call me crazy but i decided to do an evolution fresh juice ritual for three days last week. i'm a huge evolution fresh fan, i eat their food and drink their juice all the time so i figured i could go three days drinking only their juices. plus a group of co-workers were doing it and it's nice to moral support.
what is an evolution fresh ritual? well, it's their version of a juice cleanse but they don't have strict rules about how to follow the ritual, only guidelines. you can do full-on, only juice or do in addition to your meals as a way to incorporate more fruits and vegetables. i went full-on juice and here are my suggestions for doing an evolution fresh juice ritual:
- did the three days of juice tuesday-thursday
- started eliminating foods days beforehand - no coffee, limited animal products, limited alcohol (i would've done zero alcohol but i was having dinner with a friend) and upped my fruits, vegetables, juice and water intake.
- started the eliminating foods' days on the weekend - i would rather be suffering at home watching the real housewives of beverly hills than try to
keep it together during a meeting at work. when day one of the ritual
came - no headaches.
during-ritual:
- drink water like it's going out of style. seriously have water bottle with you at all time. when i even felt the slightest feeling of hungry in my stomach, i took a few sips of water. stay hydrated!
- carry an extra layer of clothing with you. i brought an extra wrap sweater to work so i wasn't shivering.
- fill your time. i planned activities for both tuesday and wednesday nights. my strategy was to plan activities that would keep my hands busy as well as felt like i was treating myself. i ran a few errands, organized my cupcakes decorating supplies and treated myself to a manicure.
- put clean sheets on your bed. nothing is better than crawling into bed into freshly washed sheets. it's a little treat that you'll want to enjoy on your first night of sleep.
- get extra sleep. i was going to be at 9 or 9:30 every night. your body needs the extra zzzzz.
- the evolution fresh green ritual is made up of 6 juices. i added a nut milk that i would have at night before bed. i picked unsweetened almond milk and had about 16 oz. there's some fat in it and i was told it would help me sleep. the juices i drank were vital greens, sweet greens and lemon, vital greens spicy lemonade, sweet greens and lemon, vital greens and then a nut milk.
how i felt:
- day 1: i felt a little nervous but started drinking my juices and had them every two hours. {the scene from three men and a baby kept flashing in my mind of when tom selleck didn't know to feed the baby every two hours from when he starts or finishes.} later in the day i felt a little spacey but not too bad and not hungry.
- day 2: woke up but didn't sleep very well. my body aches. i don't think it was juice ritual-related but from my workout on monday night. my back and hips really hurt. i ended up taking some aleve late in the day, closing my eyes for 20 minutes and waking up feeling like a million bucks. i know that's probably not juice ritual appropriate but i needed to be able to sit and stand.
- day 3: slept like a baby last night and feeling really good. the juice is harder to drink today. i'm feeling ready for other flavors. i noticed i've lost a little weight, probably water weight, and my sense of smell is really heightened. i feel more clear and alert than i have on the other days.
post-ritual:
- my first meal was oatmeal with blueberries and honey. i went back and forth on if i would have coffee or not and in the end, i decided to pass.
- i don't consider myself a bad eater. i think i eat pretty balanced, healthy meals. i try to eat good, whole foods every day and save the more indulgent foods for when i'm eating out or on the weekends.
what i learned:
- i've always thought i was a savory-flavored person but now i know i'm a sweets-flavored person. i really missed sweet flavors not having any.
- water, water and more water. i'm a big water drinker but i could be drinking more. you really need it with the ritual and i don't want to loose that when it's over.
the next question everyone is asking me is...would you do it again? the answer: YES! it was such a good experience. it was a good experience and i felt great. i'm thinking this should be a bi-annual thing. so who's with me for the next one?
I love hearing your feedback. I bought a couple just to see if I liked them and decided I'm not sure I could do the full 3 day juice only thing. Bravo to you for sticking to it! When I do get brave enough to do it, I will remember to "prep" first...great advice! Thanks Jamie!
Posted by: Megan | January 15, 2013 at 02:15 PM
can you tell me which juices you drank? i am interested in doing this as well but am not sure which ones to drink. thanks!
Posted by: hannah | January 20, 2013 at 12:03 AM