Juicefeasting - Day 47

I'm past the half-way mark now! I've lost 25 pounds, but all of it in the first month. I started running at the beginning of the second month and found that the weight-loss stopped. My cravings have been a bit out-of-control for the last four days as well. I've stopped running daily, after 15 days and resorted to running every other day. I am currently running 2-3 miles at a time.

I hoping to get back-on-track emotionally and physically in the next few days. I went to the local farmer's market yesterday and tried amaranth greens for the first time in my juices today. Very good. It's been very hot here the last few days and that hasn't been helping much.

Juicefeasting - Day 26 Blog

I know I haven't written in awhile and I am going to try to be better at that. Today had an emotional beginning where I really started to wonder about everything that I have been doing in my life. I think that juicefeasting is going to bring about some big changes. I really thought that I would be impervious to many changes other than diet before beginning, but alas, I was wrong.

I watched most of "Julie and Julia" last night and I think after sleeping on it, a lot of things hit me at once. In the movie, a girl, Julie, blogs about her goal of cooking 500 and something Julia Child recipes in 365 days. The movie also depicts Julia Child's road to creating her French cookbook for Americans. The blog is a big success, but that's not the only reason I am writing! Julie has a very sad job and the blog really gives her something to aspire to. This is what got me to thinking.

I enjoy my job as a veterinary technician. I enjoy my job as a birth and postpartum doula, but that job is not bringing in any moeny right now, which we so desperately need. I love to cook, and recently I love to uncook. I also am working on the final project for my masters in Public Health. Unfortunately, I absolutely despise this task. I thought I would do my practicum on something I love, doulas. So I've devised a plan to increase access to and information about local doulas with the end result having more doulas being utilized and therefore, less c-sections and higher breastfeeding rates. To me, this seems like a very fair public health project, but it doesn't see so for my professor. I think that he is stuck on the fact that I am not working for anybody and thinks that for this project I probably should be. I did not complete my first of four credits with him. This is the second of four credits that I am working on. I keep pouring in hours of work with little feedback and the feedback that I am getting has all been negative so far. I am now waiting on a response to my logic model and I think he wants to talk on the phone again. I am not a great phone person and the last time I talked to him on the phone, there was an echo on my end so I kept hearing myself and couldn't gather my thought to speak eloquently. I think I sounded delinquent.

This is all leading up to me considering leaving the program. I only have 6 total credits remaining including this one, but I'm getting nothing from it. And I really don't know what I am going to do with an MPH anyway. It's all very frustrating. Maybe I'll just drop it this semester and do the entire 4 credits next semester, repeating the first credit in a public health organization. Did I mention that I'm frustrated?

This is all taking away from my family too. Thinking about it, talking about it, working on it, and it all seems to be a means with no end. This is the feelings I have today and it is troublesome. Hopefully tomorrow will bring some answers.

Day 26 - Juicefeasting Photo

Juicefeasting - Day 18

Juicefeasting - Day 14

14 days!!! 14 is my lucky number and I am happy to have made it this far. I still have 78 days to go, but that doesn't seem so bad anymore. 92 was a lot. 78, not so bad. I'm through my monthly, thankfully! Figures I would start a juicefeast when I was premenstrual. That is so me!! I also get major ambitious when I am pregnant. 3 babies, 3 major life shifts. Baby number one - I joined a graduate program of public health. Baby number two - we bought a house and moved in two weeks before having baby. Baby number three brought a career and life path change, from future doctor to future midwife and current doula. I am woman, hear me roar! Hahaha.

OK, so my spirit is light today, but I am having trouble doing things that I really want to do. The biggest thing I am having trouble with right now is getting outside. The task is daunting with three children and no fence. I did take them all to the beach the other day, by myself, and it was fun, but I think I'm now drained for at least a week. Time does seem to be going by quickly.

I've been spendinng a lot of time thinking about what to feed my family and thinking about what I want to eat when I come out of this feast. I've also been thinking that I might extend the length of the feast until I've lost all the weight I want to lose, as long as I'm still feeling as good as I am now. I definitely need to get some more exercise in. And I want to write down more goals. They remain in my head for now.

Eventually, I plan to develop my blog posts a little more, but for now stream of thought seems to suit me best. I'll come back when I feel like writing more!

-Nina

Day 12

Good morning folks!!

It's been a crazy, busy, long Memorial Day weekend. I work in a veterinary emergency clinic and the holidays always bring TONS of business. I'm happy to report that I am still juicing!!

I thought I was getting off easy with the detoxification aspect until the last couple of days. It doesn't help that my monthly came to visit. I spent Monday evening in agony with lower back pains. I think it was a combination of standing all night/day and my monthly. I actually sat in the shower and cried when I got home. I don't blame the juicing, but I certainly had some of the worse cramping and soreness in my life, rating up there with third birth afterpains. On the bright side, my cycle was only 2 days long!!

Last night I also got a pretty bad headache and felt nauseous. And yesterday I wanted to eat food I was preparing for the kids, but I wasn't hungry. I can't wait to weigh myself at 30 days!! I've been getting a gallon of juices everyday. Usually 3L of green/cucumber/celery/apple and 1L of fruit juice (watermelon/blueberry/mint, orange/flax oil, pineapple/spinach, etc). Water with MSM and lemon every morning and usually 1-2L more of water everyday. I've been doing my daily enemas, skin brushing, and hot/cold showers. Sleep has been great!!

Peace out,

Nina

Day 5

I really thought I would be much better at blogging this journey. Don't worry. I haven't fallen off the wagon yet. Actually, I feel quite satiated with my juices the last three days. I have learned a few things about my taste palate though:

1. I like bland drinks - not too sugary, not too spicy.

2. I am not a fan of grapefruit/orange/lemon. I hate grapefruit, but I choked it down once again today to prove to myself that I really don't like it.

3. So far I have not enjoyed garlic in my juices and I love garlic (cooked, though).

4. I haven't liked any of the supplements - green powder and kelp granules - blah! The green powder I tried in water before the juicefeast and it was slimy and nasty so I dumped it out after a few sips. Maybe it will be better in a green drink, but I'm scared to waste a quart. The kelp granules made my juice "beady" and I didn't think that was pleasant. I haven't really felt the desire to chew although I've been chewing my juices. The bee pollen is not so bad. I haven't tried the flax oil or the hemp oil yet. I guess I'm just not a fan of supplements.

What I have enjoyed is good mixes of greens: spinach, kale, all types of lettuce, cabbage, parsley, etc with all or any of celery, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, alphalfa sprouts, etc. I might be missing some things. I add apples to my GVJ as well. I like pineapple mixed with spinach. Watermelon juice isn't bad, but I think that it will taste best without the green part of the rind (I can't find organic watermelon or seeded watermelon for that matter). I mix 3-4 quarts of GVJ the last few days and that seems to be the best approach for me. Hopefully I'm not hurting anything by avoiding supplements and "warming" foods for now.

I've been really good keeping the hunger at bay. I actually haven't felt hungry at all. Cravings are extremely fleeting as are detox symptoms. I might feel a slight headache while I'm drinking a juice, for example, but it's gone before I'm done. I am a little backed-up though, I think.

I've been doing enemas every day (I really wasn't going to write about this) and that is the only time I visit the bathroom to defecate and it is little more than the water than I put in. I don't feel the need to get more out right now though. After all, I have 92 days!!

One day at a time has been working really well for me and not really thinking about it. I feel good. I feel alive and soon I think I will really be feeling good.

-Nina