Just Juice May 2014: Days 4, 5 and 6

Uhm first let me just say... TOMORROW I EAT!  :-)

Days 4-6 were fairly uneventful.  I felt fine but not great or very energetic.  I survived making cinnamon rolls for Jordan, free pizza from Papa Murphy's, making a double batch of giant chocolate chip cookies for a dear friend's bake sale fundraiser, and a BBQ cookout with tons of yummy food.

BUT TOMORROW I EAT! :-)

Day 4 weight: 109.8
Day 5 weight: 109
Day 6 weight: 108.6


Whenever I fast and I lose those few pounds that always seem to come back, I reflect on how I can keep them from creeping back on.  This time I am going to try an old strategy that really works if you can follow through and stick to it.  It's so simple too.  You don't count calories, you don't lower your carbs, or anything else. In fact, you can eat whatever you want and whenever you want as long as you follow these two rules:

1. Eat ONLY when you are hungry. Not when you think you are hungry or when the clock says you should be hungry, but when you are actually, for real hungry.... guess what... no you DON'T have to eat breakfast if you aren't hungry.  God gave your body trustworthy signals... the problem is we have gotten used to ignoring them.

2. Stop when you are satisfied.  Now satisfied doesn't mean stuffed.  It means comfortably full.  When you are satisfied you stop, even if there is only one bite left to eat on your plate.  Your body is not a trash can.

It is simple but it works.  Every time.  And like juice fasting, the battle is in your mind.  Some people have a hard time reading their bodies signals and confuse head hunger or actual hunger.  For those folks it is best to wait for a good, strong, tummy-growling hunger before eating.  With practice you will get better at listening and interpreting your bodies signals.

Just Juice May 2014: Day 3

Day 3 was up and down.  I went back and forth between feeling good and feeling tired.  Hunger was moderate.  I made cinnamon rolls with Jordan for his teachers... tomorrow is the last day of school.

It seems kind of crazy but I actually enjoy cooking and baking when I am juice fasting, and it is not as difficult as it seems like it should be.  Here's why: I treat fasting just like marriage.  I have been happily and successful marriage for almost 24 years, because divorce is not an option.  It's the same thing with fasting... once I decide do it, I tell myself that quitting is not an option.  I think it is probably the only way for me to succeed.  If you are going to do any sort of fast, don't think about what you could have if you weren't fasting.  Just don't go there.  If you must, tell yourself that you will make that thing for your end of fast celebration.  Heck, if you want you can make whatever it is every day for a week... AFTER you are done with your fast.  And I just might.  :-)

Just Juice May 2014: Day 1 and Day 2

It's been a long time!!!  The last juice only fast was last July and as you can tell, I never even finished blogging about it.

I started my Jr. year of college last August and from that point forward everything has been rush, rush, rush, work, work, work and eat on the run and slowly gain several pounds over the course of the year.  It's nearly impossible for me to "just juice" when life is busy.  It's a very mental battle, and I have to be prepared for it to be successful.

Day 1-   Day 1 is always the worst, but this time it was the hardest ever.  I felt like throwing up, even with drinking coffee I had a headache and major brain fog.  I almost gave up and told myself I couldn't do it anymore.  Your brain can think of lots of reasons why.  But I didn't give up, thankfully.

Day 2- about mid day on Day 2 or about 40 hours after eating the last solid food, things take a turn and I start to feel better, and the hunger feeling is not as intense.  I still feel hungry (or more like an "empty" feeling) but it is nothing like Day 1 hunger.  I don't know if this is factual, but I read that at the beginning of your fast, digestion is still taking place, which causes your hunger to be stronger.  After your body clears all the food it has been digesting, then you don't feel as hungry.  Whatever the reason, Day 2 was much better than day 1.

STATS:
Morning Day 1: 114 (UGH!!)
Morning Day 2: 111.4
Morning Day 3: 110.4