Juice cleanses can be tough. They require a lot of dedication and hard work. They force you to cut out solid foods and bad habits that we normally partake in (i.e., alcohol consumption, poor eating habits). For some of us, the juices don’t even taste very good. The great news is, however, the longer you fight the great fight of a juice cleanse, the better your results usually are. I say usually, because many of us may jump into a juice cleanse without knowing all the facts. When this happens and we don’t get the results we expect, we start to think these juice cleanses are pointless and stupid.
Over the past few months, we’ve received a lot of questions about juice cleanses and responses from those embarking on a 3 day juice cleanse. You’re not alone on this journey to health and happiness – we’re here to help! The more you know before jumping into any cleanse, the better. I’ve broken down some of the best tips I’ve gathered while embarking on a juice cleanse, plus some great advice from BluePrintCleanse.
Planning Your Juice Cleanse
When planning a 3 day juice cleanse, your best results come from a week (or more) of a strict regimen. Easing in and out of a juice cleanse at least three days before and three days after and budgeting enough time prior to starting can be very important when embarking on a juice cleanse.
Generally, by following a healthy diet of organic produce, whole grains, organic meats and drinking 5-8 glasses of water a day, you should be well prepared to start a 3 day cleanse. If you’re not sure where to start, think about avoiding the below foods a few days before and after the cleanse:
Alcohol
Coffee (try switching to green tea- it’s high in antioxidants and balances blood sugar)
Soy Products
All white sugar and products containing (cookies, cakes, candy, cereals, packaged foods)
Processed foods (packaged foods, crackers, chips, salty snacks)
White flour
Fried Foods
GMO Foods
Peanuts
Oranges
Bananas
White Potatoes
Dairy (yogurt, cheese, milk, cream, sour cream)
Gluten containing grains (wheat, spelt, kamut, oats)
Red Meat
Processed Meats (salami, hot dogs, lunch meats, sausage)
Shell fish
Packaged sauces
Soy sauce
Days Before Your Juice Cleanse
Starting your cleanse is as important, if not more important, than the cleanse itself. BluePrintCleanse offers an easy 3, 2, 1 countdown before jumping in:
3 Days before – If you eat meat, you should phase it out now – lightly steamed or poached fish, with veggies and a salad only.
2 Days before – Green salads should be your staple at this point. If you’re craving some more sustenance, you may choose a bit of plain brown rice, or a yam or sweet potato.
1 Day before – Raw or lightly steamed vegetables, e.g. spinach, broccoli; try and avoid the more starchy veggies like carrots, beets, squash etc. You may also have a raw green leafy salad with some vegetables.
Now’s a great time to prioritize what’s ahead. Schedule only simple activities without the need to multitask. Not only will you be freeing up your body from toxins, but also your life from unnecessary chores and burdens.
The Juice Cleanse
Use this time to recharge not only your body, but your mind and soul. We somehow manage to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders, but forget to take care of number one – ourselves! By taking this time to renew, we can change for the better. Your juice cleanse usually comes with instructions and are numbered in order of consumption, but a few additional tips to maximize your cleanse:
Start each day with an 8 oz water (lukewarm temperature or warmer) with lemon to get the body awakened and ready to work.
After each juice, drink at least 16 oz of water before starting the next. Hydration is key!
Dry brush daily
Get access to a sauna, if possible. A little bit here goes a long way.
Limit your exercise to walks, light yoga and stretching. (Your level of energy can change throughout a cleanse; be wary before taking that exhausting spin class. This is another great time to check with your body and mind to see what you’re capable of, instead of forcing yourself through).
Mentally stimulate by journaling and/or turning off your phone. Consider meditation, sleeping in and other forms of relaxation.
After Your Juice Cleanse
I can’t stress this enough: take time to ease out of the cleanse! Eating a triple cheeseburger with chili fries after a three day cleanse defeats the purpose of the work your body just exerted to heal. Start with simple solid foods, similar to the phase in, just reversed:
1 Day after – Raw or lightly steamed vegetables, like spinach, broccoli. Avoid the more starchy veggies like carrots, beets, squash etc. You may also have a raw green leafy salad with some vegetables.
2 Days after – Green salads, a bit of plain brown rice, or a yam/sweet potato.
3 Days after – If you eat meat, you should phase it in slowly – lightly steamed or poached fish, with vegetables and a salad.
Schedule a colon hydrotherapy session – now’s the time to get the biggest bang for your buck. Wash out anything left with a refreshing colon cleanse. I promise you’ll walk out feeling like a shiny penny.
“Side Effects”
You might have heard of the Juice Diet emotions that people encounter: hunger, loss of energy and tiredness. This excerpt from Modern Family exemplifies it best. Albeit funny, don’t let this clip sway you away from strong health. There’s no substitute.
Juice cleanses affect each person differently; don’t listen to the naysayers! If you feel like you need to eat, try consuming something light like celery or watermelon that will quickly absorb into your system without losing the benefits of the cleanse. You can do this!
Testimonial
I have personally experienced juice cleanse transformation, whether it’s clearer skin or getting over a head cold. If you haven’t tried a juice cleanse, I suggest you give one a try. If you’ve tried one and hated it, give it another shot; your body is begging you. Even if you hate it, you’re feeding your body the micro-nutrients essential to growth and restoration. (Worst case no longer sounds like such a bad thing, huh?)
Curious to see if a juice cleanse might be right for you? Click here to speak with a member from our team to learn more.