Monday, January 30, 2012

Day 8

I want food! I want food! I want food! just kidding....no, actually I'm not....I WANT FOOD!!!!
Is it Thursday yet? I didn't think so.

This wouldn't be so bad if I could just stay cooped up for the next 3 days. I wouldn't mind watching American Pickers and Teen Mom in the theater all day. Yes, the house I'm "sitting" has a movie theater.
But no, I have to leave the house for civilization and go to my clinical site for the day at an elementary school.
And of course people are going to ask questions when you break out a HUGE container full of weird, green juice during lunch break.  People I don't know. People who don't read this little blog and understand what I'm going through! So instead of saying "You can do it, only 2 days left!" they say...."arent you hungry? is that going to fill you up? it's like your starving yourself!" I try to explain to them why I'm doing this and the benefits/awesomeness that comes along with it, but they just don't understand.

Little do they know that I juiced more vegetables for my lunch juice than they are probably eating all week! They also have no idea that I drink about 4 of those containers daily, so there is no way possible that I'm starving.
Sorry about that....moving along.

I had the best breakfast this morning. It consisted of
2 Apples
1 Orange
1 Handful Blackberries
1 Handful Blueberries
1/3 Pineapple
Yum!

Lunch was the usual:
1 Apple
2 Handfuls Spinach
1 Cucumber
3 Stalks Celery
3 Carrots
1 Stalk Romaine
1 Banana
Double Yum!

I think it made them happy that I had at least 1 "chewable" item. It made me happy too. For some reason I feel like "that nursing student from Clarkson" may be discussed at their lunch break tomorrow.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Day 7

I have successfully completed one week of juicing! It was a loonnnggggggg week and I'm so glad it's over.  These next 3 days should be a breeze before I start adding one (healthy...hopefully) meal back into my diet.  I went grocery shopping again today and spent about $40.  I still had some produce from last week and didn't want to overspend since I won't just be juicing this week.  One thing that is pretty awesome about juicing is how simple it is.  I don't have to worry about meal planning, going to subway before work since I don't have any food at my house, or spending extra money on food throughout the week.

I watched the documentary Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead again today for some more motivation! If you want to watch it, but don't want to spend the money, Amazon has a free month trial that you can sign up for and watch it for FREE! You still put a credit card number in, but just immediately cancel the "membership" from activating after a month.

Click on THIS link, which will take you directly to the viewing site on Amazon. Then click on "watch now $0.00," sign up for a free monthly membership, and you're good to go!

I can definitely tell that I have more energy and motivation since I've started juicing.  That "full, blah, I feel awfully fat" feeling that I used to get isn't there anymore either.  And I am CRAVING fresh fruits, vegetables, and salads.  I am not losing too much weight, but am definitely losing inches and my clothes are already starting to fit better.  I have been able to stay away from the fruit roll ups, nutella, and doritos in the house I'm sitting for now, but they have definitelly been calling my name.


I just have to remember that you guys are all probably expecting before and after pics sooner or later in the game....AHHHHHHHHH NERVE WRECKING!

Friday, January 27, 2012

Day 5 1/2

Day 5 is almost over....I decided to stay in with Jackson tonight to A) avoid food/empty calorie temptation and B) because I am EXHAUSTED from school and work. I couldn't resist a picture. This is what doggy day care does to him....

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For lunch and dinner I made my favorite "green" drink.  I threw an assortment of veggies into the juicer one day and loved it:
1 Apple
1/2 Cucumber
4 carrots
4 stalks of celery
2 small tomatoes (or 1 medium- if you use more tomatoe, it tastes like a bloody mary- whats not to love?)
1 handful of spinach
1/2 of a head of romaine lettuce
3-4 broccoli flourets
juice from one lemon

I really like this drink because it contains a variety of veggies.  It yields about 2, 16 oz jars of juice. You can of course double or triple the recipe!



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(sorry, it's kind of blurry...I'm stuck in the age of the blackberry) 

While I would love to buy every single one of my fruits and vegetables organically as well as fresh, that just isn't possible on my budget.  Maybe some day, but definitely not now... I spent about $60.00 on my first grocery trip, and it will last me one full week! Some of the items even longer than that! Since I drink juice about 4-5 times a day, that adds up to only $2.00/meal.  I bought 1 bag each of frozen blueberries and strawberries.  I keep them in my fridge and take from the bags whenever needed!  I also bought a 5 pack of romaine lettuce at Sams that has been awesome to throw in almost every juice I make.  It is virtually tasteless, but the nutritional benefits are amazing!

One question I was asked today was how I was getting my source of protein. Vegetable proteins are known as incomplete proteins but are exactly what the body uses to rebuild muscle.  If you are eating or juicing enough fruits and vegetables, a protein deficiency is nearly impossible.  We only need about 10% of our daily calories from protein, and most of us average 15-16% daily.
Here are some protein comparisons:
Bananas: 4%
Cucumbers: 11%
Oranges: 7%
Green Leaf Lettuce: 22%
Watermelon: 7%
Eggs: 37%
Whole Milk: 23%
Beef: 50%

While animals may be high in protein, they are also high in FAT! Eggs and ground beef are both around 60% fat. I hope that kind of answers the question.  I know that was a big issue for me when first starting to juice, but after reading tons of information on it a protein deficiency is just impossible!
I also plan on incorporating more protein sources after my 10 days of only juicing are up.  Such as nuts, lean animal protein, and more fish! If you want to learn more go to this website and it should answer tons of your questions!


If anyone has any questions or comments please feel free to leave something in the comment section or e-mail me! I would LOVE to hear from you!

Day 5

It's Day 5, which is half way to my 10 day juicing cleanse!
My fruit juice for breakfast has been my favorite yet.  I used 1/3 of a pineapple, 1 orange, and a couple handfuls of blueberries.  I wish I had saved some cantaloupe from earlier in the week because I think it would have gone great with the pineapple, but oh well.  I am currently down around 5 pounds.  It fluctuates daily, but I will be posting pictures, measurements, and weights periodically.  I don't want to lose too much more weight.  Staying at a reasonable weight and reducing body fat is my main goal.

Dog sitting is going hilariously well.  I forgot how fun and entertaining it is to have a dog around all the time.  I feel like I'm living a double life.  I'm staying in their spacious guest bedroom with white bedding and a taupe paint my mom would love. She loves any shape of taupe/tan. Jackson and I got up early this morning because the house cleaners were coming.  I guess he likes to steal their rags, so he is at doggy day care for the day.

I hope this weekend isn't too hard on my juicing.  As long as I can avoid the pantry and keep my motivation up I will be fine. Stay tuned....

ps- I have no idea how this halfway turned into a blog about jackson. I now understand how dog owners lives revolve around their pups.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Day 4

I've been trying to keep up with working two twelve hour night shifts, school, and juicing for the past couple of days.  It's been difficult but I made it through! I did break down and eat a carrot yesterday morning after getting off of work.  I had absolutely NO energy to juice and needed something in my stomach before going to sleep for the day.  It really did help fill me up, and if having one carrot is cheating, then I guess I'm okay with that. I've also started juicing a little bit more everyday.  I was losing weight too quickly and needed some more energy for work the past couple of nights.  

In other news, I started dog sitting the most precious golden retriever today! His name is Jackson and I got to pick him up from doggie day care.  Holy. Cow. You wouldn't believe that place! They have video monitoring, snack time, play time, outdoor space, a doggie beauty parlor, and I could go on and on. I thought he would be a great running, err...jogging, uhhh walking partner for the week. BUT HE WAS EXHAUSTED! He has hardly gotten up from the couch since we got home.  I'm staying at his parents house till next Sunday, so I'm sure it'll be an interesting week with him around.

I brought all of my juicing supplies over to their house, but they have kiddos...which means it is literally stockpiled with fruit snacks, chips, frozen pizza, bagels, ice cream, and not to mention a stocked bar. But...I plan to stay away from the empty calories and continue juicing.  I think a trip to the grocery store on Saturday to stock up will give me some more inspiration and excitement for juicing.  


Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Day 2 1/2

I'm working my first night shift since starting the juicing cleanse. And it sucks.
I was only able to get about an hour of sleep in before work, and the problem isn't that I'm tired. The problem is that I'm still up to think about how I can't eat.  Instead of going to bed at 10 pm like every other night, I get to sit here and consider the pros and cons of not eating. But if I ate something, then I would have to start ALL over again. 
Two WHOLE days never seemed like alot before, but I'm 1/5 of the way done!

It doesn't help that the person I'm training has been crunching these in my ear for the past 30 minutes...


But like my mama always says "A moment on the lips...A lifetime on the hips"

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Day 2

Day 2 is almost over! I honestly can't believe how great I am feeling.  The only time I truly feel hungry is when its been about 2-3 hours after my last jar of juice.  It is much better on my morale and appetite if I stay on top of the juicing and have some ready when my brain and stomach start yelling at me.
I've been starting off with fruit juice for breakfast in the morning.  It gives me something to look forward to and the sweetness is just what I need to start the day.  My next 3-4 jars are mostly veggies- carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, spinach, celery, cucumbers, romaine, etc.
Like I said yesteryday lemons will DEFINITELY continue to be on my grocery list.  I have been putting them in every drink I make, as well as in my water and green tea. 
I add an apple and carrots to most of my juices as well. They yield alot of juice and add to that sweetness factor that my body is craving.
Ending the day with another fruit juice has become a necessity as well.  I have to limit myself to two fruit juices a day because otherwise that's all I would drink, but the veggies are starting to grow on me.  I also have been finding myself craving "unjuiced" broccoli, carrots, celery, and salads.  Which is AWESOME! That is the whole reason I started doing this challenge.  My body and brain have really been in a rut with what I was eating and it's amazing to be craving healthy food only after a couple of days.
Oh, and cheese runzas with ranch dressing, but other than that.... :)
I really wish this is how my cutting board looked when prepping my fruits and veggies....Maybe by day 10?


"The food you eat can be either the safest & most powerful form of medicine OR the slowest form of poison"
      -Anna Wigmore

Monday, January 23, 2012

Day 1

Day 1= Success! I have made it through Day 1 and only have 9 days till I am going to start incorporating 1 meal a day back into my diet.  I started off breakfast with fruit juice consisting of an apple, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and a couple of carrots. It was DELICIOUS! Lunch, Supper, and Snacks consisted of more vegetables than fruit.  I combined tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, carrots, romaine lettuce, apples, broccoli, and spinach into some yummy creations.  The best part about these first couple of days is experimenting with different blends and options.  

This is dinner. Yes, it looks kinda gross...But it was pretty tasty! The best trick I've learned so far is adding lemon juice! I wavered between buying a big bag of lemons at Sams and am SOOO glad I did.  It sweetens the vegetables and completely transforms the flavor.  Lemons will definitely be on my shopping list for the next 59 days.  And yes, that is a "juicing" website on my computer.  I can't seem to take in enough information and juicing recipes.  It is quickly becoming a hobby instead of a chore.  

I bought a 12 pack of mason jars at Wal-Mart to store juice in if I need to go to class, work, etc. and they were such a good investment! The mason jars make it easy to keep up with the amount of juice I need to drink.  The Reboot website suggests drinking 4-5, 16 oz juices throughout the day, and my jars just so happen to be 16 oz :) Coincidence? 

I thought I was doing REALLY well today, until I had to visit my mom at her office. Without even thinking about it I removed the lid on her candy jar, stuck my hand inside, and grabbed a purple gum drop, or one of these....
I was just about to pop it into my mouth until my moms expression was this...

I couldn't believe I had forgotten that quickly about my cleanse! At least she was there to save me. 

A huge source of inspiration for this cleanse and journal has been Kristen at Mommy Meltdown.  She completed a 60 day cleanse and her blog has been such a motivation for me, especially during these first couple of days.  Check her blog out for more information! 








Sunday, January 22, 2012

T-1 Day

Today was the last day of "solid" foods for 10 days! It didn't seem like a very long time to go a couple of days ago...but throwing out the last of the bread, eggs, and left over pizza today made this transition seem all too real. I am beginning to find out that the biggest hurdle in this whole thing is myself.  Since deciding to do this challenge only a couple of days ago I have gone from excited, to nervous, to terrified, to excited again. I keep telling myself that it's going to be too hard and that I shouldn't even start because I will never be able to keep this up for the next 60 days.  But then I think about my weight, cholesterol, body fat, and the fact that type II diabetes is way too common in our society.  I know I'm young and have a "normal" body type....but why not start now? I have one body, for one life, and I'm prepared to make the most of it :) 

I made my first grocery trip today and did not step foot out of the produce section! I spent about $60 in all. It seems like alot, but I'm hoping it lasts me all week! It breaks down to about $7.50 a day, and I won't be spending any extra on junk like chex mix, dr pepper, and treats from the dollar menu :) 

These are all of my new "goodies!" For around $60.00 I purchased:
  • Two bags of carrots
  • Tomatoes
  • Spinach
  • Strawberries
  • Blueberries
  • Blackberries
  • Cantaloupe
  • Cabbage 
  • Pineapple
  • Oranges
  • Apples
  • Cucumbers
  • Romaine Lettuce
  • Lemons
  • Celery
  • 24 pack of Diet Green Tea

Well here goes nothing....

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Friday, January 20, 2012

Peeling The Pieces

Welcome to my first blog post EVER! This blog is an outlet and journal for me to keep track of my progress throughout the next 60 days. I am currently in my last semester of nursing school in Omaha and I also work part time on nights at the hospital.

I have been fortunate enough to not have to work too hard at maintaining my body and shape since graduating from high school in 2007. Or so I thought.... I recently stepped on the scale and have put on about 15 pounds over the past 4 years. This is only because of 3 things
1) I NEVER work out
2) I eat whatever I want
3)...whenever I want

My gym membership from 24 hour fitness has done me absolutely no good because I think of every gosh darn excuse under the sun not to drive 5 minutes to the gym. These "great excuses" range from
1) class in the morning
2) class at night
3) I just ate (or, I have to eat)
4) not wanting to take a shower after I go to the gym
5) my ipod isn't charged
6) there are no clean sports bras
7) it's freezing outside
8) it's hot outside

Along with these excuses, my schedule is filled to the brim with school and work during the week, which leaves Saturdays and Sundays to work out. Yeaaa, like thats going to happen.
I've decided that nothing about my body is going to change from being a member of 24 hour fitness and driving through Burger King on my way home. This is why I will be dedicating the next 60 days to healthy juicing and eating. I've been doing tons of research on blogs and the internet about "juicing" fruits and vegetables and watched the documentary "Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead." It really opened my eyes on why my eating habits are leaving me tired and without any energy. I am basing my "cleanse" on the Reboot Program.

Starting Monday, January 23rd I will be going on a 10-day juice only cleanse. After the 10 days, I will drink juice for two out of my three meals of the day. It will usually be juice for breakfast and lunch, and a healthy dinner. I would love to be able to do a 60-day juice only cleanse, but I do not want to set myself up for failure right from start.
So heres the hard part: starting the program! I would love your help, support, and prayers through this journey. It's not going to be easy completely retraining my brain on when and what to eat, but it's now or never!

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God
1 Corinthians 10:31