I recently wandered into The Juice Kitchen at the Lifestyle Centre on the off chance they’d be serving something delicious, and was so pleasantly surprised by what I found there. I’d never considered doing a juice cleanse before but after hearing the many health benefits associated with juicing, I threw every modicum of caution to the wind and decided to give it a go!
The unflappable Zora…
Store manager, chef and juice aficionado Zora and her team at the Juice Kitchen were amazing and so on the ball with sending me information and advice for the duration of the cleanse. They had all of my juices prepared and packaged for me by 7am on the first day and I was super impressed with the level of professionalism and knowledge they displayed. The programme consists of 6 juices per day for 3, 5 or 7 days but being my first time, I opted for the 3 day option which seemed manageable enough for me with a fairly busy lifestyle and average to moderate level of physical activity. There are several different varieties of cleanse you can opt for, depending on your level of activity thoughout the day as well as your goals for the cleanse, whether it be detoxing, weight loss or immune-system boosting.
Day 1 / Juice 1 – It has begun…
Day 1
I started Day 1 of my juice cleanse with a healthy dose of optimism and enthusiasm and my juices for the day included the following..
Juice 1 – 7 am – A mixed berry smoothie containing strawberries, raspberries, almond milk, honey, vanilla, yoghurt and Omega 3’s. It had a slightly nutty texture and it was good to feel something fairly substantial in my tummy to start the day.
Juice 2 – 9 am was called Green Goodness – slightly spicy and sweet made from apples, cucumbers and celery. An interesting flavour and one I hadn’t ever encountered before, but pleasant nonetheless.
Juice 3 at 11 am was called the Fat Fighter and by now I am feeling very hungry with a slight headache. I assume this is a part of the detoxing process and attempt to take it in my stride.
My juices came everywhere with me…
My 2pm juice is dubbed the Weight Loss Wonder… By this time I am starting to feel the stirrings of a great sadness coming over me… What am I doing with my life? Is this all there is? What is the meaning of it all? I decide I need a nap to assuage this sudden existential crisis.
Crisis averted and I wake up from my afternoon nap in time for Juice 5 – another berry smoothie which I was super happy about as I throw myself around the gym later that evening with the grace of a zebra with 2 left feet. I wish I could blame it on the lack of food but it’s pretty consistently like that unfortunately…
Juice 6 at 7pm is a Super Juice, made with all the good green stuff – it was an unusual sensation going to bed with an empty tummy but one I quite enjoyed.
Day 2
Day 2 is looking juicy!
Day 2’s juices are much the same the same as Day 1’s with the addition of a banana, honey and peanut butter smoothie.. As I open it, I think I can hear angel song in the distance and feel certain that this lifesaving liquid must be mixed with Cupid’s tears it is so delicious. For the first time, I feel a faint glimmer of hope and that I will somehow make it through the next days and live to tell the tale, albeit much thinner and slightly worse for wear.
The day continues without much incident and I stick to my juicing regime with the willpower of a young army cadet preparing for battle. Steel resolve!
Just me, my juice and the open road…
Another interesting addition to Day 2’s regime is the final juice for the day, known as Black Lemonade. This is made of water, lemon juice, honey and activated charcoal which has a myriad of health benefits and is surprisingly tasty! I go to bed feeling hungry yet satisfied and again enjoying the sense of lightness in my body.
Day 3
The final day of my juice cleanse was a tough one. HANGRY is an understatement. I could eat a small child or a poodle if one came close enough for me to grab it but I soldier on and soothe myself with the notion of the mountains of food I will soon be able to consume. (I’m kidding.Your children are not at risk. But you have been warned should I attempt another exercise such as this in the near future…)
My first meal after my juice cleanse…
Shop manager Zora prepares for me a grilled brinjal with poached eggs and garden fresh tomato breakfast which is surprisingly delicious and light enough for my battle-worn tummy to process after 3 days of no solid food. Upon reflection of the last 3 days of my juice cleanse, I can tell you that I truly believe there are many merits associated with doing a juice fast like this intermittently. It really does give your body a break and allows you to become more in tune with what your body requires, you feel slimmer and actually do feel energised in general although there are moments during the cleanse when you can feel very tired and lethargic. It may not be for everyone but it will definitely be something I try again in the future!
