Juice Journal

Cleanse. It’s what all the “healthy” people are talking about. I don’t diet and, now that I think about it, I’ve never tried. Well, I take that back. I attempted a 20 day Paleo diet (aka “caveman” diet), but only lasted about three days (Nelson claims I didn’t last a full day). Instead, I just try to eat well-rounded and nutritious meals, while treating myself to dessert every now and then (or day).

I sometimes check-out this blog, The Skinny Confidential, because it’s entertaining and interesting. Entertaining in the sense that she’s a true Valley Girl – and writes like it. “Like, OMG, she does not eat yucky foods that make her bod sick. Ew. Um, no thx, but L M K when you’re getting the icky toxins out. Mkay?” Whew! That was hard! So it’s obnoxious to read (obviously), but interesting in that she shares some healthy recipes, décor ideas, etc. One thing she obsesses over is Suja juice, and she’ll do this three day cleanse a couple of times per year. I checked out the website, read people’s comments, and did my research and thought it would be fun to challenge myself. The juices were expensive to purchase online because they overnight the heavy things, but I found them at the downtown Whole Foods and stocked up.

The below is my “juice journal” for the three days that I ate nothing but fruit and vegetable juice. If you know me, and I mean really know me, this is not an easy feat for me. But spending $100+ on juice, plus having a wedding this Saturday where I plan to wear a pretty tight fitting dress, is my motivation. After all, motivation is key, right? :) I’ve detailed the first day entirely, and done more “mini-recaps” of day two and three. I’ve even included some pictures of my initial reaction to each juice. Enjoy!

Day 1

Here's my reaction to the first juice:

Just kidding! That's not me drinking the juice, but you will see a lot of similar faces.... Did you really think I'd have a blog post without a picture of Jackson? Never! (Shockingly enough, the boy doesn't like food. So sad.)

• I woke up late, per usual, because I snoozed through my work-out. When I got to work, I opened my first juice, Glow, ready to start this thing. The first whiff I got wasn’t the best smelling and the first taste wasn’t too hot either. To be honest, it tasted like s!@#. I thought if I could chug it, or take several gulps at a time, that would help. It didn’t. I gagged and pulled my trashcan right beside me – because forcing it to stay down was the only thing keeping it there. I decided to tell myself that it tasted good, I like the smell of a “sprig of mint,” and to just take small sips. Total amount of time it took to drink juice 1: 53 minutes.

• It took so long to drink juice 1 that I wasn’t hungry, or excited, for juice 2, Fuel. Finally, around 11:30, I decided it was time. As I took the cap off, I prepared myself for an overwhelming smell of juice… only to be greeted with a sweet smell. I think the pineapple, orange, and lemon in this juice definitely help because it tasted much better. No gagging here! Although, as I continued to drink it, I was more than ready to be done. I don’t know if it was because I was still semi-full/sick from juice 1, my mind was getting to me, or what; but just in case, the trashcan was still close, I had a full bottle of water to wash it down, and a teeny tiny mint to eat afterwards to get rid of the aftertaste (unfortunately, I had to resort to that with juice 1). Total amount of time it took to drink juice 2: 25 minutes.

• Celery is not my fave. I waited until I was actually hungry to drink juice 3, Purify. Lacking the “sweet” stuff made it pretty bland, and it was kind of tart going down. Unfortunately, the beets made it an unnatural maroon color, so that didn’t help my sensitive stomach (and mind). I stuck with my slow, steady sips and did pretty well! At this point of my cleanse, I told myself that I will finish this. But it’s highly probable that I will never do it again. As I drank the juice, it’s actually got better - oddly/sadly enough. Nelson thinks I’m so used to sweet stuff, that the initial taste of the first one was bad, but that my palate will clear and they’ll taste better soon. I could only hope. Total amount of time it took to drink juice 3: 41 minutes.

• Juice 4, Fiji, smelled just like juice 1, so I knew I was in for a bad hour…. And what stunk most was I was actually feeling pretty hungry. It wasn’t a growling kind of hungry (yet), but enough to where, if I were eating actual food, I would get a decent snack (the chocolate covered raisins in the breakroom were screaming my name, so I put my headphones in). The only thing I really noticed that’s different about me at this point is how much I had peed, but I hoped to notice a true difference by the last day. And the same as Purify, as I drank juice 4, it didn’t taste good, but I wasn’t gagging nearly as much. Win! Although the last gulp made me gag the worst yet today. A noise even came out of my  mouth. So close. Total amount of time it took to drink juice 4: 35 minutes.

• I ran a brisk three miles right before juice 5, Green Supreme (seriously? the name scares me), so I’d be somewhat hungry for it. I was prepared to taste that “bunch of kale,” but it honestly wasn’t that bad. Oh no, what’s happening to me?! I think I’m getting used to this stuff… which is good because then the next couple of days should be easier. But I also think the five apples and half of a lemon made it taste more like a lemony apple juice. I think this might be my second favorite thus far (with Fuel in first); although I still have “dessert” left! Total amount of time it took to drink juice 5: 11 minutes!!!

• It was torture. Pure. Torture. I had my last juice, Vanilla Cloud, while meeting the girls from our small group at Amy’s Ice Cream. All I wanted was a tiny crush-in, but I survived :) Unfortunately, I think I hyped this one up too much because I was not impressed. There were little bits of… something… floating in it, so that freaked me out at the beginning. I honestly think there were too many things in it to try to make it sweeter, so it just ended up tasting funny. I semi had to force it down :( Total amount of time it took to drink juice 6: around 30 minutes (I forgot to time it while I was talking to everyone).

Day 2

• I went to bed slightly hungry, but woke up surprisingly good. I wasn’t starving (maybe because I knew I could only have juice?) and didn’t feel the urge to eat… until I got to the office and found out it was Taco Deli breakfast taco day :( Biggest upset yet. Anyways, I’ve realized it’s the celery that makes Glow taste so awful. It’s going down a lot better this morning, but still at the bottom of the list of favorites. At least I didn’t gag!

• I really wasn’t even hungry for Fuel, but I figured I should go ahead and drink it. And since it’s my favorite, I was semi looking forward to it. I’m still holding out strong, but images of Chick-fil-A are dancing in my head.

• Sidenote: People say you get headaches, acne, hunger pains, and are lethargic during a juice cleanse. I’ve actually lucked out by not having any of those (I already had the pimples currently on my face haha). I mean, sure, did I want a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch (I told you - random cravings!)? But it wasn’t like I was dying to have anything to eat. And knowing that I was halfway done definitely help :)

• Oh man, I forgot how bad Purify was. Nasty celery.

• I waited as long as possible to drink Fiji, so actually drank it on the way to an Alamo Drafthouse happy hour party…. That was even worse than Amy’s. Like I said, I’m not exactly craving anything, but seeing food really makes me miss it. And seeing mini hotdogs, fancy pizza bites, cheesy fries, Mexican corn, assorted cheeses and meats, and chips and queso really made me miss it. So that I wouldn’t crack, I let myself have a couple carrots, celery sticks, and cucumber slices - woohoo!

• Green Supreme initially shocked me this time, but I got used to the off-apple juice taste and semi-enjoyed it :)

• Ok, maybe I hyped up Vanilla Cloud too much as dessert, and then was super disappointed so then I hated it, because it wasn’t as bad this time. Don’t get me wrong, I still had to drink water between sips, but it wasn’t as awful as the night before. Maybe it had something to do with me being at Amy’s….

• I made Nelson try all of the juices. He likes them. all. Go Nelson.

Day 3

• The last day is finally here and I’m so excited!!! I’m ready to start eating foods, again. I’ve already decided I’m getting my free Chick-fil-A breakfast on Monday (I figured tomorrow morning would be too soon). Glow isn’t getting any easier, but it’s definitely satisfying knowing that it’s my LAST!

• I actually skipped Fuel because I was going to lunch with a colleague, so I’m saving it for breakfast tomorrow (since it’s the only one I really like).

• Lunch. Real food. Oh how I’ve missed it! I picked out where we would go ahead of time by looking at menus online and ended up choosing this Italian place. I got the Greek salad, minus the feta cheese. It was romaine lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, and Greek olives with an olive oil/lemon juice dressing. It was the most bland and amazing thing I’ve ever eaten! I’ve never been more appreciative to have a real meal. I think my colleague did all of the talking for the first five or ten minutes while I scarfed down my salad.

• The salad didn’t actually fill me up, so shortly after we got back, I had to open Purify. Going back to juice after a wonderful meal (ha?) was the hardest part. And thinking I have three more after this made it seem like an eternity. 

• Nelson asked if I wanted to see “You’re Next” tonight, and I actually declined so that, when we do see it, I can eat popcorn and/or candy. #finishingthisthingtotheend

• S!@#. I went to the breakroom to get my last juice. I should’ve sent someone to get it for me. My company had Tiff’s Treats this afternoon as a celebration (I skipped it so I wouldn’t be tempted) and the leftover cookies were sitting on the tables. I was filling up my water bottle and couldn’t help but notice that hardly anyone had eaten the snickerdoodle ones - my favorites! Before I knew it, I was standing against the wall, watching the doors to make sure nobody came in, and two cookies were gone. Fail. Epic fail. I was so proud of myself for sticking it through Amy’s, breakfast tacos, catered sandwiches, Alamo Drafthouse appetizers, and lunch with a colleague. But seriously? Tiff’s Treats? I got my green Fiji drink from the fridge and left… defeated. Oh, and Fiji still tastes bleh.

• I drank Green Supreme and Vanilla Cloud while meeting with our small group at our house. It was SO exciting knowing these were my last two juices! And everyone cheered me on and was super supportive, even after finding out I’d had two cookies. Both went down without a hitch, and I don’t know if it’s because I’m used to them or my taste palate has been cleared from staying away from all the seasoned/processed/sugary stuff (minus the cookies).

I stayed away from food for the remainder of the night and had my first foods today! They say to ease back into solid foods since your digestive system has been on a break, so I’m going to stick with mostly clean fruits and veggies and lean meat.

Nelson was such a wonderful husband and even bought me a surprise "you finished your first juice cleanse!" gift - running shorts :) We had seen these several weeks back and I had commented how I'd wanted some neon running stuff, and he remembered.... how sweet!

In conclusion, I think that some people could probably do a juice cleanse multiple times per year or even incorporate it into their daily lives. I’m just not one of them :) I didn’t feel any different from start to finish. I was never more energized, rested, or “cleansed”. If anything, I missed being able to run or work-out (because I was only consumed about 1,000 calories per day in juices, Nelson thought I should take it easy). So will I ever buy any juices to drink to supplement a meal? Maybe, if my favorites are in stock. Will I ever do this again? Probably not.

I'm full, and so was our weekend.

This past weekend, Nelson and I took Friday off from work and headed down to Houston. Grace graduated from A&M (Whoop!) and was going to be in Houston to visit her brother and see friends. Unfortunately, I didn't get a single picture of me and Grace or the group :( I'll probably just steal one of her's.

Friday night, we went to a birthday party for Nelson and his birthday twin, Dennis! Oddly enough, these two share the same birthday....

Dennis had everyone come over to his place and then, around midnight, we headed out to Kung Fu Saloon. Nelson and I kept it pretty low-key because we planned on running nine miles the next morning, but considering we didn't get back his parents' house until 3:30am, you can assume that didn't happen. Nonetheless, we had a lot of fun hanging out and celebrating with everyone. Happy Birthday, Nelson! I love you!

The next day we hung out with his parents, ran some errands, and then headed out to dinner with Grace and everyone. It was a lot of the same people, but still good to catch up over dinner and not loud music ;) Afterwards, we went to Chinatown for "dessert" at this new place called Nu Ice. I say "dessert" because most Asian desserts are nothing like the desserts that I like. They're not very sweet, if at all, and include lots of fruit. However, I love nu ice!!! It's basically this slab of flavored ice (that was sorta sweet, kinda like yogurt) that goes in this machine and cuts it into thin slices. My ice flavor was strawberry, my fruit side was banana, and I got chocolate syrup (I made sure it was real chocolate syrup) on top! Sooooo good and yummy!

Sadly, we left for Austin immediately after dessert because we had to be back in town for Jackson's baptism the following morning! He was such a good baby and was by far the cutest :) We were so happy to be there for him and I look forward to every celebration throughout his life: first birthday, second birthday, third birthday.... He's my favorite little guy and I love him sooooo much!

After church, we all headed over to Kyle and Steve Liggett's house for a party. My mom made the most delicious Italian cream cake and it wasn't just good, but cute, too! But not as cute as that baby ;)

Jackson was about ready for a nap, so we were having a difficult time trying to get him to look and smile.

It was a super fun afternoon and all of the food and swimming definitely wore everyone out. Some more than most *ahem* Nelson and Ben.

Irene, Nelson's cousin, and her husband, Wei-li, were in town this weekend, too, showing off their new baby, Eli, to some Austin friends. We hurried home after the party to shower and went right back out to meet them up for dinner. I wasn't hungry at all, but snacked on some chicken pieces and edamame. I did, however, take full advantage of being at the same table as an adorable baby and soaked it up :) Little Eli is about two months old and was so precious!

Thanks for letting me hog Eli during dinner, Irene! It was so great to see y'all and congratulations on your sweet baby boy!

And that concludes our weekend full of everything: family, friends, and food.

Seven in One.

We already know I'm not good at staying up-to-date on this blog. That's why we're going to do a "seven in one" - seven weeks in one post! Here's what we've been up to since, basically, Father's day:

- Beth and I got our nails done at this place known for their nail art. Neither of us wanted anything too crazy (like picnic, swim party, or alien themed), but we had fun chatting and laughing while getting our nails done! I planned all of my outfits for the next five days so my nails would match (but also because I was travelling the entire time).

- Nelson and I went to Houston for the weekend for Josh Menk's wedding. He and I rowed together at A&M, and we're part of the same group that tries to get together at least once a year. Their wedding was on Sunday evening at Briscoe Manor and it was beautiful!

It's always fun when Jenni, Erin, Katie and I get together, and I enjoyed meeting Pandio's girlfriend, Samantha!

Cute guys pic with Marshall, Pandios, Adrian, and Nelson :)

The whole group....

And with the bride and groom! It was a fun and beautiful wedding. Thanks so much for letting us share in your special day and we wish you a lifetime of happiness, Josh and Kimberly!

- Directly from Houston, I flew to Las Vegas for a conference for work. I was the last to arrive and found out my three colleagues had all been upgraded to a suite, but not me! Of course, I went back to the front desk and asked for an upgrade, and enjoyed my switch from the sixth floor to the thirty-sixth!

They all flew out a day earlier than I did and let me tell you: Vegas is boring when you're by yourself. I got ice cream, went to the fitness center, and ordered room service :) It was a nice, quiet evening all alone in my massive suite....

- I lost a couple pounds... of hair! My hair was getting to be extremely long, and I tend to go all in when cutting it. So I made an appointment and chopped off over 13" for Locks of Love. It's probably the shortest it's ever been, and is pretty annoying when I try to put it in a ponytail, but it makes me feel good to know that someone is getting to wear my hair.

- We babysat Jackson! Did you really think you were going to see a blog post without a single picture of this adorable face? Never.

- We finally got our bedroom dresser after waiting more than three months! And since we would be organizing all of our clothes in the drawers, I thought it'd be a good time to go through everything and clean out the things we don't wear. Old Accruent polo anyone?

- We were on the receiving end of discrimination! I was working from home since they were delivering the dresser. Late that afternoon, there was a knock at the door. Since we'd already gotten the dresser, I didn't know who it could be, so I snuck around to peek out the front window and saw two women standing on the porch. I opted not to answer, saw them get in their car, and drive away - not before sticking something in our door. I went to see what it was... but don't know because I can't read Mandarin!!! Ugh, so rude.

- We had our last kickball game. It was a super fun season even though we didn't win a single game, haha! We enjoyed hanging out with everyone from our small group more and getting to know Allison and Bino. We had a post-season celebration at our house with hot dogs and hamburgers. Nelson was voted fastest base runner and I was voted best attitude... kind of ironic since I usually talked the worst about the opposing team.

- Dennis came one weekend and we had dinner with he and his mom at Lambert's BBQ. It was soooo good, and then we met up some other guys on West 6th. It's always a fun night with Dennis!

- I woke up one morning to Nelson calling me to say that our neighbor had let him know that a raccoon was stuck in the fence between our houses. I jumped out of bed to go check it out, and it was one of the saddest things I've seen. A poor baby raccoon was walking on or crawling over our fence when one of the posts came un-nailed at the top. When he fell, his foot was on one side of the fence and the rest of his body was on the other, but it was wedged down between the pickets. I tried to give him some chicken (much to Nelson's dismay) so that he would know I was a friend, but he was way too scared. Our neighbor's son was home and led me into their backyard so I could get a better look at the situation. Wearing Nelson's work gloves, I was pretty easily able to lift his foot high enough where it was wider so it could go through to the other side. While I worked, he was calm and still, and didn't run away when he was freed (mainly because I think his foot was broken). But a little while later, he was gone and nowhere to be found, so hopefully he found his mom and is all better now :)

- Jackson turned six months at the end of July, so Lindsay had professional pictures taken. I went along because they were doing family photos, too, and she wanted me to help make Jackson smile for them. The photographer posted some of the pictures on Facebook, so I stole them because they're just too cute :)

- This past weekend, we had a double-date night with Sally and Andrew. We had dinner at Moonshine and then bowled at the Union on campus (the only place we could think of that was central). Afterwards, we got froyo on the drag :) It was so much fun hanging out, spending time together, and getting to know Andrew. Every time I'm with Sally, I remember why we were friends all four years of college and roommates :) Nelson and I also went to Barton Springs with some friends on Sunday afternoon and enjoyed laying around, getting super hot, and then cooling off in the freezing water. Unfortunately, I have no pictures from this weekend, so a video of Jackson will just have to do!