Summer is here and the bikinis are coming out. On a quest to do as little hard work with the biggest result possible, our fitness and health contributor Clarissa Lenherr decided to try a juice cleanse, hoping that she would find the secret behind all those gorgeous Victoria’s Secret models’ bodies. Not only did she feel svelte after one day, but it was the mental clarity and increased energy that amazed her! See what a day in the life of a cleanse with Press Juice is all about.
Pre-Cleanse
I wanted to make sure my body didn’t go into extreme shock when faced with only liquid for a whole 24 hours, so I did my homework before starting the cleanse. I read that it is best to eat a mostly vegan and raw diet, no coffee, tea or alcohol for at least three days before. I was a little late on that front (the weekend got the better of me) but managed to live on a combination of soup and salad the day before. I popped into bed to make sure I was well rested and raring to go the next morning as I knew grumpy Clarissa wouldn’t survive past 10AM without coffee!
The Day
7AM My boyfriend and I are woken up by a growling bear, or so it sounds that way. I’ve only just woken up and my stomach is already crying out for food and coffee. Great. On my journey into work I sip on my first water of the day: Chlorophyll Water. A green semi-transparent water consisting of filtered water and Chlorophyll, it tastes earthy, but knowing that this is the fundamental component of plant life and must be good for me, I accept the taste and slowly sip the entire bottle.
9AM I arrive at work and at this point I usually proceed with my daily ritual of a latte and breakfast of some rye toast and almond butter. Instead I start the first juice of the day, a Greenhouse 1 which comprises of Kale, Spinach, Celery, Romaine, Cucumber, Apple & Lemon. It is sweet, light and really actually quite delicious.
11.30 AM Whilst reading up on the benefits of each juice, I notice that by this time I am usually high on caffeine; however I don’t feel groggy or tired and realise the morning juice must have kicked my body into gear. Not wanting to lose this pace I start drinking Orchard 1. A punchy apple, lemon and ginger juice, I love it! My sinuses are opened up by all the ginger, and I really do feel awakened and my concentration is through the roof.
1.30 PM I knew that lunchtime would be hard so I made sure to distract myself by doing a Pilates class during my break. Arriving back at the office, the hunger pangs are in full swing and I dive for the fridge. Hello Greenhouse 3, my new best friend. The Press Juice website informs me that Greenhouse 3 is full of electrolytes, so it is perfect for replenishing my system after the exercise class. I down it in seconds and it tastes similar to number 1, but less sweet. My eyes are still ravenous and I do feel I need something to crunch on, but I think about all those painful ab crunches that I could be doing instead of this and whimper back to my desk. 15 minutes later and the hunger has subsided.
3 PM I have definitely noticed that I am more alert and my typing speed is through the roof! My stomach is as flat as a pancake, and that feeling makes me want pancakes even less – woohoo! My colleague even tries to tempt me with some wasabi peas (he knows my weaknesses), but I don’t bat an eyelid.
4.30 PM It’s tea time and my usual consists of any type of tea and sweet treat. I really like coconut macaroons. I eye up the vanilla leche in the fridge and notice it has dates alongside vanilla beans and almond milk and it looks mighty fine…but, I am supposed to have Greenhouse 3. But it’s too late, I am onto the almond milk and it is heavenly. Creamy, sweet and filling it’s like having a milkshake – a healthy milkshake. The tiny hits of Himalayan salt give it an almost salted caramel taste. I could drink this everyday with ease!
6.30 PM I am back from work at home and I’m hungry and I have a slight headache. I have told my boyfriend to go out for dinner with his friends. I drink my Greenhouse 3 earlier and get to work on household chores. I am running around the house at gusto speed and feel great and the headache has subsided.
7.30 PM I plonk myself down in front of the telly and drink my final juice of the day, although I am not that hungry. I could go without, but knowing that I would probably get hungry towards the end of the evening, I make sure to follow the instructions. Greenhouse 2 is dinner and it is a salad in a drink – Kale, Spinach, Romaine, Celery and Cucumber. It goes down well and I really feel like I must be glowing at this point.
8.45 PM I am running myself a bath to distract myself from wanting dessert, although funnily enough my cravings aren’t as strong as they usually are. After reading up online, I know that having Epsom salt baths can help with the detoxification process of juice cleansing and can help shift any water retention in the body, so I grab some that I already had and chuck them in with my bubble bath. I burn some candles and soak, sipping my final water of the day, an Alkaline Cleanse Water. It consists of Aloe Vera, Lemon and Water and is very crisp and clean. It is also a little sweet which goes down well. I like the idea that the alkaline water going in me, is replacing the toxic water being drawn out by my bath. This feeling of being virtuous could become addictive and I reflect on why so many of us are raving about cold pressed juice cleanses, and I feel I will be one of them!
9.30 PM I am in bed and ready to pass out! I make sure to get into bed early with some good reading material (StyleNest of course) so that I don’t focus on thinking about food – which has been hard all day! I go to sleep dreaming about bronzed abs and coconut macaroons, I sleep like a baby!
The Next day
7AM I am woken up by the sound of a grizzly bear, this time a tiny, flat grizzly bear. My stomach looks pretty beautiful! I jump out of bed, shower and pull on a tight dress and I am feeling good! However, the excitement and energy is definitely fuelled by my knowledge that as soon as I get to work an almond milk latte will be consumed, accompanied with a flat stomach and a very happy smile!
Reflecting back on my Press juice cleanse, I thoroughly appreciated a day of not planning what to eat, and can imagine that doing this the day before a special event is ideal. All my fears about not eating for a whole day have now subsided as I have experienced and lived it, and most importantly enjoyed it! My next hurdle, the 3-day cleanse!
PRESS is the only cold-press juice brand to make its juice in custom-built, cold-kitchens and has three sites across London including in Selfridges. Their menu includes five categories of juice blends, cleanse waters, leche milks and tonic shots. Their juice cleanses range from £44-£132 and are available from www.press-london.com.