the Results are in

In a post last week I told you all that I am on the juice. I also said I would let you know what the results are. This feels a bit funny because in no way do I see this juicing experience as coming to an end. Hottie and I have found a way to incorporate it into our daily lives. We have plans to continue this well into the future if not indefinitely.

But here are the results thus far...
Total weight lost after 20 days for Hottie: 17 lbs.
(his goal was 20)
Total weight lost after 20 days for Me: 19 lbs
(20 or so more to go....this would be my pre-kids weight)

What we did for the first 15 days: Juice fresh fruits and vegetables at least three times a day for 15-20 ounces each juice. Eat only fresh fruits and vegetables as desired.

What we didn't consume: Dairy, Meat, Beans, Grains, Breads, Condiments, Caffeine, Alcohol, Sugar (that one was the hardest for me) etc.

After 15 days: We continued to juice for at least two meals a day. In addition we ate things like mixed greens salads with tomatoes and balsamic vinegar.  Hummus and carrots. Chips (very small amount in comparison to what we would have previously eaten) and homemade salsa. Lentil Minestrone soup. Fresh stir fry with low sodium soy sauce. We even managed to go out to a restaurant that just opened in our neighborhood. During this lunch we shared our favorite appetizer, avocado egg rolls, and a small lunch portion salad.

How I feel: Energized, clear headed, healthy, optimistic. I sleep well and have no desire for caffeine or a pick me up in the middle of the day. Naps are no longer on my wish list (which is CRAZY for me cuz I normally love naps) When I run I feel lighter...but not because of the weight I've lost...I think it's because my system is working better. I am burning the fat that I have stored up over time instead of the junk I just ate like I would have previously.

Hottie says he feels amazing as well. Since he had a lot less weight to lose than me it has made a huge difference in his appearance. All of his coworkers have noticed the changes in such a short amount of time. They compliment his skin glowing and how big his clothes look. He appears trim and as young as the day I met him 8 years ago.

I know this probably sounds a little wacky to the random reader out there. And I am not gonna lie, the first few days were terrible...and the rest had their challenges. It was one of the toughest things to stick to that I have ever done in my life. Really. There were so many temptations, and so many chances to fail. But we have come out on the other side feeling better than ever. We are figuring out how to balance real life healthy eating habits with juicing and exercise. I am excited to continue to shed the pounds without feeling like I am "missing out" on something.

In a way I feel like we have stumbled on the secret. The reboot made me realize what it feels like to genuinely be hungry. I crave vegetables, and fruit tastes as sugary sweet as candy used to. I have no doubt that this is the answer to connecting my great running habits to a consistently healthy diet.

So I will keep you posted as we continue on this fruitful journey (hehe). As you know the holidays are upon us and they are not exactly the best time to be trying to lose weight. For us it's about striving to be healthier no matter what time of year it is. Wish us luck! And happy juicing!