Fitness | The Truth about Detoxing

So there's been a lot of talk going around about detoxing, or some juice cleanses. But what's the truth? Does it really work? And what's it like to spend days only imbibing juices? 

Here's the skinny: 

• Cons:
• Cleanses are a bit pricey. If you're in a pinch, then now might not be the best time to splurge on buying the components to a cleanse. On average they can cost anywhere from $45 per day to $75 per day. Instead you might want to consider produce from a local farmer's market and try juicing yourself. 
• Bottled juice cleanses have a ton of sugar in them, according toEveryday Health,. Although fresh fruit juice is natural, it will still send your energy levels soaring. This is why most people on a juice cleanse tend to crash in the late afternoon. Having a protein drink will help regulate your blood sugar, but it is still not healthy to have this much sugar.
• Working out is difficult. It's difficult to get your cardio fix because of the energy is just not there. It's also difficult to get back into regular workout routine after the cleanse, because of the lack of strength. 
• Cleansing is not a solution for long-term weight loss. If you are looking to shed a few pounds permanently, then a juice cleanse is not the answer. Drinking juice all day might help you to loose some water weight, according to The Huffington Post, but you might gain those pounds back post-cleanse when your body starts retaining calories from solid food again. 

• Pros:
• You will definitely feel hydrated!  Most people when not drinking their cleanse, are guzzling the good stuff -- being water! Make it a goal to finish a 1.5 liter bottle of water each day in order to feel full and flush out any extra toxins. This will help to enhance the  glow your skin will feel on the third day.
• Cleansing gives your body a rest from digestion, according to Livestrong. Our bodies are used to breaking down and digesting food all day, every day, for years and years. So once in a while, it’s nice to give your body a break by only consuming nutrient-rich fluids. Especially if you are a junk food junkie, a cleanse will help reset your system and flush out tons of toxins. (Just make sure to eat mostly vegan in the days leading up to your cleanse or else you might be in for a pretty harsh change.)
• Because most bottled, pressed juice cleanses use fruit juice along with vegetable juice, it's common that most individuals wanted nothing to do with sweets when they finished day 3 of the cleanse. The sugar cravings were gone! 
• One of the biggest benefits found from completing the cleanse was that it motivates you to stay on a healthy path for weeks afterward. Mentally, after feeling so rejuvenated by the 3 days spent cleansing the last thing you want to do is throw it all away. 

Overall, the juice cleanse is a positive experience for most. I think that cleansing for 3 days is plenty of time—I would not suggest doing a longer cleanse because, according to Women’s Health, your body goes into starvation mode after about 4 days. 

xoxo