The Easter Holiday took it's toll on me. A couple of coctails here, a glass of wine there, vegan macaroons, lentil soup and lo mein. Ugh. I had a constant food hangover. And then, the cravings began. Even though I've steered clear of white sugar, my body was craving sweets and fat, and more sweets and more vegan butter. Thankfully, or regretfully, I've eaten all of the leftover vegan macaroons, so those are out of the way. Salt has continued to be an issue. I definitely crave it, and I definitely wake up looking like a boxer after the bell.
Moderation. I think what I forgot about over the holiday was moderation. I had big plates of veggies, and starchy veggies at that. Which would explain why 10 days off my fast, I've put 7 lbs back on. I don't think all of it is staying. I think some of it is the result of the weekend binge, but my guess is my previously estimated 5 lbs will linger. Today, in an interest to right my wrongs, I've had juice in the AM -- Spinach/Celery/Carrot/Pineapple/Strawberry -- and a Vega Shake for lunch. My snack was a plain whole wheat matzo bread. I particularly like the ingredients on the side of hte box: whole wheat flour, water. Can't get much simplier than that!
I am also having a bit of trouble getting out of bed in the AM. I really want to sleep now. I'm not springing out of bed. To be fair, maybe I never "Sprung" out of bed, but I was more chipper. Now, I drag. Though I've had my juice or Vega or both each day, I still feel like I'm missing something. I'm definitely having less juice, so maybe that's where the problem lies. I have to up my intake of micronutrients. (And lower my intake of alcohol. I haven't been having very much in reality, but the little I've been having has been kicking my butt.)
With 315 days until my next 40 day juice feast, I am going to focus on eating as many raw foods as possible, and kicking my salt cravings. Funny how something I never missed in 40 days, can become an obsession. "Okay, Lady! Take it easy. Back away from the popcorn!"
But enough about me . . . have any of you tried juicing? Are you at least curious?
I'll pop in with an update every so often. Just so you know whether I put it all back on or level off somewhere. Today is the first truly nice weather in NYC, so I'm hoping to get in more outdoor exercise. Biking to work has begun. I don't think I'll ever see the inside of a bikini in this lifetime -- but I haven't had that on my top 10 list either. I am just hoping that beach season means I'll actually get some time to lay on the beach this summer.
Happy Juicing, and talk to you soon!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Hangover!
I know I said I was going to wait a week, but I just thought I'd mention that salt is not my friend. Of course over the 40 days, I had only natuarally occuring sodium. So having fresh, not shipped in giant garbage bag, popcorn at the movies yesterday was a real treat. Except that I woke up this morning with my face all swollen and puffy. And it wasn't that slept-hard, have-lines-in-your-face puffy that goes away after a few minutes. It was full on go to work looking like-you-had-an-allergic-reaction puffy. Ugh!
I had a lovely vegan dinner at Dirt Candy in NYC last night which included dessert -- rice milk pudding made with agave. I was exhausted by the end of the meal. And I slept like a log. But I decided today that I need to take a step backwards. I've still been having my juice and Vega protein shakes, but cooked food -- even slightly cooked is proving tough. So, today is Vega/Banana/Water shake for breakfast, a salad for lunch and for dinner during rehearsal I've made juice of Swiss Chard, Lemon, Ginger, Cantaloupe, Banana, 1/2 a Pear and Carrot. :) Yum!
I had a lovely vegan dinner at Dirt Candy in NYC last night which included dessert -- rice milk pudding made with agave. I was exhausted by the end of the meal. And I slept like a log. But I decided today that I need to take a step backwards. I've still been having my juice and Vega protein shakes, but cooked food -- even slightly cooked is proving tough. So, today is Vega/Banana/Water shake for breakfast, a salad for lunch and for dinner during rehearsal I've made juice of Swiss Chard, Lemon, Ginger, Cantaloupe, Banana, 1/2 a Pear and Carrot. :) Yum!
Monday, April 18, 2011
Back to the Land of the Chewing!
I'm baaaaaack!
My 40 day juice feast has come to an end. I still started the morning off with juice, waiting until lunch for solid food. My juice this morning was fresh canatloupe, green beans, ginger, apple, carrot, banana and lemon. I'd run out of Kale and Spinach, so I needed to make do in the green department. I also prepped a Vega shake for my dinner during rehearsal tonight. I definitely can't just jump back into 3 meals/day. I think one/day plus juice is a better transition, and there are a lot of things I'll need to keep out of my diet for a while if not forever.
On the Never List: Meat, Poultry, Pork, Fish. To be fair, these items were already there. Haven't had a one of them in 25 years.
On the Next to Never List: Dairy Products, Eggs, Processed Foods, White Flour/Sugar. I have felt so much better having removed dairy from my diet for a year. I did experiment with it, but never successfully. I had cheese and broke out within a couple of hours. My doctor suggested that I may have a reaction to cow dairy, but not to sheep or goat dairy. That has yet to be seen, but I may investigate it at some point. I never incorporated eggs back into my diet. We just didn't have a need for one another. I did have a slice of my mother's no-where-near-vegan birthday cake last year, after I was told it would be bad luck not to. Let me just put it this way -- I may like cocaine too, but it doesn't mean I'm going to have it. Nothing beats a boiled cream, Italian Birthday cake. And maybe that will be my one big splurge every year, but the Vegan birthday cake I got for my birthday was just as yummy, and just as big of a treat!
On the Need to Have More Of: Raw Veggies, Nuts, Wheatgrass Juice, Sprouts. Now that I've returned to the land of the eating, I can't lose what has been working all through the juice feast, and what will make staying healthy easier. Wheatgrass juice is my espresso. Eating raw is great for your body, and sprouts are a great living food. And we all know how much I've missed peanut butter!
When I got on the scale this morning, I was 155. Up a pound from 2 days ago, but I am PMSing, so that could play a role in the holding on to water department. That means that my weight loss for the 40 days totaled up to 18.5 lbs. I will continue to mark down what I consume every day. It will help me keep track of what works for me and what doesn't. I will still juice and have Vega shakes every day. (Don't fix what ain't broken!) In a week's time, I will check back in and let you know how incorporating foods back into my diet is going. In the meanwhile, Happy Passover & Happy Easter!
Thank you all for taking this journey with me. Oh, and if any of you decide to try this, let me know!!!
Ciao for now,
Nicole
My 40 day juice feast has come to an end. I still started the morning off with juice, waiting until lunch for solid food. My juice this morning was fresh canatloupe, green beans, ginger, apple, carrot, banana and lemon. I'd run out of Kale and Spinach, so I needed to make do in the green department. I also prepped a Vega shake for my dinner during rehearsal tonight. I definitely can't just jump back into 3 meals/day. I think one/day plus juice is a better transition, and there are a lot of things I'll need to keep out of my diet for a while if not forever.
On the Never List: Meat, Poultry, Pork, Fish. To be fair, these items were already there. Haven't had a one of them in 25 years.
On the Next to Never List: Dairy Products, Eggs, Processed Foods, White Flour/Sugar. I have felt so much better having removed dairy from my diet for a year. I did experiment with it, but never successfully. I had cheese and broke out within a couple of hours. My doctor suggested that I may have a reaction to cow dairy, but not to sheep or goat dairy. That has yet to be seen, but I may investigate it at some point. I never incorporated eggs back into my diet. We just didn't have a need for one another. I did have a slice of my mother's no-where-near-vegan birthday cake last year, after I was told it would be bad luck not to. Let me just put it this way -- I may like cocaine too, but it doesn't mean I'm going to have it. Nothing beats a boiled cream, Italian Birthday cake. And maybe that will be my one big splurge every year, but the Vegan birthday cake I got for my birthday was just as yummy, and just as big of a treat!
On the Need to Have More Of: Raw Veggies, Nuts, Wheatgrass Juice, Sprouts. Now that I've returned to the land of the eating, I can't lose what has been working all through the juice feast, and what will make staying healthy easier. Wheatgrass juice is my espresso. Eating raw is great for your body, and sprouts are a great living food. And we all know how much I've missed peanut butter!
When I got on the scale this morning, I was 155. Up a pound from 2 days ago, but I am PMSing, so that could play a role in the holding on to water department. That means that my weight loss for the 40 days totaled up to 18.5 lbs. I will continue to mark down what I consume every day. It will help me keep track of what works for me and what doesn't. I will still juice and have Vega shakes every day. (Don't fix what ain't broken!) In a week's time, I will check back in and let you know how incorporating foods back into my diet is going. In the meanwhile, Happy Passover & Happy Easter!
Thank you all for taking this journey with me. Oh, and if any of you decide to try this, let me know!!!
Ciao for now,
Nicole
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Can We Say, "Day 40"!?!
And you thought I'd never make it! Oh, yee of little faith.
For those of you who don't know me, I'm not really an overly religious person. I was raised Roman Catholic, but would qualify as a lapsed Catholic at best. I've always tried to give up something for Lent, but I hardly ever darken the doorway of a church. I can't say that there was one priest in particular that made me start missing Mass. I often missed Mass -- but there was certainly one who I thought was off-his-rocker, and inappropriate, but not like the Catholic priests that we read about far too often. But I digress . . .
When I started Lent this year, I popped into the church nextdoor to Actors Equity in Times Square and received my ashes. I can't remember the last time I got ashes on Ash Wednesday. But with my Uncle's passing this year, I wanted to go in and pray anyway. I suppose I can always talk to him in my heart, but talking to him in church just feels more like a direct line than a text message. My uncle was a joker. When my grandmother, his mother, passed away, I was chosen to do a reading at the funeral. I was 18, and scared to death even though I had been coached by my grand-uncle, a Jesuit priest, who performed the ceremony. Later, after the service, my uncle teased me saying that when I bowed before stepping on the alter, he wasn't sure I was getting back up. And I always though it was very funny, because in that moment, I wasn't sure I was getting back up either. When he died suddenly this year, I was again asked to do a reading at the funeral. Just minutes before we left the funeral home for the church, I stepped into the bathroom. I just needed to quickly pee, and then review my reading for the service. But suddenly, I was stuck in a Houdini like trap. I couldn't pull my pants up! They were stuck, and I had no idea how. Turned out, I had never removed the dry cleaning tag that they staple into your item somewhere, somehow. The staple had caught on to the underside of my underwear, and I was in a life and death struggle with the half inch piece of wire. I had gotten dressed three times that morning, before putting those pants on all because 21 years ago, at my grandmother's funeral, my uncle had made a joke about how short my skirt was when I finally made it to the alter with the dozen priests, no exaggeration, who performed the ceremony. So, as I wrestled the staple, I laughed to myself about how much my uncle must be enjoying this scene. And, I hoped it was his way of telling me to just relax. He doesn't have to be in this life, to be in my life.
This week, an old friend lost his baby brother to a sudden illness. The man was only 36 years old, and my small town has been mourning the loss of a favorite son. I couldn't get back home to pay my respects, so that coupled with my own journey over these 40 days, made me decide to get up early on Sunday and go to Palm Sunday Mass in my neighborhood. But not being an avid chuch-goer, I didn't know what time Mass was, and I new that there were only limited services in English. So, at 7 AM, I went for a jog so I could run past the church and get the schedule:
9 AM English
11 AM Spanish
12:30 PM English
5:30 PM Hatian (why do they luck out?)
9 AM. Time to finish my run, go home, have some juice and head back to Mass. Easy. Mass is what . . . an hour at most, so I'll be home to do Sunday chores like laundry, and the little work I had to do for the office. I tried to pick out something to wear, and grabbed the same pants I'd worn to my uncle's funeral out of the closet. They barely fit. If I'm ever going to wear them, I'll need a belt at the very least. I haven't noticed a huge change in my other clothes, but these were significantly different than they were a couple of months back. And I walked down the road to Mass feeling very good about the journey I was completing today.
The church was packed -- so packed that I can't remember the last time I was in a church that crowded. I'm curious if it was for Palm Sunday, or if it is typical of this parish. After the two readings, we read the Passion. (Yes, the Passion of the Christ sans Mell Gibson's two cents.) The Passion really isn't all that long, but I was starting to sway on my feet. I was getting hot, and I didn't think it was body heat. I hadn't pushed myself on the run, and I'd made my juice, so I couldn't figure why my body was giving me my first really uncomfortable moment on this fast. I couldn't believe the relief when we got to the section where we could kneel -- for all of about 30 seconds, and then back up. I make fun of Catholic aerobics, but this morning was no joke.
Do you ever look at your watch in church? I really try not to, but this Mass really started to feel LONG. Sure, reading the Passion probably added 10 - 15 minutes to the service, but we were only in the middle of the homily when the church bells tolled 10 AM. The gifts weren't brought up to the alter until 10:15 - -okay -- 15 more minutes, and we're done. NOPE! Two hours. Mass was two hours long. When I was an hour late for my weekly call with my dad, he asked if I was sure the church was even Catholic. (I hadn't realized that the church where I'd gotten my ashes was Anglican until I realized that the Father placing them on my forehead was really Sister.) Yes, it was Catholic, confirmed by many counts including the mention of Pope Benedict -- no one else drops Pope's names during service.
I was absolutely drained. More than I have been during this entire process. (Even the alter girls were yawning, so maybe I wasn't the only one who thought this was unusually long.) I had to take a nap today to recover.
But in the next few hours, I will complete this journey. I will wake up, and make juice for breakfast knowing that lunch will consist of solid food. Paul McCartney is singing in the background now, "Let it be." So much has happened in the last 40 days. Some were born, and some have died. Some have sought answers, and some have found them. For others, the questions still remain. I don't have all of my answers, but I know a little more about myself. I can see when I'm being insecure, and unfair the same as when I'm being generous and accepting. I know that it is within me to overcome my habits and addictions no matter how frightening. Every journey starts with just one step, but you'll never get where you're going without it.
Step forward down your path . . .
Weight Loss: 0 lb (Juice Feast Total: 19.5 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Not very activeJuicesConsumed: Kale/Carrot/PApple/Lemon/Banana/Celery; Vega/Water/Banana/Almond Milk/Flax Seed Oil; Kale/Carrot/Apple/Celery/Banana/Lemon
For those of you who don't know me, I'm not really an overly religious person. I was raised Roman Catholic, but would qualify as a lapsed Catholic at best. I've always tried to give up something for Lent, but I hardly ever darken the doorway of a church. I can't say that there was one priest in particular that made me start missing Mass. I often missed Mass -- but there was certainly one who I thought was off-his-rocker, and inappropriate, but not like the Catholic priests that we read about far too often. But I digress . . .
When I started Lent this year, I popped into the church nextdoor to Actors Equity in Times Square and received my ashes. I can't remember the last time I got ashes on Ash Wednesday. But with my Uncle's passing this year, I wanted to go in and pray anyway. I suppose I can always talk to him in my heart, but talking to him in church just feels more like a direct line than a text message. My uncle was a joker. When my grandmother, his mother, passed away, I was chosen to do a reading at the funeral. I was 18, and scared to death even though I had been coached by my grand-uncle, a Jesuit priest, who performed the ceremony. Later, after the service, my uncle teased me saying that when I bowed before stepping on the alter, he wasn't sure I was getting back up. And I always though it was very funny, because in that moment, I wasn't sure I was getting back up either. When he died suddenly this year, I was again asked to do a reading at the funeral. Just minutes before we left the funeral home for the church, I stepped into the bathroom. I just needed to quickly pee, and then review my reading for the service. But suddenly, I was stuck in a Houdini like trap. I couldn't pull my pants up! They were stuck, and I had no idea how. Turned out, I had never removed the dry cleaning tag that they staple into your item somewhere, somehow. The staple had caught on to the underside of my underwear, and I was in a life and death struggle with the half inch piece of wire. I had gotten dressed three times that morning, before putting those pants on all because 21 years ago, at my grandmother's funeral, my uncle had made a joke about how short my skirt was when I finally made it to the alter with the dozen priests, no exaggeration, who performed the ceremony. So, as I wrestled the staple, I laughed to myself about how much my uncle must be enjoying this scene. And, I hoped it was his way of telling me to just relax. He doesn't have to be in this life, to be in my life.
This week, an old friend lost his baby brother to a sudden illness. The man was only 36 years old, and my small town has been mourning the loss of a favorite son. I couldn't get back home to pay my respects, so that coupled with my own journey over these 40 days, made me decide to get up early on Sunday and go to Palm Sunday Mass in my neighborhood. But not being an avid chuch-goer, I didn't know what time Mass was, and I new that there were only limited services in English. So, at 7 AM, I went for a jog so I could run past the church and get the schedule:
9 AM English
11 AM Spanish
12:30 PM English
5:30 PM Hatian (why do they luck out?)
9 AM. Time to finish my run, go home, have some juice and head back to Mass. Easy. Mass is what . . . an hour at most, so I'll be home to do Sunday chores like laundry, and the little work I had to do for the office. I tried to pick out something to wear, and grabbed the same pants I'd worn to my uncle's funeral out of the closet. They barely fit. If I'm ever going to wear them, I'll need a belt at the very least. I haven't noticed a huge change in my other clothes, but these were significantly different than they were a couple of months back. And I walked down the road to Mass feeling very good about the journey I was completing today.
The church was packed -- so packed that I can't remember the last time I was in a church that crowded. I'm curious if it was for Palm Sunday, or if it is typical of this parish. After the two readings, we read the Passion. (Yes, the Passion of the Christ sans Mell Gibson's two cents.) The Passion really isn't all that long, but I was starting to sway on my feet. I was getting hot, and I didn't think it was body heat. I hadn't pushed myself on the run, and I'd made my juice, so I couldn't figure why my body was giving me my first really uncomfortable moment on this fast. I couldn't believe the relief when we got to the section where we could kneel -- for all of about 30 seconds, and then back up. I make fun of Catholic aerobics, but this morning was no joke.
Do you ever look at your watch in church? I really try not to, but this Mass really started to feel LONG. Sure, reading the Passion probably added 10 - 15 minutes to the service, but we were only in the middle of the homily when the church bells tolled 10 AM. The gifts weren't brought up to the alter until 10:15 - -okay -- 15 more minutes, and we're done. NOPE! Two hours. Mass was two hours long. When I was an hour late for my weekly call with my dad, he asked if I was sure the church was even Catholic. (I hadn't realized that the church where I'd gotten my ashes was Anglican until I realized that the Father placing them on my forehead was really Sister.) Yes, it was Catholic, confirmed by many counts including the mention of Pope Benedict -- no one else drops Pope's names during service.
I was absolutely drained. More than I have been during this entire process. (Even the alter girls were yawning, so maybe I wasn't the only one who thought this was unusually long.) I had to take a nap today to recover.
But in the next few hours, I will complete this journey. I will wake up, and make juice for breakfast knowing that lunch will consist of solid food. Paul McCartney is singing in the background now, "Let it be." So much has happened in the last 40 days. Some were born, and some have died. Some have sought answers, and some have found them. For others, the questions still remain. I don't have all of my answers, but I know a little more about myself. I can see when I'm being insecure, and unfair the same as when I'm being generous and accepting. I know that it is within me to overcome my habits and addictions no matter how frightening. Every journey starts with just one step, but you'll never get where you're going without it.
Step forward down your path . . .
Daily Breakdown: Saturday
JuicesConsumed: Kale/Carrot/Apple/Lemon/Banana/Ginger; Vega/Water/Banana/Almond Milk/Flax Seed Oil - squared; Weight Loss: 0 lb (Juice Feast Total: 19.5 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Not very active
Exercise: Zumba
Daily Breakdown: FridayWeight Loss: .5 lb (Juice Feast Total: 19.5 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Not very active
Bodily Functions: Not very active
Exercise: nope
Friday, April 15, 2011
54th to 33rd
I have dropped from the 54th percentile to the 33rd on the Body Mass Index calculator in just over a month. I have taken 76 lbs of pressure off my knees. I've dropped about 7.5 candlepin bowling balls in weight.(I'm from Boston -- I grew up playing candlepin, so that's that.)
Sure, I'm looking forward to chewing something. I think that's normal. But I am also looking forward to foods tasting differently. Having only had naturally occuring sugar, things like sweet potatoes, sweet corn and sweet peas will actually taste sweet to me. And not having sweets hasn't bothered me any. I miss real food, not candy and cookies. I want a salad with beans and sprouts! I want to go to Kashkaval and have some Mediteranean salads, and grape leaves, and hummus, oh! and their babaganouj is to die for!
And in only a few more days, I can do just that. But I can't forget what I have learned on this journey. Elijah, Moses and Jesus are all said to have fasted for 40 days. I don't know if it's true or if someone editing the Bibile liked the number. I've also read that "40" may not have been translated correctly, and it could have just been a symbol for "a long time" later called as "40". Well, 40 days has been a long time. And I don't think you embark on something like this without learning something about yourself. But I have the next couple of days to reflect.
I feel great and am happy that I've accomplished this. Even with a few days to go, I'm confident that nothing can break my stride. I even feel like I could go longer if need be. Joe Cross did 60 days. Some people do 90 days. Maybe I wouldn't be so gleeful if I still had 20 days to go, or maybe I've overcome enough internal obstances to feel calm, confident and cleaned out! Habits are terrible hard to move beyond. No matter what they are! Be it smoking, a relationship or a well timed cup of coffee, learning to let go may be the most difficult thing we ever do. And better to do it by choice, than by force.
Sure, I'm looking forward to chewing something. I think that's normal. But I am also looking forward to foods tasting differently. Having only had naturally occuring sugar, things like sweet potatoes, sweet corn and sweet peas will actually taste sweet to me. And not having sweets hasn't bothered me any. I miss real food, not candy and cookies. I want a salad with beans and sprouts! I want to go to Kashkaval and have some Mediteranean salads, and grape leaves, and hummus, oh! and their babaganouj is to die for!
And in only a few more days, I can do just that. But I can't forget what I have learned on this journey. Elijah, Moses and Jesus are all said to have fasted for 40 days. I don't know if it's true or if someone editing the Bibile liked the number. I've also read that "40" may not have been translated correctly, and it could have just been a symbol for "a long time" later called as "40". Well, 40 days has been a long time. And I don't think you embark on something like this without learning something about yourself. But I have the next couple of days to reflect.
I feel great and am happy that I've accomplished this. Even with a few days to go, I'm confident that nothing can break my stride. I even feel like I could go longer if need be. Joe Cross did 60 days. Some people do 90 days. Maybe I wouldn't be so gleeful if I still had 20 days to go, or maybe I've overcome enough internal obstances to feel calm, confident and cleaned out! Habits are terrible hard to move beyond. No matter what they are! Be it smoking, a relationship or a well timed cup of coffee, learning to let go may be the most difficult thing we ever do. And better to do it by choice, than by force.
JuicesConsumed: Kale/Carrot/Pear/Lemon/Banana/Ginger, Vega/Water/Banana/Almond Milk/Flax Seed Oil; Kale/Carrot/Apple/Celery/Banana/Lemon
Weight Loss: .5 lb (Juice Feast Total: 19.5 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Not very active
Bodily Functions: Not very active
Exercise: Biked home from work
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Oh, Yeah! Almost There!
Remember in the beginning when I couldn't face another day? When I couldn't talk about how far I'd gone or how much longer I had to go? Well . . . HA! I'm 9/10 done! I've got 36 days in the can! I'm on the home stretch. I'm rounding third! Oh, yeah, baby!
That being said, the guys in my office went out for burgers and fries for lunch and brought everything back. I swear I almost inhaled a French Fry through my nose! I've started contemplating my first meal. I am strong enough to look at menus now without drooling. I am going to remain Vegan for sure. And I'm going to continue juicing in the mornings definitely. I may have juice for 2/3 of my consumption when I cross over just not to put my system into shock. I'd love to say that I'm going to run the border between raw/living food and macrobiotic. At the very least, during the summer, I think it will be much easier to eat that way while taking advantage of locally grown fruits and veggies. (I hope the corn is better than last year!)
As my mother plans a large Easter Dinner, I've been set to bake a Ricotta Pie. I used to love, love, love ricotta pie. I'll be baking, but I won't be biting. What will I be having??? Salad, lots of veggies -- zucchini, eggplant, brussel sprouts, green beans, carrots and mushooms, and lentil soup. You have no idea how absolutely fabulous that all sounds after 36 days without chewing. If I'm feeling really wild, I might bake a sweet potato for dessert. (They taste like pie without making pie!)
Who needs chocolate Easter bunnies!?!
That being said, the guys in my office went out for burgers and fries for lunch and brought everything back. I swear I almost inhaled a French Fry through my nose! I've started contemplating my first meal. I am strong enough to look at menus now without drooling. I am going to remain Vegan for sure. And I'm going to continue juicing in the mornings definitely. I may have juice for 2/3 of my consumption when I cross over just not to put my system into shock. I'd love to say that I'm going to run the border between raw/living food and macrobiotic. At the very least, during the summer, I think it will be much easier to eat that way while taking advantage of locally grown fruits and veggies. (I hope the corn is better than last year!)
As my mother plans a large Easter Dinner, I've been set to bake a Ricotta Pie. I used to love, love, love ricotta pie. I'll be baking, but I won't be biting. What will I be having??? Salad, lots of veggies -- zucchini, eggplant, brussel sprouts, green beans, carrots and mushooms, and lentil soup. You have no idea how absolutely fabulous that all sounds after 36 days without chewing. If I'm feeling really wild, I might bake a sweet potato for dessert. (They taste like pie without making pie!)
Who needs chocolate Easter bunnies!?!
JuicesConsumed: Kale/Carrot/Papaya/Pineapple/Mango/Banana, Vega/Water/Banana, Pineapple Orange Juice; Water with Chlorophyll; Flax Seed Oil
Weight Loss: Got back on the scale (Juice Feast Total: 19 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Not very active
Bodily Functions: Not very active
Exercise: um . . .
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
From One Blog to Another . . .
I'll catch-up on my check-ins later tonight, but in the meanwhile, I thought you might find this interesting:
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/12/how-to-save-a-trillion-dollars/?hp
"Corny as it is to say so, if we can put a man on the moon we can create an environment in which an apple is a better and more accessible choice than a Pop-Tart. Some other billions of dollars must go to public health. Again: we built sewage systems; we built water supplies; we showed that we could get people to eat anything we marketed. Now all we have to do is build a food distribution system that favors real food, and market that."
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/12/how-to-save-a-trillion-dollars/?hp
"Corny as it is to say so, if we can put a man on the moon we can create an environment in which an apple is a better and more accessible choice than a Pop-Tart. Some other billions of dollars must go to public health. Again: we built sewage systems; we built water supplies; we showed that we could get people to eat anything we marketed. Now all we have to do is build a food distribution system that favors real food, and market that."
Monday, April 11, 2011
Take Me Out to the Ballgame
A night in Fenway with no beer, no popcorn, no crackerjack! I loved every smell! I wanted to sit at a sausage cart all night. I at least wanted someone to eat one right next to me. My folks got peanuts, and I offered to shell them just so I could smell them. I was thankful I couldn't smell the clam chowder. Now, I know it was a cold night at Fenway, but do they really sell Legal Seafood Clam Chowder all summer? I can't think of anything worse than warm milk on a hate August afternoon. I remember the drama years ago when some people realized what Legals' "secret" ingredient was bacon. Those who do not have pork in their diet were not pleased.
I've definitely become more ingredient conscious over the years. I like to be able to pronounce the ingredients, and not have to look them up in a chemist's dictionary. Processed food -- just the phrase is unappetizing! When did food stop being made with . . . . well, food!?! For example: potato chips can be a quick, cheap snack, but it doesn't need to be completely bad for you (in the right portions). I read a bag of Lays Baked Chips, thinking baked must be better than fried, right? Were there Cliff's Notes for that bag of chips? Then, I read a bag of old fashioned Wise Potato Chips -- potatoes, sunflower oil, salt. Wow! I know what those 3 things are and they are all I would use if I were making chips -- okay, maybe not sunflower oil -- I typically use olive oil or coconut oil, but you get my point.
Why does food need to be more complicated? Sure, some meals are ingredient rich, complex. But no one cooks with chemicals at home! When I bake, my brownies contain chocolate, sugar, butter, flour and vanilla. I haven't had one in a long time, but I remember them being good.(I'm still working on my black bean brownies -- I'll let you know when I've perfected/improved the recipe.) So, here's my vote -- let's have our food prepared by chefs, cooks, parents, etc, but not scientists! Scientists, you guys focus on climate change, renewable energy and space travel.
I've definitely become more ingredient conscious over the years. I like to be able to pronounce the ingredients, and not have to look them up in a chemist's dictionary. Processed food -- just the phrase is unappetizing! When did food stop being made with . . . . well, food!?! For example: potato chips can be a quick, cheap snack, but it doesn't need to be completely bad for you (in the right portions). I read a bag of Lays Baked Chips, thinking baked must be better than fried, right? Were there Cliff's Notes for that bag of chips? Then, I read a bag of old fashioned Wise Potato Chips -- potatoes, sunflower oil, salt. Wow! I know what those 3 things are and they are all I would use if I were making chips -- okay, maybe not sunflower oil -- I typically use olive oil or coconut oil, but you get my point.
Why does food need to be more complicated? Sure, some meals are ingredient rich, complex. But no one cooks with chemicals at home! When I bake, my brownies contain chocolate, sugar, butter, flour and vanilla. I haven't had one in a long time, but I remember them being good.(I'm still working on my black bean brownies -- I'll let you know when I've perfected/improved the recipe.) So, here's my vote -- let's have our food prepared by chefs, cooks, parents, etc, but not scientists! Scientists, you guys focus on climate change, renewable energy and space travel.
Daily Breakdown: Sunday
JuicesConsumed: Spinach/Carrot/Apple/Pear/Grape/Banana, Vega/Water/Banana, Tonic Water
Weight Loss: No Scale today (Juice Feast Total: 15 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Very active! Wow!
Bodily Functions: Very active! Wow!
Exercise: Ran Deer Island
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Bad Blogger! Bad!
I know being busy is no excuse. We're all busy. All I can say is that after a full day or work, rehearsal, orthodontist, and bicycling, I'm laying on my futon typing at 10 to midnight. Work has geared up a lot and --- and that's where I fell asleep, and was woken up at 1 AM with the computer still on my chest.
Sorry, dear readers, life has gotten in the way. I have been very busy with little to no time for myself. This is my first moment to write and I'm distracted by my dad watching tv -- not because of the tv show itself, but becuase he's watching it online and it's not loading very quickly, and he's going to want me to fix it somehow. Ugh.
It hasn't been all work and no play. Rehearsal is literally play time. Auditions are a little more work than play, but it can be the only type of performace I do for months on end, so hopefully it's a little play time. Then there was a the tremendous concert by an old from Emerson http://www.mirandarussell.com/ at an amazing venue in Rockport, Shalin Liu Center, http://www.rockportmusic.org/. A great night after a long day on the road. And nothing beats catching up with an old friend who is willing to put you up for the night!
Today was more about chores for the folks. I'm far from technical support, but I'm what's available. After a major meltdown, I actually got the computer running. And I am not exactly sure how it all worked. But it did. After 4 hours, and some basic programming, I got the dsl to auto-connect, and dvds to play on an Ubuntu operating system. Yeah, I had never heard of it before either. I had planned on going for a run, or at least hoping on the exercise bike. Instead, I just tried to refrain from kiling anyone who stressed me out during my Linux learning curve.
But when all was said and done, I received a reward. My mum and I watched "Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead". Joe Cross tells an amazing of rescuing himself through green juice. http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/ He was on a cocktail of medications that were not improving his condition, but only trying to keep his symptoms in check. His journey and the few people who decide to join him -- are simply amazing and inspiring. I can't recommend this documentary enough. I went on a 30 day juice fast and ran a half marathon last year trying to inspire my mother. She watched this 90 min documentary and she was ready to go on a juice fast. Seriously, it's that inspiring.
Sorry, dear readers, life has gotten in the way. I have been very busy with little to no time for myself. This is my first moment to write and I'm distracted by my dad watching tv -- not because of the tv show itself, but becuase he's watching it online and it's not loading very quickly, and he's going to want me to fix it somehow. Ugh.
It hasn't been all work and no play. Rehearsal is literally play time. Auditions are a little more work than play, but it can be the only type of performace I do for months on end, so hopefully it's a little play time. Then there was a the tremendous concert by an old from Emerson http://www.mirandarussell.com/ at an amazing venue in Rockport, Shalin Liu Center, http://www.rockportmusic.org/. A great night after a long day on the road. And nothing beats catching up with an old friend who is willing to put you up for the night!
Today was more about chores for the folks. I'm far from technical support, but I'm what's available. After a major meltdown, I actually got the computer running. And I am not exactly sure how it all worked. But it did. After 4 hours, and some basic programming, I got the dsl to auto-connect, and dvds to play on an Ubuntu operating system. Yeah, I had never heard of it before either. I had planned on going for a run, or at least hoping on the exercise bike. Instead, I just tried to refrain from kiling anyone who stressed me out during my Linux learning curve.
But when all was said and done, I received a reward. My mum and I watched "Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead". Joe Cross tells an amazing of rescuing himself through green juice. http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/ He was on a cocktail of medications that were not improving his condition, but only trying to keep his symptoms in check. His journey and the few people who decide to join him -- are simply amazing and inspiring. I can't recommend this documentary enough. I went on a 30 day juice fast and ran a half marathon last year trying to inspire my mother. She watched this 90 min documentary and she was ready to go on a juice fast. Seriously, it's that inspiring.
Daily Breakdown: Saturday
JuicesConsumed: Spinach/Carrot/Apple/Pear/Grape/Banana, Vega/Water/Banana, Spinach/Carrot/Apple/Pear/Grape/Celery
Weight Loss: No Scale today (Juice Feast Total: 15 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Minimal activity
Weight Loss: No Scale today (Juice Feast Total: 15 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Minimal activity
Exercise: None -- was tied to the computer -- mental aerobics
Daily Breakdown: Friday
Daily Breakdown: Friday
JuicesConsumed: 2 Vega/water/Banana; Quart of Orange Juice
Weight Loss: No Scale Today (Juice Feast Total: 15 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Minimal activity
Weight Loss: No Scale Today (Juice Feast Total: 15 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Minimal activity
Exercise: None -- was in the car all day
Daily Breakdown: Thursday
Daily Breakdown: Thursday
JuicesConsumed: Peach Juice; Lemon Herbal Tea with honey, Vega/Water/Banana x2, flax seed oil
Weight Loss: 1 lb (Juice Feast Total: 15 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Minimal activity
Bodily Functions: Minimal activity
Exercise: Biked to work but train home.
Daily Breakdown: Wednesday
JuicesConsumed: Orange Pineapple Juice; Green Machine, Vega/Water/Banana x1.5, flax seed oil
Weight Loss: 1 lb (Juice Feast Total: 16 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Minimal activity
Bodily Functions: Minimal activity
Exercise: Bike back and forth to work. My butt hurts!!!
Daily Breakdown: Tuesday
JuicesConsumed: Broccoli/Papaya/Celery/Carrot/Mango/Apple, Vega/Water/Banana x2, flax seed oil
Weight Loss: 1 lb (Juice Feast Total: 15 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Minimal activity
Bodily Functions: Minimal activity
Exercise: Tied to a desk.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
What's the Big Deal?
I am constantly surprised by people who greet my journey with negativity. How is my doing a 40 day juice feast threatening to anyone? I am not harming myself or anyone else. I am not losing weight too rapidly, nor do I look sickly and thin. I'm 159.5 lbs on a 5'7" In fact, that 1 lb I'm up from last week puts me back in the overweight category on the BMI. So, what's the big deal?
During this run, a friend decided he would try a juice feast for 3 - 8 days. He came in at 7. As I knew it would be, the first 3 days were miserable. Kicking alcohol, sugar, coffee and cutting out meat and dairy is enough to make anyone cranky for a few days. But once he made it beyond that point, he actually started feeling good. He has since reincorporated all to his diet, but in much smaller portions than before. He is eating less, and with some ups and downs, has kept off the 8 lbs he took off that week. But the big difference he noticed when he returned to food was that everything tasted different. Fruit really did seem like an appropriate dessert, and veggies tasted great. Heck, even a salad wasn't so bad!
For my part, I already know that I appreciate food more than I once did. I spent my childhood eating Hostess Honey Buns, and never touching a piece of fruit unless it was in a McDonald's or Table Talk Fruit Pie. By the time I was 12, I was a size 15. I would eventually max out at a size 20. There's nothing like high school for making someone want to lose weight, so I tried. And I got down to a size 14. I didn't really change what I was eating, I just ate a lot less. I became a vegetarian, for animal rights issues more than liking vegetables, and didn't lose an ounce. You can be a vegetarian and still eat tons of processed foods. So, when eating less didn't work, and I went the Jane Fonda route. Still nothing.
Like so many Americans, when all else fails, I turned to drugs. In my late teens, early twenties experimental drug phase, I lost weight. Depression helped too. Being broke helped even more. For at least one semester of undergrad, my income was $7/month above my rent. And I was down to a size 10.
But the problem with the experimental drug phase is feeling like you're going to die, so I stopped taking drugs. It was really a no-brainer. But, like any ex-smoker will tell you, you always replace one obsession with another. Drugs were out, food was in. Food was out, alcohol was in. Alcohol was out, and food was back in. Food was always my go-to fix all. I wasn't good with vices, but I was great with food. So, all during my twenties and thirties, I yo-yo'd . I was never as thin as I was when I had done drugs, and I knew it. So, I went to a doctor.
Part of the classic interpretation of the Hippocratic Oath is " I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody if asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect." After years of struggling with my weight, I found a doctor to help me. He prescribed an injectable used primarily as part of a cocktail of fertility drugs to increase my metabolism. He recommended increased exercise. He told me to eat not more than 500 calories/day, and the majority of that needed to be protein. When I still wasn't losing weight, he prescribed phentermine, which was one half of Phen-Phen. I lost weight. I was high as a kite, but I was thin. and as an actor, I was told that I had done the best thing I possibly could for my career.
But, I couldn't maintain the drugs. I constantly felt like planes were flying too low and shaking the house I lived in. I didn't realize that I was the only one shaking. I weaned myself off the injectable, but I loved my "happy pills". I was miserably depressed without them. But I got off them all the same. I even maintained the weight I had lost, for about a year. But because my diet was terrible, when work no longer allowed for my hour of exercise each day, the weight came back with a vengence.
This is my second juice feast. I am not thin. I will not model swimwear in this lifetime. But for the first time, I feel good. I feel great actually. I have plenty of energy, and I am working to make myself stronger. I've ut food from my diet that doesn't make me feel good when I eat it. I'm drinking green juices, and green protein. So, what's the big deal?
During this run, a friend decided he would try a juice feast for 3 - 8 days. He came in at 7. As I knew it would be, the first 3 days were miserable. Kicking alcohol, sugar, coffee and cutting out meat and dairy is enough to make anyone cranky for a few days. But once he made it beyond that point, he actually started feeling good. He has since reincorporated all to his diet, but in much smaller portions than before. He is eating less, and with some ups and downs, has kept off the 8 lbs he took off that week. But the big difference he noticed when he returned to food was that everything tasted different. Fruit really did seem like an appropriate dessert, and veggies tasted great. Heck, even a salad wasn't so bad!
For my part, I already know that I appreciate food more than I once did. I spent my childhood eating Hostess Honey Buns, and never touching a piece of fruit unless it was in a McDonald's or Table Talk Fruit Pie. By the time I was 12, I was a size 15. I would eventually max out at a size 20. There's nothing like high school for making someone want to lose weight, so I tried. And I got down to a size 14. I didn't really change what I was eating, I just ate a lot less. I became a vegetarian, for animal rights issues more than liking vegetables, and didn't lose an ounce. You can be a vegetarian and still eat tons of processed foods. So, when eating less didn't work, and I went the Jane Fonda route. Still nothing.
Like so many Americans, when all else fails, I turned to drugs. In my late teens, early twenties experimental drug phase, I lost weight. Depression helped too. Being broke helped even more. For at least one semester of undergrad, my income was $7/month above my rent. And I was down to a size 10.
But the problem with the experimental drug phase is feeling like you're going to die, so I stopped taking drugs. It was really a no-brainer. But, like any ex-smoker will tell you, you always replace one obsession with another. Drugs were out, food was in. Food was out, alcohol was in. Alcohol was out, and food was back in. Food was always my go-to fix all. I wasn't good with vices, but I was great with food. So, all during my twenties and thirties, I yo-yo'd . I was never as thin as I was when I had done drugs, and I knew it. So, I went to a doctor.
Part of the classic interpretation of the Hippocratic Oath is " I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody if asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect." After years of struggling with my weight, I found a doctor to help me. He prescribed an injectable used primarily as part of a cocktail of fertility drugs to increase my metabolism. He recommended increased exercise. He told me to eat not more than 500 calories/day, and the majority of that needed to be protein. When I still wasn't losing weight, he prescribed phentermine, which was one half of Phen-Phen. I lost weight. I was high as a kite, but I was thin. and as an actor, I was told that I had done the best thing I possibly could for my career.
But, I couldn't maintain the drugs. I constantly felt like planes were flying too low and shaking the house I lived in. I didn't realize that I was the only one shaking. I weaned myself off the injectable, but I loved my "happy pills". I was miserably depressed without them. But I got off them all the same. I even maintained the weight I had lost, for about a year. But because my diet was terrible, when work no longer allowed for my hour of exercise each day, the weight came back with a vengence.
This is my second juice feast. I am not thin. I will not model swimwear in this lifetime. But for the first time, I feel good. I feel great actually. I have plenty of energy, and I am working to make myself stronger. I've ut food from my diet that doesn't make me feel good when I eat it. I'm drinking green juices, and green protein. So, what's the big deal?
Daily Breakdown: Monday
JuicesConsumed: Litchi Juice; Cantaloupe/Pear/Celery/Carrot/Papaya/Pineapple, Vega/Water/Banana
Weight Loss: 1 lb (Juice Feast Total: 14 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Not so normal still. Or perhaps "minimal activity" is the best way to put it.
Bodily Functions: Not so normal still. Or perhaps "minimal activity" is the best way to put it.
Exercise: Biked to and from work, 45 min each way.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Been a Busy Bee!!!
Mum has been in town, so I've had no time to check in! I'm happy to report she had a great trip! Dinners out, theatre, music and a walk in the park. I almost got her to Zumba, but I was the only one up early enough that morning!
While at dinner with my mum, and I was doing my normal smelling routine, she offered me a sniff of her wine. I have to admit, I had absolutely no interest in it. I know that the wine she was drinking was good, but to me, the smell was a complete turn off. Yes, that's correct! I had no interest in alcohol. I guess with all the living juice I've been having, rejecting something fermented isn't so strange. But having a Virgin Bloody Mary at brunch on Saturday sounded like a big treat! I love spicy food, so after almost a month of juicing, spicy sounded just great. And it was . . . for a while. If you ever want to speed clean your system, juice for a few days and then throw back some spices. OMG! Had there been more in my system, this could have been devastating. Thankfully, tragedy was averted.
I have not had a dip in energy, and I'm feeling great. Two weeks from today, I can start eating solids again. Crazy right!?! Only 2 weeks left! I've done 26 days on juice so far. Over the weekend, a friend mentioned someone doing a documentary on juicing for 60 days. I have not yet seen it myself, but here's an article on it: http://www.takepart.com/news/2010/05/06/fat-sick-and-saved-by-juice And here is a small excerpt:
Cross did a straight 60-day juice fast to give his body the opportunity to change and heal. “There is something very powerful about setting a goal and achieving it,” he says. “I went from a size 44 jeans to a size 36 jeans over the space of eight weeks.”
Not only did Cross drop weight—100 pounds to be exact—he no longer needs to take pills because he no longer suffers from his autoimmune disease.
“I’m not saying I’m cured,” he says. “What I am doing and what I think many of us can do, is manage our illnesses or our symptoms with fruits and vegetables.”
I think it's amazing that he was willing to jump into the unknown to try to heal himself. I hear more and more of these stories all the time, and I don't know why doctors don't recommend diet changes more. Why are there pills for everything when we can try to just eat better?
While at dinner with my mum, and I was doing my normal smelling routine, she offered me a sniff of her wine. I have to admit, I had absolutely no interest in it. I know that the wine she was drinking was good, but to me, the smell was a complete turn off. Yes, that's correct! I had no interest in alcohol. I guess with all the living juice I've been having, rejecting something fermented isn't so strange. But having a Virgin Bloody Mary at brunch on Saturday sounded like a big treat! I love spicy food, so after almost a month of juicing, spicy sounded just great. And it was . . . for a while. If you ever want to speed clean your system, juice for a few days and then throw back some spices. OMG! Had there been more in my system, this could have been devastating. Thankfully, tragedy was averted.
I have not had a dip in energy, and I'm feeling great. Two weeks from today, I can start eating solids again. Crazy right!?! Only 2 weeks left! I've done 26 days on juice so far. Over the weekend, a friend mentioned someone doing a documentary on juicing for 60 days. I have not yet seen it myself, but here's an article on it: http://www.takepart.com/news/2010/05/06/fat-sick-and-saved-by-juice And here is a small excerpt:
Cross did a straight 60-day juice fast to give his body the opportunity to change and heal. “There is something very powerful about setting a goal and achieving it,” he says. “I went from a size 44 jeans to a size 36 jeans over the space of eight weeks.”
Not only did Cross drop weight—100 pounds to be exact—he no longer needs to take pills because he no longer suffers from his autoimmune disease.
“I’m not saying I’m cured,” he says. “What I am doing and what I think many of us can do, is manage our illnesses or our symptoms with fruits and vegetables.”
I think it's amazing that he was willing to jump into the unknown to try to heal himself. I hear more and more of these stories all the time, and I don't know why doctors don't recommend diet changes more. Why are there pills for everything when we can try to just eat better?
Daily Breakdown: Friday
JuicesConsumed: Aveda Tea; Acai for Me, Vega/Water/Banana
Weight Loss: 0 lb (Juice Feast Total: 14.5 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Normal
Bodily Functions: Normal
Exercise: Burn and Firm Pilates
Daily Breakdown: Saturday
JuicesConsumed: 3 Virgin Bloody Marys (Just could bring myself to call them "Virgin Marys"; Vega/Water/Banana; Honey Lemon Tea
Weight Loss: -.5 lb (Juice Feast Total: 14 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Um . . . not so normal. I guess the spices go to me, let's say.
Bodily Functions: Um . . . not so normal. I guess the spices go to me, let's say.
Exercise: Zumba
Daily Breakdown: Sunday
JuicesConsumed: Litchi Juice; Cantaloupe/Spinach/Celery/Carrot/Apple/Ginger, Vega/Water/Banana
Weight Loss: -1 lb (Juice Feast Total: 13 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Not so normal still. I don't know if it was the Litchi juice, or just a combination of things, but I had to take a gas tablet just to get to bed last night. It was a chewable, so it felt like a bit of a cheap, but was a total necessity!
Bodily Functions: Not so normal still. I don't know if it was the Litchi juice, or just a combination of things, but I had to take a gas tablet just to get to bed last night. It was a chewable, so it felt like a bit of a cheap, but was a total necessity!
Exercise: Nap!!!
Friday, April 1, 2011
Today, I'm Normal
I hate the word normal. I much prefer average. Yes, they mean different things, though you can sometime substitute one for the other. But the idea that by losing 1 lb the BMI has decided that I'm normal is off-putting. Especially in this circumstance, you would think that healthy and unhealthy would apply. I was at an unhealthy weight for my height and age, and now I'm at a healthy weight. To be fair, an average weight for my height and age, may not be a healthy weight. America is now known for its problems with obesity, so average isn't necessarily good news. But normal? All normal means is conforming to standard or common type. I can see standard, but who wants to be common?
My problem has always been associated with normal. Being normal in NYC is not the same as it is in Boston or anywhere else. I work in Soho where model sightings are an hourly occurrence. Bless them, those women are not a normal size. My yoga teacher's daughter models for Hilfiger internationally -- she's 14. While I can strive to improve myself, I cannot achieve the body of a 14 year old. Padma Lakshmi goes to the same gym as I. On TV and in photos, Padma looks thin, but shapely. In person, she is incredibly thin. In fact, I only noticed her because she was so thin. I will watch the women at the gym who are quite obviously gym-junkies. They're not buff, they're bones. They will work out 3+ hours a day taking strenous classes that they do their best to make harder. I've studied at Ailey, I know what a dancer's body looks like, and that's not what these women aspire to. Dancers must have muscle tone. But these women are nothing more than skin and bone.
Padma spoke to a reporter from "PopEater" about her daily routine. “I woke up at 6AM, I nursed. Then I ran up and down 70 flights of stairs. Then I had breakfast, then went to the gym and lifted weights for an hour. Then I walked home.” Um. . . besides the fact that most people don't have that kind of time, 70 flights!?! 70!?! Firefighters don't train that hard, and they run up flights of stairs professionally. And she does it before breakfast? Am I the odd one to think this is extreme? Or is this normal???
P.S.
Made it through dinner last night but sadly no one ordered anything that smelled particularly good to me. Smelling has become my replacement at meal time. My director's noodles at rehearsal smelled great! (Soba noodles with tofu.) The poor dear was trying to munch down her dinner, and I was fanning my script at it to get a better whiff. But dessert didn't smell at all, and that was disappointing because it looked good. Chocolate bread pudding and fried donuts with ice cream should smell a lot stronger please!
My problem has always been associated with normal. Being normal in NYC is not the same as it is in Boston or anywhere else. I work in Soho where model sightings are an hourly occurrence. Bless them, those women are not a normal size. My yoga teacher's daughter models for Hilfiger internationally -- she's 14. While I can strive to improve myself, I cannot achieve the body of a 14 year old. Padma Lakshmi goes to the same gym as I. On TV and in photos, Padma looks thin, but shapely. In person, she is incredibly thin. In fact, I only noticed her because she was so thin. I will watch the women at the gym who are quite obviously gym-junkies. They're not buff, they're bones. They will work out 3+ hours a day taking strenous classes that they do their best to make harder. I've studied at Ailey, I know what a dancer's body looks like, and that's not what these women aspire to. Dancers must have muscle tone. But these women are nothing more than skin and bone.
Padma spoke to a reporter from "PopEater" about her daily routine. “I woke up at 6AM, I nursed. Then I ran up and down 70 flights of stairs. Then I had breakfast, then went to the gym and lifted weights for an hour. Then I walked home.” Um. . . besides the fact that most people don't have that kind of time, 70 flights!?! 70!?! Firefighters don't train that hard, and they run up flights of stairs professionally. And she does it before breakfast? Am I the odd one to think this is extreme? Or is this normal???
P.S.
Made it through dinner last night but sadly no one ordered anything that smelled particularly good to me. Smelling has become my replacement at meal time. My director's noodles at rehearsal smelled great! (Soba noodles with tofu.) The poor dear was trying to munch down her dinner, and I was fanning my script at it to get a better whiff. But dessert didn't smell at all, and that was disappointing because it looked good. Chocolate bread pudding and fried donuts with ice cream should smell a lot stronger please!
Daily Breakdown: Thursday
JuicesConsumed: Pineapple Juice; Acai for Me, Vega/Water/Banana
Weight Loss: 1 lb (Juice Feast Total: 14.5 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Normal
Bodily Functions: Normal
Exercise: Diesel, with a substitute teacher. (My guy is vacationing in India.)
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Mama Is Coming to Town!
My mother is making her first trip to NYC since her diagnosis. Travel was restricted during her treatments -- not by doctors, but by the medication itself. Chemo happened every three weeks. Treatment itself generally ate up an entire day -- two medications and sometimes a blood transfusion. The first few days after treatment were spent sleeping. Then it would be like having the flu for a week. And then the last few days before the next treatment, she would feel, relatively, normal. Combine that with going bald, and traveling just wasn't in the cards.
My mother hasn't come to NYC very often in the 11 years I've been here. This is only the fourth time, and the first time she's flown. The first time she came here, I believe the reaction was "How do you live here!?!" The way the taxi and car service drivers operate just isn't for her. In fact, when I mentioned that she could use my car while I was at work, she emphatically declined the offer. I can't blame her. The one time I drove to a briss I got towed.
But this trip may be a little different. My mother lost weight as a result of her chemo, and that inspired her to keep losing weight now that her treatments are over. She's been going to Weight Watchers and has lost 11 lbs in the past 3 weeks. This not only helps with her Type 2 Diabetes, but also with her injured knee. My mother has needed knee surgery for years, but they won't do it if you're overweight, and insurance companies aren't keen on paying for it if you get diagnosed with Stage 4 Cancer. They don't consider you a good investment. But I'm hoping that increased mobility and more jeux de vie will make this trip more fun and less taxing.
The challenge is all mine this trip. Three meals out with family and friends in three days while not eating or drinking will be no small task. Not to mention that my mother will want me to eat. That's what mothers do. Like it's their job. (Well, it kinda is.) But I'm 23 days in now! I'm playing the back 9. It's all down hill from here. Piece of cake. (Mmmmmm . . . cake.)
My mother hasn't come to NYC very often in the 11 years I've been here. This is only the fourth time, and the first time she's flown. The first time she came here, I believe the reaction was "How do you live here!?!" The way the taxi and car service drivers operate just isn't for her. In fact, when I mentioned that she could use my car while I was at work, she emphatically declined the offer. I can't blame her. The one time I drove to a briss I got towed.
But this trip may be a little different. My mother lost weight as a result of her chemo, and that inspired her to keep losing weight now that her treatments are over. She's been going to Weight Watchers and has lost 11 lbs in the past 3 weeks. This not only helps with her Type 2 Diabetes, but also with her injured knee. My mother has needed knee surgery for years, but they won't do it if you're overweight, and insurance companies aren't keen on paying for it if you get diagnosed with Stage 4 Cancer. They don't consider you a good investment. But I'm hoping that increased mobility and more jeux de vie will make this trip more fun and less taxing.
The challenge is all mine this trip. Three meals out with family and friends in three days while not eating or drinking will be no small task. Not to mention that my mother will want me to eat. That's what mothers do. Like it's their job. (Well, it kinda is.) But I'm 23 days in now! I'm playing the back 9. It's all down hill from here. Piece of cake. (Mmmmmm . . . cake.)
Daily Breakdown: Wednesday
JuicesConsumed: Spinach/Celery/Papaya/Carrot/Banana/Strawberry/Pear; Green Machine, Vega/Water/Banana
Weight Loss: .5 lb (Juice Feast Total: 13.5 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Normal
Bodily Functions: Normal
Exercise: Yoga
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Feeling lighter
My weight hasn't changed much in the past week, if at all, but I am feeling lighter. Every class I take at the gym, though strenous, feels like I'm carrying less of a load. I feel like I'm getting more extension in yoga. When I'm jumping around in Zumba, I feel like gravity is a bit more friendly. But it may just be that for every 1 lb you lose, they say it takes 4 lbs of pressure off your knees. So, in my case, I've taken 52 lbs off my knees. No wonder I feel lighter.
This weekend I'll be getting my bicycle ready for the season, so I can start riding to work every day. Time to get used to dodging cabs again. I'm a safe cyclist, but NYC poses obstacles that are always new and exciting. I go one mile out of my way every morning just to avoid Flatbush. Any of you who know Flatbush in Brooklyn will understand that the one mile I go out of my way in each direction is a fair trade for my life. When the new sports complex is done, I can't imagine the life and death drama Flatbush will become.
I'm looking forward to getting back on the bike. As much as I like my gym, it will nice to have more outside time. The gym will be reserved for yoga and the much needed post-bike shower!
This weekend I'll be getting my bicycle ready for the season, so I can start riding to work every day. Time to get used to dodging cabs again. I'm a safe cyclist, but NYC poses obstacles that are always new and exciting. I go one mile out of my way every morning just to avoid Flatbush. Any of you who know Flatbush in Brooklyn will understand that the one mile I go out of my way in each direction is a fair trade for my life. When the new sports complex is done, I can't imagine the life and death drama Flatbush will become.
I'm looking forward to getting back on the bike. As much as I like my gym, it will nice to have more outside time. The gym will be reserved for yoga and the much needed post-bike shower!
Daily Breakdown: Tuesday
JuicesConsumed: Spinach/Nectarine/Cantaloupe/Carrot/Banana/Strawberry; Acai for Me, from Crunch, Aveda Tea
Weight Loss: .5 lb (Juice Feast Total: 13 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Normal
Bodily Functions: Normal
Exercise: Yoga
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Spring Cleaning
Okay, if I'm cleaning out the inside, I'd better clean out the outside too!
I started Spring Cleaning when I got home from work last night, and boy, was I a grump about it. I desperately needed to move the bedroom furniture and banish the dust bunnies, but my heart wasn't in it. I did it, begrudgingly, but I did it. It's amazing what even the best vacuum misses. This morning, I must admit to feeling a bit brighter knowing the dirt was gone. And i'm sure my sinuses will appreciate the effort.
But it made my think that maybe I should be doing more for my insides. I haven't gotten my wheatgrass growing like I'd intended. I am consuming protein which is very different to last year's cleanse, and I'm wondering what effect that is having. (It's green pea protein, but protein nonetheless.) Should I be trying to be more aggressive about cleansing?
I started Spring Cleaning when I got home from work last night, and boy, was I a grump about it. I desperately needed to move the bedroom furniture and banish the dust bunnies, but my heart wasn't in it. I did it, begrudgingly, but I did it. It's amazing what even the best vacuum misses. This morning, I must admit to feeling a bit brighter knowing the dirt was gone. And i'm sure my sinuses will appreciate the effort.
But it made my think that maybe I should be doing more for my insides. I haven't gotten my wheatgrass growing like I'd intended. I am consuming protein which is very different to last year's cleanse, and I'm wondering what effect that is having. (It's green pea protein, but protein nonetheless.) Should I be trying to be more aggressive about cleansing?
Daily Breakdown: MondayJuicesConsumed: Spinach/1/2 Apple/Cantaloupe/Pineapple/Carrot/Banana/Strawberry; Vega/Water/Banana; Peanut Butter Smoothie
Weight Loss: -1 lb (Juice Feast Total: 12.5 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Normal
Bodily Functions: Normal
Exercise: Nope
Monday, March 28, 2011
Hump Day!
Today is Hump Day, Day 20, the official midway point! And I couldn't be more thrilled, if you couldn't tell. Last year, I only did 30 days, so by Day 20 the count down was in full force and I was sifting through menus trying to pick out my first meal. While I still have 20 days to go this year, I reserve looking at menus until I'm 3/4 through so I'm not completely obsessive about it.
Things have been going well, and I'm feeling good. I took care of myself this weekend, and went for a massage and a facial. I don't get facials very often, and I never wax my eyebrows, but I was going for the whole cleanse, and it seemed like the thing to do. Ouch. I looked like a boxer after the fight. The losing boxer at that. I woke up the next morning looking the same way as well! I'm definitely cleaner, but who wouldn't be losing a layer of skin. Women, how do you wax and pluck on a regular basis? I'm just a wimp, I'm afraid. The spa I went to had a whirl pool and saunas to relax in prior to the treaments, and you could even get smacked around with oak leaves if you so chose. I did not. The sauna was a bit too much for me, and I only lasted a few minutes before sitting in a deck chair and chilling out.
Just under 3 weeks to go, and I must admit to being much more nervous about the show I'm working on than 21 days of juice. The show is deeply personal, and reveals more than I ever have in a truly public setting. I know . . . how can a woman who makes some mention about her bodily functions on a daily basis be concerned with revealing something? But I think we all keep secrets on some level. We may have done nothing wrong, but still ashamed and afraid to be judged. Writing a blog, you are at least one step removed from judgement. For one, you have no idea if anyone really reads the silly thing, so you can blather on about anything without much hesitation. But theatre, small theatre, you are 100% certain who is listerning to you and who is not. You see people look away, nod off, breast feed. You see people become engaged or look at their watches. It's like hanging your underwear out to dry in Central Park.
And what do you do with a secret you've held on to for 20 years once it becomes public knowledge? Am I letting go of an unnecessary burden?
Things have been going well, and I'm feeling good. I took care of myself this weekend, and went for a massage and a facial. I don't get facials very often, and I never wax my eyebrows, but I was going for the whole cleanse, and it seemed like the thing to do. Ouch. I looked like a boxer after the fight. The losing boxer at that. I woke up the next morning looking the same way as well! I'm definitely cleaner, but who wouldn't be losing a layer of skin. Women, how do you wax and pluck on a regular basis? I'm just a wimp, I'm afraid. The spa I went to had a whirl pool and saunas to relax in prior to the treaments, and you could even get smacked around with oak leaves if you so chose. I did not. The sauna was a bit too much for me, and I only lasted a few minutes before sitting in a deck chair and chilling out.
Just under 3 weeks to go, and I must admit to being much more nervous about the show I'm working on than 21 days of juice. The show is deeply personal, and reveals more than I ever have in a truly public setting. I know . . . how can a woman who makes some mention about her bodily functions on a daily basis be concerned with revealing something? But I think we all keep secrets on some level. We may have done nothing wrong, but still ashamed and afraid to be judged. Writing a blog, you are at least one step removed from judgement. For one, you have no idea if anyone really reads the silly thing, so you can blather on about anything without much hesitation. But theatre, small theatre, you are 100% certain who is listerning to you and who is not. You see people look away, nod off, breast feed. You see people become engaged or look at their watches. It's like hanging your underwear out to dry in Central Park.
And what do you do with a secret you've held on to for 20 years once it becomes public knowledge? Am I letting go of an unnecessary burden?
Daily Breakdown: Sunday
JuicesConsumed: Kale/Orange/Cantaloupe/Pineapple/Carrot/Banana/Strawberry; Vega/Water/Banana; Kale/Celery/Cantaloupe/Pineapple/Carrot/Banana/Strawberry/1/2 Apple
JuicesConsumed: Kale/Orange/Cantaloupe/Pineapple/Carrot/Banana/Strawberry; Vega/Water/Banana; Kale/Celery/Cantaloupe/Pineapple/Carrot/Banana/Strawberry/1/2 Apple
Weight Loss: 0 lb (Juice Feast Total: 13.5 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Normal
Bodily Functions: Normal
Exercise: Walk in the park -- literally.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
The Temptations
I have been running around more than usual lately getting ready for an audition. Saturday was the big day. My friend and I walked out of the audition, and down to the end of the block where I raised my nose in the air and said, "Is that fried clams?"
I guess with all of the pressure off my mind could return to simpler things -- What's cookin'? Things have never smelled as good as they have in the past few weeks. My sense of smell may have become stronger, if that's possible. I can smell bacon from at least 100 yards. Garlic, garlic can stop me in my tracks. In the past few weeks, I have spoon fed an adult chocolate cake, just so I could smell it. I have given over to my sense of smell.
Thankfully, we don't watch anything in Smell-e-vision. When you're not eating, you start to realize just how much food is on TV. Commericials aren't even the tip of the iceberg (lettuce with blue cheese). How many times to characters eat? LOST had whole episodes about food, but at least they thought they might starve until they the Dharma stash. And I consume enough mango to not be jealous of John Locke. But seriously, I'm about to write the Writers Union to complain about contrived reasons for characters leaving a room. They never have a character leave the room to pee, but they're always going for coffee. Where do they think all this coffee is going to go? And these 95 lbs women eating pie and donuts -- please! They never give these women opportunity to go to the bathroom to vomit them up, as they obviously don't digest them.
As much as I follow my nose these days, there is little I smell that I would actually eat if given the option having chosen to remain vegan. Being vegan is definitely limiting, but I find I feel better so it's a small price to pay. The number of unlikely vegans joining my ranks keeps on growing. Learning that Bill Clinton had gone vegan to repair his health was a shock, but not half as unexpected as learning that Mike Tyson has gone vegan. (I'm sure Holyfield wishes he had gone vegan much sooner.) You can picture Cindy Crawford eating a raw diet, but Tyson dropping 100 lbs (to 250) by becoming vegan seems almost unimaginable. But even more against type, Tyson while reducing weight has maintained muscle.
I have been able to give in to one temptation. Something I fondly called "Crack in a Cup" while consuming. I found a vegan Peanut Butter Smoothy. It was 20 oz of pure bliss. It was peanut butter, flax seed and almond milk, and it was just what the doctor ordered.
I guess with all of the pressure off my mind could return to simpler things -- What's cookin'? Things have never smelled as good as they have in the past few weeks. My sense of smell may have become stronger, if that's possible. I can smell bacon from at least 100 yards. Garlic, garlic can stop me in my tracks. In the past few weeks, I have spoon fed an adult chocolate cake, just so I could smell it. I have given over to my sense of smell.
Thankfully, we don't watch anything in Smell-e-vision. When you're not eating, you start to realize just how much food is on TV. Commericials aren't even the tip of the iceberg (lettuce with blue cheese). How many times to characters eat? LOST had whole episodes about food, but at least they thought they might starve until they the Dharma stash. And I consume enough mango to not be jealous of John Locke. But seriously, I'm about to write the Writers Union to complain about contrived reasons for characters leaving a room. They never have a character leave the room to pee, but they're always going for coffee. Where do they think all this coffee is going to go? And these 95 lbs women eating pie and donuts -- please! They never give these women opportunity to go to the bathroom to vomit them up, as they obviously don't digest them.
As much as I follow my nose these days, there is little I smell that I would actually eat if given the option having chosen to remain vegan. Being vegan is definitely limiting, but I find I feel better so it's a small price to pay. The number of unlikely vegans joining my ranks keeps on growing. Learning that Bill Clinton had gone vegan to repair his health was a shock, but not half as unexpected as learning that Mike Tyson has gone vegan. (I'm sure Holyfield wishes he had gone vegan much sooner.) You can picture Cindy Crawford eating a raw diet, but Tyson dropping 100 lbs (to 250) by becoming vegan seems almost unimaginable. But even more against type, Tyson while reducing weight has maintained muscle.
I have been able to give in to one temptation. Something I fondly called "Crack in a Cup" while consuming. I found a vegan Peanut Butter Smoothy. It was 20 oz of pure bliss. It was peanut butter, flax seed and almond milk, and it was just what the doctor ordered.
Daily Breakdown: Friday
JuicesConsumed: Spinach/Papaya/Pineapple/Banana/Cantaloupe/Carrot; Berry/Beet from Jamba; Hawaiian Harvest; Vega/Water/Banana
JuicesConsumed: Spinach/Papaya/Pineapple/Banana/Cantaloupe/Carrot; Berry/Beet from Jamba; Hawaiian Harvest; Vega/Water/Banana
Weight Loss: 0.5 lb (Juice Feast Total: 13.5 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Normal
Bodily Functions: Normal
Exercise: Spin Class and crunches
Daily Breakdown: Saturday
JuicesConsumed: Kale/Pear/Cantaloupe/Mango/Carrot; Vega/Water/Banana; Peanut Butter Smoothy from the Gods!
JuicesConsumed: Kale/Pear/Cantaloupe/Mango/Carrot; Vega/Water/Banana; Peanut Butter Smoothy from the Gods!
Weight Loss: 0 lb (Juice Feast Total: 13.5 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Normal
Bodily Functions: Normal
Exercise: Zumba!!!
Friday, March 25, 2011
Zzzzzz. . .Zzzzzz . . . .zzzzzzz . . . .
I've stopped snoring. As a kid, I snored like a small frieght train rumbling past. Over the years, I've improved to where I sound like a small bulldog wheezing. But now, I don't snore at all. And that is only since the juice fast has begun. I know I have been sleeping better, and I'm sure not snoring is playing a role in that. So the question is -- why did I stop snoring?
Weight plays a role in sleep apnea, so was I heavy enough to be making myself unwell? Sure it's possible. According to the BMI calculator, when I started this feast, I was on the 54th percentile and listed as "overweight". Today, I'm in the 40th percentile, and still listed as "overweight". (If I drop one more pound, the calculator will say I'm "Normal".) For those of you unfamiliar with the calculator, if you're in the 50th percentile, that means you're average for your height and age. If you're in the 25th percentile, then 75% of the population is heavier than you. http://www.halls.md/body-mass-index/bmi.htm
Another possibility, my allergies could have been causing my snoring. I have always had hayfever, which as a child caused asthma attacks. I was prepetually congested for years. And then last year, when I gave up dairy, it seemed like my allergies disappeared. I could finally breathe freely. As a result, I never put dairy back into my diet. My doctor said that I may just have an reaction to cow dairy and that sheep & goat may be fine. I have yet to test that theory. So, it could be that I have removed another allergen. Celery, soy, wheat, dairy and shellfish are known as key allergens in exercise-induced anaphylaxis. The only one of those allergens to be in my diet since the juice feast began is celery. My protein powder,Vega doesn't even contain soy. Dairy and shellfish aren't in my normal diet, so we're looking at soy and wheat being potential problem.
What I have learned in the past two years, is that the body will tell you what is good for you and what is not if you listen to it. It may not be a huge reaction like anaphylaxis. It can be as small as a zit or a stuffy nose. When I went to lectures on raw diets and juicing last year, the thing I heard over and over again was that "if you remove obstacles, the body will health itself." That premise is what launched my juice feast to encourage my mother to make diet changes. If she changed her diet, perhaps her body would try to heal itself. I have never understood America's fascination with medication. There's so much you can do to improve your health and your environment just by changing your diet, so why would you want to trust everything to a little pill?
Weight plays a role in sleep apnea, so was I heavy enough to be making myself unwell? Sure it's possible. According to the BMI calculator, when I started this feast, I was on the 54th percentile and listed as "overweight". Today, I'm in the 40th percentile, and still listed as "overweight". (If I drop one more pound, the calculator will say I'm "Normal".) For those of you unfamiliar with the calculator, if you're in the 50th percentile, that means you're average for your height and age. If you're in the 25th percentile, then 75% of the population is heavier than you. http://www.halls.md/body-mass-index/bmi.htm
Another possibility, my allergies could have been causing my snoring. I have always had hayfever, which as a child caused asthma attacks. I was prepetually congested for years. And then last year, when I gave up dairy, it seemed like my allergies disappeared. I could finally breathe freely. As a result, I never put dairy back into my diet. My doctor said that I may just have an reaction to cow dairy and that sheep & goat may be fine. I have yet to test that theory. So, it could be that I have removed another allergen. Celery, soy, wheat, dairy and shellfish are known as key allergens in exercise-induced anaphylaxis. The only one of those allergens to be in my diet since the juice feast began is celery. My protein powder,Vega doesn't even contain soy. Dairy and shellfish aren't in my normal diet, so we're looking at soy and wheat being potential problem.
What I have learned in the past two years, is that the body will tell you what is good for you and what is not if you listen to it. It may not be a huge reaction like anaphylaxis. It can be as small as a zit or a stuffy nose. When I went to lectures on raw diets and juicing last year, the thing I heard over and over again was that "if you remove obstacles, the body will health itself." That premise is what launched my juice feast to encourage my mother to make diet changes. If she changed her diet, perhaps her body would try to heal itself. I have never understood America's fascination with medication. There's so much you can do to improve your health and your environment just by changing your diet, so why would you want to trust everything to a little pill?
Daily Breakdown: Thursday
JuicesConsumed: Spinach/Papaya/Pineapple/Banana/Cantaloupe; Mango/Pear/Banana; Hawaiian Harvest; Vega/Water/Banana
JuicesConsumed: Spinach/Papaya/Pineapple/Banana/Cantaloupe; Mango/Pear/Banana; Hawaiian Harvest; Vega/Water/Banana
Weight Loss: 1 lb (Juice Feast Total: 13.5 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Normal
Bodily Functions: Normal
Exercise: Diesel, Killer class with a great teacher!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
I could get used to this . . .
It has been over two weeks now, and not eating has started to become normal. That sounds terrible, doesn't it? I sound as though I have an eating disorder. Or maybe I should just plead "Temporary Insanity"?
When I tell people what I'm doing, or not doing, it seems to elicit the most heartfelt reactions. People either think I'm a complete whack job, or talk to me about other cleanses that they've tried or a friend has tried. The people who throw me in the whack job catagory seem to assume I've done no research, have never spoken to a doctor or a nutritionist and my only motivation is to lose weight quickly. They think what I'm doing is extreme and unhealthy, and somewhat ridiculous. I won't say that anyone putting me in the whack job comparment is completely wrong. Opinion is by definition a judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certianty, and they are entitled to their opinion.
I don't feel the need to justify my choices. People can dislike my choices and question my integrity all they like. Nothing I say will change that. I could say that "I have never felt better", and they would call it a lie. I could say, "I'm trying to be supportive" and they would call my motivations selfish and attention seeking. I'm not out to change their minds. I'm here for the person who doesn't have a choice about changing their diet, and doesn't think they can do it. I'm here to say "I've never seen a cookie I didn't like, but I can do this." I'm here to say, "Change is not easy, but you don't have to think it's impossible."
So, why only 40 days? The juice feast is only 40 days, but the discoveries I make on this journey will continue to inform my choices for a very long time.
When I tell people what I'm doing, or not doing, it seems to elicit the most heartfelt reactions. People either think I'm a complete whack job, or talk to me about other cleanses that they've tried or a friend has tried. The people who throw me in the whack job catagory seem to assume I've done no research, have never spoken to a doctor or a nutritionist and my only motivation is to lose weight quickly. They think what I'm doing is extreme and unhealthy, and somewhat ridiculous. I won't say that anyone putting me in the whack job comparment is completely wrong. Opinion is by definition a judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certianty, and they are entitled to their opinion.
I don't feel the need to justify my choices. People can dislike my choices and question my integrity all they like. Nothing I say will change that. I could say that "I have never felt better", and they would call it a lie. I could say, "I'm trying to be supportive" and they would call my motivations selfish and attention seeking. I'm not out to change their minds. I'm here for the person who doesn't have a choice about changing their diet, and doesn't think they can do it. I'm here to say "I've never seen a cookie I didn't like, but I can do this." I'm here to say, "Change is not easy, but you don't have to think it's impossible."
So, why only 40 days? The juice feast is only 40 days, but the discoveries I make on this journey will continue to inform my choices for a very long time.
Daily Breakdown: Tuesday
JuicesConsumed: Spinach/Papaya/Pineapple/Banana/Cantaloupe/Carrot; Aveda Tea; Mango/Pear; Hawaiian Harvest; Vega/Water/Banana
JuicesConsumed: Spinach/Papaya/Pineapple/Banana/Cantaloupe/Carrot; Aveda Tea; Mango/Pear; Hawaiian Harvest; Vega/Water/Banana
Weight Loss: .5 lb (Juice Feast Total: 12.5 lbs)
Bodily Functions: Normal
Bodily Functions: Normal
Exercise: Yoga - felt like Gumbi
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