Day 7

I feel so bad, I've really been slacking.  However, I have a good reason.  I've been busy studying and doing homework.  I've not had time to do much else.

So here is how things are going.  I feel GREAT!!!!  I've had moments here and there where I ask myself, Now Why am I doing this again?  And then I go down the list of why and I'm ok.  It actually hasn't been too difficult.  I'm enjoying it for the most part.  Enjoying juicing different things and finding out how they taste in a tall glass with ice.  I've had the couple of juices that were just overwhelming or down right horrible.  But for the most part it's been delicious.  Tonight I'm drinking a glass of beets, cucumbers, carrots, ginger.  I'm also having a glass of cucumbers, apples, oranges.  In the morning I'll add pineapple to the cucumber, apple, orange juice.
As long as I stay hydrated I'm fine.

Oh, I've got to do some research about the beet juice I drank last night.  It had me feeling a bit weird.  It also gave me a headache.  So I've got to find out what that's all about.

I've not weighed myself and don't plan to until day 10.  I've been watching lots of videos and getting ideas of how I want to go forward after exclusive juicing.  I know I will incorporate juicing as a meal re-placer for breakfast and lunch, with the occasional smoothie for breakfast.  I tend to skip breakfast and lunch and that's not always the best.  For supper I will incorporate salads with every meal, if that isn't what most of my meals consist of entirely.

My next bit of research is to find out how to ease out of juicing.  Any ideas, pass them along.

I'll definitely have a video for my final day!  

Tasha

DAY 3

The Beginning:  I find it hard to drink water the first thing when I get up.  I am just not fond of the taste of water at that particular time.  However, I finally got a 20 oz bottle of water down along with a coffee cup of ice to munch on and felt pretty good.  I then got busy completing an open book test I had.

Day 3 Recap:  Feeling very tired and sluggish.  I have a slight headache that is annoying, but not too painful.  My body aches at times but not too bad.  I can't seem to focus and I have to finish an open book exam and complete reading 7 chapters for classes this week.
I've spent no real valuable time with God the last 2 days and I'm trying to work on my schedule to rectify that.  I need somewhat rigid schedules to function whether I'm fasting or not.  It's a bit hard however when I can't totally focus on one thing right now.  Going to finish my open book exam and leave the reading for tomorrow.  I'll spend the rest of the day in bed vegging out on videos and movies.  

Tasha

Day 2

Day 2 Recap:  I began to feel a bit lethargic and foggy brained towards the end of the day.  I just wanted to lay down and relax, however we had to attend my nieces birthday party and so there was no rest in sight for several hours.  It did help with my energy being around all my little nieces and nephews and playing chase with them and such.  By the time we made it home I was totally exhausted and was sleep before my head hit the pillow.
I am experiencing a lot of urination, but not much else.
I'm craving salads.  I am not surprised by this at all.  Before going the vegan route or even juicing, I was always a HUGE fan of fruits and vegetables.  As a little kid, my mother would cook dinner and I'd take a bite of meat and eat at least 3 servings of salad and vegetables.  This was the norm for me then.  Becoming a vegan hasn't been too difficult, because I can really do without the meat, no big deal.  We "trained" our children to love their veggies as well and they would get excited over broccoli or salad nights.  So for me to crave a salad is nothing new.  What is new is that I'm craving specific things such as kale, cucumbers, and celery.
I'm not drinking nearly as much water as I should so I'll be working on that the remainder of the feast.    

Tasha

Fasting For Weight Loss and Detox

I've talked about doing a juice fast for some time now.  I've fasted for spiritual reasons before, but this fast is specifically for losing weight and detoxing.  However, I know that spiritual things will happen, simply because I will have to pray my way through this and seek God's strength to maintain when I want to give in and eat some food.

My juicer should arrive tomorrow, so today I went out and purchased all the necessary produce I'll be using.  I'm going to stick with 3 different juice recipes for this 10 day fast.  Though the juice fast officially starts tomorrow, I'm actually starting it today with a water fast.

I'm pretty pumped for what this will mean for me...a jump start to a more raw vegan lifestyle I hope!

My biggest goal for this fast is of course to detox and lose some pounds.  Then as I come off the fast I'm aiming at going more raw vegan vs just vegan.  As I've transitioned, I've noticed that I've opted for more vegan processed foods and I want to steer away from that as much as possible.  The raw vegan phase is another milestone for me and I'm sure it will take some transitioning as going vegan has.  I'm a bit clueless as to what I'll be able to eat on a more raw vegan lifestyle.  Salads, fruits, and veggies I know, but how do you make complete meals out of that and will I get tired of salads?  Hmmmmm, so much more research to be done.

I have been watching more videos and gathering more recipes for things I'd like to try.  There are a few kitchen items I don't have that I would like to acquire to make this transition and journey a bit smoother and easier for me.  So I won't get into raw as much as I'd like.  I'll seriously be taking it very slow.

I'll document with videos along my 10 day fast (11 days actually) and hopefully inspire someone else to give this a try as well.  For now, I'll leave you with a picture of my bounty that I purchased today.  It all looks so beautiful to me!!  I love fruits and veggies......I can do without the meat (except in a few choice meals such as gumbo) ;-D

Tasha

B U S Y.....

I really had good intentions of blogging more regularly this new year and well, I got busy.  Busy getting ready for school.  I thought school would start back up for me on the 16th, only to find out that I actually start Monday the 14th!!!

That meant I had to put things into high gear to get ready!!!  All supplies are purchased, books rented and/or purchased, I have my class schedule and things are looking good. I've got to work on my daily schedule so I can plan homework, study time, and also my menu. 

Making my menu this go round shouldn't be too difficult.  I'll need to purchase food for my kids, but as for me, my Omega VRT350HD is on its way and I will be having some awesome juices soon. 

 

I've been researching juicers for a long time it seems as well as various juices to try out.  I'm going to start out with a 10 day juice feast.  My goal is to work my way up to a 60 day juice feast, but I'll take baby steps.  After each feast I will basically continue to juice for breakfast and lunch and then my dinner will consist of either a cooked vegan meal or a raw vegan meal. I'm super excited!!!  

I'll post later on the few juices I will be making to get me started.  

What are you doing this new year to be healthier?

Tasha

New Year, New Beginnings!

I am so pumped and excited about 2013!!!  Oops Sorry....HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!  I know I'm 4 days late, but life happened.

2012 was HELL for me and I'm not going to sugar coat that.

 However, God!!!!!

He kept me, held my hand, sometimes held me period, and brought me through to 2013.  I am believing God for an amazing year.  I feel this urgency of expectation and there really are no words to describe it except for electrifying!  It's in the atmosphere all around me and yet it's within me.
I'm about to begin reading some great books*.  Some have been sitting on my shelf and I've just looked at them and one I just got for Christmas.  I'll also be joining a Good Morning Girls group and doing a Bible Study on Luke 1-8 with them!  I'm ready!!!!!!  To add more to my life, school starts full swing on the 16th.  4 full months of classes and it's propelling me towards my future employment.  I'm ready to get back on my feet.  I hope to be getting my juicer in the next week or so and I will begin my journey into juicing.  I've got a huge goal of losing 50 lbs, but I'm aiming for smaller goals to start with.  A pound a week to start with and I'll go from there.  Plus I'm trying to vlog more about my hair journey, health/weight journey, and Walk with Christ.....It's starting to overwhelm me just putting it all down to see before my eyes!  LOL  Yet I know I won't be doing EVERYTHING EVERYDAY so it's not as much as it seems.

At any rate, I'm ready!!!

Prayer Request:  I need a reliable vehicle for no more than $2000 right now.
                          Immediate employment after school is over and mad savings after that.
                          My goal for moving into my own place by mid July.  So rent that is reasonable and    someone that will overlook my credit issues.  This may mean I have to move beyond where I wanted to move to...regardless God's will prevail!!!
                          Last, but not least, that God will meet me where I am and take me on the ride of my life!!!

Come along for the journey! I pray I bless you in some way!!!


*Books I'll be reading
Begin Again, Believe Again - Sharon A Hersh
Stronger Than You Think - Kim Gaines Eckert
When Pigs Move In - Don Dickerman


Tasha

Health Journey

At the beginning of April, my sister gifted me with a month membership at our local gym.  I had also begun the vegan journey as well.  I've worked out consistently only missing a few days here and there.  As of today, I am down from 220 lbs to 191 lbs.  I can't tell you how excited I am about that.  Sadly my membership ends Sunday, but I won't let that stop me on this journey of getting healthy and fit.  I'm doing it for my health and well being, not for the slimming factor...that's just a bonus!!!

So now I am looking into extending this journey by adding juicing and raw.  I don't think I ever want to be 100% raw, but I am considering raw as a large portion.  Right now my daily routine is a green smoothie for breakfast, a snack if I want it, which I haven't.  I have actually had to force myself to eat lunch because I'm just not hungry.  I usually just force myself to drink another green smoothie. and then dinner (which is vegan).

The change I'm considering is green smoothies for breakfast every other day, juicing on those off days, and continue my green smoothie for lunch or a raw lunch and then a cooked meal for supper.  I'm thinking that I will kick start this regime with a 3 day juice fast and clear my system out and then add back in the smoothies for 3 days and then add in raw for 3 days and then introduce myself back into that one cooked meal.  AGAIN, this is not for weight loss, though that is the perk.  I simply want to lower my blood pressure, cholesterol, and get my body to the best optimal health that I can. 

I love that I'm losing weight and my ideal goal is to be 145 lbs.  But I won't do the weight loss and sacrifice my health.  Health first, weight loss second!!!!

I'll try to post a before picture and a current picture soon!

Tasha