How much juice should I be drinking?

People often ask me how much juice should they be drinking? And while there is no one answer for all, I can perhaps offer some insight on what works for me. On average I consume 1-16oz juice 3 to 4 times a week. I drink it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach ideally. Otherwise, I most often consume it after a work out.

Why do I drink juice anyway? Although I work hard to eat well on a daily basis, the truth is I know I am not nearly consuming the amount of fruits and vegetables that my body and mind perform best at. So I add juices in. I generally don't take anything away from what I am consuming and replace it with juice unless I am doing a re-set, or really working hard to flood my body with nutrients when I am feeling run down. I often times notice I am not nearly as hungry throughout the day when I drink a green juice or smoothie. It is as though my body feels sustained and I don't even think about food. There are other times however, when I drink a juice after a work out and feel like my hunger is in beast mode. That feels like the juice activated my metabolism and is cueing me to eat. Consuming fruits and vegetables in their raw form has given me more energy then I knew possible. It feels light and intentional. There are weeks that go by and the only time I consume juice is when I am making it for my customers. And before I know it, I can feel something is off. Perhaps it's less energy or I feel run down, or slower digestion or snacking more. It's then that I bring out my juicer and make a few 16oz bottles for the upcoming days.

Long story short-no, you do not have to drink juice 7 days a week, spend hours cutting, cleaning, prepping, purchasing and making juices. I recommend that you add it in as a lifestyle choice. Part of who you are, part of your system. You allow it to flood your body with vital nutrients, give your digestion system a break when it needs it from constantly breaking down food and use that energy for other things. Enjoy the lightness you feel inside your body from consuming only fruits and vegetables and see where it leads you. Juicing always brings me back to the true feeling of health. It didn't start this way for me though. Working out and eating healthy were not a part of my identity until I started adding juices in to my daily life. I can see it now as I look back that the juice gave me the energy to get up early, to make healthier choices throughout the day and to really take care of the body that I have been given. You too may feel inspired to eat a salad at lunch or perhaps choose water over Pepsi. One small swap or change or add in at a time. Before you know it, juicing may do for you what it has done for me-unlock levels of health that I never knew existed. Use juice as a tool to create and enjoy massive amounts of health and energy in your life!