FITNESS : SO FRESH, SO CLEAN

SAMANTHA SALIS

Juice Cleanse Time! 

When I say time? I say it because juice cleansing can be an investment of both your time and energy. Nonetheless, good changes "don't come easy." And, if you are going to invest time and effort in getting a good education, why not do the same for your health, right?

Yes, the process was difficult (as it always is to have discipline and self control). But, don't stop reading quite yet, because having undergone the process as your honorary “guinea pig” (you're welcome), I highly recommend it. It will be particularly helpful for those of you looking to get a jump-start on your pre-summer-sexy-and-i-know-it beach bodies.

The juice cleanse that I chose is from a local vendor in Newport Beach, Nektar Juice Bar. If you do not live close to a such a juice bar, there are plenty of online vendors that will deliver straight to your doorstep. There are even easily accessible online recipes that will show you how to blend them at home (for instance, see http://myjuicecleanse.com/category/juicer-recipes/).

So here is how it goes. All juice. No food. No caffeine. The cleanse is purchased per day; more advanced cleanses can range from 3 to 5 days. Each day consists of 6 juices, which all are blended on the spot at Nektar or by you. All the juices combined range somewhere from 1300 to 1600 calories. 


No, this is not anything like your average cup of fruit juice. All together, the 6 juice drinks contain 15 pounds of fresh fruits and veggies. No additives. No preservatives. Just pure fruits and vegetables.

Those who know me decently also know that I enjoy coffee. Those who know me well know that I am actually addicted to it-- aren't most of us anyway these days? The lack of caffeine during the cleansing process is what hit me the hardest. 99 problems and hunger wasn't one; to my surprise, the juices were quite filling. Regardless, by night time, I did not quite salivate at the thought of a concoction consisting of apple, spinach, parsley, lemon, and ginger... 

So did I magically transform after one day? Of course not. I did notice a slight difference in my mid section. Even more powerful than the slight physical difference was how great my body felt. In a way, it was like the 15 pounds of fruits and vegetables were what my body had actually desired. Although I do consume my fruits and vegetables, in times that are stressful and busy, I do not eat nearly enough. Days after finishing the cleanse, I felt no inclination to consume highly sweetened and processed foods. I felt a lot more satisfied by natural, nutrient enriched foods.

If you have a balanced diet already, this is probably not necessary. But for those of you who are looking to change your eating habits, I would take advantage of an opportunity like this one if you have the resources. You can do anything for one day.... just please, choose a day where you know you can relax and take it easy.  

The Woman Behind the Fitness Section:

Samantha Salis is a Psychology Major and Political Economy Minor at UC Berkeley. She is a dedicated young woman, ambitious and sharp as a whip. Our dear Samantha tutors high schoolers and works at a Psychology lab at UC Berkeley. Even with this busy schedule, Ms. Salis creates the time to divulge to us her passion about the fitness and health of women, and is (fortunately for us) very well informed on these topics. Enjoy!