Planet Veggie

Spring is a popular time of year for people to go on a juice diet (or cleanse/fast/detox/whatever you want to call it) to lose a bit of weight in time for the summer or because they’ve been eating unhealthily for a while and fancy a juice diet in a bid to mainline some fruit and veg into their bloodstream quickly. Whatever the reason, and for however long you’re going to be juicing for, here are some tips to keep you on track and stop you from putting down your juice and picking up the pizza menu instead. I’ll also tell you about a new juicer that’s going to be on the market soon – the JUlaVIE (formerly known as the Juisir), which doesn’t require any cleaning. Yes, I said it doesn’t require any cleaning. Okay, you can skip straight to that bit if you want, I won’t be (too) offended.

I should probably point out my experience with a juice diet is limited to a three-day one. I know there are 5-day, 7-day, 28-day and even a three-month plan but I am not a doctor, dietician or nutritionist so I can’t recommend which plan – if any – you should undertake. Therefore, if you have any doubts juicing for an extended period of time is for you, please consult an expert and not the ramblings of someone on the internet who doesn’t really know what she’s talking about.

1. Plan ahead with books, websites and lists

Unless you’re an experienced juicer, I don’t recommend making it up as you go along. There are plenty of books – such as ones by Jason Vale and Joe Cross – with tried and tested recipes and plans to save you from mixing up an ungodly concoction you’ll throw straight back up again. Make up a shopping list for all the fruit and veg you need so everything’s on hand when you need it and if you’re really organised, you can make up a bulk load of juice and freeze it in plastic bottles – just defrost overnight so the next day’s juices are ready for you.

If you’re not a planner and you just want to juice what you’ve got in the fridge already or whatever you fancy picking up in the supermarket at the time, you can plug all your ingredients (including herbs, spices and nuts) into this website and it’ll come up with a selection of juice recipes for you.

2. Join Facebook groups for inspiration, support and advice from others

As you’d imagine, there are loads of Facebook groups (for example, this one) for people who are into juicing. Join these groups for inspiring success stories, motivation and recipes. Or just for somewhere to hang out while you’re drinking your breakfast, lunch or dinner.

3. Keep away from temptation

Okay, so you don’t have to lock yourself away and live like a hermit with only a Facebook group and a cat for company (although I think I just described my life there *makes note to self to get out more*) but do you really want to go out to restaurants and bars and watch your friends stuff themselves with food and alcohol, while you’re sitting there with a glass of tap water only livened up with a slice of lemon? Nope, you probably don’t and, anyway, watching people get drunk while you’re stone cold sober is no fun at all (so I hear). So, arrange to do stuff that doesn’t involve eating and drinking, such as, um… I’m sure there are things to do that don’t involve eating and drinking but I’ll have to get back to you when I find out what they are.

4. Buy a juicer that doesn’t need cleaning

I know… a no-clean juicing machine sounds like some kind of witchcraft, doesn’t it? But it’s true – the JUlaVIE is a revolutionary juicer that requires no cleaning – yee ha! It’s not out yet so I can’t tell you my own personal experience of it but, as I mentioned in a previous post, I’m really excited about it and can’t wait to get my hands on one. As anyone who has juiced before can tell you – cleaning the juicer afterwards is by far the most inconvenient part of any juice cleanse so, if you have a juicer you don’t have to clean, you’re far more likely to stick to your juice plan.

The JUlaVIE is seriously simple to use. It works like this:

1. Chop up your fruit and veg
2. Put the fruit and veg in one of the supplied bags (you can choose from either a recyclable one or a reusable one and both bags are made from 100% natural cotton – biodegradable and renewable)
3. Put the bag in the JUlaVIE and press the button
4. 8 tonnes of force (the equivalent of two elephants standing on the bag) cold presses the juice in just 90 seconds
5. Take the bag out and, lo! your juicer is still clean and ready for its next use

Visit the Froothie website for more information or to order the JUlaVIE.

Disclosure: I am an Ambassador for Froothie and any links to their products in this post are affiliate links which, if purchased through, won’t cost you any more but will earn me a small commission.