Johnson Juice Fast: Day 4

Shaun:


Well a lot has happened since our last post.  We have both moved out of the headache "detox" stage!  Which was a nice feeling.  However, for various reasons, I began to do a little more research about juice fasts and what to expect and not expect.  Basically I found a lot of people saying what I had read yesterday about fasts that last more than 3 days.  If you do more than 3 days, it's usually because you want to lose weight fast.  Nicole and I can't afford to lose too much wait and she already lost more than I thought.  So we decided that we would end it on day 4!!

I'm actually glad we originally committed to do a week.  If I had said 4 days or even 3 days from the start, it would have seemed impossible.  But we shot for 7 days, and landed on 4.  Still very cool experience and we will still juice regularly I think! (I mean, we bought the juicer right?)

We are definitely not experts on juicing now, but here are some tips that I wish I would have thought of before doing it:

1. A juice fast longer than three days is for weight loss.  The cleanse takes place in the first 3 days.
2. Find a farmers market or some place with affordable fruits and vegetables!  This was more expensive than I anticipated.
3. Try and choose some juice recipes and estimate the quantities you need of each thing so you're not shooting in the dark.
4. Bring extra juice to work or school!  Don't set yourself up to be hungry!
5. Think about starting on a Friday if you work.  It's nice to feel tired and groggy on the weekend and not have to go into work or school.
6. The worse you eat right now, the worse the detox will feel.  Set yourself up for the fast by eating vegetables and fruit a few days before for your meals.

Anyway, I'm glad we did it and I think it was a great accomplishment.  We felt great by the end, so we would recommend it to others.  But we were probably not as organized as we should have been with our juices and studying up beforehand.  Thanks for reading!

Nicole:

I'm so happy that we did this! Day 1 I was so bugged that I even mentioned this documentary to Shaun but I'm so happy that we accomplished it. 4 days, wow.  Like Shaun said, due to doctors orders, we had to end the fast early but we did it long enough to accomplish the goal that we had made. 

I feel like I have a lot more energy than I did. Like I have previously mentioned, my eyes have been opened to some of the foods that I was eating before and how they are putting our bodies through the ringer when we eat it. My phantom eating between bigger meals will also be changing. It wasn't the goal but of course it was great to lose a few pounds here and there. I think I will probably try this again in the future to clear out and cleanse my body. Although we are breaking our fast, we will continue to have juices with our meals. How could we not with this great change that our bodies have gone through? 

Also, I have learned that the body always needs to be drinking water even when it's not on the fast. So my water intake will definitely be going up. Feeling 100% hydrated feels amazing. I think more than anything I am so proud of myself. I was extremely worried when Shaun would go to work but I guess I got some amazing self control in me somewhere when it comes to food. Who knew? This was an incredible experience. EVERYBODY should do at least the detox portion. 

Johnson Juice Fast: Day 3

Shaun:

Day 3 comes to a close!!  I made a breakfast juice for Nicole and myself this morning.  Mango, orange, and carrot.  I also made a lunch juice to take with me.  I took a little more than I would normally drink just to be on the safe side.  It wasn't enough!  I downed all of it at about 11:30 and then when 2:30 rolled around I was hungry again but I had another 3 hours before I was home and could juice again.  So that was not a fun afternoon.

I started getting the headaches at work today.  Probably similar to what Nicole was feeling yesterday.  I did a lot of reading on juice fasts on my lunch break and that's a common side effect.  Also, throughout the day I have been having crazy hiccups!  I did some research on that and it turns out that's a common side effect of fasting and of sudden diet changes.

I'll have to bring more juice to work tomorrow.  Nicole and I have both lost more weight than we thought we would on this diet.  It has been surprising.  Especially Nicole.  I was reading up on it and I guess most people who just want a detox do a 3-day juice fast.  Anything beyond that is usually for weight loss.  That is something we did not realize when we decided to do this, so I was wishing I had done more research before.  Anyway, we'll just keep an eye on it.


Nicole:

Today was a GREAT day simply because I didn't have any headaches. I didn't have a ton of energy but I was okay. I think I see the light at the end of the tunnel that says "big energy boost" so I hope I get there! It's ten times easier to choke drink juices down than it was the first day! I think I have sort of retrained my taste buds. As far as digestion goes, these juices have totally worked over my body. As far as I'm concerned, I'm totally cleaned out.

Being alone today while doing the juice fast was the hardest thing ever! If it wasn't for Shaun, I think I would have given up the first day. I just couldn't even walk into the kitchen, except for making my juice or I would have been too tempted. I'm glad that we can do things together, even if it is this :)

Today I think my eyes were opened to how bad certain foods are for our bodies. Much to my dismay, people continued to post their meals on social media and some were just ridiculous. It was just gross to look at. I honestly felt like Gollum from "Lord of The Rings" (SJ, be proud) during that time:

that is disgusting how can people put that in their bodies?

what? that looks amazing! a week ago I would have paid money to eat that.

once I can eat solids again, I will never put that in my mouth.

I know what I'm having when this is over..

I am proud to say that I think the Smeagol in me prevailed. I'm surprised how this is getting better. Day 3 = my mind is more clear when it comes to different foods. Like Shaun mentioned, the weight loss might be an issue. We'll see what tomorrow brings, cheers ladies and gentlemen! 

Johnson Juice Fast: Day 2

Nicole:

Don't let the picture fool you. Day 2 = Nicole hates this. The juice flavors definitely improved but I am currently experiencing the worst headache of my life but feel like I can't even take medicine because my stomach seems empty. But it's all a mind game because I feel completely full. It's crazy to find out that much of my snacking habits is all exactly that, a game. We had just finished our lunch juice and are completely good and full. Then we sit down and turn on a movie and are immediately like "I feel like I should be putting stuff in my mouth right now!" That is definitely going to change once I finish this fast. 

My favorite juice are the 100% fruit ones. Which we are only able to do for breakfast sadly. But at least that will get me something to look forward to coming out of bed---because lets be serious, I would sleep the whole day just so I wouldn't have to eat this stuff (just kidding Shaun. It's the 9 yr old speaking). But I'm told that is how day 2 goes. It's ironic because sometimes we go on youtube and look up the recipes that some of the crazy juicer people do and the advertisement before is for PIZZA. What a joke. For all those who don't know---OBsessed with da pizzzzzzza over here.

Funny thought for today, as SJ was making juices we heard a smoke detector go off in another apartment building. Then he says "Ah, all I can think of is what were they cooking to make the smoke detector go off?!" It's amazing just how many people post pictures on FB or instagram of their meals! I'm sure I have done it every once in a while, but this week it seems like people are out of control. 

I don't look into the pantry and feel sad anymore which is good. A couple people at church today were interested to hear what we were doing. Shaun's sunday school class filled of 17-18 year olds talked/asked more questions about our juice fast than they did in the lesson. It was pretty funny. 

Shaun will go back to work for day 3 and I'll really have to prove to myself that I have self control. SJ asked if I will eat things secretly during the day... Not going to lie, that thought did cross my mind but then what was the point of the past 2 days? Plus I think I'd feel too guilty and end up telling him if I did (haha). Anyway, the second day for me was very eye opening to some of my "phantom eating" habits. I say phantom eating like you think of phantom leg syndrome. I'm so full and perfectly content but for some reason I feel like I'm not and I have to be snacking on something a lot of the time. Going to go sleep away this headache, cheers.

Shaun:

Well one more day down.  I'll be honest, I'm fine.  I'm hungry and I definitely have cravings, but I'm not experiencing what Nicole is experiencing.  I really wish I was, because I think it's supposed to happen and it would be nice if we both felt that way rather than just her.  But I'm sure that I will get there.

This morning we did an all fruit juice with pineapple, oranges, and strawberries.  Best juice yet, by far.  But as Nicole mentioned, we can't do those all the time.  We have to have the greens, which is what makes the juice nasty.  Kale is particularly bitter, but it seems to be very common in most juice recipes.  We had our biggest success in masking the kale flavor this afternoon when we mixed it with pineapples, oranges, ginger, and cucumber.

The random cravings I get throughout the day are actually pretty funny.  Today I would have KILLED for a handful of salted cashews!  Super random, but it sounded like the best food on earth at the time.  I can't believe we have to get through this entire week.  That seems like so long.

I feel really bad right now because Nicole is curled up in bed with headaches and muscle spasms (both of which are on the list of "common juice fast side effects"), and I am out on the couch feeling pretty normal.  I just had our dinner juice which had apples, pears, parsley, kale, lemon, and ginger.  I put too much ginger in and it made the juice burn a little bit going down.  Lesson learned.  Ginger is strong stuff.  Those ingredients are pictured below.  I have to go to work tomorrow so I have ingredients set aside to juice before I go and I'll take it all with me in containers.


Not sure what I'm gonna do tomorrow on my lunch break!  The juice should take about 2 minutes to drink!

Bring on day 3!

Johnson Juice Fast: Day 1

We are doing a 7-day juice fast. Here we will write down our individual thoughts and feelings about each day. Read it and weep.

Shaun:

I have had a few friends tell me about the juice fast.  My good friend Tom Quinn did a juice fast and had great results from it and plans to do more in the future.  After a week-long conference in Orlando eating horrible food and not feeling healthy or energetic at all, I returned to Nicole, who wanted to show me the documentary "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead".  What I loved about this documentary was what it unintentionally became.  At first, it's just like super size me, only with healthy food.  But then it becomes a very touching story as people Joe meets on his journey are changed by joining him and trying his fasting plan.  When something really reaches me, I can be very impulsively passionate about it.  I know this about myself.  I also know that there is no better time to DO something, than at that moment when I feel fired up about it!

So this morning, after watching this documentary with Nicole in our pj's, I said "let's start today!"  I think Nicole was interested in trying it, but didn't know that I would be so quick to join the ranks of Joe the Juicer.  I think the reason this juice fast is such an appealing concept to me (and many others) is because we all hear about healthier diets and ways to lose a few quick pounds, or cleanse your body.  But it's usually very complicated and has a large menu of dishes that require preparation and work that we (or I) just don't want to do!  I mean, I can barely cook UN-healthy meals, and I'm supposed to start cooking healthy ones??  But if you tell me that all I have to do is buy the healthy stuff, shove it into a juicer, and drink it...I can handle that!  So I think the idea of full "reboot" that may be difficult to endure, but not difficult to prepare, is very appealing to people.

So we made our way to Whole Foods Market cause we figured if we were going to consume nothing but juices, we didn't want Walmart fruit.  We filled our shopping cart to the brim with kale, carrots, apples, oranges, pineapple, mangos, red lettuce, cucumbers, pears, and who knows what else??  Wait, I know what else.  Ginger!  Which is a very weird item that I am unsure about, but it seems to be in a lot of the recipes.  The shopping trip was expensive.  I still don't know HOW expensive it was because I have no idea how to gauge how long this food will last us.  Will it be gone in 3 days?  Or will it last the entire week?  I don't know yet...

Which brings me to the fast. We decided that we would commit to a week.  Which means next Saturday night, January 19, we will break the juice fast.  For those who aren't familiar with it, basically it's this: 7 days, no solids, only juiced vegetables and fruit.  We have been warned that we will feel very hungry and question why we did this around day 2 and 3, but that by day 4 we should start to feel great. 

Day 1: We made our first juice tonight.  It consisted of the following:

• 4 apples

• 4 handfulls of kale

• 1 medium cucumber

• 4 carrots

I didn't expect to like it, so I just drank it.  It went down surprisingly easy and although I'm sure we can make better tasting juices, I felt fine.  I can deal with nasty flavor as long as I know that it's for a greater good.  Nicole's taste buds were not so accepting, but I'll let her tell you about that. 

So we've had our first juice.  What I hope to get out of this is a little bit of lost weight, reprogram my taste buds to accept healthy foods more willingly, and cleanse my body for a full week.  We'll blog each day about how we're feeling and what juices we make!  Hope our friends and family enjoy the journey with us.

Nicole:

Alrighty here we go. So I never really understood how obsessed with food I actually was until the thought of having nothing but juice was happening. I love food. But the healthy kind?---not so much. Instead of starting earlier today, I convinced Shaun to let us have our last meal. Which was a complete joke because we are only doing this for seven days. But I'm dramatic that way. We stuffed ourselves with greased up panda express and I was set, or so I thought. I was so excited walking into Whole Food's and filling our cart to the brim of fruits and vegetables. In fact, I was flying high up until the point of Shaun juicing the first piece of kale. The smell was horrendous!

All day Shaun kept warning me, saying things like "it's not like we're going to be drinking smoothies all day long, these aren't treats." But for some reason that was not clear to me up until the drinking point. I get made fun of for having a palate of a 9 year old child, and I think those true colors were shown tonight. I was so surprised that SJ loved it though! I was kind of proud of him. I don't know if I'm full or if I'm sick, but either way I'm ready to throw up! I think it might have been the cucumber taste that threw me off. We'll see if it gets better, or this will turn into Nicole's complaints & Shaun's happy thoughts.

I have heard that it is nearly impossible at first. I'm already looking into my pantry at all the things that I could be eating. Which is strange because usually during the day I open up the pantry and see NOTHING that sounds good. The human mind wants what it can not have.

Watching the documentary "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead" was great.  I know we're not two obese people struggling to lose weight in order to get around, but we are definitely in need of a 'detox.' The body needs to clean itself out once in a while and I'm definitely excited to see how I feel. I don't have any major sleeping problems or anything but I do find that I am not as energetic as I used to be so I would love to see some improvement there. I want to feel healthy! And no better way to do it then with the best friend. So cheers! I'm going to go get some gum. This after taste is deadly. . .