So, Burley and I have been juicing.
fresh vegetable juice.
For about 3 weeks.
(Last night, as I wrote this, my stomach was filled with two tacos, 1 margarita, and some chips and salsa... And I feel like you need to know that, in order for me to keep my integrity in tact. But this post is still legit, and this morning, you bet I am back drinkin' the juice).
I am a really big fan of a crash diet. Like a REALLY big fan. #Thingspeopledon'tadmiteveryday.
I love goals, and I love to lose weight. But we all know how that works out in the end.
So, after watching
this documentary, I was ALL about kicking whole foods out of my diet for a while and switching to juice only... over night... and losing 40 lbs... in 5 days. Right?
But. Obviously. That's just not real life folks. It's just not real life.
So we juiced for 3 days, and on the night of the 3rd day we went to Outback Steakhouse and got fish and vegetables like any normal senior citizen couple would do.
And as we were headed to Outback Steakhouse, I was on the phone, catching up with my big brother, and HE TOO had started juicing. He was actually good about it, and attacked it in a "I want this to be a long lasting, sustaining thing" way. So he gave me some really good advice... and now Burley and I are three weeks in.
I am down 6lbs.
That is without working out and without really sticking to juicing on the weekends. And when I just get back in town, have no groceries in the fridge, and eat mexican food instead of grocery shopping.
But, overall, I have noticed a lot of changes in my body (better digestion, more normal sleep patterns, more energy)... And I am on a sustainable track to lose the extra lbs I have been working so hard on! All in all I would say that's a win win win! And I can't wait until life slows down so that I can get sometime to actually stay at home, only juice for an extended period of time, and see what happens!
So I wanted to share a few recipes and tips with you, when it comes to getting started with a juice fast or diet.
** I am not a doctor. These are not at all proven facts. But this is what I have learned so far through research and actually doing it **
// ORANGE
- 7 carrots
- 1 orange (rind removed)
- 1 apple (quartered and seeded)
- 1/2 a lemon (rind removed)
- 1 inch ginger root
- (this one calls for a slice of pineapple but I dont use it)
// GREEN
- 3 leaves kales
- 1-2 handfuls of spinach
- 1 bunch parsley
- 1/2 cucumber
- 2-3 sticks of celery
- 1 apple (quartered and seeded)
- 1 inch ginger root
- 1 lemon (rind removed)
// DRINK A CRAP TON OF WATER - This one may sound easy to you, if you are a water lover. Me, on the other hand, I am not. I sometimes will tell Burley, I can't remember if I have had a glass of water in the past few DAYS. That is not a lie. That is the truth. However, while on a juice diet, you are in DESPERATE need to listen to your body, rather than your taste buds, when it comes to water. Water is going to help you stay full when/if you get cravings, and it is also going to help you flush out all the impurities that juicing is inevitably going to break loose from your system. Trust me... Drink water, and see WAY faster results.
// SHOP FOR 3 DAYS. NO MORE, NO LESS - When Burley and I know we are going to be in town/at home for a week straight, then we usually make our juice at home. We shop enough for 3 days. This ensures that the veggies we are using stay fresh and full of nutrients. Plus, you will be surprised how full your fridge will be w/ 3 days of juice (especially for two people). We only make enough juice for 1 day at a time, since we don't have a fancy shmancy
masticating juicer. Yes, that word makes me uncomfortable too. But long story short, the cheaper juicers aren't as clean in their juicing process, so the nutrients start to oxidize just 4 hour hours after you make the drink! This means you lose a lot of the good stuff, and a lot of the power of the drink. So make 1 or 2 drinks at a time, and even the whole day if you absolutely have to. And if you are making juice for the whole day, I would definitely suggest keeping it in a sealed tight glass container. It's hard work, but worth it.
// DON'T GO COLD TURKEY - Again, these tips and tricks are based on MY personal experience... no one else's. So, you may be cold turkey able. However, one thing that I have realized works better for me, is not completely going for a 180 when change is in the air. For example... I still have my coffee (with cream and truvia in the mornings). I also may still have a glass of red wine a few times a week. In the future, when life settles down a bit, and I am used to my juicing ways, I may just cut some of these out, or at least cut back, but for the time being, I am more of a warm turkey.
I also will go maybe 1 day with full on juicing, and then the next day I will have a plate of roasted veggies for dinner. Having a sit down dinner makes me feel like human, so I usually do this a few times a week.
// WHEN YOU MUST EAT, EAT WHOLE FOODS - Life is busy. And it is hard to juice all the time. There will be days where you just don't have time, or can't get to your local juicer to pick up some nourishment. On those days, choose
whole foods to subsitute for juice. I also eat fish, but have pretty much cut out most meats for the time being. This will ensure that you aren't retoxing (not a word) your detoxed diet and all your hard work. This will also ensure that you are only filling your stomach with foods that your body is actually going to use.
// KNOW WHERE YOU CAN GET FAST FOOD - Luckily, juicing is getting more and more popular these days, so there are a lot of local places where you can actually pick up fresh juice. Many
Whole Foods and
Earth Fare markets now have a fresh juice bar. There are also a lot of smaller shops that will offer this type of drink. Here in Denver, Burley and I use the
Juice Mon who kind of floats from restaurant to restaurant with his juicer, depending on the day of the week or the time of day. He has been a life saver for early mornings and busy days. Key words you want to look for when purchasing fresh juice from a store are "cold pressed." This is a process that makes fresh juice sustainable, and means you are actually getting fresh juice that is holding its nutrients, long enough to put it on store shelves and purchase.
// WHAT JUICER DO I USE? -
This one. It's not the worst, but definitely not the best. Well, honestly it probably is the worst. If I were you, I would suggest maybe spending around $85 - $100 on a good juicer to make your life easier. And to make your juice not a disgusting consistency.
And that is it folks, my juicing 101 information. I hope this is helpful! This is obviously ideal information, and I promise I have not been following it all to a T. But these are my goals, and when I DO follow the rules, I have been SO happy with the results I can see and feel in my body.
I challenge you to try it for 3 days and see how you feel. But don't lie to me about drinking water. Seriously... You need to drink the water, guys.
Let me know if you give it a try! I would love to hear your feedback!
Cheers,
Maddie
