3-Day Healthy Cleanse Diet Plan (with Recipes!)

Want to drop a bit of extra weight in a jiffy? Lyn-Genet Recitas, author of THE PLAN, has a surprising three-day solution.

Salmon. Greek yogurt. Cauliflower. Strawberries. Oatmeal. These foods are staples in any health-conscious woman’s diet. But Lyn-Genet Recitas, a Manhattan-based naturopathic nutritionist, sees things differently. In her New York Times bestselling book, The Plan, Recitas says that these and many other seemingly healthy foods may actually trigger inflammatory responses, leading to gastrointestinal distress, headaches, fatigue and weight gain.

To test the theory, Recitas recommends resetting your body with a three-day cleanse. Her elimination diet, which has been featured on The Dr. Oz Show and Fox News, isn’t about eating less. The idea is to consume only foods thought to be non-reactive—blueberries, flaxseed and chicken, to name a few—for three days. Recitas says the cleanse, which includes three meals and a snack, aims to give your system a break from potentially inflammatory triggers. “This is about slowing down and listening to your body,” she says. As a bonus, she reports that participants lose an average of five pounds over the three days.

For women runners interested in a cleanse, we like this one because it focuses on whole foods, it’s not overly restrictive (there is no limit on the amount of veggies and seeds you may eat) and it includes a healthy number of calories (roughly 1,800 per day). Try it out during a period when you’re not running long distances to see what all the buzz is about.

DAY ONE

Note: During the cleanse, drink plenty of water (half your weight in ounces).

Breakfast

1 cup flax granola (see recipe on page 2)
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup rice milk

Lunch

Carrot ginger soup (see recipe) with sunflower seeds
Steamed broccoli drizzled with lemon juice and olive oil
Mixed greens salad with chopped pear and pumpkin seeds

Snack

1 apple

Dinner

Kale, carrots, onion, zucchini, shiitakes and broccoli simmered in 1/4 cup spicy coco sauce (see recipe)
Grated carrot and beet salad with pumpkin seeds

Carrot-Ginger Soup Recipe

1.5 lbs. carrots
1 zucchini
1 onion
1 liter water
3 cloves garlic
Raw ginger, cinnamon, cumin and black pepper to taste

Chop vegetables and simmer with spices in water until soft. Add vegetables to blender with half of soup stock and blend.

Spicy Coco Sauce Recipe

1 can full-fat coconut milk
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
Ginger, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, cayenne to taste
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Sauté onion, garlic and spices in coconut milk. Add salt. Simmer for 20 minutes. Sauce will keep for five days or longer in freezer.

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DAY TWO

Breakfast

1 cup flax granola (see recipe)
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup rice milk

Lunch

Carrot-ginger soup (see recipe) with chia seeds
Steamed broccoli drizzled with lemon juice and olive oil
Mixed greens salad with 1/2 apple and 1/4 avocado

Snack

1 pear and 8 almonds

Dinner

Kale, carrots, onion, zucchini, shiitakes and broccoli simmered in 1/4 cup spicy coco sauce (see recipe)
Grated carrot and beet salad with pumpkin seeds
1 cup brown rice with pumpkin seeds

Flax Granola Recipe

1 cup whole flaxseeds
1/2 cup water
Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves to taste
Pure vanilla extract
Raisins, cranberries, sunflower seeds to taste

Soak flax overnight in the fridge in water with cinnamon. Spread in a thin layer on a baking sheet and bake at 275 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes. Add raisins and nuts or seeds of choice for last 10 minutes of baking.

DAY THREE

Breakfast

1 cup flax granola (see recipe)
1/2 pear
1/2 cup rice milk

Lunch

Cream of broccoli soup (see recipe) with chia seeds
Mixed greens salad with 1/4 avocado, grated carrots and pumpkin seeds

Snack

15 almonds

Dinner

3 oz. baked chicken with Italian herbs and orange zest
Mixed greens
Oven-roasted zucchini, broccoli, carrots, onions, garlic and Italian herb blend, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with orange zest

Cream of Broccoli Soup Recipe

3 Tbsp. butter
1/2 medium to large onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. celery seed
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1/2 can full-fat coconut milk
4 cups broccoli, chopped (about two heads of broccoli)
4 cups zucchini, chopped (about two medium zucchini)
1 small avocado
1 Tbsp. chipotle in adobo sauce
Cumin, turmeric, cayenne, black pepper to taste

Sauté onion and spices in butter. Add broth, water and coconut milk, along with broccoli and zucchini, and cook until vegetables are tender. Add avocado. Blend and serve.

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All recipes courtesy of THE PLAN: Eliminate the Surprising “Healthy” Foods That Are Making You Fat— and Lose Weight Fast by Lyn-Genet Recitas.