has shrunk, and I’m now best buddies with vegetables. Meat isn’t always the meal default either. Something that started out as a bit of an experiment has become part of me.

I’m not perfect. I still have a sweet tooth and have my blowouts. And the kilos don’t drop off as easily as they once did. Still, by focusing on my health twice yearly in this way, I’m able to right some wrongs.

I’ve even tried to extend the principles to focus on my inner workings during these periods. More meditation, less Facebook. More quality time, less dead time.

My “detox” is really a “reset”. It helps me refocus on the more important elements in life.

There must be thousands of detox plans out there, each one of them looking to add value by removing something of less value. Any one of them could suit you in the context of your life.

To me, it’s not about weight. It’s about health — physical, mental, emotional, spiritual. That’s why we should all have our own version of the reset button. Find one that works for you.

I’m a finance guy by trade with an extra background in career and life coaching.

Essentially, I created Spiritworth with the ambitious goal to help others “raise their spirit and raise their (net and self) worth.”

Join as a member to get access to thousands of Medium writers. Tap this link.

You may find affiliate links within this article.

Connect with me on Twitter for insights on life, career, and finance.