TGIF! Hoping to start your weekend off with some healthy motivation. In January, I wrote a post on 4 simple rules to instill a daily healthy lifestyle. One of my rules included trying something new and therefore decided to do just that, try something new! When I was first introduced to CEDAR Juice, I was intrigued with their Juice Cleanse programs but was also intimidated by the thought of not eating for days. I have a history of indigestion and after the holidays I was also feeling very fatigued and bloated.
Let’s face it, we are exposed to all sorts pesticides, mercury, colorants, and preservatives on a day to day basis. I really felt that I needed to give my body a break. By drinking only cold pressed juice, our digestive system gets the break it deserves, along with a whole host of enzymes and nutrients it needs to recuperate. The immediate benefits of a juice cleanse is more energy, better complexion, less bloating, clearer mind, and sounder sleep. I will also tell you, though I had no intentions of losing weight, I did see some differences.
As I continued to learn more about the benefits of juice cleansing, I began to feel my inner motivation and excitement to try the CEDAR Juice 3 Day Cleanse.
I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t tough… but only at first. If you do plan to give this juice cleanse a try, I recommend setting aside three days and clear your schedule. I also recommend preparing yourself for the cleanse a couple of days prior and post. It’s not beneficial to jump right into the cleanse and right out, i.e. stuffing your face with burgers and fries the very next day. I unfortunately started my cleanse on a Thursday, which brought me right into my weekend, and it was somewhat challenging staying focused while others were swaying me to meet for brunch, dinner, and drinks! However, happy to say that I didn’t give in.
I am first to admit that I did break in terms of consuming a bit of food – I did well on my first day and completed the six juices about 2 to 3 hours apart, with no food consumption. On my second and third day, I did have major moments of hunger and incorporated some raw vegetables into my diet – a few carrot sticks between juice #3 and #4 and also had half an avocado each day after juice #4. The juice cleanse is accompanied by a short handbook to guide you through the program and some helpful tips along the way.
My favourite juices by far were #2: Pineapple Head, #5: Skip to the Beet, and #6: Cracked It. Cracked It was the most satisfying, it resembles the taste of melted vanilla ice cream and I looked forward to that one the most. #6 not only tasted the best, it also had the highest calorie intake, which perhaps did a thing or two in terms of satisfaction. I’ve also come to realize that I’m not a fan of green juices. Kale Made Good, wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t my favourite. In total, the 6 juices added up to approximately 1150 calories – you can read more about the juices here.
From a results perspective, I did experience improvements both in my digestion and my complexion. I also noticed that I did ‘flush’ out a lot of toxins and I was not bloated at all during this time. My skin and complexion gave off a ‘dewy glow’. For those of you interested in the weight perspective, I shaved off 4 pounds by the last day, BUT I can also tell you I gained 2 back as soon as I started to eat regularly again. Honestly speaking, the juice cleanse shouldn’t be your mechanism for getting slim, but definitely a good way to get your inner self back to shape.
The Final Verdict? Will I try this again? I’d say, yes. The reason is two fold, the first is that it really mentally did a number on me in terms of challenging myself and sticking to a goal. I felt a high sense of accomplishment (the kind where you just want to give yourself a big high five). The second is that I saw the difference in my choice of diet post-cleanse. My body felt so good during the cleanse, I didn’t want to screw up that momentum by injecting all the sorts of ‘bad’ stuff into my body again. Now of course, I love an indulgence here and there, but I really became more aware of how my body was reacting to certain foods and how it was also rejecting some of it.
All in all, I’d recommend CEDAR Juice if you’d like to give a juice cleanse a try. CEDAR Juice offers doorstep delivery within 48 hours (free across Ontario), their juices are 100% organic, cold pressed, and never pasteurized. Oh, and they’re pretty darn tasty too if you just want to give a juice a try!
1 comment
I’ve tried day 1, I am always worried about my willpower, but when I read your blog…I think I can challenge myself too. I think I can do it….DAMN IT!!
Thanks Natalie, I think I just needed someone to tell me that they were able to take on the challenge.