The Cleanse Report: Our DIY Juicing Cleanse Diet

We did it. We (hubby and I) survived 3 days of a juice-only diet. We already had a juicer, and have historically enjoyed casual juicing (maybe 2-3 times/week, splitting one batch), but this was different. Six 16 oz glasses of juice per day. Intense!

I’ve read reviews of the famous Blue Print “Excavation” cleanse, all successful and glowing. We did it DIY-style, and I’m going to tell you like it is. 

The Excavation Cleanse is a 3-day juice-only diet that consists of six 16 oz drinks/day:

1. green
2. green
3. green
4. spicy lemonade
5. green
6. cashew milk

The Excavation ordered from BluePrintCleanse comes ready to go, in a cute little cooler delivered daily to your door. But at a a hefty price. For both of us to buy the drinks ready to go would have cost $450.

Our DIY version of the famous BluePrint Cleanse cost us $20/person per day.

Because our refrigerator is small, I went to the grocery store each day for the next day’s ingredients. Pretty soon the cashiers at Stop ‘n Shop knew what I was doing, and were very encouraging.

Tip: The more people you tell, the more accountable and encouraged you feel

Here are the recipes for the Blue Print Cleanse (per serving)

The Mean Green

This is the staple to any juicing experience.

• 5 Ribs of Celery
• 1 Cucumber, Halved
• 2 Large Granny Smith Apples
• 3 Kale leaves
• 1 Ounce of Lemon juice
• 1 Handful of Parsley
• 3 Romaine leaves
• 1 Handful of Spinach

To be efficient, we made 2 batches in the morning to drink, then made 2 more batches to store so we’d be ready for our next juicing appointment. Then we repeated this process at drink #3.

Tip: 16 ounces is a lot to take in at one time. It’s easier to drink half…wait 30 minutes…then drink the other half.

Spicy Lemonade

This one is very simple. So simple, in fact, it seems sort of insignificant. Overall, I view this one as optional.

• 14 oz water
• 3 medium lemons (juiced in a citrus juicer)
• 1/2 tsp cayanne pepper
• 1 TB agave nectar

Tip: this felt more like a fluff drink to me – after the first day we decided to get some “natural” lemonade at the health food store and just add a shot of cayanne to it. Done.

Cashew Milk

This one is more labor intensive. It is made in a blender, and involves soaking cashews for 8 hours. I’ll share the recipe, but first tell you that we cheated and just picked up some cashew/almond/hazelnut drink from the health food store. When not eating food, you want to minimize the amount of time you spend in the kitchen preparing stuff.

• 5 oz raw cashews, soaked for 8 hours
• 16 oz filtered water
• 1 Tablespoon agave nectar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Tip: Mix it with ice in the blender and make it a smoothie

Tips & What I Would do Differently

Now that we’ve joined the Excavation Club (not really, I just made that up) I feel qualified to offer my own personal tips:

• The mean green is more filling than you might think. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, skip the fluff drinks (lemonade and cashew milk) – the meat of this diet is the mean green (pun intended).
• I should also point out that the only drink that uses a juicer is the Mean Green.  I’m a little disappointed that the official diet requires 3 different kitchen appliances.
• Don’t eat a big meal the night before (trust me on this one).
• Drink LOTS of water – and make it fun – add cucumber or lemon to a pitcher!
• If you must chew, have some celery or cucumber slices.
• Don’t be a hero – morning coffee is fine. I had 2 cups each morning.
• Schedule a massage on day 2 or 3 as a reward.
• Treat yourself with a 10 minute nap anytime, without apologies.
• Wine? Well, your not supposed to.

My Results?

• While it’s not intended to be a weight loss program, it’s naturally going to happen. I lost 2 pounds, but more importantly, I reset my conscience and it has impacted the decisions I’ve made since then. It’s like mopping the kitchen floor and not wanting to walk on it.
• The bigger story for me was the bloating. In addition to stepping on the scale, I also measured my waist. By detoxing my innards, I lost 1.5 inches around my waist.
• But the BIGGEST story is how I felt at the end. I had more energy!

In case you were wondering…ahem…it was not a violent experience as the term “Excavation” might imply. It’s a natural approach to cleansing, and (dare I say) a bit underwhelming in that department compared to my initial fear. 

Recommendations:

I highly recommend the 3 day excavation cleanse. Not only will you feel great, it’s a great jumping off point for making better choices going forward. A great way to kick off a new you! You’ll find you are much more aware about what you put in your body.

Tip: I cannot tell a lie – I DID get hungry at times – primarily when I was making the kids’ meals. If you can outsource this task, great (hellooooo Grandma!). If not, keep their meals quick and simple.

After you’ve joined the Excavation Club, I recommend a maintenance program of one-day juicing – weekly, monthly, whatever works for you. So…are you game?