Why:
As I mentioned yesterday, post-Maine vacation I was feeling rather disgusting so I decided to take the plunge and do a juice cleanse. I had been toying with the idea for a while but my post "try all the clam chowder everywhere" body really sealed the deal. I went with Blueprint: I had heard great things and they also had a special on Gilt City which made the price tag a little easier to justify.
Pre-Cleanse:
I really tried to stick to their recommendations in prepping myself for my juice journey. Around 3 days before I cut out cheese, meat, caffeine and booze and the day before I only ate cucumbers, avocado, melon and vegetable broth. I figured if I was going to really commit to this, I should be as prepared as possible.
The Juice:
I did the 3-day Renovation, which is the "gateway cleanse".
- 1 and 3 = Green Juice.
- This consisted of romaine, celery, cucumber, apple, spinach, kale, parsley and lemon. I was most nervous about this one because I am really, really not a green juice kind of girl. But it went down easier than I thought it would--I could really taste the lemon flavor and I thought it was refreshing (although when I got to the second green juice of the day I was far less enamored--it lost its novelty quickly).
- 2: P.A.M.
- This was pineapple, apple and mint and I thought it was very sweet...but it was good and I had no problem drinking it.
- 4: Spicy Lemonade.
- Lemon, cayenne and agave nectar--it was definitely spicy but weirdly refreshing.
- 5: C.A.B.
- Apple, carrot, beet, lemon and ginger--if you like beets (and I do), this was good--very beet-y.
- 6: Cashew Milk
- This was the "dessert" of the bunch and had cashew, vanilla, cinnamon and agave. It was kind of like drinking a healthy milkshake.
Post-Cleanse:
The instructions tell you to ease out of the cleanse the same way you ease in, and eat only fruits and vegetables your first day after finishing...but at that point, I needed something more substantial.
I ate a salmon burger with veggies (sans my favorite aioli) and around 6 french fries...and I felt fine (I was worried my system would be shocked by eating real food again, but it was quite happy with lean fish.
The Takeaway:
Overall, I'm glad I did it--I think my system desperately needed a reset, and the fact that I spent so much money on the juice was a huge motivator in finishing. I don't think I lost any weight, but I did feel better and I was more conscious of my food choices after I finished...although I'm not sure I would do it again. I think I could get myself back on track by just eating healthier solid foods after my next vacation food/booze binge.
Yeah, the green juice gets hard on day 2! I also loved the cashew milk at first, but then I because to hate it. However, my body would crave the fat in the nuts! Nice work sticking with it!!!
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