Juicing Update

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  I have now been juicing for one whole week.

That is one 16 oz. juice every two hours.

And then I eat a normal dinner.

I wish that I could say "I've had so much more energy!" or "The pounds are just dropping off my body!" or "Every juice tastes better than the last!"

Not so much.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not giving up.

I am trying to come to terms with the fact that my body has a lot to recover from and it may take some more time before I see or feel the results that I'm looking for.  (Husband has seen results right away - jealous.)

My body has changed a little.  Pants that fit me great a week ago are now a little big, although the scale hasn't budged.  And my stomach actually tells me when I'm hungry now (before, I would just guess - I haven't always been very good about eating and I think my stomach just gave up on giving me hunger cues).

I feel a lot better mentally about my eating (or drinking) choices this week, too.  I haven't had a Coke until Friday when I shared one with D.  My dinners have been healthy.  I haven't snacked on junk food.  So even if my energy level hasn't really changed and the scale hasn't changed, I don't feel any "guilt" over my crappy eating choices.

One of my students took a sip of one of my juices this week and she exclaimed, "Ew! How do you drink that?!"  (She's 9.  And it was actually one of the yummier juices.)

 Here are some of the things I have learned though:

• Wash your juicer right away (Duh, right?  Sometimes I'm lazy, though).
• Leafy veggies are easier to juice when you juice them at the same time as an apple or an orange or something.
• Broccoli may not give you a ton of juice, but you can taste it for sure!
• Cucumber makes any juice taste really fresh.
• A ripe pear makes any juice taste super yummy, even one with lots of veggies.
• Drink the juice right away - if it sits for too long, it'll separate.
• Use Granny Smith apples - it's better to use tart apples than sweet apples.

And, for any of you out there who are also juicing, here are some of my favorite juice combinations:

• 2 Oranges, 2 Apples, 4 Carrots, handful of Kale, handful of Broccoli
• 4 Carrots, handful of Kale, 2 handfuls of Spinach, 2 Apples, 2 Kiwi, 1 Pear
• Half a Cantaloupe, 1 Pear, 1 Apple, handful of Kale, handful of Broccoli, 4 Carrots
• Half a Pineapple, 4 Carrots, 2 Apples, 2 handfuls of Kale, 2 handfuls of Spinach
• Half a Cantaloupe, 1 Zucchini, 1 Cucumber, 2 handfuls of Spinach, 1 Apple, handful of Kale, 2 Carrots

 Usually, my "base" is the same - 1 Apple, 2 Carrots, handful of Kale, 1-2 handfuls of spinach. 1/2 a cucumber.  Then I add and subtract from there.

 

What recipes do you have to share with me?!

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Happy juicing!  

And don't give up.