I recently opened up about my weight loss and diet experience. As I mentioned in that article, I've been eating a lot of the same food items lately, so finding good tasting as well as good for me foods was very important. I experimented with kale (in chip and in green smoothie form), ate greek yogurt like there was about to be a shortage, and cottage cheese and I had a lunch love affair. I spent a lot of time searching for new healthy recipes and different foods to eat.  Along my travels, I came across the idea of juice cleanses. 

I was interested in the idea of starting fresh and clearing everything out to fill my body up with good. As well the way I saw it, I was doing a lot of things I'd never thought I would be doing these days (i.e. jogging) so why not try it out? 
 
Juice cleanses are supposed to rid your body of toxins and also help with weight loss. However, one of the most common arguments against juice cleanses was that they aren't really necessary at all because your liver clears out your toxins for you. There is a lot of information out there about juice cleanses and a lot of it is contradictory.

As someone who tried one out, the best advice I can give you is to know your body and to know what feels right for you. Of course, I'm not a doctor or any sort of expert, so if you are interested in trying something like this out, talk to a professional first.  
 
Before starting I did my research. I watched YouTube videos of people who had vlogged their juice cleanse experiences and I read articles. With a bit of hesitation, I decided to go on a mini three day juice cleanse. Some juice cleanses last 10 days but I didn't feel ready for this yet. 

I also knew that a traditional juice cleanse just wasn't going to cut it for me calorie wise, so I made some changes:

1. I would have Greek yogurt or cottage cheese on hand for protein in a pinch
2. I would also eat raw fruits and veggies
3. I would still have coffee (and yes I know - before you say anything at all - that caffeine is like a drug but toxins or not, this lady needs her caffeine fix and no one was going to get in the way of my coffee) 

So I bet that you're curious about what came of this juice cleanse right? 

Day 1:  I packed three juices for work. On the left, you'll see a beet juice and on the right, you'll see a carrot, apple juice with a few extra additions (ex. cucumber, a bit of spinach).  


Here is what I realized the first day of the juice cleanse: I hate beets. They are literally the worst vegetable ever. Now, because I only realized the day of how much I hate beets, I was down one juice. This was a big mistake. Shopping at the mall later that day, I almost passed out in Indigo. I bought some banana bread from Starbucks and immediately felt better. 

I was also super cranky, headachey and just generally irritated this first day. I was drinking tons of water throughout the day which helped but this also meant I was going to the bathroom every hour. I didn't have a lot of energy either and I felt really out of it.

Day 2: After the disaster that was day one, I decided to pack more juice. This helped enormously. The headaches and crankiness was still there but I felt better than I had the day before. The only really awful part came when I went out with a friend after work and I hadn't planned on it so I didn't have anything to eat with me. After walking down a flight of stairs, I felt very light headed so I had a bagel. 

This might sound a bit ridiculous but juice cleanses really get in the way of life. First, I had to actually go out and buy a juicer. Juicers are expensive, man! I didn't realize this but a good juicer is going to run you at least $120. Then, you need to do some crazy planning ahead. Juicing for 2 hrs every night is not fun, plus no one tells you how hard juicers are to clean. So then I would need to jar the juices and bring them with me to work which is kind of a pain but also, the longer you leave a juice out, the less nutritious they are. 

Day 3: I wised up and brought some more substantial items with me to eat. I decided to kick start my day with a smoothie (middle), which had mostly fruit but I added protein powder and some Greek yogurt. This definitely helped keep me more energized throughout the day. On the left, I made myself a green smoothie for lunch/dinner and on the right was a lunch juice with carrot and apple with a bit of spinach.  


The third day, the headaches and such were still there but to a lesser degree. Or maybe I just got used to it. I definitely drank more and I didn't feel dizzy at all but I did still feel quite tired and lethargic. On the bright side, my stomach felt really good. I have a sensitive stomach and I sometimes I get bloating, especially nearing and around that TOTM but on the cleanse, my stomach didn't feel bloated at all. My skin also looked pretty nice too, if I do say so myself. 
 
What's the verdict on the juice cleanse? I did lose a pound or two. To be honest, I didn't measure myself before I started but just from looking at myself, I did see a bit of a difference. And after it was over I felt good. Though, I do get the feeling that this was more from the relief of starting to eat solid foods again. I really, really, really missed my solid foods. I actually did overdo it a bit when my juice cleanse was over. I went to a BBQ and had some sugary daiquiris and chips but I was just SO happy to be eating solids again.  Though in retrospect, this totally counteracted my efforts. 

Fasting solely on juices, definitely wasn't for me. Trying to write a story when all I could think about was a burger, was not productive. I can't tell you chicks enough that first and foremost, you need to take care of yourself and I knew that when I was starting to feel dizzy, this wasn't a good idea. I don't think I will do this again but I have fallen in love with carrot and apple juice. So, I started to include more juices in my diet in addition to eating sensibly and I have to say, I think this is the best decision. 

If you want to know more, I recommend watching this video for recipes, this one here for more info and I thought this one did a really fair evaluation of a juice cleanse.  

Has anyone here ever tried a juice cleanse? What was your experience like? Or, have you ever tried dieting? What was the process like?