Homemade juice is the best way to have your juice; it allows you to intake the most nutrients without having to deal with preservatives or artificial flavoring. If you start making your own juice you will be able to maximize your intake of the minerals and vitamins that you get from the fruits or veggies.

This winter, since I am home for the holidays and my parents happen to be the proud owners of a juicer, I decided to try it out. I had always loved fresh juices, but I usually went out of my way to buy them – who knows if the ones you buy are actually great for you.

At first I was planning on trying my hand at a juice detox, thinking it would be a superbe idea to cleanse my body. I did not want to simply do it however, so I started my research. After hours on countless websites, reading the effects and proper processes, I stumbled upon a what seemed like a fitness website.

Kayla Itsines is an Australian fitness trainer that created her own step by step workout guide. This amazing woman promotes not only fitness, but also a healthy and strong lifestyle. Seeing how her guides had helped countless other woman I started a new research. I quickly found out that a juice detox was definitely not a good option for my body or health as it makes you tired and run down easily.

Now I know I am getting off topic, but I promise I’m getting to my point. Because of how impressed I was with this workout I decided to try my hand at it (I personally love the gym and this was a new challenge I know I can finish). Going to the gym and exercising is not the only thing you have to do. Yupp, we all know it but ignore it. We have to follow a healthy lifestyle, meaning making the right choices for our diets and caring for our bodies.

This is where juices come into play for me. I decided not to follow Kayla’s health guide because I do eat well on my own – this does not omit the possibility that I do want to try it at some point. While I have access to my parents juicer, I try to take full advantage of it by drinking a fresh homemade juice every morning.

For now, I have only tried by hand at fresh watermelon juice; apple, orange, and ginger; and apple, orange, carrot, and ginger. I usually drink a tall glass and that keeps me full for a while. I have never been able to eat a good breakfast in the morning so I find that being able to quickly put together a juice where you can create the right balance of nutrients is very helpful, and time efficient if you’re on the run.

I have been drinking fresh juices every morning for about a we  ek and a half and I feel more energized throughout the day. I can safely say that fresh juices do help with:

• Detoxification
• Weight loss (or in my case stability)
• Extra Energy
• Optimal Digestion
• Hydration

There is a time and place for drinking juices though. I believe that it is best in the morning as I do, but if you are one for breakfasts of champions I would suggest it as an afternoon snack (trust me it does fill you up). I would avoid nighttime juices as it can probably affect your sleep if you are sensitive to vitamin C or energy boosting substances like me.

**If you are curious about the workout I started it is catered for girls and is a 12 week program. I just started my second week and can already feel results! You can check it out at http://www.kaylaitsines.com.au 

Happy Juicing!!

*Be creative with what you have*