Ok...as promised, here is my juice cleanse recap experience.
I know. You’re doing the math. It hasn’t been three days.
I may or may not have only completed a day and a half…
Failure? No.
Cool learning experience? Yes.
I was so excited to start my juice cleanse on Day One. The
package arrived a little after ten. I unpacked my goodies and sat down with my
first “sweet green” juice. It wasn’t bad at all! Definitely could taste the
greens, but the sweetness of the apple made it a very nice little drink.
Next I had grapefruit mint. I was iffy about the grapefruit
after my experience with sea breezes…However, I was pleasantly surprised! It
was absolutely divine. Must have been the Mint! I also loved the spicy lemonade
later in the day. These juices truly are delicious. They are so thoughtfully formulated
to have small additions like mint, cayenne, and lime to make otherwise boring
juices divine and tasty.
All of Day One went really well. I was not very hungry at
all. Now, I kind of attribute that to me still going off the food I had the day
before. I felt great until nighttime. After my almond milk I felt a bit queasy
and was low energy until the morning.
This morning, Day two, I felt ok. Still pretty sluggish. I
decided to lift (which may have been a little too much) and was definitely low
energy. Today I had a watermelon lime juice and coconut water as my #2 and #4
drinks. They also did not disappoint, but I think were more just hydrating than
nutrient filled. I usually am not a fan of coconut water, but I really enjoyed
this one! Today I felt unbelievably low energy, like I couldn’t get anything
done. My friend kept asking me why I was doing this when I already eat so
healthily anyway. I came home to relax and enjoy my #5 red juice early, hoping
it would make me feel better. No such luck. Sitting with Mom, I told her I
thought it was time to stop.
Now, let me tell you, I am no quitter. However, I can tell
when my body absolutely needs fuel. I thought of what I had learned so far, and
what would happen if I stopped the cleanse. Even with just a day and a half, I
had been inspired to only eat fresh, whole (mainly organic) foods without any
processed ingredients, focusing mainly on fruits and vegetables. Any extra bloating is already gone =) . I crave light
meals and want to stay away from overly heavy things. I also learned that I do
not need to eat every five seconds! I have felt what true hunger is and
realized what is not. So, I don’t look at this as a failed 3 day cleanse. I
look at it as an awesome day and a half cleanse! Who sets the rules on time
anyway? I’m a big believer in doing what makes your body feel best. If I didn’t
have such a whole foods, plant based diet anyway, I probably would have felt
worse about stopping this cleanse. But, I just feel like I’m continuing it in
my own way! I felt so hungry and empty that I couldn’t do anything. I would
rather have energy to work out, and eat well until I’m satisfied but not overly
full!
Part of me wondered if people who complete these cleanses
more easily do so because they have more in them in the beginning to keep them
feeling ok throughout the process. Who knows! Everyone is different!
Anyway, I still definitely encourage everyone to try juicing
out. For however long you decide to do it, it is a great way to get in tune
with your body and reset a little bit! Think about how long you realistically
think you can make it and give it a whirl! I never thought I wouldn’t make it
through the whole thing…that just isn’t me. But, life happens. I’m glad I gave
it a shot! And, now I have some delicious juices for snacks tomorrow!
Will it be going vegetarian or vegan for a few days? Will it
be going raw? Will it be juicing? Will it be skipping refined sugars? What will
your reset be??? Give it a try! You will be surprised how much you can inspire
yourself to be healthier =)
Be Well.
Love, Julie
