Last week I challenged myself to try something new – a 3-day juice detox. Yes, that means for 3 days all I consumed was (delicious) juices, a cashew milk, and water. That might sound drastic, but it was wasn’t. Not entirely, at least. To give you an inside look, I blogged about each day of the cleanse. And if you’re thinking about trying one out for yourself, scroll down to the bottom for 5 tips to make your own juice detox easier.
Confessions from a 3-day juice detox
Day 1
Tacos. All I can think about are tacos. That might be because generally all I’m thinking about is tacos, so I guess that’s normal then. All in all, day 1 has been pretty good. I wasn’t starving, like I thought I’d be. I was actually pretty full, especially after the la leche (cashew milk, agave, vanilla, sea salt, cinnamon), which was phenomenal. Most of the juices took me about 20-30 minutes to drink, but the milk was so filling it took me about an hour. I kid you not. Sounds ridiculous, but I’m not kidding.
I was feeling pretty energized because I managed to squeeze in 8 hours of sleep for the first time in ages (shout-out to you, Arianna Huffington!). I felt fantastic all day, but after I arrived home from work I was wiped. I laid down and fell right asleep! I don’t remember the last time that happened. I generally dislike naps, but it felt pretty good. Oh! I almost forgot to mention that the juices are FANTASTIC! I jumped into the juice cleanse thinking the juices would be good, but not this good. I guess it should come as no surprise since I’ve loved everything I’ve ever gotten from Jugos, but damn, these are delicious. I really wouldn’t mind doing this detox thing more often!
I’m looking forward to day 2 of my juice detox! Hoping I feel just as satiated as I did on day 1.
Day 2
Feelin’ pretty good. I woke up so easily. And I wake up early, so waking up easily is like a godsend. I felt well-rested and was ready to take on the day. I found I was even excited to pick up my juices again.
The biggest change, besides feeling better than when I eat…well..tacos…was that I had SO much extra time! I didn’t have to cook or prepare any meals! It was amazing. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy cooking, but having that extra time in the morning and at night was incredible. I had so much more time for blogging – a win!
Throughout the day I felt quite full again, though there were a few times when my colleagues were talking about food that I was slightly jealous because I knew I couldn’t partake. Though, I did enjoy a long lunch walk to a cookie (and ice cream sandwich!) food truck. And I didn’t get anything! I stuck to the detox and felt empowered and strong because I fully refused that delicious salted caramel cookie. It was hard, but I did it.
Day 3
Last day! I did it! Almost! I made it three days without solid food, but with delicious juices and a cashew milk. It honestly wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. In fact, one of the most difficult parts was finding the time to drink the juice – aka I didn’t want to bring them with me to meetings, but instead had to make time before, between, and after. And that wasn’t even too difficult.
In fact, I was amused by how many friends congratulated me on making it through my 3 day juice detox. Truth is, I felt great! I felt energized, healthy, and proud of myself for challenging myself to try something new.
I also have to thank Jugos here in Boston for collaborating with me – I can’t guarantee that every juice detox will be as delicious as the one they offer. I already found myself craving their juices again and it’s only been a week. In fact, I think my next challenge is trying a 5 day juice detox! Have any of you done it? Any thoughts/tips/good luck wishes?
5 Tips for Enjoying your Juice Detox
If you’re considering trying out a juice detox, here are a few things you should keep in mind:
- Adjust your diet before and after. Jugos has a great rundown of what you might want to consider eating prior to and after your detox.
- Be positive about the experience. You’re cleansing, look at it as a good thing! You’re helping your body reset. If you start the detox already awaiting the last day, it’s not going to be enjoyable.
- Push yourself, but know your limits. It’s important to exercise, but tone it down from what you might usually do. I walked about an hour and a half each day while I was on the detox. I did get a little dizzy near the end of one of my walks, so I slowed down and headed home.
- Drink water! This is extremely important. I typically drink about 80 oz. of water per day, so it wasn’t too much of an adjustment for me. But, if you’re not used to that, remember to drink a glass of water in between each juice.
- Plan in advance. For example, the week before my detox was T.’s birthday and I knew I wanted to indulge in a pretzel and beer at Harpoon, so I avoided that week because I knew I wasn’t going to feel well if I had those things the day after my detox ended. Find a week or weekend that you can focus on your juices, being healthy, and not feel like you’re missing out on plans you’ve already made.
Are you planning to try out a detox this summer? Or is it intimidating? What reservations do you have about the process?
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