Time for me to be honest. As much as I tried to stay healthy and fit during the last few weeks (* cough * months) of my pregnancy, I did let things go a little off the rails at the end. Part of it was getting caught up with work and Derby madness but most of it was just surrendering to being big and lazy. So yeah, I indulged in a few more desserts than necessary and abandoned my Fitbit – no reminders of my lack of steps needed, thank you very much.

But now that I’m a couple weeks on the other side of things, I knew it was time for me to get my act together. Cue charging up my Fitbit, dusting off my treadmill and cleaning out my refrigerator. Obviously that last one was the most painful. So long sweet treats, hello fruits and veggies.

Despite all of that, I knew I needed a little jump start to get both my mind and body right. Basically, I needed to hit the restart button and so, I called The Weekly Juicery. This girl needed a cleanse.

The last time I did a cleanse was last fall, right before I found out I was pregnant. I did it when I was feeling healthy and fit so a two-day cleanse fit nicely in my routine. This time I knew it would be a little more challenging but ultimately, worth it.

If you’ve never been – The Weekly Juicery is a Kentucky-based juice bar with locations in Louisville, Lexington and Cincinnati. You can also find them in a couple Heine Brothers locations here in Louisville. And while they love a good cleanse, it’s more than that. They’ve got juices you can grab individually as well as smoothies, raw food and the oh-so-hot right now acai bowls. Plus they are in the final stages of being USDA Certified Organic (which is big time) and they’ve added a bunch of new goodies to the menu like Mexican Cauliflower Rice with Avocado Cream, Summer Kale Salad with Sesame Wasabi Dressing and Spicy Tahini Sauce, and a Garbanzo Dip with Seasonal Veggies.

But back to the cleanse, this time I did a three-day (!!!) fusion cleanse which is basically one day of each of their cleanses. The first is a mix of juices and raw foods, the second is a mix of both green and fruit/veggie juices (basically the colorful ones) and the last day is all green juice all the time (with the exception of a spicy lemonade to kick-off the day and a nut milk to end things).

It was definitely a challenge but after three days I’m feeling refreshed, energized and healthier. I snapped the whole thing, so if you follow me there you probably saw the highs and lows but I thought I’d put together five tips/takeaways from my cleanse, in case you’re considering giving one a try.

Oh and if you are thinking about trying it, now is a good time. The Weekly Juicery is doing their seasonal community cleanse next week and offering 20% off all cleanses. If you take the plunge, be sure to let them know I sent you!

Five Tips to Make the Most of a Juice Cleanse 

• Pick the right time. For me, it’s really hard to do a cleanse over the weekend when there’s a lot more temptation to eat and drink. I like to pick a couple days in the middle of the week when I know I can avoid eating out or grabbing a cocktail. For others, picking a weekend might be easier if you’re planning on doing a cleanse with your significant other or if you just want a good excuse to lay low.
• Prepare. You’re probably thinking, ‘Okay Captain Obvious’ but I don’t mean plan on picking up your juices. For me, I like to get rid of sweets right before a cleanse, just so I’m not tempted every time I walk into the kitchen. I also like to eat a little lighter the day before starting so it’s easier to ease into the cleanse.
• Drink Lots of Water. Grab a water bottle and keep those fluids flowing throughout the day. It can be hard to do this when you’re thinking about finishing the next juice but having water in between juices helps you feel less hungry and wards off headaches. I tend to get a headache on the second day but drinking lots of water usually helps avoid this.
• Cancel that High Intensity Work Out Class. If you’re big into working out, you’ll probably want to take a day or two off while cleansing. Since you’re not eating as much, it can make working out tough and extremely tiring. I’ve tried it before and the class was a giant waste. I felt tired and sluggish in the class and didn’t get the benefit I wanted out of it. Instead, go for a light jog or long walk, do yoga or pilates.
• Keep an emergency, healthy snack on hand. I know you’re supposed to stay the course and just stick with the juices but that can be tough at times. I like to keep almonds on hand for those moments when I need a little something. And on day three, I had a banana in the morning just to give me a little bit of extra energy.

I know a lot of people like doing cleanses to jump start weight loss but I wouldn’t recommend it for that. While I am down a few pounds, once you start eating again – you’ll more than likely gain it back. It’s more about feeling good and clean eating. It also really helps with eliminating bloat – so if you’re about to have a big event that you want to look good (and more importantly, feel good) it might be worth doing a cleanse before. More than anything it’s a great way to get started on positive eating habits or just to reset your system (after a long weekend, indulgent trip, you get the idea).

If you have any questions about the cleanse, leave them in the comments and I’ll be sure to answer!!