Juice Fast- Days 3 and 4

For those of you following, sorry I did not make it to post yesterday!

So basically I feel amazing, I have been able to conquer food cravings and stick to my juicing!

Yesterday I decided to spend the day in Kansas City with my Aunt, Uncle, and two baby cousins. I love them so much and it is always nice to get away from your own life for a while! My aunt had a surprise for me though when I got there, she took me on my first trip to the Whole Foods Market. Lets just say I was in H-E-A-V-E-N! There are so many wonderful organic items there and the produce was selling for a fantastic price. While I was there I got some beets, celery, kale, lemons, pears, kiwis, cucumbers, bok choy, collard greens, wheat grass, and grapes and only spent $34. For organic?! That price is a steal!

That morning though, I decided to switch up my "Green Juice" and try something different, so for breakfast and lunch I made a juice which contained:

4 peaches

2 cups of spinach

Water

It was delicious! The peaches outweighed the taste of the spinach and made it very sweet. The reason I had to add water is because the consistency of both the peaches and the spinach is very thick, so water helps to loosen it up and make it easier to drink. 

Day 3 was easier on my appetite more than any other day. For dinner my aunt had made some potatoes with spinach, a fresh cucumber and onion salad, and some chicken and spinach sausage for my uncle and herself. For me? I made some juice which had: 

2 carrots

2 cups spinach

2 green apples

1/2 lemon

This was actually pretty good. I drank my juice while they ate their meals and I had no cravings for their food at all. While we were eating we watched the documentary, Fat Sick and Nearly Dead, a Joe Cross Film and I got the chance to show them what it was all about!

At their house, my aunt and uncle also have their own garden and I got the chance to pick some stuff out of it including carrots, dandelion greens, and apples. 

Did you know that dandelion greens are literally the leaves picked off of those annoying weeds that grow everywhere?! You can eat that stuff! I had no idea, but it is always good to learn things.

My aunt and uncle also gave me tons of advice along with some new pots and a few other supplies to start my own vegetable garden (I love them so much)! So guess what I did today when I got home from work!? You guessed it, planted my own garden. I was not quite sure whether to get seeds or starter plants so I got a little bit of both, we will see how it goes. I planted, arugula, cucumbers, carrots, spinach, parsley, and sweet basil. On Saturday when I go to the local farmers market, I plan on picking up a tomato plant to add to my collection.

 Cucumber

 Spinach and Parsley

 Carrots

Arugula and Sweet Basil

This brings me to day 4. I was running late today for work so I quickly made a batch of the "Mean Green" juice I have posted about previously, it lasted me almost all day! I also made sure today I took the time to drink some water since I have been lacking in that department. Overall there really is not much to say about day 4 except things are getting much easier and I am finding I have a lot more energy, I also noticed I slept fairly well last night compared to nights before. Connection? I think so!

Juice Fast- Day 2

Day 2 was a lot more difficult than day 1. I had to work all day and there was such good looking food all around me! But, I stuck to my guns and only drank water and my juice, you have to stay motivated and determined.

Today I woke up and made some fresh orange juice using 2 navel oranges, and can I just say D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S.?! It was a perfect start to my day! I then made the "Mean Green" juice I had posted about yesterday to take to work with me. Taking juice on the go is a great way to keep yourself in check and have juice on hand so if you get hungry you can simply drink some instead of opting for other "bad" foods. I have a blender ball cup which works great because there is a little metal ball that works normally to mix a protein shake together and blend the protein powder with the water. I however, used it to mix up the juice if the water became separated from the pulp for sitting in the fridge for too long. PERFECT!

All in all it was a good day and I am excited for tomorrow to try some new juices and defeat the 3 day hump!

Juicing Fast- Day 1

So day one is today. Yay!

Before I get into what all I have drank today and how much I spent on groceries, I want to talk about the preparation leading up to today. It was not a lot, but it was there, and everyone should do it! So first off, I watched the documentary I talked about in my previous post. I then did a little research just to make sure it was something I could really do. Then I realized, I did not have a juicer. Sad day. So I searched and searched looking at the Breville website (Breville is the type of juicer that Joe Cross used in his documentary) but I did not necessarily have the money to spend on one that nice. I looked at Wal-Mart and at Target, but nothing was really catching my eye. So I turned to amazon, where I found a Hamilton Beach Big Mouth juicer which fit my budget, $74.50 after tax and shipping and handling, and after reading the reviews, seemed like it would work perfect (I was right). After finding my juicer I decided on purchasing a juicing cookbook to go along with it. Now, when you're looking for a juicing cookbook there are all sorts of kinds, you need to find one that fits your needs so you are not spending money on something you may only use a fourth of. I chose to go with The Healthy Green Drink Diet written by Jason Manheim ($15.25 after tax and shipping and handling). I chose this book because it has a small portion (maybe a fourth) which explains everything there is about juicing in a "juicing for dummies" kind of way, which is great for a first time juicer like me! But the rest of the book is FULL of different recipies for not only juices but smoothies as well (hello 2 in 1). I like the fact this book had that specific ratio as far as information and recipies because a lot of them had way too much info and no recipies or no info and only recipies, but like I said, this is my first time so I wanted a healthy balance.

Yesterday I treated myself to a "last supper" with friends at my favorite workplace the Olive Garden, just as kind of a good luck here you go, you can do it present to myself! This morning I woke up a little later than ideal but was ready to go! I went to the farmers market here in Topeka. The farmers market is great because you can get a ton of fresh and organic produce for an amazing price. This morning I went later than expected so I did not exactly find everything I wanted like I usually do. I did however, get:

6 peaches

3 large cucumbers

5 trees of broccoli

All for $9 

I still had some produce on my list so I decided to take a field trip over to Dillons grocery store. Dillons again has some great prices and sells very good quality produce. There I bought:

6 large carrots

1 large bunch of spinach

2 large bunches of kale

1/2 lb of ginger

2 lemons

4 limes

7 granny smith apples

7 oranges

1 bunch of celery

All for $24.49

Total spent on fruit and veggies: :33.49

All in all I did not break the bank and got enough fruits and veggies to last me about 5 or 6 days hopefully, it is all about trial and error.

It is important that you get your produce in a refrigerated area as soon as possible so they do not go bad, especially in the hot summer season. I immediately went home and cleaned out my fridge and put the new food in so I would not be tempted by other foods I am trying to stay away from. 

I do not know about you, but as soon as I get something new, I like to play with it! So I decided to dive in and try a few juices. First I tried orange juice, words cannot describe the greatness of this juice. It tasted so refreshing and clean, there is a huge difference between the fresh stuff and the stuff you buy at the local grocery store. Second, I tried apple juice. This juice was very good, but, it was a tiny bit bitter, mostly because I used granny smith apples I would recommend using a type of apple that will be sweeter such as a gala. Finally I wanted to drink some lunch! I decided to make the juice similar to the one Joe Cross uses and calls the Mean Green. Ingredients are as follows: 

1/2 lemon

1 piece ginger

4 celery stalks

6 leaves of kale

2 whole green apples

1 cucumber

It would take me forever to try to eat all of that in one sitting with it being on a plate! This particular recipe makes enough for about 4 cups of juice which is great because I can take some on the go and drink it all day! I was skeptical at first, but, IT IS DELICIOUS! I had to put a few ice cubes in my first glass because it just was not as refreshing when it is not ice cold. All in all I was very pleased with it and I cannot wait to keep going!

Juicing Fast

Hello!

Okay so last week, after watching yet another food documentary (surprise surprise), I decided I was going to partake in a juice cleanse/fast. If any of you have seen the documentary, you know which one I am talking about. If you have not seen it, I watched Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. It is an inspiring story about how a man , named Joe Cross, decided he was fed up with his weight and of his unhealthy lifestyle and made a change. His change? Doing a sixty day juicing fast. Now I know what you may be thinking, "Sixty days?! That is insane!". WATCH THE DOCUMENTARY! Trust me, it will inspire you as well! You can find it on Amazon.com, Hulu Plus, and Netflix.

I decided to go on the juicing cleanse/fast because I wanted to make a healthier choice as well. To be honest, I have been treating my body horribly. I try to eat as many fresh veggies and fruits as possible as you all know, but at the same time I love cheese and greasy foods, I work at the Olive Garden (you know their food is delicious!), and I love going out at night with my friends and well, filling my body with toxins. I want to have a fresh start and I am also trying to lose weight and get back in shape so I can dance again. I have been thinking about going "Vegan" as well for a while, this juicing fast will help me succeed in that area as well as completely cleaning out my body.

So what exactly is a juicing fast? Well, for every time I eat, I replace the food I used to eat with a glass of fresh juice. I only drink water and tea other than the juice. This means no cheese, no olive garden, and no filling my body with liquid toxins. My goal is to try to continue the fast for at least 30 days, one whole month. I know I am going to be tempted to have that one piece of pizza or some cheese ravioli, but the key is to remember to stick with it and tell yourself it is worth it! I have a challenge for you; after you read this post and maybe after you follow my entire journey, and see the cost and some other things, I challenge you to go on a juicing cleanse with me for at least ten days. Only ten days! This is amount of time is perfect for a quick cleanse, or as what Joe Cross calls it, a reboot. Cleansing for at least ten days allows the body to "reboot" itself by detoxing, at the end of the ten days you should feel energized, think clearer, and be ready to take on the world! If you are still skeptical, first, GO WATCH THE DOCUMENTARY! then, continue to follow my journey. Always remember if you have questions feel free to contact me at any time via email!

New Choices

Hello all!

I am sorry it has been a while since I have posted. Life has been a bit crazy!

So I have decided to take my diet choices to the next level. I am going to try a Vegan diet. I know what you all are thinking, "WHAT?! You MUST be crazy!" Well, I probably am, but I would like to try it and see if I feel any changes. After doing some research I have found people who choose a vegan diet have tons of energy and are very healthy, so come with me on a journey of delicious whole foods and no animal products!

Meatless Monday!

          Good morning to all and happy meatless Monday. Today, and every Monday, if you are not a vegetarian, I challenge you. The challenge? To eat as little meat possible (hopefully none at all) today. Indulge in delicious salad, take a chance with some mouthwatering fruit, and don't forget to try something new! Your body will thank you. Let me know what you eat today that is new for you.

Topeka Farmers Market

The Farmers Market is a great place to find locally grown and organic fruits and vegetables. I love going each week and finding different vegetables to take home and try as well as fresh flowers to keep on my dining room table. Look online to find your closest market. Mine happens to be the Topeka Farmers market.

Location:12th and Harrison just south of the judicial building.
Hours: 7:30 AM - NOON
Season: Open EVERY Saturday April 14th-November 3, 2012



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