You are what you eat....Update!!!

My juicer came in the mail today!!!  (was borrowing my sisters)  I am so excited!  I considered a Breville Ikon, but decided on an Omega.  We also got a cheaper, Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juicer for the cabin. 

Having a great week, staying on task pretty well.  I am juicing twice per day, eating 1 normal meal and snacking with the juice.  A little tough this weekend with the holiday, but did pretty well overall.  My appetite is decreased and I am getting fuller faster.

I GOT MY CHOLESTEROL BACK!!!!  I realize I care about these numbers more than most, but remember I see sick people for a living so I know what they lead to.  I am so excited because for the first time ever, I am in a normal cholesterol range!! 

                                 2004              Feb, 2011         Now

Total Cholesterol:       278                 236                  167
LDL (bad)                      190                 140                   102
HDL                                   42                     71                    52
Triglycerides              160                  124                   70

I am not sure how much you know about cholesterol, but these numbers are remarkable.  First of all, the 2005 numbers are really bad, especially for a girl in her 20s (bad genes, bad diet!)  I have prescribed cholesterol medicines for many many people over the past 9 years and have NEVER seen a reduction like this!!  Diet makes a difference!!!  If I can correct something with diet, why would I take a drug?  I am pumped!!!  Start eating your fruits and vegetables!  Put down that junk!!!  Love!!

Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon.  ~Doug Larson

LAST DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well it is so late now on day 7 that I have totally forgotten everything about yesterday!  It is now dinner time on day 7 and I think it is safe to say MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!  Yesterday was smoothie for breakfast and juice for lunch as usual.  I rewarded myself with a new snazzy haircut last night but thought I would eat my arms off during the process.  Came home a bit grumpy, had some pear juice and slept off the hunger.  Today business as usual: smoothie, juice, nuts.  I am now sitting at Panera enjoying a Greek salad with no dressing, no feta, an apple and an unsweet tea.  It is done! 

I plan to have my cholesterol checked in the morning and will share those numbers once they are in.  The weight is now 138.2, down 5.5 lbs.  I feel good.  I feel accomplished.  I feel a bit thinner ; )  I think I have been calmer and again, have slept really well.  I am not sure I stressed before how much I love food.  I truly thought this would be HARD.  Much to my surprise it has been a breeze.  I have missed the social aspect of eating more than the food itself.  I have only been hungry a few times and never terribly so. 

With that being said, I feel like I cannot sabotage my spot in the 130's (it has been a really long time since I have been there), so I plan to juice for breakfast and lunch tomorrow and then eat a light dinner tomorrow night.  I think my stomach has shrunk to the size of a walnut by now.  8 oz of juice and I am now stuffed!  We are headed to the lake tomorrow night which typically means grabbing something quick.  We are planning on a Blue Coast Burrito run.  I am getting my usual: peasant plate with beans, rice, salad and guacamole with soft corn tortillas.  Can't wait!  I have been craving beans all week!  I am also planning for some Pad Thai and sushi in the coming days.  I will give you one more update with the cholesterol numbers next week.....  Thanks for tuning in.  This has been a lot of talk about juice!  Thanks Thanks Thanks for all of the support! 

I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor. Henry David Thoreau

Day 5, on the downhill slope...

Day 5

140.4lbs WOOT WOOT!!!

A good easy day, in spite of some obstacles. 

Morning was smoothie as usual, then juiced the capple zing again (cuz it was so delicious the day before).  I just added a little kale: carrots, apples, kale, ginger, lemon.  I juiced about 20 oz and downed every drop by noon and had a banana around 1:30. 

I was back with my family for the afternoon and started feeling the hunger pains around 4.  I had nothing to eat/drink!  AND, I was going to spend the afternoon with my grandmother.  She is the greatest cook on earth PLUS, that is where I always cheat!  Luckily she wasn't really cooking a big meal.  She had BBQ sandwiches, chips and potato salad.  I knew what I was in for so on the way to her house, I stopped at Publix.  I did not know what I was going to get but I knew it had to be good to minimize the temptations at gmas.  So, I am wandering around Publix through the deli and produce sections.  I decide on an organic nectarine and a salad.  The pre-made salads all had cheese, so I requested a custom order.  Who knew what a tall order that was.  The poor lady had to keep going out on the floor to pull vegetables and olives to make the salad.   I felt a little bad, but you gotta do what you gotta do, right?  The salad had lettuce, tomatoes, onions, banana peppers and olives.  It was big and delicioso!  My grandmother tried to force some Reeses Peanut Butter cups on me for "dessert".  "They are sugar free, Don't you want just one".  I told her to stop sabotaging me ; ) 

We finished out our visit with a walk to the pear tree, me, my grandmother and my dad.  It was cute and pretty funny.  We were all throwing rotten pears at each other and jumping up to get the good high ones.  I left with a BIG sackful of pears.  I got home last night around 8:30 and Cary and I juiced pure, delicious, grandma grown pears.  The juice was amazing.  It was a highlight from the week.  I am getting close now!  Today is actually day 6, that means tomorrow is day 7 and you know what that means!!!

Day 4... Juice on!!!

Yesterday was Day 4: all in all another good/easier than expected day.  I am officially in the zone : ) I am over the hump!
weight 141- another disappointment, but hanging in there

I am always writing these the next morning.  It is hard not to impose today's mood on yesterday's blog...  Yesterday was a little tough, today I feel amazing!  But, I will tell you more about that tomorrow. 

So, yesterday (day 4)...

Breakfast as usual.  Good as always.  I actually used to hate smoothies but have really grown to love them.  Cary is the official smoothie maker.  Every morning around 7am he makes breakfast while I am juicing for lunch.  This morning I woke up a bit late and was only working til lunchtime, so I did not juice.  I asked him to make a little extra smoothie so I could have a mid morning snack. 

At work, we have lunch catered everyday (now you understand the weight issues).  Lunches in general have become a challenge.  I usually bring my own lunch but have historically been tempted by the brownies and cakes they bring for dessert.  It is a pretty rare day and a huge score for me when something is brought that I can/will actual eat.  I have long gotten over the temptation of fried chicken and lasagna.  The crazy unhealthy stuff does not appeal so much to me anymore.  Yesterday though, we had greek food: pitas, hummus, salad, grilled chicken, greek yogurt, rice....  Any other time, this would have been MY day, food I could actual eat and feel good about.  BUT, not yesterday.  Even though it was pretty healthy stuff, it did not meet my criteria.  I got out my smoothie and made a small salad with lettuce, red pepper, olives, tomatoes, cucumber and onion.  I was focused.  I was satisfied.  I was fine.  I added greek food to the things I will eat next week ; )

I got home and Cary had juiced 8 carrots, 2 apples, ginger and lime "capple zing" in our book.  I had drank/eaten my lunch just about 1 hr before so I truly was not hungry.  We left to go to Nashville at about 3:30 and I took my capple zing on the road.  It was really really delicious!  By 7 pm I was getting hungry!  My dad was there and he ate fried chicken and chocolate chip cookies while I nibbled on some carrots, tomatoes, grapes and a 1/2banana : (  We got home around 9pm.  I was still hungry but opted to sleep it off.  I am not used to going to bed hungry, but I knew I would survive.  I have plenty of extra fat stored for just these occasions and I was thinking this might just help me break 141lbs.  (you know I am in a good mood today, stay tuned.....)

I like that juicing can be so mobile.  It takes some prep, but not nearly as much a cooking/preparing healthy meals.  I seem to always be in a hurry and on the go and juicing is working for that.  Another positive, I have slept like a baby, which is really unusual for me.  I have not been stressed or grumpy, which I can be at times.  I got to talk to some old friends/neighbors, Ed and Bev, about juicing.  They have been juicing for ~20 years.  Ed even turned a little orange one time ; )  They are in their 70's and look exactly the same as they did when I was a kid.  Ed expressed how juicing makes him feel so much better and more energetic.  He has been juicing twice daily "and I guess I always will".  Bev offered the "tape" that got them started so long ago.  Too bad I don't have an 8 track player!!  (love you Bev)  I am also getting some feedback/messages from friends who have juiced, plan to juice, want to juice, have questions and concerns about juicing....  It is all motivating.  "Juicers" aren't always who you think they would be, just people who want to be health conscious.  Thank you all!!!  I am feeling strong today, mentally and physically. 

Day3...

This is why I don't blog more often!  Who has the time?  So, this one will be quick.

Day 3: 141lbs, GAINED!!  What a disappointment!  I suppose the beer and olives got to me.  I felt a little sluggish and had no appetite yesterday, again, maybe the beer and olives ; ) 

Anyway, breakfast was a smoothie as usual.  I started on my smoothie early and sipped on it while watching a Sunday morning movie.  It was 11 before I got it all in.  Cary was coming home for lunch at noon, so I juiced for him to have some for lunch.  I was not feeling it and got in less than 4 oz of tomato, orange and carrot juice.  Not the best combo, but not as bad as day 1.  Nibbled on a few bites of nuts and dried cranberries until I read the cranberry ingredients: organic dried cranberries, organic cane sugar, organic oil!  I probably ate a total of 5 cranberries.  Call it a cheat if you want.  It was not intentional!  It would have been more like chocolate cake if it were intentional!

At 5, we took the juicer on the road for a little juice party with some friends in Franklin.  We made our 2 best recipes for our friends.  The first was oranges, carrots, lime, broccoli, kale, mint and the second was apples, romaine, carrot, lemon, pineapple.  My appetite was back and they were good!  Kevin and Julie liked the second recipe better than the first but thought they were both pretty good.  We snacked on watermelon, grapes, olives, and guacamole again. 

Overall, felt a little crummy all day, but not hungry.  I will still say this is easier than expected!  I am still quite motivated but starting to daydream about what I am going to eat on Friday!  We stopped by Whole Foods and it smelled SO good in there!  I am thinking about Blue Coast Burrito or Pad Thai!!  I will definitely let you know ; )

Stay tuned....

Day 2 of the Juice

Weight 140.6, down 3 lbs

Not bad for 1 day!  That is motivating in and of itself.  Woke up a little more energetic that normal.  Maybe it was just the excitement, but I was up and at em'.  Had my smoothie for breakfast...business as usual:  strawberries, blueberries, mango, banana, almond mild, orange juice, flax seed.  I had to work and it was crazy busy.  I juiced before leaving: 4 oranges, 4 carrots, 1 lime, broccoli and kale.  I had to chug the juice between patients because there was simply no time.  I was a bit hungry but it was just because I did not have time to eat or drink more.  I had taken an apple, nuts and carrots but did not get a chance to eat them.  I had juiced less, since I felt that I had overdone it the day before.  I only had about 10 oz of juice.  It was really really good, probably our best yet.  I wished that I had more!  I left work in a hurry because we were planning for a house full of people last night.  I stopped by the grocery and bought some bananas, so I had one of those in the car on the way home. 

I came home and started food prep for the party.  I intended to juice before everyone arrived, but again I was rushed and did not have the time. I made homemade guacamole and hummus, chocolate chip cookies and a baked a baguette of bread.  It all smelled really really good.  The cookies certainly had my attention, but I stayed firm.  I ate some guacamole.  It was legit: avocado, lime, tomato, red onion and jalapeno.  It was GOOD!!  I have never eaten guacamole without chips but I was hungry and it was amazing!  Our party spread was superb...I prepared a butcher block with bread, cheeses, olives, carrots, grapes, almonds and walnuts.  We had the hummus and guac with pita and tortilla chips.  My guests brought beer and butter braised clams, a beautiful vegetable platter with  a cream cheese spread, strawberries and kiwi and another block of cheese and crackers.  The block of blue cheese had to have been my greatest temptation.  I did not expect that.  Blue cheese is strong and the smell was incredibly tempting.  I did not eat the blue cheese.  I had a plate of veggies and nuts and olives.  I ate a lot.  But it was all withing my rules. 

 I drank a bit too, of course.  The day was quite easy.  I stayed so busy I had no time to consider cheating.  While there were tempting foods at party, we had a lot of good food that I could enjoy.  I had some hungry moments throughout the day but that was more of a lack of time than lack of food.  Overall, I felt quite satisfied at the end of the day.  I don't feel that I was as clean as day 1. Even though I did not cheat, I feel a bit as though I did with all those olives and guacamole and beer! So, tomorrow is another day, day 3 to be exact.  Staying strong!

You are what you eat....

                                                         
A little background.....

You may know I have been on quite a journey with my weight and health over the past 10 years or so.  When I gradutaed from Vanderbilt in 2002 I probably weighed 170-180 lbs.  I continued to gain over the next 1-2 years and topped out in the 190s.  I am 5'2".  I never felt 190.  It happened so gradually that I truly did not realize what had happened.  It literally snuck up on me.  I wore a size 14.  My diet was typical, I suppose.  I didn't think much of it really.  I mostly ate for taste and my tastebuds seemed to like all the wrong things!

Shortly after graduating I was diagnosed with high cholesterol and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).  At age 25, my cholesterol was worse than the worst of most of my patients.  My total cholesterol was 280 (should be less than 200)  my LDL was 190 (should be less that 130) and my HDL was ok at around 40.  Did I say I was 25?!?  On paper I looked like a 400 lb truck driver.  I started a cholesterol medicine at 25 and faithfully took my pill daily.  PCOS is an endocrine and hormone disorder that causes a multitude of symptoms including facial hair, hair loss, increased risk for diabetes and fertility issues.  I will never forget having a nightmare that I looked like my dad.  Now you know how much I adore that man, but bald and bearded was not the look I was after.  PCOS is associated with obesity.  The more I studied, the more I learned that the number one treatment for  PCOS is weight loss, not pills, not surgery, weight loss.  With weight loss, all symptoms would resolve or improve.  This was the catalyst for me taking control of my weight and health.  It has been a journey and continues to evolve to this day. 

Around 2004, I began exercising and dieting and lost a total of 65 pounds.  I started by making changes to my diet (no matter how small).  I still have the size 4 jeans that I wore at 127lbs (my all time low).  I did not stay at 127 long.  I crept up a bit and have leveled off staying within 3-4 lbs over the past 5 years.  My mantra was always make a better choice than I would have before.  This meant if I were at McDonalds and typically would have ordered a double cheeseburger and large fries then maybe I would get a single and small fries instead.  Rather than order a large coke, I would get diet coke.  Now, a single burger, small fries and diet coke is a horrible meal choice all the way around, but at that time it was an improvement, a step in the right direction.  I knew that small changes built on small changes would eventually yeild into something much larger, and boy has it ever!  I have continued to build on that principle and slowly but surely my diet has evolved into something I am rather proud of.  I have not eaten a meal at McDonalds in 4-5 years nor at any fast food restaurant for more than a year. 

During this evolution, I have become incredibly interested in diet and health.  My profession dictates that I see and treat people with a multitude of medical conditions.  I write prescriptions all day, everyday.  There truly is a pill for most everything.  Not only that, people expect to get a pill for everything.  We have lost the notion that so much of our health lies in our own hands.  We choose what we eat.  We choose whether we exercise.  We choose what chemicals we put on or in our bodies.  I am totally convinvced that to a large degree we choose the future of our health.  I began reading every book I could get my hands on about diet as illness prevention and learned (what seems so basic) that fruits and vegetables provide micronutrients and are essential in health and in reducing our risk for obesity, heart disease, diabetes... There is also a library of data suggesting that diets high in animal protein increase our risk for these diseases.  (organic grassfed meat is tremendously better for health than conventional if you must ; )

So, starting last year, we began making a dramatic shift towards less animal products and more fruits and vegetables.  I am not a vegetarian.  I am not an animal rights activist.  I do love a good greasy cheeseburger just as much as the next gal, but I limit my intake because I know that the health benefits for me far outweight the flavor of that burger.  Currently we buy no meat in our home.  No meat, no milk, no eggs.  Cheese, well, maybe for special occasions ; )  When we are out, we are a little more flexible.  I often order fish in restaurants and go with the flow if something is cooked with meat.  I had a burger for my birthday in May and BBQ for the 4th of July.  Overall, reducing meat has been easy.  I am quite satisfied.  My cholesterol is much better.  But, I have not lost any more weight??? 

I am by no means perfect.  The meat was easy, but...the desserts!  We get desserts and snacks at work on a daily basis.  Yesterday it was eggs, bacon, muffins, cookies and chocolate cake.  There are times I cannot resist.  I am a strong girl.  I have achieved most everything I have ever set out to do.  I have a good husband, a good job, a good house, a good car, I can run 13 miles, run a business etc, BUT this relationship with food is tricky.  It is the one thing that I deam most important that is the hardest to conquer.  I believe with all of my heart that I am what I eat, yet still, there is that rare occasion that I find myself with my hand in a potato chip bag.  I am talking about plain old Lays potato chips, laden with chemicals and grease and yellow #6 and disdium inosinate????  What is that?  I am pretty good most of the time.  I know the importance and make it my goal to eat a REAL diet, not processed, a diet with ingredients I can recognize, without chemicals, without additives.   BUT, I still struggle because there is no doubt that bad food tastes good. 

Stay with me, this is going somewhere...

I write this with a little apprehension.  Telling you commits me to this crazy plan I have layed out for myself.  This all started about a week ago when Cary watched a documentary on juice fasting called Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.  He came home talking about the health benefits of juicing.  We had some discussion with friends about the matter over the weekend and all left deciding we would buy juicers and give it a whirl.  I planned to start after Labor Day but upon further thought decided there is no time like the present!  I borrowed my sisters juicer on Thursday and yesterday I started a 7 day "juice"  in hopes to capitalize on the excitement of this idea while it is still fresh and maybe to lose 5 lbs for the boat next weekend too ; )  I have been known to be a bit radical.  You may think I am a lunatic.  I cannot entirely disagree.  BUT, juicing is good for you.  Raw fruits and vegetables are exponentially more nutrient dense than are cooked, especially when juiced.  You get the nutrients of a whole plate of raw fruits and vegetables in 1 glass.  This week, I may be going without chewing, but I will not be going without.  No doubt, I will consume more nutrients this week than I likely have in the past month!

I needed some ground rules and since it is my "juice", the rules were conveniently at my discretion : )

First and foremost...coffee is ok
2.  I can juice or eat raw fruits or vegetables, as many as I can stomach
3.  I can eat nuts
4.  I can drink unsweet tea
5.  Considering we already have a brewing party scheduled for tonight, beer is ok, at least for 1 night
6.  I will document daily weights and intake
7.  I will blog about the experience

So, here goes...

Day 1, Friday August 26th:  143.6lbs, BMI 26.2 (overweight by health/medical standards)
Total cholesterol 236, LDL 140 HDL 71, Triglycerides 124 (better, but still bad)

fruit smoothie: strawberries, banana, peach, mango, blueberries, organic OJ, coconut milk, ground flax, ice- DELICIOUS!!  This is what we always have for breakfast, so reality has not really set in...


breakfast, lunch and snack, day 1



I arrived at work to a smorgasbord of food (as seen above).  The chocolate cake was a killer, but a good test for day 1.  I passed.  I was worried about getting hungry so I snacked on nuts through the morning and sipped on my vegetable juice: tomatoes, carrots, celery, bell pepper, broccoli, lime, spinach and sprouts.  The first drink was pretty good, kind of like V8.  I was a little over zealous and juiced 20 oz for my intake at work (again, worried about hunger).  About 8 oz in, I thought it was going to start coming back up.  I will not lie, it was rough!  I took a break at lunch and ordered a salad that had lettuce, oranges and sugar snap peas, that's it!  No dressing, no cheese, no nothing!  I had a banana for dessert and then snacked on an orange and ~ 4oz more of the juice through the afternoon.  I fully expected to be hungry, grouchy, tired, shaky, but none of that was the case.  I did not get hungry.  In fact I felt full all day.  I did feel like I was having to force it in at times, but never felt hungry.  I took a break until Cary got home at 7 and then we juiced again for "dinner".  This time: romaine, 2 apples, 1 carrot, 1 lemon and a good piece of pineapple.  This was GOOD!  I am pleasantly surprised after day 1.  It was not amazing, but easier than I expected.  I can do this! 

I finished off the evening by watching Cary's documentary, Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.  It was a good way to inspire my journey ( I may have to watch it again come day 3 or 4...).  It is an incredible documentary that follows a couple of men on there journey for better health through juicing. I highly recommend it.  It is truly an inspiration.

My goals are to increase my nutrients, have 1 week completely free of processed food, saturated fat or cholesterol, lose a few pounds, prove to myself that I can do this and not embarass myself on the lake next weekend (probably should have started earlier).  I will have to get to 136 lbs to be in the "normal weight category" per the BMI chart.  That is a stretch for 1 week, but I can certainly get started!   I had to get 1 day under my belt to prove to myself that I can really do this. I cannot wait to share my daily weights, "meals" and my cholesterol levels at the end of this week.  Day 1 was easier than I expected.  I did not cheat once. I feel good.  I feel ready. 

Stay tuned for daily updates.  I am using you as my accountability.  I hope you might be inspired to start making changes to your diet (no matter how small).  We truly are what we eat and I, for one, don't want to be yellow #6 or disodium inosinate....