I am sure that we all have that one friend (who will remain nameless, Rachel) who walks around in lulu Lemon leggings and a soul cycle t-shirt, with her face beaded with perspiration from this morning’s “spin” (a millennial term for straddling a stationary bike in a dimly-lit room with a Native American pan flute CD undulating in the background.) Well, we get it. You had fun at your cycling class. We also, for the 10th time, are excited that you feel so rejuvenated after your third day of your juice cleanse. I’m sorry for asking -no, I’m not-, but what harmful toxins are you hoping to remove?
For those who do not know, as this CNN article and experts resoundingly agree, you are better off if you don’t hop on the juice train.
There is no reason that your body needs to go on a juice cleanse:
For the people sitting in the back, there is no reason that your body needs to go on a juice cleanse. If only all of our food woes could be solved by throwing a bunch of kale, carrots, broccoli, and pineapple into a blender and drinking routinely for three days. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Yes, while a juice cleanse or predominately liquid diet can help relieve us of that post-pig-out bloat, this slim euphoria is simply your body dispelling water weight, and it is tantalizingly temporary. Just because you ate a slice of cake or an extra rack of ribs at the backyard barbecue does not mean that you are a food addict. You are not a floundering sugar junkie who’s only path forward is by drinking kale juice for three-days. You are just human. We all do it. Juice is not your methadone, nor is food your kryptonite.
Are you really getting all of the nutrients that you need?
As our program outlines, the importance of fat and protein cannot be understated. Protein helps to ignite the metabolism to ultimately lower your body fat when combined with mindful exercise. When you embark on a three-day juice cleanse, you deprive your body of fat and protein and replace it with broken-down fruits and vegetables. You may be eating “healthy” carbs when you cleanse, but you are not indulging on the healthful fats and proteins that your metabolism needs to survive.
If you are really so committed to using that clunkily-expensive juicer, we suggest drinking mindfully as a snack, or as an accompaniment to breakfast, lunch or dinner, not as a complete meal replacement.
06/14/2016
