How to Prepare for a Juice Cleanse

Why the Days Before Matter

A juice cleanse is a structured short break from solid food. Going into one straight off a weekend of coffee, wine and big meals makes the first day harder than it needs to be. Easing down gradually over a couple of days smooths the change, so day one feels like a small step rather than a cliff edge.

None of this is complicated. A few small adjustments in the run-up, plus a bit of practical setup with your juices, is all it takes. If you're still deciding whether a cleanse suits you at all, start with whether a cleanse or fast is right for you and come back here once you've chosen.

The Three Days Before

Start easing off the things that make day one uncomfortable. Cut back on caffeine gradually, going cold turkey on the morning of a cleanse is where most of the headaches come from. Wind down alcohol and pull back on processed food, refined sugar and very heavy meals.

Lean instead towards vegetables, fruit, whole grains and lighter portions. You're not cleansing yet, you're just pointing your appetite and your routine in the right direction so the first juice day feels manageable. There's more on the caffeine side in juice cleanse and caffeine.

The Day Before

Keep meals light and eat a little earlier than usual. Something simple in the evening works well, a vegetable soup, a salad or some steamed vegetables. Drink plenty of water through the day so you go in well hydrated.

Plan your cleanse day while you're at it. Look at when you'll have each juice and roughly space them across your waking hours. Having that clear the night before means you're not making decisions on an empty stomach and what to expect on a juice cleanse walks through how the day tends to flow.

Getting Your Juices Ready

Your juices arrive frozen, so a little planning means they're ready when you need them. Leave the ones for your first day out on the counter for a couple of hours the night before, then move them to the fridge overnight. They'll be perfectly drinkable by morning.

You can defrost one to two days' worth at a time if you'd rather stay ahead. Keep thawed juices in the fridge and drink them within that window. One rule worth remembering: don't refreeze any juice that has fully thawed.

Your Prep at a Glance

When	What to do
3 days before	Ease off caffeine, alcohol, processed food and big portions. Lean lighter.
2 days before	Keep going. More vegetables and fruit, smaller meals.
The day before	Light early dinner, plenty of water, plan your juice schedule.
The night before	Defrost day-one juices on the counter for a couple of hours, then fridge overnight.
Cleanse morning	Start with your first juice and follow your planned order.

The Cleanse You're Prepping For

Whichever cleanse you're getting ready for, it arrives frozen and ready to defrost (or browse all our cleanse and fasting guides):

The Bottom Line

Preparation isn't the cleanse, but it's what makes the cleanse feel manageable. A few days of easing off, a lighter day before, then your juices defrosted and ready. Do that much and day one arrives as a small step rather than a shock.

When you know what's coming, read what each day feels like. You can see all of our cleanse and fasting guides in one place and if you're still choosing, the cleanse and fast plans are here.

Where to Start

Browse the full range in the cleanse and fast shop, or go straight to the Signature Cleanse, the 1-Day Cleanse or the Green Juice Cleanse.

Related reading

• What to expect on a juice cleanse
• Managing hunger on a cleanse
• Juice cleanse side effects
• Juice cleanse and caffeine
• Juice cleanse and exercise
• How to break a juice cleanse
• Common juice cleanse mistakes

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• Juice for gut health

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