Juice cleansing for motivation.
How I used a five day juice cleanse to purge my mind of discouragement.
Our first introduction to juice is often in a cafeteria somewhere “Apple or orange?”, pulp or no pulp. It comes in a box, and it’s mostly sugar. When you’re six you tend to like that sort of thing. When you’re 33, you’ve got options. In my case a juice-only cleanse for five days, including string bean and turnip, no pulp.
There is a food truck in Vancouver (soon to open a retail space) called The Juice Truck. It’s owned by two lovely young men who once told me they wanted to take their truck on a road trip to South America and teach kids about nutrituion along the way. How can you not love them for that? As a sales rep on the road in Vancouver at the time, The Juice Truck was a welcome repreive from indulgent pastries and meals that often found their way into my day. And by found their way I mean I drove out of my way to find.
I don’t know much about nutrition, just what tastes and feels good.
The Juice Truck does to. They have crafted, along with a Nutritionist, a very tasty cleanse. Yesterday I finished a five day version. This was my second time, the first was two years ago.
People asked me how I felt, if it was “working”, and said it was too expensive. With all the extra time on my hands not planning and preparing three meals a day, I posted photos on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter with the hashtag #juicecleanse. Instagram liked it, Facebook poked fun, Twitter shared and asked questions.
How I felt amazed me because you think “I haven’t eaten” but I added up the calories for day five which rang in at 1695. The last two days, I struggled to keep up (there are seven drinks a day) because I wasn’t hungry or thirsty. I often thought of eating but not because I was hungry, because I love food and making snacks. While I was cooking for others I often reached to taste or eat while I was chopping. It made me stop and think about how much we eat without realizing it. How much eating is habit.
I recently starting running and cycling, so I’d been really (well, compared to skipping four years) active the week leading into it, and for the first two days I spent a few hours doing yard work. My first time in the garden is a whole other story but it did result in a Tiny But Intense Chocolate Cake being made as a just because I love you / sorry I cut all that stuff down cake. All this to say I made a chocolate cake and hand-whipped cream to top it and didn’t even lick my fingers. Of course today I had a sliver because he was kind enough to only eat half the cake. This Smitten Kitchen flourless cake is fast and delicous.
So did it “work”? It felt like the break I needed for myself to stop and think about what I’m eating, why or what I might want to cut back on, and I spent the time reading new cookbooks. It quieted the voice of discouragement. So yes, it worked. For me.
I lost seven pounds, my stomach is flatter, I feel refreshed, happy to be clear minded without coffee. Until February I’d sold coffee for a living, so it plays a big part of my ritual and I won’t be giving it up, but this helped me scale back. Tasting and teaching were part of a daily routine. The withdrawls aren’t pleasant. On day one I spent a couple of hours in the evening on the couch with my head in my hands.
As for the price, why do people project their own values onto others’ purchases? Is $325 a considerable purchase amount? Yes. Is it too expensive, no. Not to me. It’s a price I am willing to pay to have a five day supply of nourishment delivered to me in Victoria, and free me from meal preparation and planning. It’s a price I am willing to pay to support these guys I now consider friends as they grow their small business, provide nourishment and support local farmers. I found great value from the experience, and enjoyed sharing it.
Last year I fell in love with a man whose fitness level far exceeds mine, and now we share a home. His daughter is a dancer, his son a young athlete working towards a career in cycling and all have an interest in nutrition. The boys had a few laughs, but set the table for me at dinner, and were supportive. That I used the extra time to make cakes and quesadillas probably helped.
Nothing gross happened, there was no daily pain journal. No tasting notes. Everything was delicious. My skin is clear, my energy consistent and high. I feel fabulous. Today I ate lightly, and opted out of gluten, meat, and coffee. I feel supported and ready to embrace my new fitness goals.
