Refining my Eating Plan for Fall

I've been drinking green juice almost exclusively for 10 days. In that time I've successfully realigned my nutritional intake and dropped 11 pounds. It's so difficult for me (and for most people it seems) to leave refined sugar and preservatives behind and consume only fresh vegetable and fruit juices. It takes planning time and a little money for fresh produce and a juicer. It takes social strategy to avoid junk foods and pre-packaged food-like products. It takes a supportive family environment. It takes fortitude to press through those first difficult days of detoxification. But for me, it is totally worth it. And the results speak for themselves. I know that sounds kind of cocky, but the truth is that I feel great!

Today's juicing ingredients:

Moving forward, I'll continue juicing in the mornings and afternoons. The only change I'll be making is that I'll have a raw meal in the evenings. This can be salad and raw soup, or any of the yummy dishes from my raw recipes section on the blog.

When I'm in the process of loosing weight and training for an athletic event as I am now, my eating plans are always very fluid. Of course I have my rules: 1) No refined sugar, 2) No processed meat, and 3) No simple carbohydrates. But beyond those rules I can eat a wide range of things as long as they are whole foods - meaning they are as close to their natural state as possible.

So this week, I'll begin adding evening meals back into my juicing routine. Fasting on only green juice for the past 10 days did it's job and I'm confident that I'll stay on track as I reintroduce solid food to my system! If, as the fall progresses, I need to modify my eating plan, I will. Thanks all for your supportive comments in these past two weeks. I love to hear from you!

One Week of Juicing!

I've come to the end of a week of juicing and I don't want to stop.

I think this could be the beginning of something really wonderful. 

So... another slightly out of sync video for you!

It Makes Me Happy

Happy Labor Day! It's been a big week, filled with sending my children off to school for the first time, hosting a second-hand sale at my house and of course juicing! The great thing about juicing is that I'm not in the kitchen for half of the day cooking and prepping food. Instead, I can do more of what makes me happy like reading, blogging, walking, playing with my kids, painting and thinking.

Here's one of the things that my new found time has allowed me to contemplate. "Do More of What Makes You Happy". To follow that creed you have to ask yourself a deep question, "What makes you happy?" I used to think that eating made me happy. I was so sure of this, that food was always my first stop when I wanted to create some happiness. But simply eating didn't make me happy - all it did was make me feel better...  for a moment.

All the things listed above make me happy because they are deeply enriching activities. Eating just for eating's sake is not enriching or nourishing. It's a bad habit and it does not create happiness. But I do love good, beautifully prepared and well-paired food. I love flavor and texture. I love the social aspects of sharing good food. All of this is what really makes me happy - not eating just to fill the void.

To do more of what makes me happy, means that I have to be mindful of what makes me happy. And it's extremely important that I not confuse what makes me happy with what masks the feelings of unhappiness. That is ultimately the difference between what is a healthy choice and an unhealthy choice. And it can be applied to most everything in life - relationships, food, sex, drugs, work... all of it.

The "I Did It" List

successful juice fast for six days

sent my children off to school without crying in front of them

met an article deadline at Houzz.com

hosted a home goods sale in my house and made some money

did a photo shoot for a family of four

took care of my children

made food for my family even when I wasn't eating any of it

made my bed almost everyday (except Friday)

The Ups and Downs of Juice Fasting

I've been on a green juice cleanse for the past six days. Three days in, I started my menstrual cycle (yippie!) and decided to throw in a few cups of Miso broth thrown in for flavor, protein and comfort. But otherwise, I'm drinking a diet of green juice.

Why a juice fast?

I love juicing for lots of reasons, but the biggest by far is that I am able to cut caffeine and refined sugar out of my diet in one fell swoop. I'm a cold turkey kind of girl and a juice cleanse is a great way for me to quit sugar. I'm such an addict that if I allow myself little amounts, trying to slowly wean myself off of sugar, I'll start sneaking it in here and there and pretend I didn't eat it.

In my teens, I lived part-time in a house where snack food was always available. There was never a moment when you couldn't pop open a can of Pepsi, grab a bag of something salty and take it back to your room. In our home, it wasn't considered odd to find an empty half gallon ice cream container sitting on the floor next to a bed. Now in my adulthood, if I allow a little, I'll eat a lot. Sugar is my downfall. That's just how I'm built.

Don't you feel bad when you eliminate solid food?

The first few days of a juice fast are always the hardest, even tortuous, for some people. If you're coming off of heavy caffeine and sugar consumption, as I was, you'll probably experience lethargy and head aches. I certainly felt my share of "ick" during the first few days. But now that I'm on day six of my fast, my body is adjusting to the juice.

How does it benefit you?

Personally, I get a lot out of juicing. Physically, I feel lighter and more in tune with the needs of my body. Juicing helps me to re-train my brain not to expect huge dumps of food into my belly every three or four hours. Juicing allows my body to take it easy and heal from all the damage that sugar and excess food has caused. My skin, gums and hair are healthier. I feel more radiant and present.

Emotional benefits come as well. Once I'm through the first few difficult days I begin to think more clearly and engage in my life in a deeper way. I'm able to assess my real feelings without the added enhancement of sugar highs and lows.

What's the hardest part of juicing?

So many of my life patterns are built around planning, acquiring, preparing, consuming and cleaning up after food. All of my social behaviors are centered around food and all of my free time is spent thinking about food. When I choose to juice fast, I have to be very mindful about my existing patterns. The most difficult part is remaining social and preparing meals for my husband and two sons, all of whom are still eating solids. It's a tall order. Luckily, I have a VERY supportive partner who makes space for these juice fasts and even joins me on occasion.

All in all, I feel that juicing is a great fit for my personality and my needs. I've got weight to lose and I need to end some bad habits NOW. And juicing is a fabulous way for me to put on the brakes and get real about my eating habits.

As always, I welcome your comments, insights and questions in the "comments" section below!

Drink Your Greens - Juice Fast Day 3

I'm on day three of a juice fast. I've had lots of questions about my plan and what program I'm following. The short answer is I have a plan, but there is no program. When I juice fast I allow my body and brain dictate the amount of juice I need. I drink as much of it as I need to stay energized and satiated.

What do I drink?  I drink green juice all day long and allow myself a special treat juice in the afternoon, which is usually something a little sweet and zingy. I try to make sure that I have at least 75 percent of my juice comprised of vegetables and greens. I start my morning with a hot water concoction and end my day with herbal tea of some sort. And if I'm feeling really low energy or if I'm battling something like my period or a cold or I know I'm going to be doing a long run, I'll have a mug of Miso broth. But I usually just stick to juice and tea.

Another thing I wanted to note - I change up the contents of my green juice from day to day. I always included a head of romaine, a lemon, a little ginger and a couple apples. Then I throw in any number of the following: cucumber, celery, spinach, kale, green cabbage, zucchini, wheatgrass, and parsley.

The breakdown:

Morning:

hot water with lemon and ginger

All day:

green juice

Afternoon:

specialty juice

All day:

green juice

Evening:

herbal or green tea

Now that I'm over the hump of day two, which is notoriously icky, I'm feeling fresh and more alert. Yesterday, I just wanted to lie down and take a nap.  I'm three pounds down, which is encouraging. I'm thinking of extending my 7-day fast to 10 days!  We'll see how I feel a few days from now.

Drink Your Greens!

Juice Fast Day 2 - Early & Often

Day two on a juice fast is always the pits, but it's only a day (or two) and then you're back at it. Why does this happen and what can you do about it? You're coming off of sugar and caffeine and you need more juice!  Plain and simple. 

Drink more juice.

source

Juice Fast Day 1

Here we go!  Day one of a 7-day juice fast!

On the menu?  Green juice of course... 

3-Day Count Down to my Juice Fast

In the three days leading up to a juice fast I like to prepare my body and brain. I've tried going cold turkey before.  Yes, I'm that stupid lady who tried In n' Out Burger the night before and then strait to liquids the following day. It doesn't work. Take it from me.

This time I'm making some different choices and I thought I'd share what I'm doing to dial down my complex solid food intake before going all liquid. Here's what my Saturday, Sunday and Monday will look like:

3-Day Count Down

Saturday: Eliminate meat, alcohol and dairy. (I can eat anything else.)

Sunday: White flour and white sugar join the elimination list. (I can eat anything else.)

Monday: Grains, nuts and carbs join the elimination list, which means only veggies and fruit for the last day. But I can eat as much of it as I like.

Then What?

Then, I start a 7-day juice fast on Tuesday. I'll mostly be drinking green juice throughout the day. I usually change up the menu for my afternoon juice to something else, but then return to the green juice in the evening. I drink as much green juice as I want during the day. At night, sometimes I treat myself to a warm mug of plain green tea. And that is it!

Here's a meatless meal to kick off my countdown:

Sweet Potato, Onion and Kale Tacos: This is one of my favorite cooked meals and its perfect for day one of my 3-day count down. I start with a hearty vegetable / starch as a base such as chopped sweet potato (my favorite), portobello mushrooms, brown rice or quinoa. I sauté the veggies in a little olive oil until semi-soft. Then I toss them in a tortilla and serve. I like to add my favorite salsa for a little kick. So good!

I threw in some quinoa at the last minute to stretch it out and feed my husband. 

The count down begins!

The First 10 Days

If you remember (10 days was a long time ago) I began a juice fast on February 16th.  I said I was going to have only juice for 10 days, and then start adding raw meals back onto the menu for another 20 days.  I was going to clean out my system and get my weight back on track.  Remember?

Here's what happened. I didn't prepare properly (like eating veggie based meals in the days leading up ti the fast), I didn't plan on starting the mother of all menstrual cycles (being a girl can sometimes suck), and I was really really hungry (because I wasn't planning ahead by having enough on hand for the juicer). So there is a big difference between what I planned and what really happened.  Here's what my average day looked like during the past ten days:

7am  -  wake up starving, go to the bathroom to change my diaper, and juice all morning

noon -  take care of children, change my diaper, watch them eat solid food all day, and juice some more

4pm  -  realize that I haven't planned for this notorious low-blood-sugar portion of the day and proceed to eat lots of fruit: bananas, grapes, oranges...  Oh, and then I change my diaper

6pm  -  change my diaper, cook dinner for the family, then cave in and eat dinner instead of juicing


But you know what?  I'm not unhappy about how the week transpired.  I was ill-prepared for a juice fast and I didn't force it.  I think we sometimes forget that WE ARE THE BOSS of our bodies and our time.  Just because you're following a 10-day juice fast or a Jillian Michaels Shred doesn't mean that you have to follow it exactly.  In the end, I still drank bucketloads of green juice, stayed away from super sugary foods and lost 10 pounds!

Now that my dreaded period is subsiding (9 days is enough I say!) I'm curious to see if I might be able to re-stabilize and begin juicing again.  I'll keep you posted.  The next 20 days will certainly include lots of juicing, raw meals, the occasional treat and as always, three days a week of boot camp!  I remain optimistic.

Blips are to be expected - Juice Fast Day 5

I'm on the fifth day of my juice fast and Oh. My. God. has it been a doozy.  I did it all wrong.  Usually when I do a juice fast, I spend many days in advance preparing by eliminating sugar, meat and flour from my diet. I have raw meals, I eat greens, I drink a lot of water, etc.  I usually also prepare my schedule so that I have plenty of time for produce shopping, juice making and even some quiet time.

This time, I had a plate of spare ribs the night before my juice fast and started my period on day 2 of the fast.  Brilliant.  On day four I went to a party with a bunch of friends and forgot to juice before leaving the house.  So there I was in front of a beautiful pesto pasta salad, on day two of my period, starving my balls off, without any plan in place to combat the feeling. So what did I do?  Forgave my poor planning, admitted that my body was not handling the fast and plated a serving of pesto pasta.  I also had a girl scout cookie to top it off.  That's right - a cookie.  It was delicious.  And you know what?  It's okay.  Eating a plate of pasta during a juice fast is not some kind of dieting trespass. I needed it and I ate it. 

So, today I'm feeling better and I'm back on the juice fast.  I've got a full fridge of beautiful organic produce and I'm moving forward.  So what?  I ate some pasta and a cookie.  My old self would throw her hands up in the air and say "You're doing it all wrong and you're a failure!"  But it's okay to do it all wrong.  Blips are to be expected.  Greet them with gentleness.  Be soft and fluid and let the tough spots move through you without judgement and recommit the next day.  Forgive, acknowledge and recommit.

P.S.  I've lost 8 pounds already! And since I'm on my period, 

a time when it's normal to gain four pounds, I'm feeling great about the results. 

Let the juicing continue!

Begin Again

Hi.  I'm back.  

Are you still here?  Because if you are, you're amazing!

It's been three months since my last post announcing a hiatus from the blog. I took time off to be with my family, enjoy the holidays, work on my book, paint in my studio and frankly - eat a bunch of Christmas comfort food in peace.  I've been snacking on sweet holiday treats and enjoying dinners with friends and family where the main ingredients were brisket and beer.  I know, I know.  It's a far cry from my previous diet - you know - the one that helped me lose 75 pounds?

I've put on some weight, I've gained a few inches in my waist and while I'm not so far gone that I can't run a 5K, I'm certainly not feeling optimal.  I've continued to attend boot camp classes and I've stayed in fair shape.  Now, after a mini bacchanalia of carbohydrates and sugar, I'm ready to begin again.

So, I'm back.  Today, I dusted off my juicer, took my measurements and created a 30 day calendar to chart my progress.  Starting today, I'm doing a 10-day green juice fast.  I did one last spring and LOVED it.  I felt good, I shed a bunch a weight and it really kick started my final round of weight loss. After my 10 day juice fast I will add raw dinners back onto the menu and continue to juice through out the day.  I will continue this for 20 days.  I will still attend boot camp 3 times a week as I have always done and I'm also gearing up for a couple of spring 5ks and a 10k.  And, most importantly, I'll be blogging about it here.  I've missed you all!

30 Day Goals

1. Shed the winter weight

2. Cleanse my system

3. Give my digestive tract a break

4. Kick start the spring with clean eating and a clear mind

It's good to be back!

Breville Juicer Review (Finally)

I promised a review of my juicer a million years ago and am FINALLY getting around to it.  Sorry if you've been waiting with bated breath.  (Probably not, eh?)

I bought the Breville BJE510XL Juicer, Ikon Juice Extractor (yest that's its real name) in October last year for 200 and something dollars via Amazon.com.  It was discounted from 289.99.  I previously owned the Jack Lalanne Juicer, which I killed in a matter of weeks by juicing every morning.  Luckily, I bought it at Bed, Bath and Beyond and they gave me a full refund.

What do I think of the Breville?  I think its fantastic.  Its got a workhorse motor that would juice a rock if I sent it down the shoot. (Don't try that, though... that would be stupid.)  I send whole apples and lemons through the shoot without a problem.  The juice is always clear of pulp, which is a big plus in my book.

I also notice that I get a larger volume of juice with the Breville than I ever did with the Lalanne using the same amount of produce.  More bang for my buck!  And the best part is that the Breville is far easier to clean than the Lalanne.  It comes apart easily and some of the parts are even dishwasher safe.

I've been using the juicer every week (and at some points every day) for three seasons and the motor shows no signs of slowing.  Every once in a while I have to finesse something through the shoot, but it always juices all my produce without issue.  I highly recommend this juicer and am thrilled that enjoys a spot on my counter top.

Right now, Macy's has my juicer on sale with 10% off and free shipping.  Its a fabulous deal.  So if you've been thinking about getting a juicer, this would be the perfect time!  Here is the link to the Macy's deal: http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/breville-bje510xl-juicer-ikon-juice-extractor?ID=369568&PseudoCat=se-xx-xx-xx.esn_results.

P.S.  Macy's did not pay me to write this review, nor did the Breville company.  But if they'd like to pay, I'm happy to take their money via check, direct deposit or Paypal. I have never been above bribery.

Juice Cleanse Finale

The cleanse is over!  At least for the time being.  I had a fabulous experience and I'm ready for more.  Last night, I made the return to solid food with some raw spiralized zucchini squash topped with mashed tomato and ground pepper.  It was delicious! I've got a big month ahead of me, filled with family visits and my first ever 5K run!  So my plan for the next month and a half is to eat clean and green.  I'll continue to juice in the mornings as I usually do and I'll stick to a mainly raw diet.

However, I loved this juice fast so much that I'd like to try another one in late April and May, after I've completed the Warrior Dash on April 24th. I would also like to extend the juice fast to 20 or 30 days.  Why?  Because physically, I feel better than I have in years!   The juice fast has allowed me the space and time to focus on other areas of my life - my work, my art, my kids, my marriage.  How did the cleanse support this?  I'm not sure except to say that doing a juice fast slowed down my inner metronome and forced me to distill my tasks and interactions down to their essence.  Everything seemed a little clearer and less harried.

All told, I've lost 13 pounds on the cleanse.  Time will tell if it stays off or comes back.  The weight is less important, though, than my new-found sense of focus and my heightened appreciation for the food I eat.  The fast has also created a shift in my portion control, water intake and digestive awareness.  Thank you everyone for your amazing support and suggestions over the past nine days!  Its been a good ride. 

Artist: Nikki McClure

Weigh In - Week 38

Hello everyone!  The weeks seem to be ticking away at break-neck pace these days.  Life at our home is busier than it has ever been.  My natural reaction to increased business is to increase my organization.  These past few weeks, my husband and I have revamped our weekly schedule and created more time in the week for him to be at work, while I take the boys, tend to the house, food prep, home office, Charlie's mounting therapy appointments, etc.  Hubby is hard at work finalizing his submission file and personal statement for tenure.  Its an enormous undertaking and I'm more than happy to accommodate his new work schedule.  As I sit and write this, he is cleaning our kitchen - something he does without fail EVERY night.  So, I think we've found a good groove over the past few weeks.

With all of this controlled chaos and schedule switching, I've had to be diligent about making time for me and my Smaller Sarah priorities: boot camp, training for my upcoming 5K (it's only a few weeks away!), eating well, and of course my juice cleanse.  Today, is day eight of consuming only green juice.  So far, it's been pretty successful.  But it took some serious planning and the support of my husband, who is 100% behind me.  (Thank you, darling!)

Overall, the cleanse has been a great experience.  I'll continue the juicing today, tomorrow and then break the fast on Wednesday morning.  One of the many benefits of taking a break from solid food is that I am experiencing a heightened awareness of tastes and smells.  When I was eating the standard American diet, high amounts of salt, sugar, white flour and processed genetically modified food substances overwhelmed and dulled my sense of taste and smell.  During the past week, I have noticed a big shift - I can taste the astounding differences in the green juice I make.  One kind of celery tastes saltier than another.  Kale from one bunch has a sharper bite than a previous bunch.  Some cucumbers are sweeter and produce a denser texture.  An apple juiced on Tuesday is so different than an apple from the same bag juiced on Friday.  These differentiations are really eye opening to me.

I am also experiencing a sense of deep gratitude for and respect of the food available to me.  I have never really respected my food - not really.  Don't get me wrong, I love food and have always loved it - but respect it?  Not so much.  I was preparing dinner for my husband and son last night - salmon fillet on a bed of butter lettuce with cucumbers, Roma tomatoes, and raw pecans.  This might sound a little hippy-dippy, but when I touched the salmon, I could feel the whole fish at a time when it was water bound.  It was just a little flash of the fish's previous existence, being farmed with thousands of other salmon.  And the butter lettuce too.  When I was washing the leaves and could sense a time when it was root bound.  I could feel the pecan tight in its shell, attached to a swaying limb and then battered as it was sent through a shelling machine.  And it went on and on this way as I cleaned and prepped each ingredient.  So strange.  And silly, too!   I've never taken that much care with food.  When I set the salmon salad down in front of Jack with a fork, I said a silent "thank you" for all of the countless natural and unnatural interactions that brought this meal into my home.

See?  I told you this would sound a little hippy-dippy.

As for my weight loss, it has definitely accelerated because of the juice cleanse.  (So don't freak out, Mom, I don't have an eating disorder or anything...)  I don't expect all of this weight to stay off - I'm sure some will come back.  However, when I did the three day fast in September, I lost 4 pounds that never came back.  So, I'm crossing my fingers!

Pounds lost this week:  9

Total pounds lost:  62

The "I Did It" List

consumed only water and yummy nutrient-rich green juice all week

attended 2 boot camp classes (I missed the 3rd because Charlie was sick)

ran 2.5 miles on Saturday and another 2.5 miles on Sunday

I made home made meals for my family most every night while juice fasting

bought another round of veggies from the Bountiful baskets Co-Op

wrote in my journal every day

Juice Cleanse - Day 6

A video for you...

Here's a quick shot of me and Charlie headed out for a run this morning!  Charlie is the perfect running partner.  He keeps exactly the same pace as I do and doesn't require me to make lots of conversation while I run. 

And in honor of hitting the 9 month mark - that's right, I began this journey 9 short months ago - I thought I'd post a "before and now" photo.  I've still got a ways to go before I reach my goal (3 months and 21 pounds) but I'm feeling very content with my current pace and trajectory.

Juice Cleanse - Day 5

Hello everyone!  Its day five of my juice cleanse and so far its going very well.  I'm feeling centered, calm and clear in the head.  I also have enough energy to take care of two little ones and attend boot camp classes and go to Charlie's medical and therapy appointments and all of the other things required of me during the day.  I'm not having any big energy dips or mood swings either.  I haven't murdered a child or held up a Krispy Kreme at gunpoint yet, so I'd say I've had a successful cleanse thus far.  However, I'm only half way through, so stay tuned!

I wanted to check in about a few questions I've had from readers and friends.  The first is "Why are you doing this?"  This is a totally fair question.  I am doing this because I was inspired by a documentary.  (Of course, this is the last thing a mother wants to hear... "I did it because I saw it on TV".)  It was called "Fat Sick and Nearly Dead" and documented a man's journey to cure an autonomic immune disease and lose some weight.  He did a 60 day juice cleanse and it worked.  I was inspired, looked into it and that's why I'm doing it.

The second question that has come up is why juice?  Why not smoothies or herbs or eat a big box of veggies every morning?  The goal of a cleanse is to give your digestive system a break so that your body can focus its energies on other things - like healing damaged tissues, restoring the efficiency of your eliminitive organs, and clear older more impacted waste.  "Isn't it true that your body can heal itself AND digest at the same time?"  Yes.  It can.  Your body is always doing both at one time.  Except when you sleep.  When you sleep, your body has a little digestive break and kicks into high gear.  When you sleep, your body grows more hair, more cells, knits up muscle damage from the day and a host of other amazing things.  By juicing, I am giving my body a flood of nutrients and live enzymes, while allowing my digestive system to skip all the fiber and roughage that slows down my body's healing process.  And by juicing, my body can restore itself 24 hours a day instead of the small window at night, which for me is about 2 hours because I'm up at night with babies.  (Another reason for me to be cleansing right now.)

The last question that comes up a lot is "Aren't you hungry?"  The answer is "no" and "yes".  When I am living my normal eating life I eat solid food.  Then after a while I get hungry and I eat more food.  Its a pretty simple process.  Its the same when juicing.  I drink water when I'm thirsty and I drink juice when I'm hungry.  If I find that my belly is grumbling, I drink more juice.  The juice, just like the solid food, fills me up for a while until I need more.  I'm averaging about four 24oz glasses of green juice a day.  Sometimes its more, sometimes its less.  It depends entirely on how hungry I am. 

When I initiated this cleanse, my plan was to have some raw green evening meals in the middle of my cleanse.  But  I've been feeling so well that I've decided to skip the nightly meal.  I planned for the meals to help me get through the 9 days with success, but I find now that I don't need them.  So I'm currently on my fifth day of green juice only.  My plan now is to continue with only green juice through the 6th of March.

Thank you for reading Smaller Sarah, staying connected with the blog and asking such great questions!  Your inquiries always help me gain more clarity and specificity about my choices.  Thank you so much!

Juice Cleanse - Day 2

I'm on the second day of my juice cleanse and feeling really good.  From what I've heard, the first day of a juice fast is the toughest and while I admit to feeling a bit peckish last night, I didn't have any headaches or moodiness at all.  Despite a fitful sleep, I awoke this morning at 6am feeling alert and ready for the day.  Today, I'm feeling a little "high".  Its the only way I know to describe it.  I feel very alert, calm and high. 

I've been dining on home made green juice fresh from my Breville Juicer.  The ingredients I've been using in my juice are any combination of the following:  Romaine Lettuce, Kale, Spinach, Lemon, Gala Apple, Ginger, Cucumber, Celery, Green Cabbage, and Parsley.  When ever I feel that tell-tale hunger signal, I just juice up another glass.  Here is a photo of today's lunch in a 24oz to-go cup.

1.

For those of you who have done any kind of a cleanse, 

what was your experience?

2.

For those of you who have not done a cleanse or fast, 

have you ever thought about trying it out?  Why?

Weigh In - Week 37

I pigged out this week.  Really.  I was a little piggy.  I went to Jack in the Box, I had girl scout cookies, I had gelato with my son, I said yes to two doughnuts, I went on a date with my husband and had two beers and dessert to follow.  I did it all.  So when I stepped on the scale today, I was ready for a little weight gain.  But by some fluke, I still lost weight.  I lost 2 pounds this week!  What?  How is that even possible?

Maybe its possible because I still went to boot camp and ran on my own during the week.  Maybe its possible because my metabolism is revved up enough to continue burning even in the face of Krispy Kreme.  Well, whatever the reason, I'm grateful. 

Pounds lost this week: 2

Total pounds lost: 53

Do you remember back in September when I did a three day juice fast?  I really loved it and have been planning for some time to do another fast.  December and January were both amazing months filled with holidays and family.  This provided ample opportunity to eat rich foods and indulge my sweet tooth.  January also brought some difficult news pertaining to my son's stroke - an MRI that showed extensive brain damage.  I've been having a rough time trying to accept, process and embrace my feelings about Charlie's situation.  I think that a juice cleanse would help me to clarify both my body and my head.  I think it will be a great tool in creating space for new feelings and sensations to emerge.  I hope that makes sense...

Spring Juice Cleanse

So today I'm beginning a nine day juice cleanse.  Here is my juice cleanse schedule:

Day 1-2:   Green lemonade and water only

Day 3-7:   Green lemonade and water all day and a raw evening meal consisting mostly of greens

Day 8-9:   Green lemonade and water only

As I alluded to before, I have many goals for this juice cleanse:

1.  I want this cleanse to be a "re-set" button for my body and my mind.

2.  I want to re-teach my body how to eat and draw my mind's attention to portion control.

3.  I want to create some open brain space for creative impulses.

4.  I want to honor my feelings about Charlie's MRI results and move forward.

5.  Lastly, I want to drop some more weight and kick start the season with a full spring cleaning!

I know that a 9-day juice cleanse will seem extreme to some of my readers, but I had a great experience the first time and feel that this may be a productive way to transition out of winter and welcome the new season. Oh... and a special thank you to my friend Jessica, who is also doing a 9-day cleanse with me!  It's always nice to have a partner to keep you focused and motivated!  I'll keep you all updated over the next 9 days!  Wish me luck!

The "I Did It" List

I did 2.5 boot camp workouts ( I pooped out on Fri. due to lack of sleep)

I ran 2.5 miles on Sunday afternoon

I planned, prepared and served a raw meal to ten people

I met with a dear friend who will be joining me in my upcoming juice cleanse

during my down time on Saturday, I did sit ups while Walker played Legos

I helped one of my favorite clients and dear friends deliver her baby boy on Thursday night

My Favorite Juice Recipes

For those of you who just got a new juicer for Christmas (I'm looking at you, Tiffany), I thought I'd share some of my favorite juice recipes.  I use a Breville juicer, but have also made these with a Jack Lalanne juicer.

Green Lemonade is the juice I drink most every morning and sometimes even twice a day.  It's also a fantastic recipe for juice fasting!  It's hands down my favorite juice.  This recipe makes 2 pints.

Green Lemonade

1 head romaine lettuce or head of celery

2-6 stalks of kale

whole cucumber (if it has been waxed, peel it)

2 apples (I use Fuji, Gala and Macintosh)

1 whole lemon (you don't have to peel it)

1 inch of peeled fresh ginger

The following recipes are delicious, but I make them less often than the Green Lemonade.

The Park Lane 

(inspired by the Whole Foods at Park Lane in Dallas) 

4-8 whole carrots

1/5 head of romaine or 3 stalks of kale

2 apples

1 lemon (you don't have to peel it)

1 inch of ginger, peeled

The Pink Lady

1 pear

1 beet

1-2 inches ginger

1 ½ cups pineapple, in chunks


Veggie Ginger Juice
3 large carrots
1 beet
1 green apple
4 large stalks celery
1 large handful of spinach, parsley, or other dark green
1 small cucumber
1 inch knob ginger


Gimme a Beet Juice
(this recipe make about 1 litre (1.75 pints) of juice)
1 beet root, bulb only
4 medium carrots
3 oranges
5-6 apples
small bunch of parsley
4 strawberries

Juicer Reviews

I've been a juicing fool.  And I've had about six weeks with my Jack LaLanne juicer.  Originally, I went to Bed Bath and Beyond to buy a Breville.  Unfortunately, they were out of stock.  But I was impatient and bought the Lalanne instead.  At first, the Lalanne was great.  But after the first week of juicing once and sometimes twice a day it started to feel a little loose and some of the tougher veggies (like kale) were having a harder time getting through the blades.

Then, Jack and I went on a juice fast for three days.  We juiced five times a day and the Lalanne started to show even more weakness.  It was very difficult to clean because the design has lots of little crevasses and notches which collect juice residue.  I needed a special brush for hard to reach places.  Then the hardware that keeps the spout in place cracked a little and the spout, while still functional, was loose and rattled when the juicer was on.  If you're looking for a juicer to pull out once every week or so for fresh orange or apple juice then you can feel confident buying a Jack Lalanne.  If, however, you're looking to juice daily and use it for juice fasts, you might want to try something a bit more sturdy and more powerful.

Lucky for me, Bed Bath and Beyond has a fantastic return policy.  I just packed up the Lalanne (in the original box) with my receipt and will take it back to the store today for a refund or exchange.  They still do not have a Breville in stock so I ordered one from Amazon.  I used it this morning and it was AWESOME.  I'll report back about the Breville in a few weeks after lots of use and experience.