Keep On Keeping On

Day 20 222.6 lbs. (down 17)

I am feeling great on this juice fast. I have had two days of eating in the last 20 days and I am still down 17 lbs.! I had to break the fast a few days ago at a board meeting -- I ate a salad for lunch and so I decided to eat some chicken for dinner and some nuts (my downfall) and some ice cream (a little). I have a big party to go to in two days (Saturday night) and I may have some appetizers. I am OK with eating every five days or so as long as I am losing steadily and as long as I pre-plan the eating.

So far I have mostly kept to the same schedule of: drinking a fruit smoothie in the morning (with a little protein powder --1/4 scoop - and some Stevia for sweetening), then Mean Green for lunch and dinner. I am tempted to try some other vegetable juices, but I don't mind the MG, so haven't made an effort to get creative. There are two others that I have tried and they are both breakfast (sweet) juices. One is the peach pie juice, made with sweet potatoes and peaches and Fugi apples. The other is called Red Rush and is made with water melon, strawberries and beets.

Importantly, I am not very hungry and I am full of energy. Most days I walk/run 4 miles after work. What's not to like!

Day 14 -- 226.6 (down 13)

Two weeks and it's all good! As planned, I ate on day 11 (probably too much, but after 10 days of juice...). So I gained a bit -- mostly water, I think -- and am now about where I was on Day 10. I have decided to go another 20 days, to October 7. I may come off the fast for a meal on October 7 when the family is going a party at my uncle's house, but I am not sure. I know from my break on Day 11 that it takes the body awhile to recover from eating salty, fatty food.

My clothes are feeling looser and that is a good sign and I do feel that my energy level is up. I have been good about running/walking almost every day. All in all I fell like this has been an easy plan to follow and I am not suffering too much, except when others are eating especially delicious meals, like Publix spicy fried chicken wings!

Day 10 -- 226 lbs. 13.6 lbs. lost!

First milestone - 10 days!

I stocked up on fruits and vegetables yesterday to make more of the Red Rush juice and also found peaches t make the Peach Pie juice. If that sounds like I am not stopping, well, I'm not! I am going to have a meal tomorrow (Day 11) and then get back to juicing! I have my sites set on Day 30!

Day 7 - 228 (11.6 lbs. lost)

Feel great, though I was hungry last night. I have been walk/running 4 miles the last few days after work and I think it revs my hunger up. I seem to be losing a pound a day. This morning I made a delicious smoothie with strawberries, blueberries and almond milk. I will be drinking MG for lunch and dinner. Three more days after this and I will reach my 10 day goal!

Day 6 - 229 lbs. (10.6 lost)

Time is flying by on this juice fast. At the end of today I will 60% done with Step 1. Then I will need to decide whether to continue fasting without any food, fast with a meal (like salad), or give it up entirely. I think I am at the point where I would not give it up entirely. I feel really good now. Lot's of energy and very little hunger (at least not as much as I expected). To say there is no hunger would be untrue, but I can say that it is not overly bothersome. And it is like a message from my body that I am losing weight.

I would consider adding a salad at night. The problem lies in deciding what to put in my salad and whether or not that would become a slippery slope (blue cheese dressing, croutons, nuts?).

In any case I don't have to think about it for a few days. I am hoping I can get to 220 for my Tuesday weigh-in (that would be Day 11 -- after 10 days of juicing).

Day 5 - 230.0 lbs. - 9.6 lost!

Great day today. No headaches or even real hunger. I even sat through a lunch meeting in the office.

This morning I tried a new juice called, "Red Rush." It is made with strawberries, raspberries (instead of cherries, which are out of season), watermelon, a tomato, and some fresh basil. Very delicious!! I made an extra glass for my wife and my daughter. They also loved it.

I find it interesting that the reason this diet is so easy for me is because there is a bright line between cheating and staying on the diet. Since I am juice fasting, all food is prohibited. Makes it real easy.

Day 4 - 230.6 lbs. -- 9 lbs. lost!

Feel pretty good today. I am continuing to drink a fruit smoothie in the morning (after a cup of coffee) and two 32 oz. juices during the day. Yesterday I had 2 diet cokes with Splenda. I will try to manage that down to 1 today. I know that I can do this for 10 days! Maybe extending to 30 will be possible. We shall see...