5 Day Juice Cleanse/Fast
What is a Juice Cleanse/Fast?
A Juice Cleanse/Fast is a fasting process and a detox practice in which you only drink fruit and vegetable juices to get the nutrition and benefits. This is considered a form of the Live Foods Diet. These fasts may can go on from a few days to months. This type of juice can only be produced by using a power juicer. The idea around this fast is to lose weight, clean the liver, kidneys, other organs, and remove impurities in the body.
My Story
So hi....! First I must say that since the juice fast can effect your health and well being, you should always consult with your doctor before proceeding with this method. I am NOT a medical professional.
I am professional librarian (who did his research) that wanted to cleanse my organs, lose a bit of weight, and gain some confidence by changing some of my lifestyles. I'm a 32 year old man, with a medium build. My healthy weight range is between 155 - 165 pounds. I'm a moderate alcohol drinker, and am around 15 pounds over weight.
The Pros of the Juice Fast
- Exposure to pure vitamins and antioxidants
- Cleaning of the body's internal organs
- The removal of toxins from processed foods
- The removal of alcohol from lifestyle
- The removal of caffeine from lifestyle
- The removal of salt from lifestyle
- Confidence gained from healthy routine and will power
- Weight Loss
- Healthy Glow in Skin
The Cons of the Juice Fast
- Conflicting information from doctors and nutritionists as to its effectiveness
- The cost
- Buying the veggies and fruits
- The time it takes to prepare the juice
- The clean up
- Hunger pangs
- The removal of alcohol from lifestyle
- The removal of salt from lifestyle
- The removal of caffeine from lifestyle
- Bathroom changes
- Possible headache and fatigue
- Sleep problems
- Irritability
Liver Detox Tea
What Will You Need to Complete the Fast
The juice fast is a very hard process on the body and even the mind. Fasting is something that most of us wouldn't even consider. It is a process us humans are not used to. The Juice Fast is not cheap and takes a lot to of effort to get started and maintain.
- A mid-range electric juicer (cost from $40 to $125) Your juicer needs to be the type that pulverizes the fruits and vegetables.
- A range of fresh fruits and vegetables, organic if possible (cost from $50 - $100)
- Decaffeinate Herbal teas for drinking in between meals (optional)
- Liver Detox Tea (3 boxes - cost $15)
- Large storage bags (gallon)
- Milk Thistle Pills (1 bottle 1000 mg - $6)
- Bag of Lemons (2 bags - $10)
- Will Power
- Old store plastic bags for pulp removal
The Fast - Process
This process is what I used, you can vary according to your needs.
- Drink 3 - 12oz glasses of juice a day
- After drinking each meal - Drink 2 - 12oz glasses of water with a half of a squeezed lemon in each glass (cleans the liver and gives the sense of being full)
- Take a Milk Thistle Pill with meal
- Drink a cup of Liver Detox tea in between meals
- Drink plenty of water through out the day
- Each glass of juice will contain roughly 250 - 400 calories
Vegetables and Fruits Used in Each Glass
- 1 apple, granny smith
- 1 stick celery
- 1 carrot
- 1 cup red cabbage
- 1 cup spinach
- 3 leaves kale, remove thick excess stem
- 1/3 pear
- 1/3 medium beat, remove leaves and top and bottom
- 5 sticks asparagus, cut 1 inch off bottom of stem
- 1 cup broccoli, remove stems
- 2 medium sided strawberry, remove leaves
- 1 inch ginger root
- 1 half cucumber
- 3 medium Brussel Sprouts
- 1/4 cup Blueberries
- 1/2 cup parsley
Added Information
- Make sure vegetables and fruit are properly washed
- Buy produce every two days or every day
- If you can, try to buy organic vegetables and fruits. This is optional.
- Prepare a day's worth of raw materials ahead of time in gallon storage bags as a time saver. Cutting produce will cause a gradual decline of nutrient content. Best to prepare one day at a time.
- Juicing should be done and drank immediately after or very shortly after. Letting juice sit will cause a loss of nutrients. This might not be possible with work constraints. Optional - make juice ahead of time, definitely try make and drink immediately
- DO NOT put used pulp down garbage disposal - It can get clogged because of the fineness of the pulp. Use plastic grocery store bags to dispose after every use. Pulp will start to smell after a few hours
- Clean juicer after every use
- Drinking lemon water after every meal will help body feel full.
- Try not to weigh yourself. Base weight loss on look and fit of clothing
- Going #2....you know what I mean... will be tough with the loss of fiber and protein. Lemon water will help this. Otherwise take laxatives. #2-ing (new word) helps remove toxins from body
- Try to Start on a Monday and end on Friday, that way you can enjoy the weekend and get back to normal or semi normal lifestyle.
Day to Day
Day
| Feeling
| Observations
|
|---|---|---|
1
| Pretty Normal, Hunger Pains
| Juice Tastes Surprisingly Good, Spirits High
|
2
| Moderate, Little Shakey, Hunger Pains, Slight Headache
| Want Coffee and Beer
|
3
| Slugish, Hunger Pains, Headache
| Getting Irritable, Hard to be Around Solid Food
|
4
| Moderate, No Headache, Hunger Pains
| Want Coffee and Beer, Less Irritable, Notice Clothes Fitting Better, Hard Time Sleeping
|
5
| Pretty Normal, Excited to be Done
| Slept Bad Again, Noticing Slimming in Belly
|
Final Results
After the fast, I am feeling really good about myself. My pants and shirts are fitting like they should again. Lost about 6 lbs. I'm going to continue to try to eat healthy and cut down on caffeine, alcohol, and salt. But........must admit.....Had a Bloody Mary and cup of strong coffee right after on Day 6. It was a Saturday.....
