How opting for a liquid lunch can engage a more healthy mindset

The thought of cleansing your insides and losing a few pounds is an appealing thought for most health-conscious women.

So, to give myself a bit of kick to help me try to refrain from eating endless amounts of office chocolate and cakes (I am surrounded by keen bakers) I thought this would be a pretty damn good master plan.

This is where healthy juice pros Xing Smoothies came in.

The business, which is based in the Shambles in York, was launched by Phil Benson and Simon Long six years ago.

After already racking up a reputation for its strong focus on healthy living and youth enterprise, the company launched its juice detox programme last year and, since then, has had around 200 people take part.

So, bright and breezy on a Monday morning I was excited to get to work and pick up my smoothies from Phil, who was kindly dropping my supply off.

The diet can be done for three days, five, or seven. I went for the five-day option.

After being told about the fantastic health benefits of my five-day diet, I opened my first smoothie – the "super juice" – and was eager to get started.

A dark green-coloured smoothie that was described by my "motivating" colleagues as looking like "algae" was for breakfast. What a treat.

This was a healthy mix of apples, lime, pineapple, cucumber, avocado, one shot of super food spirulina and one shot of detoxifying wheatgrass. A definite "hardcore" health boost.

To be honest, I didn't really have the desired tastebuds to enjoy this, but I persevered and knew it was doing me good.

The detox, based on Jason Vale's – known as the "juice master" – famous 7lbs in seven-days juice diet, has been reported to have been used by celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker and Jennifer Aniston. This gave me an added spark of confidence.

The smoothies to follow during my five-day juice diet had an array of colourful, nutritional ingredients.

I was warned that by day two, the withdrawal of caffeine may leave me with a bit of a stonking headache. It did at first but this soon passed by the afternoon.

On a regular day, I'm a five-cups-at-least tea-drinker. I like a caffeine boost, so to go cold turkey was a little tough.

However, sipping green tea was a healthy, metabolism- heightening alternative.

As the detox progressed, I experienced ingredients I would never have thought of mixing together, let alone drinking.

For example, the earthy, red coloured "super chute juice" with apples, carrot, celery, spinach, cucumber, broccoli stem beetroot, inch courgette, lemon and ginger.

My favourite juice was the "hot and spicy" with two simple ingredients – apples and a pinch cinnamon.

This was closely followed by the "passion 4 juice master" – ice, apples, pineapple, banana, natural yoghurt and spirulina.

Despite quite a lot of moaning during the detox (my work colleagues must have hated me) and feeling tempted by wafts of the delicious aroma from my partner's puff pastry, tender beef-filled pie, I was happy I conquered the detox.

I lost three pounds, which I was impressed with. My skin was bright and clear and I had a very positive mindset. Instead of the chocolate or cake I usually have to deter myself from snacking on, I wanted healthy, nutrient-filled foods.

It definitely changed my attitude towards food.

Xing, which is also known for the enterprise work it carries out in schools with its Xing Smoothie bars, will tell you which smoothie to have at what time, so there's no need to worry about what your next juice will be.

You're also advised to drink plenty of water throughout the diet.

"A lot of people wouldn't usually drink juices, so they can get introduced to them this way. It gives them an immediate health boost," University of Hull graduate Phil says.

He said usually the diets are popular with people going away on holiday, getting married, after Christmas or just for a healthy living kick-start.

"There is a wide appeal with it and it meets different needs," said Phil, who also serves healthy fast food at Xing.

"It's not just about weight loss. It is the way you feel after it. It motivates people to engage in a more healthy diet.

"We've had people come back and do it three or four times."

A believer in healthy lifestyles, Phil highlighted that the food you put in your body will have an effect on your body and life.

"If you put good stuff in you will get better results for yourself," he says.

"We get a lot of happy customers who really feel the benefit. That is really rewarding for us.

"We are passionate about healthy eating and you get a massive nutrient hit with the juice diet.

"It's also about looking at the quality of calories going into your body."

Despite being quite a big wuss on my detox experience, I would definitely recommend this to people, but please, please have the motivation, as without it, you'll find yourself sneaking into the fridge for a bite to eat ...

Visit www.xinghealth.co.uk for more details or to give the detox a go.