A person’s relationship with their chosen vice is a very intimate bond that not everyone will relate to (let alone understand). For a smoker – the moment they light their cigarette is as dear to them as the cross-stitched pillow their beloved grandma hand-crafted. For those who indulge in frequent fine-dining, that first slice, spoon, or forkful of luscious cuisine is as close to a religious experience as they’re going to get. A vice doesn’t necessarily have to be an immoral, wicked behaviour, but it does represent a habit or weakness of character in your self. My vices create a rather interesting dichotomy. In one hand I’ve got a pizza and the other one I’ve got a green juice!

The New Year rolls around and you make promises to yourself. Promises of a *better* start, a *brighter* year, a *new* you. But if I’m being honest here, I tend to suffer from retrograde amnesia when it comes to keeping these promises. Waking up on January 1^st (albeit a little groggy) I had the greatest intentions of a healthier year “my body is a temple” and all that shit. The weeks that ensued took place in less of a temple and more of a metaphorical heap of garbage.

Let me paint you a picture – jars of peanut butter, bags of candy, feasts of chips, high volumes of wine, and too many forays on Foodora. I know what you’re thinking, this sounds like a state of pure bliss, but friends, it was not. I sloshed around my surroundings, as though I had transformed into a radioactive being, something had to be done. I decided that in order to defeat my one vice, I would have to harness the power of the other – Juice vs. Junk: The Quest To Reach A More Balanced Lifestyle. How, do you ask, would I accomplish this daunting task? By embarking on a 3 day juice cleanse – no food, coffee, or alcohol, just juice c/o the wonderful Daily Press Juicery.

DAY ONE

Let’s talk about the juices since they are the true heroes of this story.  Vitamin Sea and Bee Sting were refreshing and brought the *pep to my step*; Pina Kaleada (LOL) and The Giving Tree, although are essentially liquid salads, made me feel like I was giving my body all the nourishment it was craving; 1^st Degree Burn (an Immunity Shot) acted as a spicy and delicious smelling salt to keep me going; and Maleficent and Mylkilicious really gave my taste buds something to look forward to. I’ve previously done one other juice cleanse that left me feeling mildly bed ridden, exhausted, and starved, but this cleanse was the opposite. I made it through the first day with lots of energy and no pangs of hunger. The only difficult moment arose when arriving home after a long day and missing the joy of tucking into a nice dinner. My will-power will prevail.

 

DAY TWO

There seems to be a rule of thumb in life that you always want what you can’t have. The same is true with a juice cleanse! I’ve noticed that you fixate on what you can’t have. Cut to noon on Day 2 of the cleanse, in the office, surrounded by co-workers trying to decide what they’re going to pick up for lunch, “I’m kind of feeling like pizza.”, “Mm pizza would be good, but what about McDonalds?”, “Why not both!?!”. As I listen to this mouth watering conversation I find that the people around me have transformed into the food items they discuss, not unlike when a starving cartoon sees its companion take the form of a walking, talking, roast chicken. Despite not actually feeling hungry the entire day (this juice must have magical powers) I drift off to sleep while visions of French fries dance in my head.

DAY THREE

Finally, we’re in the home stretch and the end is near! I can almost taste it (literally). While I’m still delighted to enjoy my remaining delicious juices, I must admit that on Day 3 my stomach is growling and my energy level has mildly dropped off – nothing drastic however. The final night of the cleanse is spent entirely focused on my last three juices, who starred in a nighttime K&P photo shoot. Aren’t they beautiful?

THE AFTERMATH

Despite spending the past 72 hours dreaming of all my favourite junk foods, I wake up post-juice cleanse shockingly craving – more juice (who would have thought!). After 3 days of juicing, I no longer feel like radioactive waste. I swear my skin looks clearer, my constant issues with bloating have abated, and no lie, I feel more energized. If you’re looking for a reboot or feel like your body could do with a good dose of cold-pressed nutrients, then a juice cleanse is an excellent option. With beginner, expert, and premium cleanses, not to mention a huge selection of juices to pick and choose from, Daily Press Juicery is my top choice for all your juicing needs!