Aim for drinking half your weight in ounces of water each day (up to a maximum of 100 oz/day). So if you weigh 150 lbs, that’s 75 oz of water. If you weigh 200 lbs, that’s 100 oz of water. If you weigh 120 lbs, that’s 60 oz of water. And remember – it’s HOT out there; you need to drink water!

Photo by Martin Walls

The night before *

• Check your calendar for tomorrow.
• Select your clothes for tomorrow based on your calendar. Lay them out.
• Select your workout clothes for tomorrow. Put them in the bathroom.
• Wash and moisturize your face!
• Drink a glass of water.

In the morning *

• Drink a glass of water.
• Skin brush.
• Put on those very convenient workout clothes before you talk yourself out of exercise.
• Work out!
• Shower and dress for the day.

Heat up as you chill out by taking a nice long baking soda bath. Play soft music, light candles, and really let yourself relax. Don’t skip the music and candles! Go for the full, deluxe treatment.

It’s a great way to unwind after all the shopping, cooking, and running around. Plus you need it to prepare for the partying you’re going to do this weekend!

Daikon is very low in calories. A 3-ounce serving contains only 18 calories and provides 34 percent of the RDA for vitamin C. Rich in vitamin C, daikon contains active enzymes that aid digestion, particularly of starchy foods. Select those that feel heavy and have lustrous skin, no cracks and fresh leaves.

Daikon cleanses the blood, promotes energy circulation and increases the metabolic rate. It contains diuretics, decongestants and, in terms of phytochemicals, the digestive enzymes diastase, amylase and esterase. Regular use of daikon helps prevent the common cold, flu and respiratory infections. Daikon treats hangovers, sore throats, colds and edema, and it helps cleanse the kidneys and decongest the lungs. This restorative vegetable also has anticarcinogenic properties.

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Creamy Daikon Soup
from Healthy Life Kitchen
Purple * Serves 6-8

3 Tablespoons soy margarine (we like Earth Balance margarine)
2 cups finely chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup minced shallots
4 cups vegetable stock
2 long, large daikon radishes, peeled or scrubbed and cut in small pieces
salt and pepper to taste

Melt soy margarine in a heavy pot. Add onions and shallots and cook, covered, over low heat until tender. Add vegetable stock and daikon radishes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until daikon is tender, about 20 minutes. Pour soup through a strainer. Reserve the liquid and transfer the solids to a blender or food processor. Puree, adding the reserved broth. Return soup to pot and add more broth or water until you have reached desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Make water your only beverage today. Keep it with you. Carry a refillable bottle – and refill it!

Carry it in your purse, briefcase, or backpack.
Keep it in your car.
Bring it to your meetings, classes, office, the gym.
Bring it to the field, the park, the mall.
Keep it with you while you exercise, while you talk on the phone, while you answer your email.

Drink half your weight in ounces of water each day, up to 100 oz/day.

Photo: Zsuzsanna Kilián

If you’re feeling achy and sore, a soak in hot water infused with salt together with baking soda will help revive you. Your body produces acidic waste as part of its metabolic cycle, and that waste buildup can clog the lymph system, causing body aches, fatigue and brain fog. Soak in an alkaline bath to help balance your internal pH.

Just add 2 cups of kosher salt and 2 cups of baking soda into running water as you fill the tub. Then soak for 20 minutes. Put on your favorite relaxing playlist (keep electronics out of the tub… and safely over on the counter!) and just let yourself do nothing for 20 minutes. If you soak before bed, you’ll get the added benefit an easy transition to a good night’s sleep.

If you’re feeling stressed, a soak in hot water infused with Epsom salts will help revive you. The magnesium in the Epsom salts can actually boost your blood levels of magnesium, which stimulates creation of the enzymes that help neutralize chemical toxins. Magnesium also plays a key role in regulating nerve and muscle activity, protecting your body from stress.

Just add 1 cup of Epsom salts – available at drug and discount stores – into running water as you fill the tub. Then soak for 20 minutes. Put on your favorite relaxing playlist (keep electronics out of the tub… and safely over on the counter!) and just let yourself do nothing for 20 minutes. If you soak before bed, you’ll get the added benefit an easy transition to a good night’s sleep.

Brush your dry skin in an elongated motion toward your heart for 1-2 minutes every morning – before you shower or exercise. Use a natural bristle brush designed for dry skin brushing – Marilu’s favorite is the Yerba Prima Tampico Skin Brush (it has a removable handle and perfect bristles).

Start with your feet and ankles, and work your way up the body to your calves and thighs. Really concentrate on brushing the lymphatic areas of your body (the backs of your knees, your inner thighs, under your arms, and inside your elbows) to stimulate those glands and get them started on flushing toxins.

Gently brush up your stomach and tush, shoulders and back. Last, do your hands and move up your arms. Make sure you cover the entire surface of your body, excluding your breasts and face.

The brushing should not irritate you, but it will feel rough (so be gentle to start!). It may take a couple of days to get used to it, but if you hang in there, you will feel the difference in your skin in less than a week.

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What is Countdown? It’s a preparation period. A way to clean out your body from the worst dietary offenders. A way to transition to eating healthier. Join us now and don’t miss another day.

The 4-day Countdown to our Booty Camp consists of eliminating the Four NO’s from your diet. The Four NO’s are: NO dairy, NO red meat, NO alcohol and NO sugar. Adhering to the four NO’s for these four days will start you on your way to preparing your palate and body for upcoming days at Booty Camp. Please feel free to jump in, ask questions, and follow along here (members) or here (everybody’s welcome).

Dairy is found in foods like milk, cheese, ice cream, cream cheese, butter, and yogurt. Dairy can also be hidden in foods like bread, English muffins and other bread products, and pre-packaged foods. Soy/rice/almond milk, non-dairy ice creams, soy yogurts and rice/soy cheeses are good alternatives. But, it is best to avoid it all during these four days.

Sugar comes in many forms. A few of the sugars to avoid are refined white sugar, brown sugar, glucose, corn syrup, and maltose. Chemical sweeteners like NutraSweet and Splenda are out as well. Some good substitutes are honey, Sucanat, agave, blackstrap molasses, maple sugar, maple syrup, brown rice syrup and Stevia. But, again, it is best to avoid these substitutes during the four-day countdown. (A note about fruit: Fruit has naturally-occurring sugars. It is recommended to eat fruit during these four days).

Avoid red meat such as beef, pork, venison, lamb, buffalo meat, etc. Instead, try organic, cage-free poultry, fish, tofu, tempeh, quinoa or other grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.

Alcohol should be avoided during these four days as we work to clean our systems and palates. Jill’s favorite alternative to alcohol is sparkling water over ice with fresh squeezed lemon and lime. Other options to consider are flavored seltzers, club soda, fruit juice and herbal tea.

We are glad you are joining us for these four days and look forward to seeing YOU in Booty Camp!

Read the chat transcript here.

Stop by next Tuesday, March 16 at 1 PM Eastern/10 AM Pacific for another chat with Marilu. These chats are a collaboration between Marilu.com and PCRM’s 21-day Vegan Kickstart program.