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Some time ago—as in, mid-September—I received a copy of JJ Smith’s 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse*. I read it almost immediately upon receiving it and was determined to try out the 10-day cleanse.

And then… days passed by without doing it. I loved the idea (after all, everyone knows I’m crazy about green smoothies!), but there were always reasons why I couldn’t do the 10-day green smoothie cleanse. Not right now. Maybe later.

So last week, I pulled out my calendar and “booked” a 10-day stretch in which I didn’t have many social plans arranged to derail me from this cleanse. I informed Mr. Science what I was going to do so that we could both grocery shop and meal plan around it.

Why, exactly, do I want to do this 10-day green smoothie cleanse?

For ages now, my weight has been very steadily at the cusp of the upper limit for my “normal” BMI; I’ve also been eating more popcorn and chocolate and candy than is really necessary over the past few months, and I have a Rubbermaid bin full of clothes that I’m holding onto for when I lose some weight.

It’s getting a little silly: I know what I should be doing (after all, I’m a health writer and a Certified Holistic Nutritionist!), but I’ve been struggling with implementing what I already know that I should do… really, for years. There are a lot of ways that I could be healthier, and I think that a 10-day green smoothie cleanse could be just what I need to get me on a healthier track. Plus, many people who have done the 10-day green smoothie cleanse observed that they began sleeping better—it’s worth a shot for that alone!

Thanks to getting my anxiety under control (♥ acupuncture) and other things coming together rather neatly (*knocks on wood*), I figured that now was the right time to do a 10-day green smoothie cleanse. Smith notes in her book that 80% of people lose 10 lbs during the 10-day cleanse, so I’m aiming to lose and keep off 5 lbs. I don’t particularly care too much about how much I lose if I just gain it back again. (After all, I have some really pretty clothes to fit into!)

Green smoothies should include a variety of dark leafy greens for maximum nutrients.

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The 10-day green smoothie cleanse involves drinking a smoothie for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and having some raw fruits and vegetables as snacks (as well as the occasional handful of nuts or hard-boiled egg as needed).

One of the things I really like about this particular 10-day green smoothie cleanse is that it focuses on plenty of (and a variety of) dark leafy greens. It also includes some wiggle room, such as fresh fruits and vegetables for snacks. I also like that the 10-day green smoothie cleanse isn’t super rigid—if I want to have an actual dinner one night, that’s okay. There’s a lot of ways to be flexible with this cleanse and really listen to what your body needs, depending on the circumstance.

The book review:

The book 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse* itself is decent, but it feels as though it was really rushed. Half of the book is full of over-punctuated testimonials, and there were quite a few typos. There’s also some repeated information throughout the book, as well as sections that have been copied and pasted from JJ Smith’s other book, Lose Weight Without Dieting or Working Out*.

It makes sense that some of the passages would have repeat information and that kind of thing, but it feels as though the book was thrown together in a big hurry. It’s too bad, because the concept of the cleanse is so awesome—I wish that a little bit more effort had gone into crafting the writing and the book.

There are piles of green smoothie recipes (a definite plus!) in the 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse, but I’d be more interested in seeing tips for how to get through the 10-day green smoothie cleanse, and what to expect at different points throughout the cleanse (there’s a brief mention that the first couple days are the toughest, and a page on potential detox symptoms, but that’s about it). Perhaps a new edition will come out in the future that includes that kind of information!

What’s the green smoothie cleanse been like for me so far?

I started the 10-day green smoothie cleanse this past Tuesday (you can check out my food diary blog to see what I’ve been eating), so this is just Day Three for me. On the morning of the first day, I felt pretty sleepy and hungry. I used my own favorite green smoothie recipe, and misjudged the amounts so my smoothie was a little smaller than it should have been. I finished my smoothie by 1pm (oops!). So I had a hard-boiled egg soon after that… hard-boiled eggs have never tasted so good!

Yesterday, Day Two of the 10-day green smoothie cleanse, felt better than I expected. I bulked up my smoothie a decent amount and I think that helped a lot, but it’s been challenging to get in enough calories. I also found that my energy levels have been fluctuating quite a lot over the past couple days.

My last day of the 10-day green smoothie cleanse will be Thursday, November 13. I did my measurements (weight, body fat percentage, inches around waist and hips, etc.) and took a photo on Tuesday morning; I’ll do the same on the morning of Friday, November 14 to compare. I’m a little nervous but also excited! It’s been a while since I drank lots of green smoothies, and I’ve made sure to have plenty of tea in the cupboards if I’m craving something warm and cozy.

Wish me luck!

Have you ever done a cleanse? What do you think of the 10-day green smoothie cleanse? Got any great green smoothie recipes? Share in the comments section below!

*This article contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase through them, I’ll receive a small amount at no additional cost to you.

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