day 4 - broken

This morning the boyfriend woke up early and make me a juice for breakfast and a juice for lunch. Both were fantastic. So tasty! He named it "Fibonacci's Delight":

(the bananas kinda just mash-up all weird in the machine, but you can taste them in the drink)

1 cucumber
1 bunch of celery (about 6 stalks)

2 oranges

 3 granny smith apples 

5 bananas 

8 strawberries 

bunch of spinach 

I had that for both breakfast at around 9am and then for lunch around 2pm. It was much later than I normally take lunch, but I was feeling pretty wonderful from my breakfast drink. Lunch was surprisingly still fresh (thanks new thermos) and delicious. Although, around 4pm I started to feel a little light headed. I made myself a glass of caffeine free tea and it helped curve the food cravings I was having and it also helped just give me a little bit of herbal boost I needed to finish the longer than normal day at work. My stomach was grumbling by the time I got home, but luckily when I walked in the door, the boyfriend made me another delicious juice blend for dinner. 

He called this mix "Santa Fe EasterBunny" - lol 

2 heads of broccoli 

6 celery 

6 carrots 

2 small red bell peppers 

3 oranges 

1 granny smith apples

After about an hour, although normally full. I was still starving. So, I broke. :( I made us both deliciously healthy salads (ingredients below). It felt terrible breaking and eating a salad. I know it sounds funny, but I feel really terrible that I wasn't able to keep my juice fast for longer. Honestly, I think if we had more celery I would have just made another juice. I was so hungry for more. 

Arugula 

Small Red/Orange bell peppers 

1/2 radish

broccoli 

carrots 

I know I shouldn't feel as terrible as I do. It's still a healthy meal, but I set a goal for myself and was unable to accomplish it (this time). 3 1/2 days out of 5 days of pure juice fast really isn't terrible and it's not like we ate a huge steak or anything to that effect. I do feel accomplished in the fact that the boyfriend at the salad at all. Before we did the juice fast the idea of getting him to eat the salad with so many vegetables would have been impossible. Yet, tonight, he sat down and actually enjoyed it. I am so proud of him. He has cut out all of his caffeine, which is really impressive; considering before we started this he could not function without a Monster energy drink in his hand. Now he is caffeine free and has been right here by my side through all of this. Tomorrow is another day. A good friend is coming for dinner tomorrow night and I promised her a delicious salad and good company. Two things I know I can provide. 

Our plan at this point is to continue on a vegan lifestyle. We will focus on juicing, including raw fruits and vegetables. We plan on slowly introducing nuts and beans over time. 

The boyfriend reminded me as I wrote this - Our goal was not to just do a diet, but to change our lifestyle. We have accomplished that and we will continue to share our stories along the way. 

Day 3 no cheating

Day three was pretty easy actually ... I had the day off. That fact alone makes juicing easier! So it was nice.


The boyfriend had work though and I got up and made his drinks; one for breakfast and one for lunch.


Carrots, apples and celery for breakfast. Then cucumber, spinach, carrots and apples for lunch. He said that they were both delicious and filling, but he ended up working later than planned and was starving because he drank his lunch so early. He said he wandered into DuaneReade intent on cheating on our juice diet. With two dollars in his pocket, he stormed into the store looking for the cheapest, crappy, and most filling food as possible. He spotted it!! Two giant bags of gorilla chips - two for $1 and salsa for a dollar!!! DONE!!! He grabbed the bags and charged for the register. While waiting to play a song that had some reference to cheating was playing on the announcement system. He sighed and with great sorrow, he returned the bags to the shelve. He sat down and read men's health. I'm proud of his resolve. This has not been an easy challenge for us.


I sat at home and did nothing - well, a couple loads of laundry... But really nothing.


I had attempted a new juice with tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, celery and some spinach for dinner. I don't know why, but it was terrible! I finished my 16 ounces and had a lot of water with lemon to wash down the after taste. When the boyfriend got home he was exhausted. He sat down and definitely looked a little faint; I could tell his body was hungry. He took about an hour nap and attempted, as a good boyfriend should, my terrible attempt at dinner juice. He sipped it and then drained it- it was a little too thick still. Then tried it again, to no avail. At this point I dumped it and offered our "backup plan" that we purchased at target - MeanGreen jive by Naked. A great product and served it's purpose well. He drank it down and immediately looked and felt better.


This is a challenging experience for us both, but we are stronger already because of it.


(day 4 preview, lol, he got up earlier and made my breakfast and lunch! He's so sweet!!)

Day 2 - aka - Day 1 redo

I juiced for most of the day yesterday. Then gave into my first temptation challenge. We (the bf and I) got invited out to dinner with family who were in town from Texas. We went to the most fabulous place called Gemma. One of the most delicious restaurants in NYC. It's not only fantastic food, but the atmosphere is incredible. 

I convinced myself that it was okay to give into the temptation as this is not just a diet for me and my boyfriend, but a lifestyle change. That tomorrow, (today), I would be back on the wagon and juice all day long. Thus, today would be the first real day of the cleanse. So, that is where I was mentally. Last night was fantastic, but today started the real juice fast and diet challenge that I promised myself that I would do.

This morning we started with 3 carrots, 2 apples, and 4 celery. Fresh and tasty! I really enjoy this recipe. It's easy and it keeps my mind from over thinking early in the morning. I had two of these I liked it so much. This along with a lot of water kept me full for most of the day. My stomach started to grumble within an hour or so of finishing my second. It wasn't hunger, but all the nastiness being pushed through my system. I will admit it is not nearly as bad as I thought it would be, but now that I am towards the end of the day... I am starting to really feel foggy headed. For lunch, I made Dracula's Dream Juice

I have never had beets before, so that alone was an interesting experience. I am not sure how much i was tasting of what, but it was very red! It was sweet and didn't make as much as some of the other recipes that I've shared; made just about 24 ounces while the other recipes that I have shared make about 36 ounces (give or take). (sorry about the video quality - recorded on my laptop - will NOT make that mistake again!!) 

I feel okay, not wonderful but not too terrible either. My mind is foggy and I am getting sleepy. I should make another one, but we need to go to the grocery store to get more of the basics (kale,celery,carrots), which we have plans to do at 6pm. My boyfriend on the other hand is also dealing with going through caffeine withdraws. He claims it isn't bad, but I know just from personality changes that he must be suffering. He's actually passed out beside me now. He is feeling the physical affects of the juice fast more than I am. He also ate one piece of bread with peanut butter on it. CHEATING already! I really could not believe it and lost my shit! I flipped out as he chewed and swallowed the deliciousness that I could smell from across the room. I felt so betrayed. He says that I shouldn't be so upset because we are working on a lifestyle change, not just a diet. He is correct in that, but he also made me feel like now I am in this juice fast alone. That even with me here, saying that he can do it and he did not NEED that piece of bread; he just was not strong enough. He gave into the hunger. I am hungry too, don't get me wrong. I wanted that peanut butter more than anything, but I told myself I was going to commit to at least a 5 day juice cleanse. Then we would transition into a month long program of only juice, fruits and vegetables. Slowly over time, I am sure that he will transition into eating some animal products again and so will I occasionally. I really just want to train our bodies that we can feel better without them, that we are strong enough to resist what society tells us and take the facts of science. 
Watching him take a bite of the bread, I felt so betrayed. I felt as if I was in this journey all alone now, that even if he thinks he's here with me. He's not, that one bite shows that he is not 100% committed to this challenge. I know that he is dealing with a lot more the physical aspects of this than I am. Where do I find the balance of being upset and being understanding. I mean, it's not like he walked down the street to McDonald's and just chowed down on a Big Mac. He ate ONE piece of bread with about a tablespoon worth of peanut butter on it! ... really??? Maybe I am feeling the physical affects of this, my inability to control my emotions and lashing out at him were probably more to do with my food intake today than I really want to admit. He's still here with me in this challenge and I think I have to be honest with myself. Regardless of what he chooses over the next few weeks, does not mean that I have to give up on my own challenge. It just would have been nice to have someone suffering beside me and not giving into the temptations on the 1st real day.

So, today has been challenging; but I am strong and will continue on this journey. Thanks for being here with me and reading with me and sharing in this experience.

"The ideal technique for successful fasting is the use of fresh, raw fruit and vegetable juices. On such a diet, the full spectrum of nutrients is supplied in an easily assimilated form, so the digestive tract is able to remain essentially at rest. It is only through the combined use of both cleansing processes, and a very good diet, that one will be able to reach her or his maximal level of physical health and an unclouded consciousness."--Rudolph Ballentine, M.D.

Juice Diet: Day One

 I am 26 years old and over the last few years I have been through huge changes. I was a big girl.---->

I was unhappy in every aspect of my life. In 2010, I started my weight loss journey. 

Before we get to that point I feel that it is only fair to tell you a little about how I got to that point. Throughout my life I have always struggled with my weight, actually, I always struggled with my self image. It was hard to be honest to the person I was because I didn't look like the girls I went to school with and I didn't feel comfortable being myself. At 13, I developed boobs and grew tall - 5 foot 9 1/2 inches in 6th grade. I was a giant - or at least that is how I viewed myself. That feeling convinced me to harm myself and since I have battled with bulimarexia. Honestly, it's a little overwhelming to share this fact with the world. The only way to share this journey with you, my readers, is to be as honest as possible. It is important for me to share where I have come from so that you can know who I am just a little more. Hopefully, inspiring you when you think you can not do it; know that someone has fought her way from the bottom too. 

My weight fluctuated up and down over many years In 2010, I weighed approximately 290 pounds - give or take 10 pounds any given week. I ate what I wanted, gorged myself until I could not eat another bite. I would drink liquor every weekend. I would sit around watching football games, eating and drinking. I would stuff my face with everything. I would not exercise. I had sleep apnea, I was fighting high blood pressure and I was terribly depressed. There were a lot of life factors that lead to my lifestyle choice, but they were my choice. I ate myself into a deep, dark hole of unhappiness. 

I moved from Texas to Maryland January 2010. I decided with that move that I would change my life. I started walking my dogs around the neighborhood. I started trying to change the way I was eating. No more fast food, no more soda and no more drinking. It was easy to stick to at first because I was not working (I moved with my ex-boyfriends job). I was focusing on me while he was working a million hours. Within the first three months, I lost 30 pounds. I was so ecstatic! From then, my battle with my weight became a little easier every day. My friends supported me and I found a strength in myself I did not know. 

In March of 2010 I started a new job and joined a gym. I started working out with a trainer 3 days a week and I was doing spin class everyday. It was incredible to know that with hard work and dedication, I could fight through my demons and find strength I never knew I had. I started to love myself, every day. I was able to look into the mirror and know that I was there. Before, I would look into the mirror and sometimes not ever really see myself. In the summer of 2010, I ended a 4 year relationship and in December I moved to Jersey City -across the river from the city I've always dreamed about New York City. 

I lost over 100 pounds in one year by changing the way I was eating and loving myself enough not to die because of my weight. My weight has been holding steady at/around 180 pounds. I am happy with my weight, but I know I can do better and be healthier. The big city life lead me in a direction of walking more and exercising without really trying on a daily basis (walking/riding my bike to and from places). It also lead me to some easy and terrible habits; having food delivered and drinking more than I like to.

I found the love of my life back in Jan 2011. He drinks a lot of Monster energy drinks and until he started dating me, I am not sure he even knew what vegetable were. Okay, he did, but come on -we all know how single guys eat! TERRIBLY! So he ate terrible, but thought it was okay because he biked all over the city. McDonald's three times a day. It was so disgusting. So, when we started dating I told him the long personal journey that I had been on. Told him that if we were going to date that his eating habits would have to change. I could not commit to loving him unless he was willing to change his lifestyle and eat healthier. He decided that his love for me was greater than his love for crappy food and we have slowly been committing our lives to living healthier together. Over the last year we've been changing small things in our diet to introduce more and more vegetables, cutting out fatty meats, and exercising more. We of course like everyone have fallen off the bandwagon here and there; but we are committed and always pick ourselves back up. 

"Failure is only a fact when you give up. 

Everyone gets knocked down, the question is: Will you get back up?"

So, today we start another journey together; the Reboot juice diet. After seeing the movies "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead" and "Forks Over Knives" we decided that we wanted to challenge ourselves with a juice diet. I hope that I am strong enough and focused enough to make this not just a diet, but a life change. We are finding our recipies from Join The Reboot! My goal is to document this journey, not only in writing, but in video blogs as well. 

I am grateful that you have taken time to read and look forward to you joining me on this journey. 

A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous

I can't go back to yesterday because I was a different person then.

- Lewis Carroll

There are a few quotes that I live by in life and I think it would only be fair for me to share them to start this blog off in the right direction: 

All that we are is the result of what we have thought - Buddah

In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different - Coco Chanel 

A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous - Coco Chanel