What to Expect from Pressed Juicery's Three-Day Liquids-Only Cleanse

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After munching our way to cleaner and leaner bods, we knew we'd definitely be in for some realness with Pressed Juicery's liquids-only cleanse, the final experiment in our month-long challenge. Although we like to sip greens on the reg, we opt for the three-day Cleanse 1 to pique the curiosity of the uninitiated (and to appease our still-recovering pipelines from the last cleanse, an action that will prove futile).

The cleanse can be ordered online with free delivery, but we prefer to pick it up at our local Pressed Juicery shop instead; to reap the full benefits of the three-day program, we supplement with the recommended cleanse waters ($220 online; $39.50 per day in-store). The night before we begin, we skim through Pressed's intro to cleansing and realize that we should've weaned ourselves off caffeine and carbs. Oops. If we can survive this, we can survive anything. All systems go!

Day One

Each day includes six 16-ounce drinks labeled in in the sequence of consumption, plus one each of the chlorophyll and aloe vera waters. The Cleanse 1 is tailored for first-timers or "athletes or individuals with higher caloric needs or hunger concerns." In other words, it's the most filling of Pressed Juicery's three cleanse programs. The chlorophyll is meant to be sipped throughout the day alongside the recommended eight glasses of water. We already feel our bladders twitching nervously.

We're pretty pumped that each day kicks off with the Vanilla Almond (our fave!), a very filling concoction of almonds, dates, and vanilla bean with a pinch of sea salt. This protein-, mineral-, and B vitamins-rich "milk" is substantial enough to be sipped for breakfast while providing much-needed morning energy. Yum!

About an hour and a half after breakfast, we shake up the Greens 2, the next juice in line for the day. We dig Pressed's entire Greens line, so downing this one is pretty easy. Packed with tons of leafy greens (Kale! Spinach! Romaine!), it's got a splash of citrus and apple for beginning juicers who need a little sweetness to supplement this very vert drink.

All the while, we drink the chlorophyll concoction and our H2O. Our tummy's slow and steady—but not yet grumbling—grumbling begins.

Here we go. It's not even noon yet and we're STARVING. We grab the third drink, Roots 2, an incredibly carroty drink that we imagine would be like crack for Bugs Bunny. It's sweeter than we're expecting, but we eagerly gulp it down in hopes of quelling our our tummy grumbles, which are getting louder.

Per Pressed, the carrots, cucumber, parsley, and spinach are "four veggie superstars [that] provide beta-carotene, anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals, and an immune boost." In other words, so good for your health!

A little after 1pm, we're on drink number four, the Citrus 2. The blend of pineapple, apple, lemon, and mint is the perfect refresher we need for our afternoon slump. Bathroom break count: four.

Three o'clock, current mood: trying not to succumb to a fetal position. When the going gets tough, Pressed recommends snacking on cucumber or apple slices to power through the hunger. Instead, we take a power nap (working remotely has its perks). Forty-five minutes later (or maybe it was an hour and a half), we guzzle down the Greens 3, which is pretty much the same as drink #2 but with a good dose of eye-opening ginger.

By the sixth and final drink, we're exhausted—thankfully, we get to end the day with another filling favorite, the Chocolate Almond. It tastes like a guilt-free, superfood-filled Yoo-hoo, thanks to the raw cacao and almonds.

We vaguely remember the Pressed Juicery shopkeep suggesting that we drink the Aloe Vera H2O (a "mild colon cleanser" that soothes the digestive tract) at least two hours before bed, but we totally forget and down it right before hitting the haystack. Bad idea. We get up a few times for pee breaks before finally turning down for the night.

Day Two

First thoughts of the day: that helpful PJ employee wasn't lying when she said the second day would be the toughest. Let's just say that we definitely recommend starting off the day with some Smooth Move tea. Comfort levels improve once systems are, well, clear—at least until just after lunch time when we really just want to stuff our faces with cheese-filled anything.

We're pretty miserable for the rest of the day, not to mention incredibly exhausted. Pressed suggests "easing up on your usual workout routine," so we're relieved that we can swap out our usual one-hour sweat sesh with "one or two light walks a day."

Day Three

It's the last day! We're excited! Mostly because we're 24 hours away from throwing ourselves a pizza party! At exactly 11:18am, we're daydreaming of sandwiches while trying to get through that Roots 2, our least favorite drink of the cleanse. Our uphill battle to survive the day seems to hit around 3pm, so we take Pressed's advice and grub on an apple for something to chew on.

We're also pretty tempted to swap drink #4 with the Chocolate Almond, but we're glad we stick it out as it makes a pretty worthwhile reward for dinner.

The Bottom Line

If you're a newbie to sans-solids cleansing, Pressed Juicery's Cleanse 1 program is the way to go. It's their only cleanse package that includes two protein-happy nut "milks," which are essential for feeling full at the beginning and the end of the day. For intermediate cleansers who already live a pretty healthy lifestyle but aren't quite ready for an intense regimen, Cleanse 2 is the way to go.

Pressed notes that their cleanses are not weight loss diets (although we did notice slightly looser jeans); rather, they should be used to reset and rebalance your body—and our colons can definitely attest. Each of PJ's three cleanses are available in one-, three-, and five-day options; now that we've completed three days, we're inclined to try the longest version next after the proper preparation.