Jun 20, 2014

JUS by Julie 3-Day Cleanse Review

My sister found a Zulily deal on a 3 Day JUS Cleanse by JUS by Julie (she purchased the 5 day option).  I was intrigued. Since I had recently fasted for my colonoscopy, I figured an actual cleanse where I was drinking nutrient-rich blended fruits & veggies with fiber instead of sugar-filled soda and pulp-free juices would be walk in the park in comparison.

I of course did extensive research about it before purchasing. I would be getting 6 juices per day for a total of 18 bottles of juice and they would be overnighted to me in a cooler. The Zulily deal was $129 including shipping and a post-cleanse menu. Without the deal, it would have been $150 excluding shipping and post-cleanse menu so the Zulily offer was a great deal.  I also figured that I would probably be spending more than $129 on food for three days so trying it was a no-brainer.

Overall, the reviews were very positive. Many said they felt satisfied and did not have any cravings for food.  I was suspicious.  I didn't think this would be true for me.

I purchased the deal then scheduled my delivery on the JUS by Julie website. I wanted it to arrive on a Tuesday so that I could start on Wednesday and finish on Friday night, just in time for the weekend.

My package was waiting for me when I got home from work on Tuesday. I don't know what time it was delivered but when I opened it that evening to put the juices in the refrigerator, they were almost lukewarm. Each day of 6 bottles was bundled together with a rubber band.  Each day contained a Morning Glory and 2 Sweet Spins. One of my first thoughts: "Wow, this is a lot of plastic!" 18 plastic bottles, after all.  Recycling helps but holy moly!

I was eager to get started the next day. The instructions did say that I could eat a "moderate amount" of steamed veggies or, if I felt I needed some protein, cooked egg whites. I could also drink water, black coffee, or tea.

1st day:
Morning Glory - romaine, celery, spinach, apple, kale, banana, strawberry
Spicy Lemonade - lemon, maple syrup, cayenne pepper
Sweet Spin - spinach, kale, pineapple, banana, mango
Acai Blend - acai berries, strawberries, banana
Choco-Nana - chocolate, banana, strawberries
Sweet Spin - spinach, kale, pineapple, banana, mango

The Morning Glory was my least favorite, perhaps because of the romaine.  It wasn't horrible but it certainly wasn't what I wanted the first thing in the morning. I did feel like I was choking it down, though.  The Choco-Nana was my favorite but I think I would have liked it better without the strawberries.

I had hot chamomile tea and lots of water throughout the day. Shocker: I felt oddly satisfied even on this liquid diet.

The family and I went out to dinner that night.  Although I didn't feel hungry, I wanted to chew something so I ordered grilled corn on the cob (no oil or butter) and an iced tea.

I had a headache all day but I think it was coincidental; probably stress-related rather than diet-related. It started subsiding by evening.

2nd day:
Morning Glory - romaine, celery, spinach, apple, kale, banana, strawberry
Spicy Lemonade - lemon, maple syrup, cayenne pepper
Sweet Spin - spinach, kale, pineapple, banana, mango
Chia Berry - strawberries, chia seeds, lemon, pomegranate
Island Coconut - coconut meat & water, date, cinnamon
Sweet Spin - spinach, kale, pineapple, banana, mango

Once again, I had to choke down the Morning Glory. I went to work with the 4 bottles in my Sachi cooler lunchbox. The Chia Berry was tasty and a nice surprise after green juices and the refreshing but non-filling Spicy Lemonade. The Island Coconut was my favorite: rich, sweet, and filling.

I felt a little lightheaded and woozy in the morning but then felt mostly back to normal the rest of the day. I was feeling constipated so I drank a cup of Smooth Move tea... which didn't work.  Ugh!  I also ate a teaspoon of all-natural peanut butter and a small bowl of Bubbies brand probiotic sauerkraut.

3rd day:
Morning Glory - romaine, celery, spinach, apple, kale, banana, strawberry
Spicy Pome-Nade - pomegranate, lemon, maple syrup, cayenne pepper
Sweet Spin - spinach, kale, pineapple, banana, mango
Chia Berry - strawberries, chia seeds, lemon, pomegranate
Not So Chunky - peanut butter, banana
Sweet Spin - spinach, kale, pineapple, banana, mango

I just couldn't do the Morning Glory again so I started the day with Sweet Spin. My all-time favorite was the Not So Chunky.  Heavenly!  I really savored it and didn't want it to end. If I could have licked the inside of the bottle, I would have.

I did not drink the Morning Glory and one of the Sweet Spins and decided to end my cleanse tonight with real food. I felt great the whole day - not hungry at all - until I left the house for a 5 hour block of time without taking a bottle of juice with me.  Bad idea.  I got very lightheaded and shaky about four hours in. I rushed home and guzzled the Chia Berry, then went out to dinner with the family. At dinner, I enjoyed organic chicken enchiladas, iced tea, and shared a spinach salad with Mars.

I was at the salon today to get my once-every-seven-week color and cut. My stylist said I looked fantastic and asked what I was doing.  I have noticed that I'm much less bloated and the scale says I'm down 2 lbs.

The 6 bottles of juice per day meant I was at a calorie deficit so I decided not to work out during the cleanse. (I will resume tonight since I ate a real meal for dinner.)  Each bottle of juice averaged 100 calories so I was only getting ~600 calories per day.

I enjoyed the cleanse and will likely try it again in the future.  Surprisingly, I felt satisfied and didn't miss food as much as I expected to. I will stick with the 3 day cleanse in the future as I worry about going as long as 5 days on such a low caloric intake. I don't want to mess up my metabolism.

PROS:
-Most juices are delicious
-Good variety
-Great price with Zulily deal
-All-natural and unprocessed (paleo-approved!)
-JUS by Julie sent me a 15% off coupon for my next order

CONS:
-Lots of plastic
-Not local (these are shipped from the east coast)
-Very low-calorie
-One juice I received contained maple syrup (I don't know why a sweetener was included in a "cleanse")

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