Day #15 And What I Learned From My Juicing Cleanse

I can hardly believe that it is day #15 of the cleanse. I made it to my goal. I did it. Feels good! I have lost a total of 8 lbs in only 15 days. This may not sound like a lot, but I do not lose weight easily. In the past, I would be lucky to lose one pound per week. So 8 lbs is pretty awesome for me. I juiced/made green smoothies for 15 days. Here is the breakdown:
The Good:
* I have lost weight.
* I feel healthier.
* I have reset my body's need for food. I get full A LOT faster now.
* I have a better relationship with veggies. They actually taste better to me now.
* Meal planning was easy since every meal consisted of juice. It was kinda nice not having to cook.
* It was fun trying different combos of fruits/veggies to see what tasted best.
* My workouts were much easier. Didn't spend nearly as much time in the gym.
The Bad:
* Sometimes you really just want a slice of pizza and not another glass of juice.
* I was hungry a lot during days 2-5. Sure, make another juice. Not want I wanted though.
* Day #3 was the worst. I felt tired, no energy, headachey and overall, BLAH.
* Food is such a social thing. I found myself turning down invites just so I didn't have to be around food.
Confession:
I tried to eliminate alcohol and caffeine during the 15 days. However, I am not perfect.I had a glass of wine one night. I had half a glass of Guinness another night. I had a cup of coffee one day. I ate popcorn.(Twice.) This was definitely one of the hardest things I had ever done, and so I cheated a bit. There were also some days when I actually ate a salad or had some soup.
Your Questions Answered:
1.Could you workout? Yes, but I took it easy. Light cardio or yoga. No weight training.
2.Was it hard to be around food? Yes and no. It depended on how far along I was. The first 5 days, I just wasn't around food in general. But if I was, then it would have been hard. On day #8 and #11, I went to birthday parties where I had to turn down food and cake. It wasn't so bad. I made sure I had juice with me. And peaches. They are delicious. I went to a restaurant on day #13, and just ordered some soup.
3. Did it get boring? Not too bad. It was fun juicing and coming up with different combinations to try.
4. Did it hurt? No, besides day #3 when I felt almost sick.
5. Would you do it again? Yes! It was worth it.
 Suggestions If You Want To Detox:
* Have some support in a spouse/friend/relative. It really helps. (Thanks to everyone who sent me encouraging tweets!)
*The first day was fun. Day #2 and #3 got harder for me. Try to plan minimal activities these days. Give yourself time to rest and relax. 
*Stock up with fruits and veggies. Otherwise, you will be going to the store a lot. They run out fast.
*Choose a reasonable time period and one you can realistically stick with. I was home a lot and that made it easier for me. Think about a 5 day commitment.
*If you slip up and eat something, don't beat yourself up about it.No one is perfect, and tomorrow is a new day.
Summation:
It was well worth the effort. It feels good to reach a goal you have set for yourself. I plan on keeping the green smoothies a regular part of my diet now. I would like to do a detox once every 1-2 mos. as well. I was hoping to lose 10 lbs, so maybe another detox would get me there. Green smoothies FTW!

My Green Smoothie/Juicing Detox Plan

After watching Fat Sick and Nearly Dead, I decided I wanted to start juicing too. Well, blending anyway. I do not own a  juicer, but I have found a blender works just fine. Why? Many reasons: to detox, for better health, more energy, weight loss and feeling more well overall. It's also a challenge. How long can I go without eating? I am going to try 15 days. Today is Day #2. So far, so good. I feel good. I slept really well last night. I did feel some hunger pains yesterday, but I would just make another batch of juice. I think the more I do it, the more my body with get used to it.

If you haven't seen the doc, you should check it out. It really hits home and shows you how successful juicing can be. There is also an online community to help you should you decide to juice, Join the reboot. There are different programs. Choose the best one for you. The best part? It's free!

Even with changing my eating habits and eating more clean, I still wasn't eating enough vegetables. Juicing makes it so easy to do. You don't have to sit down and eat a big salad or worry about making healthy veggie side dishes. Cooking also destroys some of the nutrients in food. Juicing is more effective because it tears up the cells in the fruits and veggies, enabling a much quicker uptake. Plus, the chlorophyll resembles our blood cells. It's like recharging your blood-making it healthier and more natural. What's not to like??