Diary of a juice cleanse: The Nomad Nutrition one day cleanse

[gallery ids="4395,4396,4397"] Words and photography by Lauren Matilda Matthews from The Kitchen Collective If you’re anything like me, you’ve always wanted to commit to a juice cleanse, but the thought of it has you running to binge under the golden arches. Or, also like me, you have been known to complete a substantial period of time consuming only liquid, but the liquid in question leaves you elegantly intoxicated. So, how are people like you and I suppose to commit to a diet of leafy greens in liquid form? Even if the cute insta with a jar of juice subtly held in front of your thigh gap is enticing, it seems like a huge price to pay for 13 likes. Cue Nomad Nutrition, a locally based, organic and sustainable boutique juicing company. I think what gave me enough confidence to attempt their juice cleanse over others, is they offer a one day wonder cleanse, that promises to clean my insides and leave me feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. The night prior, Nomad suggests you have a light dinner and an early night. Upon waking, I down the prescribed glass of warm water mixed with half an organic lemon. Straight after that I’m into juice one: It’s aptly named Garden Greens and is jammed packed with kale, cucumber, apple, lemon, kawakawa, chia seeds and brazil nuts. Surprisingly I’m feeling full and refreshed. Juice two: Apple, carrot, ginger, turmeric, and activated sunflower seeds. I’m slightly worried about the addition of turmeric, but the zingy concoction goes down an absolute treat. And still I’m not hungry in the slightest. Midday rolls around and I’m beginning to daydream about lunch, but I quickly swipe those thoughts aside and open juice number three: blueberries, goji berries, banana, elderflower, psyllium husk and activated linseed. After this juice I’m feeling uplifted and ready to face the afternoon. Onto the four juice at 3pm: Pineapple, avocado, spinach, green tea and Aloe Vera. Smooth and refreshing, I instantly think this would be great with a nip of vodka, but again realise alcohol is not allowed today. Insert sad face. Wine time, 5pm: I’m struggling slightly now, I’m a creature of comfort and my routine has been thrown out the window today. The thought of not chowing down on dinner soon, along with a trusty glass of full bodied Pinot is almost too much to handle. But for research sake I pour juice number 5 into a wine glass and pretend. This one contains filtered water, kefir grains, organic lemon, raspberies and hibiscus infusion. What can I say, this one might be my favourite, it’s slightly fizzy and tart. And to be honest, I forget all about that coveted vino. The final juice: organic cashew milk, cinnamon, banana, vanilla, dates, sea salt, sprouted buckwheat and chamomile. If someone would have told me I’d do a juice cleanse and not be writhing around in pain due to hunger by 7pm I would have laughed, but I’m feeling content, relaxed, and not hungry in the slightest. I have an early night as Nomad suggests, and wake up the next morning full of energy and surprisingly not hungry at all. I spoke to my ol’ mate, Nike Master and Les Mills trainer Kirsty Godso on her thoughts of Nomad’s juice cleanse, as I know she’s a huge advocate. She schooled me on the importance of a cleanse... 'The typical first thought for most people when you say 'juice cleanse' is weight loss. This is a really naive conclusion to come to. Whether you're healthy or not, a juice cleanse is a great way to reset your energy levels and give your digestive system a break. I eat on a high protein, high fat (unsaturated fats), low carb plan. Everybody is different but this works perfectly for me and gives me the energy and nutrients I need to fuel my body efficiently for all the physical output I require from it. However, this also means that I am constantly forcing my body to break down food. A juice cleanse like the Nomad Nutrition Holistic Cleanse is all organic and packed with superfoods and essential fats so that all your major organs are supported whilst you cleanse, rather than deprived. If you're not living a very healthy lifestyle but looking for a change, a juice cleanse is the perfect way to detoxify and reset your body before starting on your new healthy living path. Common post cleanse results are a surge in energy and improved overall internal health. I would highly recommend trying the Nomad Nutrition cleanse, bonus is that all of the drinks are delicious!' says Kirsty. All in all, after completing the unfathomable with relative ease, and then basking in the proceeding energy  boost I received from the juice cleanse, I would highly recommend it to all. Kirsty is on the other spectrum of health to I am, but the same cleanse complements us in similar ways, and I’m happy to note that the following day after my cleanse I was making more conscious decisions about what I was eating, and I even pushed back my wine time to 6pm. Rejoice.