The Weekend is Here!

My weekend has begun and I will now be off of work until Tuesday due to the holiday. I have been doing exceptionally well I think in part because I have been following a routine but now I have a whole four days open to plan activities for leisure and entertainment. I do not want to have to plan my days around juicing, I'd rather juice around my days. I think I am going to continue to make the bulk of my juice for the day in advance so I can just take it with me wherever I go. My weekends lately have revolved around going out to eat, going out for drinks with friends, and splurging on deserts. Obviously, this weekend will have to be different and I am looking forward to new experiences.

Yesterday (Day 5) I added some new plants to my juices and I found that I enjoyed them. The recipe consisted of:
4 scallions
1/3 leek
1 handful of bok choy
1 handful of kale
2 cucumber
6 celery ribs
10 grapes
10 blueberries
8 raspberries
8 blackberries
15 grape tomatoes
1 broccoli stalks
1 kiwi
2 apples
1 pear
2 pineapple chunks
10 cherries
6 beets
1 yellow squash
1 green squash
1 red pepper
6 asparagus pieces
1/2 cabbage

The scallions overpowered the entire taste of the drinks. At first, I did not like it but as the night went on I actually developed an appreciation for it. It sort of reminded me of drinking some sort of zesty soup. I researched scallions and learned that they contain allicin the active nutrient in garlic that has been found to have anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal activities. Allicin also decreases blood vessel stiffness which can reduce blood pressure, protect the body against developing blood clots, and prevent coronary artery disease and stroke. (http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/scallions.html)

Frequently Asked Questions & Answers

1) How much have you been spending?
Since Sunday, I have spent $180.00 which should last me until Saturday (7 days/1week). This figure may appear high but I usually spend $100.00/1week on groceries, $100/weekend on drinks and restaurant food, and anywhere between 20-40/1week on fast food and coffee. This totals to $200-240/1week on food. So, overall, I am saving a lot more money than I am spending.

2) Do you purchase organic or non-organic vegetables and fruit?
I have been shopping at Stop n Shop and a local natural food store located in my town. They both only offer a certain amount of organic fruit and vegetables and whatever I can find, I get. Otherwise, I have no choice but to purchase conventional (non-organic) plants. It ends up being about 50/50. It is important to choose organic whenever possible due to the amount of toxic pesticides and chemicals that are used on conventional produce, however it is also important to consume an adequate variety of plants to guarantee proper nutrition. Unfortunately their are not enough varieties of organic plants to limit myself just to them.

3) Are you tired all of the time without carbs and meat?
No! In fact, I have gone from sleeping 10-13 hours a night without feeling rested to 7 hours per night and waking up feeling completely rejuvenated. I also feel sustained energy throughout the day and only yawn when it gets late into the night. I use to be one of those people who yawned all day long, I had people constantly telling me I needed more rest.

4) Do you feel hungry all of the time?
No! I feel comfortably satisfied throughout the day. I do not experience hunger pangs or feel dizzy from lack of solid food. I have noticed however, that my body sometimes has a physical reaction to a food I like. For example, my co-worker last night was eating beans and rice, it looked and smelled phenomenal. Even though, I had been consuming my normal amount of juice my mouth began to water and my stomach began to growl. I have learned that drinking an adequate amount of water will cease any beginning signs of hunger during a juice fast.

5) How often are you drinking juice throughout the day?
I consume about 90 ounces of juice in total each day. I sip the drinks slowly throughout the day. If I am busy I will go no longer than 3 hours without having some juice. I also have been drinking about 70 ounces of water in between and about 24 ounces of tea in between as well.

I would be happy to answer any other questions!

That is all for now folks, time to get on with day 6!