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.

The Start

I arrived back in town Friday night just before midnight. My plane was late coming in, so I didn't feel like going to the grocery store. It had been a long, rough day.

The next morning, I awoke hungry and wanted a smooth transition into the juice, so I ate my usual bagel and coffee while making a grocery list for the fruits and vegetables which I would need. As I sat at Panera, I locked eyes with a beauty across the room -- 3 seconds and we both held our gaze until she looked down. As much as I wanted to, I didn't approach her. Soon, a creepy guy sitting next to her struck up a conversation, and it wasn't long before she left. I hope she returns to find a thinner me.

On the way to the grocery store, a friend called to invite me over for the first college football game of the season and a giant BBQ. I had to decline, telling him it would be counterproductive and self-defeating.

At the grocery store, I bought $60 worth of fruits and veggies. The cashier was amazed, and her co-workers wanted to know what I would do with so much produce. "I'm making a giant salad," was my reply.

That afternoon, I started with a fruit drink and timed myself to see how long my body would stay satisfied. It seems two to three hours is the going rate. Over the course of the evening, I had some veggie drinks.

I'm not sure which one did it, but I had massive gas afterwards. I kept thinking I would need to sit on the toilet, but it was always just gas.

Motivation / Inspiration

Sure, weight loss is an obvious goal, but this more about overall health. My friend who helped start me on this path says, "You're at the crossroads. The state of health in which you enter the next phase of your life will determine your path for the rest of your life. It will determine if you stay healthy or make frequent visits to the doctor and load up on drugs." That was the slap upside the head which I needed. I'm not ready to grow old.

Another area in which I want to improve is that of self-discipline. I recall an episode of the office where Ryan, the temp, said something like, "I've decided to control the only thing I can at work -- what I eat."

Growing up in church, I had often heard about Jesus and his 40 days of fasting in the wilderness, but fasting was something we merely talked about -- it wasn't a part of our practice. The Catholics actually fast in ways, as do the Muslims. In fact, most religions have a practice of fasting. Again, I found inspiration in a quote whereby someone said, "If one fasts without addressing the spiritual hunger which naturally arises, one has missed out on the greatest benefit of all." My own spiritual hunger has been growing as of late, so I anticipate an increase here. I'm going to reexamine the life of Christ during this period to try to see it through new eyes.

Intro

I'm tired of being overweight. My friend told me to watch "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead," and it inspired me enough to try juicing for a few weeks to lose weight and feel better. I've gotta do something -- I'm starting to develop moobs!

I'm experienced enough to know to not jump into something headlong if I want to be successful. Goals need to be prepared for, so I've spent the last month doing just that: I bought a Breville juicer, I've read other people's tales and recipes, and I've spent a few nights taking shots of different fruits and vegetables to experience their essence. I've also confided in a few close friends for moral support.

The first veggie drink that I tried went straight through me -- one hour later I was on the toilet, but it wasn't uncomfortable like having diarrhea.

Sept 3 was the date I set to start.