My 24-Hour Christmas Cleanse

December 2, 2022
Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS

Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS

Award-winning nutritionist and New York Times bestselling author.

Avoid holiday weight gain, plus lose bloat in a hurry!

If you tend to overdue it during the holidays – too many goodies, too much wine – and now you’re starting to worry about the extra pounds you’ll put on again this year, you’re not alone. But, I’ve got some great news to lift your spirits!

Featured in the pages of Woman’s World and First for Women magazines, my 24-hr Christmas Cleanse has been a go-to holiday weight loss solution for thousands of fans – many of our testers have lost as much as 5 pounds and 4 inches in one day!

And now, I’ve made it even better with a few super-charging tweaks for the ultimate holiday detox. Whether or not your pants seem tighter, consider this easy one-day juice cleanse — before those holiday leftovers hit your waistline.

How My Christmas Cleanse Works

For one full day, skip solid foods and alternate between the Holiday Detox Juice (see recipe below) and my signature Hot Lemon Water to unlock your body’s natural fat-burning capacity.

The fruit acids and vitamin C in the detox juice can increase the body’s ability to emulsify fat by as much as 30%. The natural cleansers – cranberry, pomegranate, lemon and spices help to flush toxins and rejuvenate body systems – like the liver – that have gotten sluggish from all the holiday overindulging. A popular staple of my Fat Flush diet for years, Cranberry is a powerful natural diuretic, and pomegranate is loaded with antioxidants (3x higher than red wine and green tea). Combining these two super-fruits with plenty of water will keep you energized all-day and quickly flush out bloat and excess fluids from cells and tissues – you’ll even see cellulite start to disappear!

To help balance blood sugar and curb cravings during this one-day cleanse, I’ve also included a little cinnamon – proven by scientists to increase sugar metabolism up to 20 times!

For a 24-hour period, you’ll alternate between the Holiday Detox Juice and Hot Lemon Water, drinking one serving every waking hour.

Holiday Detox Juice
Makes 9.5 cups – serving size: 8-12 oz (1 to 1.5 cups)

8 oz. unsweetened cranberry juice
8 oz. unsweetened pomegranate juice
7 cups water
½ cup fresh orange juice
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
pinch ground cloves

In a saucepan, heat juices and water to just boiling. Reduce heat to low, add spices and simmer for 5 minutes. Sip warm throughout the day.

Hot Lemon Water
For each serving, mix 8 oz. hot water with juice of ½ lemon and enjoy.

Worried you’ll be too hungry?

Some people may feel a bit light-headed on a liquid diet, even if it’s just for a day. In that case, add 1 to 2 scoops of Fat Flush Body Protein to your one-day menu. With one of the highest protein efficiency ratios on the market, this special vegan blend of pea and rice proteins contains essential amino acids and 20 grams of complete protein. For recipes using this powder, check out Fat Flush Smoothie Recipes here.

Take the Next Step!

To continue losing post-detox, take my Weight Loss Quiz to determine which of my plans is the best fit for your needs. There’s still plenty of time to make this coming new your year to put health first.

And, no matter what your health needs may be, I invite you to browse the health advice, blogs, articles, videos and more here on my website – all available to you completely FREE!

Related Articles and Podcasts

Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS, is an award-winning New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty books including The Fat Flush Plan series and her latest book, Radical Metabolism. She’s been rewriting the rules of nutrition for more than 40 years and is internationally recognized as a pioneer in the field of diet, detox and women’s health issues. 

For a FREE daily dose of tips and strategies for maintaining healthy weight, conquering insomnia, and much more…check out my Radical Health Tips.

I’d like to meet and greet you on my Facebook groups, so won’t you check us out at the Radical Metabolism RevolutionFat Flush Nation, or my Inner Circle!

56 Comments

  1. Nancy Griffin

    I’m on coumadin and cranberry is not recommended , it thins the blood when combined with this medication what now ?

    Reply
    • Sierra

      Hi Nancy, You may have success with the cleanse by simply omitting the cranberry, however I would caution you to be under careful supervision by your health care provider when doing any drastic dietary changes while on any type of medication.

      Reply
  2. Irene

    Can whey protein be used instead of the body protein?

    Reply
    • Sierra

      Yes, it certainly can!

      Reply
  3. Lisa

    What if you have food sensitivities that prevent you from eating orange juice, lemon juice and brown rice (in the protein powder)?

    Reply
    • Sierra

      Hi Lisa!
      In that case, you may either omit those juices from the recipe and use the Whey Protein instead of the Body Protein. However, I think you may have greater success by selecting a different cleanse that is more compatible to you.

      Reply
  4. Heidi

    Is there anything I can sub for ground cloves? I can’t stand them. 🙂

    Reply
    • Sierra

      Heidi, You may omit the cloves and add a little extra cinnamon and nutmeg 🙂

      Reply
  5. Roxanne

    Did I miss it or did the above say which of the two should we start with–the detox juice or the hot lemon water? I’m going to go back and look…

    Reply
    • liz

      It doesn’t say which to do first, but going by the protocol of Ann Louise’s other plans, you would start with the lemon water first.

      Reply
  6. Helena

    I am going to try your Holiday detox but I am allergic to cranberries…what can I substitute?
    Thank you!

    Reply
    • liz

      Cranberries are unique for their detox properties, but in this case you could just double the amount of the pomegranate.

      Reply
  7. MOgirl

    Helena, Above says to alternate the drinks every hour while awake – I would venture to guess start with the cran Pom mixture.

    Reply
    • Helena

      Yes, I understood the directions however if a person is allergic to cranberries and its juice, I was wondering if there was a something else I could try.

      Reply
  8. Jennie

    Is this safe for breast feeding moms? My son is 22 months old and I would love to do a cleanse but am conserned about toxins going into my milk.

    Reply
    • liz

      Detoxing is not generally a good idea when you are breast feeding, because as you say, the toxins can go into the milk.

      Reply
  9. sheela hewitt

    Is it safe to do the Cleanse once a week along with the Fat Flush program?

    Reply
    • liz

      It’s safe to do. However, you just need to see if at some point you plateau because your metabolism slows down. Some people feel that a once a week liquid fast is always helpful. Just see how it goes for you.

      Reply
  10. Erin

    Hi, I’m currently doing the YC Cleanse (second bottle after 5-day break), will the orange and pomegranate juices impact that? Should I make any changes to the recipe?

    Reply
    • liz

      To cut down on the amount of fructose, ykou could substitute grapefruit juice for the orange juice. The Pomegranate should be ok.

      Reply
  11. Wendy

    If I already have a slow metabolism, is it advisable to do this detox or any detox? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Sierra

      A detox is advised to begin any weight loss program, but reduced energy (from calories) should not be observed for longer than two weeks.

      Reply
  12. brie

    HAS ANYONE TRIED THE 24HR CLEANSE AND IF SO HOW DID YOU FAIR WITH IT?

    Reply
  13. darlene

    I have hypothyroid, will this detox speed up my metabolism?

    Reply
    • Sierra

      I would recommend Phase 1 of the classic Fat Flush Plan for two weeks, then following Phase 2 until you are at your desired weight, or moving directly into Phase 3 if you are happy with your weight. Be careful about fasting with hypothyroid.

      Reply
  14. darlene

    different subject, but, has anyone tried the ultraslim patches to lose weight?

    Reply
  15. gmm

    How can you drink it warm throughout the day? Are you suppose to keep your stove going all day and into the evening. What happens if you need to leave the house?? I have done one these cleanses before with Ann Louise’s program but I remember making the cleanse juice the night before and refrigerating for the next day.

    Reply
    • Sierra

      I personally would simmer the spices in water, then as it cools, add the juices. You can drink it cold throughout the day, or use a small saucepan to heat up each serving at a time, being careful not to boil.

      Reply
  16. Jan

    I’m going to start this today. I’m going to put it in the crock pot on keep warm! just scoop out a cup, put it in your mug and drink. Seems like an easy way to do this.

    Reply
    • LeoandKira

      Great idea! ditto

      Reply
  17. LeoandKira

    Do you recommend keeping up with our supplements while doing this cleanse? i.e. should/can we still take our flaxseed/fish oil, GLA/CLA, milk thistle, etc? Love this cleanse!

    Reply
    • Sierra

      For this one day, I would hold off on taking any supplements.

      Reply
  18. Pat

    It is quite delicious! I worried that it would be really tart, but the orange juice (I used fresh-squeezed) sweetened it up. I put mine in the crockpot so it was hot all day. My only problem was that I got a monster headache in the evening. I attributed that to the toxins flushing out of my system.

    Reply
    • liz

      No, you don’t want to do your supplements while doing this cleanse.

      Reply
    • Sasha

      Pat, putting this in a crock pot is a great idea!! I’l trying this today for the first time 🙂

      Reply
  19. Cecilia

    This is different than the actual article in First magazine. Is this better? The other recipe I read in the original published article did not have pomegrante juice and actually included cardamom. Can you please advise on the difference between the two? I want to do it this week. Thanks!

    Reply
    • liz

      Both versions are great for detox. Ann Louise just included some variety. One is not better than the other. They both have cleansing and antioxidant benefits.

      Reply
  20. gmm

    My crock pot broke and my husband wants to it and bring it work. Hmmmm. I guess I can reheat every time I need to drink it. Does keeping it heated all day make a difference to the cleanse.

    Reply
    • liz

      It’s better not to keep itheated all day. It is better to warm it up when you drink it. It oxidizes less and you have more enzymes. The warmth helps your digestive system relax and detox easier.

      Reply
  21. Mary

    I tried this and left it on the stove all day. It was a little bitter at the end of the day. Is there a reason it has to be warm to drink it? I’ve been drinking it from the refrig without warming, kind of like the Cranberry H2O with extras.

    Reply
  22. Lynda

    I tried this for a full day.I suffer from constipation and I thought this may help. It did not improve that issue but I did not feel tired until 2:00 am. Is this from the ingredients I was drinking or from the lack of other foods that can possibly cause me to be tired

    Reply
    • Sierra

      Fasting and detoxing commonly cause fatigue.

      Reply
      • Lynda

        pls reread the above comment; i did NOT feel tired the whole day. I was able to remain alert until 2:00am Is this from the ingredients I was drinking or from the lack of other foods that can possibly cause me to be tired

        Reply
        • Sierra

          Oh I’m sorry to have misread that Lynda! Some people may experience improved energy during fasting for a couple different reasons:
          The process of digesting food actually requires quite a bit of energy, so on a liquid diet that extra energy is freed up.
          If your diet consists of foods that you may be intolerant of, they can cause inflammation, which certainly leads to lower energy levels.
          Or if you are experiencing low-level inflammation due to an underlying cause, the cranberry does have anti-inflammatory properties, and thus by reducing low level inflammation, you feel more energized for the day.
          It’s all about self-experimentation 🙂

          Reply
  23. Lynda

    Is there any benefit to drinking these drinks throughout the week combined with a regular diet?

    Reply
    • Sierra

      Yes, you certainly can enjoy a few serving of this juice along with your regular diet 🙂 It will help emulsify fats and cleanse your lymphatic tissue, stabilize blood sugar, and improve your pH balance.

      Reply
  24. Cathy

    Now do I understand when I get up at 6am I drink the lemon water,at 7am juice,8am water,9am juice,etc,,so every hour its one or the other for 24 hrs?If I start at 6am Wed morning I do it until 6am thurs morning right?What about sleep time over night?

    Reply
  25. Sierra

    Yes, you have the schedule correct, but it is not necessary to wake up to drink anything.

    Reply
  26. Jenn Trujillo

    I have organic grapefruit. Can I use in place of the orange juice?

    Reply
    • Sierra

      You may. Please be aware of any medicinal contraindications for grapefruit.

      Reply
  27. Carly

    Do you need to put the spices in with the mix? And if you do, do you need to need to actually bring to a
    Boil before drinking or could you just
    Microwave to make warm?

    Reply
    • Team ALG

      The spices should absolutely be boiled in order to infuse their flavor and thermogenic properties. It is highly recommended that this recipe is not microwaved!

      Reply
  28. Courtney Conwell

    Can this be consumed cold my work schedule is demanding and heating it up is hard ?

    Reply
    • Team ALG

      Yes, you can drink this cold, or let it come to room temperature before drinking.

      Reply
  29. Ruly

    this will likely be a silly question but if I do this for more than one day would I lose the 5 pounds every time do you think? Especially if I’m particularly overweight?

    Reply
  30. Team ALG

    If you do have a lot of weight to lose you may lose 5 pounds again when you do it. For rapid but healthy weight loss please get a copy of the New Fat Flush Plan by Ann Louise Gittleman. Also you can look at http://www.fatflush.com to get a sense of the plan.

    Reply

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