I Tried A 3-Day Juice Cleanse & This Is What Happened
As someone who flirts with healthier lifestyles from time to time, juicing has long been on my radar. Lately, a glass of celery juice a day has been all the rage in the wellness realm, and generally speaking, so have juice cleanses. I've leaned more towards the latter. Anyone who knows me knows my preoccupation with the rich and sometimes unhealthy deliciousness of food (just peep my Instagram). Trying new restaurants is a favorite pastime of mine and unfortunately, so is ordering hundreds of dollars a month in food delivery services.
Despite the love I have for my curves in new places, since my weight gain (the office 20 is no joke!), I haven't enjoyed my gut or the perpetual feeling of being bloated from not eating as well as I should. My biggest wake-up call happened a few weeks back when I was laying in bed and felt my toes become numb. I had been told by a doctor that I was prediabetic before, and after a quick WebMD search, I felt like it was the Universe's way of saying, "Step away from all of the sugar, sis."
So when the opportunity to review the black woman-owned brand of organic cold-pressed "liquid magic" 1987 Juices came about, I leapt at it. The owner of 1987 Juices, La-Keasha Brown, had a primary goal in mind when creating the music-inspired line of juices, "To consistently provide health and wellness alternatives for other creatives, entrepreneurs or artists wanting/needing to incorporate healthy living into their ambitious schedules without breaking their budgets."
While some people engage in cleanses to lose weight, for me, a juice cleanse would mean a reset both physically and financially and would help promote a lifestyle of all around better habits. Because I am so used to eating 2-3 times a day every day, the idea of "fasting" and consuming fruits and veggies solely in juice form was a little intimidating to me as a first-timer; however, the proposed schedule was easy to follow and the timeframe (3 days are ideal for beginners) made it easier to see the finish line at the end. And lawd knows I needed to be able to see that finish line.
Day 1 of the Juice Cleanse
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La-Keasha advised slowly eliminating food from your diet in the days leading up to starting the cleanse. On the eve before you start, you should be strictly drinking water to prepare for the 3-day juice cleanse. So of course, I woke up hungry af. But unlike the eggs I typically gravitate toward, I started my day with my usual 16 oz of water, followed by a cup of hot water and lemon before officially starting the cleanse.
The juices and my schedule for the rest of the day was as follows:
- 9am: The Green Mile
- 11am: Beets By Meh
- 1pm: Four Leaf Clover
- 3pm: Power
- 5pm: Morning Kisses
- 7pm: The Green Mile
I was surprised by how good all of the juices tasted. I noticed that the juices were arranged in a way that you got a "break" between the not-so-fun flavors like The Green Mile and Four Leaf Clover with juices like Beets By Meh and Morning Kisses (my personal favorites). Power was another favorite and was a combination of activated charcoal, alkaline water, maple syrup, and lemon. The green juices weren't half-bad and I was surprised at how easy it was to sip all of them throughout the day. I was even excited for a drink by the time the two hours passed.
Day 2 of the Juice Cleanse
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What goes up must come down. I don't know what it was about Day 2 but Day 2 was HARD! My head was pounding all day from a caffeine withdrawal and I was just hungry. I noticed though in the process, things like sweets and juices weren't necessarily what I was craving, just food in general. I think mentally that helped curtail whatever sugar cravings I had simply because I was so focused on how physically ravenous I felt.
Even the way the juices tasted felt like night and day. All of the juices felt hard to throw back and what took 20-30 minutes of sipping time the day prior was taking over an hour to consume. Especially The Green Mile, which is the green juice you start and end your day with. Maybe it was because I wanted food that the juices weren't doing "it" for me. My taste buds were like, "Girl, if you don't-."
Day 3 of the Juice Cleanse
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Day 3 wasn't Day 1's smooth sailing vibe, but it also wasn't the close-to-tapping-out moments that eclipsed much of Day 2. It was mostly neutral. My headache thankfully subsided. I was thinking about food, but not nearly as obsessively as I was the day before. I still wanted it, but I could also rationalize with myself internally that tomorrow morning, it'll be on and poppin', just wait. Which is what I did.
I noticed that even though my appetite wasn't curbed, my sugar cravings definitely were, which made me feel like what I hoped the cleanse would do was successful. I wanted to reset my palette and mentally and physically, I felt myself experiencing that. I had more energy and within my body overall, I just felt incredible.
This juice cleanse taught me that I can literally do anything that I put my mind to, even if it gets hard and therefore I am a lot more mentally strong than I give myself credit for. I was also able to lose a little water weight in the process. I was glowing, I was more regular. Ultimately, my favorite result the feeling of renewal that I felt my body needed. Although I won't be a daily juice girl anytime soon, I will follow La-Keasha's lead and make juice(s) a self-care fixture at least once a week.
My body deserves it.
*I was gifted a 3-day cleanse package from 1987 Juices to review. All opinions expressed are my own.
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Featured image by Shutterstock
Originally published July 31, 2019
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Exclusive: Kelly Rowland Dishes On The Key To A Healthy Marriage And Her Skincare "Game-Changers"
Kelly Rowland is like a bottle of the Earth’s finest wine; she only gets better with time. Even in her early forties, the Destiny’s Child member and singer has somehow found a way to age backwards, with a level of grace and class that we could only dream of. And she does so while juggling multiple hats and roles at once. In addition to giving us hits like “Motivation,” the multi-hyphenate is also a wife, actress, executive producer, and, her greatest role of all, a mother.
Always proudly doting on her two sons, Titan and Noah, Rowland shares how teaming up with WaterWipes for their Hallowclean campaign and kickoff event in New York City on October 21 was an easy choice for her—as the brand is one that she keeps stocked regularly.
“WaterWipes has been in my household for I don’t know how long. We don’t just use them for Noah; I keep them in the car and my makeup bag, too,” Rowland shares in an exclusive interview with xoNecole. “I also like the fact that they are natural. I’ll definitely have them in my fanny pack for trick-or-treating. This is Noah’s second Halloween, and I know he’s going to be excited and digging in his pail to try the different candy, and his little fingers will be messy. He’s going to want to get dirty. So, I love that WaterWipes is putting up ten Hallowclean stations across the country for parents to use; it’s such a great idea. I just love Halloween, and I really love Halloween with my kids, so I thought this campaign was a really great idea.”
Kelly Rowland and son Noah at the WaterWipes Hallowclean Machine in Brooklyn, NY.
Photo courtesy of WaterWipes.
She and her youngest son, Noah, attended the event, where the two enjoyed a day of family-friendly activities while he sported the most adorable astronaut costume. But the Spooky Szn fun doesn’t stop there for the Merry Liddle Christmas actress and executive producer.
We recently caught up with Kelly Rowland over Zoom to learn more about her Halloween (and holiday) plans, her keys to a healthy marriage, and she even dropped her go-to cold-weather skin routine—finally.
xoNecole: What are your family’s upcoming trick-or-treat plans? Will you do a fun group costume, or is everyone going to do their own thing this year?
Kelly Rowland: I’m preparing for tour, so I’ve been in rehearsals and pre-production. And my husband's schedule has picked up, too. But the kids are going trick-or-treating; we usually go with people we know, so mommy and daddy will definitely be home to take them. We’re actually letting the kids dress us up this year, which means my costume will be a complete surprise to me. I told Noah he could paint my face or even go to the costume store and pick something out—it’s literally up to them. So, I don’t know what that will be. And, right after, I’ll be back to rehearsals.
xoN: Speaking of holidays, what do you look forward to most during the season?
KR: We love having people over, especially during the holidays. It looks like we will be home this year—thank God— just enjoying each other and spending quality time together. I like to decorate the house and go completely ham; it always looks like Christmas threw up in my house. From the stairwells to the exterior of the house and the lights—everything. We go so crazy. I also love the smells, it’s one of my greatest memories with my mom, God rest her soul. So I love to play all of that up.
I like to bake something every day, I like to make sure there is something for the kids to do or make each day, we watch Christmas movies, and we even do a wine tasting sometimes. It’s just all really sweet and cozy.
Kelly Rowland and son Noah at the WaterWipes Hallowclean Machine in Brooklyn, NY.
Photo courtesy of WaterWipes.
xoN: We love that family is so important to you, and it always shows in your posts, especially those with your husband. What would you say has been that “key” to a healthy marriage as partners and spouses for you two?
KR: I would say, each of us doing the self-work. I have not seen marriages last long in my lifetime. I haven’t been given the tools to “make it last forever.” We just try to do the work on ourselves and not sweat the small stuff.
Communication is key for us, too. We communicate everything. Whether I’m upset or I’m not sure about something, I communicate it. I also just like being around him, he’s fun. He’s a really great person and makes me laugh. We can literally sit together and watch a game and not say anything. We understand what true intimacy is, and now we’re almost ten years into our marriage.
xoN: Now, Kelly, we have to ask. Skincare. What is your cold-weather routine and the products you’re reaching for as temperatures drop?
KR: Right now, I’m all about moisture. I will wash my face morning and night, I do not skip. I’m obsessed with this 111SKIN toner. It smells good, but it also feels good on my skin. There’s also this product from Vanessa Lee of The Things We Do. They are these coconut eye patches with these little beads. I place them under my eyes and around the corners of my mouth—talk about a game changer. I like to put them on at night and then rub in the extra serum all over my face. Between that and this lactic acid by Shani Darden, they are both game-changers for me this season.
xoN: So, since you’ve found the key to aging backwards, should we be on the lookout for the Kelly Rowland skincare line anytime soon?
KR: Honestly, that market is so saturated. I wanted to do it a while back, but I have to really think about what I want to bring to the marketplace to really impact culture. It’s not just about a product for me. I love the way Selena Gomez has created a community. I want to be able to create a community as well. When it’s not just about skincare, it turns into a space for people to be their most authentic selves. And that’s what I love.
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Feature image by Natasha Campos/Getty Images for Tres Generaciones
Jay-Z Talks Blue Ivy Reclaiming Her Power On Stage Following Years Of Public Scrutiny Over Her Hair
Blue Ivy Carter has had the public's attention since before she was born due to her parents being power couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z. While the Carters are super private compared to many other celebrities and make very few family appearances, people are glued to their every move, especially their firstborn, Blue, and her siblings, Rumi and Sir. The 11-year-old joined her famous mother on her RENAISSANCE World Tour this year and blew audiences away with her dance moves to "My Power," and fans are hoping to see more from the preteen as she continues to grow up. Her father, Jay-Z, gushed about his daughter during an interview with CBS Mornings.
“What makes me super proud — and I still get goosebumps seeing her walk onstage — is because Blue’s been ... born into a life she didn’t ask for,” the Brooklyn rapper said. “Since she was born, she’s been in scrutiny and public eye, and everyone having an opinion — even a little girl, how she keeps her hair. So for her to be on that stage and reclaim her power, and the song is called ‘My Power’ ... you can’t write a better script.”
When Blue was younger, she was subjected to many negative comments about her hair and hair texture as it was often worn natural. However, there were others who defended her and called out those who were hair-shaming. The Grammy award-winner continues to wear her hair in natural styles, including braids, which she wore throughout the RENAISSANCE World Tour. Jay-Z continued to praise his daughter and shared how she became a part of the tour. "I know how nervous she was. I know how frightened she was, and she wanted to do it," he said.
"She wanted to do it the first night, and we was like, okay, if this something you want to do, you can't just go out there. You gotta go work with the dancers and go work, and she worked every day and watched her work hard, and she had a little icy pack thing on her back some days."
Fans will get to see more insight into Blue's performance and the RENAISSANCE tour in Beyoncé's upcoming film RENAISSANCE: A Film By Beyoncé, which hits theaters on December 1, 2023.
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Feature image by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Roc Nation