This weekend was my first ever juice diet detox, and now that I'm coming out at the other end I'm hungry, slightly loopy, but nutrient-rich.
I did the juice fast through Sip Organic Juice Bar, an awesome little cafe-style juice bar on Old 28th Street in Grand Rapids. The proprietor, Jennifer Pohlman, was a wealth of health information for me, and kept me going throughout the weekend (that and her perfect figure would encourage me to eat vegetables all day every day forever).
Day One: I drank my breakfast smoothie made of spinach, pear, banana, grapefruit, and other various plants that gave it the consistency of moss. At least it didn't taste like licking a tree trunk. Lunch was a smoothie made of protein-rich ingredients. I was so hungry before I ate it. All I could think was, "order pizza NOW!" After drinking it though, I was feeling pretty satisfied. I waited until 6 p.m. to drink dinner. I could barely stomach the pumpkin ginger soup. Not only was it cold, but my taste buds were screaming, "We wanted Chinese buffet!" Headaches ensued due to lack of caffeine consumption. Off to a great start…
Day Two: Breakfast was the same, and welcome, as it comes in a larger quantity than lunch and dinner. I scarfed it down as best as a person can scarf without chewing. Lunch was Heavenly, a protein smoothie with almond milk, vegan chocolate powder, a banana, and general sweetness. After lunch I was feeling a little spacey, and incredibly tired. I took a three-hour nap. It kept my mind off being home all day having to avoid the kitchen. Dinner was my downfall. Oh it was tasty, a Thai curry with more ginger, and flaxseed crackers. But how I wish I had never turned on Food Network. It was like a sick joke that they were showing "Best Thing I Ever Ate: Breakfast." Eggs. French Toast. Even the hash looked appetizing. A quick switch over to House Hunters International on HGTV is the only thing that kept me away from pita chips and salsa.
Day Three: Today. I'm feeling healthy, skinny (on an 800 calorie a day diet, who wouldn't), and proud of myself. I also feel hydrated, toxin-free, and energized. I am finding it harder to fast while at work than at home. At home, I can close off the kitchen and wallow in my ravenous solitude. Here, where we have a full kitchen and employees who are on a normal diet, I'm enticed to eat more. Breakfast and lunch were the same as yesterday, but dinner is an every vegetable you can think of soup. The thought of avocado at the end of this three-days is the light at the end of the tunnel.
I would recommend a three-day juice detox to anyone. I'm hungry, but not the hungriest I've ever been, not even hungrier than I am some days when I wake up in the morning. The serious need to chew something is wearing off, and I like knowing that I don't need to drink coffee to get me through the first few hours of the day. Not to mention the health benefits! I'm 24-years-old, and while I'm not pacing the floors worried about any major health defects in the near future, I am more aware that what I put into my body on a daily basis will have an affect on me, maybe not right away, but down the road. That's reason enough to eat a few more carrot sticks every week.
I interviewed Jennifer Pohlman, and wrote an article about the health benefits of implementing a raw diet. Click here to read it.
Written by: Erika Fifelski was born and raised in West Michigan, and after a brief stint on the sunrise side, she's home and loving it. Erika enjoys cooking, sewing, vacuuming, and discovering new ways to live sustainably and support local businesses.
