Swimsuit season is finally creeping upon us, and my crawfish-po' boy diet this past weekend in New Orleans surely did not assist in that preparation...woops. Detox time. Luckily, Snap Kitchen saved the day with a three-day juice program geared specifically toward people like myself who simply need to kickstart a "spring cleaning" lifestyle, if you will. Clean Start, one of three specific programs featured on Snap Kitchen's brand new juice site (launched last Tuesday!), provided a sufficient, 1200-calorie diet with six sweet and savory juices to dote on throughout the day. Of course, if you aren't a fan of certain provides juice ingredients, Snap has a few other juices to substitute toward your liking.
I went into the cleanse expecting utter starvation, but I surprisingly felt full and satisfied from start to finish besides an occasional 6:00 p.m. slump. It's pretty unbelievable that two pounds of raw fruits and vegetables can be transformed into one 16 ounce bottle -- "a salad in a bottle, without the dressing," as expert nutritionist Andrea Hinsdale pointed out in the newest cold pressed juice promotional video.
Being the obsessive foodie that I am, I found juicing difficult simply because I lacked the ability to fuel my daily form of creative freedom and entertainment in cooking and dining at new spots with gals. I felt the FOMO (fear of missing out!), especially during daytime Camille Styles food photo shoots and dinnertime with my roommates. Let's just say that I had never realized my deep passion and appreciation for everything food until day two...pathetic yet confirmed. However, I did feel empowered and rewarded for completing the challenge with ease.
I urge you to try a juice program yourself; it will not only teach you motivational will-power, but will also place your body in a refreshed stated of mind. Spring break in Cabo, here I come! Scroll below for a step-by-step of my daily juice intake, and find out a few of my favorites...
8:00 a.m. SUPER GREENS :: I was hesitant about its lack of sweetness for such an early morning start and would have prepared the kale and cucumber taste later in the day, perhaps at around lunchtime. However, the cool flavors were refreshing and placed a punch in my step as I began my day.
10:00 a.m. ENERGY BOOST :: Oh, energy. I could not find my energy throughout the juicing process. I am fairly confident that external factors such as my Starbucks addiction and lack of sleep during Mardi Gras contributed to the feeling; but luckily, this watermelon-mint combo was absolutely delicious and kept me going throughout the mornings at work. The medley of fruits and coconut placed my mind in beach-mode bliss for next week's trip to Cabo.
12:00 p.m. ANTI OXIDANT :: A kick of cayenne and a hearty beet-apple union are ideal for that lunchtime fuel I yearned while ironically food prepping and styling for work! I found it quite humorous to be cooking up a salad for a photo shoot while chugging a salad-turned-juice for my own lunch. It's all about will power, people!
2:30 p.m. CARROT GINGER ELIXIR :: Thank goodness for this naturally sweet bottle, whose refreshing ginger kept me feeling fresh during afternoon classes and errands. Big fan of this one. Can you tell I have a sweet tooth?
5:00 p.m. SPICY BASIL LEMONADE :: Emphasis on spicy. The light lemonade gets a buzz of basil and big hunk of cayenne. I needed the punch of spice at this point in the day, which seemed to be the lowest level of energy after long days at work and class. Honestly though, this bottle was my least favorite taste-wise! I am sure you spice lovers would have enjoyed it much more.
7:30 p.m. CHAI CASHEW PROTEIN SHAKE :: See what I did there?! The "chai" finale to daily juicing is utterly divine; in fact, it almost beats the iced chai latte I typically order at Starbucks. Snap Kitchen clearly knows how to help a Starbucks addict cope! I would drink this shake on a daily basis for the protein-packed benefits and, not to mention, the handmade blend of some of my favorite sweet ingredients.
