11 July 2014

Juicy Gossip

Me and a few pals are taking on a Juice Cleanse this week. There are quite a few discussions online about Juice cleanses/detoxes/Juice fasts - everyone has their own reasons for doing one, mine are mainly to attempt to soothe a knackered digestive system, hopefully pick up some better eating habits, being sure my body is getting all the nutrients it needs, and of course (what a cliche...) drop a pound or two.

(There are also a lot of 'anti-juice cleanse' discussions online as well, but obviously as I'm in the midst of doing one, I wont dwell on those!)

10 Juice cleanse tips from MindBodyGreen
10 tips from ChicagoNow
Cleansing tips from the Juice box

A few tips of my own (I'm Currently of Day 4 of 5):
  • I cut out caffeine a week before the cleanse - I didn't want caffeine withdrawal to make things even harder!
  • The day before the cleanse I ate only veggies and a couple of fruits
  • So far I've taught 3 yoga classes, attended 3 as a student, and did a body conditioning class (aerobics) - take it easy for sure, but some exercise is possible, and enjoyable!
  • I had 5 juices throughout the day, but timed them carefully around things I had to do - So my general schedule was a juice at 9am, 12, 3, 6 + 9pm. But for teaching a yoga class at 5:30pm I had one juice at 4pm and another at 5pm to make sure I wasn't hungry or distracted during the class. 
  • Don't let anyone put you off by telling you how hard its going to be - because really, its the easiest thing in the world. 5 juices, drink them, with plenty of water and tea (Fresh mint is my fave) and nothing else. You don't have to count calories or decide what meals to have when, it is practically speaking, very simple indeed! 
  • Same goes for social engagements - I went to the pub twice during my cleanse week - I just had sparkling water with ice, lime and mint (looks like a G+T, nobody questions it :)). You've got to be strict but having fun with your friends is a great distraction - it is possible! 
  • Other activities that totally work with a cleanse: Cinema/netflix at a friends, walking in the sun, yoga, any free talk you can find - staying busy is key! The more you have to occupy your time the better


XXX