In conclusion

I had forgotten that I made this blog.  Just to keep things from hanging, I'll close it out with this:

The juicing experiment lasted a week.  I consumed nothing but juice, water, and a sprinkle of Mrs. Dash.  Toward the end, I started taking two or three shots of Mrs. Dash per meal.  I wondered if I was becoming an addict.

At the end of the week, I felt great!  I slept well and jumped out of bed in the morning.  I felt light on my toes and wanted to jump high to dunk the basketball. I still can't dunk.  I lost 20 pounds in a week, but I'm  not sure how much of that was intestinal stuffing.  Still, it took me 3 months to gain it all back.

When I broke the fast, my parents were eating the city's best cheeseburgers and onion rings.  They had an extra one "just for [me]."  I ate it.  I was going to keep juicing during the week and take a break on the weekends with a balanced meal, but that didn't happen.

I have had one glass of juice since that week.  I will return to it, but probably for only one meal a day.

Last night

I was starting to get a little hungry before bed. The juicer was clean, and I didn't want to have to wash it again. So, I peeled an orange and chewed on the slices, swallowing the juice, and spitting out the pulp. I'm trying to be true to the fast.

At the same time, I've found the most effective and satisfying way to get the veggie taste out of my mouth is to take a shot of Mrs. Dash right onto the tongue. I walk away feeling like I just had a delicious Italian dinner.

Day 6: Weighing in

So, I've lost 7 pounds so far. Some of that is water weight and some intestinal contents, but it's still an encouraging amount. My goal, at this point, is 30 pounds. I will then reevaluate how much further to go.

I'm sleeping better. I feel more rested when I awake after 7 hours. I still have to have my caffeine to avoid feeling shitty.

Day 5: More poop

I didn't expect so much to come out. One good log with no pain. Amazing. More people should know that a juice diet doesn't result in diarrhea!

I'm starting to feel pretty good. I still have compulsive thoughts about different foods, and every so often, I think that I can't make it. That, though, only happens when I'm hungry. So, I'm trying to drink smaller amounts more regularly to keep my stomach happy.

Still concerned about protein. I've increased the amount of kale, but I don't know if that alone is enough. I'm also concerned about the smoothies from Panera. Are those strawberries in syrup?

Day 4: Poop

Fortunately, the maintenance man unclogged my garbage disposal. He left me two angry notes. One said to not put large vegetables into there. The other said "No chew bones!" He left samples on the note. I don't put chew bones in the sink, so I don't know what those things were, but there was a similarity.

I awoke earlier today than normal to prepare my meals for the workday -- two thermoses full of green drink. I skipped coffee, and I've felt like a zombie for the first half of the day. After lunch, I drank some unsweetened iced tea and feel so much better. I now know the extent of my caffeine addiction. It wasn't bad. I probably could have been over it in 2 or 3 days, but I'm not interested in doing that right now. Tea for me during this fast.

I took my second bowel movement today. Two poops in 4 days? I normally take two per day! Anyway, it was small and soft, not unlike soft-serve ice cream.

Day 3: Coping

I finally took a crap yesterday. I haven't been constipated nor have I had diarrhea. There's just not that much to move through my system. I do pee a lot.

The hunger has started. I can only stay satisfied for about 2 hours at a time. I will have to get up earlier in the morning and make a jug of juice before work.

My garbage disposal has jammed. This is bad. I can't get it unstuck.

When I need motivation, I squeeze a moob.

I bought a badass scale at the Apple store which measures weight, BMI, and fat vs muscle mass percentage. I weigh 211.

My friend Jason brought a burger, shake, and onion rings over last night. It didn't bother me then, but it does now.

I've started putting a little Mrs. Dash on my tongue after a veggie drink. It's somewhat satisfying and removes the bad taste.

Day 2: The Hunger Starts

Both of the main characters in the documentary said that their first weekend on the juice fast had them sleeping non-stop. I have felt fine. To help things, I got a massage.

I started the day off with a large glass of orange juice. I walked the dog and then had a green drink. Although Joe, the main guy in the documentary, urges people not to have coffee or beer during the fast, I did have a coffee. In the words of Tom Petty, "I don't mind working, but I'm scared to suffer." Still, the coffee was somewhat uncomfortable in my stomach, and I yawned a few times. I can't say that it made me tired -- perhaps I just wasn't breathing enough.

I'm at Panera now, writing this and smelling the baked goods. I love the atmosphere here, and sipping on this strawberry smoothie is a good alternative to my usual cinnamon crunch bagel. The smoothie does have yogurt in it, but I'm not going to be a purist. It's still a smoothie, and I need the protein.

I have yet to defecate.