A Detox That Packs A Punch

It’s about this time each year when a nagging thoughts goes on repeat in my brain: “It’s nearly swimsuit season…so…I guess I better get my butt in gear and start working out more/eating right/drinking less”. This year though, I decided to take things up a notch or two (it was a rather gluttonous Spring, I have to say) and jumpstart my ‘bikini-or-bust’ regime with a juice cleanse.

Now I’d love to say that I’m motivated enough to be pressing my own delightful green juice every morning à al Gwynnie Paltrow….but I’m not, even though I have a quasi restaurant-grade juicer in my kitchen – that I picked up this time last year, truth be told. To my rescue was a brand new cleanse program that delivers 3 or 6-day juice cleanses right to your door, Punch Detox. Bingo! So along with two others here from Sassy Mama it was time to cleanse.

Punch Detox offers a simple regime of raw, unpasteurized, vegan juices whose special sequence and combination is designed so your body absorbs the right amount of healthy carbs, good fats, protein, as well as loads of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. The idea here is that by consuming just these (yummy) juices for a few days, your digestive system gets a well-deserved rest from solid food (not to mention all the processed and junk food), freeing it up so the energy normally used to digest it is returned to the natural functions of deep inner cleansing. It’s not about weight loss here (though that can be a nice side effect) so much as giving yourself a break from the bad stuff while you pump your body full of healthy goodness through the 6 different ‘living’ juices each day.

The program starts with a knock on your door and a delivery of 18 bottles of juice – 6 for each day, all packed into three tidy soft-pack cooler bags (so get your fridge ready). By the time it has arrived you should be more or less mentally and physically prepared thanks to their helpful instructions both online and in a little cheat-sheet that comes with your delivery.

The juices are surprisingly good – though inevitably there will be one that becomes your enemy. Check out their yummy juice blends here – my favorites were the morning Citrus Punch, a super refreshing start to the day that is meant to wake up your digestive system, and the GazPUNCHo, a spicy and savory soup-juice that you can pour into a bowl and eat with a spoon that provides some psychological relief around dinner time. And to help you along the way, a daily motivational email from the Punch girls will land in your inbox, reminding you just why you started this crazy thing in the first place. And suddenly, before you know it – it’s over. ‘Cause three days is not a long time, people.

Even so, you’re probably thinking “Can I really survive on liquids alone for 3 days?” Well chew on this: you’ll have consumed 8kgs of raw fruits and vegetables by the time it’s all over. That’s nothing to sniff at it – and through their super hydraulic juice press, you’re getting about 5 times more vitamins and nutrients along the way than would have come from a standard juicer. And while I won’t say that there weren’t times that I was cursing my decision (like when I had perhaps the most raging caffeine withdrawal headache on record), the bursts of energy, glowing skin, and the sense that I was really doing my body some good confirm that I’m going to be a repeat customer.

A few tips:

–Really think on the best date before you commit – clear your calendar and make sure you don’t have any cocktail parties, art openings, client dinners, etc. I chose to leave nothing to chance and did mine when Hubby was away. It’s not easy to find an empty few days but it can be done –you may have to turn down last-minute cocktails with the girls, but there will be more.

–Misery loves company, so detox with a friend or two. Three of us here at Sassy Mama embarked on this together and it was nice to be able to commiserate a bit. (And note that Punch even has group discounts.)

–Use the time to really relax and rest, as stress is a major toxin after all. I found myself indulging in a nightly bubble bath with a good book and getting into bed by 10pm. Bliss.

–Schedule a good massage for the day after – I was surprised by how sore I was…all that badness leaving my body, I guess. Eek.

Punch Detox’s 3-day cleanse is HK$1680. You can also order 2 “back to back” for a 6-day cleanse. Get the full scoop on Punch Detox on their website: http://www.punchdetox.com/