In college, I could eat a Big Mac with a side of pan pizza on 3 hours of sleep while maintaining an honors GPA and still rock a bikini. Now? I wake up feeling like someone was punching me in the face all night and I gain weight when I eat a banana.
I got sick of feeling lethargic and finding it difficult to concentrate, so naturally, I got my thyroid tested. Thyroid issues run in my family, so that had to be the culprit. Right?
It wasn’t.
I then hung out with a friend back home who told me about the miracle that is juicing. She told me about the incredible effect it had on her and her family, especially those battling illness. I tasted a cup of her freshly juiced carrots and apples and I was sold.
I read up on juicing and the incredible health benefits that come with it: increased energy, weight loss, clear skin, better digestion, hormone balance and boosted immune system just to name a few. After arriving back in Dubai, I immediately went to Carrefour and snagged myself a snazzy Philips juicer.
Juice master, Jason Vale, suggests that you start off with a juice cleanse to clear your system of toxins and restore it back to balance. Also, you’re guaranteed to lose up to 7lbs in seven days. He had me at ‘lose.’ After the cleanse, you return to eating but incorporate juicing into your daily meals.
The problem is – I love food. I adore food. I would marry food if that were a thing. I’m not a self appointed ‘foodie’ or anything. I just really love food (you can see why I’ve gained weight). The thought of going seven days without food terrifies me. Yeah yeah I know, #firstworldproblems.
Nonetheless, my health is important and so here I am. Today is day one of my seven day juice cleansing journey similar to juice cleanses like this one. And I’m making you guys live through it with me, because misery loves company.
Day 1:
I woke up at 7am this morning starving. Not a good start. I immediately imagined Eggs Benedict and all the naughty sides that would come with it. Oh and the hollandaise sauce, the joy! I had to snap out of it so I got up, pulled out my Jason Vale juice program and began juicing my breakfast.
I popped in two apples, ¼ pineapple, ½ a lime, ¼ medium cucumber in the juicer then blended it with ¼ an avocado and some ice cubes. It was delicious! Maybe I can do this, I thought.
I went for a quick swim, prepared my juices for lunch and went to work. I had so much energy you wouldn’t believe it.
Around 10am, I started to feel hunger creep in so I drank the rest of my juice from this morning (it really was amazing).
Around 2pm, I began envisioning batata harra from my favorite Lebanese restaurant. That was a sign it was time for juice. I drank a combination of apples, carrot, celery, mixed greens (I used spinach and parsley), cucumber, broccoli stem, beetroot, zucchini, lemon and ginger. I figured I would hate it because all green juices taste like grass and who puts that many things into one drink? But holy deliciousness, it was awesome. It was actually sweet.
I had another juice at 5pm that was basically a mix and match of the first two juices, and ended my day with a lemon, ginger and apple concoction.
Before bed, Vale suggests juicing apples then drinking them warm with cinnamon. It’s like I’m drinking an apple pie. I survived day one and I’m heading to bed feeling light and refreshed. So far, so good.
Until tomorrow… Day 2 awaits.
WE SAID THIS: Stay tuned for day 2 of Cherine’s juice fast!