The juice is loose!
“Why the hell would someone want to consume only juice for 10 days?” I used to ask myself the same question whenever I heard that someone was “juicing”.
Then Mrs. Dummy and I were browsing through Netflix and stumbled upon Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. It seemed interesting enough, so we gave it a whirl.
After viewing the movie we (OK fine me) were ready to try a juice cleanse. The results in the movie speak for themselves and I am always looking to try new things in the name of health. Honestly, I was curious to see what results I might garner and it seemed like something fun (relative term) to do.
The Plan
Joe Cross offers a bunch of different plans for free on his website. I committed to the 15 Day: Juicing Plus plan. However, the first five days are basically a transitional period that includes both food and juice. I decided to skip this step as I wanted a 10 day “juice only” cleanse. Also, being a vegetarian and eating pretty healthy to begin with, this decision seemed reasonable to me.
Home Juicing
After some research we decided on the Breville JE98XL Juice Fountain Plus 850-Watt Juice Extractor. It had great reviews online and was affordable at Bed, Bath, and Beyond after applying one of those giant blue 20% off coupons they mail everyone. 
This machine produces very delicious juices and isn’t too much of a pain to clean. The whole juicing process is quite time-consuming. However, just like any new skill… the more you do it, the faster and easier it becomes. By the end of the cleanse, it was just part of our daily routine.
Store Bought Juices
Juicing at home is definitely the most cost-effective way to cleanse, but eventually you are going to need to “grab” a juice when you are out. It’s going to happen. So here are some options for when you are on the go:
- BluePrint Juice can be found at places like Whole Foods and are really delicious. These where by far my favorite store-bought juices.
- Starbucks recently acquired Evolution Fresh and they are now available in most locations. It might have been the flavor I tried, but these weren’t that great.
- Love Grace is another company that can be found at health food stores. I didn’t personally try this brand, but have heard great things from other people.
You can also order packages from Blue Print and Love Grace that include all the juice you will need for a cleanse. By far a much easier route, but wow is it pricey!
Limited Excercise
This part sucked, but as recommended, I “decreased the intensity and duration of exercise” during my cleanse. I average five to six miles per day (plus long runs on the weekends). So I cut my mileage to just three miles per day, and took rest days when they felt needed (something I don’t usually do).
During the cleanse, my running definitely suffered. I struggled to reach distances and keep paces that routinely feel easy to me. However, I am sure that this will subside once I return to my regular eating habits. Plus I technically should get faster since I did shed some weight!
The Conclusion
The biggest result is that I lost 10 pounds. I started at 145 and went down to 135, so this is a decent amount percentage wise. Relax! I have been at this weight (and healthy) in the past.
I didn’t feel a tremendous surge of energy or any mind altering clarity. I did, however, feel a bit more focused and alert in general. Also, waking up in the morning felt a bit easier. And my sinuses completely cleared up!
This certainly isn’t a sustainable full-time lifestyle (at least not for me anyways). I was never really hungry per se, but I did miss the sensation of eating food. By the end of the ten days I was definitely ready for some pretzels and a bean burrito with guacamole.
That being said, I liked the results and the idea of cleansing your body of toxins. Therefore, I am pretty sure this is something I will be doing annually. Just never in the summer again. There are too many parties with good food to eat!
Thoughts?
Am I crazy? Am I nuts? Have any of you tried a juice cleanse before? Your feedback is always welcome and appreciated!
