New blog

Hey all,
If you have enjoyed this blog, please check out my new one....
Life Is Presh

I have my recipe's much better organized.  Also all my new healthy recipe's will be going on this new blog, so check it out!  I think you all will love it!

I would love to hear any feedback from you all.  How is your juicing going?  Have any of you committed to a full juice fast?  If so, how many days are you doing?

What kinds of recipes would you like to see on the new blog?

I will be keeping this blog open so you all can read and share my 30 day Juice only Fast diary and my short reboot.  Please feel free to share both blogs with your friends!  I hope this one has been an encouragement, or at least given you some laughs :)  And I hope that Life is Presh will also be encouraging to you.

P.s....all the juicing recipes are up on the new blog!

Rebooting Day 4

What a great day!  I spent my day 4 feeling good, chilling with my kiddos, and doing a photo shoot.  (check out my photography on FaceBook or at OpenOurEyes Photography) Then in the evening we all went to our amazing Church for some worship, communion, and prayer.  Just a really awesome night.  Towards the end, all of us staff went up front and our pastor invited everyone to come up for a prayer of blessing over their lives.  Some people had specific area to be prayed over, and others were sharing victory already won and that God would just continue to bless their lives.  Like I said.....amazing.

My time with God yesterday was a little WORD via YouVersion in my Joyce Meyer reading plan, which I thought was great enough to share with you all here...just re-affirming what God has been telling me all through this fast....Simplicity....it's not about rules and regulations.  It's about Freedom, Courage, and Boldness.  Walking with the Lord, letting Him work FREELY in our lives.....

There are too many unhappy born-again, Spirit-filled believers who don't know what it's like to remain full of the Spirit of God by acknowledging Him and pursuing His ways daily. The Holy Spirit is in them, but they don't let the evidence of it show up in their normal, day-to-day life.

It is possible to fill a glass with water without filling it to full capacity. Likewise, when we are born again we have the Holy Spirit in us, but we may not yet be totally filled and have the evidence of His power in our lives. 

Acts 4:31 reports that when people were filled with the Holy Spirit, they spoke the Word of God "with freedom and boldness and courage."

It does not please God when people leave Him out of their daily lives and then follow religious formulas to try to appease Him. Instead, He wants us to live the Spirit-filled life of freedom, boldness and courage. 

I urge you to let God work freely in every area of your life through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Prayer Starter: God, I want to be filled with the Holy Spirit every day. Help me to live with the freedom, boldness and courage You give in my daily life.

- Joyce Meyer, Everyday Life Promises, Daily Devotional 

Acts 4:31

And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

So good, right?!!!

I had a couple juices for day 4:

Morning/Afternoon:

1 Pineapple, 3 oranges, 2 handfulls spinach

Evening:

4 apples, 2 large kale leaves, 1/2 lemon

Happy Juicing y'all!  How is your Prayer and Study time going?!  Feel free to share!  I love comments :)

Rebooting Days 2-3

Days 2 & 3 were honestly a bit hard.  Harder than I initially anticipated, especially after doing a 30day just a couple months ago.  I have really had to focus and get into the WORD.  In whatever way I can.  Remembering that this is first and foremost a spiritual fast.  I have no need to loose more weight right now, so it seems easier to want to just stop.  I think because the 30day juice fast I did back in Sept/Oct was primarily for health and weight reasons.  So as much as I was excited to start this fast, I really had to refocus my why.

I am actually writing this on the morning of day 4, looking back at the past couple days.  It has really been amazing how God is already working.

Before we started this fast, my husband and I discussed some of our own desires, needs, and made some goals for the new year within our marriage.  One was: for the next 3 months we are going to do something nice and unselfish for the other person.  Admittedly, we can both be very selfish people.  The things we have done so far aren't anything huge, just things that say, "hey, I'm putting you first" or "I desire to do this for you because I can".  Simple stuff and without the other person asking.  Chris and I think we've got a pretty great marriage, but we also know there is always room for improvement, hence God giving us these ideas :)

Some examples:
1. Let your spouse have a "me day".  Chris got to go out with a friend on Saturday and hang out at Lewis & Clark, then go watch the new MI4 movie.  Then on Monday, I went out and got a new pair of shoes :)
2. Smile, Hug, Kiss - show each other physical attention without being sexual.  Just because you love them and want to show them you love them.  Some people only know how to show love in a sexual way, and for us women in particular, that's just not enough.  We need passion, to be wooo'd, romanced, and sought after, etc...
3. Sit down and just talk with one another after the kiddos go to bed about what God is doing in each of our lives. Sharing scriptures He's given us each.
4. Iron their clothes
5. Chris, knowing I wanted a shower on Saturday before he left, offered to finish up the kiddos baths and get them all dried off and dressed by himself so I could get a shower in.
....just a few examples

All of the above things may not seem like huge deals, but when you add all the little things up they are HUGE!  And our marriage is already benefiting in a big way!

I have also been reading Love As A Way of Life by Gary Chapman, and got the idea to do a Kindness list to start out the New Year.  Chris liked it so much he has decided that we should do one each day of our 3 month marriage enrichment time we are doing.  We have found that it's really hard to not feel blessed when you look at all the kindnesses shown to you throughout the day, and in turn desire to do more kind things for others.  Doing this really means paying attention and focusing outward.  Opening your eyes to all the "small" things.

Chris and I had an amazing discussion last night about what God is showing each of us.
The biggest thing God has really shown me the past couple of days is : SIMPLICITY

Genesis 5:-21-24
21 When Enoch was 65 years old, he became the father of Methuselah.22 After the birth of Methuselah, Enoch lived in close fellowship with God for another 300 years, and he had other sons and daughters.23 Enoch lived 365 years,24 walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him.


This is so powerful to me.  Go and read Gen 5:1-32.  NO ONE else was described as such a man.  One who "walked in close fellowship with God."  


Simplicity.  Walk with God


Then I read in the Gary Chapman book a quote by Sacrates, "Beware of the barrenness of a busy life."


Again showing me to stop filling the schedule so much with things that are FOR God, because that isn't what He desires most.  He desires that I walk with Him.  Simple right?  And yet so easy to forget.


So this year, my personal "resolution" so to speak is to keep everything simple.  Not to over think things, not to strive on my own (because it's God that works all things out and fights for us), not to doubt my own ability or gifts, not to feel guilty because I'm not doing as much or the same thing as someone else (because we all have our own calling.  And without the anointing and calling we work in vain and without true purpose.  God has given us each a specific calling).  Instead I will simply walk with God and trust in Him to work anything else out.  None of this is rocket science.  It's all stuff I've read and known before, but this time it has just really struck a cord and brought new insight.  And God always does that right when we need it.  


About juicing....
I juiced one drink yesterday and it lasted all day....
3 oranges
3 apples
1 lemon
1 small piece of ginger
2 stalks celery
2 kale leaves
2 handfuls spinach


I hope all of you who are juice fasting are enjoying all the benefits!  It will definitely give you added energy and just all around feel at a all time healthy best.  At least it does for me when I juice. 


And most importantly, get into the WORD!


I leave you with a link to a sermon that was especially powerful during this time.  And towards the beginning there is a super cool vid/worship song of the "Global Choir".  Elevation Church had viewers from all over the world submit YouTube vid's singing a song that they sing there at Elevation.  Then took every single one of those entries, put them on the screen, played them at the same time and made a "Global Choir."  It is nothing short of Awe.  Enjoy:


Code Orange Christmas


Happy juicing!

Rebooting Day 1

Today is the first day in our Church wide 7 day fast.  And of course, I am juicing :)

Since my fast back in Sept/Oct I have maintained my weight.  Oh sure, I would gain a couple pounds here, but then would loose them within a day or two.  I haven't eaten hardly any meat.  The first time we bought any meat was last week when I bought some chicken to make homemade chicken noodle soup.  Other than that, I have only had meat at the in-laws or if we eat at Chik-fil-A...I'm a little hooked on their chicken salad sandwich.  Besides the Chik-fil-A, I've done pretty good if we eat out.....veggie fajita's at the Mexican food places, soups and salads (no thick ranch dressing either!...and I love ranch).

I did start to snack a bit again with the holidays.  I knew it was bad, but it tasted SO good.  And what kind of host doesn't try what I'm gong to be feeding my guests.....you know, 'cause the chocolate covered pretzels could have somehow not turned out as good as they usually do.  ;p  Of course they turned out lovely...one after the other.

Then Christmas came, as did a stomach bug of sorts.  Which left me bathroom bound for 3 1/2 days and nights.  Don't forget the nights.  Not fun.  I had gained a couple pounds from my holiday snacking, but after my sickness was down 2lbs under my pre holiday weight.  It was the worst.thing.ever.  And definitely the worst way I've ever lost 4-5 lbs.  Ugh.  I really don't know why anyone would want to go on one of those crazy diets where you drink something that makes you do what I did for a couple days....on purpose.  Really.  Why?

Anyways....Focus....Day 1

My day one of this fast was tough.  If it could be summed up in one word: Exhausted.  I was exhausted today.  All day.  I stayed up way to late last night early this morning watching movies.  And I paid for my 2am bedtime severely.  BUT, I do have to say that the movie Warrior was absolutely AMAZING.  Great story.  Go get it at Redbox.  You won't be disappointed.   On the other hand you can skip the movie Boy Wonder.  Not great.

So my day today was rough to say the least.  I came off a bit grumpy I'm sure.  But I was really just exhausted.  My wonderful hubby even sent me out of the house to spend my gift cards he gave me for Christmas at my fave clothing store (Altar'd State) thinking maybe I just needed some me time.  It was nice, and I got a new pair of TOMS.  And I also walked around my other fav store, Williams-Sonoma.  I have to be honest though, I really just wanted to go to the Pressroom with a book and drink either a cup of hot Savoy tea or a honey vanilla latte....or both, and grab a piece of their yummy cake while I'm at it.  I was tired and wanted something comforting like a hot beverage and cake.

But I didn't cave.

My time with the Lord today consisted of a little worship music and some prayer time while driving to and from the Promenade.  It was good, but I'm sure will be much more fruitful on Day 2 when I'm awake.

My juice today:
Breakfast: 3 oranges, 2 big handfuls spinach, 2 stocks of Celery
Lunch: Water
Dinner: 4 Apples, 1 Cucumber, 1 bag Cranberries

Post Thanksgiving Update

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!

So it's been about 6 weeks since my fast ended.  I did end up getting the flu which was NOT fun.  I guess it was bound to happen.  Especially when I took about 2 days off from juicing.  Bad idea.  Besides the flu I have felt super.  I have been eating healthy, with a few splurges here and there, but all mostly healthy.  I will have the occasional ice cream or cappuccino but now I don't feel bad about it.  Why?  Because I'm healthy!  And I am at a healthy weight again.  And the rest of the time I AM eating healthy.

I am still juicing.  Today I made a juice with apples, spinach, cucumbers, celery, and lemon.  It was Yum-O and made me feel energized for the day!

Some of my favorite things to eat since getting off my fast....
-fresh fruits and veggies
-soups made from fresh produce
- different variations of egg rolls (I make southwest one's with beans, veggies, and quinoa and I also make a regular asian style)  I leave the veggies raw.  I make these with either the eggroll wraps that need to be cooked in the oven and I bake them, and I also use Rice Paper wraps so I can just eat them 100% raw.
- salads
- Couscous
- Panini's - I make them with grilled veggies and they are A-MA-ZING

I feel so much better eating healthier....and like I stated above, when I want to splurge a bit it's not a big deal.  I haven't been eating meat with the exception of a couple of times.  I have had chicken...with couscous and also added to one of our soups I made, had turkey for Thanksgiving, and just had my first bit of hamburger in some chop sui my MIL made. (totally spelled that wrong).

I'm definitely not as bloated as I used to be.
I'm drinking TONS of water
Haven't gained any weight (I'll gain a pound or two, then loose it the next day.)
Craving are down majorly
I'm not feeling the need to continually snack all day long
When I am out and about I don't feel the need to run through a drive through or buy a snack just for convenience purposes.
My energy is WAY higher than it was before the fast.

I didn't pig out AS crazily as I normally do at Thanksgiving.  I had one large helping of dinner and some dessert.  Normally I would have gone back for seconds or thirds....plus dessert.  I only gained 2lbs as of Sunday morning and that was with 3 days (thurs, fri, and sat) of eating way more than normal, then I lost it today.  And I have to say that even the amount that I ate during Thanksgiving weekend made me feel blek and SO insanely tired.  My first turkey and my first mashed potatoes, pumpkin cake, apple pie, and stuffing, then some BBQ since the fast.....all of which is full of carbs and starch.  BLAH.  But it did taste yummy.  I'm just glad to be back to normal today, ha!  There is definitely a HUGE difference in the way I feel when I eat healthy and am juicing as opposed to not....like this past weekend.

I can't tell you how glad I am that I made the decision to do that fast. It was hard, but definitely worth it.  If you keep up the healthy eating, listen to your body and only eat when hungry, continue to juice, and drink plenty of water....all of which I've been doing, you should also have amazing results and keep off the weight  and stay healthy once you are done fasting.

I can't wait to do another fast in January.  I'll be doing at least 10days of juice only.

Keep an eye on the blog as I am also adding some good healthy recipes when I make new one's....and one's that I at least try to keep track of approximate measurements.  Most of my cooking is just throwing things together....a pinch here, and handful there.

Also for those who are just starting their juicing journey to a healthier lifestyle, I have TONS of great juicing recipes also under that tab.

The AWESOME thing about juicing is it is HEALTHY.  It's not a crazy fad diet where you starve yourself or give yourself crazy diet pills.  In my opinion it is the most healthy thing you can do for your body.  That pure surge of nutrients from fresh veggies and fruit is amazing.  And even if you don't have weight to loose, it's an even better way to keep healthy and have tons of energy without needing caffeine or sugar...both of which also comes with the crash.

Nothing looks better than healthy feels, and nothing feels better than looking AND actually being healthy.

So go juice something!

1 Week update (after the fast)

Well, it's been a week since I ended my juicing fast!  I am still feeling great.  Still the same weight.  I've been watching what I eat.  Just eating vegetables....and a few cookies :)  I took my wonderful husband out for his birthday dinner finally!  We went to Bonefish....had some fish.  We also took the kids to On the Border.  I got Veggie Fajita's.  I also ate my share of chips and salsa/queso blanco.  I wasn't hungry the next day so I just juiced.  Just goes to show how long it takes food to get through the system.  And how many calories/fat you eat when eating out....even if you try and do it healthy.  Each of the two times that we ate out, I juiced the next day.  I just was so full still, but I wanted to make sure my body was still getting a good amount of nutrients.

It's SOOOO stinkin' nice to have energy!  I have energy to play with my children, clean the house, exercise....etc.  Yesterday we spent the 1st half of the day out and about.  I took my hubby to work, then me and the kiddos went to Hobby Lobby and literally spent an hour and a half there.  Then we went to Target.  Then home to have lunch and to let the kiddos relax a bit , and then we went back out to go to a park before picking up Chris from work.  And I wasn't even tired!  Pre-Fast I would have been about to crash and fall asleep after about 20 min in Hobby Lobby.  HA!  Today I have spent the day dancing with my kiddos while listening to music, washing laundry, playing trains, and cooking some yummy Southwest Egg Rolls.....check out the "Healthy Recipes" tab for the recipe!

As I mentioned above, I was out with the kiddos the good majority of the day yesterday.  But what you may not have caught was what I DIDN'T do.  I DIDN'T get a coffee (still have yet to drink coffee...well I had a couple sips at church last night, but it was NAS-TY.  blek).  And I DIDN'T grab any kind of food while out.  NOTHING.  After we finished at Target, instead of running through fast food and heading to the park, we went home so I could MAKE lunch.  Then we went to the park afterward.  Don't get me wrong though......I REALLY wanted to grab some Popeye's.  :)   But besides that, fast food doesn't sound good at ALL.

I heart veggies!  Eating right just feels SO good.  Too good to go back to the way I was.  My clothes are loose!  I can actually dry my pants in the dryer....and they are still loose!  YAY!  It's about more than just weight loss though....although that definitely helps....but more than anything just feeling more healthy and having energy is the best!

I am still juicing at least once a day....sometimes twice.  I love it!  Seriously, if you have never juiced...DO IT!!!  You won't regret it!!! So Good.

Day 30

Woohoo!!
Some before (left) and after (right)


I lost a total of 21lbs.
Start weight: 144
Today: 123

I didn't get a chance to post yesterday, but it was a good day!  And today has been great!  I actually just had my first juice of the day at 1pm, and am still drinking it.  I've been drinking water all day, been grocery shopping, and doing laundry.... and haven't even been hungry or at least hadn't thought about it.  So, I loaded my lunch drink with lots of greens to get lots of nutrients.

If you can remember, on day 28 I had two drinks with cranberries.  One just a handful, and the other I juiced an entire 12oz bag.  If you would really like to just make sure you're fully cleansed and detoxed....I'd recommend it ;p  'Cus if you weren't before, you will be after.  Just sayin'.  Good way to end the fast....and probably a good way to start too.

Early this a.m., after dropping my wonderful hubby off at work, the kiddos and I went grocery shopping!  'Cus you know, I can eat tomorrow! woot!  Pretty much everything in my cart was a veggie, fruit, or something organic in nature.  Here are some pics of what we got....

A friend told me that peanut butter actually has an oil in it that our bodies literally cannot digest.  Um, yuk.  She suggested almond or cashew butter.  This was all I could find at Walmart.  Gave it to the kiddos today and they seemed to like it!

Our fridge did NOT look like this 30 or more days ago.  It is FULL to the brim with veggies, and a couple fruits, and even....yes, even TOFU.....I'm gonna try it :)  And I also got some organic eggs.  Those are a bit pricey...I wish I knew someone who I could by them from for less than $3 a dozen, but I think that's about the going rate for organic anyway.  That's how much they are at the farmers market too.  But we will definitely be eating less eggs going forward.

Some of my choices for veggies/fruits:  Bell Peppers, Paplano Peppers, Jalapeno's, and some other spicy pepper, cabbage, green delicious apples, Broccoli, Banana's, Organic Spinach mix, Italian parsley, cilantro, Zucchini, Mint leaves, Basil leaves, avacado's, etc....#goodstuff  I had already got Cucumbers, Eggplant, and Kale from the farmers market.

Instead of Hershey's chocolate syrup, I have gone back to giving the kiddos Ovaltine.  Also, all breads were from the fresh bakery section.  I have started to buy the fresh stuff (I like the one's marked down that were made the day before....way cheaper and perfectly fine, they just can't sell "fresh" bread the next day) and then I freeze it.  Fresh bread is the best to freeze, because you can take it out of the freezer, leave it on the counter for about 30-45 min and it is good as new, perfectly soft and full of all the flavor.  The regular breads that are not fresh are gross/dry after you defrost them....at least in my experience.  So get fresh!  I also got some healthy wraps....the tortilla ones, and also some wonton and egg roll wraps! Oh and in the back, that is agave nectar....apparently healthier.  Giving it a try, although I did grab brown sugar just incase, lol

Things I bought that are not pictured....black beans, stewed tomatoes, rotel, and Quinoa. 

And all the groceries I got still came in $20 under budget

Things I did NOT buy, that I normally had been......Processed foods, crackers, cookies, cheeses, meet, regular eggs(the 2 1/2 doz b/c we ate THAT many), juice, chips, etc....NOT buying the junk will save you money so you CAN eat healthier.  Eating healthier doesn't mean spending more money all the time, unless you are also buying the junk.  So don't buy the junk.  

Thank you to all of you who have been encouraging me through all this!  You all have been a huge support system and also a big crowd of accountability, which I needed!  Many of you have text me, called, fb'd.....and I appreciate it SO much.

For all my fellow juicers......

Please don't stop asking questions!  If I can answer your question I will or at least point you in the right direction.  Stay on track, but don't beat yourself up either.  Baby steps.  Get some accountability.  That's what this blog, fb, and all you that I would see were for me.  Let others know you are juicing so you can have that accountability.  

And remember, if you choose a 30day or longer.....It's gonna be tough, but it's also going to be SOOOO worth it!!!  Choose to make a change. Don't wait till it's too late and you HAVE to.  Do it when it's a choice.

After today, I will leave all my juicing journal on here, but will also start posting my new healthy journey and some recipes!

I DID IT!!! WOOOOOHOOOO!

Happy Juicing all!

Day 27

3 days and counting!

Thankfully I stayed uber busy today.  Farmers Market first thing.  Then had a photo shoot.  Went on a Mommy-Daughter date with my Trinity.  Got a new kitten.  He's adorable.  I just *might* like him even more than our Belle kitty.  And I really loved our Belle kitty.  Our kids love him.  He's layed back and cuddly and not as high maintenance. Then I had another photo shoot this evening!  Went to the store for more celery, oranges, and some cranberries.

I lost another 10oz's last night! So only a couple oz's shy of 20lbs lost! yay!

Below was my fave drink of the day, and it's new!  Peaches juice lovely....

Breakfast was super yum today!

2 Peaches

2 Oranges

2 Apples

4 handfuls of Spinach

(makes enough for 2)

Happy juicing all!

Day 26

Today's blogpost is short...

Still feeling great. Energetic.

Just lost a few oz's since yesterday, so still at 19lbs weight loss.

Really wanted to cheat today. So glad I only have 4 days left after today.

I am SO ready for that first meal!

SO. Ready.

Pushing through...

Till Wednesday. Then I will be eating some yummy fruit or maybe a Spinach salad.

I will still be juicing twice a day and eating only one meal per day for probably another week or two after the fast stops.

My exercise today was taking a 2mile walk with the fam at the Compton Gardens! It's just beautiful there.

Happy juicing!

Day 25

I feel like I'm getting rather redundant in my posts the last few days....but incase you're like me and it takes a lot to get through, I will repeat....

I.Feel.Wonderful
Energized
Healthy

I lost a few more ounces as of this morning bringing my total weight loss to 19lbs!!! Holler! I decided to do a test today. I decided to try on a pair of shorts that haven't fit in quite some time. Last summer they were tight. This summer they were darn near impossible. Tighter than tight. I grabbed them thinking, eh, who knows maybe they aren't that tight anymore. Well, not only were they not tight, they were LOOSE like when I first bought them several years ago!!

I have to do things like that....clothes don't lie. And it's really hard to get the full scope of pounds lost in a tangible way, especially when this is the first time I've kept track of my weight daily. So I try on clothes and also take pics and use the "Diptic" app to put my beginning pic next to the current one. Can you tell I'm a visual and hands on person? lol. It's one thing to hear the amount, and another to experience it through clothes starting to fit and be loose and seeing before and after pics. It makes it more real. Like I'm not dreaming that I have lost 19 pounds in such a short amount of time AND in a very healthy way.

And you're not just loosing weight in a healthy way, you are BECOMING a healthier person each day. Your body is cleansing, healing itself, re-energizig. You are setting yourself up to live a healthier lifestyle just by teaching yourself discipline and self-control with your eating habits. And in turn your self-confidence skyrockets, you're happier, have more energy, loose weight, and you're all around a better person. All because of sacrifice.

You are sacrificing 30 days and in turn gaining your life back. A life that has the power to say "No!"

Sacrifice

Maybe you're not Fat, Sick, and Nearly dead.....yet. But why let yourself get that far? That's exactly what I asked myself before starting this fast. When is enough, enough? I didn't want to see if 20lbs of weight gain a year was in my future. I couldn't wait till I was a Phil or a Joe.

I had to take preventative action.

Many of you have joined me. I am SO insanely excited to see so many people, guys and girls, my age and younger taking charge and refusing to be another "average American".

To each of you who are daring to take the challenge and improve your life, health, and future....CONGRATULATIONS! I know each of you, like me, will never be the same!!! Don't give up! Keep pushing towards your goal! You will feel rough a few days. This is not easy. But if you stick with it....oh the benefits!!!

Happy juicing!
5 more days!!!!

Day 24

6 more days!

And it's my wonderfully amazing hubby's Birthday!!!  Happy big 30 sweetie!! Love you!

Today was another day of feeling just wonderful and full of energy that I haven't had in quite some time. Our laundry baskets are all empty....we have 2 triple separators in our laundry room....so essentially 6 "baskets" in there alone. I have really shown our laundry room who's boss over today and the previous two days. I walked in this afternoon and said, "wha? wha?" and the trembled.  Ok, so not really, but you get the point.  And it's awesome. It's even all put away! Yippee! Our whole house has stayed clean!

This morning after breakfast, I went into the kids playroom. They all asked, "Mommy, can u sit and play with me?!". My initial thought was "in a few min because I need to.....". Hey, wait a min! I already have everything clean because I have started keeping it that way again! So nice!!! "why yes, I will play with you right now! Let's get the trains out!".

Loved it! I have all my energy back and then some! Healthy is wonderful!  Life if good!

Here are a couple new food recipes...I've also had the energy to cook good meals and snacks for my fam!!!

Roasted Chick Peas:
I can chick peas
2tsp olive oil (I used vanilla since we are out of olive oil)
2tsp brown sugar
Cinnamon, sea salt, nutmeg (to taste)
I also added cajan seasoning since these were part of dinner.

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees
Rinse chick peas in water. Pay dry. Take any loose skins off. Line cookie sheet with foil or parchment. Bake chick peas (unseasoned) for 25-30 minutes. Put chick peas in a bowl and add the olive oil or vanilla (whichever you use), toss. Then add all other seasoning and toss till chick peas are well covered.

Serve warm or throw in a salad! Both my children and husband loved them! I will be making more for the kiddos tomorrow.


Oven Baked Chicken, couscous, and spinach salad: (this recipe has NO butter or oils!!!) #healthy
1lb chicken (we use the tender size)
pepper, sea salt, touch of curry, Creole....all to taste
Water
2 Carrots
1 box Couscous (your choice on flavor.  We used the roasted garlic & olive oil)
Handful of Spinach
Lemon
Parmigiana
Roasted Chick Peas

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees

Clean chicken and place in an 8x8 glass cookware
Cover with water
Peal and slice fresh carrots and add to chicken
Throw in all the seasonings to taste (except parm)
Cover with foil
Cook at 425 degrees for 40 minutes (I flipped the chicken pieces over once)

When your chicken has about 10 min left, start the Couscous.  Just follow the directions on the box.  However we didn't put in any butter or olive oil.

Take your Spinach and line your plate.  Sprinkle some juice from a lemon onto the spinach for a light dressing.  Sprinkle on parmigiana and the chick peas.

Once your Couscous and Chicken are finished, add Couscous to the center of the plate.  Tear chicken into smaller pieces and lay on the Couscous.  Add the carrots.

Serve!

And in the words of my hubby, "This is one of the best meals I've ever had.  SO good!!"  He loved it all.

This is what I get to open once my fast is OVER!  yay!  I cannot wait to use it!  It is for anything I want to grill.....Panini sandwiches, veggies.....anything!  

Happy Juicing everyone!!!

Oh.....and down another 1/2 pound! Total lost....18 1/2 lbs! 

Day 23

Another day full of tons of ENERGY! Yay!

I also took a pic in the morning right after my shower of my skin. If you remember, I had mentioned that I have always had very sensitive, acne prone, and a bit of rosecea. Take a look at how clear and non-red my face is looking:

May not be a big deal to most people, but when you've spent the majority of your life trying to figure out what in the world can help your skin....as I have....It's a BIG deal to have smooth, non-red, glowing skin for like the first time since before puberty. Exciting! :P

As of today I officially have one more week!  Yay!

and don't forget all, I have made a page just for RECIPES!  These are all just mixes I have found or just thew together and liked.  This way they are all in one place for all of you who have started juicing!  

I was also very proud of myself.  Late in the evening I really wanted a juice before I went to bed....but it was like 930pm.  I know it's just juice, but I was proud of myself for NOT having one.  It really helped with my self-control and not giving in to thinking I need something so late.  One day at a time I am becoming stronger and stronger disciplined against the desire to eat whenever I think I need to.  And even if I am legitimately hungry, at 930 at night I need to just wait till morning.  Ah, discipline and self-control.  I'm learning!

Happy Juicing!

Day 22

She looks well to how things go in her household, 

and the bread of idleness (gossip, discontent, and self-pity) she will not eat. 

-Proverbs 31:27 

(definitely my verse for today!)

I feel amazing today.  Crazy Energetic.  I'm thinking more clearly.  I literally got up a little before 7am and have been going all day....dishes, kitchen, laundry, putting ALL the laundry up, sweeping, playdate, and then took the kiddos on a walk....

This is 90lbs of triplet cardio.  Second day in a row I have had energy to take them out!  Pulling this is way harder than the stroller, so a much more intense workout, without actually overdoing it for the fast.

Right now is now my relax time.  And I'm still not crazy tired.  I actually may decide to do more cleaning since I still have so much energy! 

I.have.missed.this.

I am starting to feel like myself again!  

I don't feel bogged down, sluggish, tired, and just plain BLAH anymore.  I'm sleeping very well, waking up refreshed and actually AWAKE, not grawgy.  Not only am I feeling healthy and refreshed and rested, but my clothing that was uber tight, is now fitting or loose.  It's good. Goooooood.   The weightloss is like the icing on the healthy cake.  

Total weight loss: 18lbs

And it feels GREAT

One new-ish juice today...it's like the Baja, but added in Kale, Apple, and Orange:

Baha Plus:

1/2 Pineapple

1 Orange

1 Apple

4 Kale leaves

handful of Cilantro

1/2 Lime

As of tomorrow I have 1 week left!  Yay!  I'm ready for a veggie wrap!!!

And all the people who work at the coffee shop and smoothie places who don't know there is a difference in Smoothies and Juicing......or for any of you who REALLY have questions regarding Juicing vs. Smoothies.  I honestly didn't know either before I researched and started this fast, so good info from Joe Cross .....

Day 21

Woo hooo! Less than 10 days to go! 9 to be exact.  And I am so ready!  The fast is definitely awesome and making me feel great, but I will be happy to end and start making some of the new recipe's I have found for raw, vegan, vegetarian food...and just healthy in general meals and snacks!  

And just to clear this up, I will not be going total vegan, raw, or vegetarian.....but mostly, hence me combining all these recipes into my new healthy diet.  That is to say that if we are out and I want some fish or a small filet that I may splurge and get it.....It's all about moderation.  Also, by husband likes meat and cheeses.  We won't be eating it very much, but every once in a while I may throw some ground turkey in the spaghetti or chicken in the enchilada's, ....and I also like a nice fritata, so not completely getting rid of eggs either......etc.....Moderation.   During the day while I'm at home I will mainly be eating whole foods/raw/vegan or vegetarian dishes and snacks.

I found this video and thought it was great....I really want her non-cookbook :)  Live Raw 

I'm really loving learning all I can about eating RAW, because it is so much healthier.  When we cook our veggies, although it's great we are eating veggies, many if not most of the nutrients we are wanting are cooked out of them.  And I love cooked veggies.  I had always been under the impression that it didn't really matter how they were prepared, as long as you didn't fry them.  WRONG!  I am learning SO much during this fast.  BTW, before you hit the play button, I want you to guess how old this lady is......you'll be wrong.  Trust me.  

If you are praying/thinking about doing a juicing fast, I HIGHLY recommend a 30 day fast.  Why is because of my personal experience.  If you're just tuning into my blog, please go back and read some of my earlier posts or the And so it begins initial post.  

Here is just the explanation of days 16-30 which is where it all comes together!  Where I am now!  Benefits you won't get if you do a short fast.  

Stage 4 (Day 16 to Day 30)
The body is completely adapted to the fasting process. There is more energy and clarity of mind. Cleansing periods can be short with many days of feeling good in between. There are days when the tongue is pink and the breath is fresh. The healing work of the organs is being completed. After the detoxification mechanisms have removed the causative agent or render it harmless, the body works at maximum capacity in tissue proliferation to replace damaged tissue. While a short fast will reduce the symptoms, a longer fast can completely heal. Homeostatic balance is at optimum levels. The lymphatic system is clean except for a rare discharge of mucus through the nose or throat. After day 20, the mind is affected. Heightened clarity and emotional balance are felt at this time. Memory and concentration improve.

(Sounds good, right?!!!)

for the complete stage write up also check this link out:

http://www.juicefasting.org/detox.htm

This link explains very clearly what your body will go through at EACH stage during your fast.  Non of the things in this explanation are definitely going to happen to you.....Most of the "bad" stuff didn't happen to me.  But it also makes a difference in how NOT healthy you are before the fast, and how much crud and bacteria you have taking up space in your body.  Gross, but the truth is sometimes, especially when it comes to the American diet and what we put into our bodies.  Blek

And also, if you are REALLY feeling hungry, drink more juice with veggies in them.  You should NOT be hungry at all during this fast.  Although psychologically you may think you are because you just want to eat....trust me I went through that.  My stomach felt full, but I just wanted to eat!  Stay strong, drink that juice, and push through.  The cravings will lessen (although you may still have tough days...like me yesterday).  But gaining self-control and discipline over your food addiction and habit will CHANGE YOUR LIFE.  

Have I mentioned that I am feeling great?!  I am becoming happy with my body....and not just because of the weight loss (17 pounds so far! woot woot!) but also and more IMPORTANTLY  because I am becoming healthier and I can FEEL it.  It's absolutely wonderful.  

Anytime I am out around people I know, the topic of juicing comes up.  A lot of people are curious about this!  And I am always SO excited when people text, Facebook message me, or just come up and tell me that they are getting a juicer and are ready to begin!  It's a hardcore journey towards a healthier lifestyle.  I am praying for each of you to be strong and have the self discipline and control to get through to the end.  Because if you do I know you will NOT regret it.  I can tell you all day long how it has changed my body, my life, the way I view what I put into my bodyt, my self-control and discipline, my clarity of mind, my self-confidence and just overall feeling amazing....BUT until you do it for yourself you just won't get it.  Until you start, it's just an idea, a "one day I will".  

If you start making excuses why you don't need to do it, odds are you really need to.  

I know this isn't for everyone.  But if you are among the few who are serious about cleansing your body, and making the best first step towards a healthier lifestyle, this IS for YOU.  

If you can say yes to any of these, then at least give it a thought...

Do you want.....

• to have control over your eating habits
• self-control and discipline in general
• loose weight
• start leading a healthier life
• change your family health tree (not sure about yours, but our family members before us have all had either Diabetes, Heart Disease, strokes, heart-attacks......etc)  
• clearer mind
• emotional balance
• better spiritual life (I didn't start this fast as a spiritual one like usual, but it became one.  I feel closer and more connected to the Lord as I gain personal strength, self-control, listen to discipline and obey, and welcome this change)
• more self-confidence
• more ENERGY!
• your jeans to fit better
• to feel sexy for your spouse (goes with self-confidence ladies.....and men)
• a change.  'Cus what you've been doing isn't working

So here's to day 21!  9 more days! 

Total weight loss: 17lbs

Trust me y'all.  If I can do this, YOU can do this.  

Day 20

If today was summed up in three words it would....Great Family Time
If it had another 4 words, it would be.....I WANT TO EAT

Ugh

Having myself a little pity party.  And I have been a bit grumpy this evening.  We went out this afternoon and had a great time as a family.  We went to the park and had a picnic.  The kids got to climb rocks, jump off rocks, and roll down a hill till they couldn't roll anymore.  Then we went to the 'nade to hang out.  Kids got their usual "strawberry bear" (strawberry-lemonade at the Antie Anne's/Choc Factory....they have a ginormous stuffed bear in the window....hence "strawberry bear" drink).  Chris got himself some chocolate.

*Sigh

It was a great, but HARD day.  It was hard sipping my drink at our picnic while everyone else had sandwiches, baked lays, and apples.  It was hard going to the 'nade and not enjoying some chocolate with the hubs or getting a frap.

By the time I was done smelling all the glorious smells of our world of food, I was feeling a bit like Oscar the Grouch.  Or maybe a big bear, because I really just wanted to GROWL.  I wanted to throw myself down on the floor and have a toddler fit, kicking and screaming.  And quite honestly, I did in my mind.

But then that little voice in my head reminded me of why I am doing this.  That a quitter would have given in to the chocolate or getting a coffee.....or heading to Sbarro's for a slice of cheese pie.  But there was a purpose to my juicing madness.  That I was NOT a quitter.  And that I needed to suck it up, juice a big pineapple for dinner, and PUT MY BIG GIRL PANTIES ON.

The only bad thing about being blunt and to the point.....the voice in my head is the same.

So, here I am writing this.  Fresh pineapple juice on the nightstand 1/4 way drank.  Big girl panties back on.....although I'm still not super happy about it.  And I will push on to Day 21.

Because I have a purpose.

Change.  Healthy.  Renew.  Lifestyle.

Purpose to my juicing insanity.

And really, what is 30days when looking at the whole span of our lives.  It's nothing.  But it's everything if I quit.  And it's everything if I push through, finish, and start living a healthier lifestyle.

So here is me telling you again.....

Not everyday is going to be super awesome.  Some days will be DIFFICULT, and YOU will be CHALLENGED like never before.

BUT.....hang in there.  DON'T give up.  PUSH through.  You'll regret it if you don't.  And I refuse to live in regret.

Remember that saying...."10 years from now, you'll wish you would have started today"

Happy Juicing!

Days 18 & 19

Day 18

Another great day!  I have been feeling amazing.  More energy is always good too!  I found this quote on Pinterest the other day.  It's pretty much EXACTLY what I tell people about this fast:

It's anything but easy.  Especially with 3 young children to feed all day long.  And nights were always our family time.  My husband would get home from work and we would all sit down at the table and have dinner together.  So that's hard.  Being around all the food is hard.  But has definitely gotten much easier.  Like I've said in previous posts, I am really enjoying the pure smell of food.  Taking it in.  Savoring it in my nose.  But easier, doesn't make it easy.  But it's MORE than worth it.  I haven't had any kind of cold, allergy, nothing....this whole time I've been on this fast.  And this is cold season where we live.  Tons of people's allergies going crazy, stomach bugs, head colds.  All the while, I feel great!

I did have some serious cravings during the evening/night hours.  My hubby and I had a movie night and rented Thor and Scream4.  It's hard having movie night without the snacks!  lol  Oh, how I wanted some popcorn and some chocolate!  But I got through it.  Thankfully, we don't have any of that in the house anyway. 

For some reason I have felt bloated the past couple days.  So, I decided to drink less juice and more water. During the past couple days, I also have not lost any weight.  It's kinda weird.  

Day 19

T minus 11 days! woot!

Today is another feeling good kinda day!  Also, the bloated feeling is going away.  The only thing I could think was the strawberries?  Not sure.  I had been doing mostly greens with just a bit of fruit, then I did a few days of more fruit.  In those days I have not only not lost weight, but also felt bloated.  Hence, it's back to mostly veggies today!  *although those strawberries were a nice treat!

Today's Juicing:

Breakfast:

Orange Juice - 4 oranges (made 14oz)  for some reason the bag of Oranges we got from Sam's are smaller and also don't have as much juice as the individual one's I got from WM.  Usually it only takes 3 oranges for 16oz.  

Snack/Lunch:

Some leftover Carrots and Greens from yesterday:

4 carrots

1/2 cucumber

2 celery sticks

1 Apple

4 kale leaves

After-lunch/Dinner

Mean Green 

2 Apples

3 Celery sticks

1/3 Lemon (peeled)

1 Cucumber

3 Collard laves (we are out of kale at the moment, otherwise it would have been 5-6 kale leaves)

1 small piece of Ginger

Total weight loss through today: 16lbs

I have pretty much decided that after this fast I am going to live a mostly vegetarian/vegan/plant-based diet.  We aren't going to be all super crazy with it.....if we eat at someone else's house or go out to eat and want to splurge a bit, then we can.  Although I'm sure our stomach's will not like us afterwards, lol.  But, I believe if we can get our at-home eating as healthy as possible, then a little splurge every once in a while won't through us way off track.  But it's what we want in our house for the most part. Because it's really the fact of having all the crud in the house, eating it all the time, then going out and eating even worse, getting lazy or in a hurry and going through fast food.....it adds up.  Real quick. And like I've said, I felt like crudola eating the way we were, and so did my husband.  So we have both made the commitment to start eating better from the start as to not get back into old habits, that honestly don't even sound good to us at the moment.  

So our biggest prayer now is that we will be able to do this healthier eating within our budget.  Meat is pretty expensive, and although we don't eat a lot of it, just cutting out the real bacon and chicken, and small amount of hamburger we buy will really help out.  And we are still not sure how the whole foods thing will go with our only good whole food place being about 45min from our house.  We will really have to figure out either just a few specific things to get there or how to buy bulk online or something....still trying to figure that out. 

P.S. : Check out Pinterest.com or the Pinterest app on your iPhone for some great healthy recipes and other juicing blogs/websites!  Feel free to look through my "Healthy" board!

Remember all, stay strong!  Your body will not like this fast the first couple days.  But stick with it, cus ....

"I'm not telling you it's going to be easy, I'm telling you it's going to be WORTH IT!"

Happy Juicing!

Days 16 & 17

The past couple days I've been thinking a lot about what lead up to my weight gain over the past year/year and a half.  I don't know how many times these past several months I have prayed asking God for self-control over my eating habits.  Countless times.  I had seemed to gain this fruit in many other areas in my life, but until recently never really dealt with it when it came to food.  I've always had a pretty high metabolism.  I went through a "chunky" time in like 8th-10th grade.  Then lost a ton of weight in 11th and 12th.  Then leveled out at the beginning of college.  And I stayed there.  For several years.  Then I had triplets.  And quite honestly I lost all that baby weight super fast.  I was down to 5lbs below my pre-preg weight after about 5-6mos.  It was great!  But as our children grew and started eating regular food, our doctor urged us to feed (primarily Asher) as much FAT as we could get down the kid.  You see he had lung issues, which I'm not going to get into the full story here, but his weight effected those issues so we needed to "fatten him up".  His breathing causes him to burn an extreme amount of calories, hence needing way more fat and calories in his diet.  SO, in came real bacon, as opposed to the Turkey we had been eating.  Also more cheeses, and sweets and just anything fatty we could find.  At first I would just make his food with all the extra fatty in it and not eat it.

Then I got lazy.

Then I started to like it.

Then I just ate because it sounded good and it was in the house.  Other people smoke, I ate.  That's the only thing I can think of that comes close to what I've been doing this past year.  But it's not 'cus of stress.  It's weird.  I like to eat the most when I'm happy....and I'm a generally very happy person...so.  yeah.  I figured that out during this fast.  Every-time I would get really excited about something or super happy my initial thought was "lets go out and eat with friends!!"  Then I was like, "oh yeah.  hmmm" HA  So I"m learning to be happy and not want to eat everything in site :)

20lbs later......

I believe that the Dave Ramsey principle works here.  At least it did for me.  "You have to get MAD!"  Of course he was speaking about debt for those who haven't been through Financial Peace University (go through it, it's great, and will change your financial life.....anyways)  But I don't know about you, but I was not just mad, I was ANGRY that I had let myself go.  And I'm not obese by any means, but I just didn't feel good.  I felt fat.  I felt heavy.  My jeans didn't fit.  And we all know: Jeans DON'T lie.  Slowly my clothes were fitting snugger and snugger and I was trying to find ways to not look fat. I was tired all the freaking time.  When I got up, when I was playing with my kids, when I was resting.  All I wanted to do was lay around and nap.  And I'm not a take a nap kind of person.  I was just exhausted all the time.   We really are what we eat.  Junk in = blah and tired and weight gain.  My skin was just blek...dehydrated all the time.

Before this fast, my stomach literally looked like I was 4 or 5 mos pregnant.  And I'm not.  HA!

Just through this fast thus far, God is answering my prayer.  He is TEACHING me self-discipline and control over my eating habits through me taking action and me disciplining myself and going through this.  Day by day.  It's hard.  But OH SO worth it.  I've been praying before and during this entire journey that God would literally change my way of thinking about food; change my cravings and desires.  That by the time I am done, I am craving HEALTHY more than anything.  That this not just be something I did this year, but this change the way I see food, cook food, view myself, and again....how we really are what we eat.

The past two days, that has been all I have wanted.  Healthy.  I want a salad, or a lettuce wrap, or just fresh veggies (non juiced).  I am craving all things healthy.  It's good.  I've been on Pinterest scouring for great healthy recipes.  And I've found SO many on there!  It's exciting!

Since being on this fast just a couple benefits:

• Clearer/smoother skin (I have sensitive skin and a bit of Rosesea and it's WAY better)  My husband has even told me and other people that my skin has this glow about it that he hasn't seen in a while :)
• Weight loss - 16lbs so far!
• Not fatigued - WOW, I feel great when I wake up in the mornings!  I wake up rejuvenated and ready for my day.  As opposed to how I WAS feeling....I was laying in bed and sleeping forever and even after waking up I was incredibly grawgy.  And that would just last throughout the day.  NOT any more! yay!
• Mind feels clearer - when they talk on the movie Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead about how you start to feel  like a fog is being lifted in your head....it's for reals people.  

So today is day 17 and I am SOOOOO very thankful that God has brought me down this path.  Sometimes I just wish that HE would just answer my prayer....in this case, just bestow me with self discipline and control.  But HE doesn't work that way.  And I'm glad.  I'm thankful that God allows us to make those hard decisions and just rely on Him.  Because it's these times that I cherish.  I love Him showing me that I DO have the strength, that I CAN do it, push though, overcome.  I'm learning.  A student to the end :)

Psalm 94:12 Joyful are those you discipline, LORD, those you teach with your instructions

Proverbs 12:1 To learn, you must love discipline

I am joyful!

Happy Juicing everyone!