Day 4-The 30 Day Juicing Challenge
Today I was feeling a slight gag response when I thought about the juice so I decided it would be a good idea to add more fruit today to make it more appealing. That worked and it was better tasting. It’s funny throwing the blueberries down the extractor’s shoot…they pop back up so you have to be quick and cover with your hand so they don’t fly all over the kitchen.
The extractor I am using is an very old Hamilton Beach which still works really well. I am doing this 30 Day Juicing Challenge with an extractor and not a blender because there are claims that the nutrients are absorbed into your cells better without the fiber. I still haven’t found a use for the leftover pulp that I throw away everyday from my extractor. Joe the Juicer uses an extractor but many people prefer the blender. Do whatever feels right for you.
So, today I used blueberries, apples, celery, and a carrot. Pretty simple. I kept it that way because I am hosting a Valentine’s dinner party tonight and didn’t have time to add anything extra. I made 8oz. and slugged it back. Clean up was a snap with the kitchen brush and it’s dried and put back into the pantry until tomorrow.
I am using this as a meal replacement and I have noticed already my pants are fitting looser. Do I feel any amazing burst of energy as of yet? No. Still waiting but this is only day 4.
What I can’t imagine is how anyone can do a complete juicing fast as Joe Cross did in the documentary Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. I find doing it once a day enough for me.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Day 3-The 30 Day Juicing Challenge
8 oz a day.
Yup. that’s right. Made it through another juice. I learned the best way is not to sip through a straw but rather drink it in 1-2-3….down the hatch. Works much better.
Today I bought a mix of greens and added it to my extractor. I found the mix at Publix in between the kale and spinach. I thought, heck, it’s a nice mixture of greens and organic so very easy peasy. I also bought some frozen organic raspberries for the coldness (yesterday’s juice was way too warm) and flavor. It was a good idea and made the drink a bit more tolerable.
So, let’s recap. I only juice once a day. The rest of the day I can eat normally as long as it doesn’t have alcohol, sugar or gluten. Yes, there is still plenty of things to eat. I have not eliminated dairy and do have an occasional piece of cheese. In the morning I will have a cup of coffee with Half N’ Half and Stevia. I try not to snack to give my digestive system a chance to rest between meals. This is my 30 day experiment and I’ll let you know if I feel like Superman after the 30 days. So far, nothing but heartburn.
Today’s drink contained:
- Mixed greens
- Apple
- Blueberries
- Cherry tomatoes
- Frozen raspberries
- Carrot
- Celery
Day 2-The Juicing Challenge
Earth Origins
Today I went to Earth Origins that has a juice bar. The guy next to me was ordering a “shot” (one ounce) of wheat grass; the miracle juice drink that has supposedly a major amount of nutrients and minerals in one tiny shot. Most people slug it back like it was a shot of whiskey. I have tried and let me tell you, it tasted like stuff that grows on your lawn. In fact, I have done it twice trying to acquire a taste for it but I’d rather eat kale. If you know me well, you know my opinion of kale.
Then the guy who just drank the wheat grass tells the juicer girl with the dreadlocks that he has his 83 year-old mother drinking wheat grass and her hair is returning to its original brown color. I take a good look at the guy and he looks like he has seen a few too many insides of a bar room with deep wrinkles and stringy gray hair in a pony tail. Hmmmm
I order something off the menu that has carrots, celery, apple, spinach, and some vanilla whey protein. It cost $4.99 and it looked and tasted terrible. She may have left out the apple because there wasn’t a hint of sweetness in the drink and it was warm. I also could not taste the vanilla whey protein which I saw her put in but she might have used plain instead of vanilla. What I do know is that I sucked it down as fast as I could, all 8oz.of it. A Bloody Mary would have tasted a lot better.
Day 2 completed. Check!
Day 1 of The 30 Day Juicing Challenge
Total time…5 Minutes.
I was inspired by another blogger to take a 30 Day Juicing Challenge, and I accept that challenge. I have seen Joe the Juicer’s movie and checked his blog. I also have juiced once and awhile but it was once every 6 months. Not too committed but that was then and this now. My health has been hitting rock bottom and my weight is at an all time high. I have friends suffering from heart disease and cancer, and I want to have some control over my health. Maybe juicing is the answer. I don’t know but I am giving it a try for 30 days.
What makes this juice plan doable for me is that all it requires is that you juice once a day. I just had a 5 ounce glass of juice that consisted of celery, carrots, apple, lemon and powdered ginger because I couldn’t find the fresh ginger I thought we had in the frig. I also used an extractor, Hamilton Beach, which I have had for 15 years and still works great. I like just cutting the veggies and fruit into chucks and throwing it down the shoot. Works great and clean up is a snap when you use a kitchen brush.
I feel it is a shame to waste the left over pulp and wish I had a compost pile, but I don’t. I could make a broth out of it so I will think about doing that but today I threw it in the trash. Any helpful suggestions on what to do with the leftovers would be great.
All veggies and fruit were organic and the lemon I picked off my tree in my backyard. I used the rest of the lemon (I only put half in the extractor.) in a large glass of ice water and will be sipping on that. By the way, it was yummy.
Here’s to my first day of my 30 Day Juicing Challenge. Cheers!
D5 Creation