"I love a good 3 day juice cleanse," said no one ever. Eating delicious food is more than a hobby of mine, food is literally all I think about, so I'd say that makes me kind of an expert. One time my best friend challenged me to a taco eating contest, and after I devoured 8 tacos in a matter of minutes (and of course, won the bet!), she crowned me the "food queen." I am pretty proud of that, I am not going to lie.

You know the saying "why is everything that is delicious bad for you?" I don't know the answer to that. I don't think it will surprise anyone to hear that my "expertise" sometimes comes with a price. The downside of my "see-food diet" is that I occasionally feel like bunk and I've noticed now that the older I get, the harder it hits me. This summer, to get my body feeling light and active once again, I thought about juicing. That's when a friend from work told me about the only juice cleanse she'd ever stuck with; it was the 3-day detox juice cleanse from Lemonkindthat's packed with 24 superfood-infused juices that are formulated to specifically realign your body.

I still wouldn't scream from the rooftops that I <3 juice cleanses, but when I was done, I felt amazing!! Of all my friends, I'm the last person to do a cleanse (I was pretty skeptical), but Lemonkind changed me. Here, I answer all the questions I had about it.

Why on Earth should I do a juice cleanse?

In just a few days, a cleanse can reset a sluggish metabolism, get rid of water weight, and get your body used to smaller portions. A cleanse also helps make you feel your best and gets the body back-on-track. After doing the 3-day juice cleanse, I felt physically lighter, my skin was glowing, and I experienced tremendous mental clarity. I did Sudoku like a boss on the bus.

What can I expect from a Lemonkind cleanse?

A 1-day cleanse comes with 8 juices and a 3-day Lemonkind detox will come with 24 in total. They range from 110 to 180 calories per juice, to keep you satiated as you drink one about every 2 hours. Just like the baby food in pouches, everything's in shelf-stable pouches, so they don't need to be refrigerated until they're opened (which gives you a ton of flexibility!), and they're vegan and free of allergens, gluten, GMOs, artificial ingredients, and preservatives.

Wait, how is this one different?

Most juice cleanses fail because our bodies overcompensate for hunger by increasing insulin levels (aka the "crash" and mad rush for the cookie jar). What Lemonkind gets is that a juice cleanse shouldn't leave you feeling deprived - you will definitely miss tacos, but you won't be hungry (or hangry)! Their program is made to help your body maintain its equilibrium throughout the day, leaving you feeling great.

I noticed there's sugar in their juices—is that healthy?

Yup! One major health misconception is that all sugars are made equal, when in fact, our bodies need glucose to keep us going. Lemonkind's products do not contain any added sugars, and all their juices are fresh-pressed, never made from the concentrate, so you know you're only getting the good stuff.

How much does it cost?

A 3-day cleanse costs $139.99 and a 1-day cleanse is only $49! As previously mentioned, Lemonkind's products arrive airtight (aseptic) and don't need to be refrigerated until after opening, so you can order when you want, wait for the right time to cleanse ( after your cousin's wedding, not during), oh, and you get free shipping!

So will you do it again?

After my very first cleanse, I felt physically energized and completely reset. The cleanse retrained my body to stop eating when I am feeling full and that awareness makes me stop before overindulging! The juices tasted great, so yes, I signed up to their subscription (5%off plus free priority shipping) so I can always have them around ready when I am in a need of a reset.

I can say with full confidence that this cleanse made me feel like a stronger version of myself. There's no need to ever starve your body, but juicing can definitely reset your mind, so you start eating healthier going forward.

Update: Limited Time Offer!Follow this link and use code POPDUST10 to get 10% off AND free shipping on your next Lemonkind order!

Every year as soon as it starts to warm up and beach season approaches, I rush to do something that'll help me drop that little extra winter weight fast. I've attempted everything—from short-lived diets that are simply too intense and hard to follow, to restrictive approaches like giving up bread or chocolate. It seems that at best, I get quick results that disappear as soon as I eat any kind of carb, and at worst, I wind up gaining weight in the process because I go back to old eating habits.

This year, I decided I needed something to build me up and give me the tools to stick it out all the way to the finish line. I wanted to find something that could really help kickstart a healthy eating plan and become a lifestyle. My goal was to lose a bit of weight before the summer, but most importantly, I wanted to feel less bloated and more motivated to get back to being physically active (like getting back to soul cycle or dance class a few times a week).

A coworker of mine had the same plans for bikini season. She mentioned that she had just started juicing with a cleanse from Lemonkind, a brand that sells pressed juices to help reboot your body. She said that they make non-GMO natural juice blends that are allergen-free and designed to debloat, boost your metabolism, and provide the right nutrients to keep you energized throughout the day.

I did more research to learn more about the juices, and I came across their 3 Day Super Detox Me Juice Cleanse. The cleanse is 24 juices total—8 per day for 3 days. Although it sounded a bit intimidating at first, what really convinced me to give it a try was the fact that the juices can be stored unrefrigerated for a while before opening. That really took the pressure off the entire experience—I could go at my own pace and I really liked the sound of that.

After debating between the 1-day and 3-day cleanses, I decided to try the latter. And if I couldn't commit all 3 days, I knew that I'd just have extra juice cleanses to use as a quick 1-day cleanse in the future. The experience was nothing like anything I had tried in the past. LemonKind lays out a sustainable schedule, telling you when and why to drink each juice throughout the day. I liked knowing that I was grabbing an energizing juice in the morning, and one with more calming properties before bed at night. It felt personalized to my needs.

By the end of Day 3, I was over the moon because I experienced things I wasn't expecting. I felt refreshed. I slept like a baby, my skin was glowing, and I noticed my jeans buttoned easier because my stomach was a little flatter. But more importantly, I felt motivated to continue this health kick and continue making better choices—I found myself ordering the half turkey sandwich/half salad combo at work. I even went to the supermarket to buy ingredients to meal prep for the week so I could stop eating out so often.

And when the day comes for me to suit up in my bikini, I know I will feel better and more confident than ever before.

Want to give juice cleansing a try?Follow this link and use code PRIORITYPOP to get free priority shipping on your LemonKind cleanse!

When I was younger, it didn't matter if I ate pizza and cheeseburgers all week. My weight never really fluctuated, so I ate whatever I wanted- whenever I wanted. In the past few years, my metabolism has changed but my eating habits haven't. Now that I work in HR and sit in an office chair most of my work day, I'm not as active as I used to be and it's had an effect on my waistline. My husband surprised me with a trip to the Bahamas for our 5th wedding anniversary, and while I'm really excited for warm weather and pina coladas, I'm dreading throwing on a bikini. I decided I wanted to lose a few pounds but didn't want to go on some fad diet or two-month meal plan of gross, frozen foods. My friends have gone on crash diets and I've seen first hand how hard it is for them when they yo-yo the weight right back on.

One of my coworkers recently lost a dress size right before her friend's wedding, so I decided to ask her for some tips. She said she uses Splendid Spoon and loved it. I told her I wasn't interested in eating diet bars or using weird point systems, but she promised it was different. So, I looked into it and found out that Splendid Spoon is a subscription meal plan that sends plant-based, ready-to-eat soups made of fresh ingredients right to your door. They're not a weight-loss plan: their focus is on creating the most nutrient-dense and delicious soups and smoothies possible for people that want to eat cleaner. But, the soups and smoothies are calorie controlled, low sugar, and low fat (not to mention totally vegan) so a ton of people (like my coworker) lose weight without feeling like they're on a diet. The soups are chef and dietician-designed, so there's no doubt the meals are both healthy and packed full of flavor.

Splendid Spoon's menu is full of all sorts of cuisines, and the cool part about it is that you have complete control over your plan, so you can choose what soups you get sent. Immediately, I knew I wanted to try the Cauliflower Tikka, because cumin is my favorite spice, and the Lentil & Kale, made with organic carrots, kale, red and green lentils, and rosemary, sounded too good to pass up. All the soups are plant-based and made with superfoods, like turmeric, kale, and bok choy, and are loaded with the nutrients your body needs to boost its wellbeing. The soups arrived chilled and ready-to-heat, so all I had to do was warm them up in the microwave. I started taking the soups to work and substituting my regular lunch for a Splendid Spoon meal, which made a huge difference in my steady energy levels throughout the day.

By substituting my breakfast and lunch for Splendid Spoon, I eat fewer total calories during the day. I do a low sugar smoothie for breakfast, and their plant-based soups are only about 400 calories each, so they're a lot healthier than my usual lunch. My usual steak burrito clocks in at over a thousand calories. Just by switching out my lunch with Splendid Spoon, I've lost about 5 pounds in a month. I've noticed the biggest difference around my stomach, and I think that getting rid of all the excess sodium and processed junk in my diet really helped me lose several inches from my waistline. Plus, if I'm craving steak, I can still have my Chipotle bowl for dinner. That's what I love about Splendid Spoon: I can lose weight without having to totally change the way I eat. Dinners and weekends are still totally my own. Plus, with the subscription plan, each meal only comes to about $9, so my wallet is loving it just as much as my tummy. I'm going to keep eating Splendid Spoon for breakfast and lunch next month before I go to the Bahamas, and am really looking forward to feeling my best and rocking a new swimsuit with a flat tummy.

Update: The folks at Splendid Spoon are extending a special offer to our readers! For a limited time get $15 OFF any plan!

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