Oh. My. GOURD!! It costs HOW MUCH????!!!

Day 17 and it's the end.  Yes, the end.  But not completely the end.  But don't break out the tissues and start playing Taps just yet!  Let me explain what made me decide to change up the fabric of what I'm doing...

No worries about juicing itself, because everything was fine.  It's a great experience that I am continuing, but not 100% as a juice fast!  And there's a damn good reason for this choice.

Cost.  Plain and simple.

At the beginning of this journey the cost was estimated to be somewhere around $120/week, roughly.  In that estimate certain factors were considered such as what was in season, not in season, local purchases (which would make things less expensive), and buying organic (which means more expensive).  All T's were crossed and all I's were dotted.  But what we didn't consider were shortages, and for any such shortages to include one of the main staples of juicing---kale.

Well damn!

While doing a bit of research yesterday I discovered a few threads on folks who had given up their juice fasts due to cost.  And I found as many discussions on those who chose to suck it up and continue despite the cost.  While this whole cost thing concerned me I wasn't all THAT worried.  But then, T insisted on doing the shopping since he wanted to use his credit card that gave this awesome cash back incentive for shopping at grocery stores.  Okay.  I'm down with that.  And what this translates to is this....

I had NO idea what juicing was costing us until last night!

OH.  MY.  GOURD!

So, how bad could it be, you ask?  $180.00 to $200.00 per week!  YES!!  I know!!!  OMG!

I asked, "WHY didn't you tell me it was costing this much??!!!"  And T's reply was... "I didn't want you to worry, and I knew it was helping you."  *sigh*  Super sweet, yes?  Of course it is.  Still, we have a lot going on and really, a Reboot doesn't HAVE to last 30 days to receive great benefit from all the micronutrients you take in!

I said... "It's time to Transition out."  And so last night I had lentil & veggie soup (vegan, gluten free, organic), and began my transition back into solid foods, and I feel great about my decision.  :)

I had 17 awesome days where my body was flooded with pure, fresh vegetable and fruit juice, free from packaged food, fried food, sugar, gluten, and any other form of garbage that most of us humans put into our systems on a regular basis.

I sleep better than I have since I don't know when, my hair is growing faster, my nails as well, and my skin looks great!  And... I don't crave junk food or sweets!  And trust me, I used to LOOOOOVE sweets.  Not that I wouldn't eat desserts, mind you.  They're just not a temptation anymore.  Also, the allergies that have plagued me over the past two years are GONE!!!  I couldn't breathe before this cleanse, and now I can breathe normally!

And it took only 17 days.  Actually, it took less than that, but I continued my cleanse for 17 days.

What's next?  My next goal is to go vegetarian/vegan.  I didn't grow up this way, and I didn't have this environment ever in my life.  So it's not going to be a "cold turkey" situation (no pun intended).  At least I don't think so.  I still have weight to lose as the prednisone monster and subsequent effects will take some time to correct, but it's okay.  I've come this far and have lost 17 lbs during my Reboot.  :)  I'm good.

So this is really where the fun actually starts!  Phase two is where the works begins, and "the work" IS the fun part, because the journey is going to be fun...  because nothing's really changes, has it?  I mean, all we really want is to look good naked, so... having said that... let's get to work!

Day 14 - Wake Up, Kick Ass, Repeat

Day 14 -  I tried standing like that and I think I pulled something and scared my family.  And my dog.  But the good news is that I've lost 14 lbs so far and I'm one day away from my first 30 day goal!  30 days of juicing, and I'm half way there!  Yay!

Funny ad, but I have to say there's a little truth in it.  These days people are shallow, and unless your significant other truly loves you, he/she will hit the dusty cow pie trail and you'll be left in a fatigue-laden, dust-clouded aloneness.  But then, maybe that's for the best.  Either way, this goofy ad speaks about a "vegetable compound," so there IS a little truth in this advertising, after all.  They just didn't tell the whole truth.  Of course, they were just trying to sell something.

Juicing is still the best way to get an abundance of the good stuff into your body.  Plain and simply put.  And... you'll be peppy too, for yourself, your family, your LIFE!

Life.  My life.  That's really what it's all about anyway.  I have to wake up every day and face myself, who I am, where I am, no matter what, and tell myself that I am okay!  :)  Now, if you're like me you may know you're a bit on the 'not-so-normal side,' and that's even better!  ha!  So go with it. I do, and I plan to keep doing so.

I embrace my not-so-normalness!;p

So today I got out of bed and I told myself that I'm going to take it easier than I did the last few days.  I over extended myself a bit and now I'm paying the price.  But that's not a bad thing, because it just means that my energy is up and that my body is in a state of "WTF??!" lol

Now it's just about taking it a step back and easing into things a little bit at a time and deciding not to conquer the world in one day.  Dang it.  I was so hoping to do that in a day, too!

Another thing I need to remember is to stop being so impersonal about things when I'm making my entries here.  As I was typing I realized I was going down the road of disassociating myself, personally, from my entries (for the most part) and had to go back and change some wording, phrasing, etc.  Old habits, I guess, not wanting to expose myself too much.

Bad habits are meant to be broken, and I'm going to make that one my bitch.

So, what bad habit are you going to make your bitch today?

Noodles!

Day 13 - Big Girl Panties OR Action Pants? Which are you?

Day 13 - and not one f**k shall be given today.  Ha!  Did I just say that? ;)  Yes I most certainly did, and I save that kind of talk for special occasions, honey! lol

Bad mood?  No way!  Just feeling ornery is all.  I do find myself wondering how many more layers of 'skin' I have to grow to be able to handle the smell of cooking food and all those spices!  I still don't have cravings, and I'm not ravenous.  But I miss spices.  I really do.

My tongue is unhappy.

Then... I look at the juices I have to make for tomorrow and see the dreaded.. "Celery Root" recipe!  EGHADS!  NOOOOOOOO!  Seriously, that stuff leaves an aftertaste in my mouth like... oh trust me.. you really don't want me to say that word.  Do you?

I'm not kidding.  And I won't use that word, because I'm really not sure who can or cannot handle it.  I don't know who's wearing their big girl panties, or if any guy who stumbles upon this is wearing his "Action Pants." lol

I mean, 16-20oz of ice cold after-taste of "THAT" in my mouth was too much for me to take, my friends... and it was ALL I could do to gag it down.  ((( shivers )))  Some things should not be cold or in that large of a quantity when you swallow it.  That is all I will say on the matter.

Needless to say I promptly set about looking for an alternative for that particular juice.  Luckily, so far I've come across only two I've disliked.  And "dislike" is far to weak a statement to fully explain my, er, distaste for that particular recipe.

So now what is one to do after learning of that particular unpleasant experience?  Well, my dears, you simple go out and juice yourself a glass and taste it for yourself. lol

Enjoy! ;p

till next time!

Noodles!

Day 12 - And the UGLIEST Juice Award Goes to.......????

Day 12 -  And here it is, ladies and gentlemen!  The UGLIEST juice award!  Joe Cross's "Red, White, Blue (and GREEN!) recipe!

(((( Applause ))))

No.  No applause.  Unless it's for taste and nutritional value. ;-)  And I have to admit the "before" was gorgeous (see photo left).  It was the AFTER that had the visual appeal of what I would imagine 10 year old dirty motor oil would look like, blended with both raw and cooked liver.  No seriously.  I wish I could say I was exaggerating, but I'm not.  I'm really not kidding.

As for taste?  It actually tastes pretty good!  How can you go wrong with all that watermelon and blueberries?  Now, as for those blueberries... it took 4 cups of those babies, and after spinning in the blender on liquify for a bit they began to resemble tar, with only a hint of purple.  Add that to watermelon, and you don't get much change, but add that to ANY large pile of greens (in this case chard) and PRESTO!...intant F'UGLY!

As you can see, it has absolutely NO visual appeal compared to the other juices (shaken, of course, because they do separate when they sit).  But DANG that is ONE seriously UGLY juice!  Tastes good, though, and is really healthy.  Joe's recipes are usually really good.  This one I think is a real winner, even if it won't win any beauty contests anytime soon. ;p

Day 12 -  So far so good, no real cravings.  Though I do miss eating.  T had burritos last night for dinner.. which the smell of the spices drove me a little nuts as I sat there slurping my Mean Green juice.  *sigh* lol  No real hunger triggered from it, though, which was really nice.  I know I'll be eating again one day, and I'll be eating real, healthy food made from scratch that will taste awesome.  It's all worth waiting for in the meantime.

Only real issue I'm having is something that caught my attention yesterday, something unrelated to juicing but is affecting me hugely at the moment, something I'd previously thought might be gallbladder issues.

I'd had right, front quadrant pain that coincided with indigestion, and it went right through to my back...so naturally I thought "gallbladder," as did my dr.  HIDA scan and ultrasounds all came out fine.  Pain persisted.  I began transition for juicing and the pain persisted.  I began juicing and pain persists.  I'm on day 12 and the pain is getting worse...

But something else I discovered yesterday...

I rubbed the area that hurt, for the first time really... and found an odd swelling on my rib.  Not only is there a swelling there, but it is HELLA painful!  This explains why the pain is worse when I sit up straight and when I stand.  What is it?  NO idea.  But the pain is getting unbearable, so I guess it's time to make yet another appointment.  Super duper.  Not!  Grrrrr.

Day 11 - and the 'Other me" living in danger

Day 11:  It's been a really busy few days, so I've not had much spare time to check in.  I'm hoping I'll be a bit more on top of things and this won't happen too often.  So bear with me as I play a bit of catch-up this morning.

As far as busy goes, I'm finding that part of the busy is just getting used to all the juicing prep and cleanup.  I've chosen to do all the next day's juicing at once, rather than juice and drink right then and there.  Seems juicing on the fly would be a lot more cleanup, whereas simply rinsing certain parts of the juicer before the next batch makes more sense when it comes to time-management.  I'm also not 100% yet, so this will get better as "I" get better.  Which brings me to an important point I never really cleared up from the get-go... where I was/am coming from, and the "other me."

NOTE:  Understand that this is long, but it's the real "why" as to my reasons for juicing, and for taking my health into my own hands.  The 'fast forward' sections are my attempts at trying to make this long story as short as possible, while still getting the facts in.

My health a few years back was pretty good, and growing up I was in fabulous shape, pretty much living the lifestyle of an athlete.  I taught dance, performed dance (bellydance), and I spent pretty much most of my life involved in some form of dance.  I also was an avid gym-goer and hit the weights and cardio pretty hard.  Fast-forward.. then one day about 12 years ago I couldn't do it anymore.  ANY of it.  My gym sessions shrunk in time/duration.  I had to go lighter and lighter on the weights, and I left the gym pale, cold, and so tired that I had to go home and take a 3 hour nap.  My once 3 hour dance practices shrunk to that final practice that barely lasted 20 minutes before I crumpled to the floor and cried.  I knew it would be the last time I would dance.

My fatigue grew, as did my weight.  I became weaker, sluggish, you name it.  I tried diets, supplements, and I just finally gave up when nothing worked or made things better.  No health insurance meant spending money on doctors that I didn't have, doctors that didn't help.  Bare minimum of tests, and no answers.  In a year's time I gained 100 lbs.

I gained one hundred pounds in about one year!

Fast forward...I eventually got a handle on things and used Weight Watchers and lost all of the weight.  But I never felt right, never got my energy back, and never felt good.  I mean, how could someone lose that much weight and not feel like a million bucks?  More doctors, no answers, same ole same ole.

Life blew up and bad things happened and I began to feel even worse, energy crashing out of nowhere, feeling sick, etc.  The heart arrhythmia I had since I was a young girl was getting worse, but no doctor, even at the 'cheap clinic' I was going to would help.  Cardiologist, a young, arrogant one who was unwilling to look into things thoroughly, shrugged me off and sent me on my way, missed something critical.  Very critical...

In January 2013 I went to the ER with chest pains, hospitalized for tests, underwent a heart cath after failing a stress test.  The plumbing looked fine, they said.  Meaning, no blockages.  They mentioned 'electrical,' but no one was willing to help with that, and I couldn't afford to pursue it because I was alone, no health insurance, and my income couldn't afford the cost of seeing an electrophysiologist, much less the study to find out about my arrhythmia and why it was worse.

I have Mitral Valve prolapse with moderate regurgitation.  I've had Supraventricular Tachacardia (SVT) my whole life, but if they told my mother that's what it was called.. no one EVER told me that's what it was called.  No one told me I should have gone to the ER when my heart raced for more than 15 minutes (mine would go as long as one HOUR at 155-250+ BPM).  No one told me that was dangerous and that I should have my heart "cardioverted" to get it back into normal sinus rhythm.

After being released from the hospital in January, not sure exactly what date, my heart started racing again while standing in line at the grocery store.  I tried to count the beats, but this time it was far too fast for me to do so.  I'm guessing this was between 25-300 BPM.  It converted on its own after about 30 minutes.  These episodes had gotten worse over the months, maybe the last couple of years, and they lasted longer, and they caused pain.  This particular episode was no exception.  But I went home and went about my business.

Over time I began to have dizzy spells that I thought might be from my doing too much, because I had been taking all the overtime at work I could get, which meant I had 3 months of no days off.  My job was EXTREMELY stressful as well, and I was up very very late most nights talking to my boyfriend at the time and not getting much sleep.  My relationship with him was very rocky, to say the least, and I spent a lot of time crying, on edge, miserable, you name it.  I was stressed to the max almost 24/7.

April 23, 2013... just 3 months after I was hospitalized with chest pain.  I woke up that morning with severe dizziness.  I went to give my ferrets treats that morning and looked at my hand and didn't recognize what I was holding.  After a moment I thought I was holding my vitamins, then I realized I had my ferrets' treats... it was unsettling to say the least.  I called in to work and thought maybe I was just overworked and needed a day to rest.

The dizzy spells came and went that day, as did the odd confusion.

Approximately 10:30 pm that evening as I was watching a movie another dizzy spell hit.  And by "hit" I mean, it came on with the force of a mack truck going 80 MPH hitting a brick wall.  The room rocked (not quite spun), my heart began racing like crazy, I was violently sick, shaking.  I didn't know what to do but sit there and wonder what was happening to me.  I think I cried out, but I don't know for sure.  I think I did, though.  My thought was that I was having a stroke.  But the nausea made me wonder about my heart.  I just didn't know.  All I did know was that 'something slammed into me.'

I knew my phone was next to me on the table, but it took me a minute to get to it.

Fast forward...  I was hospitalized and diagnosed with a TIA, Transient Ischemic Attack, or "mini stroke."  By the time I was released, after all the tests, etc, five days later, they still didn't know "why."

"Stress triggers..." They said.  And they were right.  But only partially so.

Fast forward...  I now have health insurance, thank God!  In 2014 I found out that I not only have Supra-ventricular Tachycardia, but I also have Atrial Fibrillation and Atrial Flutter!  The reason I underlined the last two is that they are responsible for stroke!!!!!  And I was EXTREMELY lucky to  not have had a full-blown, massive ischemic stroke, according to my cardiologist, as well as statistics.  My best friend is paralyzed on one side of her body and lives in a assisted living facility with her elderly mom because her AFib caused a massive stroke so big that it almost killed her.

I will be on a blood thinner the rest of my life, and thankfully not on one that is affected by eating greens! lol  But my point is this:  You have to take care of YOURSELF!!!!

Be your own advocate, do your own research, arm yourself with knowledge!  And NEVER let any doctor make you feel like you're crazy for knowing your body and knowing when something is wrong!  That could be VERY dangerous.

I felt it when my heart wasn't acting right.  I knew my body well enough to know something wasn't right.

I had a nurse practitioner tell me that my chest pains (CAUSED BY AFIB and Atrial Flutter!!) were all in my head!  No joke!  She told me that I wasn't really feeling these 'palpitations' and that I was most likely imagining it because I was overly sensitive about it.

She said, "You're doing all this reading and research online and it's causing you to think you're having these symptoms."  She was telling me I was a hypochondriac.  She would tell me this every time I went there for a test or whatever.

After I obtained health care I was put on a 30 day event monitor by my new cardiologist (my first REAL cardiologist), and it took 10 days for them to catch the AFib!  When I went into his office he showed me the EKG strips and told me what it was, then told me I would have to be on 2 different types of heart medications, and a blood thinner (that I would be on for the rest of my life due to the TIA and the presence of AFib).

I sat there looking at the computer screen as said, "So I'm not crazy?"  And he laughed and said, "No!  You're not crazy.  You have a very dangerous situation here," and went on to tell me this was causing blood pressure spikes, and that I was at a dangerous risk for stroke and heart attack...

I sat there and cried.  I cried because, for once... someone believed me.

Fast forward... the medication for my 3 heart arrhythmias weren't working to manage the symptoms, etc., so my cardiologist referred me to an electrophysiologist in Birmingham, AL for EP study and radio frequency cardiac ablation(s).  This was near the end of July, 2014.  He had to burn a lot of the inside of my heart due to there being 3 arrhythmias to correct and pierce the septum in order to reach the pulmonary vein (where they cauterize for AFib), but it was worth it.  So far so good.  :)  Takes about a year to know how successful ablation is, but I'm confident that is was a great success.

Back to juicing...

Juicing isn't a magic bullet.  But it is a major step in helping you get healthy and take control where you have it.  Because...you may have a wonderful doctor.  Or you may not.  Do what you can on your own (duh! lol).

My cardiologist has made a career move and is no longer in this state, but my current one is okay.   My current GP is rather lazy, so... I have to do this in order to take control over my health.  Because I can't wait and let someone who's not invested in helping me get well to have control of the reigns.  It's up to me.  And once I have enough energy and vitality back, then I'm full-on looking for a better doctor who will be on board and plugged-in when it comes to his patients.

Whew!  Well... was that making up for a few days missed or what?!

I'm tired now. ;p

Noodles!  Off to drink some juice!

Day 6 and Day 1 - Wait, WHAT?

Day 6, yet Day 1 of all-juice and nothing but the juice...

They told me it would happen, but I thought, "Surely, it wouldn't happen to ME!"  But could it be?  Could it really BE?

Am I succumbing to the  inevitable fatigation of mind, body, soul, eyeballs, hair, and toenails?

Oh, how could it be??!!  *swoons*

No.  No swooning here.  I'm actually too tired to swoon.  I think I may be too tired to breathe, so thankfully my autonomic nervous system is taking care of that for me.

Another day, another pound.  So far so good.  Normally people don't weigh every day like this, but when you're extreme juicing, you tend to do this because the results can be pretty extreme, too (depending on several factors, results vary of course).  Plus, you can tell if you need to adjust something by your weight.  If it goes up, if it stays the same for a bit (plateau) may tell you that you could need a few tweaks to your juicing.  Sometimes these tweaks could include less fruit, more greens, more water, and in some cases even MORE juice!  Yes, MORE juice.  It's like any eating plan.  If you're not taking in enough your body could go into starvation mode.

My mood is 'okay,' but I think it's still better than it was when I was feeling sicker (does that sound right? lol).  I'm tired and achy, but that's par for the course in these early stages.  My temper's a bit on edge, too.. so that's not any fun for anyone.  Sorry T!  He understands completely and knew what to expect from all he's read and from watching the documentaries.  This plan is not for the squeamish.

So here I am in just-juice phase now.  I'm in personal uncharted territory here so can only speculate how this is going to go from one day to the next.  It's a journey.

It's my journey.  And it's a big one for me.  :)

Day 5 - Chilly Explanations with a side order of hold-the-protein

Day 5:  One thing is certain, when information exists in 3 or more different places, the information in those locations will often be different too.  Discrepancies are a way of life.

I wouldn't necessarily call these discrepancies 'mistakes,' really, because when you put the information in proper perspective they aren't exactly 'wrong.'  Let me explain...

Protein, or... Where's the beef?!.  This topic arises in nearly every juicer-noobie's brain when they start.  Well, maybe not as a question of 'where's the beef?' exactly, but more along the lines of 'Am I getting enough protein when I juice?'  The answer is yes!...  But this is one of those topics that falls into a category that is really outside of the realm of this blog.  If you're juicing, or if you're considering a Reboot, please go to the source and get the materials so that you have all the information at your fingertips.  The Reboot instructions are actually FREE on Joe Cross's web site if you don't want to purchase the book(s). :)

Now, as far as how the protein ties in with my point here, that of making a mistake, or.. in this case a not-really-a-mistake mistake, it boils down to this:  If you're doing an extended juice fast or Reboot, meaning more than 15 days, then you may want to add a vegetable protein such as pea protein.  However, most of the time this isn't necessary unless you have certain health conditions, or if you're of average weight, health, and are exercising regularly.  This means if you're at your normal weight and don't need to lose any weight, add protein.  If you're diabetic you may want to add protein (ask your doctor first!!!!).  If you're an athlete, you may want to add protein.  And so on.

"I" added protein, then found out later that I probably didn't need to.  Why?  Wording in the book didn't tell me I could or should wait to add protein, while on the web site it explained things a bit more in detail.  My decision to hold off the protein now (been adding a scoop per day for the last 4 days) is because I'm trying to lose weight gained due to several factors, being on prednisone (for starters).  But also because I'm going for a 30 day Reboot, so eventually I'll need the protein, but.. I didn't really need it now.  Did it do any harm?  Probably not.  But it may have slowed my weight loss down.  I won't know this for sure until I begin my juice-only phase, which is tomorrow.

About that COLD COLD feeling I feel.

As it turns out, it's perfectly normal.  I'm used to feeling colder than most people anyway, but the chill I felt yesterday and today has surpassed anything I've experienced before.  And it only intensifies as the day wears on.

Apparently this is a good thing, though uncomfortable, and is something I have to just deal with by adding hot ginger/lemon water and bundling up to help with the rattling shivers.  I suppose if it's a sign that things are working, then so be it.

Day 5 - I'm feeling the fatigue and muscle aches that usually come on board in the early stages of detox.  And I've yet to go full-on juice-only.  I handled Transition well and didn't cheat (didn't feel the need to eat anything outside of what was on the menu), so that has helped a great deal.  I've not felt any of the reported and common headaches, and I've only had mild nausea once or twice, and even that was transient and passed quickly.

It's time to sign off and post on my other blogs...

Noodles!

Day 4 and Feeling Frost-Bound

Day 4:  I'm cold.  No explanation, really, and I've turned up the thermostat a few degrees higher than what's normal for us.  But I'm still freezing.  Hands and feet are like ice.  Shivering.  I know I'm going to end up in a hot shower just to warm myself up, but.. seriously.. this is ridiculous.  What gives?  No matter.  I will ride this out.  I get cold easily anyway, so I can deal with this.  I've dealt with worse.

Already I long for Spring, for Summer, for warmer days.  Although there would soon come a time when the oppressive humidity would begin to wear me down as well.  It's not that easy to live in the south.  The seasons here aren't exactly gentle.  But it is what it is.  I've lived here about 20 years (give or take a year or so) and I'm still not 100% used to it (California born and mostly raised.  Colorado after that... then onto the south.)

As for the juicing today, other than feeling incredibly cold (colder than usual)... I guess I'm a bit more tired.  But then, I slept less than 6 hours, so I can't really say that it's from the detox.  Hunger began increasing a little last night, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle.  Let's hope THAT continues!

Honestly.. this entry is about as boring as it gets, but I'm tired beyond words and super cold.  Hot shower time for me, and maybe just a bit of chill time (no pun intended).  Maybe tomorrow will prove a bit more amusing.  I seem to be a bit blah today.

Warmth.  Sleep.  Recoup.  I'll recoup soon.

Noodles!

Days 2 and 3 - too full? Seriously?

Let me first start by saying that weekends aren't always easy for me to find time to post, so if there is a spare moment I will... and if not, well, Monday becomes the proverbial catch-up day.  Having said that, I'll move on to WTH happened on days 2 and three...

Day 2: Other than being a fairly hectic day, things went okay for the most part.  But I will say that days 1-5 on the 15 day Reboot of "juicing & eating" are hectic in and of themselves because you spend most of your time prepping veggies/fruits, juicing, blending, cleaning, cooking, eating, drinking, cleaning, prepping, drying, prepping somewhat for the following day (to make all the prepping, juicing, cleaning, cooking, etc. easier...)... yeah.  You get the picture, right? lol  Just giving you a heads-up if you do this.  It's not like eating fast food, and there's work to be done, even if you have help.  But it's worth it.  I have to keep reminding myself that "Rebooting" is not what you do every day for the rest of your  life.  Juicing, yes.  Rebooting, no.  So there will be a calm in all this frenzy at some point.

A word about Kale:  I love curly kale in soup, like Tuscan soup, but I learned very fast that unless you want to spend an hour chewing a very large salad full of kale... get Dino kale, instead of curly kale!  And no, I am not exaggerating!  I was worn out from chewing! lol  Also,  I believe Dino (Lacinato) kale also yields more juice when juicing, especially when using a masticating juicer.

Enough talk about vegetables!! lol

The process is going pretty well so far, and I found I dislike things like cold soups (go figure).  And while I like the taste of coconut meat (fresh and toasted), and I love coconut water (non-pasteurized, thank you).. I don't care for coconut in soups.  At all.  NOT at all.  *cough*

Physically I feel only a little tired and stiff, but this is a natural side effect and should wear off in a few days beyond going juice-only.  And my body, I can tell, is a bit shocked by the sudden change.   I believe part of this is due to the addition of a bit more fruit than I'm used to (but still 80/20, veggies/fruit), and just the vast change in eating.  Even though I took great effort to change my diet 2 weeks prior to starting, it's still a major shock.  So the scale has held steady, but that's fine, because I lost about 6 pounds in that two weeks of Transition!  And the scale never tells the whole story anyway.  There is much to be revealed, and this is the only beginning....

Emotionally.... feeling SO much better!  Although I shouldn't be surprised, I guess I am to a certain degree how bad food can have such adverse affects....  more on that another time.

Noodles!  ;p

Happy Day 1 - It has begun!

Day 1 -  and so far, so good.  Had a bit of a late start today but managed to get on track pretty fast, considering.  Started with a hot cup of ginger/lemon water, no sweetener (didn't need it!), then onto juicing for the day's 2 juices.  Only 2 because days 1-5 does include eating solid food, all plant-based, all fruits and veggies.  :)

NOTE:  I'm not going to give a blow-by-blow account of what I'm eating or drinking every day, nor every meal or snack, because honestly... who cares? lol  But today is a big deal, and the first 5 days includes food, which some may be curious about since it's really about easing into the liquid-only part of this juice Reboot.

Breakfast was half an Apple-Berry-Cinnamon Bake, which was a LOT of food.  Tasted like heaven and perfect for the morning.  Hot, yummy, warm, and so like a hug.  Comfort food, really.  Success. :D  The other half will be tomorrow's breakfast, which will make that meal very easy.  Haven't decided whether or not to have it hot or cold.  Either way, I think it will taste awesome.  But today is about two juices and a couple of solid food choices, with lunch being a big salad and carrot and sweet potato fries (fresh, of course), and dinner will consist of the same.  The two juices will be in-between.  I will say I've tried the recipe for those fries during Transition and they are to-die-for!

How I feel?  Physically, the same.  Meaning, I don't feel like I'm doing without, starving, lacking, etc.  But then, I've already cut so much out of my diet that I'm less likely to feel any 'loss' whatsoever.  This is why Transition is so critical and something that isn't a good idea to skip!  As Joe says.. "Don't do what I did!" ;)

Now about how I feel otherwise.  Basically, very good so far.  I'm tired, but for other reasons I won't go too deeply into here.  My dog loves to get up at O'Dark:30 so that means I'm waking before I'm ready.  Given that, I'm not always up to optimum when it comes to energy and so forth.  I could feel better, for sure, but as I've mentioned in previous posts.. I feel SO much better since beginning Transition than I have felt in a VERY long time!  Honestly, this really means I feel better than I have in over a year, and maybe even longer than that.  I have a way to go still, but there is MUCH improvement, and I've not really even begun.

Parts of me are beginning to wake up, that much I'm certain of.  This has caused a bit of confusion for me, but let's not confuse this as a 'bad thing.'  It's not.  When a person 'wakes up' after a long time, and I will get into more of that in later posts, it is a little like trying to get your balance back, finding your bearings.  It can be a little unsettling at times, and.. it makes you question a lot about your life.  Again, this doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad thing.

I can't say that everyone goes through this just because they're juicing, but I would be willing to bet that most go through this when they clean up their diet to the extreme as I have (Transition).  Honestly, I began what I like to call a "soft detox" when I cut out everything potentially harmful that was going into my body.  And when I say I cut it out of my diet, I'm not kidding.  If it was removed, it was out of there for good and wasn't allowed back in.

I'm no expert on detoxing, especially when it's in the way I chose to do it, but I believe it has a greater impact when you cut out the crap long-term, rather than fasting for a few days.  I'm not only cutting out the crap long-term, but I'm juice fasting for 30-60 days, and I will always juice daily to some degree beyond the reboot.  I have already discovered so many major benefits that I see no reason to go back to the miserable way I've been eating previously.

Given all that's going on in my body already, it's no wonder my mind is waking up.  I can't tell you how I will feel by the end of this journey.  I can only say how I feel right now....

Anyway, looks like things are going well so far on day one.  I may check in later if things change, or if something occurs that I think is worth mentioning.  :)

Till then, laters taters!  Or 'noodles' as the typo monster loves to have me say. ;p

Dracula's Dream

Note:  I'm starting days 1-5 tomorrow (1/24/2015)!  This phase is part of the reboot but still contains some solid food/eating.  Unlike the Transition phase, however, I'm limited to JUST veggies and some fruit.  It is also going to somewhat change posts in this thread to a point in that I will be mostly speaking from my own personal experiences during this process.  There will still be plenty of information, but I'm mostly going to document my process along the way.  The good, the bad, and the ugly.  All the juicy bits.  Oh, and to-date I have lost 6 lbs in 2 weeks of "not dieting." ;p

One thing is certain, juicing can sometimes feel like a workout until you get used to it. ;)  I suppose if you feel your connection with the 'connected world' is too...connected, then you might feel a bit 'disconnected' at first.  It does take some getting used to, you know, stepping away from you iPhone, iPad, MacBook Pro, Android-pad-pod-asaurus-thingy-majigger-a-call-it.  Whatever your electronic addiction, do know... juicing takes a minute!

All the washing, vinegar/water rinsing, clear water rinsing, sometimes cutting slicing and/or peeling... then the juicing itself can be time consuming until you get used to it and get into  rhythm of sorts.  But the feel and smell and feel of it all can be rather rewarding and fun once you get your groove on and get your juicy bits all wet. ;)

Practice makes perfect.

Dracula's Dream.  This is a rich, blood-red little number that packs a whollop on the taste buds and body.  Between the beets (and associated greens, which are also quite red) and strawberries, Kale and other assorted garden goodies.. it's a dream all right, and one that will leave your insides (and tongue) jumping for joy!  Now, do know that I'm a huge fan of veggies, and the earthy-raw version that hasn't been perverted by additions that really don't belong.  And I think we all know what that is.  I don't need to go into that, do I?  Okay.  You guys still with me?..

TMI alert!!  Now, I will warn you that dealing with beets, and just intense juicing in general, is going to do some seriously..um..colorful things to your body.  So don't be surprised or alarmed (if you're alarmed by such things) when your trips to the bathroom are in technicolor.  Now, ladies, you're most likely the ones to panic, so don't.  And know that if you're juicing with your guy, don't be surprised if he's taking pics in the bathroom.  And I'm not referring to selfies either.  Guys can just be so... yeah, well, you know.  Or they may even call their friends and brag.  Just go with it.

Moving on...

You don't like beets, you say?  Seriously?  Okay, okay.  I get it.  A bit too *earthy* for your taste buds.  Well, then try this.. peel them!  That's it.  Most of the time folks can't stand the taste of the peel (though the peel is really good for you), so just omit most of it, or all of it if it's just so bad you can't drink it.

Also, try variations of recipes and see which one you like best.  But don't give up!  You need to drink a rainbow for good health, so keep trying until you find that sexy combo that stirs your juices and makes you say.. ooooh yeaaah.   Just get some of those good babies in your juice, in some combination.

It doesn't matter what you do between the beets, as long as you enjoy it. ;)

Date change and 6 lbs down!

After the long appointment at the dentist (a FUN appointment, I will add!) I launched myself into a busy afternoon.  It was a pretty great day, I have to admit.  :)

We stopped by Bed, Bath & Beyond to pick up a few things to store Veggies, a large tray to carry them from the sink after washing to the 'juice bar,' then we went to Pier 1 where I found some AWESOME turquoise faux glass bowls and a platter for the ton of fruit that will be sitting on the counter once the full-on juicing begins.

Once we got the spoils from our healthy treasure hunt home I took my Mini (Marley) for a spin (I needed that for my soul/spirit), went back home, let my sweet, elderly basset hound (Julep) play in the back yard for a bit, did a little cleaning up, then realized... there was SOOOO much shopping left to do if I were to start tomorrow.  *sigh*  T had forgotten he had volunteered to do that 'big' shopping while I was at the dentist for that 5 hours that morning.  Oh well.  No biggie.  Shit happens, and it's not like I haven't helped my body during this transition...

I've lost 6 pounds so far without dieting!

So now I've amended my official day one of the Reboot to this Friday, January 23, 2015.  And I've been drinking 1-2 home made juices during transition, so I've been giving my body lots of love anyway.

I wish I could have started today, or tomorrow.  But this is something one has to prepare for, shop for.    This is serious business for me because I'm doing this to heal my body.  I'm doing it right! :D

I'm excited...!!

But six pounds lost, guys!  How freaking awesome is that?!  Without dieting.  Without counting calories.  Without counting carbs.  Without weighing anything, or measuring anything!

Freaking.  Awesome!

The big deal, the not so big deal.. so then, what's the big deal?!

For the record, my goal isn't to be boney, for anyone who's curious.  My goal isn't to be a size 0 or even a 3 or probably not even a 5 again.  I love my curves, and I love looking like a woman.   My goal is health, vitality, vibrance.  My goal is to to feel and look like me again...

The Big deal is beauty.  It doesn't mean outside only, or inside only, or how we think only, or... well, dang.  You get the picture, right?  And it's not about being perfect.  Yeah.. we've all chased THAT one at least once in our lives and have pretty much found out how fast we don't achieve results based on perfection. lol  But hopefully, learning experiences being what they are we walked away from the whole thing a little better for it.

For the better part of several years I've nurtured only one part of me at a time.  And I don't mean just inside or outside, emotional well being, or maybe stimulating my imagination, or making sure that my sex drive remained healthy.  What?  You think you can just click 'autopilot on that and it will just take care of itself forever?  Think again!  But anyway, back to the subject.  For whatever reason I was only able to focus on one aspect at a time, leaving the other parts of me neglected or open to abuse (not always literal abuse, btw).  This did a lot of damage over time.

The not so big deal is that at any given point this can be corrected, and depending on how bad the damage is.. well.. it may take a little time, or a lot of time for things to be right again.  And of course, it also depends on one's environment, whether or not we have a little stress, a lot of stress, anxiety, good health, bad health, serious health conditions, if one has a strong support network (friends and family), or a weak or non-existent support network.  Oh trust, me it ALL makes a difference.  But when it comes down to it, it's ALL up to us.. in this case, ME... anyway, right?  So, while all of that is important, it's really not a big deal when it comes down to it.

It's just another decision that needs making.

Just freakin' make it happen already.  Whatever it is.  Get healthy!  Get passionate again!  FEEL something again!

What's the big deal?  The big deal is rediscovering health, vitality, vibrance, energy, the feeling of well being.  THAT is the big deal.

Healthy is sexy.  Feeling sexy... is such a turn-on.

Getting Ready

After a few trial runs with the juicer we've found there's still little tidbits to learn about juicing.  It's really been a fun experience, even when tutorials and opinions often conflict.  Core the apple, cut the apple, feed the apple into the juicer whole (as long as it fits, of course).  Learn as you go, but don't hurt your juicer.  :)

Space is another issue.  If you have very long countertops, or a big island to work on, your good.  If not, then you may find yourself transporting things from one place to another.  Either way, it's something you'll learn as you go, depending on WHY you're juicing.  I'm juicing "big," which means I need a  lot of counter space and room to work, so I made the decision today to clear off a counter that was primarily used as my own little 'bistro' bar.  Well, I gave up coffee and caffein a couple of months ago, though I do use my Keurig for other things, so why not turn it into something completely healthy? Wala!  A juice bar!  :D

I have everything I need in one place, though I do have to wash and vinegar rinse my fruits and veggies elsewhere (of course). But the coconut oil I will add to one juice per day is in the cabinet above, as is the BHA-free plastic 'snuggies/grips' and matching screw-on caps for the glass juice bottles.  Trust me, don't store your beautifully healthy juices in plastic, even if they are BHA-free.  That one, you'll need to do the research on yourself.  I only have so much free time. ;)

Update:  Sleep.  Well, due to circumstances beyond my control, I didn't get much sleep night before last.  However, last night was a total success.  I'm using a device to monitor the quality of my sleep called a S+ by ResMed (sold at Bed, Bath & Beyond).  It's made by the folks who make CPAP machines.  Anyway, it monitors and helps you improve your sleep (in a nutshell).  My score has been as low as 45 (horrible!!), but hovers around 60s to 80s, which is still not good at all.  But since I've been doing this slow Transition.... it's been improving!!  AND.. last night, for the first time EVER.. I got a score of 97.  Ninety-seven!!!  You have NO idea how huge this is!

Overall, even without actually starting the official Reboot yet.. I've noticed BIG changes in appetite, overall feeling of well-being, appetite, and now... sleep!

Awesome.  ;)

The Transition

It's been 'not easy' and 'not hard.'  How's that for a non-committal answer? ha!  No, seriously.  It's been okay.  Really what I'm saying is.. "It is what it is." Honestly, there are easier things than giving up meat, dairy, sugar, 'most' salt, breads, pastas, refined starches, and fried foods. lol  Yeah... a little humor.  But, I'm by NO means cutting calories and have already lost 2 lbs in about 4 days.  It's all good, right?

Side effects.  Oh yeah.  They're already hitting me pretty good, and I've not EVEN begun the juice-only part of the Reboot!  Holy moly, but I will be staying close to home.  At least at first. lol  I already feel like I'm prepping for a colon cleanse.  Hey, can't stand the details?  Then it's high time you find other reading materials, hon, because this is only the beginning.  I'm going to journal my way through this to help others who are thinking of, or are already finding their way through a Reboot.

...this blog... may not be for little girls or sissies. ;)

My appetite wavers between hungry, and... not.  Really don't understand the why of this yet.  But who cares at this point?  Again, it is what it is.  One day at a time, that (from what I hear) could quickly change to one hour at a time.  All I have is now, that that is what IS now.  ;p  Hey, no one said I was going to be poetic every day now.

Groceries:  Well, the transition period hasn't really been TOO bad, and omitting certain things from the diet have made way for the ton of veggies and fruit (mostly veggies.. 80/20) I will be buying and consuming.  I mean, 30-carrots, 20-something apples, bushels of Kale, lettuce, bags of cucumbers, coconut water bought in bulk, and so on... every 5 days or so... yeah, well, it's worth it.  I'm worth it.  And wether you know it or not, YOU are worth it.  Expensive, yes.  But so is buying junk, eating at restaurants, buying Starbuck's, snacks, going to movie theaters... I mean, there is so much you have to give up, and things you CAN give up (movie theaters are a luxury you can do without short-term, right?).  And trust me, I've wanted to do this since 2010 and couldn't until now, so I get that not everyone can at the moment, or maybe not exactly like this.  But... Joe Cross's site has suggestions on how to do this another way, on a budget.  The idea is to get more micronutrients etc in your diet.  But... enough of that, because, that's research you need to do to find out what's right for you, personally.  My goal here is just to document my journey as I go, peppered by other real life junk and stuff.  That's all.

So no one freaks out and thinks I'm going to starve myself, hear this:  If you're doing the reboot correctly, you won't starve.  If you're doing a Reboot beyond 15 days, consult your doctor, AND.. add 1 tsp of pure, virgin coconut oil (great stuff, btw.. used to use it all the time many years ago) daily, and a scoop of vegetable protein powered daily.  You can see in the pic I posted above the protein powder and coconut oil.  Don't want to use coconut oil?  Then use extra virgin olive oil. I prefer coconut oil for the health benefits and the taste.

Anyway, read up, research.  I'm not going to starve. lol

Ready, set... keep transitioning!  What?  It's not time to Reboot yet!  Patience!  ;)

Mean Green

Well, the juicer was finally fired up, and it was a complete success!  We used Joe's "Mean Green" recipe, and while it was a bit tangy (T decided to double the lemon and ginger... ack!!), it wasn't at all bad.  I really had lower expectations based on reviews. ;p

I've been cleaning up my diet, as suggested for Rebooting, and I have to say it's exceeded my expectations so far.  While eating is a bit more limited, I've not gone hungry at all.  I've snacked on mixed nuts (sans peanuts, and not due to allergy, but for health), and.. I've lost weight!  So far I've lost about 4 lbs in about a week.  Not bad for not trying [to lose]. ;)

As for side effects, well.. it was worse at first, but it's leveling out now and getting better all the time.  This, however, will most likely change when I go to an all-liquid diet, though.  It's supposed to happen that way.   I mean, the body has to get used to the adjustment, and it IS a HUGE adjustment!  Let's give ourselves a break and allow nature to do what it has to do.  Know what I mean, Vern?  Trust me, I'm sparing you the gory details for now.  Later entries I will most likely get to the point, because this is not just about my journey, but also to help anyone else who's embarking on this path as well.  Might as well be as blunt as possible.  Onward!

Other things I've noticed "pre-anything" is: increased alertness, a little more energy (yay!), and an overall feeling of lightness.  Also, digestive upsets (heartburn, etc.) are pretty much gone for the most part.  And those weird headaches I was getting for a while there... gone.  :-O  Yeah.. beyond cool!

Hunger changes from day to day, mood to mood.  Pretty much normal, really.  In fact, after T and I consumed the Mean Green last night, neither of us were hungry!  We were going to make dinner after the juice, but.. we didn't feel the need to.  Pretty cool, huh?  Go figure. :)

It's interesting that I've just been cleaning up my diet and doing a lose version of the Transition phase to prepare myself  for what's ahead (as suggested in Joe's book), and.. I've already reaped a ton of benefits!

Day one, when will it actually begin?  Well, my dentist appointment is the 19th instead of the 15th (tomorrow) like I initially thought, so it looks like I will be pushing the official day one off a couple more days.  But I refuse to let that get me down!  Why would that get me down?  I'm already losing weight and feeling better, so why feel bad, right?

The official first day of my Reboot will be January 20th, 2015

Sh*t happens, but that's my plan, man. ;)  And I'm really excited!

Excuse me

When one is deeply committed to more important matters, one does not have time for superfluous tasks such as fluffing one's feathers.