Sunday, October 9, 2011

Whoops

So.

It has been a few days.

Yes, I am no longer juice fasting.

There are lots of reasons I stopped. Perhaps the biggest ones were losing momentum and convenience. It’s a lot easier to eat an apple or a sandwich than to juice a meal.

I hope to get back on tomorrow, or at least do the two juice/one eaten meal process. The difficulty there is that when you eat one meal, it’s harder to stay away from eating at other times.

I’m still pretty pleased with my overall weight loss and general health. I’ve still got a long way to go with the weight, but I feel good overall.

If I could offer advice to others, try not to let others influence you once you make up your mind to do something. Later, K+

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Still Alive (Day 14 of 60)

I'm still alive.

Nancy and I talked about the juice fast and decided I needed to take a break for a couple of days as it was mentally trying.

I'm not doing the fast for immediate nor imminent health concerns simply for a reboot to good overall health. So, we decided it would be good to rest it for a couple of days simply to deal with cravings and make sure all my body's needs are met.

The funny thing is that though I didn't juice today, I missed it, terribly. I keep thinking about all the nutrients I'm missing out on by not juicing. In addition, I consider all the "nasty" that's going in my body that's doing me no good.

Sure macaroni and cheese tastes good, but it doesn't really offer many health benefits. (And hers tastes really good... she makes her own with three different cheeses, whole milk and a decent amount of butter!)The kids absolutely love it -- even Jesse, whom we think is lactose intolerant, so he can't have any more of it.

Anyway, my plan is to start on the juicing again in the morning; although, I'm going to a luncheon tomorrow and may eat what they offer. I'll just have to see.

I plan to make juicing the majority of my meals in a day and to "juice fast" for ten days before I allow myself another two day respite.

I hope to add weight training into my workout this week which should help with the body toning and weight loss.

That's all for now.

Later,
K+

Thursday, September 29, 2011

There Went the Self-Control! (Day 11 of 60)

The day became very difficult as I had doubts about the whole juice fast. Questions arose regarding protein and fats. After some research, I became fairly comfortable with the fast, except I kept questioning whether I was getting enough protein.

Finally, when I smelled Nancy warming up dinner (the neighbor’s pot roast), I snitched a sip of broth (and a tiny piece of meat and potato). It was okay, but not uber-fantastic as my mind had made me think it would be.

I talked with the wife about my “cheat”, and she suggested that I eat some nuts if I was overly concerned about the protein intake. I was and I did. I ate about one-half cup of roasted almonds. They were good, but it left me wanting more.

What she doesn’t know is that after putting the kids to bed, and finishing the dishes, I snitched a piece of that pizza she made a few nights ago and a few bites of the basil chicken pasta. They were divine.

I know. I’m a cheater.

I won’t cheat anymore today. Tomorrow, I’ll be back on the wagon and won’t cheat.

I think a big reason for the cheat was psychological. I started doubting myself and what I was doing. You really can’t play those mind games with yourself and succeed. This process is something I want to do to kick my body back into shape. The high nutrient content will actually help me lose that weight. I like Joe’s perspective (the man who made “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead”). He stated that like animals that store fat for the winter and shed it in the summer, we too do the same thing when we concentrate on a veggie/fruit diet without the fats and meats.

I’m not disgusted with myself for cheating. Perhaps I should be. Instead, I’m kind of relieved. I had a “splurge”. I don’t really want to do it again. It may mean I don’t lose any weight over night, but truthfully, I’ve been doing well on that front and if I work harder can get back into that mode.

I’m out for the night.

Later.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Self-Control (Day 10 of 60)

A lot of it is about self-denial. Ever since college, I’ve struggled with my own self-denial. I had an epiphany one day through no design of my own. After offending a friend, another friend helped me realize that my over-zealousness and personal ideals framed by a closed mindset and unloving approach born from my own sense of pride in self led to my offensive behavior and thinking.

Surely that was a bit obtuse. To say it more clearly, I thought I had everything figured out which was evidenced by my own values and will-power when reality was quite different. Reality is that love trumps all. Since then, I’ve been very relaxed in my approach to many things in life. Sometimes, I’ve been too relaxed. In truth, I rebelled from my own “self-denial”. It has taken me a score of years to get back to a personal place of self-control where I am able (albeit not necessarily happily) to deny myself a very basic desire – eating – to achieve a goal (healthy living). I don’t think I’m rebirthing those pride issues. Over the last decade especially I’ve had many a humbling moment.

The beauty of it all is that it seems as though God has brought me to a place of healing and strengthening. I know life is never “easy” and many trials and complications await – that’s the nature of life. For the moment, I believe God is providing balm, and I am unspeakably thankful.

Well, the juicing is part of this whole process. I’m slowly wiping away nearly two decades of poor physical management. In college, I did pretty well with maintaining my weight, but once I left and got a desk job, the tonnage began to coalesce. After marriage and kids, the fat did not stop. It actually increased more rapidly. Perhaps the stress of six children and a wife with a low income has caused a bit of that stress. I think that many other factors were more involved in making the stress.

Regardless, here I am now, working on getting rid of the physical reminders of the stressful past and looking joyously forward to a bright future.

Juices today:
Standard Morning Juice
Apples (3)
Orange (1)
Lime (1)
Yum.

Spinach Lunch Juice
Spinach (4 handfuls)
Carrots (2)
Celery (2 stalks)
Apples (2)
Lemon (1)
It was alright. It wasn’t like drinking a collard green juice – eww.

Dinner Juice
Spinach (2 handfuls)
Carrot (1)
Celery (2 stalks)
Cabbage (2 leaves)
Apples (2)
Lime (1)
We’re getting low on varieties now. It’ll be pretty mundane for a couple of days with mostly similar juices.

Thank you for reading the blog.

Later,
K+

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Hungry (Day 9 of 60)

I still want to eat so many things. The fast food is still calling as well as some other foods. The neighbor gave us a pot roast tonight – it smelled so good. She apparently cooked it with more pepper than Nancy normally does. I so want to try it. *sigh*

I’m looking forward to getting to a “proper” weight. Then I can actually begin to enjoy my food again. I’ll just have to watch my calories and maintain a decent exercise regimen. I don’t want to eat the “bad” foods often, but the draw to them right now is so strong. How annoying.

On the flip side, I’ve really enjoyed the spinach. I had it a couple of times today in my lunch and evening juices. It went really well.

So I got up, drank two cups of water, went on a walk with the eldest and then went to workout. After the workout, I juiced.
After Workout Juice
Empire Apples (3)
Navel Orange (1)
Lime (1)
Red Grapes (about one and a half cups)
This juice was excellent. My only “complaint” was that it was a bit acidic and burned a little going down. I think I’m fighting off a cold or something as well. #3 had what amounted to about a 48 hours runny nose/low grade fever. Perhaps that’s trying to get me too. Although, I’m getting so many micronutrients, I don’t think it’s gonna work. *grin*

During the lunch hour, I went to my first area ecumenical pastor’s meeting. I was supposed to bring my own lunch, so I brought a Poland Spring lime-infused sparkling water. I showed up without a lunch, and straight-away someone offered me a half of a Subway sandwich. I had to decline. Then they started passing around the cookies. ARGH! I just passed them on.

I got home in the late afternoon and fixed a juice.
Late Afternoon Juice
Spinach (2 large handfuls)
Green Cabbage Leaves (2)
Empire Apples (2)
Carrot (1)
Celery (2 stalks)
Lemon (1)
Zucchini (one half large)
It tasted okay. The spinach does not have a bad flavor.

Anyway, after that I helped the wife by putting a chicken breast on to boil. When it was cooked she put it in the fridge, and we ran to Wal-Mart to get some things for #3, who had to go to dance.

After dance, I was able to fix myself a juice.
After Dance Juice
Spinach (1 large handful)
Carrot (1)
Empire Apples (2)
Navel Orange (1)
Lime (1)
This one was pretty good. The spinach kind of faded into the full flavor of the rest. I’d recommend this one. Truthfully, the fruit helps.

That’s it for now.

It’s nice to know someone’s reading, so feel free to make a comment. Nice or informative comments are appreciated. Mean ones will probably get deleted.

Later,
K+

Monday, September 26, 2011

Gettin' Stronger Every Day (Day 8 of 60)

When I was in Boy Scouts, my best friend came up with a recipe for bean chowder that we would often cook on campouts. Basically, it was a thin beef chili. It was marvelous. I remember enjoying it. Especially since that time, I’ve loved bean chowders, chili and stew.

Remember that roast beef my wife made last week (the night before she made the chili)? Well, she finally used the roast beef to prepare a stew. She added in a couple of tablespoons of left over mashed potatoes as well, to thicken up the broth. She prepared the stew in a crockpot.

It smelled simply superb – all day long.

I woke up tired and continued to be tired throughout the day. The juice perks me up usually, but I’ve just been ready to go back to bed. Now that I’m in the bed writing this post, I’m fairly alert; though I could probably go to sleep if I shut my eyes very long.

For years I have often wondered if I might have too much phlegm in my respiratory system. I can’t really explain it, except that whenever I’d take a very deep breath, I’d notice a little phlegm-ish rattle or something. It hasn’t bothered me for a few days. I breathe “easier” now.

Do not misunderstand. I asked my doctors about it and was always told it was absolutely nothing to worry about. Nothing ever showed up anywhere to be concerned – blood work, CT scans, X-rays, etc. Not that I made a huge deal over it or anything, but it was just one of those things that bothered me.

It seems to have disappeared recently. Now, it could be the change of environment (coming to the Northeast from the South), but I tend to think it has to do with the juice fast.

Anyway, enough anecdotal chatter, let me lay down my meals.

Morning Apples
Empire Apples (4)
That’s right… I had straight, fresh apple juice this morning. This was great. I cannot imagine having store bought apple juice when fresh juice is ready for the making.

For lunch, I had to scrounge as the veggies and fruits are getting low. By the way, I threw out the remainder of the collards. I just could not stand the thought of drinking that juice again.
What’s 4 Lunchtime Juice
Cabbage (4 leaves)
Carrots (4)
Celery (4 stalks)
Apples (2)
Zucchini (one half large)
I think keeping away from the collards made me think this juice tasted good. I’m not sure, but it was not all that bad.

I took the oldest two to Tae Kwon Do and then came home to smell that wonderful stew simmering in the crockpot.

Fortunately for me, the wife went to Sam’s Wholesale Club while I had the boys at TKD. She got me lots of produce.
Not Stew Juice
Spinach (2 large handfuls)
Carrot (1 large)
Sweet Potato (1)
Zucchini (one half)
Apples (2)
Lime (1)
Lemon (1)
Ginger (little bit)
She got me spinach. I’ve been avoiding it because it’s very high in oxalates which are very bad for kidneys. I figure though with this diet, I should be okay – lots of water, very healthy intake.

The juice tasted very good, and the spinach did not overpower the drink. I think I can deal with that! This juice caught me off guard by its sweetness and the way all the flavors melded. I’ll definitely have to do this one again.

I drank about three liters today.

I’m ready to sack out.

Night all. Or good morning, or whatever time of day it happens to be when you read this note.

Later,
K+

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Give It a Shot (Day 7 of 60)

One more day down and I’m closer to finishing this fast.

It was a little easier today. I’m still getting “cravings” for fast foods especially – which is weird because at most I only get fast food once a week, but for the last couple of years, it has been more like twice a month. It’s those engineered foods with “addictive” ingredients – high fructose corn syrup, I suppose.

We watched a movie over the last few days recommended by some friends, “Forks over Knives”. It was pretty good, basically advocating a vegan-only diet. While I can obviously see the benefits of a high fruit/veggie diet, I don’t want to cut out my meat and dairy. I don’t mind severely limiting the intake, but I am really looking forward to the time when I am able to eat some more of those things I’m denying myself right now.

That’s the thing. I’m denying myself now because I’ve been so negligent in the past and allowed myself too much indulgence. This lesson is a good one.

Anyway, let’s get to the report.

I fasted this morning as it’s a Sunday. I did have a bit of bread with Holy Communion and a little wine. For my lunch, I had a nice little juice.

Sunday Brunch Juice
Empire Apples (4)
Orange (1)
Lime (1)
Cucumber (1)
I absolutely love these apples. I wish I could eat them because they have an incredible firmness.

My wife commented that I should juice my collards separately and take a shot of them before I drink my regular juice.

So I tried that tonight (3 large handfuls). Ooooo that was so nasty. Granted, I held my nose and didn’t notice it until after I swallowed the green juice. It actually burned a little bit.

I followed it with a decent juice.
Decent Dinner Juice
Carrot (1)
Celery (2 stalks)
Empire Apples (2)
Lime (1)
Cucumber (1)
Zucchini (one-half large)
This one was a little hard to get down. The carrot didn’t mix well, but I drank it, and life goes on.

I’ll probably have more collard shots over the next couple of days just because it’s so good for me.

Nancy is very impressed with the weight loss so far and how I’m already showing some significant slimming in face and on the stomach. I’m pleased she’s seeing it.

I’m beginning to enjoy the whole juicing thing while I’m still pining for some good eats. This diet is a little hard, but I think it'll be well worth it.

You might want to think about trying it too, if only to gain some energy and healthier aspects.

At the "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" site they offer lots of information -- not just about the 60 day fast -- but about shorter, more easily sustained dieting options. Regardless, it's a great thing to eat more veggies and fruits.

Give it a shot. ;)


Thank you again for your prayers and kind thoughts. Keep ‘em up, please.

Later,
K+