The holidays have come and gone, and I, for one, am feeling the repercussions. Alcohol, sweets, and saturated fats are just a few of the indulgences I’ve had too much of throughout the past month. The holidays also tend to bring a lot of stress, which is not healthy for our bodies or our minds, so for me, it’s time to flick the switch, hit reset, and give myself a little of the TLC that I need to get back on track. For me, that means a juice cleanse. I’ve done them before, and this month I partnered with Pressed Juicery for a three day reset. If you’re interested in doing a cleanse yourself or even just wanting to add more fresh juice to your diet, read my tips below, and be sure to scroll to the bottom for a special offer!
The first day is the hardest.
It’s so true. A cleanse is like climbing a mountain. The first day is the ascent, and the second two days are downhill stroll. Prepare yourself by eating clean and scaling back your portions leading up to the cleanse. Making it through the first day is always hard for me, but if I do, it’s easy sailing from there.
Know why.
It’s tough to push through the hard parts of a cleanse if you don’t have a clear intention. I lay out my reasoning ahead of time, so that I can go back to it when things get rough. Are you looking to rid your body of toxins and sugars? Do you want more energy? Or maybe it’s a chance to reconnect with your mind and body? Either way, a juice cleanse should not be about losing weight. A juice cleanse should be viewed as a reset. Reaching a healthy weight is about long-term changes, not what you do over the course of three days.
Cleansing should be personal to you.
Cleansing is different for each and every one of us, and you should do what works for you. If you’re really hungry, and you want to eat some almonds, do it! If you want to juice throughout the day and have a raw salad for dinner, that works too. Some people also decide that juice cleanses just aren’t for them. We are all unique and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. If you need to eat, by all means EAT.
Indulge in other ways.
Find other ways to give yourself a treat. A big part of why I do a juice cleanse is about returning my body to it’s natural rhythm — noticing my body, how I feel, and what’s going on inside of it. In my opinion, gentle yoga goes great with a cleanse, as do steam rooms, facials, and massages. Cut out technology. Pick up a book. Spend time reconnecting. A juice cleanse is like my own little retreat without the airfare and big ticket price.
Get in touch with your thoughts.
Even if you’re really in touch with your thoughts, keep a journal with you so that you can take notes throughout the day. What juice are you drinking? How are you feeling? The journal will help you pay attention to what is going on in your head. It may bring up some things you weren’t expecting, so just pay attention and see what that is. This is an opportunity to learn some really profound things about yourself and your body.
Thanks to our friends at Pressed Juicery, we’re giving you the perfect chance to try out their juices for yourself. They’ve kindly extended an offer exclusively for BLDG 25 readers to receive the ‘3-Day – Cleanse 2’ for $149 including shipping (Receive the Discount Here). That’s $50 off the retail value of their most popular cleanse.
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Pressed juices are amazing! There is a store right by my house, and I love stopping in and grabbing a juice. I have done many juice cleanses and am excited to try this one. Thanks!
I recommend this read about detox:
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/dec/05/detox-myth-health-diet-science-ignorance?CMP=share_btn_fb
Saving this. I’ve heard such fabulous things but definitely want to do more research :)
Warm Regards,
Alexandra
http://www.littlewildheart.com
Great Tips on Detox! Living Healthy Everyday
Ahhh I got to try a whole heap of pressed juices in Lorna Jane the other day. The girl there told us just to test them all. SO delicious!
This is so ignorant for you to be pushing these harmful myths about juicing “detox.” No reputable doctor would ever recommend this, and it’s so bizarre for a corporate blog to be pushing this. I get it when personal bloggers do because the revenue is personally going to them. This company must be paying you guys some serious ad money! Where is the disclaimer?
Plus you’re recommending things that are actively harmful – to drink sugary, low-calories foods that will mess with your blood sugar and then go sit in a steam room (wtf! you want people to pass out?) or do yoga? And you’re seriously claiming that drinking a bunch of sugar is going to rid your body of sugar (do you not see the contradiction here???) or “toxins” (made up, you cannot even city any evidence because there is none! This is what your organs like your colon do). You and Free People/Urban Outfitters should be ashamed of yourself. I know science is not your strong point, but come on.
Thank you for posting!
Pressed juices looks like very healthy!!
http://www.safran-bolu.com
This is really unsettling. You guys are encouraging young girls to starve themselves based off the ludicrous argument that it is a mental and physical catharsis that will improve your overall wellbeing. Depriving the body of nutrition directly leads to maladaptive cognitive thinking as well as a number of other psychological and physiological health issues. Your brain and body immediately begin to function inadequately because of the lack of resources and energy they need to properly work. Would you tell someone to stay awake for three days in order to detox? Probably not…..because it’s a poor health habit.
As a mental health counselor specializing in helping women who suffer from eating disorders, it is very frustrating to read this because it condones self harm. There is no empirical evidence that proves juicing removes toxins from the body. If anything it has been generally accepted in the medical community that these cleanses are harmful. Articles such as these encourage eating disordered behavior which is EXTREMELY unhealthy.
I would recommend FreePeople to be more mindful when offering ‘health advice.’
I am so glad to see more people speaking out against this kind of idiocy. Thank you Katie, Grace, and Nikol. Science is not our enemy.
Hello, to those concerned of the suggestion of a juicing cleanse and to those interested in one. There are healthy ways to go about juicing however!!!! I highly suggest you take a lot of time to study and practice before doing a complete cleanse. I myself studied with my partner and he was perfectly fine with only juice. I on the other had (120 pound 24 y/o f, with endometriosis) was not. After two days, with full time work, I was dizzy, nauseated, and could not concentrate on any thing. My boss at the time was kind enough to let me go home, my partner had to icky me and my vehicle up. We spent 2 months studying both the cleanse and bought a reasonably priced juicer as well. He continued for a few more days, but I went back to a veggie diet plus the juice and smoothies.
If you are serious about the cleanse, start of slow. Cut out everything except fruits and veggies, and figure out how you will properly consume the juice. Juiced fruit and veggies have to be drank within minutes (not 15 or 20, at most 5) of juicing or their nutritional value is lost because of oxygen and science.
Btw some reputable naturopathic doctors do suggest juicing, however that depends on your age, weight, and medical history! I highly suggest speaking to a nutritionist so they can set up a plan to start and wean you of on to whole foods. The juices do also have to be primarily veggies and very little fruit. Most fruits have low calories, but high acidity and sugars… i.e large crash.
This is really amazing! I will definitely try the pressed juices! Thanks for the wonderful post! Greets, Homerton Carpet Cleaners Ltd.
These guys are doing great and whenever I buy something from them I totally admire their work. This is great!!
Thanks.