The act of juicing, in addition to paleo, keto, and gluten-free dieting, has climbed the ranks of extreme diet fads sweeping the nation.
Admittedly, like so many others, I am a girl who has always been dissatisfied with her proportions; thighs that never seem to decrease in mass and boobs that refuse to grow bigger than a mid B-cup. In light of my insecurities, I had never previously considered diet fads or weight loss supplements to help achieve my weight loss goals. I had stumbled across countless articles warning about the dangers of ingesting foreign substances that claimed to “melt the fat off” my body and cutting out specific nutrients because they were the primary culprit of weight gain. I was steadfast in losing weight the old-fashioned way, with regular exercise and a well-balanced, healthy diet. Yet, I was also enticed by the perks of juicing.
Juicing enthusiasts boast the diet’s miraculous health benefits including ridding your body of nasty toxins, repairing your digestive tract, and visible weight loss results within days of starting the juicing regimen. With all of this juicing craze circulating around me and within my social groups, I gave into the madness and dragged my significant other into a five day juice fast. Here is what you need to know before and during your juice cleanse:
- Juicing is an expensive habit to maintain: While it’s encouraged to buy local and organic fruits, vegetables, and herbs, not everyone can afford to drop over $100 (and yes, you will be dropping that much dough) on several days’ worth of juicing material. For the common broke collegiate such as myself, a local farmers market usually offers their wares for a pittance. Either way, depending on how long you plan on fasting for, expect to shell out no less than $40.
- Prepare, prepare, prepare: Once you acquire a juicer (I bought a barely used Jack LaLanne juicer for $40 and I have no regrets. I would highly recommend starting here instead of your local Target) and you have your ingredients laid out before you, start preparing your meals the night before. Generally, you want to shoot for roughly six 16 ounce juices per day and making a day’s worth of juice is no quick task. It may behoove you to set aside an afternoon to make a couple of day’s worth of “meals” for yourself. Remember to always clean your juicer after every use. Otherwise, the leftover pulp will harden and you’ll be spending twice the amount of time scraping that precious fiber away.
- The hunger games: You will be hungry. Before I began my fast I read extensively into the diaries of joe-schmos who followed the path of righteous juiceness. The one common theme was something called the three day hump, a stretch of time from day one spanning into day three where your hunger, agitation, and lethargy gets progressively worse until it gets better. It’s an indisputable fact that you will be hungry, because you are, in essence, starving yourself. Hunger not only takes control of your body, but trickles into your mind. When you’re not feeling your stomach twist from the absence of food, your mind is constantly obsessing over the image of food and sensory details of that food.
- There will be side effects and many of them are not good: Exhaustion, irritation, migraines, breakouts, and occasional dizziness are common side effects of a juice fast. As a teenager I was blessed with a good complexion and my breakouts consisted of random miniscule blackheads or blemishes. Juicing caused me to break out so bad it trumped my adolescent self popping the occasional pimple. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as breaking out is just another way your body rids itself of toxins. My boyfriend’s skin, much to my chagrin, never looked better. To each their own, but even if you possess superhero stamina and energy there will come a point early on in the game where you will experience at least one of these side effects. What are the best remedies to tackle these nuisances? Hardcore juicers refuse any pain relieving medication unless it is doctor prescribed to maximize the effect of the cleanse, but if you’re like me and can’t leave the bed when you have a migraine, have some Tylenol capsules handy. In addition, staying hydrated is a surefire way to avoid migraines, dizziness, and even hunger.
- There is strength in numbers: My boyfriend served multiple roles during our fast including drill sergeant, motivator, punching bag, and a shoulder to cry on. While it’s entirely doable and commendable to complete a juice fast all by your lonesome, sharing the experience and leaning on someone who knows exactly what you’re going through helps in miraculous ways. Just make sure, before you begin your fast, you have a sit down with your partner(s) and apologize in advance for the inevitable jerks you will be to one another at some point.
Would I juice again? The simple answer is no. Would I advise against anyone starting a juice fast? Absolutely not. Many who have successfully completed week to month long juicing routines will vouch for the health benefits they acquired from the cleanse. For many others, like myself, the mental and physical strain I put my body and mind through to see quick and effective results rendered me disappointed. The truth of the matter is I just love food. From the drippy, delectable first bite of a Five Guy’s burger to the creamy, crunchy last bite of a Greek salad. I dare not call myself a “foodie” for I am merely a woman that knows what she likes. No matter my countless tried and failed attempts, I still hold fast to the idea of eating whole, healthy and balanced meals with moderate exercise sprinkled in between. It’s what my body, so far, has responded best to. If you’re searching for a way to shake up your day to day, a quick fix to drop a couple pounds for an upcoming beach day or you’re just itching to rid yourself of years of bad decisions, juicing may be your answer…it just wasn’t mine.
Feature Photo via We Heart It
