This fast has been quite a journey so far. The first full day of juicing I stood in my kitchen and wondered why in the world I had decided to get us into this. Half of the reason I mentioned it in a blog post or on Facebook was so that I couldn’t just back out without people knowing. Fifteen days seemed so unrealistic and tortuous and all I wanted was to eat a giant burrito with extra cheese. On day two and three I really felt the effects of the detox. I had a headache the entire day three that even an afternoon nap wouldn’t cure. I wasn’t hungry, but my mind was completely filled with visions of food. I dreamed about it. I fantasized about what I would eat after the fast was complete. I could taste it. It was hard to think about anything else, so I tried to keep busy all the time to distract myself.
After day three of only juicing, I had resolve of steel! I had heard that the first three days were the hardest, and when we made it past those, I knew we could complete this. Since day four, I’ve really felt great! I have had energy, I’ve been alert, and have lost a few pounds. Visions of food have only taken over my mind a few times a day, and it is much easier to push them to the side. I’ve been much more positive about this fast, and the option of “cheating” and eating some food doesn’t even cross my mind. Chris and I seem to go back and forth with being strong. When I am having a rough moment, he is there to talk me through it and encourage me. Chris has been having a couple rough days lately, but I have been strong and we’re making it through. When we stop and really think about it, we both feel good about completing this, but wow- a hamburger would be good right now! I can’t even deny that.
We have finished our seventh day without food, and it’s completely a mental game now. I continue to be surprised at how much my mind craves food even when I’m not hungry. Food has very much become a comfort in my life. I’ve eaten because I want to, not because I even remotely require it. Working from home definitely makes it easy to “graze” as we call it. If I’m feeling down, I want to eat. When I get frustrated, I want to take a break and eat. Even when I’m happy- I want to eat! What is so encouraging about this is knowing that I don’t have to. I can have a great day without eating a thing! Granted, I will always enjoy my food, but the fact that I can say “no” when I don’t need it is freeing.
I plan to ease us into eating solid foods gently at the end of this Reboot. We will start eating fruits, veggies, nuts, and then gradually work into normal food. We were juicing every day before we did complete juicing, and I want to keep doing that. Juice for breakfast and lunch with a small meal at dinner was working well for us. I love getting the nutrients from raw produce, and feeling healthy is worth every drop.
Making it halfway through this cleanse has been a huge milestone for us, and it helps to know we can finish this. I am always excited to hear of other people who have done this Reboot with good results, and I would encourage people to do their own detox. A fast does not need to last fifteen days, but even six days of juicing will do your body a lot of good. Here’s to the next half!
Morning berry juice:
- 1 pint raspberries
- 1 pint blackberries
- 1 pint cranberries
- 1 bunch black grapes
- 4 oranges
- 1 lemon
Easy green juice:
- 1 bunch green grapes
- 1 head broccoli
- 1 cucumber
- 4 green apples
