***Note: as of 2021 – Freshii’s 3-day juice cleanse has changed. Read my latest post! 

2021 Freshii 3-day juice cleanse review

Background

It’s dark outside in the morning and almost wintertime again.  I have been feeling a bit ‘ho-hum’ (a bit low energy and unmotivated).  Nevermind, the lingering thoughts of the last stubborn 10 pounds that I want to lose.  I reflect on the past year and a half, and I know that I have come a long way.  BTW – my initial goal was to lose 25-30 pounds.

In June of 2017, I hit rock bottom with my weight.  I realized this when I was sitting down for dinner with my sister and her friends.  I was literally uncomfortable sitting and my legs and arms were getting numb and tingly; and I couldn’t sit comfortably.  I knew that my body couldn’t support any more weight.  I was never heavier my whole life.  It was time for a change.

In September, 2017, I tried committed myself to a paleo diet (basically cutting sugary items and carbs like pasta and rice).  After just two days of eating eggs/protein for breakfast or any other food other than carbs, my stomach was much flatter and I felt like a new person.  In a few months I lost about 10 pounds.

Of course, as you are losing weight, there seems to be a ‘plateau’ – where nothing you do reduces your weight more.  Then, my relative mentioned the Bulletproof Coffee (www.bulletproof.com). Bulletproof coffee is made with brewed coffee (you can use your own coffee beans if you don’t want to buy the Bulletproof brand name coffee), high concentration MCT pure coconut oil, and grass-fed butter). I tried this with reluctance at first, but the coffee actually tasted good.  I drank 3/4 cup every morning instead of eating solids.  In a couple of weeks, I lost about 5 pounds.  

Fast forward a year and a half, I have lost about 20 pounds and managed to keep it off.  I am lucky not to have any major health issues. I am working on prevention of diseases related to poor diet.

In September, 2018, I cut out my meat intake and ate a vegetarian diet (no meat, but vegetables, eggs and seafood).  

Health is no. 1!

Losing weight for health reasons and eating healthier are my number one goals.  After my father had a stroke five years ago and finding out my mother has Type 2 diabetes (suffering loss of vision) and high cholesterol, I think about my health every day.  Good sleep, balanced diet and daily exercise are something to strive for.

Why try a 3-day cleanse?

Sometimes the mind and body just need to be ‘reset’. Our bodies work so hard to eliminate toxins and other junk, but we make them work so hard. I have checked out other companies offering juice cleanses, but they didn’t seem as practical because you have to pick up your juices daily, and you do not get a lovely salad for dinner. It’s easier to stick to a juice cleanse (and any diet) if it is convenient. I made up my mind to try Freshii’s 3-day cleanse. Check out:  www.freshii.com

I just completed my 3rd day yesterday.

Pictured above: lovely dinner salad

What do you need for your cleanse?

You get a total of 12 bottles of juice (4 for each day) and three large salads (one for each day) for dinner.

What is the cost?

The 3-day cleanse cost me $85+HST.

It thought it would be a pain to go to Freshii each day to get the supplies for the cleanse, but they have mastered the cold-pressing technique to allow juices to stay fresh in a bottle for a couple of months. This makes sticking to a cleanse easy.  I collected the supply for the 3 days and went home. FYI – Freshii offers a 5-day cleanse as well, but I definitely do not have the willpower to do that.

What is the plan?

Basically:

1) first thing when you wake up in the morning, you drink one cup of warm lemon water;
2) drink “Green Genius” which contains green apple, spinach, kale, celery, lemon and ginger, maybe 15-20 minutes after the lemon water;
3) for your morning snack (say around 10am), drink the “Reset” which contains apple juice, pineapple, cucumber and mint;
4) for your lunch (say around 12pm), drink “Renew” which contains carrot, orange juice, lemon and turmeric;
5) for your midday snack (say around 3pm), drink “Recharge” which contains carrot, apple, beet, lemon and ginger;
6) then enjoy a huge delish salad for your dinner.  There is even salad dressing!
7) Freshii’s FAQs says if you are really hungry still, you can eat some raw veggies/fruit.
8) it’s important to drink a lot of water throughout the day (Freshii recommends 8-10 cups of water each day).
9) don’t overdo it on the exercise. Mild to moderate exercise is recommended as you have cut your calories down a lot.  You may experience dizziness if you overexert yourself.
10) try to be somewhere close to the washroom during your 3-day cleanse.  You won’t regret this advice…

VERY IMPORTANT:  before starting any juice cleanses you should consult your doctor.  You should also read Freshii’s FAQs in their brochure about juice cleansing.

The taste?

Actually, for someone that doesn’t like smoothies, thick juices or vegetable juice, the taste of the juices was surprisingly nice.  But, because of the amount of liquid going into my body, I actually found that I felt like vomiting on the second day.  I also lost my appetite just thinking that I had to drink another juice, and was unable to drink the midday drink at all.  Drinking thick juice reminds me of being in a hospital.

Day 1

Excited, but a bit worried about the duration of the cleanse.  I love food so much, that eating often consumes my thoughts.  I started Day 1 on a Sunday. By the time I had my third juice, I was starving and looking for something to eat.  I later found out that I missed one juice –  No wonder!  I think the whole cleansing process is about re-focusing the mind and severing ones’ emotional tie to food.  All I could think about was going to bed, so that I didn’t need to think about food.  But I was doing this for me…

Day 2

This was me on Day 2 at work.  I wasn’t hungry at all on this day, because so much liquid made me feel like vomiting.  By the time I drank one juice (it takes me a long time to finish one), it was time to drink another.  So by the time it was time for the fourth drink, I couldn’t drink it.  I had no appetite at all. I did look forward to my salad though.  This is mentally the worst day.  Seeing everyone eat delish food and cooking meals for my family was definitely tough.  Also, at the end of the day, my stomach was kinda queezy. I ended the day with diarrhea (sorry, I had to write this!).

Day 3

Finally – last day.  Again, I could only get through the first 3 juices and did not feel hungry. I very much enjoyed my last salad.

At the end of the day – I am proud to say, I fended off a great temptation to grab a bunch of Harvey’s onion rings sitting next to me.  That was the true test of mental strength and willpower for me.

Was it worth it?

Definitely.  I feel more energetic and mentally refreshed.  And on a bonus, I lost 3.5 lbs. Could be just water though?  For me it was really mind over matter.

Cheers to empty bottles and your health!

2020 update: I have managed to keep off the 35lbs that I lost and now maintain my weight through lifestyle changes (diet, exercise and sleep) and am now vegan!

Quick note: some Walmarts sell the bottled juice at a fraction of the price – you can just pick up the number of bottles you need for the cleanse and just buy a salad from Freshii (they taste yummy!).  I did that for my second cleanse.