Okay, so perhaps I'm overexaggerating a bit, but you get the point. I just keep trying to focus on the positive changes that I've already been able to see - skin is clearing up and softer, I've lost 5 1/2 pounds since day one, I have an emense amount of energy; although sadly enough since I'm currently unemployed I've just been sitting up in my room on YouTube or Facebook all day. I'm sure I could have lost a bit more weight if I was moving around more, but I did walk about seven miles yesterday, so that did help. I think today will be my last day of relaxation, as tomorrow I have a production meeting with a few people from Craigslist who are trying to get together and make short films. I expressed interest so I can build my portfolio of still images, as one of my possible career goals is to do still photography for film and television.
So back to juicing! This morning I heeded some advice from YouTubers who juice often and went ahead and made all of my juices for the day, although I may make one more around 8pm if I get hungry. For breakfast I had what is called Winter Crumble, although I did modify it just a bit by adding a handful of raspberries and three spoonfuls of Greek yogurt to the two apples and handful of blackberries. Lunch was called Bright Orange, which was two oranges and four carrots. Dinner, which I'm actually drinking now in the middle of blogging, is called Super Defender and I up'd the ingredients a bit to five carrots, two oranges and a large amount of kale, a juice that is extremely good for immunity, detox and skin. I'm slowly getting used to vegetable juices, although fruit juices are still my favorite.
So I've had a few people that are interested in following my juice fast, as well as possibly beginning one of their own, so I've decided to briefly [I'll try] to give some tips that I have learned thus far, since I believe all of this information should not be included in a diet book for sale. In an age where everything is commodified, health tips should be given freely!
So the first step is deciding which juicer you're going to acquire. I went on Amazon and looked through many reviews and in the end I purchased an Omega8004. Really good juicers are not cheap, I paid $200 for mine [eek!], but the nutritional benefits are well worth it, plus the 15-year warranty sold me. That being said, these juicers, along with most other health benefits, come with privilege, but that doesn't mean that all is lost. Although it does not have the same benefits, you can still use a blender, making sure to puree every piece of fruit and vegetable and it's still way better than eating processed foods.
So what is the difference between eating raw fruits and vegetables compared to juicing? Well the biggest difference is that when you're juicing, your body's digestive system gets a break and it is able to spend the free time cleansing and replenishing itself. This is where water comes in. During juicing one must drink plenty of water, not only to stay hydrated, but to flush out all the bad toxins. I've peed six times today already and my usual frequency is twice a day, maybe three times. Ahh, shush, let's get rid of all taboo topics and bring them to the forefront!
Speaking of taboo topics, there are side effects at the beginning of a juice fast that include headaches, fatigue, flu-like symptoms and yes, diarrhea. These are all normal, so don't think you're doing it wrong, it actually means you're doing it right! For me, I worked in fast food for over six years and had access to all of the free food that I could consume. It was A LOT. And now my body is detoxing to get rid of all those years of processed foods. It's going to be icky.
I try to post whichever juice I'm doing on a particular day, but there are hundreds, maybe thousands of recipes out there and feel free to experiment, although I would try some basic juices just to get started, especially if it's your first time. Also, stay away from having too much fruit juices, the natural sugars are still unhealthy if consumed at a high rate. I have been doing fruit juice for breakfast, fruit/veggie medley for lunch and all veggie juice for dinner, but you should decide what is right for you. I just like the routine, so I know how much of fruits vs. veggies that I'm consuming.
I also recommend keeping a journal or a blog/vlog. Put your starting weight and measurements down and document how you feel each day. For inspiration, you can check out the womyn that got me started here, as well as a recent vlog that I've come across that I think may be a little more beneficial. You can find her here. For my recipes I purchased The Big Book of Juices, which you can find by clicking the link.
If you have any questions, please ask! I am not a professional and as I stated, I'm only on day four of my very first juice fast, so please do a bit of your own research before getting started. Hopefully these will get you started. Peace, love and light.
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