Day 39

I am not as diligent at keeping a daily journal after I hit day 30.  I am stilling doing my juicing every day.  I will do about 3-4 juices a day, but I usually eat a lunch.  I head out of town tomorrow and this is my last trip (that I know of at this point) until after the 60 days are up.  I have plateaued on my weight.  I am excited I am down as far as I am and holding it (11.5 lbs) but I would really like to lose another 10 pounds at least.  I am feeling lots better and have more energy.  I actually did some running on the treadmill today.  I have my laptop there so I can watch my shows.  Every time a commercial would come on I would jog for 60-90 seconds.  I felt good that I could keep going and repeat that several times in a 45 minute workout.  I even got up early and did 40 minutes of aerobics.  I am feeling good today.

Another miracle that happened while juicing that I never would have foreseen, I lost some bumps that were on my hand.   I have had them for many years.  They were ugly but they didn’t bother me physically.  Every winter when I have chronic dry hands, the first place to crack an bleed was next to these bumps.  I never knew what they were and a doctor just recently wondered if they were a form of warts.  I have seen many warts but they didn’t look like any that I have seen.  Needless to say, I never knew how to treat them and so I just dealt with them.  Never proactive on getting rid of them.  Sunday I looked down at my hands and noticed that the majority of them are gone.  Bye Bye Bumps!!!! I won’t miss you.  There are still a few, but I can handle that.  Now to get rid of the dry skin for permanent. 😀

Here’s to 20 more days of mainly juicing!!!!

Menu:
Grape Green Juice (grapes, spinach, kale, apple)
Strawberry Lemonade
Coconut Green Juice

Coconut Green Juice

2 bunches of kale (I added spinach also)
2 bunches of celery
1 grapefruit (I didn’t use this)
2 green apples
2 lemons
2 limes
1 orange (I substituted that for the lime)
3 cucumbers
1 inch piece of ginger

THEN – the final ingredient – coconut water! Pour as much in as you want.  I tend to pour half a glass of green juice and top if off with half a glass of coconut water.

Hydration + leafy green energy = you’re a superhero.

Modified Recipe by: Healthy Crush

I tried juicing the actual coconut – let’s just say it made great shredded coconut.  The juice that came off of it was very thick and when it was washed into the juice from the other fruits and veggies, there was mushy clumps in the juice.  I did really like the coconut water in the juice.  It gave it a different feel/flavor.  It was more of a tropical twist.  Hmm – maybe getting some coconut water might be in my future. 😀

Day 32

Today has been a roller coaster of day.  I have had great moments and frustrating moments.  At this point in time I am completely exhausted.  I have been working really hard around the house and I feel it.  I really need to work on the not snacking part of this diet.  I will figure it out sometime, but right now I am too tired to think about it.  Maybe I should get me a quick juice and then go to bed.  Hmm – what to make?   Mmm – a Watermelon Refresher Juice sounds tasty!!!

Menu:
Cantaloupe, Grapefruit, Apple
Strawberry Spinach Salad Juice
Eggplant Carrot Juice

Eggplant Carrot Juice

1 eggplant
3 carrots
2 apples
3 stalks celery
chunk of ginger (my addition)

Revised Recipe by: The Juice Nut

Tasted just like a Carrot Apple Juice 😀

Day 31

Today was a great day!  I had my ups and downs emotionally but as I look back I am glad I journeyed through this day!  I worked hard, exercised hard, felt great and enjoyed my juices.  I also enjoyed a meal tonight with some friends and didn’t feel guilty about it.  The meal was loaded with fruits and veggies.  Even the refreshments at the end was all fruits.  It was a nice healthy meal!!!  Starting tomorrow I am going full board with juicing.  Now to convince myself that I want to do all juicing on the travel days.  I forgot about my multiple travel days when I made that commitment of 15 full days of juicing.   Maybe I should start the 15 straight days after the last trip and keep every day, except the traveling days, full juice days up until then.  I can’t believe how well I have done up to this point.  I haven’t been perfect but I have gained [and lost] so much with the dedication I have had up to this point!!!

I am excited for the next 29 days!!!  I am excited to continue juicing at least once every day after the 60 days also.

Menu:
Sweet Melon Juice with Apple and Mint (no ginger)
Spinach Grape Juice

Spinach Grape Juice

1 bunch of organic spinach
1 bunch of organic grapes
1 apple (my addition)

Recipe by: Spa Juice Bar

Day 30

I can’t believe today is actually here.  Where did the time grow.  I have gained so much  understanding.  I feel different, for the better.  I have lost weight and my clothes feel different on me.  I even tried on the next pant size down and I could do them up, they weren’t comfortable the first day but by the second day they felt okay.  It wasn’t that long ago that getting them over the thighs were difficult.  That means there is progress being made.

Here are my goals for the next 30 days.  I am going to try to go back to the strict discipline of only juice for the next 15 days.  After that I am going to start adding a meal to the day and drink juice for the rest of the day.  This will help with a few things.  It will help my body slowly adjust to eating again and so when 60 days are over it doesn’t want to put on all the weight back on instantly.  The other thought is that it will help me build a better menu of foods that are more plant based.  Right now my thoughts are to have each meal 70:30 plant based vs protein.  I want to start making our plates more healthy at every meal so that I can keep off the weight that I have lost and keep up my energy levels.

I am so excited about the progress and learning that I have gained over the last 30 days and look forward to the next 30 days.

(Side note: I haven’t posted since day 26.  The past three days have been busy with work and traveling.  I even took juice on my travels – thanks to my son making them for them while I was running an errand.  I did have a meal while I was gone but I found that I didn’t overeat.  I still drank juice while I was out and finished it off the next day.  Thank goodness for refrigeration! :D)

Menu:
Grapefruit Green Juice
Strawberry Lemonade

Grapefruit Green Juice

1 grapefruit
1 green apple
1 head of kale
4 celery stalks
1/2 cucumber
1 lime

Recipe by: Healthy Crush

The kids all gave a sour look after trying it.  It made the juice all worth it.  I did half and half spinach and kale.  I would have added another apple and remember the cucumber for the next batch.  I will probably make it again.

Tropical Green Juice

Mango – large
Spinach
Kale
1/2 Lemon

Peel lemon and mango, juice and enjoy!!!

Day 26

Today I was able to put some pants on that I haven’t been able to wear for over 1 1/2 years.  I didn’t say they were comfortable, but I could get them on and zip them up.  After wearing them for several hours, I was more comfortable in them.  I was excited to finally see this step.  It gives me the drive to keep going so that one day I can finally fit into them comfortably!!!  I have consistently kept off 11 lbs – Yippee!!!  I still fluctuate up and down from day to day – but I now can keep off 11 lbs.  This just makes me giggle inside.  I got thinking about this – that after I took my first hormone pill in June of 2011  and ballooned up 30 lbs in 30 days and went up a pant size in 2 weeks – I am 6-7 lbs away from being back down to where I was before this whole roller coaster journey began.  It would have been so much easier to not have gone through this journey, but it has been so fulfilling because of the habits I have developed, the knowledge I have gained and the support I have been to friends/family and they have been for me!!!!

A quote I found today goes like this – “Its easy to gain weight. Hard to lose. It is easy to spend money. Hard to earn. It is easy to give into temptation. Hard to resist. Over time, I have realized that the hard choices create more fruitful results. We have a choice and it is up to us. No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path. The path to success is to take massive, determined action.”  Author Unknown

Menu:
Pumpkin Pie Juice
Strawberry Spinach Juice
Gazpacho Juice