My 30 Day Juice Fast #crazyjuicer

Wow, 30 days juicing!  Why...How...Why???  Well, let me tell you why and how.  

First with the why?  I felt that I needed a change, not just a "change", but a "drastic change"...a mind and body change.  I had been thinking for a while about doing something,  I just wasn't sure what it was I needed to do.  I just knew that I needed to do something.  It's kind of hard to explain what I was feeling.  I wasn't really overweight, I was already eating a 100% vegan diet and mostly raw.  I just felt that my life was not where I desired it to be.  

I needed to do something  in order to get it where I wanted it to be for ME!  The early part of July I began thinking about the idea of a 30 day juice fast.  I didn't actually verbalize it until mid-July.  Once I verbalized it I made the commitment to myself and that is what I would do...beginning August 1...A 30 day Juice Feast!  

How did I prepare? First, the most important thing is getting the mind right.  This journey was more mental than anything.  Once I made the commitment with myself I knew I was going to complete it.  Physically, I prepared by eating mostly raw foods and drinking plenty of water 2 weeks prior to the fast.  Lots of fiber!!!  These are some of the notes of my 30 day juice fasting journey...

DAY 1

I am pretty leary about beginning this fast in the middle of the work week but that's what I decided to do so I'm sticking with it.  Like I said I tried to eat pretty clean the last couple of weeks so that the detox symptoms wouldn't be so hard on me also tried to eat foods with lots of fiber.  Got through this day pretty good.  Drank 3/24oz juices today and 2 liters of water.  No detox symptoms today.  Not surprised.  Prepared juices for the next day.  Tomorrow is making me nervous.  Last time I did a juice fast I spent day 2 on the couch. 

DAY 2

Alarm goes off and I notice that my body is sore. Can't lay in bed because I've got to work today. And, today is my long day. Oh boy, here goes...starting each day with a large glass of lemon water. Got through the workday better than expected. Drank 3/24oz juices and 1/16oz juice today.  Energy level was at a 7 for most of the day. Got slight headaches throughout the day but drinking water seemed to take care of them.  Couldn't wait to get home and chill.  No juice to prepare for tomorrow because it's my off day. 

DAY 3...woke up earlier than normal on my day off...6:30. Can't lay in bed either. Energy level at a 7  for most of the day. Went to a birthday party today. Normally I take a favorite wine with me for the host of the party. Today I'm taking a bottle of one of my favorite juices...pear and grapefruit.  Thinking of food and beginning to miss chewing.  Drank 3/24oz juices today and 2 liters of water.

DAY 4...again, waking up very early for my days off. Not that I slept really late but this getting up at 6:30 on my days off is getting old. Just can't sleep late.  Feeling like I'm getting over the hump. Energy level is at an 8 for most of this day. Didn't do very much today.  Starting to feel cold most of the time. It feels good to drink my juices outside in the sun.  Drank 3/24oz juices today and 2 liters of water. 

DAY 5...Woke up insanely early. Energy level at a 10 most of the day. Feeling pretty good about this fast. Drank a large glass of lemon water.  Starting to notice a white coating on my tongue...a lot of people think that this is a part of the detox process, but it's actually because there is no stimulation of saliva from chewing.  The mouth gets dry and that leaves a coating on the tongue.  Will all go away once the chewing starts again.  Feet and hands stay pretty cold. Drinking my juices in the sun whenever possible helps me stay warm.  Drank 3/24oz juices today and 2 liters of water

DAY 6...back to work today.  Alarm goes off at 6:30 and instead of laying in bed until 6:50, I'm out of bed at 6:35.  Started the day with a large glass of lemon water. Energy level at a 10 most of the day.  Friends at work are starting to notice some weight loss and I'm beginning to feel it too. My scrubs are a tad bit looser than before. Only weighing myself once a week, so, I'll know how much weight I've lost in a couple of days. Feeling pretty awesome.  Still thinking about eating.  But I'm committed to this 30 day fast for so many reasons. I've decide to enjoy the changes that are occurring mentally and physically.  Drank 3/24oz juices and 2 liters of water. 

DAY 7...Had a dream about raw lasagna last night... Not just any raw lasagna but specifically raw lasagna from Pure Food and Wine.  I'll be traveling to NYC soon after this fast is over.  With that said I woke up with food on my mind. Sleeping very sound these past few days.  Lemon water to start my day. 3/24oz juices and 2 liters of water.  Work is going well. Going outside for lunch. Starting to need the sunshine to warm me up. Energy level is a 10 most of the day. 

DAY 8...Down 7lbs.  Lemon water to start the day.  3/24oz juices today and 2 liters of water.   Energy level at a 10 most of the day. Work day went well.  Looking forward to the weekend.  Staying up way to late watching the Olympics.

DAYS 9/10... Slept like a baby!!!  Lemon water to start each day.  I had 3/24oz juices each day. Drank 2 liters of water. Energy level has been a 10 both of these days.  

Day 11...woke up feeling great.   Energy at a 10  Again woke up early, 6:30 this morning, layed in bed til 7:30. Began my day with a glass of lemon water. Felt so good today that I went on a 3  mile walk. It was probably the easiest walk I've ever done. Came home and told the hubby that I felt like I was floating. Hard to explain but it was a great workout.  Took a 2 hour nap today  Had 2/24oz juices today.   My neighbor was frying fish on her deck. Normally the smell of fried fish would have grotesqued me out, not today. It smelled delicious. I had to come inside. I am noticing that I am loving the smell of ALL foods.  Didn't really want that third juice today...wasn't hungry but I forced myself to drink it...didn't finish it.  

Remember the party that I went to last Friday? The one that I took the bottle of juice. Well, this is the text I received today from the host of the party.   "I want you to know I'm obsessed with juicing now.  Day two of supplementing a meal.  Just need more combos ideas." How awesome is that!?!!

DAY 12...slept later today than I have so far.  Drank my large glass of lemon water and 16oz of juice and did my 3 mile walk. Easy Peasy. Felt awesome before during and after.  Drank 2 more juices today 24oz each. Energy level was a 10 most of this day. Made my hubby a big kale salad and was not tempted to eat any, ok,  I did lick one finger after I massaged the dressing into the salad... It was delicious. Only drank 1.5 liters of water today. I realize that I drink more water at work.  Hubby is thinking that I'm losing too much weight.  I actually have a goal and if I reach that goal early I may add a raw meal. I'll keep you posted. I can definitely see the change in my body. Inches and weight loss. I feel so good!!!  

DAYS 13/14...Pretty uneventful days. Talked about food a lot today. Definitely going to NYC when this is over to get my lasagna. Energy level is at a 10 most of the days.   Cousins in town from NYC staying at my house this weekend.   I made kale salad, hubby made guacamole and we had other snack foods for them. It all looked delicious but I felt ok not eating.  Licked the back of the spoon after I stirred up the hummus. Drank 2/24oz of juice today and 2 liters of water.  Having a hard time wanting that 3rd juice of the day. Just not hungry and not feeling like I need it.  I drank coconut water instead. Loving how I'm feeling.  My body has finally adjusted to all of this liquid.  I'm not going to the bathroom every half hour.  Weighing in tomorrow.  

Feeling Awesome!

Little did I know that the hardest days were ahead of me!!!!

Funny thing about this fast is that the closer I got to the end the harder it got.  I was so tempted by food I didn't know what to do.  It was a daily struggle to not break this fast.  I tried to concentrate on my plan to maintain what this fast has done for me.  How am I going to keep this level of energy that I have and don't want to lose.  I tried to focus on anything that did not include food.  IT WAS HARD!!!

I MADE IT!!!!  Total 15lbs lost!!

Let me tell you how good I feel!  I learned so much about myself during these past 30 days.  One thing is discipline...I've become the disciplined person that I wanted to be.  My relationship with food is totally different.  I've been eating raw/vegan since the end of the fast.  I would like to say that I'll be 100% raw forever but I don't think that is practical in everyday life.  I will be as raw as possible most of the time.  I am definitely more aware of what I'm putting in my body.  I am going to do whatever possible to maintain this feeling that I have.  I've even lost an additional 2lbs since ending the fast.  Funny how the body works.   

As for juicing...Juicing is and will always be a BIG part of my life.  I am still juicing everyday!  I recommend that anyone interested in juicing watch the documentary "Fat Sick and Nearly Dead".  That is were my juicing journey began.  Juicer For Life!!! 

And to all my #crazyjuicer friends on Instagram...Thank you guys for your inspiration and dedication!  You guys helped me more than you will ever know!!! 

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Frequently asked questions:

*What kind of juicer do you own?

I have a Breville Juicer Plus.  I love it!  Easy to clean and easy to use

*How many juices did you drink a day?

I drank 3/24oz juices per day occasionally adding an additional 16oz juice.

*How much water did you drink a day?

I tried to drink at least 2 liters of water a day?

*How was your pooping?  Yes, that has been a question...

Well, in the beginning of the fast it was fine.  Not much but fine.  Towards the end of the fast it was every other day if that.  I did give myself an enema on day 21 and day 29 of the fast just to make sure that all of the bad stuff was gone.

*Did you work out during the juice fast?

I started working out around day 10 and continued to work out at least 3 days a week during the rest of the fast.

*Did you drink smoothies or eat fruit during the fast?

I did not eat any food during the fast...only juices.

*What are you favorite juices?

Watermelon with lime; pears and grapefruit; white peaches and oranges; and green lemonade=kale, lemon, lime, green apples and cucumber.

*Would you do it again?

Absolutely!!!!!