To change, health, and happiness!

Hello blog friends! Today I am grateful for my health. I'm grateful for the ability to laugh, walk, run, hike, think...just function. I feel so blessed today. There is so much to be grateful for. As this next semester approaches I can't help but feel a little apprehensive about the changes that will take place. New poeple, new professors, new schedules, new apartment, new everything. I mentioned in past posts that change is the only constant in life and for my life it is definetly the truth. As much as I dislike "change" I can't help but thank my Heavenly Father for the changes that I've seen take place not only in myself but in others around me. Change, such a daunting word but so needed to accomplish big things in life. I'm grateful that I have friends who help me see change as a opportunity to better myself and change the world around me. I've been thinking about who I was at this time last year and all the changes that have happened in just a short year...it's amazing! As I learn to accept change I learn to love the lessons I learn, the lessons I was sent here to learn. In short, I'm learning to be grateful for change :) I hope you all are realizing how amazing you all are (whoever reads this blog), how much potential we all have within ourselves. How strong we are!

10 days is up!!

Today was the last day of my juice fast...all I could think about all day was the yummy vegetarian dinner I was going to eat after work and boy was it good! By doing this juice fast I realized that my body can survive and survive really well without meat of any kind and that all it really needed was real nutrients. Nutrients provided by fruits and vegetables. It feels odd to think that tomorrow I'm not going to be bringing juice to work with me for my meals and snacks and that I actually have to think about what I'm going to eat tomorrow and to tell you the truth it's pretty daunting! I'm so glad I was able to do this and believe me, my body is definetly thanking me!
On another note, my big sis Krista and her husband just started THEIR juice fast today!!! I'm so excited for them! It's challenging but so worth it! Keep it up!

Juice and Raw Veggie/Fruit Fast-Day 9

Today was a great day!! I am still amazed and how great my body can feel by only eating fruits, vegetables, beans and almonds. I feel so...energetic. I have a day and a 1/2 with being very strict and I'm excited for after this "fast" ends to revamp my lifestyle...again. :) I have had quite a few people tell me that this 10 day juice fast thing is crazy and completely unhealthy and the only thing I can say is that I feel great! I feel that I'm getting in MORE nutrients than I was getting before I started this. If anything it's healthier! That's just my opinion and I think my body would concur. The world of juicing is great!!

Lunch of champions! 1/4 cup black beans, 1/4 cup corn(fresh off the core), fresh green beans, sliced strawberries and salt! So good!!

Parris' Baptism :)

Today I had the opportunity to attend Martha's daughter's baptism. What a wonderful experience. I love baptisms. It was great to feel the love in the room and be able to witness such a wonderful time in a little girls life :) Congratulations Parris!

Detoxing-Inside and Out!

I figure if I'm detoxing the inside of my body I might as well detox the outside as well! Tonight I bought a detoxifying face mask...may I just say my face feels as soft as a baby's bottom:)

Juicing and Raw Veggie/Fruit Fast-Day 8

I have never felt better!! I realize that I'm not doing exactly what the documentary showed but I love how I'm feeling and that things I'm learning about the food that we eat. Today I made a great juice for the next 2 days breakfasts ~5 oranges peeled, 2 grapefruits peeled and 3 large carrots..DELICIOUS!! That made about a quart of juice. I love juicing! One thing I have learned from doing this is that you can do anything if you put your mind to it. 8 days ago I was extremely overwhelmed by the thought of doing a juice fast but as you take one day at a time and tell yourself you can do it, before you know it 8 days have passed and you're still standing! I love learning new things about myself and am loving being on this journey. Thank you all for your love and support!

Juice and Raw Veggie/Fruit Fast-Day 7.

Yep. It definetely makes a difference to chew! I had an amazing salad today for lunch that filled me right up :) ~1/4 cup black beans, half a cucumber, about 10 fresh green beans, 1 mango, a tsp of chopped fresh cilantro and a sprinkle of salt...mmmm...yummy! I'm feeling really good. I have good news on the weight homefront!! I have now lost 6.2 lbs since starting this fast :) So exciting! I'm thinking about making this a lifestyle change. With a few tweeks of course. I'm finding great satisfaction in trying new things to help my body be healthier. I'm grateful that I have the means to keep doing this.
On another note...tonight Mel and I watched a documentary on Netflix called Food Inc. I was mortified!! Everyone needs to watch this! I'm definetly going vegetarian after watching it. No doubt about it!

Juice and Raw Veggie/Fruit Fast-Day 6!

All I have to say is THANK HEAVENS THIS DAY IS OVER!! I know I said yesterday was the hardest day by far but I take that back, TODAY was by FAR the most difficult day. I chose today to be the day I would only have juice for all my meals and snacks (no beans, almonds or raw veggie/fruit munchie snacks). What a day. I felt pretty good but it was hard to tell my mind to tell my mouth that it was ok to not be making the chewing motion. :) I chewed a lot of gum and ate a lot of ice at work because of it. Those who are completely juicing for 10 days or a different period of time, hats of to ya. It's a toughy! Tomorrow I'm going back to the "regular" thing that I've been doing and only have 4 days left!! I've already planned my end my fast meal! I know there are a couple friends out there that are juicing right now, all I've got to say is good luck and keep it up! :)

Juice and Raw Veggie/Fruit Fast-Day 5

Goodbye Day 5! :) Today I woke up and had 1/4 glass of carrot juice and 4 almonds followed by a 2 mile run. Which I felt GREAT for! The energy that I'm feeling while doing this is amazing! After my run I got ready for work and for breakfast had a 8 oz glass of grapefruit, carrot, apple, celery and plum juice with a scoop of greens. Snack time consisted of 1/2 glass of tomatoe and sweet potatoe juice with 3 almonds...Lunch? My delicious salad that I mentioned in older posts. Had a 1/2 glass of fruit juice for my second to last snack of the day with baby carrots and for dinner had a 8 oz glass of Veggie delite...not the yummiest but filling! Still awaiting my bedtime snack of 1/4 cup carrot juice with a scoop of greens and 4 almonds. So excited!!! Funny the things that make me happy these days :) Tomorrow I'll be doing an ALL juice day...no salads or beans or almonds or cut up veggies, just juicing! We'll see how that goes! Wish me luck! :)

Thought this would be interesting for all you readers out there..tonight I juiced an ENTIRE bag of spinach and this is all the juice it made! What?! Crazy!!

Juice and Raw Veggie/Fruit Fast-Day 4!

Today was bar FAR the hardest day of the fast!! I was craving EVERYTHING!! Chocolate, chai tea, chocolate and more chai tea! Physically I feel great but mentally I'm so sad that I can't have yummy food :( I stayed strong today. I drank my veggie juice instead of getting a chai tea. I'm feeling "clean" today and am excited for how I'll feel in 6 more days!!!

Juice and Raw Veggie/Fruit Fast-Day 3 :)

Well, I'm still smiling :) I think my bodies acclimating to this fast and surprisingly I'm actually feeling pretty good! I haven't been having headaches like the first day on it and the hunger pains are starting to subside. I do miss my night snack of Natural popcorn...in due time. :) Today I had my amazing salad again but added half a nectarine as well...mmmm, so good! Things are going well on this end and I'm loving the way my body is starting to feel, even after 3 days. It's amazing how our bodies can "talk" to us. When I started this fast I weighed 178, I'll be weighing in on Saturday morning...hoping for a good number :) Benefits of pratically starving yourself ;) Until next time.

Juice and Raw Veggie/Fruit fast-Day 2!

I made it through day 1 and almost day 2! I actually feel better than I thought I would. I love the feeling of knowing that my body is cleansing itself. I felt a little headachey this morning and VERY hungry but had a 1/2 cup of carrot juice and that seemed to tide me over til breakfast which was a glass of fruit juice and 5 almonds. I have been making sure that I drink plenty of water and am feeling half way decent. The picture below was my lunch today...DELICIOUS!!! 100% raw veggies and fruit with a 1/4 cup black beans and a sprinkle of salt. Amazing!

Broccli, Black Bean, Cucumber, Cilantro, and Mango Salad :)

Juice and raw veggie/fruit fast-Day 1

A few weeks ago I watched a documentary on Netflix called "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" that was amazing and I suggest everyone watch it. It talked all about getting pure nutrients from our raw fruits and veggies through juicing. One man decideds to go on a juice fast for 60 days, meaning he only "ate" or rather drank pure vegetable and fruit juice for every meal. By doing this he was able to heal is body of health ailmant he had been living with for years and lost over 100 pounds. So, that is where my inspiration came from to do this juice fast. I am doing it a little bit differently, here is a sample menu:

Breakfast: 1 cup freshly juiced veggie and fruit juice, 5 raw almonds
Snack: 1/2 cup juice, 10 carrot sticks
Lunch: Broccli, black bean, cucumber, cilantro, and mango salad.
Snack: 1/2 apple, 1/2 cucumber
Dinner:1 cup veggie juice
Snack:1/2 cup veggie juice, 5 almonds

That's what my next 10 days will look like. I started yesterday, Saturday, around 2. The last 24 hours have been rough but I'm hoping it will pay off. Here's to juicing! :)


Thank heaven for amazing friends who let you use their juicer :) Thanks Mel!