Day 71 - TADA!!!

Well, I did it!!  I survived 70 days and to be perfectly honest, today was almost anti-climatic.  I expected to feel this huge relief, but it was more like sadness to see it end.  It's nice to know that juicing will always be there for me when I need to go back to it for a little tune-up here and there.

My final results are as follows:

Total weight lost - 46 pounds
Total Inches lost - 57.75
Inches lost per body part:
Upper arms - 2.5 inches each
Bust - 7 inches
Waist - 10 inches
Abs - 13 inches (!!)
Hips - 8.50
Thighs - 4.25 each
Calves - 2.75 each

How incredible is it, that all of this is just from juicing?!  I feel so blessed and thankful to have found it and I know that if I ever get off track again or find my weight creeping back up, I can return to fasting and know that it will be the best thing I can do for my body.

I will be back periodically to post about my progress and my post-fast life.  Thank you all for the support & love and keep your eyes on the Savior!

P.S.  Here are my final photos!

Day 66 - Really?! How is that possible?

I can't believe there are only 4 days left of this fast.  I remember in the beginning thinking that I wished I could just wake up and be on day 70.  Now it's right around the corner and a small part of me wished it wasn't ending.  Just a small part...I really do miss food.  So many people say that they miss chewing, but not me.  I miss the taste, the texture, the smells, and especially cooking a meal I know that I actually will get to consume.  But, at the same time, I'm a little worried that I will just look at a tomato and it will jump onto my thighs like spackle.  Juicing is so easy...you don't really have to think about what to eat, you just juice.

In the past 70 days I have kept up with cooking for my family.  It hasn't been easy, and I must confess to a little bit of resentment from time to time (No fair!  Why do you get to eat and I don't?!  Oh wait, this torture was self-imposed...that's right....) as I watched them eat tacos, bacon, pizza, homemade chili and the list goes on...

This all made me realize that food addiction is a very real thing in my life, and that once I am done with this fast, I'm going to have to continue to lay it at the foot of the cross and trust in Jesus to carry my burden.  I still have dreams of gorging myself on food (and not lovely little salads or fruit platters either) all the time, and I wake up terrified that my life will resort to the same old thing...and that I will regain all the weight and lose my good health.  Then I remind myself that fear does not come from God - His word says that He has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline.  Ooooh...did you see that last part?  Self-Discipline?!  Now there's something to ponder.  He's already given me that gift, now I just have to use it.

I do enjoy cooking tremendously, which is why I continued to cook for my family - in spite of the fact that my husband is an excellent cook and perfectly willing to do it.  I enjoy the whole process, beginning to end, and I didn't want to give that up.  I've collected 135 pages of vegetarian, vegan, and raw plant-based recipes that I can't wait to print out and cook up!  I'm hoping that my family will slowly transition into this healthier lifestyle as well.

A few people have asked me what my plan is to maintain the weight loss after my fast.  So here's the plan in a nutshell:

1.  Replace one meal a day with juice.
2.  Fast one entire day a week (juices only).
3.  Practice a mostly vegetarian lifestyle, with a mix of cooked and raw veggies & fruit.
4.  Allow myself one "cheat" meal a week, so I don't obsess (anyone who knows me well, knows for a fact that at least for the first month, that meal will be Mexican in nature and most likely nachos!!).
5.  Watch my scale like a hawk (I still won't weigh in more than once a week) and if the weight goes up, re-evaluate the plan.

I am basically just going to listen to what my body tells me.  If this is making me feel sick in any way, or sluggish/lethargic, bloated, etc., then I will change things around again until I do feel better.  I know that a lot of people go vegan, or raw food, after a fast but I don't think that's something I want to do just yet.  Again, I will see how I feel and go from there.  I just really do love my cheese!  I think I can live without other animal proteins, but I think a life without cheese would just totally bum me out :)

My first 2 meals are planned out!  My entire first week will be 2 juices a day, with a fruit or vegetable meal.  So for Monday night I plan to have an avocado (if I can even finish a whole one at this point) with some salsa on top.  Tuesday night my sister Sara (who by the way has also lost an incredible amount of weight & size from juicing right alongside of me), and a dear friend Carol, are going to get together and make some spring rolls at my house.  I'm so excited to do this!  Food and fellowship with two of my sisters in Christ - it's going to be amazing!

On a final note, I did a little shopping the other day and found that I am fitting into a size 6.  How crazy is that?!  In the space of 2 months, I went from a 14/16 to a size 6.  And unlike crash diets, I actually felt good doing it, drew closer to Jesus, made a ton of really amazing juicy friends, and have enough energy for 6 people!  Praise God!

I will post again in a couple days - blessings to each and every one of you!

May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.  All praise to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.  Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
Ephesians 1:2-4

Day 63 - the finish line is in sight!!

First off I do apologize for letting so many days go by without posting, not sure how all this time got away from me and I'm really not sure how people find the time, energy, and words to post blogs every day.  It amazes me!

So, here's the latest update on my weight loss & inches...I am down 45 pounds and 52.75 inches overall.  Pretty crazy right?  Here is a few before and after photos (even tho I'm not quite done yet, I just couldn't wait) that my beautiful daughter took for me:

I have 7 days left before I break my fast, and the thoughts of food (any kind, all kinds, healthy & not so healthy) have invaded my brain and are refusing to let up!!  I am really struggling at this point to not put food in my mouth, but I've come so far that I really hate to give in so close to the end.  I hear that it's pretty common to deal with this near the end of a fast.

I'm learning that the temptations I've felt over the last 63 days have spiritual applications for me as well.  If I can resist the urge to eat when I am surrounded on all sides (and just in the last three nights, I've faced pepperoni pizza, tacos, and homemade blueberry pie!!) every day for 70 days, then I can resist all of the things the enemy throws at me.  If I can just remember that later on down the line, when the going gets rough, I'll be ok.  

God has been so good to me (well, DUH, right?) the last couple of months.  I started out very hopeful that I could make it the full 70 days, scared and worried I would really miss food.  But I've learned that all I really need is Him.  And that He will provide all that I need.  He blessed me with a huge support group on Facebook - where I've made a ton of new juicy friends - (plus some great friends at church and my sister too!) and enough produce (which is huge because our family really struggles financially), and the strength that I needed to do this.  Jesus has never in my life let me down.  I hope that you know Him and that you know how much He loves you too!

I will check in one more time before the end of my fast and tell you the final results afterward.  In the meantime, here is a list of tips (many of which you've already read during the course of my fast) that I put together to help some new juicers I met online.  I hope it helps and again, if you have any questions please feel free to ask!

May the peace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be found in you hearts today my friends!  Until next time.....

Tips of the Day!

1. If you haven't started fasting yet, build up to it by slowly cutting out the bad stuff (processed food, alcohol, caffeine, dairy, fat) and start adding in more fruits and veggies. Replace one meal a day with juice for a week, and then 2 meals a day for another week. I had NO detox symptoms at all when I did it this way.

2. Make sure you are drinking enough juice. I drink a gallon a day - 32 ounces for breakfast lunch and dinner. And one gallon of water a day as well.

3. Try to only drink fruit juices in the morning so you have the whole day to burn off the sugar.

4. I do enemas once a week (coffee enemas) and I take Cascara Segrada (you can get it at Walmart for $7-8/bottle) and that keeps things "moving" along.

5. If you get hungry, make more juice!

6. Learn to recognize the difference between hunger and cravings. If you have cravings, do something to distract yourself - go for a walk, write to a friend, take a bubble bath, whatever.

7. Try not to watch too much tv or movies. They are loaded with scenes of people eating & junk food commercials!

8. Journal or start a blog. It helps to talk things out - 99% of this thing is mental!!

9. Surround yourself with people who will be supportive. I actually promised my kids $1 for every pound they helped me lose (I'm going broke!).

10. Make a list of all the reasons you are doing this. It should be at least 10 items long - I think I have 25. Then when you feel like you are going to cave or give in, refer back to the list. It helps to remember all the reasons you are doing it, instead of focusing on what you are depriving yourself of.

11. Weigh yourself no more than once a week - otherwise you are going to feel let down on the days you don't lose, or don't lose what you thought you should have. And keep track of your loss in other ways like how your clothes fit or how many inches you've lost.

12. Watch as many food documentaries as you can (not the chef-cooking-a-gourmet-meal kind either! The kind that educates you on how food works in your body to heal or destroy, and how food is manufactured, grown and/or processed in this country). They are so motivational and you will learn how to eat when you are done with your fast.

13. Make a plan NOW for how you will transition out of your fast. There's lots of info on the net about this - the last thing you want to do is run out and grab a burger the day you get done. You can make yourself seriously sick if you aren't careful.

14. Enjoy the process! This is time you have set aside for yourself, to heal your body, and treat it to all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals it can hold! You deserve it and try to think of it as a treat instead of a chore.

Day 38 - Feeling great!

Sorry for the long delay between posts - life is crazy sometimes!

It seems like every time I sat down to write something in the last week, I would get distracted by something else.  Well, today the weather is awful and I don't want to go out, and I have no plans til the end of the day.  So here I am!

I have some news to share - on day 35 I took my "halfway" point photos and lined 'em up next to my "before" photos.  Pretty insane stuff.  I've heard everything from 'You look like a totally different person!' to 'You looked 10 years younger' to my all-time favorite from my oldest son, 'That looks like Mom and the woman who ate Mom.'  Ha!  (Photos will be posted at the bottom of this message)

It's pretty exciting to know that I have made this much progress and I'm only half way done!  My big dream is to make it to 145 pounds (and to live pain-free, walking closer than ever with Jesus) by the end of this journey.  At my last weigh in, I was down to 162 pounds.  So, it is possible!

I'm feeling a heaviness in my spirit today, however, and all I want to do today is hide under the covers and cry.  There is a lot of negative stuff happening in my life right now - and it would be so easy to focus on that and feel sorry for myself.  We have been dealing with health issues, financial issues, and now some spiritual stuff that is weighing me down...  But today I choose to settle in with my Lord and focus on Him.  I'm going to just close my door, open my bible, and soak in His presence.  It's what my spirit is craving.

With that, I'm going to draw this to a close - I have a divine appointment to keep!  Blessings to each of you in the name of Yahweh.

Day 31 - more inches lost!

I don't know how else to say this, but this juicing thing has really changed my life!!

Here I am on day 31 and I measured myself again yesterday - guess what!  I'm down 43.5 inches!!  That's nearly 4 feet of Mara gone forever!!  I still look in the mirror and see a heavy person, but everyone else around me assures me that I look much smaller.  I hope that my mind catches up with my body at some point.

On Monday at my ladies book club, that I attend through my church, I had asked for prayer because all of my clothes were too big and I had no money to buy new ones.  Then on Wednesday, a dear sister in Christ, gave me 2 big bags of clothes - all size 10 I might add - that fit me perfectly!  God is so good and He cares about every single aspect of our lives!  I am so excited by this!

I'm not weighing myself too often these days, because at this point the weight loss has slowed down and I don't want to get discouraged when everything else has gone so well.  I sleep like the dead now, way better than I ever did when I was on sleeping pills.  On the few occasions I feel like I need a nap, I will lay down for 15-20 minutes and feel totally refreshed.  And this girl used to take a 3 hour nap every single day just to function!

I'm feeling pretty darn energetic most times too.  I find that most days I am up by 6:30 a.m. getting a lot of stuff done and by 8:00 p.m. I'm sound asleep.  It's like living in another parallel universe sometimes - this is what the old me looked like:

9:00 a.m. Drag my sorry butt out of bed
9:05 a.m. Drink large cup of coffee and still feel exhausted
10:00 a.m. Huge breakfast with eggs, lots of cheese, toast, more coffee
10:30 a.m.  Try desperately to stay awake until 11:00 so I can take a nap
10:45-11:00 a.m. Finally take a nap
2:00 p.m.  Embarrassed I slept half the day away, I get up and make lunch
2:45 p.m.  Can I take another nap?
3:30 p.m.  Kids are home from school and dad is on his way, scramble around to clean the house
4:00 p.m.  Dad is home - try to look like you actually did something today
5:30 p.m.  Make dinner for everyone (although most of the time hubby cooks, he is better at it)
7:30 p.m.  Get back in bed and watch tv for 3 or 4 hours
11:30 p.m.  Toss & turn most of the night until I eventually fall asleep sometime around 2:00 a.m.

Yeah, I'm exhausted just reading this!  I can look back at this point and remember how lethargic, depressed and hopeless I felt.  This wasn't a life, what I have now is!

I hope by now you are joining me in this fast.  It has really, truly been a total blessing to me and it isn't over yet!  I have another 39 days to go.  Oh, did I mention that I am doing 70 days instead of 60?  Well there you have it.

I pray that you will feel surrounded today by the Lover of your soul, Jesus Christ!  Until next time....

Tip of the Day:

Wheatgrass is exceptionally helpful in cleansing the lymph system, removing toxic metals from the cells, nourishing the liver and kidneys, and restoring vitality.  A 2 ounce shot of wheatgrass has the same nutritional value as 5 pounds of vegetables!  If you can get a shot at your juice bar, I highly recommend it.  For you newbies, try it mixed with a little apple juice.  The taste can be quite strong.

Day 24 - Still going strong!

God is good all the time!  And all the time, God is good!

Hello my little juice-lings!  Sorry for the delay since my last post but it has been such smooth sailing that I haven't really had a whole lot to report.

These are my stats for now:

24 days of juice and not one single cheat or bite of food!

Down 18 pounds as of my last weigh in

Clear, beautiful skin

Tons of sleep

Lots of energy

And 8 people in my own little circle of friends & family that are juicing right alongside of me!!

So things are going so exceptionally well that I don't even feel like I'm doing a fast any more.  It's seeming more like a way of life for me.  I do miss food from time to time, but in general I'm pretty darn content.  My husband is so supportive that he's telling everyone what I'm doing and bragging on me.  I'm not hungry all the time any more, that's totally passed.  The only time I get hungry is if I forget to make a juice.  The cravings still come and go, but I've gotten a handle on them and have spent some time finding healthier versions of the food that I crave, so when I get done I can make them.

Which brings up another point.  I am looking to the future and planning how I will transition out of the fast.  This is the part where a lot of people blow it.  You spend X amount of days fantasizing about food, and then when you finally get to eat you totally end up undoing all the good work you've accomplished!  I absolutely refuse to do that.

Listen, there are TONS of free resources online for plant-based, and raw food, recipes and I'm taking advantage of that!  I made a folder on my desktop called "After the Fast" and I've been collecting articles and recipes for healthy living.  I do NOT want to go back to where I came from.  The old me was tired, sluggish, depressed and obsessed with food.  The new me sees so much more potential for this life and for what God has called me to do and be.

Jesus has been right here with me the whole time.  He reminds me that He is the giver of all good things - and that includes food.  He has given us so many varieties of fruits and vegetables to keep us vibrant and help us to live more abundantly.  And for that I turn back and praise Him!

I will be back in a few more days to check in with you.  In the meantime, feel free to post your questions and I will do my best to answer them.  I pray that the Lord will heap huge blessings upon each of you today in the name of Jesus!

Tip of the Day:

Juicing leafy greens becomes much easier if you roll the leaves into a little ball, before feeding it into the machine. Generally, darker green vegetables are more nutritious but less palatable. Cucumber can help disguise the strong flavours from leafy greens.

Day 15 and all is well!

Today was the day!!  I took my measurements this morning.  Who wants to know how it looks?  Anyone?  Anyone?  No?  Ok, well never mind then....

Psh...of COURSE I'm going to tell you!  I'm going to shout it from the rooftops 'cause frankly, I'm STOKED!!

DRUMROLL PLEASE......

Since day 3 (in only 12 short days) I have lost ANOTHER 15.5 inches!!!  For a grand total of 34.50 since I started juicing one month ago.  Here's the breakdown of inches lost and from where:

Arms - 3

Chest - 5

Waist - 5.5

Abdomen - 9

Hips - 5

Thighs - 4

Calves - 3

I think that is all I will have for today - busy, busy day.  But I pray great strength and endurance for each of you during your fast.  Give all the glory to Him!

Day 14 - Drinking Problem

My best friend called me last night and in the course of our conversation, she asked me how my drinking was going.  I told her it was going great!  I'm drinking 2 gallons a day now!

It's true - one gallon of fresh amazing juice every day and one gallon of pure water a day.  Sometimes I add in some vegetable broth or herbal tea too!

I found a photo of myself taken before I started losing weight, one I feel comfortable sharing with you.  Not quite ready to show my before photos of my whole bod, but one day, toward the end I will.  In the meantime, here's a couple of head shots for you!

Before....

25% of the way there.....

Can you see the difference in my skin?  So cool!!

I wish I had a better, more close up shot for the before, but frankly like most overweight people I avoided the camera like the plague!  I decided today to stop hiding from the camera.  Why should I?  I'm looking darn good and besides, life is too short.

It's crazy how my walk with Jesus has become more intimate since I began this journey.  I'm finding myself praising Him with tears in my eyes on a regular basis.  At the risk of sounding like a corny romantic, suddenly seems more beautiful and I can't help but look to the Creator and give thanks.  The fog has definitely lifted at this point, and I'm so appreciative of every little thing.  I can certainly understand why people are reluctant to end their fasts when they get to their stop date.  This is amazing!

I wanted to share with you some of my little extra tricks to make this fast go a little smoother.  Really, when it gets right down to it all you NEED is the juicer and produce.  However, I have found these little goodies make my life a lot easier.

First, I use a body brush every day before I bathe.  Got mine at Walmart for like $5.  You brush your skin with it in a circular pattern - the whole thing (ladies, skip the tatas) and if you can find one with a long detachable handle that's even better.  Makes it easier to reach your back.  Dry brushing your skin removes dead skin cells (aiding in detoxification - remember your skin is your largest organ) and also helps to stimulate your lymphatic system, which in turn helps to decrease cellulite.

Second, I use a nut milk bag every day.  You can get these on Amazon or at Whole Foods and probably any health food store in your area.  They are basically just a fine mesh bag that you strain your juice through.  I do this to get every last bit of pulp out of my juice before I drink it.  You would be surprised how much pulp is still in your juice when it comes out of the juicer!  And remember, we are giving our digestive system a break right now so we want no pulp!

Finally, I take a supplement called Cascara Sagrada.  You can get this at Walmart too - for about $6/bottle.  It's an herb that gently irritates the lining of your colon and helps you to keep regular while you are fasting.  Between this and the weekly enemas, I am clean as a whistle!  (hahaha!)

That's about all I have for today - tomorrow is my measurement check.  Yay!!  Really excited to see how I'm doing.  I've already had to get rid of most of my wardrobe since the clothes are falling off me.  Now I just need to find some money somewhere so I can get a few new things.

Lord God, bless my friends who are reading this today and keep them safely in the palm of your hand.  Guide their steps and allow them to know the love you have for each of them.  In Jesus name, I pray!  AMEN.

Tip of the day:

Get out and get some sunshine each day!  Sunlight is absolutely crucial to our health as it provides vitamin D.  Just be sure to put on some sunscreen if you plan to be out for more than 20 minutes.

Day 13 - Exciting stuff is happening!!

Sorry it's been a few days since my last post, but I really wanted to wait until I had more to say.  And today I do!  Lots of exciting things to share...but first, here's some photos of my meals for the day!

From left to right that's:
Cantaloupe/mint
Pineapple/carrot/orange/strawberry/kiwi/ginger
Mean Green
Watermelon/mint

Yum!!

So since we last spoke people around me are starting to notice the weight loss.  Everyone has been very supportive and excited for me.  I really haven't had to deal with too many nay-sayers so far, just one or two here and there and I can handle that.

My husband, Kevin, has been the biggest blessing ever!  I think he's happy to see me eating healthier and the improvements it's making in my attitude and overall health.  He takes me grocery shopping for produce, asks lots of questions, always wanting to know what's on the menu.  Our anniversary is in about 3 weeks and we plan to spend the day going to farmer's markets, a juice bar, and home depot to get supplies for my garden I want to put in.  I love him so much!  Took me 20 years to train him and now he's perfect!  (hahaha)

The other really cool thing I have to share is that my family (my mom and my sister) is finally on board and going to start juicing with me as well.  The back story on mom is that about 6 months ago she developed a tumor on her neck and they don't know for sure whether or not it's cancerous at this point (which is a loooooong story that I won't get into here).  It's very large, almost the size of an egg, and causes her tremendous pain.  She has, unfortunately, had to take massive quantities of prescriptions for the pain, the sleeplessness & nerve damage it's caused and I've been worried about her.  Recently she has also had some unexplained stomach issues to boot.

I told her about how juicing can really improve her health and out of the blue a neighbor just gave her a juicer!  So prayers are always appreciated for her and I'm praying that this will be a healing miracle for her.  I just wished she lived a little closer so I could be of more help with the juicing.

A word here about influence.  You influence the people in your life whether you realize it or not!  Sometimes for the bad, sometimes for the good.  Did you know that the average person has influence over 10,000 people in the course of their lifetime?  I never considered that anyone would want to join me on this.  Frankly, it's a pretty radical move and nothing to take lightly by just jumping right in!  But as of today, I've influenced 4 people to start juicing with me and I'm only 13 days into this!

As for me, since I started juicing I've lost 25 pounds.  17 of that is from the juice fast alone!  I'm going to continue weighing in just once a week so I don't get too caught up with the numbers.  But by the next weigh in, I will be back in the 160's which I haven't seen in 5 years!  I will be checking my measurements every 15 days so the next one will be in just 2 more days.  Oh the suspense!!

My hunger has dwindled off and the only time I notice it now is when I lose track of time and forget to drink my juice.  Then, once I do, I'm good for several more hours.  I realized the other day that between the juice and the water (and this doesn't count the occasional tea or vegetable broth) I am drinking 2 gallons of liquids a day!  At this rate, we'll need to buy stock in the toilet paper industry.

I'm doing a little investigating into the world of colonic hydrotherapy.  If you aren't familiar with that, let me break it down for you.  As you know, I've been using enemas to help the detox process along as I fast.  Unfortunately, they only target the lower portion of the colon so they can only help so much.  A colonic reaches the entire length of your intestine (which, by the way, is as tall as you are!!  crazy, huh?) and removes a lot of plaque that has built up on your intestine walls.  They use water and gravity or pressurized water from a machine (depending on which therapy you choose) to fill you up and clean you out.

If it's not too terribly expensive I may give it a go and let you know how it all comes out (pun intended).  As always, thank you for your support and encouragement!  I pray you have a blessed week filled with God's love and mercies.

Tip of the Day

Make your meals an event!  Don't drink your juice on the run if you can help it.  Treat it like the meal that it is by sitting down at the table and really focusing on it.  Think about all those powerful nutrients and minerals that are coursing through your body as you drink it.  Be thankful that the Lord has provided for you!  You can make it even more special by drinking your juice from a fancy wine glass or   using a silly straw.  My breakfast juice is in a gorgeous hand thrown ceramic beer stein.  There's just something about it that makes it feel more like a treat.

Day 10 - Distraction!

Going to be a busy day, but I didn't want to ignore you - so here's a great link for you to go check out today!

It's early morning and I have a busy day ahead of me.  I have just a few minutes to tell you about a great article you should go read when you are done here.

It's called "How distraction can help you go the distance"

Yesterday I was bored silly all day.  If you make all of your meals for the whole day in one hour in the morning, that leaves a lot of time open for the rest of the day (that is, if you are a stay home mom with all 3 kids in school, like me!  Ha!).  The weather here in Reno, as I said the other day, is not nice enough to go outside for fresh air.

So I was pretty much beside myself yesterday with nothing to do.  I had too much energy to just sit and read.  All the television and movies I wanted to watch had scene after scene of people eating food in them (not a good idea).  And I would have cleaned house, but it was already done.

It really made me think about how much food has ruled my life over the years.  Thinking about and planning the next meal, shopping for it, going online for recipes, preparing the meal, eating with family or friends in social gatherings...preparing for the NEXT meal....

One of the ideas he suggests in this article is to sit down with pen and paper and make a list of all the activities you would like to do or try out that you have never done before INSTEAD of eating.  I plan to do that this week.  I think it's a great idea!

Here's the article:
How Distraction Can Help You Go the Distance

I hope this week brings you closer to our Lord and Savior, and that you are blessed by His presence.

Tip of the day:

Treat yourself to a job well done - once a week or however frequently you choose.  Go to a juice bar and let someone ELSE make juice for you!  Most big cities have a few of them, and Whole Foods Market has a juice bar too.  Somehow they always taste better when someone else makes them, hahaha!

Day 8 - Tacos and Nachos and Pasta, oh my!!

Yes, folks, that is the sound of my cravings going psycho!  I am so hungry I want to punch someone in the throat!

But alas, I won't.

Yesterday was sooooo hard for me!  I didn't post because I didn't have anything nice to say.  I was fine for the first few hours and then around 2:00 images of tacos with sour cream and jalapeños, and fettucine with sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts and parmesan cheese drifted through my mind.  I could almost smell them!  Today, I thought I had a better handle on everything and then when we got back from church my kids made nachos for lunch...nachos with chili, and cheese and lots of hot sauce.  Oh man, my mouth just started watering.

So I got me some backup!  I asked for my prayer warrior friends to help a sista out and pray for me before I go bonkers.  One good brother in Christ reminded me that I'm not going to be without food forever, just temporarily.  And he said that in the past when he was fasting and cheated with food, he always regretted it BUT when he stuck to his guns, even when it got hard he was so proud of himself and never regretted it.

Thank you Jesus for people who get it!  This is one of the many reasons why having good brothers and sisters in Christ is so vital.  We bear one another's burdens and we strengthen each other and we pray for each other.

I'm finding out that fasting is such a mental battle and how much control food has over me!  I don't like it.  I want to be in control of what I eat, when I eat it and how much of it I eat.  I want to treat my body like the temple of the Holy Spirit that it is ~ keeping it clean and filled with whole and healthy foods, not garbage.  This is just the first step for me, but I want to be a good example to my kids and teach them to eat healthier as well.  I saw someone that someone posted recently on Facebook that really resonated with me...it was something to the effect of "You are what you eat.  So don't be cheap, easy, fast or junk."  So true!!

I don't have a lot else to report except to say that as I weighed myself this morning, on day 7, I was delighted to find I had lost 10 pounds!  Hoping in continues, although I do understand that it slows down after the first week.

Have a blessed day and make Jesus a part of it!

Here's your tip for the day:

Change up your juice recipes from day to day, so that you will get the widest variety of nutrients and won't get bored with your juice.  I have purchased several juice recipe books and it's always an adventure!

Day 11 - Not feelin' it

Uh yeah, so not feelin' it today people.  I just want to crawl under the covers and cry all day and feel sorry for myself.

I didn't sleep at all last night, which is the first time that's happened since I started.  I normally sleep like a rock!  But I tossed and turned and finally gave up at 6:00 a.m.   

And as the day has progressed I'm finding myself achy all over and emotional, and of course even more sleepy than normal since I was up all night.  It didn't hit me until late this afternoon.

AHA!  Detox has finally arrived!  Took 11 days, but it's happening.  I'm actually glad to see it because I knew that my body was toxic, it had to be!  I've been on prescriptions for so many years that my poor liver was about to go on strike!  Now I'm finally getting all those nasty poisons out of my bod once and for all.

The food cravings and hunger has abated considerably and sometime in the last few days I made a decision.  I'm absolutely not going to give up - no matter what it takes.  I'm in it to win it, as they say and frankly I think I'm worth it!  

I've always sorted of coasted through life, not really thinking too much about what I was putting into my body.  If I was hungry, I ate, and it never occurred to me that some foods could be toxic to my system.  Yeah, I knew that certain things would make me fat or cause upset stomach.  But actually, literally, causing my health to slowly fail.

To be honest, I rarely gave any of my non-organic fruits and veggies more than a cursory rinse with water before eating them, until now.  In the course of my research I've read and seen more about food production in this country and how food affects our health positively or negatively, than I ever knew was possible.  

Frankly it's pretty scary!  We need to open our eyes...I'll say it again, if you haven't already seen the following documentaries, go watch them.  NOW.

Food Matters
Forks Over Knives
Hungry for Change
Food Inc.

It will revolutionize the way you eat and the way you treat your body.  I promise.  And after all, our bodies are temples for the Holy Spirit.  We should be treating them with the utmost care and respect :)

That's it for today, will be back tomorrow if I get more time, it's my honey's 50th birthday so I could be busy celebrating.  Blessings on each and every one of you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit!

Tip of the Day

When you want to give up, when the cravings become too much, when it doesn't seem like it's worth it...go back and read that list you made!  You remember the one right?  The list I had you make of ALL the reasons why you are doing this.  If that doesn't work, read it again.

One other thing, if you are brave enough.  I had someone take a photo of me in nothing but a sports bra and pair of spandex workout pants at the start of my weight loss journey. (Yuck!  My temple needs to be remodeled!) I made that my wallpaper on my computer!  You could do the same thing, or put it on the refrigerator.  Remember where you came from and why you don't want to go back there!

Day 9 - Yippee!!!

Friends - I feel so goooood today!  My energy is finally being restored, I am sleeping so good at night, my hunger is dissipating and my skin is looking better each day!!  I feel like I could make a juicing infomercial right now...

I have some exciting news to share today.  First things first, I have influenced three people already to join me in this fast!  I haven't really talked to a lot of people about it because for me, right now, it's sort of a private thing.  But as I get further and further along, I will probably start to open up more about it and who knows?  Maybe others will want to tag along as well!

I have lost 13 pounds to date on this fast and a total of 17.5 inches overall.  I'm so thrilled with that and I know I have another 61 days to go - this could get me back to what I weighed the day I got married 19 years ago!

Today is the first day that hunger hasn't hounded me at all - I totally credit this to God and to all the prayer warriors backing me up.  I had to remind myself a couple times to drink my juice because I wasn't hungry.  Very, very thankful for this!

More important than all of that though, my relationship with Christ is being strengthened and renewed day by day.  I'm finding myself spending less time on the computer or in front of the tv, in favor of devotional and prayer time.  And it hasn't been a chore for me, it's been refreshing and beautiful.  God is so good!

It is snowing here in Reno so I haven't been able to walk in the last couple of days which I really miss.  I'm sooo ready for warmer weather, as are all Reno-ites.   I want to put a garden in once it starts to actually look like Spring!  I am hoping it will not only encourage everyone to eat more veggies around here, but also help to defray the cost of some of the produce I've been plowing through.

Not much else to report today, but I will be back in a few days to chat with you more.  In the meantime, may the peace which passes all understanding guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Tip of the day:

If you haven't already done it, go right now and watch "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead."  It will forever change the way you think about juice fasting.  There are literally thousands of people around the world who changed their lives completely after watching this film.  Joe Cross is my hero!

Day 5 - SALSA!!!

Welcome to day 5, or as I like to call it, the day of Salsa Juice!!!  Oh yes, folks, I made a juice that tastes just like homemade salsa...and not to toot my own horn, but dang, it was the BOMB!!

Ok, done bragging.  But for real, I was getting tired of all the sweet juices and was craving something spicy.  So I juiced some tomatoes, anaheim peppers, cucumber, garlic, lime, cilantro, onion, red pepper, threw in some apple cider vinegar & cumin and BAM!  You got yourself some salsa juice!  This one is going down as a new favorite!

I'm finding that at day 5, routine is the one thing that is really helping me hold this thing together.  I have my way of doing things each and every day, and it keeps my mind off food. I'm also seeing a pattern of rising earlier than I used to because I not only slept well, but I'm also excited to get into that kitchen and make some juice.  The fresh fruits and veggies all lined up on the counter, the smell of grapefruit as it goes through the juicer, even the sound the juicer (or as my kids lovingly call it - the "alarm clock") as it grinds away, it's all so therapeutic to me.

On another topic...I've always enjoyed gardening, and for years our Mother's Day tradition has been to get some new plants to put in the ground.  This year I'm putting in a garden!  As much as I am spending on produce these days, there's no reason not to.  And we have half an acre here, so there's plenty or room.  Now if the weather would only cooperate that would be just splendid!

Still no detox symptoms to report - maybe that will happen next week?  I'm pretty sleepy all the time, but the headaches are gone.  This might sound weird, but I was almost looking forward to the detoxing because at least that way I would know that they toxins were leaving my body.  So perhaps I wasn't as toxic as I thought, or perhaps they are all going underground and going to pop out and surprise me later on down the line.

Today I started a video blog for youtube.  I don't plan to post any of the videos until I get at least to day 30, it will give me something to look forward to.  But I'm just hoping to see some physical progress by then and I can say, "Look!  I did it and so can you!"  Once I have that up and ready to go, I will give you the link here.  I'm really hoping that I'll get over the whole "Man-I-feel-like-a-giant-tool" feeling I get when I'm making the video.

Blessings to all of you who are reading this!  May the Lord Jesus Christ keep you in the palm of His hand today, and may you know of His incredible love for you.

Tip for the day:

Make all your juice for the day at once, so you can relax the rest of the day!  As long as you store it for no more than 24 hours in airtight glass jars (I got a case of ten 32 oz jars at Walmart for $10) your juice will be fine.  My routine is to fill the jar to the top (if it's not all the way to the top, add some water), scoop out any foam (because once the foam bubbles pop, you'll have air at the top of your jar and the juice will start to oxidize) and add in some more water.  Then pop on your lid, stick it in the fridge, and you're done!

Day 4 Shocker!!

I blew it last night!  I had tacos, pizza, chocolate, apple crisp and cheesecake!  I didn't even enjoy it...made me feel pretty sick...

And then I woke up feeling horribly guilty and incredibly disappointed in myself.  Thank God it was just a dream!

Day four and I'm hanging in there, people!  Yesterday I did not one, but two, enemas!  First a water enema and then a coffee one.  You are never supposed to start with a coffee enema apparently.  Not the most pleasant experience but I felt really great afterward.

So far, no really bad detox symptoms to report.  Still feeling very tired, but mellow (it's almost like this insane peace has invaded my spirit.  God is surely with me!) and have a bit of a headache.  Other than that I feel good - very light and satisfied with just juice, water and tea.

I'm really enjoying this process immensely!  I knew I would - after doing so much research I had this anticipation and excitement to get started.  I'm very thankful that I eased into it the way that I did, because so far it's going super smoothly.

There is so much variety in what you can have when you juice, the combination of fruits and vegetables are endless and some that I have made are so delicious that I don't miss regular food at all!

In other news, I found a "fasting buddy" for support and encouragement.  He is a brother in Christ from North Carolina, doing the same type and length of fast as I am.  I think this is a wonderful idea for all of you who are venturing into juicing territory.  You NEED someone to talk to who will understand what you are going through and help you through it, and you can do the same for them.  Trust me on this!

Finally, this week I'm praying that God will bring me a Breville juicer.  My "Juiceman Jr." works ok, and will hold up for a while, but the pulp comes out really wet so I have to run it through twice and it's difficult to clean.  I believe this is something that I will stick to for many years to come, at least one juice a day.  So I need something that will really hold up for me.

Ok, I'm off to pick up more produce.  Happy juicing to all and to all a good night!

P.S.  One more thing I'd like to add.  I know it's only day 4 out of 70, but I have to say this....I'm SUPER proud of myself.  I feel like I've already accomplished something amazing for my health.  :)

Day 2 Report....

Good day to all my juicy peeps!  Today is day 2 and I'm feeling goooooooood!!

I want to start out by saying that remarkable things are happening already!  For the first time in almost five years, I was able to sleep without the aid of a sleeping pill (over the counter OR prescription) and/or a muscle relaxer.  Nearly every night for the past several years I have required both pills to sleep.  I made a commitment when I started this that I would give up the pills entirely the day I started, I just didn't expect to be able to sleep the first few days.

I haven't had too many food cravings so far, but I do feel like I'm floating....I'm taking in a LOT more water than I did yesterday because I feel like I didn't get quite enough.  Today I'm in the bathroom about every 10-15 minutes! 

As far as food goes, I'm not feeling deprived, just a little sleepier than normal.  Going to take a nap in a bit and then head out for a nice brisk walk with my son.

I checked my weight this morning and I've lost 2 pounds overnight (yay!) - which I understand is all water weight - but I don't plan to weigh myself again until the weekend, as I tend to obsess over numbers.  I will also take my measurements today and keep track that way as well.

I spent some good quality time with the Lord today with my all time favorite devotional, "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers, reading my bible, praying and simply meditating on God's goodness.  I'm feeling His sweet presence very powerfully today.  This is going to be one of the best aspects of this fast, I'm quite certain of that....

I'm going to leave you with a few wonderful juicing facebook pages to check out.  Will catch up with you all tomorrow.

Blessings!

Mara

Raw Raw Life

Juicing FTW
60 day Juice Fast Reboot

Juicing For a Change

Juicing For Dummies

Tip of the Day

Before you get too far, make a list of all the reasons you are doing this fast.  You should have more than one!  Otherwise it could be hard to stick to it.  We can talk ourselves out of anything when the going gets tough...and it WILL get tough!  I have 20 reasons on my list and I know that when I want to quit, I can go look at that list and it will bolster my strength and keep me going.

Day 1 of the fast....

Well, so far, so good....of course it's only the first day...

Hey there happy juicers!  Welcome to day one.  Had my final meal yesterday with two good friends at Whole Foods Market - a lovely, LARGE, salad for lunch and then we went shopping at Trader Joes for enough produce to last me the week.

I got up this morning weighed myself (starting weight - time to get vulnerable here - was 187 pounds.  My goal weight is 150 pounds and I am 5'10" but small boned, this will put me at a size 6 or 8) bright and early and started out with a big glass of lemon water.  I then proceeded to make a big breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast and turkey bacon for the kiddos.  (Am I a good sport or what?)

I have been juicing, drinking water or hot tea, all day with no problems and no major temptations.  But again, it's only the first day.  I'm quite sure they will come.  I feel great, a little sleepy so I took a nap.  The first week you are encouraged to get plenty of rest as you detox, fatigue is very common.

No other big news to report - but I will say this, ask those around you to pray for your success!  I haven't told everyone that I'm doing this, merely because not everyone is going to understand.  As I get farther along and people start to ask me what I'm doing to lose weight, or why I look so good (it will happen...guaranteed) then I will tell them.  I did, however, tell my closest friends that I know will support me and I asked them to pray.  A 60 day fast is a huge undertaking and I know that it will come with trials and temptations, ups and downs, and I truly believe that when it comes to prayer, there is power in numbers.

A few notes - periodically I will share some links and youtube videos, plus whatever tips I have and eventually some photos of my juices, and before & after pics.  

So here is a website that you can go check out, one of my personal favorites, with tons of info to get you started on your own juicing journey PLUS my menu for the day:

http://rawrawlife.com

Mara's Menu for Day 1

Lemon water upon rising

9:00 a.m. 16 ounces of grapefruit, orange, ginger, lemon, grape juice
hot herbal tea

water

11:00 a.m. 16 ounces of grapefruit, orange, ginger, lemon, grape juice

1:30 p.m.  16 ounces Mean Green juice (celery, kale, spinach, lemon, apple, ginger)

water

(insert long nap here)

4:30 p.m.   16 ounces Mean Green juice (celery, kale, spinach, lemon, apple, ginger)

water

6:00 p.m.  2 cups potassium broth (this is made from potatoes, carrots and celery cooked at a very low heat with water for 30 minutes only - you strain out the broth and drink it for the first week, this is a specific fast I got from a good friend)

water

hot herbal tea just before bed

**Feel free to post any questions you might have for me in the comment section below and I will do my best to answer them.  Inappropriate or rude comments will be deleted immediately.  We are here to support one another. Thank you.**

In the beginning....

Hi!  My name is Mara - welcome to my very first blog.  A quick snippet about who I am.  I'm a born again Christian, a wife (20 years!), a mother of three great kids, an author, artist and now...apparently...a blogger!

After nearly three months of intensive research including the following:

Documentaries:

• Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead (a must see!)
• Food Matters
• May I be Frank?
• Hungry for Change

Youtube videos:
Waaaay to many to name here, but just type in "Juice Fast" in their search engine and go nuts!
(My favorite is RawRawLife)

Facebook Pages:

• Juicing FTW
• 60 day Juice Fast Reboot 
• (and TONS more)

And many, many, MANY websites with info on the topic (not to mention a close, personal friend with experience in juice fasting), I decided to take the plunge!  Beginning Monday, April 8, I will be starting a 70 day juice fast - perhaps longer depending on how I feel.  And I will be sharing the journey here with you!

I can hear you now..."What?!  Are you insane?!  70 days without food - juice only?!  But...but...what about PROTEIN?!  That's not healthy!  You'll slow your metabolism down!  Your body will go into starvation mode!  And not to mention when you start eating again you will gain it all back!"

Ok, take a deep breath will ya?!  I will address all of these issues in a moment, but first let me begin with WHY I am doing this.

About 5 years ago I started having problems with my hips hurting.  At first I thought I had overdone it at the gym, then when it didn't go away I just assumed I was finally getting the arthritis that runs in my family.  I went to a chiropractor, my regular M.D. (who told me there was nothing wrong with me), and finally an orthopedic doc who sent me for an MRI.  Turns out I had shredded all the cartilage in both hips sockets.

So here I am, 3 surgeries later, still in pain and unable to do so many things with my family.  Can't sit for long, can't stand, can't walk too far, can't work, trouble sleeping - been to several physical therapists, acupuncturist, taken lots of pain meds...nothing helps!

Then someone turned me on to the documentary "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead."  (A lot of juice fasts start out with that very phrase!).  If you haven't already seen it, I highly recommend it!  It is the story of Joe Cross, an Australian businessman, who had a rare disease plus about 80 pounds to lose, and he cured himself by doing nothing but fresh, homemade juice for 60 days.

I have other medical issues that I'd love to get sorted out as well.  I have had endometriosis for nearly 30 years, thinning hair and brittle nails (not a medical issue, a cosmetic one, but would still love to see it resolved!) and very low energy.  This is the number one reason for doing this fast!  I'm way too young, at 41 years old, to be dealing with bad hips!

For those who don't understand how drinking juice can heal medical issues, let me explain.  It requires 70% of your body's energy to digest food.  (Ever notice how tired you feel after a really big meal?!)  When you replace food with natural, healthy juice, your body still gets all the vitamins and nutrients it needs to thrive but at the same time it gets a break from digesting food.  It uses that energy to go to work healing your body!  Most people report an incredible increase in their energy level, their mental clarity, better skin, hair and nails, and that their medical conditions (everything from psoriasis to cancer) are resolved.

Fresh vegetable and fruit juice cleanses the body of all toxins, which cause so many of our illnesses.  There is a price to pay for getting those toxins out, unfortunately, and that price is the detox phase of a fast.  As they say, poison stings twice...once on the way in and once on the way out!  I can expect any number of symptoms for the first week or two as the toxins are flushed from my body.  Nausea, headaches, flu-like symptoms and fatigue to name a few.  I have, however, spent the past few weeks getting ready for this fast by cutting out processed carbs, coffee and other junk, and started replacing 2 of my meals every day with juice.  Hopefully having done this will lessen my detox symptoms...we shall see!

The second reason for my fast is to use the time to draw closer to Jesus.  I have found a few online devotionals that I really enjoy and from what I have read, you go through great spiritual breakthrough during these times.  I want to really dive into my bible and create some intense times of fellowship with my Lord.  This is so what I need, and I can feel my spirit already coming alive at the very idea.

And finally, I am looking forward to shedding some weight.  Obviously when you are doing nothing but juice every day you can expect to lose some pounds.  The great thing about juicing, is that while you are losing this weight you are also curing your food cravings (nachos!!  nachos are my all time favorite junk to eat, anything mexian actually.  OH!  And pizza and french fries.  Ok, and wine.  I do like wine.) and change your whole perspective toward food, creating a new relationship with it and finally realizing that we should eat to live not live to eat!

Now as to your panicky concerns from earlier....here are the answers:

1.  Yes.  I am insane.  Next question?
2.  The protein issue....Did you know that 1 cup of spinach has 10 grams of protein alone?  And believe me when I tell you that spinach does not produce much juice.  I generally have to add at least 3 cups of spinach.  And that's just one juice!  I will get tons of protein no problem!
3.  As far as what will happen at the end of my fast?  Well the whole point of doing this is to change the way that you eat.  Your appetite decreases and your cravings for bad food are gone.  So as long as I don't go back to eating my nachos all the time, and incorporate more fruits and veggies into my diet I shouldn't go up more than five pounds.  More than likely I will keep the juice in my diet, at least once a day and possibly one whole day each week.  Many people who do this go on to become raw food vegans, which I think is way out of my league, but I'm open to whatever God wants me to do :)

So, my plan is to write a new entry at least once a week - more if I have time, and to record my weight and measurements, along with how I am feeling, my struggles and accomplishments, and hopefully encourage you to join me!