DAY TWENTY EIGHT

Mean green for Halloween!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DAY TWENTY SEVEN

Back to juice today... well, 90% juice and 10% food, but planning to stay that way now through the holiday. Broth, a bite of avocado here and there is what I am talking about. I feel good, refocused and ready to go!

DAY TWENTY SIX

Went to food/juice combo today. Feeling relieved and already wanting to plan my next juice fast. I am going to stick to juice and food (half and half) for now, and review how I feel in a few days.....

Update: I am second guessing my choice now... at 7pm at night. Feeling I jumped ship too soon and now thinking I am going to get back on juice tomorrow... funny, maybe it took this to trigger me back to my path. Hmmm.....

DAYS TWENTY FOUR AND TWENTY FIVE

Really done fine, but really been struggling.... I am nearing 30 days and now thinking I may take a break. Mentally, I am feeling really frustrated. I am about to start a new job and I feel I MIGHT go to juice 1-2x day and 1-2 meals per day for a while, then back on after Thanksgiving. Giving that some thought tonight......

DAY TWENTY THREE

I am focused today, feeling solid.... good. This is a PROCESS and I am staying in the space of forgiveness of myself for not being perfect and honoring myself for coming this far. I juiced this a.m. then went to a spin class, now home and resting, juicing, working. Feeling GOOD and looking forward to a big weekend!

DAY TWENTY TWO

Focused again today. So far, mean green, coconut water, water, carrot/orange and a shot of wheatgrass. That and an hour long cardio/weights workout. Yeah, baby!!!!!

back on track.....

DAY TWENTY ONE

Today has been tough and I know it's because I haven't been drinking enough, will juice more, post more later....Caved and had a few bites of food... now feeling better. Wish I hadn't but not gonna freak out/beat myself up. Must keep moving forward....no guilt.. damnit.

DAY TWENTY

Well, A few weeks ago, this seemed like forever... and here I am. I feel like I am in a groove now. Planning to go for 30, then likely go on until a few days before Thanksgiving - go raw, then have a bit of food on the day, then maybe back to fasting or half and half. I am noticing how much better overall I feel with LESS in my body. Less junk/dead/useless food that is.

Woke up at 6:30am today, went for a fast walk/jog, then home to make mean green. Feeling GOOD!!!

DAY NINETEEN

Today I woke up with a bit of a headache, made some Mean Green and added VitaForce AND Life's Balance plant protein powder. Did an hour long spin class and got through it... wow, was it tough. I noticed a lot of cramping in my left foot (same thing happened last time, too) and I wonder if it is potassium related. Feeling good overall and noticing that I am getting a groove to the juicing thing. It's a bit of a no brainer now. :)

Update:
I have been HIGH as a kite all day... high from fasting. Like, seriously buzzing in my body, can't use the energy up. I DID go to spin class, then jogging, the cleaning, on and on and I still have energy... bizarre and VERY cool :)

DAY EIGHTEEN

Just writing now, at almost 8pm. It's been a good day, had about 80 oz of juice today. Not sure why I am noticing how much but I am. I am drinking a mean green right now. My weight is up a lb and that's okay. I am going to keep pushing ahead and not worry about that. No work out today, just too tired. I slept, took it easy, went to choir, now relaxing and about to make some ginger/lemon tea.

DAY SEVENTEEN

Feeling good today. Inspired a couple of friends to start, and that feels good. Feeling like 30 days will be a piece of cake now, and that's also good. Off to run, more later.

Not feeling great. Hungry, weak and nauseous. I am going to try to take a nap and hope I awake feeling better.

Better now, no nap, got busy but rode it out. Having some tomatoe/basil/cilantro/kale/carrot/garlic/celery juice right now. With turmeric and cayenne.... intense, but good :)

Heading out to an event with food and wine, dreading that part....

DAY SIXTEEN

Woke up feeling fine this morning, though still upset stomach. Guess I gotta ride it out. Drinking mean green with some orange and chia seeds added and then going to the gym. Push, push, push! :)

Update -- Since this a.m., I have felt FANTASTIC today... I mean, BUZZING with energy. I met a very cool woman today named Laura at Whole Foods. She cured her sclerosis/scleroderma with juicing and raw foods, knows Joe Cross and has worked with him, and has started a company with her friends with a product they created called "Life Force" and I got some today to try. She was full of knowledge and so much pep! She told me she's been vegan/raw for 6 years and she is a bright picture of health. So motivating! Her facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/dynamicsofnature

YAY!

DAY FIFTEEN

Woke up and juiced this a.m. and got super nauseas. Only drank half then had a half cup of decaf. I have all but stopped coffee of any kind but it just felt like I somehow needed it. Went for a power walk and now home. Slight headache. Amazed that it's been 2 weeks and still going. I am tired today. What I am noticing is that I get a burst of energy sometimes then I get super tired... weird. Not steady or consistent, but in waves....

Felt pretty bad today, just in terms of energy level. Had none for most of the day. Lots of diarrhea for the past few days and tonight, I broke down and had a LITTLE food. Squash, asparagus, tiny bites of avocado. Feel much better, and going right back to juicing, as well as getting a colonic.

I will see this through. 

DAY FOURTEEN

Cheated last night and had a bite of avocado/tamale. Made my stomach feel strange and I wish I hadn't but gotta keep moving forward. I will stay on track, damnit. Momentary lapse in judgement but I am refocused today....off to walk.

DAY THIRTEEN

Was up late with insomnia. Slept like the dead and woke up to a 1 lb weight gain. Started my period though, so it makes sense... must hang in there. Must see this through. The temptation to quit comes up at least once a day. I can feel that I am still hooked on and craving (even now) breads, sugars, CARBS.... So, I know I need longer, much longer, to truly detox.

I juiced some greens and am going for a walk/run now. Staying super focused and clean today, no matter what!!!

DAY TWELVE

Woke up, juiced and went to a spin class... Big no, no... at least for me right now. I did the whole hour, then barely made it home, shaking, feeling really dizzy and sick. I took a shower then fell into bed and had to stay there for half and hour before I could move around. I felt like a wreck for hours. Now, at 4:30pm I finally had enough energy to take my poor pup for a walk. WOW.

Feeling fine otherwise, just realizing that walking and a light jog are probably best.

Down 13 lbs today. Feeling leaner.

Just got a huge bag of turmeric in the mail and can't wait to use it. Looking for juice recipes using it.

DAY NINE

Woke up feeling good, not hungry, drank Mean Green and feeling fine. Looking forward to working out today, knowing I need to move my body. I am down about 11-12 lbs and feel lighter. The anger/frustration I was feeling earlier in the week has greatly diminished and I am sort of even now. I realized last night that the evenings are toughest for me... I drank about a half gallon of tea through the night to keep me from wanting to eat. It was hard, especially making my son's dinner.

DAY EIGHT

Feeling SO MUCH BETTER today. Woke up and had only mean green drink (kale, celery, ginger, lemon and green apples) and it totally curbed my hunger. Love it. Itching to go workout, too. I feel like I have reached a good place now where I can continue. The food cravings have dulled tremendously and I am disinterested for the most part. That may change, but for today, I am thankful :)

DAY SEVEN

Woke up with a pounding headache. Broke down and took 3 ibuprofen and had a tiny bit of decaf coffee. It helped. SO much better, actually. I am finding that my feelings range from panicky (that I still feel overall so tired, and yucky) to angry (that I miss eating!) to excited to carry this through. I have no idea how I am going to feel moment to moment. That's okay. My weight is down about 11lbs and I feel better in that my clothes are looser and I feel lighter. That, I love. :)

I have definitely entered into a new phase. Feeling MUCH better today, been active all day and not tired at ALL. Thank God!

Tonight, lemon ginger tea, coconut water and a good movie!

Feeling GOOD

DAY SIX

Better today. This morning, I juiced, then made my son's breakfast and for the first time, didn't feel a strong desire to sneak a bite. ;) I went for a walk, which turned into some running, so that felt good. It's now 3pm and I am tired... feeling sluggish and headache - seems to happen around this time of day, not sure why.

DAY FIVE

Today was tough. Still hoping for / praying for feeling better, having at least some energy. Woke early, juiced for the day then went to a friend's funeral and then sat through yet another elaborate lunch while I sipped my juice, nursing a headache. I am so tired I can hardly do anything. Not sure why every other fast I have done has left me bouncing around with energy by day 4 but this one is making me feel like I was drugged. :( I came home at 3:45 and though I should have been working, cleaning, all I could do was to crawl into bed and sleep until 5pm. I am weak and all I can think of is food right now. That, and a glass of wine. Ugh.

DAY FOUR

I woke up early and prepared. So glad I did, as I was away from home all day, just got home at 6:30pm. I did fine, drank my juice, felt great until around 2pm, then starting feeling like crap... got kanker sores in my mouth, bad headach and just letharagic. So, toxins must be pouring out. Need to drink tea and lay low tonight. Hoping tomorrow is better!

DAY THREE

Wow, this feels a bit relentless. Last night was so tough and today isn't much easier. My son's 11th bday party starts at 1pm and I have a gigantic pizza sitting on my kitchen table, and ice cream cake in the freezer. Meanwhile, I juice. I love the juice, but seriously? PIZZA?

I was able to hold off last night, so I know I can hold off today but it's like an assault to my senses - all these smells! Please give me strength, please give me strength.

Got through the day. I smelled pizza all day and finally, its gone and so are the roudy boys. Just had a mean green drink and now having some ginger / lemon tea and about to do some art or watch a movie. Still deciding ;)

I CAN DO THIS!

DAY TWO

Tough night, lots of stress hit me hard and I felt like my day one was a wash.... meaning, I strayed a bit and so, today has got to tbe 100% committed. Must be. Will be. This morning, I juiced melon, lime, spinach, nectarine, a touch of ginger and celery. It was good. Off to do an hour long spin class. That will help my mood, I am sure!

I am going to keep writing about this because if I don't, I feel too isolated in the endeavor. I want to eat. I need to get past these first few days. I need a goal, so for now, I am not going to talk about 30 days, or 60 days. I am going to talk about the moment. TODAY I will only have juiced veggies with a touch of fruit. Today I will be gentle with myself and know that I am choosing this path, doing this for my health and well being.

It's now 10:32am and I just finished about 18 oz of juice: kale, spinach, carrots, parsley, cilantro, tomato with a touch of lemon and a tiny pinch of cayenne.

I know enough about how detoxing works in my body to understand why I keep having flashes of pure anger. It's toxins, or rather, the release of them. I know that when I basically drench my insides with pure, whole, live food that is nutrient dense, that it throws my body into a "shock" of sorts for the first few days. So, I am practicing patience with myself and the process. It ain't easy. But at the moment, having just finished the spin class (really tough) and feeling full of juice, I am satiated and doing OK :)

NEW NOTE: Last night I went with my son and boyfriend to a party we'd been invited to a month ago. It was called a "drum night" where we expected to do a drum circle, hang out. I knew it might be a challenge, so I came with coconut water and willpower on hand. We arrived and there were probably 20 people there. Immediately we were told, "Oh, didn't you know, we are serving dinner." They spent the next 4 hours preparing and serving course and course of breads, cheeses, wines, appetizers, then a huge, gourmet meal that was everything I love most in the world - veggies, salad, pasta and grilled chicken. I had to sit in another room, away from everyone while they ate, drank, laughed and talked because being that close to all of it on my second day was nearly unbearable.

I thought we were showing up to drum, so I figured we'd stay a couple of hours then be home in time for it not to be a big hit to me. The drumming didn't start until midnight and by that time, I was dizzy, irritable, and starving. I had nothing to drink for hours and I felt weak, so we had to go home instead of drumming - one of my favorite things to do. I was super disappointed, as I had been so excited to see my friends, hang out and drum. I went home, had about 8oz of juice, and fell asleep. :(

DAY ONE

I woke up and juiced pear, grapefruit, lemon, ginger, kale, carrots and celery. Drank about 10 oz. Wanting coffee badly. I have been off of caffeinated coffee for a while now, sans one cup here or there in the past 2 months. However, the taste of coffee in the a.m. - it's such a treat. Today, I MIGHT have a cup. I am still deciding. I weighed in this a.m. and while I am not yet comfortable stating the number, I will, I will. Somehow I think it will be easier to fess up to when it's lower and I can look back on it.

I feel good, but hungry. I will need to get back into the habit of drinking more water, knowing that helps. I plan to do a mid-day hot yoga class. For the moment, I have that beginner's excitement and I know that within 2-3 days I will be feeling fantastic!!

OK, it's now 6pm and I fell off the first day. Never happened before but I got myself stuck and caved into some butternut squash...ugh. Juiced the rest of the day, and so counting this as sort of day one, but also aware I wasn't fully on. I did also end up having a half cup of decaf, though I didn't finish it.

More tomorrow....

Long time, no write.... my fault, been off making a living, writing a book, raising my kid, singing, playing, living my life, but now, it's time to start writing about it, too.

I have now watched a documentary called "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" 4 times and I have done a juice fast after each viewing. This time, I did a week long one and now, I am ready to go for the real thing - a minimum 30 day fast, max 60 day. I set the initial goal of 30 days, because it feels less daunting. I told my boyfriend today that I was going for 10 days... or maybe I said 15. I said it because 30 sounded like a lot, but you know what? If I don't say it out loud, and become accountable to someone besides myself, then I will only maybe "try" and not just "do."

I realize I am starting this in October - knowing full well that I will be fasting during some of the most yummy months of the year, but in my mind, that is even better. I want to turn this ship around. I want to amaze myself. I am ready. I am having that last glass of wine tonight, that last taste of tomato sauce and then, I'm off! Off everything except fresh, juiced veggies and fruit that is.

Past experience has proven to me that I benefit greatly from fasting. I feel like a teenager, I slim down and I feel energetic beyond belief. My mood lifts, my optimism soars.

What I know about myself is that I LOVE food. I love wine. I love bread. I love cheese. I love all the things that do not help me to be healthier. And, I need to break the cycle of eating what doesn't serve me. And too much of it. More tomorrow, for now, I prep mentally and emotionally. Tomorrow, it's on!