Energy Boost Juice

In the last few years, I’ve learned a few things about going to the gym:

1.) If I go between 7:30 AM and 11:30 AM, the senior population scattered around the place is out of control. And parking? Forget it.

2.) If I go between 4:30 PM and 6:30 PM, the after-work rush has already taken over. There aren’t any elliptical machines. The treadmills that aren’t smack in the middle of everything are also taken. There are the spin bikes whose meters don’t function correctly… but those two are probably taken, too. Parking is even MORE ridiculous.

3.) At these peak times, getting a shower after working out? Ridiculousness.

4.) There are 6 shower heads in the locker room. I choose the ones at least a shower head away from anyone else. Just because I’m neurotic about showering in a spot away from other folks – it doesn’t mean other people have the same sense. I try to hurry. Because the back-splash of the woman now showering next to me – after I meticulously picked the shower away from her – makes me cringe and also makes me feel like I need to shower again.

5.) Pre-working out means my body craves two things: peanut butter granola bars and fresh juice.

I go through weird food cravings a lot. After doing a juice cleanse a few weeks ago, all I wanted was more fruit. Specifically grapefruits and sweet little tangerines. The other week, it was breakfast foods and burritos. This week, bananas. In everything. Don’t get me wrong – my cravings aren’t completely gung-ho about healthy foods. Sometimes all I want are salt and vinegar potato chips (definitely not the baked variety) and no, I don’t want to share.

Part of the fun in paying attention to cravings is learning what my body likes at certain times. When I start thinking that going to the gym is a good idea, I almost instantly want juice. Fresh, sweet, tangy, juice. When I did the cleanse, I was shocked at the immediate boost of energy I felt when drinking the following juice. It’s sweet, tangy, fresh feeling, and the ginger adds a nice little kick. This makes a lot of juice – enough for two very large cups. I like to drink it down quickly and the effects often feel nearly instantaneous.

Energy Boost Juice

Serves 2-4 people

Ingredients:

1 medium red beet
3 large carrots
1 large fuji apple, cored
1 extra large ruby red grapefruit, skin removed
2 stalks celery
1-2 tangerines, peeled
1-inch piece of ginger

Directions:

Turn on the juicer and juice the ingredients as they are listed above. Stir well. Serve immediately, as is or on ice.