Juice Feast-Day 71

Progress = Solidity

Yesterday I received a wonderful comment from Melissa in Canada (thanks Melissa!). After reading about my juicy blahs, she explained to me that according to David Rainoshek, most people on extended juice feasts can expect to pass through a series of stages that he calls the "Stages of Conception." In other words, experiencing the "juicy blahs" is all part of the process. Thankfully, so is solidity!

According to the David Rainoshek, here are the stages long term feasters can expect to experience:

Excitement - Days leading up to Feasting and the first 1-5 Days Cleansing/Detox - this starts up pretty soon after beginning to Juice, and goes noticeably for as long as necessary. Those with high toxicity/weight levels will find it goes for many, many weeks. (Umm...I can vouch for the MANY weeks part).

Euphoria - starts to set in periodically as the body re-hydrates, toxicity levels decrease, constipating waste matter leaves, body image improves, confidence grows, weight loss occurs, sleep is deeper, etc. ( I'm not sure I've experienced euphoria, but almost the entire time I've been feasting I've experienced a high degree of happiness and inner peace).

Boredom - A plateau occurs. Weight loss slows or stands still for 7-14 days in some cases. Physical transformation is not immediately apparent. Juices all taste the same, or one gets tired of Green Vegetable Juice, or all juices. Friends/coworkers/family keep asking you to go out, and if there is not a spiritual/emotional practice in place, boredom and the desire to return to the world of solid food is pretty strong. (I never really plateaued, but I definitely went through a stage where ALL juice tasted the same, green juice tasted repulsive to me, and the desire to return to the world of solid food was pretty strong. I juiced on anyway, drank my greens, and did my best to avoid the world of solid foods. This seems to be a phase I periodically pass in and out of).

Solidity - A new recognition sets in that progress has been made, and is being made. A significant difference can be seen in many aspects of one's being from the days before the Feast began. Confidence grows that a nutrient-dense plant-based diet and the degree of accomplishment one can realize on such a cuisine is not only possible, but desirable. The student has information that the world needs, and a willingness to teach and/or share sets in - even if it is just with one's acquaintances.(I've lost weight every week while on this feast. At least a pound. I only weigh myself once each week, but the progress I make each week-no matter how small-has helped carry me through a few tough times. At times, it has been the key factor in moving me from the Boredom stage back into Resolve!)

Freedom - The Juice Feast ends, and a solid move to a plant based diet (such as David Rainoshek's Four Means to Get Your Greens with other delicious prepared foods) sets in. With self-knowledge and understanding about nutrition and other aspects of being having taken a much deeper hold during the Juice Feast, the student finds himself more autonomous and self-actualizing, but not in a way that is limited to one's own ego. Living becomes a world centric Act of Love. (Looking forward to this phase, although I feel like I need to start really researching how to break my feast. Several people I know have seemed to really struggle with this).

I'm Back In My Skinny Jeans

Today was a bit of a milestone for me. I took some updated snaps of my juicy progress and found myself wearing a size 5 jeans for the photos. I'm not sure what on Earth possessed me to hang onto an old pair of size 5 jeans (I dare say I haven't worn them in at least 5 years), but I'm sure glad I did. Pulling them on was just what I needed to move from the "Boredom" stage right back into "Solidity!"

For today's weight loss update, I lost another 4 lbs this week. That's a total of - 42 lbs so far. I know. It sounds absurd to me, too. I mean, how the heck is that possible? Drinking my juicy greens (come hell or high water), that's how. Anyway, that's what the scale (the good old-fashioned reliable kind with the dial) is telling me. Even if the scale lies, the pictures tell a pretty good story.

Juicy Diary-Day 71

(today's juices & supplements)

32 oz water

16 oz water + MSM + parastroy + B12

30 oz pineapple/Rainier cherry

2 oz water + chanca peidra

68 oz green juice ( kale, spinach, rainbow chard, cilantro, celery, carrots, dandelion greens, spirulina, red bell pepper, black Spanish radish, garlic, red onion, jalapeno, assorted hot peppers, cayenne pepper) + parastroy

32 oz water

14 oz coconut water

Total Juice = 108 ounces (0.84 gallons)
Total Water = 82 ounces (0.64 gallons)
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Sleep & dreams: 8 hrs. Dreamt I was back in school taking classes on sustainability. The textbooks we were assigned for class were two that I used in college and currently have on our bookshelves at home. Perhaps I look into re-reading them, no?

Exercise: 2 mile walk with dog

Sauna: 20 minutes

Energy and mood: Great! Got a real boost today after seeing more progress on the scale! Plus, my hubby has made fruit smoothies for breakfast for himself two days in a row. How cool is that?