Why did I decide to go on a self tormenting three-day juice cleanse, you ask? For the last two weeks, I've come to conclude that my body was not like what it was at 21. My love for spicy foods and tequila surpasses an understatement in this case. Unfortunately, all that love was not reciprocated because the acid reflux got worse and worse - to the point where I had trouble sleeping and had to curl up into a ball at night. Every meal was followed by AlkaSeltzer or Zantac for about a week. I try to avoid going to the doctor as much as possible and seeing as my previous experience with a juice cleanse warranted nothing but positive sentiment, I decided I'd try again to reset my digestive system and rid my body of any toxins it couldn't do on its own. And if I could shave off a couple centimeters off my hip, that wouldn't be the end of the world. Does this mean I'm body conscious? Fuck yeah. Who isn't.
I chose to go with the Cafe Gratitude's (that's down the block from me) 3-day juice cleanse because judging from the ingredients in the juices, it seemed like the less-sugary option. Their cleanse program also came with B12 and turmeric tonic shots - which I love. Other alternatives in consideration were: Raw Juicery & Juice Served Here, which delivers to your front door. My three day juice cleanse cost around $165 (five juices + 1 shot per day). Also, if you're in the market for a juice cleanse program, make sure it's cold pressed rather than not. Cold pressed veggies/fruits are able to retain its nutrients in the process, making it the more effective option.
DAY 1
Day 1 was definitely the easiest. Though I must add, that day was a packed day for me so I had less time to focus on being hungry. My body was also running on the huge meal I had in preparation for this (semi-cheating). The hunger started to roll in after my work out, it made me realize how I've taken food for granted - I cheated with a smoothie from Cafe Gratitude. That's considered a juice right? Fail.
Things to note: take a few days to prep for your cleanse. Eat lots of lean protein a couple days prior to ease yourself in, especially if it's going to be your first time. Trust me, it's a lot of work to be on a cleanse.
DAY 2
I woke up late that day, so the debilitating hunger didn't start until late afternoon when I felt my stomach was literally starting to eat itself up. I told myself I won't think about it, but when the pain kicked it, it was not just mental... it was every bit nervous system. I lost a lot of energy. They say you're not supposed to have caffeine while on a juice cleanse .. but I had two matchas and a latte to keep me alive and functioning. The brain fog and haziness made it especially difficult to concentrate.
Another thing to note, if you're deciding to embark on this enlightening experience is to make sure you hydrate - I know it's super counterintuitive to think that your body would be dehydrated as you are consuming more liquid, but the amount of times I had to pee was beyond. Each trip out the house was preempted with multiple trips to the bathroom just to make sure I was relieving some pressure off my bladder.
There's a schedule card that comes with the three day Juice Cleanse from Cafe Gratitude. While I was horrible at keeping up with it, mostly because I was running around from one event to another, or I woke up late; my boyfriend insisted that keeping up with the suggested schedule made him less hungry through the day. Honestly, I didn't see much of a difference. The hunger just really took over all cranial sensors in me no matter what I did. What kept me going? Well, I was already feeling lighter, my skin felt amazing, my gastritis was not acting up. This hunger, I hypothesize, was more mental and conditioning than anything.
DAY 3
Speaking of running around, the last day was another jam packed schedule -- but this time it was all over town. I had to carry all my juices with me for the day; that's 5 clinking juice bottles in a tote from one place to another - 6 pounds in total. During lunch with my girlfriends, as my stomach watched in awe the beauty of this pesto sandwich they were caressing with their fingers -- I sipped away on my kale, spinach, and lime juice which tasted more and more bland against my jaded taste buds. The hunger wasn't as bad. But my brain dehydrated and weak. So far gone to the point where I slurred in my speech and had a hard time keeping up in a conversation. Focusing on writing emails felt like a college research paper.
Stephen and I tried really hard to make it to 12am on our last day before we consumed any solid foods. We didn't make it. At 10pm, we rushed in an Uber to grab some ramen nearby. I ended my cleanse with a pork tonkatsu ramen lol. This is not what you should do by the way. But #NOREGRETS. It tasted like food from the Gods.
Apparently, one is not to jump straight into dairy. After which, light proteins may be incorporated into your diet. The key, they say, is to stick to light foods that are organic and preferably raw. You are not supposed to drink alcohol after a cleanse to maximize the cleanse's efficacy.
Fuck. I fucked up. Not only did I jump straight into pork ramen, but I ended the night with 3 glasses of tequila sodas. Damn. I literally just found that out as I am writing this. Noted for next time. Would I do this cleanse again? One thousand percent.
Things to note: take a few days to prep for your cleanse. Eat lots of lean protein a couple days prior to ease yourself in, especially if it's going to be your first time. Trust me, it's a lot of work to be on a cleanse.
I woke up late that day, so the debilitating hunger didn't start until late afternoon when I felt my stomach was literally starting to eat itself up. I told myself I won't think about it, but when the pain kicked it, it was not just mental... it was every bit nervous system. I lost a lot of energy. They say you're not supposed to have caffeine while on a juice cleanse .. but I had two matchas and a latte to keep me alive and functioning. The brain fog and haziness made it especially difficult to concentrate.
Another thing to note, if you're deciding to embark on this enlightening experience is to make sure you hydrate - I know it's super counterintuitive to think that your body would be dehydrated as you are consuming more liquid, but the amount of times I had to pee was beyond. Each trip out the house was preempted with multiple trips to the bathroom just to make sure I was relieving some pressure off my bladder.
DAY 3
Speaking of running around, the last day was another jam packed schedule -- but this time it was all over town. I had to carry all my juices with me for the day; that's 5 clinking juice bottles in a tote from one place to another - 6 pounds in total. During lunch with my girlfriends, as my stomach watched in awe the beauty of this pesto sandwich they were caressing with their fingers -- I sipped away on my kale, spinach, and lime juice which tasted more and more bland against my jaded taste buds. The hunger wasn't as bad. But my brain dehydrated and weak. So far gone to the point where I slurred in my speech and had a hard time keeping up in a conversation. Focusing on writing emails felt like a college research paper.
Stephen and I tried really hard to make it to 12am on our last day before we consumed any solid foods. We didn't make it. At 10pm, we rushed in an Uber to grab some ramen nearby. I ended my cleanse with a pork tonkatsu ramen lol. This is not what you should do by the way. But #NOREGRETS. It tasted like food from the Gods.
What you should eat after a cleanse?
According to the 'Internet" and to juice cleanse aficionados, you should always drink plenty of water after a cleanse and start with foods that your body will find easy to break down. Avoid foods high in sugar and fat. Steamed veggies or cut fruits are the best to get that post-cleanse optimum.Apparently, one is not to jump straight into dairy. After which, light proteins may be incorporated into your diet. The key, they say, is to stick to light foods that are organic and preferably raw. You are not supposed to drink alcohol after a cleanse to maximize the cleanse's efficacy.
Fuck. I fucked up. Not only did I jump straight into pork ramen, but I ended the night with 3 glasses of tequila sodas. Damn. I literally just found that out as I am writing this. Noted for next time. Would I do this cleanse again? One thousand percent.
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