ABOUT THE BOOK

If you've ever listened to an enthusiastic juice faster, her testimonial can come across as a little far-fetched. From dropping 10 pounds to sleeping better, having better skin, and banishing grumpiness and chronic fatigue from the day to day grind, it seems as though there is nothing that a couple of days of juice fasting cannot do.

While fasting and cleansing for ritual purposes has been part of human history for millennia, the juice cleanse has enjoyed a popular resurgence in recent years. Brands like Cooler Cleanse, Joos, Shakeology, and BluePrint Cleanse are only a couple examples of the many juicing options that have appeared on the market in the last decade or so, all catering to men and women who want to look better and, perhaps more importantly, feel better. Master Cleanse, for example, originated in 1940 as a cure for stomach ulcers before the developer revived it in the '70s as a tool for weight loss.

In fact, the weight loss that accompanies refraining from food seems almost a second thought when reading what juice cleanse companies promise the world: everything from increased fertility and normalization of blood pressure to clearer skin and better digestion. No wonder Americans seem infatuated with the liquid diet! In promising to cleanse the body of toxins built up by lack of exercise, improper diet, and contact with everyday chemicals, it seems the answer to a slew of health problems caused by living in our modern world.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Julie Kim has a degree in English from Dartmouth College and is currently working on her MPhil in Multi-discplinary Gender Studies at Cambridge University. Her main interests include the study of politics and the formation of nationality, early modern British literature, and the construction of culture. She is passionate about nutrition and holistic health and spends her days twisted in various yoga poses, sometimes with her dog Greta by her side.

EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK

Shakeology is the most gentle of the three juice cleanses in this guide. It is not the traditional cleanse in the sense that one must refrain from all solid foods while on this diet, but the company claims that replacing one meal a day with one of their proprietary shakes will help the body eliminate toxins while feeding the body much-needed nutrients and minerals.

Shakeology is also the safest of the three options if you follow their recommended plan: not only replacing one meal a day with this shake, but exercising three times a week and following a balanced diet. A typical shake, with only 160 calories and 15g of protein, boasts a treasure trove of antioxidants to fight free radicals and enzymes to aid digestion, putting some weight behind their promise to detox the body.

Because Shakeology is not a juice fast but rather aims to be a long-term lifestyle change, you will not lose rapid pounds on this diet though it may be easier to keep them off in the long term. Since sources like the Mayo Clinic acknowledge that 3,500 calories equals about one pound of fat, you need to burn 3,500 more calories than you consume to lose one pound of fat. While losing one of two pounds a week on the Shakeology diet can be expected with little change to physical activity, any more would be tough without extensive exercise.

CHAPTER OUTLINE

Cleanse Diets: How to Lose Weight With Shakeology, Blueprint Cleanse, Master Cleanse, and More!

+ Introduction

+ Shakeology

+ BluePrint Cleanse

+ Master Cleanse

+ …and much more

Sue Kim