Juice Fast Day 7

Allergies are kicking my butt! Whatever is out there, I need it to go away. Today has been a long day, my nose is raw from blowing it and sneezing. The day went well food wise, I went to the movies, the popcorn was enticing but I managed. I went to Walmart, Subway's bread was mouth watering but I did okay. I went to Sherms and bought more fruits and vegetables for next week. I also bought an onion, turnip, garlic, tomatos, carrots, celery for a vegetable broth. I am going to make some broth tomorrow. My weight this morning was 401 lbs, so that is a total of 22lbs lost in 6 days, we will see what tomorrow brings.

Juice Fast Day 6

Day 6 started out a little disappointing, I was only down .8 lb; my weight was 402.2 lbs, so 20.8 lbs in 5 days.  Thirty minutes is a really long lunch when you aren't eating. I watched a few minutes of basketball and then walked for about 10-15 minutes. My knees and hips were hurting by the time I was done. I am feeling pretty darn good physically, a lot more alert. I went and listened to Dylan play tonight and then my mom and I went swimming. When I got home Chris helped me make a mean green and he even cleaned up the juicer. Very nice! I am hoping for a good night sleep. Earlier today I was feeling mean. I was angry that I wasn't getting to eat the food I wanted to eat and felt mean. The day/night ended well.

Juice Fast Day 5

Today was a better day, at least I think it was. I had to take a benadryl twice throughout the day because of bad allergies and sad about my grandma passing away yesterday.

On the whole, I think today is a turning point, I expect more energy from here on out.

I have been juicing ahead of time, the juice is supposed to be good for 48 hours. However I can't drink the green juices after they have sat. I decided I will juice each night, juicing dinner fresh and then breakfast and lunch the next day. For tonight it was a good plan, I was able to down the mean green quickly and while it wasn't an enjoyable experience it wasn't horrible and it fed my body lots of nutrients.

I don't know what to do with myself now that I am not eating. Who am I without food? What am I going to do when I start feeling better and have more energy? When I am able to do more than work and sleep? Good questions that need to be answered. For tonight I decided to go to the gym, I figured I would get about 2 minutes on the elliptical if I were lucky. I am so stoked, I did 7 minutes on the elliptical and 10 minutes on the recumbent bike. Woo Hoo!!!

After working out I came home and juiced. Juicing is a lot of work, prep, clean up... I drank my mean green down quickly. It has been about an hour and now I am having some heartburn. I hope it goes away soon. I had trouble with it after my carrot/apple juice for lunch too. I have read that raw potato juice heals ulcers and soothes the stomach, I have also read that raw potato juice is the worst tasting juice around. I really don't want to have to try it.

I realized tonight that I don't have to fail in this. I can succeed if I choose too.

Juice Fast Day 4

This morning I weighed in at 404.6 lbs, that is a loss of 18.4 lbs in 3 days. Very exciting! Now for the not so exciting part. Today has been the most difficult day yet. I have been very very hungry. Physical hunger, stomach growling the whole bit. Also, I don't think I can bring myself to drink any more green juice, which isn't good at all since that is where the most nutrients are. I just about throw it up when I drink it. Low energy still. I think this would be working a lot better if I didn't have to go to work. I could juice, swim or take a walk, rest/take a nap when I needed to, really listen to my body.

Juice Fast - Day 3

Day 3 of the fast. I am not sure how I am doing. I think I am okay, but emotionally I am a wreck. My Grandma, who helped raise me has been given less than 24 hours to live. I am not doing well at all. I haven't been hungry all day, felt kind of dead inside. I am hungry now, both physically and emotionally. My stomach is growling and the idea of eating is appealing. Food is my number one comfort. In fact when I picked my son up the first thing he asked me after I told him the news was "are you going to stay on the juice fast?" Everyone knows it is a comfort. I am staying on. At least 60 days, perhaps 66 (all of December and all of January).

Juice Fast Day 2

Today is day two, I am no longer peeing every 10 minutes, (though it is still often), now however I have terrible diarrhea. I am hoping this is gone by tomorrow. It was so difficult being at work today feeling the way I do and making numerous trips to the restroom.

How do I feel today? Well, to start with I think I have been trying to drink too much juice. I feel simply sloshy, very very sloshy. By about 2:00 pm today the idea of taking another sip of juice threatened to bring back up everything else I had drank earlier.

I am tired, full, sloshy, achy, tired, and just want to sleep. Instead now that I am off work, I am going to go to my water aerobics class.

Not yet 48 hours in, and I am down 10 lbs. That is pretty cool.

Juice Fast Day 1

On Thanksgiving my brother Justin told me he had just watched a really inspirational movie Fat Sick and Nearly Dead, a documentary about Joe Cross. He had watched it on Netflix, I went home that night and watched it here. It was very good, very inspirational, about doing a 60 juice fast to regain health. I thought it over and decided I would do it, starting December 17th, right after our families big get together. Then I thought why not start December 1st and I will be feeling good by the 17th. I have been feeling really bad since the day before Thanksgiving, I don't know if it is the weather or what, but my pain levels have been high and my mobility low. So, yesterday I thought, why put it off? Why wait any longer, I could be pain free 30 days from now. Why would I want to wait a few more days to get to that point? The only reason I could come up with was food. I had some really good cookies in the house, some carmels I had just bought and leftovers from Thanksgiving, plus I was planning on making Chicken and Dumplings, a "last meal" of sorts. I realized this was not healthy thinking and decided I would begin today.

I was so thrilled when my sister-in-law decided she wanted to do this with me.
Our fast will be a little longer than 60 days, we will do only juice until February 1st.
We went to the grocery store last night and came home and juiced. We both decided juicing each night for the next day is what would work best for us. So we washed, cut and juiced!

So far the day is going well, I am hungry off and on. I shouldn't be though, we are getting about 1300 calories. I knew that the big challenge would be mentally wanting the food I can't have, I just didn't think it would hit on the first day. It is what it is, I am committed to this for the next two months. I want my health back, I want my life back.

Juice on!

Superstitions

Don't walk under a ladder, find a penny pick it up, black cats crossing your path, knock on wood, cross your fingers, don't tell anyone how you are doing on your weight loss journey (this is doubly true if you are doing well). Oh wait, that last one isn't really a superstition? Well it should be!!!

I have been playing the weight loss game my entire life and I am not exaggerating when I say that almost without fail, every time I am on a roll and doing well, starting to feel like I have a handle on what is going on, feel secure enough in my success, in my new way of eating to share it with someone, it turns around and bites me in the ass. And if it is family I told? It just bites faster and harder!

Surely I am not alone, I can't be the only person who this seems to happen to. What is my problem? I am not around anyone who tries to trip me up or create problems for me and yet soon after I share I am face down in the food, out of control, feeling horribly physically and mentally. Emotionally I am a wreck, I don't want hide, become a recluse. I don't want to chance an encounter with the person I just shared my good news with.

What is the deal, do I have a finite amount 'go gettum, you can do it" and when I share it dissipates to the point of having none left for my own motivation?

Actually I tell others, especially when I am feeling good and in control, but in the back of my mind I wonder if I am worried I am setting myself up for failure and now a public failure. Lets face it, I have yet to succeed long term at this thing. I am still grossly obese. 

When I am not eating clean the speed at which I gain weight amazes me. Not too long ago I had gotten down to 420 lbs, I was starting to feel better. Today I am 435 lbs.

What is wrong with me? I hate being out of control! I hate being a constant failure. I hate that my weight dictates my entire life. I am so tired of being tired and hurting all of the time. Of feeling like I am suffocating, trapped in my own body. What is wrong with me? What defect is there in my brain that keeps going off, not letting me stay the course that would bring me freedom and happiness. Why am I so broken. 

Progress Not Perfection

This morning's weight 420.4 lbs. I am pretty happy with that number. I am making good progress. For awhile I will be weighing in on Friday and Monday mornings for two challenges I am a part of at Active Low Carber Forums. I've lost 8.2 lbs since Monday, totally exciting, right? You would think I would be on top of the world and rockin the next few days, high on my weight loss.

Well today didn't quite go that way. Breakfast (1/2 hamburger patty) did not agree with me. Our Office Manager brought in homemade cinnamon rolls today. Her cinnamon rolls are incredible, the best I have ever eaten. Guess what I ate today? Yep, I did. I enjoyed every bite. I didn't feel guilty about it. I do hope that I will still be at 420 lbs when I weigh in on Monday, less of course would be even better, but I will take maintaining.

There were a few things I did not enjoy. loss of focus, tiredness, the heat was even worse (today is the 7th consecutive day with highs in the high 90's and our AC at work isn't working). I have noticed that when I eat clean, the heat is tolerable,  don't get me wrong, it is still hot and I sweat still pours off my face but I don't feel like I need to claw my way out of my skin. Actually a thought occurred as I am typing, I think I sweat more when I eat clean, maybe that has something to do with it. Hmmm...interesting, I will have to pay attention.

I have so much to say and I know I am not really going to be getting into any of the actual topics tonight since it is late and I am heading to bed soon. I do want to check in though. I am doing really well, what a crazy process changing a life can be.

My eating has been pristine the last three days, and happily it has been for the most part easy to do. The only downside is I haven't been sleeping. I am crossing my fingers for a good night's sleep tonight.

I think one of the reasons I have had such an easy time of it this go around is the food I bought at Costco for this week.

Everyday for lunch this week I have had Amylu Sweet Caramelized Onion Chicken Burgers from Costco. They aren't much to look at, but my oh my do that taste good. They come two in a vacuum sealed bag, so every morning I throw a bag into my lunch box. I have been eating one for snack around 10:30 am and the other for lunch with some cherry tomatoes and sometimes some Greek yogurt. Very tasty, heated up and ready to eat in one minute. Only 150 calories each, with 22 grams of protein, 2 grams of carbs and 7.5 grams of fat.


For dinner I have been having a pre-cooked blue cheese Angus burger from Costco, with a salad. I have been so into olive oil and red wine vinegar dressing, loving it!

Here is a sample of my food diary for September 6, 2011 (I use the LoseIt application on my iPhone, I absolutely love it, best food tracking app out there).

Daily Report for September 6, 2011

Daily Log
Breakfast		627
Breakfast Quiche	½ Serving	240
No nutrient data for: Fiber
Eas Whey Protein Powder	2 Servings	240
Cream, light	5 Tablespoons	146
Lunch		518
Chicken Burger	1 Serving	150
No nutrient data for: Fiber
Yogurt Mixture	1 Serving	368
Dinner		606
Blue Cheese Angus Burger	1 Serving	330
No nutrient data for: Fiber
Lettuce, Romaine, Hearts, Fresh	4 Cups	30
Oil, olive, extra virgin	2 Tablespoons	240
Vinegar, Red Wine	2 Tablespoons	6
Snacks		150
Chicken Burger	1 Serving	150
No nutrient data for: Fiber

Nutrients
Fat	121g	56%
Carbohydrates	53g	11%
Fiber	11g
Protein	159g	33%

Summary
Food Calories	1,900
Exercise Calories	-
Net Calories	1,900
+/- Calories	-103
Weight	-

September 1, 2011

I can't believe I haven't blogged since June. Perhaps I would have been more successful if I had put my thoughts and experiences to paper. It has been a different summer. We spent a week in Southern California visiting family, I broke up with my boyfriend, my step-dad passed away, my 18 year old left for college and I gained all but 10 lbs of my weight back, getting back up to 441 lbs.

Today is day one again, I started out bound and determined to jump in with both feet and give it 100% for the entire month of September. I would like to see what kind of results I would get if I were to do that. I started out gung ho, knowing I would be able to do it. However by 5:00 pm, my thoughts began wandering to pasta and other types of food that are not healthy for me. I reigned in my thoughts and did the right thing this evening.

Day One - 432.6

June 21, 2011

Happy first day of summer!

I currently weigh 441 lbs, my highest weight having been 451 lbs. I am hoping to focus on losing just 10 pounds. That is all I need to do, anyone can loose 10 pounds, I can do that. The trick will be keeping the 10 pounds off and repeating the process 25 times.

I would like to think that I can do this, I certainly know what to do. I know what works for my body, what foods make my body feel like crap and what foods are fuel for my body. What I don't know is if I have it in me to implement what I know needs to be done. Here I sit at 3:00 pm on another 'first day' and the mind games have started. I am not even sure I will make it through today, let alone a lifetime of good choices to loose the weight and keep it off.

My goal is to blog at least once a week about how things are going with my eating plan and weight loss and some of life thrown in as well.