Juice detox: 10 do’s and don’ts

Recently, I did my first juice detox / cleanse from Juizs. It was a three day juice detox, and if follow me on Instagram, you already know that I had quite a hard time! The juices were delicious, but together with the bites I received, my total kcal intake each day was between 600 and 800! 😱 So yes, that is not a lot, especially considering that I’m quite tall (183 cm, or about 6 ft) and I normally eat about 2000 to 2200 kcal each day. However, I have not been eating the healthiest lately, so when I got the offer from Juizs to test their 3-day detox plan, I decided to go for it anyway!

Now that I’m finished I decided to come up with 5 do’s and 5 don’ts to successfully complete your juice detox, if you decide to do one.

Do:

1. Do consult with your doctor of GP before starting! This may seem an obvious one, but really, it is important. Although a juice cleanse can be great for most people, it is not recommended for certain groups, or when you’re on specific medication.
2. Do plan! Especially if you are preparing to do your first juice cleanse, I would highly recommend planning your juice detox during a holiday, or a weekend. Every body reacts differently to a juice cleanse, so better to have an empty agenda.
3. Do eat a healthy, mostly plant-based diet the days before! Eating healthy before you start your detox will make it easier for your body to transition into the cleanse.
4. Do be prepared to feel different during and after your detox! It is very likely that you will lose some weight during/after the detox, and that can make you feel great! However, you can also experience hunger or weakness during the juice cleanse. Just know that it will be worth it in the end.
5. Do listen to your body! If you really feel like you are going to faint unless you have something to eat, eat! Food should not make you feel guilty, and nobody every got any worse from eating some fruit and veggies next to their juice cleanse. I do recommend only eating (raw) fruits or veggies though, since you do want to get the most out of your cleanse.

Don’t:

1. Don’t exercise! This may seem weird, but since your kcal intake can be quite low, intense exercise could make you faint, which is never a good idea. Instead, try to do some stretches or go for a (short) walk if you really want to do something.
2. Don’t go back to the diet you adhered to before your cleanse! It is very likely that you chose to do a juice cleanse to feel better, lose weight, etc. However, if you go back to eating the way you did before, you will probably end up feeling the same way too. Instead, take the momentum you gained during your cleanse to change your lifestyle and eating behavior for the long-term.
3. Don’t do a juice cleanse that is longer than a few days! A juice cleanse is supposed to be a short detox of only a few days. On the long term, a juice cleanse can be very detrimental for your health! Instead, do a juice cleanse for one, two, or three days, but never longer than six days.
4. Don’t do a juice cleanse during a very busy or stressful period! The act of eating less, or radically different food than you’re used to can also be seen by your body as stress. So, don’t do a juice cleanse if you are already stressed out. Instead, do a juice cleanse during time off work, or during a quiet period.
5. Don’t think that juice cleansing is the only way to detox! Strictly speaking, your body already detoxes itself on a daily basis, because that is the task of your liver and kidneys! So, if you feel like you should do a “detox”, a juice cleanse is definitely not the only way to go. Instead, try to adhere to a whole foods diet as much as possible, and you’re good too!

So, should you do a juice cleanse?
Up to you! I think a juice cleanse or detox can be a great way to kickstart a healthy diet, but it is definitely not for everyone. With a “normal” healthy diet you will also get there!

Have you ever done a juice cleanse or fast?

 

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional,