My my, isn’t the world changing, first there was the iPod, then there were Google Glasses, and now, keep your eyes peeled, as this summer, JuiceBurst will re-launch as the world’s first digitally interactive soft drink. Blippar technology will have fruit literally bursting off a shelf near you!!
With an impressive 14 flavours to choose from, there is a JuiceBurst to suit everyone – from tried and tested Apple & Orange to the exotic Mango and surprisingly tasty Apple and Rhubarb. Each 500ml bottle offers a delicious shortcut to one of your five a day, and priced at no more than a bottle of fizzy drink, JuiceBurst is actually really good value for money.
LETS GET INTERACTIVE!
To have the full JuiceBurst experience, simply ‘blipp’ the bottle and you’ll be taken into an interactive world, where the fruit literally bursts off the label and out of your phone / ipad. You’ll be invited to play the fruit machine game where you could be in with a chance of winning your own stash of JuiceBurst.
So what are you waiting for go and pick up your futuristic fruit drink now – and let us know how you get on!!
Our travel writer Katrina Santos-Baron took a break from travelling to glamorous locations and instead spent the last week on a health trip that didn’t even require her to leave her home town! She shared her findings with Snoochie Boochies to show the benefits of tackling weight loss and healthy living through juicing, and more specifically the Alpha Step: 5 Day Reset.
Two months ago, I decided to go on a Weight Loss Challenge as I wanted to lose 5 kilos (11 lbs) that I gained over the last few months. I started it as I was coming into the realisation that married life is not an excuse to gain more inches around the waist! And I found along the way, that there’s more to life than just losing those ‘muffin tops’ I gained from a happy marriage *giggles* and fitting once again into my size 8 dresses, jeans and stylist’s clothes, what actually happened was that I rediscovered the beauty of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. And who wouldn’t want to wake up with a flatter tummy?!
Looking back at my diet, I realised I was eating a lot of oily and processed foods, particularly when my husband and I had a few friends over from our native Philippines. (I was cooking a lot of Filipino delicacies, such as binagoongan, ginataang alimasag, sinigang, rice and all for 2 weeks – not to forget the deserts on top! – oh, good times). I applied the polite portion principle though. During this time, I noticed that my skin started to breakout and I almost gained what I just lost. Phew… So, being inspired by some of my fitness partners, I bought a juicer and I started juicing various produce.
I can officially announce that my juicer has been the busiest machine in my kitchen! I’ve been experimenting lots of different mixes, I find it de-stressing. My husband and I have moved on to replacing one meal with 1-2 cups of freshly made juice (mostly dinner) and this has been going on for few weeks now. Over this time, I noticed that I’ve lost 3 kilos and few cm off my waistline. Yahoooooo! Well that comes with also working out almost 5 days week, a holistic approach is the key!
I also noticed that with juicing, my skin got clearer with a pinkish glow effect, and I am more energetic especially when I do my usual fitness exercises.
Its not just me who has seen the benefits:
One of my friends who inspired me to start juicing also shared her juicing experience:
“I have been juicing on and off for almost a decade already. But seriously juiced (everyday) just this year. Our family doctor recommended a recipe to make us healthier and have glowing skin noticeable in just a week. So we tried it – it was great! We went back to it this year and I really noticed a big difference in my energy levels so continued my research (since that recipe tasted horrible) and found a whole heap of new recipes to try.
Since I started juicing, I noticed I got more energy and my skin was just glowing. There is that rosy pink glow to it. I can do so much more in the day than I used to. The energy is the most important change that I noticed. I became stronger. Also, I am a frustrated runner. My knees hurt everytime I tried to run, even for just a few seconds. But more recently I am able to do a minute of running, alternating with brisk walking then running again. I’m faster now. I’ve always known it has got to be the juicing. And just today, I discovered that cucumbers help lubricate your joints. I juice cucumber a lot, so now I know why all of a sudden I can run for a bit longer. I got hooked. And been sharing the benefits of juicing to my friends since.”
You can see why my friend is my juicing guru. We’ve been talking about different types of juicers (centrifugal vs masticating juicers and how we can’t wait to get our hands on Hurom HU-700), various juice mixes and health advice.
The Alpha Step: 5 Day Reset
As I got more serious about juicing I’ve started an Alpha Step: 5-day Reset. This means that I’ll be eating no food for a period of 3 days but instead, replacing all the meals with 100% fresh veggies and fruit juice every 3 hours up to 6 times a day and consuming 10-12 cups daily, then slowly introducing protein on Day 4 & 5 then back to eating clean and regular exercise.
Here’s a helpful quick-start article by Drew Canole about this – please click here. I don’t think I have the symptoms of poor digestion as mentioned in the article but I believe my body deserves a break from heavy food intake. Drew also stated that, “Alpha Step”…is the beginning step in any new workout regime or fitness goal. Okay, game.
So here’s my Alpha Step Diary:
The day before:
I started to read few articles and blogs about Alpha Step so that I get a clear understanding of what am I getting myself into. I got really excited, unfortunately, and planned my grocery shopping for the following day.
This is it. Day 1:
Weight: 57.7kgs
I had warm water with lemon as usual (let’s call this L-H20 and this is different from squeezing lemon on drinking water under room temperature; to cut the long story short, the difference is the water temperature)
I had a banana-kiwi smoothie for breakfast since bananas do not go in the juicer. I blended it well to ensure that it’s less thicker than a normal smoothie, almost close to the juice texture.
I quickly went to the shop nearby and picked few essentials
I’m glad I had a good 60-min cardio at the gym last Saturday as this programme prohibits excessive exercise / lifting weights for 5 days. I just did few squats at home.
I did the normal no.2 in the morning (sorry I had to write this in case this changes along the course)
Three hours later, I juiced 4 celery stalks, 4 carrots, 2 red apples, half beet root and a handful of spinach
My next juice was 4 big tomatoes and 2 small carrots – kinda sour…
I was drinking loads of water squeezed with lemon all day
I felt kinda dizzy, maybe that’s my body adjusting or I was just spending too much time infront of the computer, anyways, I kept on reminding myself – I can do it. Here’s my work desk with my juice (sorry it’s a bit cluttered, I usually clear it up after):
I really wanted to stuff my mouth with the leftover M&Ms.. Lol.. But I thought, it’s not worth it!
My husband picked me up to do grocery shopping and we spent nearly £85 on produce! Okay, this is not a cheap diet but I know it’s a good health investment.
I got a bit hungry so I made beetroot, carrot and cucumber juice – not my favourite mix so I had water with lemon immediately
This is the most challenging bit: cooking salmon and aglio e olio for my husbands dinner. Okay, okay, okay… I had to hold my breath and focus on my goal: detox to lose unwanted fats and be healthier. Fine.
Of course I had to go to the loo frequently due to the amount of liquids drank all day (not to do no.2 – just want to make it clear)
For the first time in months, I felt sleepy at 9:30pm and went to bed early.
Ain’t That Easy. Day 2:
Weight: 56.5 kilos – I already lost 1.2 kilos
I had the same in the morning: L-H20 plus banana and kiwi juice-like smoothie
I didn’t take any fiber supplement as advised and there wasn’t a change in my toilet routine, I was still able to do no.2 at around the same time (sorry, it’s gross but I have to include it)
I juiced greens for lunch: broccoli, bell pepper, granny smith apple, cucumber, celery and parsley.
The dizziness had gone and I felt energetic. However I am paranoid of the pimple-popping-detox-result. I’ve read few blogs and they’ve experienced severe breakouts during the juice fast. Thankfully, no red spots on my skin yet. I guess that’s because I’ve been juicing already and been avoiding greasy junk food prior to this.
The green juice made me full for the next few hours until late in the afternoon. I’ve been eating Juice Plus Chewables (made from real fruits and veggies in chewy form – it melts before it even goes down to the esophagus so I guess it’s okay).
Another challenge: I prepared roast chicken, potatoes with onions, red and yellow bell peppers for my husband’s dinner – now that made me hungry! I was okay the whole day until this came along! I thought it was going to be easy but it made me crave for hot food! The whole house smelled of roasted chicken and I realised this is not easy.
So I made a juice: half of a red bell pepper, 1 apple, 2 carrots and 2×1″ ginger. I don’t know what I was thinking – it really tasted awful. I only had few gulps and I had to bin it… I felt really bad, I hate wasting food!
To give myself a little treat, I made my one of my favourite mixes – beet, carrot and apple, my comfort juice (others call it the ‘Miracle Drink’) and went to bed at past 10ish
I’m Still Alive: Day 3:
Yes, I’m still alive! lol. The thought of ‘no food’ was a bit scary to begin with but thinking of all the benefits from juicing and upon reading the testimonials, obviously this plan is created for a nourishing detox and I woke up happier this morning. It’s the last day anyway and tomorrow I can insert egg whites in my diet, then fish the day after.
This morning, I weighed 56.1 (dropped almost 1 lbs), lost 2.6cm off my waistline and no breakouts – yahooooo!
After the usual L-H20, I had a smoothie made of 2 bananas and a cupful of strawberries for breakfast and that kept me full for hours (I’ve been drinking water with lemon in between as well)
Normal toilet routine – meaning my digestion is still good 🙂
Got a bit hungry so I prepared a juice made of 1 pack of asparagus, 2 tomatoes and 1 carrot.
At around half 5 in the afternoon, I made an orange juice (using 6 oranges). Did you know that oranges are good for the skin? That’s one beauty secret revealed!
I wanted to join my husband in the gym at around 7ish but I opted not too since the plan prohibits excessive exercise as I mentioned earlier. I also have loads of unfinished work to do anyways…
Like in the past two days, the most challenging bit comes when I prepare dinner for my husband. I cooked Spaghetti Bolognaise (another favourite). I thought to myself, “It’s okay, Kat. Few more days and you can eat a polite portion of SpagBol. You’ve come this far, so don’t give up”. Hope you don’t get me wrong, I’m not depriving myself – I’m detoxing just for 5-days!
For dinner, I made 1 beet root, 1 carrot, 1 apple, 1 cucumber, 4 celery stalks and handful of parsley.
Smiling on a Gloomy: Day 4:
I woke up on a gloomy and rainy morning but I feel lighter. I went to the bathroom and I weighed 55.3kgs (1.7 lbs lost) and dropped 1cm off my waistline. No breakouts on my skin apart from a dried tiny spot on my forehead (I had this before I started the Alpha Step!)
I had 4 boiled eggs whites on a empty stomach replacing one juice consumption. I was so excited to have egg whites. I seemed like I’ve never felt as excited as this about egg whites in my entire life! That was filling and I had a good burp (excuse me!).
Banana, strawberry and kiwi smoothie for brunch at 11:45
I realised my no.2 didn’t take place (I hadn’t taken any fibre supplement yet)
I made another green juice: 3 celery stalks, 1 cucumber, parsley, broccoli and 1 lemon. Tangy, tangy…
I had another 2 egg whites for dinner 🙂
I was sleepy at around 10ish but was watching a movie with my husband, so ended up staying awake until about midnight. I was a bit cheeky and tried one of his M&Ms..but apparently, I was surprised that I didn’t like the taste – I can sorta feel the green juice on my tongue mixed with chocolate, nasty. Anyway, at least it puts me off from getting another one.
I Survived! Day 5:
Last day of my Alpha Step. It’s so sunny outside so I wore my trainers and went for a quick walk around the neighborhood. But before that, I had 3 boiled egg whites for breakfast. I weighed 54.8kgs (1.3 kilos / 2.9 lbs lost) and dropped another 1cm off my waistline. I feel that my energy’s back to normal, actually I can run but I just thought maybe I’ll give it few more days.
After the walk, I grabbed a freshly made juice from a local juicing cafe. It’s called Sun Kissed made of mango, orange, pineapple and passion fruit It was so refreshing!
I was a bit stressed for missing out my normal morning toilet routine yesterday, glad it went back to normal today (see I told you, it has to be documented!)
For lunch, I juiced 3 apples and 2 carrots.
After hours and hours of writing reports, etc for work, my husband and I went to the gym at 6:30pm. I had a banana before (that’s not part of the programme, I just had one). My friend, was also there and we did 30-min cross training session, 30-min cycling session and spent 4-mins rowing.
For dinner, FINALLY!!!! Tadaaaaaa…….
Okay, it may not look that exciting for you but I was so looking forward to eating dinner with my husband. Since Monday, I was just having juice while he was eating the food I cooked. He had rice with this fish but I just had the fish meat (I seasoned this fish with tomatoes, shallots, spring onions, lemon, ginger, pinch of salt and pepper and little olive oil popped in the oven for 15 mins covered with foil then another 15 mins without – just in case you want to find out the recipe).
Very Happy!
My conclusion on the Alpha Step detox
That’s my Alpha Step experience, the first detox program that I’ve tried. I lost 3 kilos (6.61 lbs) and about 4cm off my waistline. I originally wanted to become skinnier, basically get my pre-married shape back but really beyond that, I did this because I want to be healthier (shredding off those unwanted ‘muffin tops’ is a BIG bonus, wink*… plus the glowing skin). Of course I won’t binge on food after fasting for 5 days. Slowly, I’ll go back to eating clean foods and will avoid junk food as much as possible.
If you are looking for a detox programme without losing the important nutrients needed by our body, I think this one is for you. Don’t worry about not having carbs, it’s just 5 days anyway! Just make sure you consult your doctor first especially if you are undergoing medication.
I suggest that before you do this, get a juicer and insert this juicing habit in your daily life. Try replacing one meal, preferably at night, with 1-2 cups of freshly made juice like what I’d been doing before this detox program (and will be doing after). Then see if you think you are ready for the Alpha Step. Otherwise, juice anyway. And keep juicing, baby!
Here are quick tips about juicing:
Have the right mindset. Be beautiful inside and out.
It ‘s really important that you connect with the people who are also into this. It’s helpful to follow blogs, Facebook pages and Instagram posts. I’ve downloaded ‘The Everything Juicing Book’ by Carole Jacobs and ‘The Funk Fresh Juice ebook’ by Jason Vale in my iBooks.
Get a good juicer. Currently, I am using an Electrolux centrifugal juicer since I didn’t really know what to get at first. Now, I’m saving up for a Hurom slow juicer (it’s about £360!). Also consider if it is easy-to-clean as you must clean your juicer every after use.
Make sure you wash your fruits and veggies properly, you’ll never know! Also it’s better to use a plastic chopping board instead of a wooden one. Do not chop meats using this chopping board – get a separate one for that.
Do not store produce in the fridge for long. They only last for few days. I know it will take you several trips to the grocery weekly but believe me, it’s all worth it. Plus you get to burn those extra fats by walking to the supermarket!
Be prepared for frequent toilet visit.
Even busy people can make this a healthy habit.
Juice greens! Juice those superfoods that you can’t eat – at least you can cover your nose when you drink!
Juice less fruits at night – they’re good during the day or before the work-out. How about a refreshing apple-carrot juice after a 5km run?
Drink your juice immediately, you don’t to lose those nutrients!
Drink warm water with lemon first thing in the morning – it alkalizes your body.
If you feel you haven’t juiced enough, try Juice Plus Chewables (I used to eat Haribo gummies whilst working, now I replaced it with these all-natural fruit and veggie chewies)
Get a juicing journal or save your juicing mixes in your iPhone notes. I like taking pictures too.
Try, experiment, enjoy!
Just think of your health, really. That’s about it. Benefits will follow 🙂
A few weeks back we reported on the fantastic Innocent Inspires event held by our friends at Innocent Drinks. With influential speakers such as James Cracknell, Charlie Dark from Run Dem Crew and Dr Pixie McKenna speaking, we felt totally uplifted and healthier after the event.
The aim of this very first Innocent Inspires event was to help us all find ways to ‘Live Well and Die Old’ so this included easy ways to exercise, how to eat healthier foods and keep not only your physical but mental self well. We learnt a hell of a lot that night and cant wait to see what the next event has to offer, but if you missed this one, fear not as the lovely people at Innocent Drinks have shared some fantastic videos from the event.
If you want to find out more about the future Innocent Inspires event then make sure you click here!
To kick start here’s a fantastic overview of the whole event:
And if you want to watch the speaker talks in full, just sit back, relax and press play!
When you think of the word smoothie a few brands probably pop into your head – more often than not, its Innocent Smoothies. Believe it or not, but this ‘Innocent’ brand has been around for 14 years, and ever since its conception, the ethos behind Innocent is to do products in a truly good way – to make products that taste good, that do people good and to do good in the wider world too. With these values, it’s not hard to see why Innocent has become one of the UK’s most well-known and loved brands, bringing health and goodness to all its customers in a small bottle.
Now that Innocent is well and truly established, it has the ability to expand beyond its product range and really try to make an active difference in the wider world, and in 2013 this starts with a series of Innocent Inspires events. These events are a series of five evenings where all of Innocents key values are brought to life in one place. Yesterday, for the kick off event, it was brought to life in a church hall, cleverly transformed into a school gym with a difference.
This was known as Chapter One: How to live well and die old. This event was all about health, how we can live healthier lives and eventually live longer. To say this event was inspiring is an understatement. Considering the rubbish weather we’ve been having lately, smiles are hard to come by, but the moment we arrived at Latimer Road station, we were greeted with big smiles by an Innocent representative donned in flourescent head-gear and that was just the start! As we reached the hall, the helpful staff (and you really do get the unusual feeling that everyone who works for Innocent loves their job!) took our coats and showed us the way to a healthier lifestyle… it was upstairs.
What innocent did was create an atmosphere that made exercise fun. Becky our reporter will tell you a thousand times how she hates exercise, so it’s no wonder she was the perfect choice to send along! From delicious smoothies handed out as you entered the room to yummy plates of hummus and vegetables and teams of Innocent staff just waiting to get you involved in mini exercise events such as the ‘toilet squats.’ It really made the idea of eating and living healthier that little less daunting. Once everyone had gathered, it was time for the main event. Three inspirational speakers.
Legendary Olympian and extreme adventurer James Cracknell, was the first to take to the stage, he talked about the power of human will, about overcoming the odds and how everyone can really achieve great things if they put their minds to it. In short form, this sounds quite patronising and like a cheesy American life coach trying to sell you the solution to a happier life, but with someone like James Cracknell (who was armed with videos and photos of all his outstanding achievements) you realise he was an ordinary person, who embraced his drive and focus to achieve great things. Taking the audience on a journey from the Olympics to the Antarctic, we all quickly realised that he really had done it all, and with that he was someone to aspire to be like, to learn from and to feel very lucky to be in the presence of.
Next up was an equally inspiring person, but in a completely different way. Charlie Dark is the founder of Run Dem Crew, an ex DJ who took solace at night with his passion for running and a want for a healthier life. He turned this passion from something he did for himself, to something he involved his friends with and now something that inspires hundreds of people. Charlie’s aim is to get the younger generation off their backsides, doing something active and finding a community they can trust in which helps inspire, guide and encourage. What Charlie spoke about was team work, and how helping others is far greater than just helping yourself. Running, is the perfect example of this, a solo sport, where the majority strive to achieve personal bests. With Run Dem Crew, its not all about PB’s it’s about supporting each other and embracing the fact that you reached the finish line, not how quickly you did it in. Through this it seems very apparent that a lot of people in London are now enjoying the sport of running, but they’re also meeting new friends, feeling better about their lifestyles and encouraging others to do the same.
Finally, we had Dr Pixie McKenna from Embarrassing Bodies and other health programmes. She took the audience through the top ten things that can really affect our health, and was the perfect end point to the other talks. Dr Pixie talked through in a very down to earth manner, how the smallest of changes could have a more positive impact on our lives. For instance, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day and without it you risk becoming obese in later life, fish is incredibly important in our diets – we need Omega 3 which our body doesn’t produce itself, and how 30 minutes of exercise a day can make you live a longer and healthier life.
We caught up with Dr Pixie and also Charlie Dark as part of our v-log we created for the event. Why don’t you check it out below. And if you want to find out more about the Innocent Inspires events (and we really recommend that you do) you can do so here. The next Innocent Inspires event will feature supermodel Erin O’Connor and will be all about Ethics, so make sure you book your place now!
Snoochie Boochies 