I'm an all or nothing kinda gal. When it's a Velveeta and Malbec era, it's ugly. When I'm behaving, it's serious workouts and strict diet. I wish I could achieve balance in the health aspect of my life, but I have yet to conquer that. So until that day comes, I'm fine sticking with the ALL IN mentality of my health and fitness.
I've reached a point where my favorite jeans in the world don't fit. We've all been there, but it's never fun and you feel like the only one it's happening to at the time. I refuse to reward my deep dish habits with the next size up of my not-so-cheap premium denim, and make a change.
News flash! Change isn't easy, especially such a drastic change flooded with temptation. I REALLY like food. I also REALLY hate feeling this way about my body. Read: Sluggish. Tired. Uncomfortable. Insecure. Hate my workouts five minutes in. That feeling.
So because I'm all or nothing, I decided to do a 5 day cleanse to really quit the hard stuff cold turkey. Yes, I say that because food is my addiction.
Now, let me be straight with you. A CLEANSE IS NOT A WEIGHT LOSS TOOL. It's a healthy "fresh start". A detox, teaching your body to rebalance itself.
I want you to understand that as desperate as I am to lose weight, I did not do this cleanse to lose weight as much as I needed a jolt of new, pure, blank canvas H E A L T H.
We get ONE body folks. If I don't feel sexy as heck at 26, I'm sure doomed for what's to come in 20 years! I'm taking this time to really combine health and fitness as my number one goal. Yes, AJ Schulz just mentioned health and fitness and her number one goal. The same girl who typically works 80 hour weeks, and treats her body like crap to stay dedicated to her career.
I love my job, but it won't be there to hang out with my grandkids when I'm 75. My body needs an overhaul. The Arthritis in my knees takes my breath away. The migraines I get should issued to murderers as punishment. The Sciatic Nerve that kicks in after standing for 12 hours is just mean.
Making my health the priority is surprisingly more mental than physical. Meditation has changed my life this year. Just opening my mind and cherishing each breath, while following the words "I am" with what I want to be, has been beyond impactful.
If you're looking for a reboot, I highly recommend Pressed Juicery. I've done multiple cleanses, some so rancid I couldn't even finish them. I've liked Suja as well, but for $100 in shipping, you've gotta be nuts to order it.
This was my fourth Pressed cleanse, but my first five day cleanse. If you're a first timer, I recommend a three day, "Cleanse 1". I did the five day "Cleanse 3". The juices weren't pink and sugary, we're talkin' green green green juices. If you're not down for some earthy flavor, "Cleanse 3" might not be the best fit for you.
That said, I actually dig "Cleanse 3". Even the greenest juices are smooth and refreshing. I'm never left making a tequila face after drinking them. There are six juices a day, and I drink as much water as I can when I'm not drinking a juice.
So now it's back to paleo! It's amazing how much you cherish lettuce after drinking straight liquids for days.
Have you ever tried a juice cleanse? Would you?
XO AJ