This is a great and common question, and to answer it, we’ll break exercise into two categories:
- Intense Exercise: Activities that elevate your heart rate or involve explosive movements.
- Light Exercise: Activities that cause minimal increase in heart rate or respiratory rate.
During one of our organic juice cleanses, we recommend focusing on light exercise such as:
- Walking
- Stretching
- Gentle yoga (avoid hot yoga)
- Relaxed Pilates (under 30 minutes)
- Massage
- Roller skating (because it's just fun!)
Light exercise supports blood flow, which helps the lymphatic system work efficiently. The lymphatic system is your body’s natural detox system, removing waste and transporting fluids throughout the body to cleanse and purify.
Based on our experience, combining a juice cleanse with light exercise is the most effective way to achieve several key goals:
- Reducing water retention (aiding in weight loss)
- Alleviating bloating and improving digestion
- Resetting both mental and physical habits
- Lowering stress and anxiety
We don’t recommend intense exercise during a cleanse, as it can be counterproductive. The body is already working hard to cleanse itself, and adding the strain of intense physical activity can overstress the system. This can lead to a weakened immune response and leave you feeling drained.
Once the cleanse is complete, you can return to more intense training with renewed energy and motivation. A cleanse helps by:
- Balancing hormones (boosting adrenaline and lowering cortisol)
- Improving nutrient absorption
- Mentally refreshing you
- Restoring immune function
- Establishing healthier eating habits and better portion control
As with many things in life, it’s about working smarter, not harder. :)
We hope you found this information helpful, and we look forward to seeing you again soon!