Reboot - Day 17 Juice Only Day 4

I got nuthin for ya........no answers, no theories.....  All I know is my body does not like to lose weight!  I have only lost another .5lb since starting Juice Only. 4.5 juices on Monday, 5 juices yesterday..... Plus I've gone for hikes both days....even tho I've been extremely tired (I could've taken a nap! I never nap!)...and pretty hungry most of the day.  I'll try to at least finish my 5 days tomorrow......
I suppose I shouldn't be so obsessed with the scale.  My blood pressure is normal!!!!  Better than normal!!!!  That is an enormous health improvement, even if I hadn't lost a pound!  So, obviously....there is something to be said for this lifestyle.  But, at the same time, I should be able to lose weight. I am donating blood tomorrow, so am anxious to see if my cholesterol has improved as well.
 I am all out of green veggies, except for 1 pepper, and a couple of jalapenos.  I've still got a bunch of carrots and celery.....apples & lemons.....so we'll see how far that goes......but costs are getting a bit prohibitive too.  I've been debating joining the CSA, as I think the share may be reduced due  to the extreme hot & dry summer we are having.  I don't have the luxury of wasting money.
I'll reevaluate tomorrow.....but, I think I will resume eating food this weekend, and just add in a juice or 2 each day.
Tired of thinking and re-thinking this so, just gonna get on with it.....later....

Reboot - Day 15: Juice Only

To heck with all of my theories!  I got stuck in a rut, and strict adherence didn't seem to help.  Although, the heat did keep from exercising several days....so......
Anyhow....Yesterday I started my complete juice fast (although I did finish up the last of my tomato soup....not juice)....went for a leisurely bike ride....and posted a 2.5lb loss this morn!  Yeah....that's what I like to see!  I am also going to change up my exercise a bit.  Instead of biking every single day.....I am going to start hiking again......and alternating.  Your body can get used to one type of exercise, so changing it up, giving it something different to do, can kick it back into gear.
Day 2 - here I come!

Reboot - Day 10

My first day testing my theories was quite successful!  Tuesday, I adhered strictly to my rules, and so, yesterday I posted a 2lb loss!
So, yesterday I also decided to change it up a bit......I decided to add in one of my forbidden fruits - raisins.  Heck, I was starving in the afternoon, and it seemed like a good idea.  But, it would also help in testing one of my theories.  Of course, as far as theory testing goes, I rather negated the whole thing by going for another bike ride in the evening. I have to admit, I was really hungry all day yesterday.....which is why I found myself eating cherries after supper (another forbidden practice).  Considering that I incorporated 2 theories in the same test, the results will be meaningless.  However, I did post another 1lb loss this morn.  Oh, I almost forgot.......I also began incorporating spirulina  and chia in my juices.  Somehow, I had missed this area in my research, or actually had forgotten it.  Although, all vegetables & fruits contain some protein, albeit in mostly incomplete &/or limited quantities......Spirulina & Chia are both complete protein sources......and protein is obviously something we need, as well as being very helpful in keeping the body satiated.  I am hoping that my incorporation of these natural supplements will help with the hunger factor I have been experiencing, as well as increase my energy.
As I go forward, I am contemplating switching over to strictly juice for a period of time, probably 5 days.  I am thinking that when I run out of cherries & bananas, that would be a good time to start.  This may happen by the weekend.  I am excited to try juicing only as I should be able to experience all of the true detoxing effects!

Reboot - Day 8

I have discovered a few things in the past few days.....which I will now put to the test.

So after my last post I did go biking, and the next day I had lost a couple more pounds.  Awesome, right?  You betcha!  Then on Saturday I went berry picking with Heather in the Dells for most of the day.  I brought plenty of fruits, and bought a couple of Naked Juices to stay on track....however, when I bought her lunch at Culver's, I couldn't resist the temptation of the aroma of the buffalo tenders she'd ordered.  Bad me...I know!  I only took about 4 bites total.....so  not the end of the world....especially since I plan to go back to eating meat eventually.....   But, then on Sunday, I woke up having gained 1 pound!  I blamed it on the little bit of chicken....tho that seems pretty ridiculous....after all....how do 4 bites of chicken equate to 1 pound?  A friend suggested, perhaps it was simply water retention, as the chicken most likely was high in sodium, as most fast food is.  I agreed that this could in fact be the case.  So, Sunday came along......I went for my usual 10 mile bike ride.  Very good!  Here's what I ate or drank:

8am - banana

8:30 - juice

11:30 Naked Juice on the way to biking

12:30 apple after biking

2:30 raisins (just bought at the store, I don't think this was a good idea)

4:40 Hot & Spice roasted tomato & red pepper soup (recipe below!!)

6:30 apple sauce

8:30 cherries

10:30 cherries (my stomach was growling!)

Not horrible, right?

One thing you may notice, is an awful lot of fruit......and late at night as well.  This, I believe, is one prominent reason I woke up this morning having gained another 1.5 lbs!  Though, I certainly didn't eat 1.5lbs of fruit!  I don't have all of the answers....but, these next few days, I will test my theories.  My other theory, regarding my weight gain after Saturday's excursion:  no exercise=weight gain.

So going forward, I will do the following:

Limit fruit eaten during the day (perhaps 3 total servings)

No dried fruit

No fruit after 6pm

No fruit heavy juices in the evening (veggie heavy only)

Exercise every day (always push a little farther/faster)

So far today I have had:

7am Juice

9am Banana 1/2 way thru biking

10:30 juice after biking

11:30  1/2 green juice while making new batch

12:45 grapes while starting this post

The rest of the day:

3:00 juice

6:00 Tomato soup

Possibly small peach this afternoon

I rode an extra 4 miles on my bike trip, and pushed to the top of a hill I normally turn around on!

I will update with the results of my theory testing:

As promised, here is my recipe for :

Hot & Spicy Roasted Tomato & Red Pepper Soup + Jalapeno

4 organic tomatoes

1 organic red bell pepper

1 organic jalapeno

1 jar of sun-dried tomatoes-rinsed

1 carton of organic, low sodium vegetable broth

Roast the tomatoes & peppers in the broiler, rotating every 3 mins til browned on all sides

Place rinsed, sun-dried tomatoes in the blender and pulse & chop 

Add in roasted tomatoes & peppers, and grate & chop, occasionally stirring with a spoon to get all pieces down to the blades.  Combine until it reaches a somewhat smooth consistency.

Heat veggie broth over medium flame until hot.  Add in the tomato/pepper mixture and stir well, continuing to heat for several minutes.

Ladle into large bowls and enjoy!!!!

Reboot - Day 5

Today is the first day I haven't enjoyed my juice.  Not sure if it was the combination of veggies: spinach, chard, bok choy, beets, carrots, ginger, only 2 stalks of celery, apples, only 1 lemon and blueberries.  It could be the beet greens that altered the taste?  or perhaps the ginger?  Not sure, but I have 2 more servings already made that I will need to drink today.

I did not lose even a smidgen of weight yesterday!

I added up all of the calories including all of the fruits/veggies I ate.....and it was a few hundred less than my daily allowance (according to my Loseit app.)

I feel like my blog has turned into a complaint log.....so lets remedy that.

Today I will go to Good Harvest and stock up on some more produce.  I am out of greens.....but perhaps I will also pick up some squash......and maybe the watermelon that everyone has been raving about.  I don't like watermelon (one of the very few fruits that I don't like, along with pineapple & coconut), but it contains alot of nutrients, not only in the pink flesh but also in the rind!  I had no idea!   The skin is not good to eat or juice as it may cause stomach upset, but the rind & even the seeds are loaded with nutrients, including:  Citruline (an amino acid), Vit C, Beta Carotene, Lycopene, , along with lesser amounts of:  Vit A, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vit B6, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium & Zinc. 

I just learned that the yellow fleshed watermelon is richer in nutrients than the traditional pink fleshed....so definitely worth seeking out!  And the deeper the yellow, the better!

Unfortunately, for me, exercise has fallen by the steaming wayside this week, as temperature outside have climbed to uncomfortable levels.....near 100 yesterday and pretty darn close to that today!  I am going to muddle thru tho....and at least venture out for a bike ride.  Biking always seems a little more cooling as you glide thru the air with the greatest of ease.

So that is the plan......get inspired in the produce section and exercise.  If I don't settle comfortably into a routine of juicing and exercise BEFORE I return to work full time....it sure won't happen after!

Reboot - Day 4

I've decided I really need to expand my repertoir of juices!  I tend to just juice everything together...whatever I've got in the fridge, goes in my juice.  As such, all of my juices tend to taste about the same.  I really need to start minimizing my jucie ingredients.
For instance....the juice I made last night (to drink all day today):
carrots, celery, spinach, chard, ginger, lemon, apple, strawberries, blueberries

The berries and ginger add a nice touch, to my usual recipe....but still pretty similar.
My goal for tonight will be to come up with some easy recipes in order to change up the routine.  Its hard to look forward to drinking the same thing 5 times/day!  Especially when its always the same dull brown colour!

Plus....I only lost another .5#.
I plan on continuing with my juice fast for the forseeable future, so obviously I need to make it more interesting.  Just enduring is not going to take me there!

Orange:  carrots, oranges

Green:  spinach, chard, broccoli, celery, kale - add lemon & apple

Purple:  beets, blueberries, strawberries

Lunch break is over so will have to think more later!

Reboot - day 3

After 2 full days on my reboot, I am down 6.5#.  That.....is very motivating!

Last night's supper of tomato soup was not everything I'd dreamed of....but, at least it was a little different:
4 organic vine tomatoes
1 jalapeno (my revision)
1/4 cup cashews (I used mixed nuts, primarily cashews)
Cream all together in a blender.
I also added a little warm water, as it was too thick.  I added the jalapeno because it was just too bland without it.  The nuts help to add the creaminess....but what it really needs is sun dried tomatoes!  I plan to try this again tonight with that addition, and hoping it will have more of that tomato flavor I am looking for!  I don't think I was supposed to have the nuts during my reboot....but, truthfully, I didn't even think of that until I was actually eating (drinking) it.  I think I will leave them out tonight and find a substitute for creaminess.
Yesterday, I made a big batch of juices that would carry me thru today.  This is a huge time saver and motivator!  I had read that it is best to drink the fresh juice right away because as soon as it is exposed to oxygen, the nutrients begin to leach out.  That is a fact!   However, sometimes we can't see the forest for the trees.......  I was shown the light by a fellow blogger.  He pointed out that convenience is certainly a huge help in maintaining any kind of diet plan, let alone something as time consuming as juicing!  And although the juice does lose some nutrients in storing, it is still infinitely more nutritious than anything I could buy at a store.  I can minimize nutrient loss by storing in an airtight container, preferably away from light (ie: wrap a clear jar with foil).  So, this is my new mantra.....and will most definitely be a great factor in being able to continue drinking juice when I return to work.
So,,,,,,for breakfast this morn, I have a lovely brown juice (most of my juices end up being brow, as I tend to throw everything but the kitchen sink in them).

Apple, lemon, strawberries, blueberries, carrots, celery, spinach, chard

Its pretty darn yummy,.........looks can definitely be deceiving!

Yesterday I  was awfully hungry quite a bit...especially in to the night.  As I am doing the modified reboot (I eat raw fruits & veggies along with juicing), I think I relied too much on eating fruits, and didn't drink enough juice.  I will try to be more conscious of that today, and make sure I drink at least 5 juices today.

I will say, however, that I woke up feeling great today!  Full of energy, almost acheless, and very committed!

In the documentary, Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead, Joe talks about his commitment very early in his fast.  He is drinking his juice, and realizes that nothing will derail his commitment to juicing.  Not people eating around him, nor the delectable aromas of food.......he is committed to his plan and that's that!  I must say.......that I feel that same way!  You know when you start a diet....and then go to work, and they have a birthday cake for someone......and you are easily persuaded to have a slice?  I've been there too many times to count!  But, when you are truly committed.......it is almost easy to refrain from those kinds of temptations.  Although, I do think it helps a tremendous amount that I incorporate eating fruits & veggies!  Especially, when you're out & about & run out of juice.....much easier to run in the store & grab some fruit!

As I am starting to get hungry again...(been 2.5 hours since my morning juice), gonna go grab some cherries!