Day Two

I am so tired! I have Fibromyalgia and have worked everyday since Thursday. I am on my feet and I have to walk a lot and carry a lot of heavy stuff, so every joint and non joint is tired. I have done a good job today. I have drank more than enough water. I had the Green Machine Smoothie -- not my favorite -- felt like I was eating grass. For lunch I had the Kale slaw and I really enjoyed that. I will defiantly be making that for my family to eat with fish some night.
I think I might be tired due to doing the detox also. If I remember right - from the previous cleanses I have done I usually have this fatigue for a couple days before I feel great. Looking forward to those days.

Peace and Love

Day One

Well I sure had a bad start to my first day. I didn't cheat -- I just didn't get up when my alarm went off and I had to get a call from the boss to wake up :(. I don't think I have done that since I was a kid. So I didn't get to juice this morning and I didn't get to eat my kale slaw I made last night, instead I got to drink lemon water all day and I made myself a small salad with lettuce, carrots, cabbage, and about a teaspoon of olive oil. I made my juice when I got home and I am sipping on it right now. I made the carrot, grapefruit, ginger juice -- it is pretty darn good. I am going to make the roasted cauliflower and red pepper dinner tonight.

Remember drink your water and get a good nights sleep!!

Peace and Love

Are You Ready!!!

I am!!
I have all my food bought. I have my journal ready. I am made my meditation pillow and have my yoga nook set up!

This is my Zafu!!

A nice cushy spot for my bum to rest while I refocus and clear my mind when I wake up and before bed. I have a rug ready for my stretches in the a.m. I also bought a new pen, so I enjoy writing in my journal :).

Get ready to sign your contract tomorrow!!

Peace & Love

Shopping List

I can't believe it is almost 2012! Time does go by so fast the older we get - but even my daughter, who is 13, thinks the time goes by fast.
Well the time is approaching fast. We have 2 more days till we kick start this challenge. I have been trying to prepare myself with drinking the lemon water in the morning and sipping it throughout the day. The hardest part has been getting rid of the coffee. I figured if I started slowly weaning myself it would be easier.
I have gotten my grocery list together and they suggest the following smoothie to help jump start the diet in the days before:

Ginger Orange SmoothieServing Size: 1 (~200 calories)

Ingredients1 banana, peeled and frozen
1/4″ ginger, peeled and minced
1/2 cup mango slices, frozen
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup water
4-5 ice cubes

DirectionsCombine the ingredients above into a good powerful blender until smooth and creamy. Thin with water or thicken with ice if desired. Enjoy!

I will let you know how it taste.
I have also been reading a lot of articles in the green lemonade website (greenlemonade.com) and I would recommend you do to. There is a lot of great information about detoxing body and life with great recipes also.

Peace and Love

Step Two

Reading through the entire plan -- which I always think is a good idea before starting something new. I like to know what to expect and I want to do it correctly.

The most important part was reading through the grocery lists for each week and the recipes to make sure that I have access to everything they are suggesting I buy but that I also have the equipment to prepare all of the recipes. For those who don't have a juicer they do offer a smoothie substitute (which I may try to incorporate along with the juice). 

The biggest tip that they give is to write everything down - from what I eat to how I feel. I really believe keeping a journal is important. It allows you to reflect and at times vent your frustrations with out taking them out on someone you love or even a complete stranger. In addition to sharing my experience here, I will also be keeping a reflection journal that I can write in wherever I am. I am an artist by nature and being able to channel that energy positive or negative wherever I am is very important to my sanity. Sometimes drawing my feelings are easier. I plan to make mine so this is a great project to help me get excited about this new journey for the new year.

The next tip I took from reading through the plan is meditation and stretching. Which why I think reading through is a good idea, I need to set up time and a quiet place -- somewhere that is comfortable for me. I am  a wife and mother to three children and two dogs and one cat, it can be very hard to find a quiet spot and time to myself. I am also a yoga lover (and have not practiced in a long time) and so I will be incorporating this with the meditation and stretching. It is important to not to too much at one time, otherwise it becomes to overwhelming so I will be flexible with my time and if I have to split it up over the day I will.

I am going to continue to get my list together and will be sharing more as I discover this new path.

5 more days.........

Step One

The first step of any life change is to reflect and consider the outcome. If you commit to something I really believe you need to understand and set goals so you can look back and keep the enthusiasm throughout the process.

So the 7 secrets to a successful cleanse (according to the whole living action plan):
1. Set Goals
2. Prepare the people in your life
3. Invite a friend to join you
4. Drink plenty of water
5. Space out your meals
6. Keep a food journal
7. Stick to each weeks Menu

So my Step 1:
Writing down 5 things that this detox means to me!
- to help me kick start a healthy new me
- to help rid my body of toxins ( I have not been feeling great lately)
- to help me reach a healthy weight
- to feel and look younger
- to be a good example for my family

Preparing

So today I picked up the Whole Living Magazine off my staircase this morning (this tends to be the junk mail drop off point -- if its not a bill its not important) and I read the cover highlights and it says START THE NEW YEAR BRIGHT.

Does this not pull you in? I am thinking its another juice fast -- but wait its not. Its a new beginning, its a way to get you back to basics. Think back -- when you were a infant, did mom feed you processed food and loads of sugar. NO, she feed you blended carrots, peas, peaches, bananas. This diet helps rid you of all the toxins we have put in our bodies over the years and helps us to get on the road to recovery and a healthy life.
I have been a conscious omnivore for years which means I have been a on again, off again vegetarian. I like to believe I make the right choices and I stick to the rules I wish to teach my children, but we all know that as humans we are constantly making mistakes and trying to make up for it.
This journey is not going to be easy and perhaps a little rough in the beginning but I know by the end of the first week I will be feeling better than ever.