Auntie Comes to Town

Okay boys, you're officially allowed to tune out today. We are going to discuss my Aunt Flo coming to town, and I know how squemish you can get. Go on . . . you've been warned.

I can now understand my cravings for steak and burgers. PMS. Not my typical PMS, but PMS nonetheless. After making it through a long day at work, I trotted off to rehearsal and tried to relax. We started with dropping in, and I relaxed on the floor recalling the sensations of a hangover. I thought I was doing too good a job at bringing one on when I realized -- this is no hangover. This is Aunt Flo. Damn it.

Since my body was providing enough emotional stimuli already, I could skip working on some of the aspects of a hangover. Unlike being able to shake off the emotional work post-rehearsal, Aunt Flo wasn't going to leave me be. She was, of course, coming home with me. By the time I reached my apartment, I felt completely drained. But instead of crawling into bed, I decided to try to remedy things a bit. A small glass of Mango/Pear juice and some herbal tea seemed to do the trick. Or, I, at least, felt human again.

This has been the biggest challenge so far, especially giving up my one advil which I have religiously each month. Day 1 of Aunt Flo's visits are always the worst for me, and getting through it this time without indulgence and without medication is no small task. I really started to question what I was doing last night. I questioned why I was on the juice feast and what I had to benefit. I questioned whether I could succeed or if I should just give up now. It felt similar to how I felt during the last mile of my half marathon last October. That point you reach where your mind is the only part of your body willing to continue and it's losing the battle.

Though this morning has not been easy, I think I have made it to the other side. The pain in my back is going away, and I don't feel as beaten up. My mind is no longer questioning, and a sense of peace is beginning to return. My only fear now is that this is not the only visit Aunt Flo will make during this feast. She will return somewhere around day 38 of 40, and I must be prepared. But now that I know what I'm up against, I can mentally prepare. I can do it.

What's the old joke about why men should fear women . . . because we can bleed for 7 days and not die.

Daily Breakdown: Monday
JuicesConsumed: Strawberry/Papaya/Garlic/Carrot/Banana/Pear/Kale; Aveda Tea; Mango/Pear; 1Vega/Water; 1 Vega/Water/Banana

Weight Loss:  1 lb (Juice Feast Total: 13 lbs)

Bodily Functions:  Normal

Exercise: Um . . . yeah . . . no.