Do you want more control over your health and want to enjoy a healthier lifestyle? Juice cleansing may be the best option for you. It can feel overwhelming to adopt a healthy lifestyle when you're surrounded by unsolicited advice by friends, family, and health gurus online.
Juice cleansing is a unique way to begin your new lifestyle at a pace that you set for yourself. It also helps that it's delicious!
Read on to learn the top five juice cleanse mistakes beginners often make and how you can avoid them!
1. Not Pre-Cleansing
If you're a beginner to juice cleanses, it's important that you're realistic about what you can handle when you first start out. Think about some of the reasons why you've decided to try juice cleansing.
You probably want a healthier lifestyle that helps you feel energized, fit, and happy. With this in mind, an effective juice cleanse is all about the pre-cleanse preparation. For at least two weeks before juice cleansing, try and eliminate as many processed foods from your diet as possible, and don't forget coffee and alcohol.
Not only is this a gentler way to introduce your body to a healthier diet, but you'll have a much easier time adjusting to life after your cleanse. During those two weeks, you'll have time to find healthier options for processed foods and snacks that you normally crave.
2. All or Nothing
Another mistake beginners often make is adopting an "all or nothing" mindset when it comes to their juice cleanse. They prepare their juice and drink it for all three meals and then wonder why they're feeling fatigued or craving burgers after the end of one week!
Although this is possible for some people, a gentle approach is often better and easier to adopt. Replace just one of your meals each day for a week with juice. Then, replace two of your meals. Then, for three days in a row, you can drink nothing but juice.
Three days is often recommended because any longer and you'll be denying your body essential nutrients such as fiber, fat, and protein. Many people are tempted to juice cleanse for longer in order to lose weight, but the weight you'll be dropping is temporary water weight. This comes back naturally and, even worse, you'll be tempted to binge.
3. Not Drinking Water
If you're replacing one of your meals with juice or doing a three-day juice cleanse, it's easy to forget to hydrate. Although fruits and veggies contain lots of water, this still isn't an excuse not to drink water throughout the day. Staying hydrated can help suppress hunger and also includes benefits such as:
- Preventing headaches
- Boosts energy levels and brain function
- Relieve constipation
- Increases satiety
- Boosts your metabolic rate
If you don't like the taste of water or find it hard to remember, purchase a big, insulated tumbler that can keep your water cold and close at hand at all times. You can also mix your water with fruit such as berries or lemons to improve the taste.
You'll know you're drinking enough water if your urine is pale or clear.
4. Not Varying Ingredients
Juice cleanses seem fun at first, but if you're using the same juice cleanse ingredients multiple times a day and for several days at a time, you're going to get tired of it even faster. Even more important, your body requires multiple kinds of nutrients in order to function its best.
Prepare a variety of fruits and vegetables so that you're not getting tired of the taste, and you're getting the nutrients you need. Here are some ideas for fruits:
- Apples
- Bananas
- Pineapple
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Oranges
- Lemons
- Cantaloupes
Here are some vegetable ideas:
- Cucumbers
- Celery
- Carrots
- Beets
- Kale
Remember that if drinking your vegetables seems unappetizing, the fruits in the list above help sweeten your juices and make them far more palatable.
If you feel overwhelmed by the number of choices, remember that the colors of vegetables and fruits give you an idea of their nutrients. To make it simple, focus on using vegetables and fruits with a variety of different colors.
5. Stay Active
Since juice cleansing is often a precursor to invite a healthier lifestyle, it's important that you're staying after before, during, and after your cleanse. A juice cleanse isn't a cure-all and shouldn't be a replacement for an active lifestyle. Find a workout that's fun for you and doesn't feel like work.
However, if you're juice fasting for three days or longer, you'll want to make sure to dial back on your daily workouts. This is because your body is adjusting to the new diet. It's important that you go easy on yourself and pay attention to your body so that you don't risk fainting or passing out.
Knowing Juice Cleanse Mistakes for a Successful Cleanse
Now that you know the five most common juice cleanse mistakes, you can start your juice cleanse with confidence. The important part is to listen to your body at all times and go easy on yourself, especially if this is your first cleanse.
Instead of immediately starting a three-day cleanse, remember to pre-cleanse by eliminating processed foods from your diet and replacing them with healthier alternatives. Stay hydrated throughout your cleanse and have a plan in place when you're finished.
Last but not least, keep your goals realistic! A juice cleanse isn't a cure-all or a way to drop weight fast. Think of it as a way to get in the groove again and inviting a healthier lifestyle into your life.
Ready to begin your healthier lifestyle? Check out our 100% natural juice fasts today!
