It’s Sunday, and there are a few special things about it:
A) It’s the first Sunday of the year. I can’t imagine more of a “clean state” kind of day than that. I hope you are relaxing, reflecting, and enjoying today as you should every Sunday!
B) The Blonde Vegan 5-Day Cleanse Program starts tomorrow!
C) My dad drank a full glass of one of my smoothies this morning for the first time and he loved it. He actually requested it after tasting the Banana Peanut Butter Orange Dream smoothie I made yesterday. This was a super exciting occurrence because despite my consistent attempts to turn my parents vegan, my dad is terribly stubborn and usually won’t even taste a smoothie or juice. Transitioning him to a “smoothie for breakfast” kind of guy is my newest goal!
I may or may not have cleared out Whole Foods today in preparation for the cleanse… think I am ready?!
I also want to answer a few questions I keep getting about the upcoming cleanse program:
Cleanse FAQ:
Q: Will the cleanse be available on the blog after this week (January 6th – January 10th?) Can I purchase it in the future and participate whenever is most convenient for me?
A: Absolutely yes. The cleanse will be available for purchase on the blog from now until the end of time (or until I create an updated version!) and once you purchase it you can do it whenever you’d like. I will always be available for questions and to provide inspiration. The email thread of all of this week’s cleansers (160+ and counting!) will not always be available, but if there are several people planning on cleansing on any certain week in the future I am happy to create another thread.
Q: Do I need a juicer to participate in this cleanse?
A: You do not need a juicer, but if you have one you will definitely be using it. If you don’t have one, you can easily make your juices in a blender. (That’s what I do, and the recipe pages in the cleanse will explain how to do so.) You also have the option of buying one or two juices per day at your local health food store or from Whole Foods to supplement the cleanse. If you do not want to juice yourself and you do not want to buy juices, you can also eat extra fruits and veggies throughout the day rather than juicing. So no, you do not need to buy a juicer for this cleanse.
Q: If I am hungry throughout the cleanse, what can I snack on?
A: You can snack on any fruits, veggies or nuts throughout the cleanse. If you are hungry you are encouraged to snack! This cleanse is not about going hungry. I would suggest having half a banana with a tablespoon of almond butter, a bowl of berries or some sliced carrots and homemade guacamole (just use avocado, cherry tomatoes, onion and fresh-squeezed lime!). Those are a few options of many.
Q: How do I join the email thread?
A: Once you have purchased the cleanse, you will automatically be on the list for the email thread. I will be sending out the first email tonight around 8 p.m. California time.
Q: How much will my groceries cost for the cleanse week?
A: It depends on where you shop, whether you buy organic (the cleanse program will explain which fruits and veggies are most important to buy organic) and exactly how much you buy of everything. My best estimate is that you will spend about $70 on groceries once you have purchased all of the fruits, veggies and nuts that you will need for the week. There are definitely ways to make that number lower and ways to make it higher.
Many other questions are addressed in the Cleanse FAQ, and any other questions can be emailed my way. I am so looking forward to doing this cleanse with all of you this week. This week marks my one year vegan anniversary, and there is no way I would rather spend it than by sharing this awesome healthy lifestyle I have found.
Especially after the holidays, being sick with tonsillitis, having a week of downtime because of my sickness, and a serious travel day from hell on Friday, this cleanse is exactly what I need. I am not just participating in the cleanse because I am leading it, I am participating in it because I fully believe in its benefits and I need this restart button just as much as everyone else.
I thought that was important to share because I think readers often have the conception that I feel perfectly wonderful all the time, and that is not the case. I still overindulge and have to work on my health and balance every day. A sugar-free, granola-free, dried-fruit-free, processed-food-free and entirely plant-based week could not be more necessary for me right now.
I am someone who needs to feel entirely balanced in order to feel fully alive and my very best, and I am so looking forward to feeling that way again after a few days of cleansing.
I am also thrilled to have my mom, several of my close friends and all of YOU on board this week. We are all in this together, and that is by far the best part. One more day… hope you are as excited as I am!
