How To: One-Day Detox DIY Juice Cleanse

Below is a diary of my day and thoughts on my one day DIY juice cleanse:

Prep: 

The day before the cleanse I skipped my morning cup of coffee and drank green tea throughout the day and attempted to eat lighter fare although I’m hoping the spinach lasagna rolls and Texas toast I had for dinner don’t count… right??  The night before starting the cleanse, I made 5 of the juices (I made #6 prior to drinking it the night of) and bottled them so they’d be fresh and ready to go the next day. I purchased all the produce ahead of time and it took me about an hour and a half to prepare all the juices. You can get the full recipes here (use Green Juice recipe for juices 1, 3 and 5 or switch it up and use the CAB Juice recipe for juice #5)

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1st Juice: Breakfast

Green Juice: Apple, Spinach, Kale, Kiwi and Banana
Initially I wanted to wait until 8am to drink this while on the road to work, however it all didn’t fit into my to-go cup so I drank the entire juice just before 8am.

I drink a smoothie every morning on the way to work so this wasn’t too different than my normal routine (minus the scrambled eggs I have as well). The juice is yummy and sweet from the apple and kiwi—I do get more of a “greener” taste from the spinach and kale, however the banana covers up most of that earthy flavor.

2nd Juice: Morning Snack 

Pineapple, Cucumber, Apple Juice
This one is extremely tasty and super easy to drink. The cucumber is very distinct but so refreshing, especially poured over ice!

Just before I started drinking this juice my stomach started to gently grumble—at this time I’m typically reaching for a granola bar or crackers—but for me, the juice was enough to quench that rumble and tie me over until lunchtime.

3rd Juice: Lunch

Green Juice- Same as juice #1
As with when it came time for juice number 2, I was starting to feel hungry again before the third. Co-worker was heating up a scrumptious smelling pizza so I slipped outside to drink my third juice for lunch. I’m a sipper so I put it on ice and took about 40 minutes to drink it. During the afternoon, I felt more energized than I normally do, and while that pizza smelled amazing, I felt satisfied after my juice lunch.

They recently purchased a juicer for the office and a co-worker was making a juice this afternoon, and I drank a glass—kale, green apple and lemon. Not cheating, just a little extra serving 😉

4th Juice: Afternoon Snack

Spicy Lemonade: Lemon, Cayenne Pepper, Honey, Filtered Water
The fourth juice is a spicy lemonade, which I actually really like and will typically drink a couple times a week (I’m drinking this now as a I write this!). I added a bit too much cayenne to this one, but it was still drinkable and refreshing… with a good kick.

 

Aside from having to use the bathroom more due to the amount of liquids I’m consuming, there isn’t much to report. I do feel more energized, I’m not starving, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the juices. At this point I’m even planning to continue the cleanse until lunch tomorrow (I don’t have enough produce to get through another day and going to the grocery store might be a bit TOO tempting!)

5th Juice: Dinner

Green Juice: Same as  juices #1 and #3
I drank the fifth juice in traffic on my way home from work—I couldn’t help but notice all the Burger King, Carl’s Jr.’s, McDonald’s etc. all around me—a nice, burger with all the fixin’s sounded AHH-mazing. I don’t even like burgers.

6th Juice: Dessert

Almond Milk, Banana, Cashews, Cinnamon, Filtered Water
I drank the final Juice (more like a nut milk) just before bed as my dessert—I put all ingredients in the blender along with some ice and made a smoothie— the mix of the banana, almond milk and cinnamon was delicious! Since coming across this recipe I’ve been making this blend regularly as it’s a great (and healthy!) meal or dessert replacement. If you’re allergic to nuts, you can forgo to almond milk and cashews and use coconut milk instead.

Takeaways

At the end of the cleanse, I went to bed feeling fairly full and happy to have done something healthy for myself. I’m glad I started with a one-day as I was not sure what to expect with my body as I typically start feeling headachy and nauseous if I don’t eat throughout the day. I didn’t experience either of these  on cleanse day and I even took my cleanse into the first half of the following day before I ran out of produce.

The only cons I experienced were non-stop treks to the bathroom due to all the liquids. I also noticed a couple new zits sprout up, which could mean toxins leaving the body. This might be TMI but I am happy to report there was no weird, gross diarrhea or other scary bodily functions one might associate with a cleanse or juice diet. I felt more energetic throughout the day and an overall sense of healthiness. Coming up, I plan to go for a three-day cleanse—stay on the lookout for an upcoming diary!

If you’re on the fence about juice cleanses, I recommend trying this DIY version and making the juices yourself. Not only can you easily make the juices yourself, it’s more cost-effective than purchasing a cleanse system. This one is perfect if you’re not ready for a three-day or longer cleanse—perfect for a day of detox!

What has your experience with juice cleanses been?

Get more juice recipes here! 

* The original recipe calls for cardamom, but I did not have any and used cinnamon instead.