1. My mom and sister fly into NYC tomorrow morning to visit me for the weekend, and I am so excited! My mom has officially been to NYC six times since our first flight out here last April to tour The New School (holy cow, right?) but it’s my sista’s first time coming out and seeing my place and my new hood! I am in desperate need of a girls’ weekend, and I can’t imagine two ladies I would rather spend it with. Here they are, with the rest of my adorable little fam bam.

2. TBV Apparel launches THIS. FRIDAY. I am basically hyperventilating I am so thrilled about it. There have been some sleepless nights this month (and especially this week) setting up The Blonde Vegan Store and getting everything all squared away with the designs, sizes, styles, details… all culminating to the big reveal at the end of the week when I can finally share the tees with all of you! And yes, shipping will be international – TBV tees for all! Also, WorldLifestyle published an awesome article about the tees and a little Q&A with me… check it out! I can’t wait to take over their Instagram account on launch day.

3. Today marks Day 10 of my 10-day juice cleanse… wowee, it’s been an incredible, reflective, accomplishing, challenging yet enjoyable experience. I am certainly ready to get back to my main love in life come tomorrow morning – FOOD!

4. Today is my best friend in the whole wide world’s birthday. It makes me so sad that I can’t be there to celebrate with her, but I know she is living it up in LA today/tonight. Jilly Bean, I wanted to send you donuts to your door this morning to keep the tradition going… but I didn’t know how you’d feel about them waking you up at 8 a.m. buzzing into your apartment – so I’m sending you virtual donuts! (And real life presents/card…duh!!!) I’ll be NYC boss for you tonight.

SO, since I already dedicated last week’s What I Ate Wednesday to a day in the life of a juice cleanser, I thought I would use today’s post to quickly go over what I eat in a day on a cleanse and then share the deets of my 10 day experience with you all.

Day in the Life of a Juice Cleanser:

For details on which juices I was enjoying on my cleanse, check out last week’s WIAW. I won’t bore you with going over it all again.

Now, down to the reeeaal interesting stuff… how the heck was it going 10 days with no solid food?!?!

10 Day Cleanse Recap:

Days 1-6 were really not that difficult for me, with the exception of a little bit of hunger and tiredness on days 3 and 4, but nothing a few green juices didn’t fix. I went easy on my workouts, allowed myself to rest and sleep a bit more than usual, and I took the time to reflect on my experience and journal throughout. I found it incredibly liberating to free myself from the thoughts and worries that I have on a daily basis when it comes to food… or even just going to the grocery store and trying to decide what to get!

I saved a crapload of money (being the Whole Foods shopaholic that I am), and I found that a significant amount of time opened up in my day that is usually dedicated to preparing, cleaning up, consuming and planning meals. It was extremely nice to have a break from cleaning my Vitamix twice a day and sticking my whole body into the refrigerator to try to make room for all of my produce. And my roommate was certainly thrilled that for once in our lives my fresh fruits and veggies were not overflowing our kitchen.

My mental clarity totally remained in tact, which I was pleasantly surprised about. I have suffered on three-day cleanses in the past with fogginess and dizziness, but I think something about the 10-day mentality and also the amount of fruit juices I was adding in did the trick. The only times I found it hard to think were early in the morning before I’d had my first juice, since it sometimes took me over an hour between waking up and walking to Juice Press! (I’m a lazy bum in the mornings.)

Day 7 is when things started to get more difficult. Up until then, I was feeling pretty miraculous for transitioning from an all-food diet to an all-juice diet. I woke up that morning with a light headache and feeling exceptionally exhausted. I took that as a sign that my body was finally reaching the detox period, so I let myself rest. I cancelled my plans for the day and hung out at home… no working out, no yoga, no nothin’. Ummm, can we just take a second to realize how amazing that was? I never… I repeat, never, allow myself a full-on rest day with no plans. That in itself was so rejuvenating that it made the detox quite bearable.

Day 8 I woke up super starving. That’s the day that I added a smoothie with almond butter into my diet, and it was by far the best thing I have ever tasted in my life. I felt life coming back into my body… and it recharged me and fueled me through the day. Days 9 and 10 have been much easier, and I think it’s partially because I know I am nearing the end. Food is in sight, and I am excited about it.

Earlier on in the process I thought I was going to want to extend the cleanse. Now I feel as if 10 days was the perfect reset. I feel totally amazing and clean from all of the nutrients the juices have given me, and my digestive system got a real break. And it helps that Juice Press juices are ridiculously yummy.

And, ta-daaa, I lost about 7-8 pounds (I didn’t weigh myself beforehand so I am estimating), which definitely feels good. Everyone likes to feel lighter after an extended cleanse – it’s part of the body doing it’s detoxing job!

Overall, I am most thankful for the reflective aspects of the cleanse. Writing in my journal and working out some of my personal issues with food, digestion, and overall life stress has been exactly what I needed. I allowed myself to take out a whole lot more time for myself (weird sentence, but you get it)… and I feel very restored.

Thanks for reading, and thanks so much for supporting me throughout this journey. To anyone who is looking to do a cleanse, read my last several posts about deciding which type of cleanse is best for you before diving into one. If you’re looking for a good company, JPis the way to go, and they deliver throughout the US. Solid food cleanse? Check out TBV 5-day Plant-based Cleanse, of course!

What’s on your agenda of Wednesday Eats? What is exciting in your Wednesday today?!

Oh, and I also used the opportunity to take creepy juice selfies and send them to my friends and fan (they love me, I swear…):

And if you’re Jewish (like me!), hope Passover is going swell and you’re getting your matzoh in… hopefully dipped in chocolate, as well.

Let’s get down to today’s topics, shall we? A little ditty on micro greens (because I promised, and because they’re so freaking good for you) and a little update on my juice cleanse. Day 8, people! An entire week + a day of no solid food. Holy moly, right?

 What’s the Dealio with Micro Greens?

As a vegan food blogger and an overall fanatic of health and nutrition, you might be surprised to learn that before last month, I really had no idea what the benefits of micro greens were. Or, if you’re like me, maybe you’re not so surprised. What the heck are those little sprouty thangs anyway?!

Well, the awesome Brendan Davison from Goodwater Farms in East Hampton was kind enough to share his knowledge (and his greens) with me, and I am extremely grateful.

Small but mighty, micro greens, are whole plants harvested at the seedling stage that have been proven to contain four to six times as many nutrients as their full-grown counterparts (say what?!). Goodwater Farms currently grows mulitiple varieties from kale to red shiso, using organic certified soil sourced from New England that has been enriched with blood meal, kelp and compost, to ensure a richness of nutrients and minerals.

Micro greens are the very first true leaves of a vegetable or an herb. At this stage of a young plant’s life, energy and life are abundant and thriving. That’s one of the reasons why micro greens are more nutrient dense and rich in flavor than their older varieties. (Hi say to Brendan!)

Micro greens have been dubbed “potent nutrition,” and I’m here to tell you that they taste ridiculously fresh on top of it. You’ll probs never want to go back to your regular greens.

Ok, that’s a lie, because all greens are amazing in their own way (as long as they are organic, fresh and as local as you can swing it), but micro greens are certainly something you’re going want to add into your weekly grocery sweep.

What can you do with them?

A) Blend them in your smoothies (one of my favorite uses for them).

B) Use them as a salad topping.

C) Incorporate them into your stir-fries. They’re super amazing with mushrooms, spinach, cauliflower, cumin and a bit of coconut oil.

There you have it, folks! If you’re looking for a reliable brand please do check out Goodwater Farms – and if you’re in NYC, they’ll deliver!

Day 8 of my Cleansey Cleanse:

I’m going to keep this short and sweet, because I plan on doing a full write-up of my 10-day experience once the cleanse is through, but I have noticed some significant things while cleansing and I couldn’t help but share as I go along. 

Yesterday (day 7) was the first day that I felt legitimately hungry on the cleanse. I coasted through the first several days with little to no hunger, and every time I started to get a little hungry or weak I just sipped on a juice and it totally did the trick.

I have also been incorporating a smoothie into my cleanse each day since the cleanse is so long and I’ve wanted to have the energy to exercise and power through my work at the same time. Well, yesterday I skipped out on the smoothie because I wanted to do a full day of juice… and I think it really affected me.

I was starving by the time I went to bed, and I woke up throughout the night from some leg pain (wtf?) and hunger. When I woke up this morning I couldn’t get to Juice Press fast enough – I was ravenous!

I downed my first juice of the day (Series B: green apple, spinach, kale, lemon) and for some reason felt totally unsatisfied. An hour later I cracked open my Fountain of Youth (berry smoothie with hemp protein and coconut oil) and added a tiny bit of almond butter because I felt like I really needed the boost – WHEW I feel so much better!

Now I am pumped up and ready to finish out my last three days strong. And I am going to head to the gym today for a run, which will be my first run on the cleanse. Gave myself a weeklong running break post-half-marathon because I was so wiped out from it.

Oh, and for those of you asking whether I’ve lost weight on the cleanse… weight loss was not my primary goal, nor was it really on my radar when I began the cleanse – I was totally doing this for my internal bod and for the spiritual and emotional reasons I’ve mentioned in previous posts. But who doesn’t like to lose a few ell bees? I think I’ve lost about 7 pounds and I can’t lie and say that I’m not stoked about it!

How was everyone’s weekend? Going to try out some micro greens soon? How about a juicey juice cleanse? Bonus Question: Do you remember when you found out the truth about the Easter Bunny?!

This was actually my second half marathon, but since I didn’t properly train for the first one I was kind of treating this one like the first. My training got off to a great start, but from overexerting the crap out of my bod and neglecting to rest, I injured my ankle about a month and a half ago and wasn’t sure if I would even be able to participate in the half that I signed up for.

I decided that I was going to walk the majority of it and run as much as I could, but when I showed up yesterday and felt the overwhelming amount of energy from the women participating, I had a new sense of determination. The More Fitness Women’s Half Marathon is the largest all women’s half marathon in the country – who knew?! I certainly didn’t. The trail goes along the outside edge of Central Park and loops around 2.5 times. A.k.a: lots of hills, but amazing scenery.

I started out running at a slow pace, mildly panicked that my ankle was going to start acting up and I would either have to start walking, or (worst case scenario) not be able to finish the race at all. There must have been something in the air yesterday, because my ankle, for the first time since I had injured it, gave me no trouble whatsoever.

I breezed through the first four miles, loving the energy from the women around me and feeling amazing. I ended up walking every other mile or so from that point on, simply because I hadn’t been able to train for the last month and a half. In the end, I ran about ¾ of it (at a very slow pace) and came out feeling incredible. 

So many people came out to support, and their words of encouragement on the sidelines were absolutely what pushed me to keep going when my legs were killin’ me and my body was saying: WTF is going on, you never run up and down hills like this?!?!

The entire experience was very inspiring, and it reminded me how important it is to force myself out of my comfort zone more often. Even just waking up at 6 a.m. and being in Central Park as the sun was rising got my heart pumping a little faster and made me think about how beautiful this city really is. Life is a beautiful thing, people! Don’t you ever forget it.

I am thinking I want to find a race to sign up for in the fall, but next time I might look for one on flatland.

!!!10-Day Cleanse!!!

The other exciting thing I did this weekend was attend a talk at Juice Press given by health guru and raw foodie Fred Bisci. Fred is an expert on all things health and wellness, and he had a lot of interesting things to say about extended juice cleansing and the amazing health benefits that come from it. A few of the things that resonated most with me were:

A) When we are stressed out, we often turn to food as a coping mechanism. The best thing to do for the body when you’re in a state of stress or anxiety is to cleanse, and let the body heal itself from the inside out. With all of my digestion and stomach problems, I have been told that eating on a nervous stomach makes my symptoms a lot worse. I have had a lot of stress lately, and I think it’s time to step back and give my organs a real break. I’m hoping that once that happens, my mind will be able to relax as well.

B) Many people eat a very healthy diet and feel dissatisfied with the results that they see. That is because they have never cleansed and let their body get back to its natural state of balance, so they are out of touch with what their body needs. They eat too much, or too much of the wrong things, because they are not in tune with their bodies.

C) Cleansing for a short period of time (1 to 3 days) only scratches the surface. Long term cleanses give the most benefits.

D) When you don’t have to worry about food, you can reconnect with your inner being in a way that is not normally attainable. Cleansing is as spiritual and mental as it is physical. My meditation practice is something I have been wanting to reconnect to, and I am feeling like I need a real break to turn inward (and we all know I obsess about food a lot, so this is the perfect kind of break for me).

For those who don’t agree with cleansing (or extended cleansing especially), I just want to give you this disclaimer: I know my body. I know what works for me, I know what makes me thrive, and I know what I need in order to heal and feel my best. You can read more about my views on juice cleansing here, and also stay tuned for a whole lotta posting about cleansing in the next 10 days!

I know that I have been feeling off balance lately and I know that my body does exceptionally well on cleanses. I have never done more than a 3 day cleanse on just juice, but I have done 7 days on TBV plant-based cleanse (all fruits, veggies and nuts) and I know that giving my digestive system a break is the best way for my body to reset itself and to give myself a clean slate. Also important to note: I am doing this cleanse as much for my mind as I am for my body.

Mainly, I am doing it because I am excited about it!! I am beyond motivated and very much looking forward to the benefits that cleansing will bring my mind, body and spirit. Cannot wait to share this journey with all of you.

And a h-u-g-e thanks to Juice Press for A) introducing me to the amazing Fred Bisci and B) for providing me with my yummy juices for this 10 day journey. I am so lucky to be working with my favorite juice place in the city. Stay tuned to read about my journey over the next 10 days… I am so excited to share with all of you. And if you want to hop in and join me for a 1, 3, 5 or even 10 day cleanse at any point, DO IT! I would love, love any and all support from fellow cleansers. Love you all! And keep on with the #fallinlovewithyourself challenge, I will be picking this week’s winner tomorrow evening!