Plenish Juice Cleanse

Think a juice cleanse sounds a bit scary? Want that gorgeous, healthy feeling, but a bit intimidated by the thought of NO FOOD? Our writer Soph had exactly the same hopes and fears – and she put it to the test with the Plenish juice cleanse. Find out below how she got on!

Over 3 days, our writer Soph quit meals and tried out Plenish’s cold pressed juice cleanse. Did she stick to it and feel the benefits? Read on…

Plenish Juice Cleanse: Soph’s Review

So I’m pretty healthy, but I do love food, and in good amounts. I eat everything. Shellfish, weird cheeses, haggis. Hell, I’ve eaten fried tarantula. But to say I’m flipping terrified about this juice cleanse diet is an understatement.

Pre-cleanse

Before the juice cleanse, the Plenish team send me a diet preparation guide. Woahhh. Hang on. I thought this juice thing WAS the diet?! They suggest losing sugar, meat, caffeine, dairy, alcohol and processed foods. The idea is to cleanse your body so you don’t go from junk to juice and your body melts down. I mainly ate fish, veg, fruit and salads for about 4 days before. This was tricky when I was out, but it turns out most restaurants do have healthy options.

The juices

The box of juices arrived. Very professional looking, freezing cold and with a fancy black glass straw. Embarrassingly I was expecting smoothies. Not actual juice. I’m bricking it.

Day 1

There are 6 different 500ml cold pressed juices per day, labelled 1-6. Plenish give you a rough guide, so I’ve worked mine around my usual eating times and commute.

9am: My first juice: Lift (pear, cucumber, romaine, spinach, kale, basil, broccoli, lime)

Ok, so I was expecting the juice to taste nice. Rather than of…err…compost. I’m guessing that’s the point of the healthy thing, because fruit has lots of natural sugar. I can drink it, just not enjoyably. Oh well, one down, 17 to go!

11am: Juice 2 – Calm (Pineapple, apple, mint, aloe vera)

Oo err, this one’s fruity! This is delish, I can sooo do this! I’d voluntarily buy this in a shop.

1pm Juice 3 – Boost (spinach, kale, parsley, romaine, cucumber, pear, lemon, ginger)

Oh god. It tastes like actual sewage. I get that it’s healthy but this is just green veg. Gulp, *shudder*, repeat.

3.30pm: Juice 4 – Kick (lemon, red chilli, lime, coconut nectar, water)

Well, they didn’t have to think hard for the name. One swig and I’m spluttering – it’s so frigging spicy. But I enjoyed this and it woke me up a lot.

6pm: So, the Plenish people say you can exercise but judge how your body feels. I amazingly didn’t feel hungry so thought I’d brave my fitness class. I could only go at 60% effort, but hey I did it.

8.30pm: Juice 5 – Pump (beetroot, carrot, cherry, lime, water)

This overwhelmingly tasted of beetroot. I timed this badly, I’m full of liquid and just want to go to bed.

10pm: Juice 6 – Build (cashew nuts, vanilla, dates, cinnamon, Himalayan salt, water) 

OMG. This is good and actually filling, YES! Perfect before bed as it was comforting and felt like a mini pudding. 

Day 2

7am: I don’t think I’ve slept so well midweek, it was lovely! No waking up in the middle of the night, proper deep sleep.

8am: I’m so full of energy, I write a blog on the tube instead of dozing off! Smashing this diet. Or “crushing it” as they say! (Get it?!) It makes me think of Rebel Wilson in Pitch Perfect who I LOVE.

10am: I feel really cold, in my core. Apparently this is normal as your digestive system working generates heat. I sit with a zillion layers on.

1pm: It’s my juice nemesis. Boost. I bought a lemon and put a few chunks in. It still tastes like crap. But with a lemon twang!

2pm: I still don’t feel hungry but I just want food. All I can see, hear, smell, is food.

3pm: Spicy juice time! This one’s a grower and wakes me up from the afternoon slump.

6pm: I swan off to Pilates feeling like a health goddess. I’m a mere step away from posting a gym selfie drinking juice with an “inspirational” quote to Instagram. (I didn’t – I’m not a total tit.)

9pm: It’s pudding time! I’m delirious. Also, nut milk, teehee!

Day 3

8am to 1pm: What in darkest hell is this?! I feel like I’ve witnessed 20 puppies being run over. I was close to sobbing, “Put the toxins back in! Please!”

1.30pm: Kara, founder of Plenish, says, “Movement really helps with mood. Food is a big part of our daily stimulation, so finding other activities that stimulate senses are a great mood booster.”  I went for a walk around the local park, and it did help.

3pm: I feel a lot less blue. But my obsession with food has quadrupled. I walked past a colleague’s desk who had a Tupperware of carrot batons and felt really jealous. CARROT BATONS.

10pm: I survived! I was buzzing by the time Build came along. The prospect of eating tomorrow feels like Christmas.

Post-diet day

I did it!! I wake up after another beautiful sleep and feel so thin. I mince to work feeling like Cara Delevingne. I had delish homemade chilli for lunch and it was heaven to eat real food again.

Crushed it

I’m SO proud of myself. The juice cleanse was easier than I expected. I really wasn’t ravenous, but I realised how much food has an impact on my happiness (a lot!). I don’t like hot drinks so I didn’t get headaches from the caffeine starvation. It was very convenient, no cooking/washing up (winner!), I slept great and my skin was better. And I didn’t have a dodgy belly despite a lot of people asking me that?!

The target isn’t meant to be for weight loss, though for me that was the main difference as my mini Christmas belly disappeared, self-five! The juices would be good for the 5:2 diet and to kick start healthy eating and your metabolism. It also made me think about what you put into your body.

But right now I’d like to put in it a nice spag bol. With a salad. Because if juicing has taught me anything it’s that lettuce belongs in a salad, NOT in my drink.

Try it for yourself

Has Soph inspired you to give the Plenish juice cleanse a go? Check out all the details on the Plenish website.

If you give it a go – let us know how you get on @tweetjanes!