MC: Day 9

Tonight we are going to celebrate me finishing my fast/cleanse/diet-- whatever I should now refer to it as :-)

And -- just guess, I dare you.... Larry's Chicken is on the menu!

I am also going to run to Costco this afternoon with the girls and get some strawberries and pound cake for dessert!

My Ending Opinions:

Master Cleanse: Not for me. After discussing her fasts with my sister, we agreed that a low calorie/sugar meal plan is not for me. She has successfully completed fruit/vegie fasts, so if I try another one in the future, I will probably think about this. I am not sure if I really cleansed anything, although I know I did detox off caffeine quite a bit. I am sure it just helped my body to clean itself-- like a fast would do, providing time for all the organs to play catch-up, if you will.

Veggie Soup Diet: I really like this. I don't feel hungry, I don't lack energy. The soup is fantastic, in taste and economy. It is easy to make a big batch and save for later. The only problem I had was deciding what to do about breakfast-- Normally this would probably not be an issue, but since I was determined not to eat anything but veggie soup and liquids, I just had juice.
I do plan on in the future continuing to make this soup and have it on hand for meal replacement. If I replace one meal a day with this soup, I should cut at least (!) 300+ calories a day from my intake. Plus get a Big vitamin boost! It should also be great to have for Gabe to take to work.

Success? I would say so. I learned a great deal of self-control and discipline, which is always good to practice. My clothes are a little looser, I have more energy. I am learning bit by bit to lean on God, not myself. To take my decisions to Him instead of my own knowledge.

Hope this proves beneficial to some of you out there as well! And you can listen for my groans of pleasure when I am eating Larry's tonight :-)

MC: Day 7, but not really

I am feeling much better today. Not so weak, although a bit. Not so hungry :-) Not so grumpy!

And the soup is so flavorful, I don't think I will get tired of it in the next two days, which is exciting.

I just have to get used to a constantly burned tongue.

Oh yeahh.....

MMmmmmm Mmmmm Good.

MC: Day 6 Evening

I am quitting. I have a pot of vegie soup simmering as I type.

I made it through today, but this morning I had an experience I do not wish to repeat. When Kiera got up, (around 7:15 am) I was very very weak. After I took care of her morning diaper, I started to get shaky. I sat down on the couch and started sweating and getting very nauseated. I think my blood sugar really took a dive. Fortunately, Gabe was able to get me some Ningxia Red juice, and I drank that and some water, which did the trick.

I hardened myself that I was not going to quit. I made it through church, and then while I was at work, I prayed that God would give me a peace about what to do. I almost immediately knew I needed to switch over to the soup, and tonight would be a good time instead of tomorrow to prevent having a crash happen again. It's funny, I really was fighting the idea of quitting, but when I prayed about it, God totally changed my mind and gave me peace.

But then! I had to work all day knowing I was going to get to eat tonight... It took a long time :-) But I was able to stay busy and this helped. And in 20 minutes, I get to eat soup.

Hallelujah! :-)

MC: Day 5 Evening-- Larry's Chicken

I was dreaming of Larry's chicken... it almost feels like homesickness!

2 more days, then hopefully onto Vegie soup. You have no idea how good that sounds. AND I hope the next two days pass quickly as I have to work. Either they will be quick, or they will draaaaggg.....

And do you know what is even better about switching to vegie soup? I have a softball game Tuesday night... I have been very nervous about passing out as I am swinging the bat...but hopefully I will be all up on my energy! :-)

What I miss the most now....

I really miss cooking. Although we do save a lot of money with just doing it simple.

But I really miss cooking, especially since two of my favorite blogs are cooking blogs....

And then eating what I cook. I am really starting to hate lemonade. Real lemonade anyway. It is so tart and bitter-- ugh.

MC: Day 4 Evening

Today is definitely feeling more "normal." I am feeling the blood sugar swings, and bizarrely enough, I have had several episodes of painful hiccups. And hiccups give me heartburn. And let me tell you... lemonade burns when combined with heartburn. Burns. burns. burns.

By the way, I have a very funny husband. Earlier today I mentioned that I knew there were some good deals out and about, but that I didn't want to go get them. (dizziness, hunger pangs, two toddlers...) So he commands me to go get them. Even if I didn't feel like it, he felt like I should. And thank you Lord he did, for I got some really good deals. (see below :-)

And while shopping, I did run into some... well, let's call it lust, shall we? A lady passed me in an aisle with fresh cooked deli chicken strips.

My knees turned to jelly, my words slurred. My nose betrayed me, and my bodily functions went to pot. lust lust lust. or gluttony?

:-) 5 days to go. Almost halfway there. And feeling much much better.

MC: Day 4 Morning

Ok, so I have a plan.

I mixed up my second batch of lemonade today-- the first lasted me three days, with quite a bit of sampling on the first day to try to get it palatable. I have decided to finish this batch, then switch to the vegetable soup diet to finish up. I am estimating this should last me through day 7 because I watered it down more to help the gagging.

I was concerned about getting sick (from solids) on Gabe's birthday, so if I do this I will probably have a whole day of vegie soup to get back on solids again. I know this sounds like I am sort of quitting, and I would agree, but I didn't want to buy a whole bag of lemons for possibly only one day.

So my mind and I have compromised.... not quitting, but continuing on a "liquid" fast for the full time. :-)

Isn't it Interesting?

Here I am. Day three. Mid afternoon. No headache. Slightly weak, but able to do most tasks.

And yet, my mind plays tricks on me. It is trying to weasle any way out of this I can. I am quite dizzy, so my mind says "Uh-oh. You'd better quit. We don't want you to pass out or anything." But of course when I asked Gabe's opinion, he said that I should probably drink more lemonade and make sure I am getting lots of fluids.

A completely logical response, and yet still any little excuse I try to use to talk myself into quitting. Thank you Lord, that I have such a supportive husband who will keep me where I truly want to be.

Besides, if I quit, I will have just starved myself for three days for nothing. :-)

MC: Day Three, Morning

My headache is gone! I feel soo much better.

THANK YOU LORD!!!

Now at least I feel like I can be a mom... this was my main concern, not being very joyful or energetic with my children for 9 days. Is it really worth it? But for some reason (hmmm...) I felt like if I could just get through the caffeine withdrawal, I could make it.

I may be speaking too soon, as the headaches always get so much worse in the afternoon-evening. But at least we can go play outside this morning, and have some fun!

And thank you for your comments-- I do want this to be a spiritual journey as well, so I appreciate your words of support.

MC: Day Two

This still sucks.

It is just a little better because I took an Aleve to help with my continued caffeine headache. And now instead of puckering, the juice makes me gag. I am not sure how long I can keep going. I feel so weak and have so little energy. To look forward to seven more days is discouraging.

Do you know how hard it is to avoid thinking about food? We are bombarded day in and out with pictures, commercials, sale papers :-)

I know, I know. I am doing this by choice. And I am choosing to keep going. I just hope it accomplishes it's purpose. And that the headaches would go away. And that I would not be so dizzy.

Any advice or words of experience out there?

Master Cleanse: Day One

This sucks.

I have a caffeine headache...the juice makes me pucker....and I just want to eat something. Anything would be preferable. I think it's really the headache, though. If only it would stop pounding....

One down. Eight to go.

It is 8:23, and I am headed to bed. Hopefully tomorrow will be easier.