I did a juice fast about a year
and a half ago. It's really not that hard. My
intentions were to juice for 30 days. I made it to 15. I had
to stop because I got "backed up". Go Figure!!
I did lose 23 lbs.
Depending on how "hungry" I am - I will drink between 3-5 juices per day. You'd be amazed at how full you feel after drinking an extra-large glass of green juice! It's pure nutrients and your body starts losing the cravings for things you don't need.
Since then, I've done A LOT of research. I've joined different groups
on Facebook. Read some books. Watched some more movies. I
think this time around I'm much more prepared for any "obstacles" that
I incur and how I'll overcome them.
The thing that I will do differently this time:
- Drink LOTS more water throughout the day
- Mix up my juices (I've got some GREAT recipes)
- Drink an herbal tea before bedtime
- Exercise more
- and did I mention... Drink A LOT more water throughout the day
In preparation too, I started weaning off of the "can't haves" over the
past few weeks. I slowed down on consuming meat and animal
products. I started removing all processed food and food like products
(BTW, this is a conscious lifestyle change for me - more in a different
post on that!). I also started adding more produce to my diet and have
started drinking A LOT of water throughout the day.
My motive for this fast
- Detox my body
- Drop a few pounds
So, I'm sure you're saying - "but, if you slowed down on meat, removed
processed food and food-like products shouldn't that be enough?"... Well, kinda. I do feel much better! What's weird -
I'm not really losing a lot of weight. I am slimmer though. Aboy said
I'm "deflating". I think with the addition of some of the good things
and the reduction in some of the harmful things - any "inflammation"
has been reduced and my body is starting to repair itself. HOWEVER, I
feel like some of the toxins are still inside my body (I am recently
recovering from walking pneumonia & sinusitis)... so, a Juice
Fast will really cleanse me down to my cells and give my body a chance
to recuperate and heal itself.
Plus, it won't hurt to drop a few pounds either.
I will keep a "diary" of my progress. I'll post some of the different
juices that I use. Plus, if you have any questions - feel free to
ask. You guys already know - anything I do... I do it
whole-heartedly - so, I will do my best to find answers if I don't know
them off the top of my head.
Staples for my juice fast are
- Green Apples (Granny Smiths)
- Ginger
- Cucumbers
- Celery
- Kale
At least 2 of my "meals" per day will have all of those
ingredients. I like to add things in like broccoli, spinach,
chard and other leafy greens. I will also be juicing with
root vegetables (beets, turnips, carrots).
I try to stay aware of calorie intake. Fruits tend to be higher in
calories than vegetables - so, my fruit juices I usually limit to
breakfast and maybe a small "snack".
Depending on how "hungry" I am - I will drink between 3-5 juices per day. You'd be amazed at how full you feel after drinking an extra-large glass of green juice! It's pure nutrients and your body starts losing the cravings for things you don't need.
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A Juice Fast is not for the weak. It takes a lot of commitment,
determination and will-power. This is not something that you can just
jump into. Another thing that can hurt you is if you don't wean
yourself back onto solid foods - you can really do damage. Think about
your stomach - it hasn't had to chew food for a couple weeks... then
you jump into a 6 ounce rib-eye - that could wreak havoc on your
digestive system. As I draw closer to the end, I'll share
with you how I prepare to transition back to solid food and how I was
able to keep almost all of that 23 pounds off from the first
time.