Juice Fast - Day Four

Parental influence... fresh Orange Juice

6:30am the alarm went off as it does everyday. Immediately I didn't seem right.  I didn't feel miserable because juicing has given me energy I didn't know I had but I was definitely cranky.  I started picking on my wife for stupid things and I was not in a good mood to go make breakfast for the family and get Summer's lunch ready for school while Mirella got her dressed upstairs.  A normal weekday routine that I was not having any fun doing.  From all the articles, blogs, and the movie FatSickandNearlyDead I knew that reaching day 4 was a big deal in regards to emotional state of mind, fatigue, headaches, and crankiness.  Definitely a milestone day.

Easy reach

Different days of the week have brought up different challenges.  My schedule changes everyday so I've had to plan ahead during this fast.  From storage to packaging I've had to keep it easy, simple, and ready to go.   I need more mason jars.

Mean Green Juice - 1 cucumber, 6 kale leaves, 2 green apples, 1/2 lemon, 4 stalks of celery, ginger

I drank two cups of cranberry pear juice from the previous day for breakfast and then a quart of Mean Green Juice kept me standing until 3pm.  Amazingly my supplies started running low.  That meant another trip to BJ's.  I immediately headed to the fruits section and picked up some organic green apples, carrots, a melon, and a few other things.  The tough part was smelling the samples being prepared!  I am that guy that makes sure to grab at least one sample from every station!  It's been a mistake in the past because once at the mall I blindingly and automatically reached for a sample and put it in my mouth.  I spit it out after realizing it was a Lindt coffee truffle! YUCK!  I hate coffee!  Incredibly enough I made it out of BJ's without falling into temptation.

Next, I got home and spent some time researching and making a pre run juice and a post run juice.  Since I hadn't run lately because of my ear infection, which has diminished quite considerably, I decided to give it a try.  I found out that beets and carrots are the best complex carbohydrate vegetables. Great for pre workouts.  Then I found out that broccoli is one of the vegetables containing the highest amounts of protein.  Great for post workouts.  I made a beet carrot juice and drank it about an hour and a half before running.  I left a pint of orange broccoli and cabbage juice in the fridge for when I returned.  Yes, I know!  Gross!  Sometimes you get it right and sometimes you don't :) 

5 Carrots, 1 Beet, 1 apple

Great combination for cooking but not good for juicing

The next part of my day was definitely the most challenging.  Music practice in Port Orange was canceled so I had the evening at home.  I decided to make fresh dinner for the family!  Why?  Because I care.  That's why lol  I made rice with corn and peas, black beans with garlic that smelled divine, and sliced chicken breast with spinach pan seared with ginger and orange zest!  Yes... I tortured myself.  It looked and smelled so good and even though I didn't taste it Mirella and Summer simply loved it.  I drank some seltzer water and watched them eat.   At this point of my day I was tired but not so cranky anymore.  I started feeling content with what I had achieved so far.  I felt that I was in control of my body and that my body was thanking me for the nutrition it had been receiving.  

My pretty wife, Mirella enjoying dinner 

and a fresh glass of beet carrot juice 

in front of me

Before cleaning up, and yes, I do clean up while I cook and after I cook, I decided to go put my new running shoes on and finally put my energy to the test.  I headed out on a familiar route I like to run not expecting much.  A quarter mile into it I was already expecting my legs to start burning as they did a few weeks ago before I injured my foot.  No burn yet.  A half a mile into my run I was completely surprised that I was breathing fine and my legs had strength.  I wasn't running very fast but at a decent pace of 10min/mile.  I started thinking to myself... just keep going till you can't run anymore.  That's what I did!  The only problem is that this route is a loop so after running two miles and doing intervals for 1 more I found myself far away from home.  I then proceeded to do run/walk intervals.  My legs gained their strength again!  My feet and knees didn't hurt (the right shoes help)!  The only issue I was having was that of thirst and a full bladder.  I've been peeing once an hour!  I then stopped by my sister's house for a quick bathroom break and a drink of water.  Immediately headed out again and jogged/walked back home.  I couldn't believe I had spent the last hour and a half running and walking 6 miles!  Great way to end day 4!

After showering I sat down for my post run juice... I was actually so hungry at this point that I was looking forward to it! It didn't sound so gross anymore. It did feel I needed some salt in my body so I grabbed my Margaritaville salt and rimmed the glass with it!  Poured some ice and juice and REALLY enjoyed the drink!   The salt makes it unbelievably good!  I'm not sure I'll juice broccoli in the future but during this fast I'm willing to drink all of it!!!  

The reason I'm writing this post today is because once I showered and drank my juice I lied down and fell asleep immediately!  Complete exhaustion!   A day that started in a not so good way ended in a positive self inspiring manner!  Day 4 is over!  Looking forward to the challenges the weekend will bring and to trying out new juices... I still have a sweet potato staring at me from the counter everyday! Yikes!

Resisting food, especially good food, has not been easy but also not as hard as I thought it would be.  I believe it is because my mind is made up.  It doesn't mean I don't want the food.  It just means that my will power is slowly increasing to stick with it even further. Fasting has that effect.  It is about making our bodies subject.  God has given me the strength to continue and with each passing day I am realizing how much I can do if my mind is in the right place.  

The story behind the orange mustache

Summer loves to take pictures and make videos.  She also loves asking us to send it to family and friends through text or Facebook.  When I took the picture with my phone she asked me to do just that... "Send it Dad! Send it to grandpa, tia Lu, mom, etc... and kimberly"  Every now and then she asks to send a nice and pretty picture of her to our friend kimberly who has a little boy a year older than her named Brayden. He is extremely sweet and nice to her!  Once in a karaoke birthday party at our house he even serenaded her singing "you are my sunshine" in front of everyone.  Major aww moment!  She then asked me to see how the picture came out!  Once I showed it to her she shouted "No dad!  Don't send  that one to Kimberly!"  Completely taken by surprise I asked... "why not?"  She got all shy and said that I could only send it to mom, tia Lu, and GIRLS!  

What?  Already aware of such things?  

At least she promised she'll always be MY little girl :)

Thanks for keeping up with my juice fast adventure.  All the comments and likes on Facebook have been extremely encouraging!  Feel free to share this post and blog.