Day One

Doing a juice fast requires A LOT of produce.  Luckily, I live in a region in California where produce is relatively inexpensive.  Today I went on a produce hunt at the local farmer’s market and produce shops, and was able to purchase nearly enough produce to have everything on Menu: Days 1-5 for five complete days.  The menu doesn’t look all that extensive, but when you multiply everything by five, it’s a lot.  I think I bought something like 50 carrots and 30 apples.  The photo above is only some of the produce that I purchased today laid out on a table (and this is only for 5 days!).  I spent about $40.  One of the produce shops I visited today was located next to my favorite doughnut shop, and I wanted to have a doughnut.  Not because I was hungry, but because it was familiar, comforting.  For me, weight loss is mind over matter.  If I ate solely when I was physically hungry, I would be normal sized.  I’m not going to blame anything on genes, a thyroid, or society.  My weight issues derive from a lack of self control, laziness, and apathy.  I live no illusions.  I’ve always known this.

I’ve recently begun to understand the connection between diet and health.  Although I don’t suffer from any major obesity related illnesses, with the route I was going, it would only be a matter of time.  I read an interesting book called Sugar Blues about a year ago.  The basic premise is that sugar is poison.  I’ve always known that sugar is bad, but poison?  I invite you to read the book and draw your own conclusions.  After reading Sugar Blues, I gave up sugar for two weeks.  After a few days of withdrawal symptoms, I remember feeling amazing!  My night vision had improved dramatically- by nearly 50%.  But like an addict, I crawled back to my precious sugar, because I needed another hit.  Cookies. Mmmmm.  Crackers.  Mmmm.  Pizza.  Double Mmmm.

So I don’t juice everything on a particular menu every day, but I can if I choose.  I’m not restricting myself with calories so if I’m hungry, then I drink whatever fresh juices and veggies that I want.  I am, however, trying to make a conscience effort to juice more veggies then fruits, or at least an equal number.  And if I don’t, then that’s okay too.  I figure, if things are too restrictive, then I’ll give up.  But since failure is not an option, I’m going to be gentle with myself so that I can live to fight another day.

Today I consumed Potassium Power, Liver Mover, and I’ll have ½ a grapefruit and 2 oranges for dinner.  I had a large meal last night and haven’t been too hungry today.  The Potassium Power was okay- thanks in large part to the carrots.  The Liver Mover was very sweet and rather tasty with a few ice cubes.  My juicer stalled when I was juicing the beet whole, so I had to cut it into chunks.  I think this is the first time that I’ve consumed a beet (well, at least to my knowledge).  The recipes from Menu: Days 1-5 come from The Complete Book of Juicing.  I actually checked this book out from the library and plan to purchase it (once I can’t renew it from the library anymore).

Tomorrow, I’m supposed to start having a daily enema.  Oh joy.