Struggle resolved

The truth is, I have struggling with this green smoothie and juice regimen for a few days now. I must acknowledge and publicly say that the fault is not in the program, as surely as the proof is not always in the pudding. After all, I have attempted to follow a juice feasting program, and I still don't even have a juicer! Every day I have been eagerly awaiting my new shiny super duper juicing machine, but it has been, yet again, delayed, and is not coming till the beginning of the next week. The juice feaster's guide calls for 4 litres of freshly squeezed vegetable and fruit juice, with a big emphasis on juice from green vegetables; it also advices you that if you still feel hungry after you had those 4 litres to have more. And what have I been doing? I have been having a pint of green smoothie for breakfast and then about a litre of mostly fruit juices during the day, with some Master Cleanse put in for a good measure, and maybe, but only a maybe, a green smoothie for dinner if I was really hungry. This is not a feast but a fast and I have been almost consistently hungry for a few days now. And I don't mean having a sweet tooth. I really mean rumbling tummy.

Don't get me wrong. I feel great, and I am loving the weight loss. My ribs are happily sticking out above my waist, from which I have lost 5.5 centimeters. In just over two weeks! My face is more defined, my skin looks more toned and healthy despite a few very discreet detox bumps and spots, and my eyes are much clearer. Cooked Husband is dropping praises and so are my girlfriends, and I am happily basking in them. But I cannot sustain this any longer while living a normal life in busy, loud and poluted London. I would need to take this kind of program somewhere pristine and clean and calm and quiet, with time for journalling and reflection. And at the moment, I don't have that space. So after many days of pondering about it and about how people are going to be disappointed and let down (and some of them no doubt satisfied), I am going to start eating again. But only until the juicer arrives, then I will have another go at the real juice feasting!

There, I said it.

Breakfast:

3 pears

2 apples

1 banana

closed fistful of parsley

1 courgette

1 handful young rocket

1 handful baby red chard

I drank this on the patio, in the sunshine, while chatting with Denise about life, how it is now, and how we would like it ot be in the future. We talked about how we both love meeting on Tuesday morning for yoga and green breakfast, then doing some blogging, writing and translating during the day, working from home. No boss to shout at us, no tube to ride to the office, no given time for a break, just enjoyment and happiness. We both wonder how realistic this is. For me, at the moment, Tuesday is a day of work, because I am not needed at my office, and for her, this is her second months trying to make it on her own, freelancing. So we do not know how long it will last. What we do know is that we would like to live like this. And that there is no reason why we shouldn't. We want to work, we just want to do it in the way that fullfills us. Is it too much to ask? I am sure everybody out there, even the biggest workaholic, has a little dream inside them, that wants to come out and become a reality. Reality, that would make that person much happier and balanced, and in that way a much nicer person to be around, in many a case. And this is my vision for the future of the world. Don't you think that if everybody is doing what they trully believe in the world will become a much better place with a much more optimistic future? Let me know your thoughts!

Lunch:

1 mango

gel from 2 inches fresh aloe vera, which we were given last week while visiting the Earthship in Brighton

large handful of kale

water

I had a pint of this and my stomach felt empty in a couple of minutes. So I took the leftover pint and blended it with two bananas - now THAT was filling.

Snack:

a few brazil nuts

A note of causion here. I have not been strictly juice feasting, and so I feel quite ok to eat some dried fruit or nuts, but still I shall not over do it. If you are reading this blog as an inspiration, but you have been only drinking juice for a few days, you must break the feast properly, slowly and carefully. Have a look at Juice Feasting website for help.

Dinner:

salad from

baby tomatoes

cucumber

red and green pepper

few raw olives

soaked arame seaweed

olive oil and lemon juice

During the day I drank two large mugs of fruit tea and about a litre of water. I feel much better now... are you glad to hear it?