I have been curious for some time about the benefits of a juice cleanse but, of course, have been frightened to try. It seemed unapproachable and not for the feign of heart. And, as someone who is definitely not the picture of healthy eating, I was intimidated…to say the least! Not to mention, I am generally a fan of chewing.
When Pressed Juicery moved in down the street, I was first wooed by their “freezes,” which are a healthy soft serve-like frozen treat made from 100% whole fruits, vegetables, and nuts. They are delicious…not at all like a Menchies buffet but actually a solid, feel-good kind of treat. I also love juice, even the very green of green juice, so I was accepting of all of the samples they offered (you can try every juice on their menu).
In all seriousness, the main reason I returned was how approachable the staff made juicing. (I realized that when I use the term “juicing,” Gwyneth Paltrow comes to mind!) Upon subsequent visits, I picked up a brochure and chatted with the sales person about how it worked. I sampled some more.
Finally, I was willing to try. Pressed Juicery could not have made it more simple. They offer 3 programs from “first timer” to “experienced.” All contain 6 juices and 2 specialty waters. The first timer offers more protein and the experienced is mostly green. As a fan of juice, I choose the middle option (which is their most popular). You can customize your juices based on your preferences but, as a newbie, I just went with their choosing.
Honestly, it could not have been more simple. First, they number all of the juices for you (1-6). They provide instruction to begin with your first juice at 9:00 in the morning, drinking every 2 hours. The last “juice” is more like a nutty protein shake that definitely fills you up so you’re not going to bed hungry.
I did feel hungry as the time came for each juice – I’m not sure if that was real hunger or the anticipation of drinking. All of the juices were actually (truly) delicious. I must admit that, not only do I enjoy green juice, but beet juice has always been my favorite. That-being-said, the green juices were rather sweet (not like a lawn at all!). My favorite was the “Citrus 2” with pineapple, apple, lemon, and mint. A close second was the “Roots 3” with beet, apple, lemon, and ginger. Last but not least, the Vanilla Almond was totally satisfying and a tasty grande finale.
The only thing that I could not stomach were the premium waters. Again, I drink lemon and cayenne warm water every morning, so I thought I was prepared. Pressed Juicery suggests sipping chlorophyll water throughout the day. I felt like I was drinking pool water (I tried it both ice cold and room temp) – I couldn’t finish it. I had no more luck with the Aloe Vera water they instruct you to drink before bed…in fact, I didn’t even get as far!
The results? I definitely felt good the next day. Great energy following a restful nights sleep. I wasn’t starving or stuffing my face with donuts the following morning. I would describe it best as a mini “reboot” into mindful eating. Aside from the waters, the most challenging thing was making my family snacks and meals throughout the day (without ever sampling). All told, I would definitely do it again and I’m curious to try a longer cleanse to see what those benefits would be.
Ever tried a cleanse? Have a favorite juice spot? All tips and commentary welcome.
Thanks for reading! ~Jenn
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