Juicing ~ 2 Months In....

I've been FLOODED with SO MANY questions!!!

I am so very overwhelmed by all of the positive feedback that I have received.  Questions and comments from friends and family and neighbors, and yes, even complete strangers have been emailing me...it's AMAZING!  Over 350 people have read my juicing blog post...350?!?!?  That's CRAZY!  Mostly, I'm getting requests for another post...so I have spent the last week or so trying to think of what to say...here goes (sorry if I repeat anything from the first post)....

It's been just over 2 months and I am down 33lbs.  That's 4 pants sizes and 3 cup sizes in my bra (YAHOO!).  I've done many before and after pictures, but not with an accurate picture of the before...my lowest point ever.  Here it is...January to June with still another 14 lbs to go....

In the February picture, I had just had my last miscarriage (explains the slight baby bump), but it was mostly just Fat Cheryl.  I'm glad to say she is disappearing & I don't EVER want to see her again!

Moving on....

I'm so wishing that I had taken my measurements before I started this.  My weight loss has slowed down (according to the scale) to an ounce or two a day.  This would absolutely frustrate me if I didn't still notice my clothes getting looser which I suppose means that I'm losing inches (or my fat is re-distributing itself).  I bought a pair of pants a couple of weeks ago that were skin tight, and today, even though the number on the scale is the same, the pants are bagging uncomfortably in the ass and loose around my legs...great...now I have to go buy more new clothes :(  

I did do a one month 'cleanse' (my version still allowed me 2 snacks a day (half a piece of fruit and a hard boiled egg), but I was drinking 4 juices a day instead of the 2 a day I started with.  My (uneducated) advice if you're thinking of trying this, DO NOT go full juice right off the bat, it makes you a SCARY person, and it's SO HARD!  Best if you've already been juicing a couple meals a day for a few weeks.  It was difficult seeing everyone around me eating while I just counted the days 'til I could eat supper again LOL.  I'm glad to say I'm back to juice for breakfast and lunch and real food for supper (still only a small piece of meat and a ton of veggies).  

I made a promise to myself a few weeks back that I would never again eat crap.  Basically, if it doesn't rot or I can't pronounce an ingredient (I'm pretty good with pronouncing big words), I will not eat it.  It's that simple.  Yesterday I found a FABULOUS blog by a nutritionist in the city with the most amazing recipes.  Last night I tried out a few and I am hooked!  Here it is for all of you that enjoy cooking like I do ~ http://www.nutritionistinthekitch.com

So, as I said before, the questions just keep rolling in.  I will do my best to answer the most common ones, and if there are any others, please let me know.  

1 ~ Yes, Juicing is expensive, sort of.  Here's a thought.  If eating healthy were cheap and/or easy, there would be far fewer obese people in this world.  Simple.  Really, you have to decide what's more important, your health or your bank account.  You can't take it with you, just sayin'.  I would estimate that I spend roughly $150 per week on produce.  Keep in mind, non organic is cheaper, I just choose to spend the extra on mostly organic.  Before you roll your eyes, sit back and think about how much you spend at Tim's or Starbucks or wherever every morning.  How much do you spend on lunches or suppers out every night?  How much do you spend on junk food/snacks?  Could be less, could be more than what I'm spending, but I can almost guarantee that I feel a million times better than you.  

2 ~ No, I can't tell you what type of Juicer to buy.  I'm not a juicer expert, all I know is that the pulp that came out of my first juicer was still wet, and the pulp that comes out of my more expensive juicer is DRY like sawdust.  The more you spend on a juicer, the less you spend on produce as you're getting more juice out of what you're putting in.  RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH!!!

3 ~ NO SUGAR (unless it's coming from your fruits and veggies)!  NO ALCOHOL! NO RICE, NO PASTA, NO BREAD!  I don't know how many times people have told me that they're just not losing weight like they thought and in the same breath tell me they had a plate of spaghetti and a glass of wine for supper the night before.  SERIOUSLY???  Please, if you get stuck, think seriously about what you're eating and make adjustments accordingly.  

4 ~ Sorry in advance if this is TMI ~ yes, you will get constipated if you're juicing but not drinking enough water.  Here's what I do (because I read somewhere that this is what I'm supposed to do lol) ~ I wake up in the morning and start (before ANYTHING) with a large glass of hot water with lemon (real lemon, not the 'juice' in the bottle).  This is apparently supposed to help with the movement of things.  Then throughout the day I drink at least another 2 liters of water, whether it be plain, or, as I am doing right now, more hot lemon water.  I finish off my night with a glass of Peppermint herbal tea (Helps me sleep).  That's it.  You've heard it a million times from a million different sources...DRINK YOUR WATER!!!!  It has more benefits than you know.  

I've been trying my best to get some exercise at least a few times a week.  My best girl and I were doing really good with walking 4-5 km  in the river valley every day at lunch, but with all the rain we've been having and crazy busy schedules on both sides, we've (or at least I) have been slacking a little.  Solution?  Rebounding.  I went for a massage the other day, and she enlightened me on the benefits of rebounding.  This is how you do it:  Buy a mini trampoline.  Jump.  Easy Peasy!!!  In true Cheryl form, I ran right out and bought a trampoline.  It is still in the box in the trunk of my car as I'm trying to decide if I want it at home or in my office.  I think the office wins.  Monday I will bring it in and the jumping fun will begin.  I will keep you updated.  I found (stole...but since I'm putting the link on here it's not bad, right?) a list of benefits at http://www.healingdaily.com for rebounding:

~ It increases the capacity for breathing

~ It circulates more oxygen to the tissues

~ It helps normalize blood pressure

~ It helps prevent cardiovascular disease

~ It increases the activity of the red bone marrow in the production or red blood cells

~ It aids lymphatic circulation, as well as blood flow in the veins of the circulatory system

~ It lowers elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels

~ It stimulates the metabolism, thereby reducing the likelihood of obesity

~ It tones up the glandular system, especially the thyroid to increase its output

~ It improves coordination throughout the body

~ It promotes increased muscle fiber tone

~ It offers relief from neck and back pains, headaches, and other pain caused by lack of exercise

~ It enhances digestion and elimination processes

~ It allows for easier relaxation and sleep

~ It results in a better mental performance, with sharper learning processes

~ It relieves fatigue and menstrual discomfort for women

~ It minimizes the number of colds, allergies, digestive disturbances, and abdominal problems

~ (BEST ONE) It tends to slow down aging

Who knew that jumping on a trampoline was so good for you???  I can't wait to get started...in 3 days LOL.

Okay, I think that's all I have to say for now.  I've been struggling for over a week to come up with what to say, but it seems that once I get started, I have verbal diarrhea lol.  Hope it's helpful, and like I said before, let me know if there's any more questions!!!!  

Happy Juicing!

My Juicing Journey (so far....)

WOW!!!!!  It's been almost 2 years since a blog post????  What's up with that!

It has been one month today, and I have lost 17 pounds.  17 pounds in one month is a lot for anyone, but off of my 5 foot nothin', always curvy (much to my DISLIKE) frame, it's (I think) barely noticeable.  On the upside, even though I don't see a huge change in the mirror, my 'big' clothes don't fit me anymore, and this is a goooooood thing!  

Over the last month, so many people have been asking questions about my miracle diet, so I will share what I know.  I AM NOT an expert, and definitely NOT a medical professional, so obviously, check with your doctor before you start juicing (or diet pills, or whatever floats your boat)......

I decided to try juicing after only seeing the movie trailer for "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead".  Of course I ran right out & bought a juicer (cuz that's just who I am), and made a very expensive grocery trip to Planet Organic.  Now, you don't HAVE TO buy organic, but for me it's the right choice for now.  Consider this.  Traditional vegetables are sprayed with so much crap to keep the bugs off, and have hormones to make them bigger, preservatives to make them last longer, and blah blah blah the list goes on and on.  When you juice these veggies (even after cleaning the outside) you're pretty much just drinking a bunch of chemicals.  I have chosen fully organic purely because I (some know, some don't) have had 4 miscarriages in the last 2 years, and millions of tests later, they (doctors, doctors, and more doctors) can't seem to figure out why. I am PERFECTLY healthy.  What a bummer.  My theory is that this seems to happen more lately than say, 20 years ago, so I (NOT A PROFESSIONAL) have a theory that all of the chemicals/preservatives etc in all the food we eat could very much be a contributing factor.  I'm using this theory to fuel my organic juicing journey (and the thought of fitting back into all the skinny clothes in my closet).   

So.....the first couple days I tried a few different recipes, making one for breakfast & then a different one for lunch.  DON'T DO THIS (if you have to be at work early)!!!  It was taking me 30 minutes to do all this & clean the juicer.  I also learned after the first day, if you just put them in a travel mug, by the time lunchtime rolls around, it tastes NASTY as the juice has now had time to start rotting.  Took me a couple days to figure out that if I just made a double batch of a recipe and poured it into 2 - 16oz canning jars with a couple ice cubes to keep it extra cold, and sealed it air tight, it still tastes the same at lunch!!!  SCORE!  This juicing thing is pretty much trial & error.  My best recommendation is to choose a few recipes to try ~ you will soon figure out what you like and have your shopping narrowed down to just a few ingredients.  

Easiest way to find recipes?  GOOGLE!  Just plug 'Juicing Recipes' into the search bar & OMG...SO much information!  There are also a couple good phone apps, but like I said, you will quickly figure out what you like and what you dont.  My 2 favorites:

1 ~ 3-4 Kale leaves

   ~ 3 Celery Stalks

   ~ Large handful Spinach

   ~ 1 Golden Delicious Apple (Cored & Seeded)

   ~ 1 Orange (Peeled)

   ~ 1/2 Lemon (ends cut off) (Lemon also helps it from tasting funny a day later)

   ~ 1 knuckle Ginger (start small & work up to it, Ginger is POWERFUL!)

2  ~ 1 Beet (peeled if you don't want to feel like you're drinking dirt)

    ~ 4 Carrots

    ~ 1 Handful Spinach

    ~ 1 Orange (Peeled)

    ~ 1 Lemon (ends cut off)

    ~ 1 Knuckle Ginger

From what I've read, the general rule of thumb for weight loss is 70-80% Vegetable and 20-30% fruit.  Personally, I just juice what I like & it seems to be working so far. 

My daily food routine has turned into this:

8am ~ Juice

10am ~ Snack (usually a hard boiled egg)

12pm ~ Juice

2pm ~ Snack (1/2 a piece of fruit or a small chunk of cheese)

4pm ~ Juice

6pm ~ Supper usually consisting of meat & veggies.  No carbs for me!

Since I've been juicing and eating all these tiny snacks so often, my stomach (inside) has SHRUNK.  I am only able to eat about one quarter at supper time as I would normally eat (I'm positive this is also VERY MUCH contributing to my weight loss).  

I've read so many testimonials from people that were on heavy doses of meds, and dealing with numerous health conditions, and since juicing, are off the meds and things like cholesterol levels and blood pressure are at normal levels.  I believe the thought process is that if your body doesn't have to waste time digesting food, it can more effectively use that time to heal the body and burn fat.  Also (BONUS) ~ by drinking your vegetables, your body is able to more effectively absorb all the nutrients with little effort.  

(I think) this is about all I have to say for now.  After 1 month I have lost 17 lbs, have gone from a size 14 work pants to an 8, and have gone down (sorry if TMI) 2 cup sizes in my bra (yes, I am SO HAPPY about this lol).  I feel so much better.  My skin tone is better, my eyes are brighter.  My brain doesn't feel as foggy & memory is better.  I sleep SO MUCH BETTER (instead of my usual 10 hours & still feeling groggy, I'm down to 6 and feeling wide awake & ready to go!).  

I'm not generally a preachy person, but I'm feeling so good & really am trying to get everyone on this bandwagon LOL.  The internet is a wealth of juicing information, but please feel free to shoot me any questions you may have!

HAPPY JUICING!!!!!!

P.S ~ One of my lovely co-workers told me to mention that I'm now much easier to get along with too...WOW, I didn't even realise! LMAO