Now that juicing has become more mainstream it is difficult to find a person that doesn’t have an opinion on it. Juicing is hard, juicing is easy, only organic, strain them, don’t strain them you get the idea. I am excited to say that my Mom joined me for the first three days of my juice fast this month. I think it’s safe to say that thanks to some excellent films over the past few years juicing and juice fasting/feasting are now being taken seriously.

This month has been one of the busiest of my life and it looks like it is only getting busier with more travel and more education on the horizon so I have developed these five strategies to help me follow through with my juicing in my day-to-day life no matter what.

But first… on a practical note, get an easy juicer that works for you.  If you are able get a vacuum sealer like the Foodsaver with some bottle stoppers or the mason jar attachment so that you can store your juices under vacuum and they won’t lose so many nutrients.  Keep them cold and you can juice a couple days at a time.

Strategy #1: Dream the Dream

This just sounds so cliche but if I am not sure what the reason is for me to do 30 minutes of extra work with my juicer I just may not follow through. I have to be clear on my big goals so I don’t trade that 15 minutes washing the juicer out for 15 minutes chilling out, sabotaging myself for next time. Juicing, especially green juicing, requires a significant investment of time and money for most of us and those are two things we try to save unless there is a really good reason. My really good reason for juicing is my son; when my joints don’t hurt I give better hugs; when my energy is increased I’m a lot more fun. What’s your reason? Take some time to get really clear and keep on digging until you find that juicing can help you with the most important thing in your life. For some it is energy, for others mental sharpness, for some weight loss and for others healing from dis-ease. Tell us your reason.

Strategy #2: Let it Go

I admit it I’ve been a juice snob. I strain my juices and I cold press them. I drink them out of glass bottles with glass straws. Slowly. But not too slowly. Reality check: if I am true to my commitment to “juice no matter what” I can’t be drinking the perfect juice all the time. Yes I would prefer it without the pulp and without any apple but I think it would be better to follow through with drinking the juice regardless of its imperfections than to allow myself to get overwhelmed and give up. This week I drank juices that weren’t ideal but still had fantastic results. Is there anything you can let go of that would allow you to follow through with juicing?

Strategy #3: Don’t Engage the Critic

There are two situations that I have found particularly unhelpful during a juice cleanse. Tell me you agree.

Situation one, persons who are eating and know you are fasting talking about how delicious their food is and how they could never go on a cleanse while maybe trying to make you jealous of their food or shoving it at you. There is no solution here except to disengage and exit ASAP. They will not be in a receptive frame of mind to hear about the benefits of your juice cleanse and you being particularly sensitive being on a cleanse run the risk of being injured emotionally by some seriously rude comments.

Situation 2, you are drinking a juice that looks like pond scum and someone comments that it looks disgusting and how could you drink that. Say something humorous to diffuse the situation tell them it gives you superpowers or you can see in the dark or you glow in the dark but don’t get on the defensive or agree with them or tell them “it’s not that bad actually” because that is ultimately not helping you at all. I know it doesn’t help me. Onto strategy number four.

Strategy #4: More is More

Less is only more in the arts. Otherwise more is more. Particularly on a juice fast. Do not feel deprived. Pack juice to go. Use a small lined grocery bag that is insulated and stuff it with ice packs or add some ice to your juice and throw it in a thermos. Do not let yourself get hungry/desperate. Keep it cool and keep it on hand because it is worth it. You are worth it. Do not deprive yourself. This brings me to the fifth strategy.

Stragety #5: Celebrate

Celebrate and practice gratitude. We have access to some of the best food in the world and we have learned how to extract the nutrients from that food in the most powerful way. We are abundant and so fortunate. Take some time to feel that. Celebrate yourself and reward yourself for making yourself a priority. Have a bubble bath or curl up in front of the fire, take a pottery class or go for a walk somewhere you’ve never been before. You are accomplishing something amazing that very few people have the will or means to do. You will reap the rewards.