Juice Cleanse Tranitional Week Starts Today!

I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS!

Up to this point, I have attempted juice fasts, but always on my own and I have yet to make it halfway through day 2.  This time, I have hired a team of professionals (The Raw Divas) to assist me in this endeavor and I'm REALLY PUMPED!

I just downloaded their transitional week recipe book and shopping list.  The CHEF in me wants to trash this list all together and 'go my own way', but the HUMAN in me wants to simply follow the plan.  I am going with the human in me today.  Being a good little human, I am armed with my Sam's Club card, my shopping list and am on my way out the door!

I have to say I am a bit concerned about just having a smoothie for breakfast, a salad for lunch and a smoothie or soup for dinner!  Not concerned about nutrition, but dammit! I LOVE TO EAT (which is the thinking that got me in the body predicament I am in, so I'm not listenin)!  Not to mention that eating is a real source of entertainment for me.

I am happy to do this cleanse, it gives me something to focus on other than 'What am I going to eat next?'.  It will also allow me to recalibrate my relationship with food and transform it back into the loving relationship with myself it once was and tune into my real reason for eating in the first place:  to nourish my body.  I have developed some habits of eating for many reasons other than that over the last year - entertainment, taste, emotional (whether for celebration or sadness), social, as in business or networking), etc, etc, etc.  Believe me, they have shown up in some funky ways!

I have yet to decide how I am going to exercise throughout this cleanse, so I will likely play it by ear.  I am thinking yoga every day for probably an hour, and maybe some pilates - because pilates = results!  I haven't touched my P90X tapes in a while, they are just plain annoying and I would rather spend 1/2 hour sweating on an elliptical machine with some great music.  The P90X workouts are fantastic - but you have to be SUPER motivated.  After a week or so, I found myself standing and glaring at my TV for a lot of the workout, so it really wasn't doing me much good.  The machines work better for me - and running once I lose some more weight - because I HAVE to keep moving or it beeps at me.  Music is also a big motivator for me, and P90X leaves a lot to be desired in the music department.  If you are like me and music moves you, then I would suggest a good old fashioned elliptical or stairmaster workout!  I have also added a couple of group exercise classes to my weekly schedule, one of them is bellydancing.  It is a blast and I love the social setting, it keeps me motivated to go because I get to talk to people and have a great time and I'm learning something.  Also, watching myself in the mirror and seeing my body do things that are sexy and things I once thought impossible for me to do benefits me in two ways:  1) I feel sexy (and who wouldn't want to feel that?) 2.) I feel a sense of accomplishment.  Also, its a great core workout.

Ok, I am off to shop.  This will be fun!

Because I am going 100% Raw for this transition, here are some before pictures I am taking right now (no makeup, so BEWARE! Lol).  

 You know, I look at these pics and genuinely enjoy this body.  It is not the magazine type of sexy, there are definitely curves and bumps and nooks and crannies (lol), but it is soft, squeezable and delicious!

What I enjoy more, though, is a body that can run 5 miles.  A body that can run 1 mile without my knees swelling up in rebellion would be FANTASTIC!  A body without cellulite - or at least less.  Yes, I am aware that I am 30 years old and that some things 'just happen' with age.  I don't buy it, though.  Things happen after years of poor choices.  Muscles atrophy from lack of exercise,

 undigested food and junk build up in the colon from lack of adequate fiber and water intake, and the skin sags and wrinkles from more of the above mentioned.
I will age gracefully and beautifully, like a glass of fine wine, rather than a shriveled up fat little raisin, complaining about aches and pains and lack of energy so commonly accepted by the majority of the population in place of good food choices and a little bit of discipline.  The discipline is really only required for a short while, I believe, as once results start showing up, I, personally, find it hard to do things any other way and I find my body really begins to crave that exercise, water and good food.  Once that happens, it is only a matter of time before it becomes HABIT.

If you have been a subscriber for a while, you will notice that I have made quite a bit of progress from when I first posted pictures!  Also, when I first posted those pictures, I had already lost almost 60 pounds!  I was a mean 197 after I gave birth to my daughter.  I would guess that right now I am about 175.  An earlier post estimated 165, but my guestimate was 10 pounds off!

Mmmm, look at those curves!  

Sam's Club LOOK OUT!  This sexy momma is on the loose!



Thanks for tuning in!  See you soon!

Love,
Andrea