We've all been there — mid-semester has you feeling down and washed out. It's time to do something about it. Enter in the ultimate insta-fix: The Juice Cleanse. If it works for the VS Angels it will work for you, right?
The Good: You'll Lose Weight
Your diet will inevitably be low-calorie since all juice cleanses are extremely rich in fruits and vegetables. In fact, that's all they allow besides the occasional sprinkle of cayenne pepper or cinnamon to ban bloating.
The Bad: You'll Gain It All Back (And Maybe More)
Even if you eat fairly healthy before juicing, your body will be under heavy stress due to the extreme diet change. This means your body will enter "starvation mode," rocketing cortisone levels and offsetting digestion. Once you go back to a normal way of eating, your metabolism won't be able to keep up with the surplus of calories right away, making you gain weight. Your body will also retain water weight due to the newly reintroduced starchy carbohydrates it was deprived of during the cleanse.
The Good: Your Appetite Will Decrease
The first few days will be a nightmare. You'll crave your daily food routine. You'll chug those juices way too quick and count down the minutes until the next one. But eventually, your body will tell your mind to adjust, you'll be slightly less ravenous and will be able to function on liquids.
The Bad: You'll Never Be Satisfied
Yes, your body may not be screaming in your Statistics lecture by the 6th day, but you definitely won't be feeling satiated through the entire cleanse. This is because you actually activate pleasure receptors in your brain when you chew. Even if eating is a "chore" for you, yes, you will miss chewing. This has led many to binge-eating after the cleanse, when they haven't had any issues with over-eating previously.
The Good: You'll Be Prettier
Due to the spike of vitamins and minerals introduced by the fruit-and-veggie-based diet, your body will physically brighten. Your skin will (probably) clear up and give off a natural shine.
The Bad: You'll Be Slower
And I'm not just talking about the treadmill. Since your body isn't getting the number of calories it was used to, let alone the same amount of healthy fats, your brain will be incredibly slow. So, to all my fellow college kids out there, be prepared to spend a few more hours on homework. You'll also be more irrational, sluggish, ill-tempered, and overall sad thanks to your confused hormones.
The Verdict
Juice cleansing gets a big thumbs down, especially for students trying to power through endless lectures. If you're still set on weeks of liquid lunch (and breakfast and dinner) but don't know where to start, check out these tips for first-timers. Just know if you're looking to lose weight, there is no quick fix.
Tip: instead of spending hundreds on a juicer, try incorporating whole fruits and vegetables into your existing diet. Leaving them whole will give you the natural fiber, keeping you fuller for longer!