Day 10

Hello, it's the end of day 10.   Holy socks, I can hardly believe I'm about halfway done with this juice cleanse.  As of this morning, I officially juiced the last of my fruit... which meant there was a trip to Costco in my recent past.  As a single person, buying produce at Costco is not always the best deal given that often it goes bad before in can be finished.  Keeping this in mind, I purchased "Costco-sized" quantities of the fruits I know I will use most (grapes, apples, strawberries, etc.), and will pick up some smaller quantities of other fruits at a normal grocery store later (like kiwi fruit, for example).

My day began with freshly juiced grapefruit juice.  I cannot put into words how delicious it was, or how great it is to start out one's day with fresh juice from one of my favorite fruits.  One of my past roommates (please let me know if it's you) left behind an etched wine glass and I just couldn't resist using this morning for the grapefruit juice; it was too fun!

100% pure grapefruit juice!  Sometimes it's just fun to drink out of a pretty glass.

I experimented today with the 2nd half of the pineapple.  That juiced with a cucumber and an apple made a juice that I wouldn't say was outstanding, but it wasn't necessarily bad.  I'm learning that despite the fact that I enjoy eating pineapple, I really don't like pineapple juice much.  Yes, I suppose that's a personal problem (oh, the things we discover about ourselves later in life). 

It would have been yummy if I liked pineapple juice.

My next juice was smaller in quantity than the others, and only filled one of my handy-dandy mini plastic jars.  

The photo above is the "before" picture of what turned out to be a tasty juice made with 1 mango and 1 kiwi.  I absolutely love mangoes, they are my favorite fruit of all time.  I love mangoes so much, my crazy orange cat is named Mango!  On my way to the rescue/adoption place a few years ago I was thinking that if I found an orange female kitten, I'd name her Mango.  When I got there, they had 1 female kitten left, an orange tabby cat... and her name was already MANGO! It was kismet!!  Below you'll see that she found a spot on my piano this morning, and I got distracted while juicing.

Crazy cat! 

 With only 3 limes left, I decided this morning that I couldn't accept defeat; I had to use them today.  So, I juiced them and added fresh lime juice to my chilled lunch bag.  I JUST drank the lime juice.  It was superior; I have always been the weird kid who drinks straight lemon and lime juice, and eats both like oranges... and freshly juiced lime juice just took it to a whole new level of awesomeness!

This morning I also started with some stretches and other things (crunches, push-ups, lunges, squats, endurance exercises I learned in belly dance a few years ago, etc.).  It felt good to get moving in the morning.  What I don't understand is why Mango, the cat, decided that she wanted to cuddle when I was in the middle of push-ups!  Crazy cat!

This morning at work I weighed-in.  Nothing to write home about.  Nothing I really want to blog about even.  However, I'm accountable to this blog and whomever may read it, so must confess that I actually put on 2 pounds. It's odd, but it's not unheard of.  I guess we'll see what Friday morning brings!

Day 6

Well, day 6 is over and done with.  For the first time, I blended a banana and avocado in the juices today (not in the same juice).  I've made the executive decision that on Saturdays doing that is going to be OK. In the past I have had issues with not having enough potassium, resulting in leg cramps ("Charlie horses") so bad they felt like someone was tying my legs up into individual pretzels. When those hit while driving, it's epic... in a bad way.  Since bananas (high in potassium) can't be juiced, I was planning on just pawning off the ones I had to my roommate during this cleanse.  However, I think my Saturday exception is a good idea.  Same goes for avocados.

First Saturday concoction:
1/4 cantaloupe (juiced)
1 kiwi fruit (juiced)
1 banana (added in the blender)

Beautiful Colors!

Gotta love my little blender.  It's knock-of "The Magic Bullet".  I have a "good" blender too, but this is perfect for the job-at-hand!

2nd Saturday Concoction:
2 cucumbers (juiced)
1 lemon (juiced)
1 avocado (added in the blender)

Oh, Avocado, how I love thee!

Remarkably delicious!  It tasted a little like plain yogurt (which I haven't been able to eat in a few years).  Oh, it reminded me of that Greek dip... Tzatziki!!  Yes, it reminded me of Tzatziki!!  It was sooooo good when I tasted it that I actually cleaned out the blender cup with a spatula to ensure not a drop was wasted. 

Day 3

Day 3 is done and I'm still alive and kicking!  I've had no "hunger headache" since the first day, and have not cheated at all.  I have energy, and for the first time in over a year I don't feel perma-bloated (that's a really bad feeling); my abdominal muscles are my own again!

I've decided not to weigh myself every day like others who have blogged their juice fasting adventures.  Weighing every day can really mess with your head.  I will be weighing myself 3 times per week; Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  Today is Wednesday so it is time to report.  Between Monday morning and this morning, I dropped...

7.8 pounds

Crazy, isn't it?  I'm fully aware and very sure that it is all water and crap (literally).  I'm OK with that, it's probably why my digestive system is feeling so much better.  I've always been a "go-er" (TMI, sorry) but this is different.  I know this is a cleanse, and I've done other cleanses (herbal and mineral) in years past; they were always rather rough on "the system".  This cleanse, thus far, has been less traumatic on my body with more positive results (namely the happy abdomen).   

Below are the juices of Day 3:

1/2 cantaloupe + 6 strawberries = YUMMY 

Next time I will add a few more strawberries.  It was delicious, just a little heavy on the cantaloupe. 

1 cucumber + another cucumber = 2 cucumbers

100% cucumber juice is very light and though I woke up this morning craving some, it's not all that super. 

All ready to go to work!
PS. If you have a problem with drinking something green... yeah, avoid cucumber juice.