JUICE FEAST
As most know over time our bodies can get pretty beat, working hard day in day out. There are so many toxins now-a-days present in our foods and the environment and though the body is incredibly amazing and can filter through the yuckies, eliminate them, heal itself and its wounds, and so many other unfathomable things, sometimes it needs a little extra help boosting our natural ability to get rid of all the crap so it can do its jobs the best way it can.
So if you follow me on instagram you may have seen that I recently did a 3 day JUICE FEAST with Well 'n Proper Juices!! I loved it! and have had many of you curious to know how it went... so heres a little bit about that :)
There are alot of different opinions around juicing and particularly "juice cleanses" but we like to call it a JUICE FEAST!! The idea of giving the digestive system a break but replenishing and flooding the insides with so much nutrients, vitamins and enzymes etc just made some sense to me, plus theres over 4lbs of fresh organic produce in each bottle!
I had done a 1 day feast before, but it made me nervous to think of doing one for 3 days. But after travelling to the Mentawais, Halloween, and then travelling home to NZ where my self control with all things NZ is amazing at (ice cream, chocolate & candy) kinda doesn't exist :/ haha I felt so ready to take on the 3 day feast. I saw the importance of doing it, but also love the mental challenge and reboot it gives me. I personally love fresh pressed juices and am always down to try new experiments and such on myself... maybe thats wild? But yea heres the little I do know about it and how it has benefitted me.
So every morning first things first was a liter of water with freshly squeezed lemon. Then I would get my days worth of juices from Well 'n Proper. I would get a Ginger Lemon Cayenne Shot, 5 Juices, and an amazing Nut Mylk. At least four out of the five daily juices were green juices. Meaning made with an assortment of greens like, cilantro, spinach, kale, cucumber, celery, arugula, parsley, chard, romaine and dandelion, and different combos included apple, lemons or limes. The nut mylks were soooo good and probably my fav!!! It was like a dessert, or a chocolate milk, filling and so so delicious!!
So every 2 hours I would have a juice, and between I would drink at least 3 cups of water (this was really emphasized as it helps to flush everything really well). Im pretty pathetic usually at staying on top of my hydration game so drinking that much water all the time was filling me up super quick, but also sending me to the bathroom a million times a day haha. By the time I did a few things around the house, errands or outside, before I knew it, it was time for the next juice. So I never actually felt hungry whatsoever so that was nice. And I must add its pretty freakin awesome to not have to think about cooking, or what you are going to eat next. To have it all figured out makes things so much easier.
How did I feel!?
So I never actually felt hungry which I feel is one of the biggest concerns! Some think that your are starving the whole time, but this was not the case for me at all!!
DAY 1- I worked out like normal since I still had all the energy from eating the day before. I did start to feel pretty tired towards the end of the day, maybe a little moody haha poor fam, and slight headache, granted I was pretty tired before I even started the juice feast, so it was adding up. But I was feeling good stomach wise going to bed and in fact fell asleep before having the last juice of the day.
DAY 2- Woke up feeling awesome!! I love waking up feeling like an empty tank, and not like food has been sitting in there overnight and is still there. So my stomach was completely flat and just feeling cleaner. For my work out I took it easy so that I wasn't releasing lactic acid and putting more toxins in my system, and so i didn't deplete all my energy. Around the afternoon i started to feel a bit slow, and more tired than on a usual day. Again I wasn't hungry at all, but had the nut milk as my 5th juice of the day to give me a little more Oomph through to the end of the day. Slept so good!
DAY 3- Like most people say "by day 3 you should be feeling great!" and I dont like to sound cliche but its so true!! I felt so good!! Stomach was completely flat, i didn't feel or look like I was retaining any water like I usually feel, and my energy was like normal!! That morning I went on a quick jog and then my usual wednesday morning workout class and felt completely fine. That night I didnt feel tired like the first two days! and was up later no problem and just felt more clarity overall! I wasnt craving anything, but the idea of having a chocolate was enticing haha. But it was a SUCCESS and I went to bed feeling clean and clear and really good!!
AFTER - Thanksgiving was the next day so of course that means food food food. But I really wanted to ease back into food, and tried to make an effort to do so. Having papaya and lemon for breakfast, staying hydrated throughout the day drinking plenty between meals, and having mostly salad at dinner, along with veges. I did have some soup + bread, plus a little fish, and though it was soooo delish it felt a little heavy to eat like that so soon. But no regrets!! i did go home though and eat some of my NZ chocolate stash, and that was not a good idea!! But that day I woke up feeling amazing and so proud actually haha cant believe I did it! I went on a run first thing and then we had a fun thanksgiving soccer game and wow I was so pooped playing, i think from not having any proper food for 3 days it was definitely evident I didn't have as much energy store for the fast pace of the game and fatigued really easily. I was actually pretty sore for a couple days haha.
Overall I really loved it!! and would TOTALLY recommend it to others to give it a try!! It was only 3 days so I cant say I noticed anything drastic in terms of hair, skin and nails etc. However Iv heard the benefits of doing it for a little longer are even more!! It felt so great on my body, definitely soothing on the gut and cleansing overall, mind and body!! I think what I loved most was it really helped me mentally, and got me more conscious about my habits throughout the day. I am more aware of how much water to drink, but also when to drink, so that Im not trying to down 2 litres before bed because I havnt been drinking throughout the day. I also am better at listening to my body. Not just eating something because its there, but eating because my body is actually hungry. Also I was able to prove to myself that I don't need to have sweets every night before bed and that I feel so much better in the mornings when I don't! So yeah if the chance is there for you.. definitely give it a go! Im so much more motivated to make and keep better habits now and know that I can do it!
Besides actually doing the feast I have learned a few other things that are important when it comes to juices and things that I really love & admire about Well 'n Proper juices!
- Everything is ORGANIC & RAW, so is more beneficial for your body and
the environment. The taste is so fresh and vibrant, and it sustains and improves the health
of your skin, hair, and bones
- Cold pressed FRESH daily is the best and most benefical! That way maintains the integrity and stability of live enzymes. Keeps them alkalized keeping our cells healthy and full of oxygen. A lot easier to consume all the goods from more fruits and veges because its condensed. Plus cold pressed squeezes every last bit out of the fiber, so it is vibrant, natural and filled with nutrientsWhich means nutrients are all there!! (Usually lasts 3 days with minimal loss)
- Use REUSABLE glass bottles, so it's easy on the planet & avoids chemicals leaking into the juice.
- FILLED TO THE TOP!! This is more important than I realized, as it prevents oxidation and breakdown of nutrients. Once the juice is opened it should be consumed within 15 minutes to get the most out of it, otherwise transfer into a smaller container that is airtight to keep the nutrients in!
WELL 'N PROPER is actually opening a store this week I believe in Honolulu so check them out for sure!! They are so passionate about getting the best product out there for everyone! and their juices are so good!! Anyway below I included a list of most of the ingredients in the juices and their benefits, all info I got off of Well 'n Propers website.
Hope this was helpful and maybe made you feel inclined, excited or even just open to the idea of juice feasts! If you have any other questions about it or comments, best way to make sure I get it is in the comments on instagram :)
Have a good week xx
p.s the dudes fancied the juices too!! ;)
KALE – higher amount of calcium for healthy bones than milk does, and more iron than beef. Vitamin K, A, C, manganese are great for a variety of bodily functions.
CELERY – antioxidant with phenolic nutrients that help protect cells against oxygen damage. Polysaccharides help aid digestion and is a diuretic. Calms nerves promotes restful sleep.
APPLE GREEN – sweet and sour in taste. Good complex carbohydrate for energy. Blood purifier. Vitamin C, B-complex and bet carotene. Has many beneficial photochemical such as D-Glutamate, and flavonoids.
LEMON – healthy glowing skin, hair and bone strength. Alkaline forming and Anti-inflammatory.
HONEYDEW – high in Vitamin C for collagen and healthy skin, hair, and nails. A good source of the trace mineral Copper.
FENNEL – ease bloating, indigestion, anti-inflammatory. Improves breath.
GINGER – reduces nausea, bloating, indigestion and heartburn. Natural antibiotic. Natural anti-inflammatory.
CUCUMBER – neutralizes acidity, silicon and sulfur promotes healthy hair, skin and nails. High in A and C vitamins, as well as foliate and potassium. Diuretic, PH balancer.
SPINACH – anti-inflammatory. Antioxidant specific to maintaining good vision, bones, blood pressure, skin, brain and nervous system. High in Vitamin K, and protein.
PARSLEY – high in Vitamin K, C and A. Good source of folic acid. Blood purified and bring elasticity to the veins, eliminates cholesterol in the veins, may help with jaundice, normalizing kidney function and strengthens teeth.
CILANTRO - great source of magnesium, iron and dietary fiber.
ARUGULA – high in Vitamin A for healthy skin and eye health. Detoxifying. High in B vitamins especially foliate, and is good for brain health.
CAYENNE – great for circulation. Headache prevention. Supports weight loss.
CARROTS – rich in vitamin A, the old adage eat your carrots and it will improve your vision is true, because it enhances blood flow to the eyes. Good for the skin.
WHEATGRASS – 2 oz. of wheatgrass is equivalent to 4 pounds of green vegetables. Have a shot!
NUT MYLKS – no cholesterol, low in sodium, low glycemic, vitamin D, E, A, B, riboflavin, iron. Increase oxygen absorption.
