2 Weeks Post Fast

It has been two weeks since I ended my just juice fast.  Breaking the fast was hard.  The first day I mainly ate strawberries.  The second day we took Kloe out for her birthday and I managed a few bites of a salad.  It was the fourth eating day before I felt like I was ready to resume normal eating. 

This time I decided to make a concerted effort not to gain back the weight I lost while fasting.  I really feel like 103-107 is my ideal weight.  I have been successful at staying within this range using the 5:2 intermittent fasting method.  Two days a week I fast for 20-24 hours... dinner to dinner.  The goal is 24 hours but anything past 20 and I call it a good fast day.  On my two fast days (or down days is a more accurate description) I end up eating 500-750 calories.  On my five up days I average between 1200-1500.

One week post fast I weighed in: 106.6
Two week post fast I weighed in: 106.6

I think I've found my balance in order to maintain at this weight.   Now my goal is to gain muscle and reduce body fat percentage.  I am also working on reducing the percentage of my food that comes from carbs.  For a carbaholic this is no easy task, but I've made some progress.

Great reading on Intermittent Fasting

 If the idea of intermittent fasting interests you, here's a couple great articles that give you a good overview and answer some common myths as well.  Happy Reading...

http://renegadehealth.com/blog/2012/12/14/occasional-starvation-why-fasting-is-good-for-you

http://musclepyramid.com/fasting-101-fasting-for-fat-loss

Jan 2013: Just Juice Day 10

This morning  I broke the fast with 1/2 of a strawberry (no lie) when I woke up this morning.  I then proceeded to eat one strawberry every half an hour until around noon.  I also drank lots of water.  From noon until 3 I ate 2-3 strawberries every half an hour.  All together today I ate 2 cups of strawberries, a banana, one small piece of home made naan bread, two bites of curry rice, and a chocolate chip cookie.  I wanted more curry rice but knew that I would regret it so I just stuck to having a taste.

This morning's weight: 104.8


So what now??  For a year and a half I have been researching and reporting the benefits of intermittent fasting, but I haven't always been good about doing it.  This time around I have renewed my interest in using Intermittent Fasting to maintain my weight.  I have talked about Brad Pilon's "Eat Stop Eat" before.  Basically he recommends that you fast from eating for 24 hours (usually dinner one day until dinner the next) once or twice a week.  I have also found another approach of Alternate Day Fasting (ADF) that allows you to eat a reduced number of calories on alternate days.  The amount you reduce depends on whether you want to lose or maintain your weight.  The website for this idea gives you lots more information:

Alternate Day Fasting: Up Day Down Day method


So as soon as I am back to eating "normally" I am going to try alternate day calorie restriction to maintain my weight at about 105 ish.  I plan to blog about my successes or lack thereof.

Jan 2013: Just Juice Day 9

Day 9 of the fast is over!  Tomorrow morning I will allow myself to eat fruit.  In fact, I don't imagine I will eat much other than fruit tomorrow.  Perhaps a small salad at dinner time.  I actually felt pretty good today, much better than the last two days.  I didn't make juice, but I had one cup leftover in the fridge from yesterday and I did drink a couple cups of 100% not from concentrate orange juice and 100% grape juice.  I don't normally include store bought juices when I fast, but overall it was such a small portion of what I drank the last 10 days, and at times it was just easier.  Looking forward to eating the yummy fruits in the bowl above tomorrow!!

Today's weight: 105.6
Juice drank: about: 3 cups
Water: about 3 cups
Coffee: 2 cups

Jan 2013: Just Juice Day 8

I felt better today and was not as tired as I was last evening.  However,  both yesterday and today I have been majorly irritable.  I was not irritable at all until yesterday, even though people commonly complain of irritability even in the first days of a fast.  I guess I should be glad it didn't show up until yesterday.

Tomorrow I sub again and am really kind of tired of juice, so I am planning to do just water, and perhaps some not from concentrate orange juice.  I probably won't break out the juicer though.  The 10 day mark would technically be Friday evening, but I plan to begin eating raw fruits earlier in the day.  I want to begin the break-fast process so that hopefully I will be ready for a small salad when we take Kloe out to dinner for her birthday on Saturday.

VERY VERY ready to end this fast.  I think 7 days is a good length fast for me.  I remember the last time I did a 10 day that days 8 through 10 were not pleasant.  I do like to push past my comfort zone now and then however, and I am not sorry that I decided to do 10 days this time.

This morning's weight was 106.0
Juice drank: 5 cups
Water drank: 5 cups
Coffee drank: 1.5 cups

Jan 2013: Just Juice Day 7

I spoke too quickly about how great I felt and how I didn't have hardly any detox symptoms this time! As the day wore on I began to feel very fatigued today. Not just your normal fatigue, but the "I can't move a muscle" fatigue.  In the fasting world they call this a "healing reaction" or "herxheimer reaction".  Basically it's when an influx of toxins is released into your bloodstream and your body can not eliminate them fast enough.  You can get muscle aches, cold or flu like symptoms, or experience extreme fatigue.  Because I am TIRED I am not much interested in making juice.  I only drank 4 cups today.  Didn't feel like making my dinner juice.  Drinking lots of water instead.  I'm not having any issues with hunger.  Basically I get a small twinge a few times a day and it quickly passes.

The last time I juice fasted for 10 days I was surprised at how difficult it was breaking the fast.  This time I am much more prepared.  I imagine that days 1-2 post fast will be raw fruits and veggies and still a lot of juice.  Gonna be taking it nice and slow!

This morning's weight: 106.4

Today's juice: 4 cups
Coffee: 1.5 cups
Water: 4 cups

Jan 2013: Just Juice Day 6

Today I could not juice until after 3pm because I was called to work as an office sub at a local school.   Somebody has a strange sense of humor, because the only thing for me to do when things were slow was flip through some Rachel Ray magazines... think YUM-O!!  After 5+ days of not eating you would think this would be torture, but really it wasn't too bad.  Thankfully there was no smell to go along with the pictures!!

I honestly felt great today even without having any juice for most of it.   I do not get weak when I juice fast.  I feel energetic and strong.  I just did 20 boy-pushups to prove it... haha.

I am trying not to think about this: if this was a 7 day fast I would be eating tomorrow.  Really though, this 6 days have flown by and I haven't struggled with anything this time around.  No energy lags, no headaches, my only complaints have been a few minor muscle aches, and lots of fur on the tongue and teeth.

Today's weight: 107.0

Juice drank: 30 ish ounces

Coffee drank: 15 ish ounces

Water drank: 32 ounces

Jan 2013: Just Juice Day 5

HALF WAY!!  WOOT WOOT!

I had some more muscle aches last night... in my hips area, which is also another problem area for me.  All my aches and pains seem to happen during the night and I tend to feel fine during the day.  Someone asked me in church this morning if I was hungry.  Really, I don't get hungry for more than a few moments at a time and it is usually when I am preparing or smelling food.  Your nose works really really well when you are fasting by the way.

Tomorrow is going to be tough.  I took a subbing job working in the office at a local middle school and I won't be able to juice until I get home... around 3pm.  I'll probably drink a glass of OJ in the morning and then just water until after work.

Today's weight was 107.4

Juice: 32 oz.  (I didn't drink any until after church so not as much time to get more in than that)
Coffee: 30 ish oz. (BAD GIRL!)
Water: 24 oz.

Jan 2013: Just Juice Day 4

Day four... doing fine.  Last night while sleeping (or trying to) I had a little detox going on in the area of my lower back where I have certain muscles that always get tight and form a knot.  I have never felt this feeling except during my first juice fast and then this time.  (I didn't get it during my 2nd and 3rd fasts).  It is believed that when your body gets a break from digestion it can then put some extra energy into repairing your body at the cellular level.  Hopefully that's true :-)

My juicing is down to a regular routine.  

3 cups of regular juice containing: 

1.5 cucs, 

2 ribs celery, 

1 rib kale, 

2 carrots, 

1 red apple, 

1 orange, 

Handful of blueberries.

2 cups "spaghetti juice" containing: 

2 carrots, 

2 ribs celery, 

1/4 yellow onion, 

1 clove garlic, 

2 tomatoes

The "spaghetti juice" is heated gently on the stove and eaten warm.  It's really good!  See for yourself!

This mornings weight 108.0
Juice consumed 42 oz
Water consumed 32 oz
Coffee consumed 16 oz

Jan 2013: Just Juice Day 3

Three days down and seven to go!  My heart did not go as crazy today as yesterday so that's good.  I still feel great, no issues at all with energy or aches or pains.  I get hungry, but I don't dwell on it.  It's kind of like my marriage... divorce has never been an option so it isn't something I even give any thought to ever.  Same with fasting, eating is not an option so it's not something I let myself think about.

I love fasting once I actually get into it.  It reminds me that I am in control of my appetite, it saves me money, it frees up my time for other things... it helps me maintain a healthy weight.  But I sort of fell of the regular fasting wagon and was not doing my intermittent fasting like I should.  That's gonna change after this juice fast.  Not sure exactly which IF plan I am gonna go with but I am getting back on the wagon.  

This morning's weight was 108.8

Today I had 52 oz. of juice, 16 ish oz. of coffee, and 32 ish ounces of water.

Wanna know a secret...?

Last night I watched a documentary called Eat, Fast, and Live Longer and it totally confirmed everything I have been learning through my research over the past year and a half.  The secret to a healthy weight and a healthy life is not in counting calories, or carbs, or fat grams.  It's not in taking this pill, or reading that book, or following that diet plan.  I'm gonna tell you a secret...

YOU PROBABLY EAT TO MUCH! 

(And so do I)

And not just sometimes... nearly every day!  The simple solution to a healthy weight and a healthy life...

EAT LESS FOOD (A lot less!)

It's not as hard as it sounds.  There are so many ways to accomplish this without depriving yourself all the time.  Here are some ideas I have seen in my research.

You can eat every other day (and fast every other day)- best if you have a lot to lose or your cholesterol and blood sugar numbers are looking really bad.

You can do an alternate day fasting where on your "fast" day you eat only one small meal (500 calories or less) and on your feast day you eat whatever you want.

You can fast 2-3 times a week from breakfast to breakfast, lunch to lunch or dinner to dinner- this is easier because you get to eat at least one meal every day even though you are going without food for 2 or 3 24 hour periods each week.

You can restrict your eating to a smaller window each day, for example only eat between 10 and 6.  This gives you a 16 hour fast window every day.  Your results won't be as dramatic as with the other methods, but you will lose weight.

Fasting gets easier with practice, and it gives you a feeling of control over your appetite and a sense of well-being.  It also contributes to good health and longevity.  Watch the documentary and see for yourself!

Jan 2013: Just Juice Day 2

Not a bad day... went to the gym this morning and worked out with the hubby, just a light workout since I hadn't any solid food for 36 hours.  It was no problem though.

Ever since I was pregnant with Nathan I have suffered from heart palpitations which get worse at certain times of the month.  A cardiologist told me that hormonal fluctuations make this a common problem for women.  Anyway,  it is the normal time of the month for me to have palpitations but they are SO MUCH WORSE with fasting.  They increased during my other fasts too, but not quite this much.  I am going to keep an eye on it and stop the fast if it gets worse.  Normally palpitations are harmless, so I think it's ok.

Today I weighed 109.4 lbs

I drank 40 oz of juice, 24 oz of water, and about 12oz of coffee.

Jan 2013: Just Juice Day 1

This is my fourth round of "just juice" fasting and this was far and away the most comfortable first day I have ever had.  I am convinced that the key to "just juicing" is to be prepared psychologically.   Since I have done this three times successfully my mind could not convince me that I was dying of starvation or that I was gonna die if I didn't get something to eat. LOL!  So anyway, I actually did not have all of the things I needed to make juice this morning so ended up not having anything until about 1:30 when I drank 6 oz of pure not from concentrate OJ.  I didn't get to make juice until 5:30 after I finally got to the store.   I made some famous spaghetti juice for my dinner. YUM!

Another thing that was totally different this time... my energy level... I felt GREAT today... no headaches, very little hunger, and lots of energy. 

This morning's starting weight: 111.2 (Thanks to the holidays!)

Total Juice: 22 oz
Total Coffee: about 20 oz
Total Water: about 32 oz

It's that time once again!!

It's time to do another juice only fast!!  I have done 3 fasts of 10,7, and 7 days respectively.  I think it is time to do another 10 day.... we really fell off the healthy eating wagon during the holidays.

Up until now my fasts were purely for health and physical reasons.  Having done three fasts previously, I am now confident that it can be done.  Having proven to myself that I can do it, I am now adding spiritual reasons for fasting.  I probably won't talk much about those, but I did want to mention it.

So the juice only fast began after my last piece of birthday cake this evening and will end on Friday Jan. 11th at dinner time.  Tomorrow morning I don't have everything I need to make juice, but I will drink water and not from concentrate orange juice and head out to the store in the afternoon.  Looking forward to that extra energy boost that comes after the first couple days, cuz this house needs some applied energy before I go back to school on the 17th.