Juice cleansing can be used to promote healthy eating, improving your energy levels, and help you relax. You’ll also lose weight, lose the bloat, get clearer skin and reduce your clouded mind.
But all these benefits come with a cost – as anyone who has ever done an extended fast will tell you. There’s the longing for solids, headaches, hunger pangs, frustration, tears and more. No, a juice fast is not easy but anyone who has ever done it will tell you that it’s worth the pain. And if you take the right approach, you’ll love it. Mental preparation is important to your success. There are five stages you’ll go through on your cleanse. Study these stages and you’ll be mentally prepared for the challenge ahead.
Optimism
Almost everyone starts with juice cleanse with lots of optimism. They want to rid their body of toxins, and they want the benefits that have been touted in books and by leading sites on the web. So you’ll start feeling optimistic, hopeful, and with a lot of anticipation of the good results you’ll have.
Hunger
Optimism quickly dies within your first few hours of the juice cleanse. Then hunger kicks in and you’ll wonder if you can get the benefits in a less sacrificial way. But the best things are those that you really work hard for, so stick with it. All the thick glasses of juice in the world could never appease your hunger or desire for thick juicy burger or whatever else you like to eat.
But hunger is more than just your body crying out for the food on the next table. It is your body going into survival mode. Then there’s the sudden shift in your daily calorie intake, which will promote extreme hunger.
Shock
On your second day you’ll probably realize some weight loss, but this is only temporary. You’ll also have the same burning hunger. Some people experience intense headaches, cramps and slow reaction to things going on around them.
The cramps are usually attributed to the increased intake in vitamins from the fruit and vegetable juices. Headaches are caused by a combination of toxins moving on the way out of your body and by a lowered blood sugar level.
You’ll also make frequent trips to the bathroom, as your body tries to rid itself of the pounds of
toxins that built up over time. Your constant consumption of fluids is the reason for the long trips to the bathroom. The fluid has to make its way out, right?
Doubt
By the middle of day two – if not before – you experience a lot of doubt. Can you really make it? Is it worth the effort? Nothing is wrong if I eat an apple or a burger, right? While the juices will boost your energy, it won’t appease your hunger. You’ll have to find ways to stay positive. Keep your mind on the goal. Recruit a friend to do the juice cleanse with you, so you can both stay motivated. Go to bed early, and stay away from places where you’ll give in to your temptations.
Triumph
If you stick with the plan, you’ll get to experience this final triumphant stage. You’ll have the weight loss, the new lifestyle, the benefits of a toxin free body, and the satisfaction of knowing that you did it.
As a freelance writer, Ken Barber writes for health and fitness blogs using mainly natural remedies like juicing vegetables and fruits and exercising at home. He has been on the juice diet for 1 year now and has lost 30 lbs. Ken is an active author for @weightloss_hqtr on Twitter.