Battle Of The New Year's Cleanses!
We've spent the past month and a half indulging on decadent sweets, calorie-laden libations, and fatty foods galore. And that was all good fun. But as a result, we all feel weighed down and sluggish, right about now. Time for a total body reboot! To start the new year off on the right (read: skinny) foot, we had our editors undergo a diet detox. From pricey juice cleanses to a DIY option, read their cleanse diaries to get the down and dirty details on what it's really like to be on a detox cleanse.
Megan McIntyre, Senior Beauty Editor
BluePrintCleanse
"There's an almost masochistic sense of pride that comes from the deprivation involved with this particular cleanse. BluePrint is a juice-only fast — you aren't allowed any solid food while you're on it. The concept behind it is that it gives your overworked digestive system a breather from breaking down hard-to-digest foods, which in turn will help you feel more energetic, healthier, and, yes, lighter. The cleanse is divided into three levels, each a bit more hardcore than the last. Not wanting to half-ass it, I went for the most intense level — Excavation. My cleanse consisted of 6 juices: four green veggie juices, a spicy lemonade, and a protein-rich cashew nut milk.
In the lead-up to your cleanse, BluePrint recommends you start weaning yourself off of meat, dairy, sugar, alcohol, and caffeine in order to make your transition easier. This is definitely a key step — don't skip it or you will feel miserable. At the start of the first day, I was so excited to open each numbered bottle and guzzle it down. That joy quickly turned to dread over the next few days. The juices themselves all taste great; the issue is that there isn't a lot of flavor variety, so I found myself obsessively craving savory foods. It doesn't help that your sense of smell becomes really enhanced — every day on my way to work I walk by an artisan pizza place and the smell of baking pepperoni and cheese nearly killed me with desire.
Up until recently, BluePrint juices were not organic, but as of this year the brand has switched over to using 100% organic fruits and veggies in their fresh-pressed formulas. They are currently in the process of becoming a certified organic brand, which is important to note for those people striving to stick to a toxin-free diet.
Some unpleasant side effects you can look forward to are headaches, hunger pains, making frequent mad dashes to the loo, and an overwhelming rage toward anyone who eats within a 20-yard radius of you.
By day three, I definitely noticed a difference in my health: I slept way better, my skin had a glow, my aches and pains seemed lessened, and, most importantly, I lost almost ten pounds. Of course, it was all water weight, but I only gained back half of it, which was a definite win in my book, especially after spending the last few weeks feeling bloated and uncomfortable from all that holiday gorging.
So, was it worth all the agony in the end? Yes and no: I felt awesome when all was said and done, but for the cost of the program ($195), I don't see this as something I could keep up with regularly. It's definitely a smart choice right before a big event, on an occasion when you need to look extra-svelte, or just to make you feel better after a guilt-inducing week (or month) of gluttony. But for me, it's probably not a way of life."
BluePrint Cleanse 3-Day Excavation, $195, available at BluePrint Cleanse.
Megan McIntyre, Senior Beauty Editor
BluePrintCleanse
"There's an almost masochistic sense of pride that comes from the deprivation involved with this particular cleanse. BluePrint is a juice-only fast — you aren't allowed any solid food while you're on it. The concept behind it is that it gives your overworked digestive system a breather from breaking down hard-to-digest foods, which in turn will help you feel more energetic, healthier, and, yes, lighter. The cleanse is divided into three levels, each a bit more hardcore than the last. Not wanting to half-ass it, I went for the most intense level — Excavation. My cleanse consisted of 6 juices: four green veggie juices, a spicy lemonade, and a protein-rich cashew nut milk.
In the lead-up to your cleanse, BluePrint recommends you start weaning yourself off of meat, dairy, sugar, alcohol, and caffeine in order to make your transition easier. This is definitely a key step — don't skip it or you will feel miserable. At the start of the first day, I was so excited to open each numbered bottle and guzzle it down. That joy quickly turned to dread over the next few days. The juices themselves all taste great; the issue is that there isn't a lot of flavor variety, so I found myself obsessively craving savory foods. It doesn't help that your sense of smell becomes really enhanced — every day on my way to work I walk by an artisan pizza place and the smell of baking pepperoni and cheese nearly killed me with desire.
Up until recently, BluePrint juices were not organic, but as of this year the brand has switched over to using 100% organic fruits and veggies in their fresh-pressed formulas. They are currently in the process of becoming a certified organic brand, which is important to note for those people striving to stick to a toxin-free diet.
Some unpleasant side effects you can look forward to are headaches, hunger pains, making frequent mad dashes to the loo, and an overwhelming rage toward anyone who eats within a 20-yard radius of you.
By day three, I definitely noticed a difference in my health: I slept way better, my skin had a glow, my aches and pains seemed lessened, and, most importantly, I lost almost ten pounds. Of course, it was all water weight, but I only gained back half of it, which was a definite win in my book, especially after spending the last few weeks feeling bloated and uncomfortable from all that holiday gorging.
So, was it worth all the agony in the end? Yes and no: I felt awesome when all was said and done, but for the cost of the program ($195), I don't see this as something I could keep up with regularly. It's definitely a smart choice right before a big event, on an occasion when you need to look extra-svelte, or just to make you feel better after a guilt-inducing week (or month) of gluttony. But for me, it's probably not a way of life."
BluePrint Cleanse 3-Day Excavation, $195, available at BluePrint Cleanse.
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