The Late-20s Energy Dip - How Pink Lemonade Can Help

The worst thing about this getting older malarkey (aside from the frown lines and the 'do you think you'll ever get married?' questions from well-meaning relatives) has to be the massive dip in energy. I'm really not sure why I still feel tired after a decent night's sleep and a relatively stress-free day at work. Plus feeling exhausted at the end of the week means I haven’t had a ‘late one’ on a Friday night for as long as I can remember. (To quote Chandler from Friends: “I’m 29 years old dammit. And I want to sit in a comfortable chair, and watch television, and go to sleep at a reasonable hour.”)

Hence aside from cutting back on caffeine, I’ve realised the key to all this is what I'm eating. So I've decided to embark on a diet-overhaul. Not to resemble a stick insect (which, after nearly 20 years of failed diet attempts, I have finally accepted will never happen) but more to avoid falling asleep at my desk. So I’ve sought help from two chaps: David Kirsch and James Duigan; the former has created a 48-hour cleanse which I did a few weeks back, while the latter is the author of the famous Clean & Lean book which is now my food bible (more on this in my next post).

I’d wanted to try the David Kirsch 48 HR Super Charged Cleanse for a while. Its basic premise is that you drink this ‘nutrient-rich’ food supplement in the form of a ‘pink lemonade’, which to quote the Space NK website blurb is full of “colon, liver and kidney cleansing antioxidants, such as acai berry, milk thistle and cranberry extract. It also features added fibre and energy-boosting vitamin B12.” Hence I toddled down to Space NK to try it for myself, the kindly shop assistants warning me that it’s “not easy.” They weren’t kidding.

The idea is you drink this bland-tasting lemonade (which contains no added sugar) over the course of two days. I’d advise you do this over a weekend and cancel any plans you might have, as you will be KNACKERED. Not to mention the headaches from the sugar and caffeine withdrawal.

Literally the day after the cleanse, a colleague told me how well I was looking. I also noticed I was less tired and irritable (probably tied up with feeling a little smug at having got through it). It also gave me the motivation I needed to eat healthily the following week, lest my two days of semi-starvation were in vain. Having craved food in any shape or form for two days, I found I was taking the time to appreciate each meal. And tucking into healthy food with relish – rather than resort to bread, KitKats and bags of Doritos after a stressful day.

My verdict - it’s not for everyone and shouldn’t be done more than a few times a year, but it’s a good (albeit hardcore) way to kick-start a healthy eating plan. If you’re looking for other ways to boost your energy levels, I’ve also heard great things about David Kirsch’s Super Charged Greens – especially for when you’re travelling on long-haul flights.