Since I started my weight loss journey this past February, I've dropped my BMI by 10.4 points! Just figure that out....that's awesome!!!
Monday, July 30, 2012
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Progress in Round 2
Well, today is technically Day 3 for me back on juicing. I've already lost 7.4 pounds...but I know that's just water weight mostly.
But, I'm feeling it! The last time I juiced, around Day 4ish I started feeling yucky...they call it a 'Healing Crisis' because your body is literally trying to get rid of all the toxins and bad stuff from itself. You can feel feverish or tired or even have flu like symptoms. Last time I noticed all that day I was really tired and sluggish then later that night I got super cold...I had the worst case of the chills! But I went to bed early and slept it off and woke up feeling better than I've felt in a really long time!
Today, I'm starting to feel some of those things again. Right now I'm feeling really tired and heavy...like I just want to sink into a bed and sleep! And I'm really torn because tonight is the water class that I LOVE!!! I really really really want to go!! It's such a great workout! But, I just have no energy. It may be best for me to go home and rest.
Anyway...hopefully this'll be as bad as it gets and I'll sleep it off tonight! This is the worst part of juicing for me...but as soon as I can get over the hump it'll be smooth sailing!
Till next time...
-M-
But, I'm feeling it! The last time I juiced, around Day 4ish I started feeling yucky...they call it a 'Healing Crisis' because your body is literally trying to get rid of all the toxins and bad stuff from itself. You can feel feverish or tired or even have flu like symptoms. Last time I noticed all that day I was really tired and sluggish then later that night I got super cold...I had the worst case of the chills! But I went to bed early and slept it off and woke up feeling better than I've felt in a really long time!
Today, I'm starting to feel some of those things again. Right now I'm feeling really tired and heavy...like I just want to sink into a bed and sleep! And I'm really torn because tonight is the water class that I LOVE!!! I really really really want to go!! It's such a great workout! But, I just have no energy. It may be best for me to go home and rest.
Anyway...hopefully this'll be as bad as it gets and I'll sleep it off tonight! This is the worst part of juicing for me...but as soon as I can get over the hump it'll be smooth sailing!
Till next time...
-M-
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Round 2
This is a little better! Didn't take me as long to post another update this time!! LOL!
The ladies in my office at work and I have decided to do a little competition of our own. Everyone will put in $15 into a hat. The competition starts today and ends on August 20th, 2012. We will do weekly weigh in's. And the person who loses the most pounds by the last day will win all the money in the hat. Then, we'll put money in again and go for another month! :D
Extra cash?!?!? That's enough competition for me!
So, what's my plan?!
I've discovered these really great juices...made by Bolthouse Farms. They are 100% real and natural...basically, someone has done all the juicing for me and put it in a bottle! Seriously! Plus they've been enhanced with certain vitamins...but there are no big long words you can't pronounce. It seriously is just fruits and veggies juiced and packaged. I LOVE THAT!!!!!!! All the benefits without any of the clean up!!! HELLZ YEAH!!!!
Anyway, I'm going to basically be juicing again, except I'll be making the juice into a smoothie by just adding ice and blending it all up. Nothing else added outside of the juice and ice.
One thing I really worried about with juicing was that I'd lose the weight, then when I stopped juicing I'd gain it all back. Well, I've been off juicing for more than a month now, and while I've not lost anything more really, I haven't gained any of it back. As a matter of fact, I believe a large reason I haven't lost is because of muscle gain. I can tell major differences in parts of my body that will testify to that.
It all comes down to eating right and moving! Really...it's not hard. But if you're like me,...or like I was, you sort of roll your eyes when someone says "all you have to do to lose weight or feel better is eat right and exercise." You use excuse after excuse as to why you've not been able to lose weight, or why you've lost weight then gained it back (and then some). But that's all those things are...excuses. And frankly speaking, you just don't value yourself enough to make yourself worth the hard work.
I speak from experience.
I'm the world's greatest expert on 'How to Devalue Yourself'...but I'm giving up that title. It's pointless and unmotivating and DUMB! Don't be like I was...there are people in your world that LOVE you and want you around for as long as possible. Don't rob them of yourself just because you can't do without that triple cheeseburger or king size snickers or supersized soda. Do you see what I mean? Food isn't of value here...YOU ARE! I am.
Besides, maybe once you get moving you'll stop thinking of it as exercise and start seeing it as fun. I've started going to the water aerobics classes at the Wellness Center and I love them! They're FUN for me and I'm getting one hell of a workout! I also still do the elliptical and weight machines as well, because that's even fun for me.
My body has sort of turned into a science experiment of sorts. I know the things I've done, and I've seen results from it...how far can I push my body? How many changes can I affect? How much can I do?
Bottom line is, I (and you) am never going to be happy with anything in my life until I (and you) can find happiness within ourselves. But I'm never going to get there if I don't stop sabotaging myself by eating the wrong things and not being active. I've come a long way since I began on February 28th this year, and I have a ways to go...but I WILL get there. Mark my words. I will make it to my goal. I will be stronger and better and happier and healthier than I've ever been...and it'll be because I valued myself enough to put in the hard work.
Till next time...
-M-
Friday, July 13, 2012
Long Awaited Update??
I just realized that I haven't updated my blog in a while!! Man, every time I try to keep a log of something I always fall down on keeping it updated regularly. So,...let me catch you up...
The competition at my work ended, and I finished in 2nd place with a total of 17.37% body loss and a total of 60 pounds gone. WAH-HOO!! :D I worked really hard over that 3 month span and my hard work paid off. Now I have a 6 month free membership to the Health and Wellness Center at my disposal!! I feel good about what I was able to do!
But, just because the competition is over, doesn't mean I'm done! I still have goals to reach and I'm still working hard to reach them.
It's been kind of weird because since the end of the competition a few weeks ago, I haven't really lost anymore weight. I haven't gained anything either...so I'm maintaining what I've already accomplished which is really great!!! No boom-a-rang pounds for this girl!! But I have noticed more definition and toning in certain parts of my body...like my arms, my sides, and my legs. I've been going to the gym like crazy...running on the elipticle, using the weight machines, and I've started going to some water aerobic classes Monday, Wednesday and Friday's. I've been doing some research on what exercises done in a period of about an hour help you burn the most calories. Usually I run on the elipticle for anywhere from 20-30 minutes at a time...doing that I burn anywhere from 250-350 calories. The weight machines I spend probably half an hour to 45 minutes on doing arms, core, back, legs, and stomach...not really sure how many calories I burn doing that, but I can definitely say I know I've been gaining a lot of muscle which may be why I've not seen a decrease in my overall pounds. But these water aerobic classes, they last an hour long and I'm telling you, we work so hard in those classes! Running underwater!!!! Oh my gosh!!! Try it! It's hard, but so worth it!! In the water classes that I spend an hour in, I burn anywhere from 600-800 calories. It's hard for me to justify spending those hours doing anything else if there a water aerobics class being offered.
I can see changes in my body, I can feel the changes too. I've always felt solid and strong, but now I feel really strong, and really solid. I've never thought of myself as a 'skinny mini'...I don't really even want that. I like the athletic, muscular look...and that's where I've always envisioned myself getting to. I just wish I could get my mind to catch up with the changes I've made in my body so far. I'd be lying to you if I said I don't still struggle some days with my self image. I think I will probably always battle that, though I'm thinking positively that I will get some relief from it as time goes on.
It's funny too, cause when I'm at the gym working out, I LOVE it!! Like, I really love how it makes me feel...strong and accomplished...and usually when I know I'm really working hard and my heart rate is up and I know I'm getting a good workout in, I also get really angry for some reason. Maybe it's the endorphins? or adrenaline?...I'm not sure...but I do get angry...then I get mad that I'm even having to work this hard now...I get mad that I've allowed myself to get to where I am...I try to spin a positive thought in it and think about how far I've already come...but then immediately think how much farther I have to go. I'm also pretty impatient with it too I guess...and I think maybe that's why I get mad sometimes. I'm working so hard everyday and I'm just ready to be where I want to be. I want it to happen and just be done. But that's unrealistic. The best things in life are worth waiting for and working for...this will be a highlight of my life...so long as I just stick with it! And as long as I'm being realistic with myself, I have to also force myself to remember that I can't just get to where I want to get and 'be done'...these are forever committments I'm making to myself.
When I started this journey this past February 28th, I committed myself to a year of really working hard,...really getting dirty with myself and pushing my body to it's limits and making some changes. I have lost 60 pounds so far. And of that, I'm really proud.
I have a goal to lose a total of 80 pounds by my birthday this year (November 26th) and a total of 100 pounds by my one year anniversary of starting this journey this coming February 28th, 2013.
It's not easy. Seriously. It's probably the hardest thing I've ever done. But it's also the thing I've wanted for the longest and that makes it really worth it to me. Funny how you just wake up one day and realize that if you're ever gonna get what you want that YOU have to be the one to just do it!!! Basic truth here people...nothing's gonna just happen FOR you if you don't get off your butt and help it happen!! Love you,...but that's a TRUTH!!! OWN IT!!
There's no telling what the next few months will bring to me. I can't imagine what changes there will be in my body...I'm just going to keep my nose down and work hard to get the best results I can possibly manage.
As far as diet, I'm not juicing anymore of course. But I have maintained a healthy diet of mostly fruits and vegetables and smoothies. I have shrimp occasionally in a wrap or something with lots of spinach leaves, homemade humus, carrots, beans, etc. I also do peanut butter wraps if I'm needing something really quick for on the go. I also have splurged a couple of times on sushi (LOVE sushi!!!). And I'm adding other things into my diet like unsalted, roasted nuts or whole grains (the Kashi brand shredded wheat cereal is AWESOME as a dry snack during the day! Very filling and not very many calories). And I'm really just drinking water all the time. The more water I drink the less water my body retains...funny how that works, huh? :D
I'm also reading a lot. About nutrition and strength training. I'm trying to really educate myself about all the things I should probably already know. EDUCATION IS THE KEY!!! LEARN STUFF PEOPLE!!! :D
Anyway, this entry has already gotten much longer than I expected it would! LOL! I promise to try an update a little more regularly...hopefully...maybe... ;P
Till next time...
-M-
The competition at my work ended, and I finished in 2nd place with a total of 17.37% body loss and a total of 60 pounds gone. WAH-HOO!! :D I worked really hard over that 3 month span and my hard work paid off. Now I have a 6 month free membership to the Health and Wellness Center at my disposal!! I feel good about what I was able to do!
But, just because the competition is over, doesn't mean I'm done! I still have goals to reach and I'm still working hard to reach them.
It's been kind of weird because since the end of the competition a few weeks ago, I haven't really lost anymore weight. I haven't gained anything either...so I'm maintaining what I've already accomplished which is really great!!! No boom-a-rang pounds for this girl!! But I have noticed more definition and toning in certain parts of my body...like my arms, my sides, and my legs. I've been going to the gym like crazy...running on the elipticle, using the weight machines, and I've started going to some water aerobic classes Monday, Wednesday and Friday's. I've been doing some research on what exercises done in a period of about an hour help you burn the most calories. Usually I run on the elipticle for anywhere from 20-30 minutes at a time...doing that I burn anywhere from 250-350 calories. The weight machines I spend probably half an hour to 45 minutes on doing arms, core, back, legs, and stomach...not really sure how many calories I burn doing that, but I can definitely say I know I've been gaining a lot of muscle which may be why I've not seen a decrease in my overall pounds. But these water aerobic classes, they last an hour long and I'm telling you, we work so hard in those classes! Running underwater!!!! Oh my gosh!!! Try it! It's hard, but so worth it!! In the water classes that I spend an hour in, I burn anywhere from 600-800 calories. It's hard for me to justify spending those hours doing anything else if there a water aerobics class being offered.
I can see changes in my body, I can feel the changes too. I've always felt solid and strong, but now I feel really strong, and really solid. I've never thought of myself as a 'skinny mini'...I don't really even want that. I like the athletic, muscular look...and that's where I've always envisioned myself getting to. I just wish I could get my mind to catch up with the changes I've made in my body so far. I'd be lying to you if I said I don't still struggle some days with my self image. I think I will probably always battle that, though I'm thinking positively that I will get some relief from it as time goes on.
It's funny too, cause when I'm at the gym working out, I LOVE it!! Like, I really love how it makes me feel...strong and accomplished...and usually when I know I'm really working hard and my heart rate is up and I know I'm getting a good workout in, I also get really angry for some reason. Maybe it's the endorphins? or adrenaline?...I'm not sure...but I do get angry...then I get mad that I'm even having to work this hard now...I get mad that I've allowed myself to get to where I am...I try to spin a positive thought in it and think about how far I've already come...but then immediately think how much farther I have to go. I'm also pretty impatient with it too I guess...and I think maybe that's why I get mad sometimes. I'm working so hard everyday and I'm just ready to be where I want to be. I want it to happen and just be done. But that's unrealistic. The best things in life are worth waiting for and working for...this will be a highlight of my life...so long as I just stick with it! And as long as I'm being realistic with myself, I have to also force myself to remember that I can't just get to where I want to get and 'be done'...these are forever committments I'm making to myself.
When I started this journey this past February 28th, I committed myself to a year of really working hard,...really getting dirty with myself and pushing my body to it's limits and making some changes. I have lost 60 pounds so far. And of that, I'm really proud.
I have a goal to lose a total of 80 pounds by my birthday this year (November 26th) and a total of 100 pounds by my one year anniversary of starting this journey this coming February 28th, 2013.
It's not easy. Seriously. It's probably the hardest thing I've ever done. But it's also the thing I've wanted for the longest and that makes it really worth it to me. Funny how you just wake up one day and realize that if you're ever gonna get what you want that YOU have to be the one to just do it!!! Basic truth here people...nothing's gonna just happen FOR you if you don't get off your butt and help it happen!! Love you,...but that's a TRUTH!!! OWN IT!!
There's no telling what the next few months will bring to me. I can't imagine what changes there will be in my body...I'm just going to keep my nose down and work hard to get the best results I can possibly manage.
As far as diet, I'm not juicing anymore of course. But I have maintained a healthy diet of mostly fruits and vegetables and smoothies. I have shrimp occasionally in a wrap or something with lots of spinach leaves, homemade humus, carrots, beans, etc. I also do peanut butter wraps if I'm needing something really quick for on the go. I also have splurged a couple of times on sushi (LOVE sushi!!!). And I'm adding other things into my diet like unsalted, roasted nuts or whole grains (the Kashi brand shredded wheat cereal is AWESOME as a dry snack during the day! Very filling and not very many calories). And I'm really just drinking water all the time. The more water I drink the less water my body retains...funny how that works, huh? :D
I'm also reading a lot. About nutrition and strength training. I'm trying to really educate myself about all the things I should probably already know. EDUCATION IS THE KEY!!! LEARN STUFF PEOPLE!!! :D
Anyway, this entry has already gotten much longer than I expected it would! LOL! I promise to try an update a little more regularly...hopefully...maybe... ;P
Till next time...
-M-
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Halfway Mark
Here's a before photo I found of myself today....
This was taken after the St Bernard's Christmas Talent show in late December 2011...just 5 months ago...
Here's a photo of me today (5/23/12)...
If I didn't notice changes before, I definitely do today.
As of yesterday (5/22/12) I have lost 51.4 pounds total. I'm proud of that.
And stumbling upon that December photo of myself today really hit home in a new way in regards to what it is I'm doing.
It can't just be a fad...or a phase...or a stage of my life...it has to be the rest of my life. I'm nervous that I won't stick with it...I'm nervous that I'll cave and have moments of weakness that take me back to where I was in December.
I don't want that...
I don't want that more than anything.
I cried when I saw that photo of me today. I mean, that was just 5 months ago..ya know...5 measly months...and God knows how long I was there too...miserable about what I was...embarrassed to be looked at...defeated because things were just too hard.
And now, almost 90 days into my new lifestyle, there's light...it's still a long way away, but I'm starting to be able to see it.
My 6 year old nephew weighs 47lbs the last time he went to the doctor...I've lost more than what my nephew (a complete person) weighs...
I'm proud of that.
And I'm excited to keep going.
I have a lot of motivation within myself to keep going...to really see things through...my aim when I started was to get healthy...but I was also targeting the 100 number...
100 pounds off me...and mostly it in this year of I can manage. My birthday is in the end of November...my goal is to be down 80 pounds by then...that's what I'm aiming for. After that, it gives me until the following February 28th (my 1 year date) to lose another 20 totaling my big 100 pound loss.
Sounds like a big goal...but...I'm at the halfway mark already! 51.4 pounds lost!!!
And I'm gonna work hard to be sure they don't get found ever again!!!
I appreciate all of your support and encouragement in my journey...it really really does help.
Till next time...
-M-
This was taken after the St Bernard's Christmas Talent show in late December 2011...just 5 months ago...
Here's a photo of me today (5/23/12)...
If I didn't notice changes before, I definitely do today.
As of yesterday (5/22/12) I have lost 51.4 pounds total. I'm proud of that.
And stumbling upon that December photo of myself today really hit home in a new way in regards to what it is I'm doing.
It can't just be a fad...or a phase...or a stage of my life...it has to be the rest of my life. I'm nervous that I won't stick with it...I'm nervous that I'll cave and have moments of weakness that take me back to where I was in December.
I don't want that...
I don't want that more than anything.
I cried when I saw that photo of me today. I mean, that was just 5 months ago..ya know...5 measly months...and God knows how long I was there too...miserable about what I was...embarrassed to be looked at...defeated because things were just too hard.
And now, almost 90 days into my new lifestyle, there's light...it's still a long way away, but I'm starting to be able to see it.
My 6 year old nephew weighs 47lbs the last time he went to the doctor...I've lost more than what my nephew (a complete person) weighs...
I'm proud of that.
And I'm excited to keep going.
I have a lot of motivation within myself to keep going...to really see things through...my aim when I started was to get healthy...but I was also targeting the 100 number...
100 pounds off me...and mostly it in this year of I can manage. My birthday is in the end of November...my goal is to be down 80 pounds by then...that's what I'm aiming for. After that, it gives me until the following February 28th (my 1 year date) to lose another 20 totaling my big 100 pound loss.
Sounds like a big goal...but...I'm at the halfway mark already! 51.4 pounds lost!!!
And I'm gonna work hard to be sure they don't get found ever again!!!
I appreciate all of your support and encouragement in my journey...it really really does help.
Till next time...
-M-
Friday, May 18, 2012
I'm Gonna Win
I've become a gym rat of sorts!! I love going! I love getting all hot and sweaty! I love know that my time spent there doing the things I do are increasing my health-o-meter!!! That's a really great feeling!
Yesterday, the St Bernard's employee newsletter came out...and guess who's in 2nd place or the most total percentage weight loss in the Summer Slim Down competition!!! Me!!! That's right!! I was really surprised to see it this second round posting as I was 13th in the first round! But I'm really happy!! And to top it off, the person who is in 1st is only .44% ahead of me!! We have about 3 weeks left in the competition and I'm determined!!
So...where am I at to date?!
So far, I've lost 45 pounds!!! (as of last week...i wont weigh again for another week)...Which I can't hardly believe most days. Who would've thought that I would be able to say that?! I certainly never did!!
Not many people comment that they notice a difference in me though, which either means I just have so much to lose that it's gonna take a significant amount of lose for others to notice,...or people don't really want to say "OMG you've lost so much weight!!" maybe for fear of hurting my feelings for bringing up anything having to do with weight?? I don't know....
I do know though that I can tell a difference....I can tell in how my clothes are fitting...I mean, I'm literally losing my pants right an left!!! I can tell in my muscles, as in, I can actually feel muscles moving if I flex!! Haha!! I mean, I've always felt strong, and solid, I've always felt 'athletic'...now though, my body is becoming 'athletic'! And I love it!! I can see a difference in my waist and back and arms and legs...visual changes... :D I'm no where where I'd like to be, but I'm 45 pounds closer!!!
Anyway, I don't know what the next 3 weeks will include for me...I don't know how much more I'll lose or if I'll be able to break away to 1st place...but I know this much, I'm gonna literally work my ass off!
Yesterday, the St Bernard's employee newsletter came out...and guess who's in 2nd place or the most total percentage weight loss in the Summer Slim Down competition!!! Me!!! That's right!! I was really surprised to see it this second round posting as I was 13th in the first round! But I'm really happy!! And to top it off, the person who is in 1st is only .44% ahead of me!! We have about 3 weeks left in the competition and I'm determined!!
So...where am I at to date?!
So far, I've lost 45 pounds!!! (as of last week...i wont weigh again for another week)...Which I can't hardly believe most days. Who would've thought that I would be able to say that?! I certainly never did!!
Not many people comment that they notice a difference in me though, which either means I just have so much to lose that it's gonna take a significant amount of lose for others to notice,...or people don't really want to say "OMG you've lost so much weight!!" maybe for fear of hurting my feelings for bringing up anything having to do with weight?? I don't know....
I do know though that I can tell a difference....I can tell in how my clothes are fitting...I mean, I'm literally losing my pants right an left!!! I can tell in my muscles, as in, I can actually feel muscles moving if I flex!! Haha!! I mean, I've always felt strong, and solid, I've always felt 'athletic'...now though, my body is becoming 'athletic'! And I love it!! I can see a difference in my waist and back and arms and legs...visual changes... :D I'm no where where I'd like to be, but I'm 45 pounds closer!!!
Anyway, I don't know what the next 3 weeks will include for me...I don't know how much more I'll lose or if I'll be able to break away to 1st place...but I know this much, I'm gonna literally work my ass off!
Monday, April 23, 2012
Goals!!
Well, I've made it! I made it to my first big goal today. 35 pounds down!!!! WAH-HOO!!! And I'm on Day 56 of my new lifestyle. I feel really great!!!
I said that what I made it to my goals, I would let myself really splurge on things I really really like. For this goal it was a toss up between Sushi and this local BBQ shop that's PHENOMENAL!!! (It's called Shop's Open - located in the same parking lot as the liquor store right inside of Harrisburg. GO THERE and get some...it's AMAZING!!!) Anyway, when I got home tonight, my someone special had surprised me with Sushi and mixed veggies along with pecan pie for dessert!!!! I didn't go over board or anything, mostly because my stomach just won't hold the amount of food it used to be able to. But also because I recognize now how to interpret the food in front of me.
The first things I eat on the plate are the veggies. The stuff that I know contains the most nutritional bang for their buck. Fill my bell up with the best stuff, then as I feel myself getting full, indulge in the things that taste good but hold less nutritional weight. That way, there's less room for the not so great stuff to fit inside of my stomach. Smart eating!...or at least that's what I'm calling it! :D
It's been really nice to have so much support so far on my journey. And I wanted to take a moment to just say thank you to everyone who has offered support in one way or another. It feels a little like there's an amazing army of encouraging, uplifting, and cheering people behind me helping me up this mountain I've begun climbing. Your support is more valuable than I have words to explain. Thank you.
So,...now I've made it to my first goal...what's next? Well, pounds-wise my next big target goal is 50. And my yearly goal is to reach 80 pounds lost by my birthday in late November. At least by that point if I've lost close to 80, I'll feel just fine about indulging in a wonderfully home cooked Thanksgiving meal with the people I love most in this world. :D (forward thinking!!)
Mostly, my goal is to get healthier...to keep getting healthier. I'm really amazed at where I'm at so far. I looked back at the log of weigh in's I've been keeping, and I when I saw my Day 1 initial weight, I remembered what I felt like. I remembered how much I hated looking at myself. How I'd avoid mirrors or reflective windows. How I loathed the fact that people would even look at me. How I'd just eat whatever I wanted because 'it didn't really matter anyway.' How I just had sortof given up that that's how I was always going to be because that's how I always was.
I don't feel those things anymore...well, I still feel some of those things - but not as severely. And I've even taken to when seeing myself in an unflattering posture in the mirror or window, I just take it for what it is...it's just the me of right now...but I'm changing that. There's a quiet confidence that's developing with that mode of thinking that I haven't ever felt before...and I kindof dig it...I kindof dig it a lot.
My moods are better! My thinking seems clearer. I have more energy and more pep in my step. I feel accomplished after I've done my walking for the day. And I feel proud of myself. It was funny today because I was out doing my walk, and I got around the track as many times as I usually do,...but when I got to what would normally be the end of my walk I decided "I've got one more in me." And I set off around the track for one last time. As I rounded the last corner to walk up the biggest hill on the track for the last time today, the greatest of the great songs started playing on my iPod...
The song is all about making it up your mountain - whatever it is - and celebrating that you've done it. I'm not done climbing my mountain, but I'm over the first hill.
That's right folks...I fucking did it!!
I said that what I made it to my goals, I would let myself really splurge on things I really really like. For this goal it was a toss up between Sushi and this local BBQ shop that's PHENOMENAL!!! (It's called Shop's Open - located in the same parking lot as the liquor store right inside of Harrisburg. GO THERE and get some...it's AMAZING!!!) Anyway, when I got home tonight, my someone special had surprised me with Sushi and mixed veggies along with pecan pie for dessert!!!! I didn't go over board or anything, mostly because my stomach just won't hold the amount of food it used to be able to. But also because I recognize now how to interpret the food in front of me.
The first things I eat on the plate are the veggies. The stuff that I know contains the most nutritional bang for their buck. Fill my bell up with the best stuff, then as I feel myself getting full, indulge in the things that taste good but hold less nutritional weight. That way, there's less room for the not so great stuff to fit inside of my stomach. Smart eating!...or at least that's what I'm calling it! :D
It's been really nice to have so much support so far on my journey. And I wanted to take a moment to just say thank you to everyone who has offered support in one way or another. It feels a little like there's an amazing army of encouraging, uplifting, and cheering people behind me helping me up this mountain I've begun climbing. Your support is more valuable than I have words to explain. Thank you.
So,...now I've made it to my first goal...what's next? Well, pounds-wise my next big target goal is 50. And my yearly goal is to reach 80 pounds lost by my birthday in late November. At least by that point if I've lost close to 80, I'll feel just fine about indulging in a wonderfully home cooked Thanksgiving meal with the people I love most in this world. :D (forward thinking!!)
Mostly, my goal is to get healthier...to keep getting healthier. I'm really amazed at where I'm at so far. I looked back at the log of weigh in's I've been keeping, and I when I saw my Day 1 initial weight, I remembered what I felt like. I remembered how much I hated looking at myself. How I'd avoid mirrors or reflective windows. How I loathed the fact that people would even look at me. How I'd just eat whatever I wanted because 'it didn't really matter anyway.' How I just had sortof given up that that's how I was always going to be because that's how I always was.
I don't feel those things anymore...well, I still feel some of those things - but not as severely. And I've even taken to when seeing myself in an unflattering posture in the mirror or window, I just take it for what it is...it's just the me of right now...but I'm changing that. There's a quiet confidence that's developing with that mode of thinking that I haven't ever felt before...and I kindof dig it...I kindof dig it a lot.
My moods are better! My thinking seems clearer. I have more energy and more pep in my step. I feel accomplished after I've done my walking for the day. And I feel proud of myself. It was funny today because I was out doing my walk, and I got around the track as many times as I usually do,...but when I got to what would normally be the end of my walk I decided "I've got one more in me." And I set off around the track for one last time. As I rounded the last corner to walk up the biggest hill on the track for the last time today, the greatest of the great songs started playing on my iPod...
The song is all about making it up your mountain - whatever it is - and celebrating that you've done it. I'm not done climbing my mountain, but I'm over the first hill.
That's right folks...I fucking did it!!
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Spicing Things Up
Today marks Day 47 for me! WOW!! It's hard to believe it's been that many days already! I guess I'm technically just passed the month and a half mark! When I think back at all the work I've done over this last month and a half, I feel really proud of myself. I've worked really hard...I've stuck with it (with a few small cheats here and there)...and I think I've finally actually committed myself to myself. I'm happy with what I've been able to accomplish so far!
But,...I've noticed myself becoming pretty bored with my daily routine of drinks in this last week. Mainly I've been drinking 2 drinks over the last 47 days...green apple, red apple, pear, carrot, spinach, 1/2 lemon...and Mean Green (kale, lemon, carrots, cucumber, 2 green apples). Anyone would get bored with the same ole things! That's where I'm at!
I've also really been missing my spicy flavors. I LOVE spicy things! I haven't always liked spicy things, but now, I'm addicted!!! And I've been going through withdraws since I started juicing! So, I decided to do some research and see if I could fine some recipes that used spicy ingredients to satisfy that craving! I found a recipe that called for tomatoes and strawberries and basil leaves. Sounds just like a salad if you ask me, so I made a grocery store visit.
Today, I tried the tomatoes and strawberry mix. Except I tweaked it! And it's AMAZING!!!!!!!
2 small tomatoes
A handful of strawberries (7 or 8)
1 red apple
1 jalapeno
I LOVE this juice!!! It's savory and sweet and gives me the little spicy kick I've been missing! I'm going to try this juice again but with some hotter peppers, like a serano or habanero. And I might even add in some spinach leaves with a few basil leaves.
The point I'm making is, switch things up! If we don't do different things we get bored...life is about variety...a variety of people, outings, experiences, tastes...just cause I'm juicing doesn't mean I can't give myself a greater variety! So this next week I'm going to change things up a lot. I'm not going to take the same juices with me to work that I've been taking! Gonna do something different! After all, I've committed to juicing at least until the St Bernards' competition is over, another month and a half - (but it's likely that I'll continue past that). I need variety if I'm going to be able to stick with it!
Also, I was doing some yard work this morning and LOOK WHAT I FOUND!!! Strawberry bushes!!! SOOOOOOOO excited about this!!! I remember we had strawberry bushes at our house on Meadow Lane in Blytheville growing up and I loved it!! I'm really excited about this find!!! (Gotta figure out how to keep my dogs and cat away from them though!!!)
I also enjoy having fun with my fruit before it's juiced. :D
TIll next time... -M-
But,...I've noticed myself becoming pretty bored with my daily routine of drinks in this last week. Mainly I've been drinking 2 drinks over the last 47 days...green apple, red apple, pear, carrot, spinach, 1/2 lemon...and Mean Green (kale, lemon, carrots, cucumber, 2 green apples). Anyone would get bored with the same ole things! That's where I'm at!
I've also really been missing my spicy flavors. I LOVE spicy things! I haven't always liked spicy things, but now, I'm addicted!!! And I've been going through withdraws since I started juicing! So, I decided to do some research and see if I could fine some recipes that used spicy ingredients to satisfy that craving! I found a recipe that called for tomatoes and strawberries and basil leaves. Sounds just like a salad if you ask me, so I made a grocery store visit.
Today, I tried the tomatoes and strawberry mix. Except I tweaked it! And it's AMAZING!!!!!!!
2 small tomatoes
A handful of strawberries (7 or 8)
1 red apple
1 jalapeno
I also enjoy having fun with my fruit before it's juiced. :D
Friday, March 30, 2012
Update and Team Work
As much as it makes me feel odd to do this, I'm going to....here's one of my before photos:
This was taken on the day my niece was born (back in February...prior to me starting any juicing)....mom actually snapped it with her phone...ugh....have I ever mentioned how much I hate being on the receiving end of a camera lens?!
Several of you have also asked for a current face photo (taken March 30th, 2012)....much as I hate knowing I'll post this and people will critique my looks, it is part of the process....
Today marks my 32nd day of juicing. More than a month with this new lifestyle. Crazy how this time has gone by.
I'm not giving an update on pounds lost because I haven't weighed...and I have no plans to until next Thursday (April 5th). Why you ask?
Well, number one is I've become too obsessed with that stupid scale...it's not good for me! So I'm forcing myself to stay away from it and off of it for at least a week at a time!
At the hospital where I work, they are sponsoring a Super Summer Slim Down competition. Winner (with the most total percentage weight loss from their starting point) wins a year's membership to the new Health and Wellness Institute as well as money, gift cards, and various other amenities. I'm trying to win this thing!! Seriously!!!! So far, when I plug my numbers into the spreadsheet they've given us to track our team, my total percentage loss is 5.62%. I think that's pretty good!
I'm the team leader of our team which consists of all my 5 employees plus 2 others from another division of our department! Several of them have come to me this past week and mentioned struggles with their self esteem over how they look and how difficult it is for them the lose the weight. Wow...do I understand where they're coming from!!! I've been sending emails with encouragement to the group and really trying to keep their moral up in this contest.
The contest has been going for a month already...we have 2 months left to go....next Friday the team leaders are to turn in total percentage of loss for each participant. So, we're all going to bust it really hard this next week to lose some more so our team can be feature as the leaders in the competition for the first month!!
I'm really motivated for this change I've made in my lifestyle...I feel the benefits of what I'm doing...and it feels good! Just have to keep myself on track and plug ahead! I like that I'm leading our team too...it helps me keep myself accountable for what I do during my day!
Also since we've been back from vacation this whole week, I've been taking my lunch break (30 minutes) and walking laps around our parking garage. I need to be more active than I've been...and this is a good start! I'm also going to get my bike back in riding order so I can take up bike rides again....I used to ride close to 10 miles a night!! Loved it!!
We're also going to start growing a lot of what we eat as well at the house! We started our seeds last night for all kinds of vegetables (as well as my hot and super hot pepper plants!!!!) we planted 2 raspberry bushes to that I'm very excited about!!
Anyway...I think that's all I really have for you today....have a great weekend!!!
Till next time...
-M-
This was taken on the day my niece was born (back in February...prior to me starting any juicing)....mom actually snapped it with her phone...ugh....have I ever mentioned how much I hate being on the receiving end of a camera lens?!
Several of you have also asked for a current face photo (taken March 30th, 2012)....much as I hate knowing I'll post this and people will critique my looks, it is part of the process....
Today marks my 32nd day of juicing. More than a month with this new lifestyle. Crazy how this time has gone by.
I'm not giving an update on pounds lost because I haven't weighed...and I have no plans to until next Thursday (April 5th). Why you ask?
Well, number one is I've become too obsessed with that stupid scale...it's not good for me! So I'm forcing myself to stay away from it and off of it for at least a week at a time!
At the hospital where I work, they are sponsoring a Super Summer Slim Down competition. Winner (with the most total percentage weight loss from their starting point) wins a year's membership to the new Health and Wellness Institute as well as money, gift cards, and various other amenities. I'm trying to win this thing!! Seriously!!!! So far, when I plug my numbers into the spreadsheet they've given us to track our team, my total percentage loss is 5.62%. I think that's pretty good!
I'm the team leader of our team which consists of all my 5 employees plus 2 others from another division of our department! Several of them have come to me this past week and mentioned struggles with their self esteem over how they look and how difficult it is for them the lose the weight. Wow...do I understand where they're coming from!!! I've been sending emails with encouragement to the group and really trying to keep their moral up in this contest.
The contest has been going for a month already...we have 2 months left to go....next Friday the team leaders are to turn in total percentage of loss for each participant. So, we're all going to bust it really hard this next week to lose some more so our team can be feature as the leaders in the competition for the first month!!
I'm really motivated for this change I've made in my lifestyle...I feel the benefits of what I'm doing...and it feels good! Just have to keep myself on track and plug ahead! I like that I'm leading our team too...it helps me keep myself accountable for what I do during my day!
Also since we've been back from vacation this whole week, I've been taking my lunch break (30 minutes) and walking laps around our parking garage. I need to be more active than I've been...and this is a good start! I'm also going to get my bike back in riding order so I can take up bike rides again....I used to ride close to 10 miles a night!! Loved it!!
We're also going to start growing a lot of what we eat as well at the house! We started our seeds last night for all kinds of vegetables (as well as my hot and super hot pepper plants!!!!) we planted 2 raspberry bushes to that I'm very excited about!!
Anyway...I think that's all I really have for you today....have a great weekend!!!
Till next time...
-M-
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
On Fruit and People...
After my most melodramatic post yesterday, I received an overwhelming positive response from people in my life in one way or another. I guess in different ways, we all have days like I had yesterday...that's why I'm going to leave the post published (instead of taking it down as I toyed with all day today). What's the use in growing and changing if I leave out parts of the process? It takes the bad to appreciate the good...so I'm going to appreciate the bad as well. On people....the people in my life are amazing. Period. End of story. Thank you for your kind words. They really did help.
Now...on fruit.
This 'UGLI' little bastard is officially my most favorite fruit on the entire planet!!! It's called an Ugli Fruit...really. LOL! From what I understand, it's actually a Jamaican fruit that's a cross between an orange a grapefruit and a tangerine.
This photo was taken on our vacation last week. I saw it at a farmer's market in a little town in Delaware. But I was so turned off by the looks that I only took a photo to show off its grotesqueness then put it back because I was too scared to try it. I regretted not getting one after we'd left the store. (Maybe it was a missed lesson in not judging a book by its cover?? hmmm...)
Well, flash forward to last night when I went grocery shopping at Jonesboro's local new Harp's store and what do you know?!?! They had a whole basket full of Ugli fruits. One came home with me last night. I put it in the fridge to get cold, and just a few minutes ago Jade and I opened it up. I'm telling you people, this is the best fruit I've ever had!!!! No joke!!!! I juiced the whole dag-gum thing in my canteen for tomorrow (along with 2 handfuls of spinach leaves, 2 carrots, a pear, 1/2 a lemon, 1 red apple, and 1 green apple.)!!! And I'll be making a stop by Harp's on the way home to get a few more too!!
I highly recommend you trying it!! It peels just like an orange does, and the fruit is a little larger than the fruit of a grapefruit. It's sweet and juicy!! The flesh isn't as firm as that of an orange or grapefruit, but it's comparable. Really,....go get one and try it!!!
But do not...I repeat, do NOT buy all of them tomorrow from Harp's!!! Leave some there for me!!! :P
Till next time... -M-
Now...on fruit.
This 'UGLI' little bastard is officially my most favorite fruit on the entire planet!!! It's called an Ugli Fruit...really. LOL! From what I understand, it's actually a Jamaican fruit that's a cross between an orange a grapefruit and a tangerine.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Hard Truths...
“Growth begins when we start to accept our own weakness.”
- Jean Vanier
I have weakness. And lots of it. And throughout my new juicing lifestyle, I've discovered just how much of it I have.
Today I complete my 28th day of juicing. After 10 days of vacation (and a few cheats along those 10 days to try foods I've never had in places I've never been) I have only gained 1 pound from where I was when I left from vacation. Total to date I have lost 16 pounds.
And I am disappointed.
I shouldn't be. My logical side tells me I've done a fabulous job to this point. That there are people who would kill to loose 16 pounds in less than a month. I should be celebrating my victories (and I do somewhat). But mostly, instead...I see how much further I have to go...and I feel so overwhelmed. And dare I say, defeated that I've allowed myself to get to where I am. I am a master at self loathing. And through this change in my lifestyle of eating, I have begun to recognize the depths of that self loathing. It's a bit scary...and very sad.
I can see how I see myself affects my relationships. I withdraw, turn away, and automatically assume everyone else is thinking the things about me that I'm thinking about me...even the ones who love me most in the world...they are still clouded by my own thoughts and insecurities.
It's disgusting what I'm doing.
But I'm not sure how to stop.
I really long to be one of those people who bubble over (inside and out) with self confidence and approval. And I know part of the answer to that will be found in the results of what I'm doing currently. I'm just too impatient for my own good. I think, "16 pounds?! That's it?! You should have lost double that by now!!" SO DUMB to think that!!!! I know....but that's what I think. I worry that the reason someone gets mad at me is because of how I look...that I just irritate them automatically when they see me. Really, that's just what happens when I see me. I don't see my talents or my abilities or how I treat others or how I love people...I just see ugly and fat. And that is a truth that has haunted me since I was young. I hate that. And I want it to change.
I guess the point of this post is honesty. I have to get honest with myself about my habits, my thoughts (negative and positive), and the destructive ways I contribute to every relationship I have. It's hard. And it hurts. And it's really no fun at all. But it's time. God help me.
28 days under my belt. I've gone grocery shopping tonight and refilled our fridge with good fruits and veggies. I will starting praising myself for my hard work and stop punishing myself for everything else....
Till next time...
-M-
- Jean Vanier
I have weakness. And lots of it. And throughout my new juicing lifestyle, I've discovered just how much of it I have.
Today I complete my 28th day of juicing. After 10 days of vacation (and a few cheats along those 10 days to try foods I've never had in places I've never been) I have only gained 1 pound from where I was when I left from vacation. Total to date I have lost 16 pounds.
And I am disappointed.
I shouldn't be. My logical side tells me I've done a fabulous job to this point. That there are people who would kill to loose 16 pounds in less than a month. I should be celebrating my victories (and I do somewhat). But mostly, instead...I see how much further I have to go...and I feel so overwhelmed. And dare I say, defeated that I've allowed myself to get to where I am. I am a master at self loathing. And through this change in my lifestyle of eating, I have begun to recognize the depths of that self loathing. It's a bit scary...and very sad.
I can see how I see myself affects my relationships. I withdraw, turn away, and automatically assume everyone else is thinking the things about me that I'm thinking about me...even the ones who love me most in the world...they are still clouded by my own thoughts and insecurities.
It's disgusting what I'm doing.
But I'm not sure how to stop.
I really long to be one of those people who bubble over (inside and out) with self confidence and approval. And I know part of the answer to that will be found in the results of what I'm doing currently. I'm just too impatient for my own good. I think, "16 pounds?! That's it?! You should have lost double that by now!!" SO DUMB to think that!!!! I know....but that's what I think. I worry that the reason someone gets mad at me is because of how I look...that I just irritate them automatically when they see me. Really, that's just what happens when I see me. I don't see my talents or my abilities or how I treat others or how I love people...I just see ugly and fat. And that is a truth that has haunted me since I was young. I hate that. And I want it to change.
I guess the point of this post is honesty. I have to get honest with myself about my habits, my thoughts (negative and positive), and the destructive ways I contribute to every relationship I have. It's hard. And it hurts. And it's really no fun at all. But it's time. God help me.
28 days under my belt. I've gone grocery shopping tonight and refilled our fridge with good fruits and veggies. I will starting praising myself for my hard work and stop punishing myself for everything else....
Till next time...
-M-
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Positive Change and Vacation!
Prior to starting my juicing lifestyle, I was one of the many people who have issues with Acid Reflux. That terrible burning in your esophagus and uneasy tummy half an hour to an hour after you eat. Most nights of the week I was using Tums to alleviate my symptoms...most of the time with success, but sometimes with none at all! Acid Reflux is a very uncomfortable feeling!
Well, today is Day 17 for me with the juicing lifestyle and I can happily report that I haven't had a need to take anything for Acid Reflux for 14 days! I can't even begin to tell you what kind of small miracle this is! To not have that discomfort has been worth the juicing alone!
This next week is Spring Break for most schools and colleges. I'll be going on vacation!!! And I am SO pumped!!! We're going to visit special family people in Delaware, and while we're there next week we're going to make a couple of short trips to Philly and New York!!! I am so excited!!!! So, since it's vacation, will I be juicing.
The short answer to that is, yes! This isn't just some diet or short term thing for me (might be different for you if you've taken up trying it out). For me, it's a new way of life! I believe in this whole juicing idea because I've seen how it's positively affected my body, my mind, and my attitude! There's no going back for me!!!
But....that's not to say I'm not going to enjoy new things on vacation! I have plans to eat 3 solid food items in the 9 days we're traveling. And they are very specific things...I'm going to have a Cheesesteak in Philly, Pizza in New York, and a Hot Dog or Corn Dog near Coney Island! The rest of the time I'll be juicing! I don't think anyone can blame me for that!!
I've weighed once since the last time I reported of a 17.2lb loss and I was disappointed to have gained a couple of pounds back. Not sure how as I had done no cheating. Anyway, it really discouraged me. So much so that it sort of scared me how obsessed I'd become with the scale. I didn't like it. So, I told myself I wasn't allowed to stand on the scale again until the day we leave for vacation (which will be tomorrow). I had originally set my goal to try to lose 20 pounds before we left for vacation. But I'm not going to beat myself up if I haven't made it to that particular number. I mean, look what I've managed to do in the last 17 days already! I'm stinking proud of myself and I'm not going to be upset if I don't make that 20 pound goal by tomorrow (but I do hope I've made it!!)
Anyhow, that's the update for now! Those of you who are in this with me, I hope you're all doing well and sticking with it! It's hard, but the reward is great...and face it,...you're worth it!!!
Till next time...
-M-
Well, today is Day 17 for me with the juicing lifestyle and I can happily report that I haven't had a need to take anything for Acid Reflux for 14 days! I can't even begin to tell you what kind of small miracle this is! To not have that discomfort has been worth the juicing alone!
This next week is Spring Break for most schools and colleges. I'll be going on vacation!!! And I am SO pumped!!! We're going to visit special family people in Delaware, and while we're there next week we're going to make a couple of short trips to Philly and New York!!! I am so excited!!!! So, since it's vacation, will I be juicing.
The short answer to that is, yes! This isn't just some diet or short term thing for me (might be different for you if you've taken up trying it out). For me, it's a new way of life! I believe in this whole juicing idea because I've seen how it's positively affected my body, my mind, and my attitude! There's no going back for me!!!
But....that's not to say I'm not going to enjoy new things on vacation! I have plans to eat 3 solid food items in the 9 days we're traveling. And they are very specific things...I'm going to have a Cheesesteak in Philly, Pizza in New York, and a Hot Dog or Corn Dog near Coney Island! The rest of the time I'll be juicing! I don't think anyone can blame me for that!!
I've weighed once since the last time I reported of a 17.2lb loss and I was disappointed to have gained a couple of pounds back. Not sure how as I had done no cheating. Anyway, it really discouraged me. So much so that it sort of scared me how obsessed I'd become with the scale. I didn't like it. So, I told myself I wasn't allowed to stand on the scale again until the day we leave for vacation (which will be tomorrow). I had originally set my goal to try to lose 20 pounds before we left for vacation. But I'm not going to beat myself up if I haven't made it to that particular number. I mean, look what I've managed to do in the last 17 days already! I'm stinking proud of myself and I'm not going to be upset if I don't make that 20 pound goal by tomorrow (but I do hope I've made it!!)
Anyhow, that's the update for now! Those of you who are in this with me, I hope you're all doing well and sticking with it! It's hard, but the reward is great...and face it,...you're worth it!!!
Till next time...
-M-
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Rough Patch...
Today is day 15 for me. And I'll be perfectly honest, yesterday and today have been pretty hard. Yesterday I was craving cut up tomatoes and asparagus. That's all...just those things...but I just couldn't do it. I felt so guilty to have even those two things (not juiced).
Today I haven't really craved anything, but I've spent the day feeling sorry for myself. Yuck! What a waste of time and energy! Just can't seem to pull myself out of it though for some reason. I should be happy with my progress so far...and I am.
I think, for me, I'm going to need to be very careful with this new mindset I have. I can't feel guilty to eat and enjoy good things just because they aren't juiced!
Frustrating day today...
Today I haven't really craved anything, but I've spent the day feeling sorry for myself. Yuck! What a waste of time and energy! Just can't seem to pull myself out of it though for some reason. I should be happy with my progress so far...and I am.
I think, for me, I'm going to need to be very careful with this new mindset I have. I can't feel guilty to eat and enjoy good things just because they aren't juiced!
Frustrating day today...
Monday, March 12, 2012
What Kind of Juicer Did You Get?
The juicer we got is called a Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juice Extractor (http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-Mouth-Juice-Extractor/dp/B002OF3FBK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1331600934&sr=8-4).
We found it on Amazon.com. Ours was around $60.00.
Really though, get whatever is in your budget! They have some in the $30.00 range and upwards of $100! The only requirement is that it juices!
I like the one we have because the bin on the back (that catches all the pulp and left over stuff not juiced from the fruits and veggies) is fairly large. That means we don't have to empty it as frequently and can get several drinks made before having to clean it.
How Long do I Juice For?
This question has been asked again and again!
How long are you going to do this? How long are you supposed to do it?
Really, only you can answer that for yourself. I can't tell you how long to juice for. You could do a 10 day cleansing fast to sort of restart your body's engines, give them a fresh start. Or, you could do like Joe Cross did and go for a couple of months...or for longer.
For me, I have a particular goal in mind...a number. And it's my plan to juice at least until I hit that goal. But I can tell you now that my attitude with food has changed over the last 14 days...drastically. I'm not sure I'll ever not be juicing (to some degree).
The documentary and every book I've read has said you should consult your doctor before starting something like this if you are on prescription medications. I'm no doctor or health expert so really nothing I say here should be taken as stone. I aim to share my experience and what I've learned via this blog...that's all! :D
Why Do I Feel Icky on Day 3?!
Well, there's no hiding this little tidbit about juicing. I mean, once you make it to day three, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. And instead of me getting you all excited and gung-ho about juicing and failing to be completely honest with you, I'm gonna give you a bit of bad news!
Day three sucks!
Joe talks a little about the first few days he was juicing. He says he just really didn't want to get out of bed...didn't have much energy...and was in a pretty fowl mood. Now, I didn't experience that the first three days...but I definitely did on the third. With juicing, the first 10 days of it are referred to as a cleansing fast. You're literally flushing your body and internal organs clean of all the yuckies you've been putting into them for years. Those toxins and other yucky things have got to make an exit...and how do they do that you ask? Well...you're gonna poop! And you're gonna poop a lot! So be prepared to spend a little bit of time in the bathroom around day 3!
You're also going to be very low on energy. Day two tricks you into thinking it's going to be a piece of cake (chocolate hopefully!!). Then reality smacks you in the face on day 3 (your days may vary from mine by a day or two). All I wanted to do on Day 3 was sleep. I was tired, cranky, achy, feverish, had a headache, and my skin hurt! It was my body's way of releasing the gross things I'd done to it to that point. I thought I was dying! I thought I was seriously sick. But...the next day I woke up and I felt like a totally different person!
I had tons of energy, didn't feel feverish or achy. I was in excellent mental spirits and just couldn't wait to keep going with my juicing!
Since then I've mostly had a ton of energy. Some days here and there I've felt tired, but I think that had more to do with lack of sleep the night before than anything else. I'm not nodding off at work during the middle of the day anymore. I'm able to focus better and I've noticed my attitude has been much more playful and upbeat. If these are side effects of juicing, then I'm all in!!!
Day three sucks!
Joe talks a little about the first few days he was juicing. He says he just really didn't want to get out of bed...didn't have much energy...and was in a pretty fowl mood. Now, I didn't experience that the first three days...but I definitely did on the third. With juicing, the first 10 days of it are referred to as a cleansing fast. You're literally flushing your body and internal organs clean of all the yuckies you've been putting into them for years. Those toxins and other yucky things have got to make an exit...and how do they do that you ask? Well...you're gonna poop! And you're gonna poop a lot! So be prepared to spend a little bit of time in the bathroom around day 3!
You're also going to be very low on energy. Day two tricks you into thinking it's going to be a piece of cake (chocolate hopefully!!). Then reality smacks you in the face on day 3 (your days may vary from mine by a day or two). All I wanted to do on Day 3 was sleep. I was tired, cranky, achy, feverish, had a headache, and my skin hurt! It was my body's way of releasing the gross things I'd done to it to that point. I thought I was dying! I thought I was seriously sick. But...the next day I woke up and I felt like a totally different person!
I had tons of energy, didn't feel feverish or achy. I was in excellent mental spirits and just couldn't wait to keep going with my juicing!
Since then I've mostly had a ton of energy. Some days here and there I've felt tired, but I think that had more to do with lack of sleep the night before than anything else. I'm not nodding off at work during the middle of the day anymore. I'm able to focus better and I've noticed my attitude has been much more playful and upbeat. If these are side effects of juicing, then I'm all in!!!
What About Protein?!
This is another common question I've been getting! So here are a couple of links you can look at to see that with fruits and veggies, you'll still be getting your protein too!! :D
http://www.livestrong.com/article/303041-the-grams-of-protein-in-fruits-vegetables/
and
http://www.livestrong.com/article/394772-protein-rich-fruits-vegetables/
Till next time...
-M-
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
http://www.livestrong.com/article/303041-the-grams-of-protein-in-fruits-vegetables/
and
http://www.livestrong.com/article/394772-protein-rich-fruits-vegetables/
Till next time...
-M-
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Sunday, March 11, 2012
But Don't You Like to Chew?!
Of COURSE I like to chew!!! How in the world do you think I got where I am?! :P
I'll be honest, the first few days are really hard. Here you've gone for however many years (30 in my case) chewing the food you consume, and now all of a sudden there's no chewing...just drinking!
I'm not going to lie to you. You're gonna want to cheat. You're going to see other people enjoying foods you enjoy, to which you'll raise your Mean Green, smile gently, and chug!
A good rule of thumb is when you feel hungry or have a craving try drinking water first! Did you know that in 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger. And even mild dehydration will slow your metabolism down by as much as 3%!!! Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water could significantly decrease back pain and joint pain for 80% of sufferers...plus drinking 5 glasses of water daily can decrease the risk o colon cancer by 45%, breast cancer by 79%, and bladder cancer by 50%. moral of this story, DRINK MORE WATER!!! When the body gets the water it needs to function optimally, it's fluid needs are perfectly balanced! When this happens, fluid retention is alleviated. As stored water is lost, more fat is used as fuel because the liver is free to metabolize stored fat and appetite is more manageable! (got all that info from a St. Bernards publication) After you've had some water, wait a few minutes. If your feeling of hunger is still there, then mix up some juice!
I promise you'll feel full and because of that you'll be able to manage your cravings to chew something, and in turn you'll stick with it!! :D
Trust me people....if I an do it, you can do it!!!
What About Your Fiber Intake?!
Another question I've been getting a lot is "What About Your Fiber Intake?! How are you getting enough fiber?"
The simple answer is, there's plenty of fiber in the different fruits and vegetables I'm using! Later, after the fasting part of my juicing lifestyle is over (the part where I'm juicing everything for every meal), I'll start adding other things into my diet like nuts that will increase my fiber intake even more. For now though, I'm getting all the nutrients I need from the good 'ole fruits and veggies! Here's a link to a Fiber Content Chart so you can see for yourself. The chart includes a plethora of foods, not all just fruits and veggies. But you can skim through to find the fruits and veggies to see that the fiber content is definitely there!
http://www.wehealny.org/healthinfo/dietaryfiber/fibercontentchart.html
Juicing Recipes
The above pictured juice is probably my most favorite combo I've tried yet! I call it my Tart Pearapple Drink! YUMMY!!! Here's how you make it:
Tart Pearapple (one serving)
1 Green Apple
1 Pear
1/2 Lemon
The best part of this juicing thing for me is that you're allowed to experiment with combinations! Really! The sky is the limit! So get creative and try things! I'll list below some of the recipes I've tried so far that I really like, but keep in mind if you give juicing a try that you are free to substitute anything for anything! What I've found is that if I'm going to be able to stick with this, I have to like what I'm drinking! It's just self defeat to force yourself to ingest something that tastes disgusting!! You'll never stick with it (at least I wouldn't!)
With any of the fruit drinks you make, it's good to add some kind of veggie to it...carrots are great to add (1 or 2 sticks to taste). Carrots give you energy and mostly get drowned out by the taste of the fruit! You're having something healthy and don't even know it! :D So, in the following recipes, feel free to add a carrot stick or celery or spinach leaves to any of them! You can also add a little lemon or lime to any drink to make it a little more tart if so desired. Also, it's your choice to peel or not to peel lemons, oranges, etc.
Orange Sherbert
2 Oranges
2 Carrot Sticks
1 Red Apple
Red Wonder
1 Red Apple
A Bunch of Purple Grapes (30-40)
10-15 Strawberries
Apple Delight
2 Red Apples
2 Green Apples
Watermelon Surprise
3 Thick Slices of Watermelon
1/2 Handful of Spinach Leaves
1 Red Apple
1/2 Lemon
Grape Madness
2 Bunches of Purple Grapes
2 Bunches of Green Grapes
Appleloupe
2 Green Apples
4 Thick slices of Cantaloupe
1/2 lemon
Pineapple Dandy
4 Slices of Pineapple (completely skinned)
1 Green Apple
Those are some of the drinks I've tried so far. I have some other veggies and fruits I"m going to experiment with as well including beets and Sweet Potatoes and papayas. Of course I'll post those recipes when I do them!
Also, there's nothing that says you have to combine things for a drink or two. If you're just in the mood for some watermelon, or orange juice, or apple juice, then just do the one fruit!
Mean Green Juice
One of the most frequent questions I get asked is what are the recipes I'm using.
With this post, I'm going to tell you what my daily routine is, and then tell you the recipe for my regular daily main juice - Mean Green. In another post I'll share other recipes.
In the morning before work, I juice 2 different drinks. The first that I do is a fruity combo for my breakfast. The second I do is the Mean Green drink (found below) that will be my nourishment for the work day through around 5pm. When I'm home, I'll typically make another drink for dinner and that's usually a fruity combo.
The Mean Green juice is really my staple dietary sustenance. It makes up the majority of what I drink during the day. They say it's best to start your day with fruits and move into vegetables later on in the day, so I'm following that model (mostly everyday...there have been a few days I've switched and had Mean Green for breakfast then fruity stuff for during the day...but not often, and only when I really need a change!)
The Mean Green juice took a little perfecting taste wise. I'm going to assume that your taste and mine are different so I'll give you the original recipe for combo of fruits and veggies, then I'll tell you how I make mine.
Mean Green Juice
5-6 Kale Leaves
2 Green Apples
4 stalks of Celery
1 Inch of Ginger
1/2 Lemon
1 Cucumber
That's what Joe Cross (from the documentary I told you about in the last post) juices together and calls his Mean Green juice. Now, I tried this first off. And it was disgusting!!! I mean terrible!! I LOVE sushi...but I hate the taste of the ginger that comes with it. So I never eat the ginger. Just because it's juiced, doesn't change the taste of it, so I've opted to leave out the ginger. Just can't handle it! I also leave out the celery. I tried it a couple of different ways (using less celery) and the celery taste was always just way too strong for my liking (even using just one stalk). So, I opt to leave out the celery as well. But, since I've taken out things that are good for me, I've replaced those things with other things that are good for me that are more palatable to my taste buds. So here's what MY Mean Green has in it everyday...
Melissa's Mean Green
5-6 Kale Leaves (stalks removed)
2 Green Apple
1 Whole Lemon (peeled - you can leave the peel on but I find it's too bitter)
1 Cucumber
2 Carrot Sticks
1 Handful of Spinach Leaves
This recipe makes enough for 2 large servings of juice which is perfect for me to cover my long work day! I bought a Coleman thermos, keep it in the fridge to stay cold and fill it up with Mean Green to take with me for the day. Stays cold all day long. Works perfectly!!!
Juiced180Degrees
This is why I'm Juicing.
It's strange how in living, a person can lose themselves so easily. We forget where we came from, where we started...and sometimes we even forget our worth.
I have. And it's time to find those things again!
Today, is my 13th day of juicing everything I eat. So far, I've lost a total of 17.2 pounds and gained a wealth of energy and feel good power.
It all started with a documentary called "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead." If you have Netflix it's on the Watch It Now list! Find it and watch it! It's narrated by a man by the name of Joe Cross who sort of gave birth to this most recent juicing phenomenon. He was overweight, taking 10-15 prescriptions a day for various reasons, and unhappy with the direction his life was heading. So, he sought out a way to cleanse his body and get healthy. Taking advantage of the micronutrients found inside the freshest vegetables and fruits through juicing, he was able to cleanse his body of all the toxins he'd been putting in it over the years by food and medicines. By juicing, he was able to allow his internal organs to realign themselves to their original functionality by flushing his system of all the bad things he'd ingested. At the end of his journey, Joe had lost more than 90 pounds and was off all of his medications. In the documentary, you also follow the progress of a trucker driver that Joe found on his journey. This guy went from a 6XL to a 2XL over the course of a few months. On top of that, he was able to be taken off all his medicines as well.
It's amazing what our bodies can do for themselves if we just get out of the way and let it function as it should.
So, we got a juicer and lots of fruits and veggies! And here I am 13 days later and 17.2 pounds lighter!
I'm committed to this new lifestyle. Because that's what it is...a lifestyle. It's not a diet, it's not a quick fix...it's a change in habit and a change in lifestyle.
It's not easy.
But it's right.
I've been sharing my success with my Facebook Friends and some of them have been really interested in what I'm doing. What recipes, how long do you do it for, do you feel hungry...all questions I've been asked. I felt like this was the best way to give the information! So, follow the blog if you're interested, send me questions if you have them! I'll make different posts answering the questions I've been asked so stay tuned!
Till next time...
-M-
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