5 LESSONS LEARNED FROM MY #JUICECLEANSE WITH URBAN JUICE PRESS + 3 BONUS TIPS IF YOU JUICE CLEANSE

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TOP 5 UNEXPECTED LESSONS LEARNED FROM MY JUICE CLEANSE CHALLENGE WITH URBAN JUICE PRESS 

PLUS… 3 BONUS TIPS TO PREPARE FOR YOUR OWN #JUICECLEANSE AND DETOX JOURNEY

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117 LBS

I stared at those numbers as I moved the lever up and down. It doesn’t budge.

Oh, that’s gotta be because I have my work clothes on! Duh! So I removed my high heels, I take off my probably too heavy summer sheath and unclasped my men’s watch. You know how men’s watch are significantly larger and heavier than dainty women’s watches. That’s gotta be it!

I got on the huge ancient, metal structure after re-adjusting the steel cold bars for the 50th time. Holding my breath a little and with renewed hope and enthusiasm, I hopped on again. Not on one of those modern, digital weight scale but that ancient, massive metal contraption that measures your height and weight. The one where you move left and right two square metal bars to find the perfect balance that determines your exact weight – the old school way!

It’s still 117 lbs.

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In all honesty, I had no idea what my actual weight is. What I do know is that I can fluctuate from 100 lbs. to 110 lbs. and that’s been fine with me. I don’t weigh myself, I don’t measure myself and the only yardstick I use to determine if I’m fit or not is the way my clothes fit. I have a pretty uniform size label on most of my clothes. I’ve been that size for years and I’m hoping it will stay that forever.

A girl can dream, non?

The number one reason I hope to keep within that size range, aside from health and wellness reason of course, is economics. I cannot afford to buy an entirely new wardrobe if I gain weight or if I need a bigger size. In addition to that, I know exactly when things have gone awry even though I don’t know precisely how many pounds I’ve gained… I know I have over indulged when my pants have some trouble zipping up. I know I’ve skipped the gym one too many times when my shorts won’t even go past my thighs!

*True Story*

urban_juice_press_elgin_street#JUICECLEANSE CHALLENGE is provided by URBAN JUICE PRESS
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 This summer has been particularly challenging! Though I generally do not eat terribly, the media event here and the store opening there, coupled with a number of restaurant tastings everywhere leads to a not so physically fit feeling overall.

So, when the 5-day Juice Cleanse with Urban Juice Press opportunity came up, I jumped right in and dove deep into the world of juice cleansing. With jump, I meant I skidded while kicking and screaming. I’m kidding.

justin_gauthier_urban_juice_pressFounder and President of Ottawa-based URBAN JUICE PRESS
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5-DAY #JUICECLEANSE URBAN JUICE PRESS

What I’m not kidding about though is that I did an extensive research on not just the concept of juice cleanse but also looked into Ottawa’s Urban Juice Press. Founded by Justin Gauthier, Urban Juice Press began with his own health journey of finding an alternative path of healing his autoimmune disorder. He suffered from Crohn’s Disease, where the immune system attacks the colon causing ulcers and open wounds to destroy the colon’s lining. He found juicing as an effective healing therapy instead of the cocktail of medications he’s been prescribed by doctors. You can read more about Justin’s journey here.

With all that in mind, I made the decision and the commitment to give the 5-DAY #JUICECLEANSE with Urban Juice Press a solid try. Though there are 2-day, 3-day, & 5-day options available, I opted for the Big Kahuna. 5 days baby! I can’t say it was easy. Though I can definitely say it’s delicious! Each of the juices that was part of the Intermediate Juice Cleanse  per day: 1 Happy Rabbit, 1 GI Juice, 3 Immune Supercharge, 1 Skin Tonic, 2 Greens 101, 1 Turmeric Ave., 1 Greens 201 (All bottles 250 mL) was truly fresh and enjoyable!

juice_cleanseTwo of my favourite juices: Immune Supercharge and Greens 101
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Well, except the Greens 201. Though it’s probably the most nutritious, it was definitely the hardest juice for me to drink but even after having said that, Greens 201 is tasty as you can distinctively savour each of the organic ingredient in the juice! With each Urban Juice Press juice, you can really taste the richness of the beet, the sweetness of the apple, the creaminess of the carrot and feel the ginger-ness of the ginger!

For 5 days, I consumed no solid foods, I drank 10 Urban Juice Press juices and here’s what I learned from this #JuiceCleanse journey. Fair warning: it’s a long post. It’s probably the longest I’ve written since we’ve launched this blog 5 years ago (it is the LONGEST, I just checked!) but trust me, it’s worth the read for you!

20YS_urban_juice_press Immune Supercharge and Skin Tonic go to the movies!
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 So, if you’ve been thinking about doing a #JuiceCleanse, here’s what you need to know about it. The good, the bad, and the Ugly!

I’ll even tell you the ANSWER to the QUESTION, will I lose weight during a juice cleanse?

Read on my friends and find out!

HERE ARE THE TOP 5 UNEXPECTED LESSONS I LEARNED FROM MY #JUICECLEANSE CHALLENGE WITH URBAN JUICE PRESS 

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1. LEARN TO BE MENTALLY STRONG: IT’S MENTAL MORE THAN PHYSICAL

More than the physical challenge, it’s all about mental strength. Once you commit to your juice cleanse, you are in for quite a struggle mentally as your mind tends to travel from cravings to cravings. Your mind will go through endless excuses of why you don’t reaaaally have to finish all your juices or that you can have that little snack, no one would know. And you may be right, no one would know.

But you do!

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2. LEARN TO LIVE WITH DISCOMFORT: WHEN YOU STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE, YOU GET UNCOMFORTABLE AND IT’S A GOOD THING

While Day 1 flew by swimmingly, well swimmingly as in I was bobbing up and down the water gasping for air! Alright, it wasn’t that dramatic but Day 1 proved to be far easier than Day 2. I had the most wicked headache on Day 2 and my stomach was grumbling. I felt a bit lightheaded a few times during the day and it was discomforting.

But life is not always comfortable. Why should we expect juicing to feel like a snuggly warm blanket? Juice Cleansing is taking you out of your comfort zone and when you are in that zone, when you are (metaphorically) thrown into the fire, wonderful things can possibly happen and you can transform your life!

Now, isn’t that something worth giving up 5 days of solid foods for? 

Oh yes, it is!

urban_juice_press_skin_201URBAN JUICE PRESS offers 2-days, 3-days, 5-days #JuiceCleanse
Visit Urban Juice Press here to find out which Juice Cleanse is best for you.

3. LEARN TO LISTEN TO YOUR BODY: YOU’RE NOT REALLY HUNGRY, YOU JUST REALLY WANT TO EAT (LIKE REALLY, REALLY WANT TO EAT!)

Each of the Urban Juice Press Juice is made of pounds and pounds (2 LBS. approximately) of goodness. Justin and his staff of caring and passionate individuals passionate about bringing you the freshest, most delicious cold pressed juices made with ingredients that are organic and locally sourced. This not just farm to table but more of a farm to nutrition delivered straight to your body more efficiently!

Depending on which flavour you get really freshly cold pressed vegetables such as beet, cucumber, carrots and kale and naturally sweet tasting fruits such as apple, lemon and pineapple. Physiologically, a regular intake of 250 ml bottle in a 1.5-2 hour interval is enough to keep you satiated all day and all night long.

Trust me when I say this, YOU WILL NEVER REALLY GET HUNGRY.

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What you will however get is this undeniable truth in any case of deprivation… You will crave for what you don’t have. You don’t really have to eat, remember you are completely nourished with each Urban Juice Press juice, but you just really, really want to eat.

Why?

Because of many, many reasons… One of them is habit. We are used to eating 3-5 square meals a day. We have daily routines such as grabbing coffee at 8:00 in the morning, having a snack at 10:00 am and taking a lunch break at noon.

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Two, eating (in most if not all cultures) is a social thing. You don’t just eat to fill a need or to satiate hunger but we eat to spend time with friends and family, to forge a deeper bond with those around us. And doing a #JuiceCleanse is a solitary endeavour, not a group activity. (Though I’m sure you can agree to take on the #JuiceCleanse Challenge with your friends… now, that’s an idea!)

Three, it’s simply because we are told that we can’t eat so what do we do? We CANNOT stop thinking about eating. So for almost every minute, this is what goes through your head… I really, really, really want to eat.

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Juice Cleanse are available in: Beginner | Intermediate | Advanced | Levels

Well guess what? Listen to your body because… You really, really, really don’t have to.

You are full.

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4. LEARN TO IGNORE THE HATERS AND THE DETRACTORS: THERE WILL BE A LOT OF THEM

First of all, let me be the first to admit that I made a mistake.

I made a mistake of thinking that if I do this during the work week, it will be easier than doing it on the weekend with all the possibilities of going out and going away! What I didn’t take into account is all of my other social commitments and work commitments with Twenty York Street! OH MY GOD… why is that when you choose to do some 5-day juicing, the universe also decides… hmmnn… this is the week that I am going to fill the calendar with endless store openings, menu tastings and fashion shows, etc.

On top of that, we have family and friends visiting from overseas, which means, breakfast, lunch, dinner and even picnic out EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. I once had to pack my Urban Juice Press in a mini cooler and laid it down on a picnic blanket at the Aylmer Beach Club as my family arranged their beautifully grilled chicken and steak alongside their side orders of salad and rice and fries! Did I mention fries?

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At many times during this juice cleanse, I have been teased and tempted into eating something because as they said, No ONE needs to know. I’ll know. There were  haters and detractors who took the time and energy to passionately tell me that juice cleanse, juicing, cleansing, detoxing and all that mambo jumbo is nothing but hocus pocus.

And when my brother-in-law made this wonderfully delicious comfort food of beef and vegetable stew that’s been simmering for hours and offers you a steaming bowl of chunky, bony beef with cooked in potatoes, carrots and cabbage, you want to beat him with your empty bottle of Urban Juice Press! (I did say empty!)

So, ignore the haters, the detractors and the tempters… they are everywhere! Better yet, send them to www.urbanjuicepress.com so they can try it themselves. Don’t hate it till you’ve tried it!

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5. LEARN TO HAVE COMMITMENT AND FORTITUDE: DO NOT GIVE UP, THE END IS NEAR

Juicing is not for everyone. So is doing a marathon or finishing an Iron Man. It’s a physical activity that takes a toll on your mentally, emotionally and psychologically. Some breeze right through it while others struggle. There are people who’s done it for 30 days, 45 days even and there are those who can’t even get through the day. If you do plan of doing a #JuiceCleanse with Urban Juice Press, I believe you need to be prepare both mentally and physically.

In addition to that, you must also have the commitment and the fortitude to push through and follow through. Sometimes, it is hard work and that’s okay because anything worthwhile in life is worth working hard for, isn’t it?

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Just when you think you can’t go on, you miss food to much, you really want to eat something, DO NOT GIVE UP. Indeed the end is near. The truth of the matter is…. just when you stare longingly at those buttery croissants with their flaky crusts and moist centre thinking they are God’s gift to mankind (well, sort of… along with cheeses and jam and wine I suppose… see how easy to get distracted when you don’t have your mouth full with something to much on and chew on?) and you just can’t wait to sink your teeth into them, you can.

Have the commitment and fortitude to complete your juice cleanse as all these mouth watering food will be there when you are done with your #JuiceCleanse and guess what? After completing your Urban Juice Press, whether you choose a 2-day, 3-day or 5-day juice cleanse, you’ll have a deeper appreciation for food and you will make more conscious choice of eating healthier and more nutritious food.

I certainly did. 

20YS_urban_juice_press_ottawaFor pick up: 340 Parkdale, unit B (on Spencer between Hamilton and Parkdale)
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At the end of 5 days, I thought about food in a more profound way and not just another box I need to check in my daily to-do list. I drank more water than I ever did and consequently, I made trips to the bathroom a hundred times more usual, which is nothing but a good thing. Even though I did not have that much energy towards the end of it, I chose to continue with light work-outs such as walking instead of running and practicing Yoga instead of lifting weights. I slept earlier than my usual 2:00 am bed time. I was more present. I put my phone away and I slowed down.

Unfortunately, I broke out instead of having my skin magically clear up and just glow. But I realized that it’s part of the detoxification process. It may be a cliché but what they say is true – it gets worst before it gets better. What you do have to remember is this: juice cleanse affects everybody in a different way. While one person can wake up with boundless energy, someone else may feel weak and tired. We all react diversely to different stimuli. Which brings me to the BIGGEST QUESTION about juicing / cleansing… Did I lose weight during my juice cleanse with Urban Juice Press?

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Yes, I did.

In fact, when I stepped back on that age old weighing scale, I registered at 114.5 lbs. That’s losing 2 and a half pounds. Conveniently, that comes up to losing half a pound a day. Would it last long? We will see.

But what I know for sure is that it’s a great jump start to a healthier and more physically fit future. Doing the Juice Cleanse Challenge with Urban Juice Press has brought about many positive changes and I’m SO glad that I’ve done it. If you’ve been thinking about juicing or doing a juice cleanse, read on our tips for your below:

urban_juice_press_immuneAll pre-ordered juices, smoothies & nut-milks are made on the day of pick-up or delivery
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If you’re looking to take a more health-conscious approach to your and your family’s health and wellness, try a Juice Cleanse with Urban Juice Press. It’s a great way to jump start or restart your health and wellness journey. If you are going to do anything longer than a day, here’s our BONUS TIPS ON JUICE CLEANSING:

urban_juice_press_gift_cardYou can also give the gift of health. Pick up URBAN JUICE PRESS Gift Cards today!

BONUS TIP #1: PRE-CLEANSE AND POST-CLEANSE ALSO MATTER

I thought I’d stuff myself the night before with steak and seafood and a healthy serving of wine and cheese. I was binge eating like I was preparing for a winter famine. I realized painfully that was a wrong approach. You should ease your body into the cleanse and you should also ease out of it gently and with tender loving care. Urban Juice Press has a great FAQ section on their website to give you some guidelines. Your pick-up or delivery also comes with a Info Sheet on what to do during your cleanse as well as instructions on how many and which juices to consume each day.

During pre and post cleanse, try to avoid meat, dairy and foods that are heavy and hard to digest. Prepare your body physically, mentally and psychologically for your cleanse and you’ll be in a much better shape to get through this challenge!

urban_juice_press_common_eateryFor pick-up: Urban Juice Press Pop-up Shop at 380 Elgin in The Common Eatery 
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BONUS TIP #2: BY FAILING TO PREPARE, YOU ARE PREPARING TO FAIL

One of my biggest questions to Justin was… is it better to do a Juice Cleanse on a weekday or a weekend? Though it would depend on your social and work calendar, I find that generally, doing it during the work day is better, especially during the summer. There’s less temptation to go to brunch or head to Dairy Queen during the week day. You just have to prepare properly. Every day for 5 days, I brought about 6-8 bottles of Urban Juice Press. I carried them in a durable plastic purse that I’ve re-purposed into my mini cooler. As we had so many family gatherings and dining out after work, I brought my juices with me to the boardroom, to meetings, to the beach, to the picnic table, to the restaurant and yes, while the gang was having a HUGE bag of popcorn and a equally HUGE glass of pop, I brought my Urban Juice Press to the movies!

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BONUS TIP #3: IT’S NOT A ZERO SUM GAME

One of my greatest fear in doing the Urban Juice Press #JuiceCleanse #Challenge is that I may not be able to finish it. That I will not have the mental strength and the fortitude to last all of 5 days and if I cheat a lot or even a little, all is lost and what’s the point?

I was afraid to fail.

But you shouldn’t. Even if you cheated, even if you couldn’t finish the whole cleanse, you’ve still done something good for your body and mind.

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The most pressing question people asked me, aside from will I lose weight, is – Sooooo… I can’t eat anything? To be honest, it is up to you. Although it is highly recommended that you avoid solid foods during your juice cleanse, you can of course eat if your body is really telling you to. Drinking fresh cold pressed juices in abundance each day will still have strong positive overall effects on your body. If you ate something during your cleanse, it does not mean your entire cleanse is wasted. It is recommended that if you are a beginner, you may feel as though you’ll need to eat some whole foods so consider staring out with Urban Juice Press’ more gentle cleanse. They actually have a Beginners, Intermediate and Advance levels of Juice Cleanse.

UrbanJuicePress Contact Urban Juice Press at 613-694-beet (2338) / hello@urbanjuicepress.ca

Are you ready for your own #JuiceCleanse?

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