5 Day Juice Cleanse: The Aftermath

My husband and I successfully completed a 5 day juice cleanse.

I remember less than 1 year ago being incredibly intimidated and afraid of drinking only juice, for only 1 day. Once I realized I could do that, I attempted 2 days, and eventually 3. I am definitely someone who relies HEAVILY on food for comfort and security. I think I “need” to eat at certain times a day, even when I am not hungry.

If someone had told me 1 year ago that I would do a 5 day juice cleanse, I would not have believed them. I would say that I could NEVER do something like that.

It has been one of my favorite things about these cleanses, to test myself to new limits and challenge my beliefs of what I think I “need” to do.

I am definitely not disputing that I need to eat, however, I do not think I probably need to eat as much, or as often, as I normally do. This cleanse really made me examine how much I need to thrive and how much I am overindulging.

It has been three days now since I finished the cleanse, and things that I have noticed are:

• My digestion has improved and is much more efficient.
• My skin feels softer and looks brighter.
• On Days 4 & 5, and even now, I feel happier and more at peace, for no real reason. I feel a new sense of calm, when other circumstances have stayed the same.
• My palette feels like it has been reset and I can taste food the way I am supposed to taste it.
• I get fuller so much faster. My portion sizes have been smaller and I really, really hope to continue to eat the portions I am supposed to.
• I lost 5 pounds. My husband lost 8.
• I tried to do yoga on Days 4 & 5, but I got pretty light headed in downward dogs and inversions. However, since starting to eat again, yoga has been so much easier and more fluid.

I did not ease out of the cleanse like I should have. The whole 5 days, I was really craving a sandwich, and my husband’s big craving was potato salad.

Saturday morning, we went to the store and bought sandwich fixings (lettuce, avocado, tomato and tempeh bacon), vegan potato salad and chips with dip. I got full pretty quickly.

 It probably was not the ideal way to ease out of cleansing, but it was THE best tasting meal. I ate pretty light the rest of the day.

I am extremely happy I did the cleanse and feel it was a great way to start off my year.

I learned I need to control my portions more and be more attuned with my body and what it actually needs. Just because I may want to eat cookie butter straight out of the jar and swig wine like a pirate from the bottle, by no means makes it a necessity. I need to really think of food as nutrients and energy, not happiness and fun.

Please let me know if you have any questions about the cleanse! I am happy to share my experience.