It is day 7.
I am replacing daytime food for liquids (in the form of fresh juice) for 10 days… I hoped to lose a couple of extra pounds and start the new year off right.
Here’s the entire story from the beginning:
- If Anyone’s Interested – The 5 Pound Problem & the Plan
- Day 1: 6 Reasons to Juice
- Day 2: Why Juice Instead of Smoothies
- Day 3: Juicing Helps & Tips – How to get the Most from Your Juice
- Day 4: Juicing for Disease Prevention & Cure
- Day 5 & 6: Juicing on a Budget
I am weighing myself every day which is a terrible idea. If you would like to feel discouraged – get on a scale every morning (laughing). This is never recommended and I don’t make it a normal practice. I have been doing it this week just to keep track. I have lost 2 1/2 pounds in 7 days but I have 2 1/2 pounds left to go to hit my goal (of 5 pounds).
I am going to stay the course, because I’m no quitter.
VICTORIES
There may not be much of a change as far as my weight is concerned but I have had many victories!
- I generally feel lighter throughout the day when I am drinking juice in place of meals.
- All bloating or mid-section puffiness is gone. My stomach is flat and I feel more toned.
- I have more energy. I don’t feel tired or sluggish in the afternoons.
- I am sleeping great. Some nights I feel like I wake up often. Recently it’s been particularly problematic. There’s the yelping puppy… The snoring husband… and I am under a couple of deadlines for articles. Since I’ve been replacing my daytime meals with fresh juice, I’ve been sleeping soundly again. And it’s wonderful.
At the end of the day, the scale doesn’t matter. I want to be healthy and strong and well-fed. I want my body to be nourished, hydrated and full of life. Whether I lose 5 pounds or 3 pounds I am happy and healthy.
FASTING
Technically – Replacing meals with juice is a ‘fast.’
“Fasting is a willing abstinence or reduction from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time.” source
Fasting is incredible healthy.
Our bodies are worn our from working so hard to digest much of the foods we eat every day. Many of Americans are consuming a steady diet of processed and unhealthy foods. It is clear that these bodies of ours are working diligently to utilize what we are feeding them. Not only are they trying to claim some usable fuel from our Standard American Diet, our bodies are also trying to remove toxins and expel unwanted bits.
I believe that many of the health problems we have today are just our bodies trying to cope with what we are feeding them.
- Skin disorders (eczema, allergies, rashes)
- Digestive problems (diverticulitis, inflammation, crohns disease, colitis, IBS)
- Fatigue (exhaustion, confusion, brain fog, headaches, lethargic feelings)
Do you think some of these symptoms and health problems could just be our bodies trying to deal with what we are putting in them?
A break from our usual diet, or from food in general, in the form of a fast, can give our digestive systems a rest and time of rejuvenation.
Juicing is a great way to fast because you are not “starving” or “doing without” food.
How to Make Fasting a Part of your Schedule:
- Everyday Fast – You should fast every day for 12 hours. This happens from your last meal in the evening until the first meal the next morning. Making sure 12 hours pass gives your digestive system a rest.
- Juice Fast – Replacing a meal (or meals) with juice is another way to fast. With this type of fast a fresh juice is consumed in place of a meal or meals – water is drank in between meals. Fresh juice is easy for our bodies to utilize. It doesn’t need to be digested so it lets our systems rest. When you drink a fresh juice you should feel energized, satisfied and pleased to have given your body a break.
- Juice Feast – Juice Feasting is like a “Juice Fast” (replacing meals with juice) – except you can juice your heart out in between meals…. as much as you want.
If you are hesitant about juicing in place of meals & worried you may starve in between beverages – consider going on a “Juice Feast” instead.
A juice feast is a dedicated time that you devote to replacing all of your meals with fresh juice. There is no limit to how many juices you can enjoy. This style of fast should not leave you hungry. It will give your digestive system a nice long rest and fill you with vitality.
Trading juice for a meal or an afternoon snack is not a diet. It is really a gift you give yourself. Around 4:00 every day I want to eat a horse. I find it easy to eat healthy for breakfast and lunch but when that afternoon hour hits I want a bowl of guacamole and a bag of chips pronto! Drinking a fresh juice at this hour saves me from inhaling something I probably shouldn’t. After a glass of juice I am perfectly happy to snack on some fresh veggies instead of a bag of chips…. or just wait til supper.
DAY 7
Sunrise:
3 cups of coffee
Breakfast, Lunch & Snacks
I sipped coffee and water all morning and was terribly busy getting the kids set on their school work and ready for music lessons. I finally got around to juicing at 12:30 and I was pretty hungry. I made 6 green juices and 2 red ones. I took 3 of them with me to music and stuck the other 3 in the refrigerator and drank them in the late afternoon.
I ate a pomegranate and a giant cucumber as an afternoon snack.
Dinner:
I had homemade spaghetti dinner served over spaghetti squash with a lovely fresh salad. I topped my salad with so many carrots, cucumber slices and tomatoes I couldn’t see the lettuce. It was delightfully crunchy.
XO,
Cj
