Gettin' Juiced Up

Clearly, since I'm writing this, I survived 3 days of living on nothing but juices. My inner daredevil is over-the-moon ecstatic. Yes, I did it, but it wasn't as easy as I'd hoped it would be. OK, maybe it was. 


DAY 1: My unbridled enthusiasm was mostly responsible for getting me through the first day. Every juice bottle I opened was met with a little squee of excitement. It tastes so much better than I thought it would! I never knew liquid salad was this heavenly! Beet juice? YAY!  I have to admit, I felt great. I wasn't overly hungry. Late afternoon I felt my stomach subtly suggest a hamburger, but I promptly squashed that. By the time I had my last juice of the day, a glorious, sweet delight known as Cashew Milk, I was convinced I'd discovered the equivalent to a red velvet cupcake in liquid form. (Minus the red velvet, obviously)  By 9pm I was fighting to stay awake, so I went to bed early for the first time in decades.


DAY 2:  When I woke up Saturday morning I was immediately struck by how good I felt. I didn't have any cravings for my usual morning coffee. I was more than happy grabbing a bottle of water and wake my insides up. Who knew? The juices were just as tasty the second day. Although, part of me started to rebel against the Spicy Lemonade and the Beet Juice. Fortunately, I didn't have any massive headaches or other signs of uncomfortable detox. That was good. I will say that I spent ALOT of time reacquainting myself with the bathroom. Hey man, I'm drinking nothing but liquids, what do you expect? Anyway, by the time I got to my favorite moment of the day, the Cashew Milk, I drank it with such reverence that I kept giggling like a child. Seriously, it's that good. Oh, and I went to bed early again. Definitely odd for a night owl like myself.


DAY 3: Final day! The allure of solid food was SO close, I could almost taste the roast beef sandwich I woke up craving. But I soldiered on and knocked back my first three juices of the day, pacing myself as I went along. I also paced my water intake to stave off the hunger pangs that were getting louder. By late afternoon, as I was nursing the Spicy Lemonade, my inner daredevil faltered. I was legit hungry. And that drink was making me angry. So I chugged it. And then had a bottle of water. An hour later I begrudgingly grabbed the Beet Juice. I eyeballed it with wariness because it really is vile the third time around. But like a good girl, I drank it. As fast as I could. At 6pm on the dot, I enjoyed my final Cashew Milk. I'd grown so fond of that drink, I didn't want it to go away, ever. 

This drink deserves a standing ovation. By far the best of the six. As I drank it, that old Vanessa Williams song (Save the Best for Last) kept playing in my head. After I finished it, I held the bottle above my head like it was a major trophy and announced rather excitedly that I was DONE!!! The Dane managed a small "that's good" as he was playing something on the PS3. Thanks Dane, you're aces.


Overall, I did feel much better doing this cleanse. My insides felt lighter and I had more energy. I've completely lost my craving for caffeine, chocolate and coffee. A moment of silence for Dunkin Donuts, please. When I woke up yesterday I found myself wanting the green juices, the pineapple juice and, most of all, the Cashew Milk. I had to settle for vegetable broth and cucumber slices. Make no mistake, I'm glad to be eating solid foods again. I made a lovely chicken breast stuffed with spinach, sun-dried tomatos and cheese for dinner last night. But I certainly wouldn't turn away the juices if they're offered to me. Well, except for the Spicy Lemonade and Beet Juice.


NOTES ON THE JUICES:


Green Juice (2 bottles):
Surprisingly tasty. Definitely "greeny," but I liked it.
Ingredients: Romaine, Celery, Cucumber, Apple, Spinach, Kale, Parsley, Lemon


P.A.M. (1 bottle):
Amazing. I loved it. Sweet, refreshing and would be GREAT with Bacardi. But it's fabulous on it's own too. Yum. 
Ingredients: Pineapple, Apple, Mint


Spicy Lemonade (1 bottle):
Tart and spicy. I actually enjoyed it on the first day. But the 2nd and 3rd time I had it, not so much.
Ingredients: Water, Lemon, Cayenne, Agave Nectar


C.A.M. (1 bottle):
Much like the Spicy Lemonade, I liked it at first blush. It had a very earthy flavor. However, by the 2nd and 3rd day, I would have rather drank gasoline.
Ingredients: Apple, Carrot, Beet, Lemon, Ginger


Cashew Milk (1 bottle): 
Nectar of the gods. It was sweet, rich, vanilla-y, delicious, yummy.....and so many other adjectives that I don't possibly have time to write down. It's considered the "dinner" of the drinks. I called it my special dessert. Must. Have. More. Immediately. 
Ingredients: Filtered Water, Raw Cashews, Agave Nectar, Vanilla Bean, Cinnamon


So that's it. My experience doing the BluePrint Cleanse. I really, honestly enjoyed it (Spicy Lemonade and Beet Juice aside). My goal is to try and do it once a month. Maybe I'll even buy a juicer to make it myself. If you've been thinking about trying a juice cleanse and have been a nervous nelly, definitely try this one. And that's coming from the girl who was convinced she'd quit after an hour. =)