Juice Fast day 6 & 7

Day 6

Still high on energy today! Could feel that my skin was cleaner and I even used less foundation =) The day went pretty much like the previous 2 days, made the same juices at work and running on the healthy fuel. In the evening, I went to catch the Aerosmith concert at Gardens By the Bay. May I just add that it was one of the best live concerts I’ve been to!! Steven Tyler still has it and boy I was so amazed that at his age he can still reach those high notes and survive with such flamboyant stamina on stage. Back to topic, I was determined not to break my fast…left work at 6pm and drank a huge 1L worth of green juice to survive for the night. But the concert lasted longer than expected, I finally left Gardens By the Bay at 1130pm after hours of screaming, jumping and rubbing against sweaty bodies. Was soooo famished! My friends and I walked to the food court at Marina Bay Sands and everyone ordered supper. Sadly the fruit juice stall was closed and I was sooooo hungry that I caved. Ate an apple :(. Chewed it really slowly and it tasted like heaven. Oh well, I tried my best!

Day 7

Last day of my fast!! Woke up feeling really tired because of the concert, in fact, my body was actually aching like I did some sorta workout haha. I think today was probably one of the more challenging days during the fast because I was so tempted to eat (Esp after tasting that apple yesterday) and I had to keep reminding myself “ok, last day , almost there, hang in there”. So point to note, if you’re doing a juice fast, try not to eat anything inbetween because it makes it tempts your tastesbuds and makes it harder to stick to the fast thereafter. So glad I made it through the day and I can’t wait for tomorrow! Side track a little, met a few different groups of vegans and vegetarians at the cafe today…and it made my day! Really happy to get to know more like-minded people who share a similar passion for healthier food and conscious living=)

Reflections

Can’t believe its been a week! I’m proud of myself for persevering through the whole week and sticking to the fast because this was a personal challenge that was really hard for me *pat on back!*

For me, this fast was as much a mental one as a physical one. It took alot of will power and exercising mind over matter to get through the week. With all that spare time on my hands from not preparing my normal meals, I learned to listen to my body more and a few truths about my eating habits and self began to surface. I realised that I’m a classic emotional eater. I don’t eat because I’m hungry…I eat because I’m happy, sad, excited, stressed…and worse of all, bored(gasp)! Some of my bad habits that I never noticed before- how I would involuntarily open the fridge each time I come home, how I NEED to have something to munch when I’m watching tv/shows, how I reach for an icy cold sweet drink after exercise… Funny how what started out as a juice fast became so much more.

Everyone’s body reacts differently to the fast. Here are some advs and disadvs of my fasting experience:

Advs
– High energy levels
– Weight loss (around 1.5kg)
– Clearer skin
– Mental clarity
– Better sleep
Another advantage was that my tastebuds have been “reset”. I read that when you’re on the fast, your system reboots itself and you start craving for natural whole foods. Like how I’m craving for fresh fruits and raw foods now!

Disadvs
– Constipation (No fibre perhaps? My coworker on the other hand went to the toilet daily while on the fast)
– Detox symptoms for the first few days…includes insomnia, lethargy and feeling like crap
– Fuzzy teeth
It also limits your social interaction (for me at least). I had to say NO to a few dinners because I didn’t want to make myself feel miserable and my friends feel too awkward over my fast.

Would I do this again? Definately! Who knows, maybe next time around, I may challenge myself to go for 10 days! Overall it has been a great detox expereince and I highly recommend everyone to give it a go! I don’t have the strongest will power, but if i can do it, im pretty sure you can too=) Also wanna thank everyone who has dropped me comments of encouragement throughout my fast….it has motivated me lots!

Now, for an early night and a brand new week tomorrow. Bye!

Juice fast day 5

 Day 5
Today was probably the toughest day of the challenge because I wanted to eat so badly! Something, anything! I wasn’t hungry, just missed chewing, tasting , munching. The very first thing that came to my mind was a juicy, red apple. Like you know, the one in the trailer for Desperate Housewives. To make it harder, I was making raw desserts at work today and it was TORTURE! =(( Had some leftover raw brownies and it took all the will power I had to push the plate away:(

I’m trying not to read my fav food blogs and scrolling through instagram too much because the food pics all look so good and make me miss making food! Can’ wait to get back in the kitchen to try out more recipes once the fast is over.

Physically, still feeling energised and alive. I lost a little bit of weight and feel like my steps are lighter haha. My teeth feel kinda funny though, like a metallic and fuzzy feel? Did some research and it seems like when you’re detoxifying your body, it dumps the waste on your tongue and teeth which is normal. You just need to brush more often. Oh and my skin feels good and I hope I’m not imagining it, but I sense a slight slow =))

Today’s juices
Juice 1 – 1/2 flask = 1/2 grapefruit, 2 oranges, 2 stalks celery, 20 cherry tomatoes, 1 1/2 cucumbers, 15g ginger, 1/2 lemon, 80g parsley, 1/2 red apple

Juice 2 – 1 flask = 500g spinach, 1 cucumber, 2 green apples, 1/2 green capsicum, 1/2 starfruit, 15g ginger, 1/2 lemon, 2 stalks celery, 80g parsley

Juice 3 – Green Eyed Monster (see Day 4)

Others : 1 glass concentrated cold orange juice and 1 glass coconut water

Oreo was curious about my new green friend…..so he tried to make friends. I gave him a little bit of green juice and he hated it hahaa..end of friendship there and then lol.

As i was doing my research, I was really amazed by the number of people who have done juice fasts and docummented it. Was really inspiring to read through thier blogs and get tips, inspiration and ideas!

Here are some of my favourites:

3 day juice fast – Alison (team member from Lauren Conrad’s blog)
4 day juice fast – Alia Almoayed’s blog, where she posts a video on colon cleasing that is an eye opener!
7 day juice fast – Rory Freedman (author of Skinny Bitch) Gosh she is so funny and honest! I LOL-ed many times!
10 day juice fast – Em from The Rawsome Vegan Life. One of my FAV bloggers EVERRRR
21 day juice fast – LOVED this post by Alex de Carvalho. It was so personal,insightful, well written and funny! Could relate to this post the most and I loved how he describes the juice fast as not just a rebooting of the body, but also of the mind and heart.
92 day juice fast – Steve Pavlina (the first blog I read that inspired me to try out raw foods!) LOADS of info!

Juice fast day 4

Day 4
It was really hard for me to fall asleep last night. My mind was so active and alert. Finally fell asleep at 4am, after watching episodes of Revenge but woke up a few hours later at 9am today feeling refreshed and full of energy! And I was craving for…JUICE! Today’s my off day so I stayed home the whole day resting and finishing up the entire season of Revenge (awesome finale I must say!). Was intending to nap for a bit in the afternoon but I wasn’t even tried. Went for a light jog in the evening and though my muscles were tight because I haven’t exercised in a while, I felt like I could keep going on and on. Looks like my detox symptoms are subsiding and I’m finally reaping the benefits of the fast !

Juicing on a budget
Yesterday, I went grocery shopping and stopped by a juice counter at Ang Mo Kio to get some juice. I don’t really buy fruit juices outside and was appalled by the prices the juices were going for.

Here’s a rough idea of the price:

Apple + Beetroot+Carrot+ Ginger = S$5.50 (small cup with ice)
Cucumber + Kiwi + Apple = S$5 (small cup with ice)
Celery + Starfruit = S$3.50 (small cup with ice)
Orange juice = S$3
(Prices are all in Singapore dollars)

If you want to upsize your drink and have no ice, you add $0.50 accordingly. In the name of “research” I bought the first and third juice. Was really disappointed because the juices were so diluted! I finished my drink in like 5 min because the cup was mostly filled with ice =(

I don’t mind paying for quality juices, ingredients and food…but I feel that most juice counters (esp those in shopping malls) just milk you with sky high profit margins on their juices. Even those juice stalls in food courts with mediocre juices are getting more and more pricey!

Wanted to show how easy it is to make quality juices at home that won’t burn a hole in your pocket. All you need is a juicer and a fridge! So today, instead of making large pitcher of juices, I created 3 different small portions of juice. All packed with nutrients and all below…. S$5!! (All produce from NTUC. Price will differ if you go to different supermarkets. )

JUICE 1 – DETOX GREENIE
This juice contains many ingredients and its packed with loads of nutrients! Easy on the tastebuds too thanks to the sweetness from the orange and pear. Tomatoes, celery and grapefruit are also great liver cleansers.

3 stalks celery —— $0.40 ($1.55 per pack)
15 cherry tomatoes —— $1 (Around $2.20 for a pack)
1 pear —– $0.44 ($2.20 for 5)
1 orange —— $0.95 ($2.95 for 3.)
1 grapefruit (white) —— $0.60 ($1.80 for 3 on sale)
1 lemon —– $0.37 ($1.85 for 5)
Young ginger, small piece (roughly 1/3 of your pinky finger) —- $0.10 ($1.15 for 1pack)
1 pack parsley —– $0.80
½ cucumber —— $0.25 ($0.45 per cucumber)

 TOTAL : $4.91 (9 ingredients)
Makes 1 ½large glasses (no ice!)

JUICE 2 – GREEN EYED MONSTER
You can’t go wrong with a whole bowl of greens! And hey, you can still stick to your budget when you buy organic vegetables. An alkaline juice, it contains lots of spinach which is excellent in iron, vitamin A, vitamin K and folate. If you find this juice too ‘green’ for you, simply add ½ an apple to it.

200g organic spinach —– $2.10 (1 pack)
40g organic pea sprouts —–$0.49 ($1.95 for a pack of 150g, around ¼ pack)
1 cucumber —— $0.45
1 pack parsley —– $0.80
½ lemon —— $0.19 ($1.85 for 5)
Young ginger, small piece (roughly 1/3 of your pinky finger) —- $0.10 ($1.15 for 1pack)
2 green apples —- $0.80 ($2 for 5)

TOTAL : $4.95 (7 ingredients)
Makes 11/2 large glasses (no ice!)

JUICE 3 – HAVE A GRAPE DAY
This juice is so deliciously sweet thanks to the grapes! I loved it so much, I made 2 portions. I diluted it with water and ice though. Grapes provide quick boost of energy, helps in anemia, supports skin ,kidney, liver functions and improves complexion! If having SKII worthy skin isn’t a great day, I don’t know what is haha

250g seedless red grapes —– $1.15 ( $3.35 for 745g or 1/3 pack)
1 grapefruit (white) —— $0.60 ($1.80 for 3 on sale)
15 cherry tomatoes —— $1 (Around $2.20 for a pack)
3 stalks celery —— $0.40 ($1.55 per pack)

TOTAL : $3.15 (4 ingredients)
Makes 1 large glass, and slightly more (no ice!)

Wow, halfway through my juice fast….THREE MORE DAYS!!!

Juice Fast Day 3

Day 3

I was so exhausted yesterday I slept for 10 straight hours! Woke up feeling slightly more refreshed and lighter! My body took a while to ‘wake up’, was feeling tired and weak as I made my way to work but once I drank my first juice it perked me up and I had this amazing rush of adrenaline the whole day. Didn’t realise I was so active until a coworker commented that I was so full of energy. She was really nice and kept asking me if I wanted to take breaks because I wasn’t eating, but honestly, I really didn’t need to sit down!

Out of the 5 of us at work that started the fast, 3 dropped out of the fast today leaving me and just one more co-worker still in the race. I don’t blame them, it’s actually quite hard to stay on a fast if its your first time and you still have to go about your daily life. Even harder when you’re working in the kitchen! Though we work at one of Singapore’s healthiest kitchens, our staff lunch is quite the opposite haha. Our menu includes things like potato wedges, chicken wings, fried noodles etc….and with food like that at arm’s length, most people caved. Which also brings me back to how I gained so much weight since I started work! I would sneak in a sweet potato wedge here or there (because we have the best wedges ever!)…before i knew it, one piece led to 10 pieces. I was also consuming ALOT of raw desserts – at work and at home. The main ingredient for most raw desserts include high calorie food like nuts, dates and coconut; and a slice of raw cake, though healthier than a normal cake, can contain just as many calories…sometimes even more! SO moral of the story – Don’t eat too much of anything, even the seemingly healthy stuff!

Anyway, back to the fast, there were a few moments today where I caught myself thinking “Can I do this”, “Why am I doing this” etc;…but to motivate myself, I try not to think about what I’m giving up, instead I try to think about what I’ll gain from this. Plus blogging about the fast also helps because I feel accountable to you guys reading this =)

Today’s juices

 Juice 1- Ruby Red (see day 1) but i only made 3/4 pitcher

 Juice 2- Dirty Green : 3/4 pitcher = 1 green apple, 20g parsley, small piece of beet root, 1 carrot, 450g kailan, 15g ginger, 1/3 green capsicum, 1 1/2 cucumber, 1/2 lemon

 Juice 3- One glass of carrot + orange

 Juice 4- One glass of celery + starfruit

 Others – TWG Japanese Sencha Herbal Green Tea & 2 glasses of coconut water

As promised, here’s the JUICE FAST FAQ PART II

1) How much juice should I drink a day?

It depends on you, but you should minimally consume 1 Gallon (3.7L) of juice a day. Do make sure 80% of it is green juice, not simply fruit juices though! Oh and do drink as much water as juice.

2) Do I need to buy organic produce?

Its recommended to do so since you’re consuming it raw. Plus, your body is detoxifying itself, so why add additional pesticides for it to rid off? But when $$ is a factor, you might not be able to buy everything organic as its quite a strain on the wallet. I make it compulsory to buy my vegetables organic but am abit more lax when it comes to fruits. Check out this chart below on the best and worse food to buy organic and non-organic.

3) Do I need to peel the skin off all the fruits and vegetables before I juice? Can I juice the skins of citrus fruits?

I tend to peel off the skin for most of my fruits and vegetables especially if they are non organic so that i reduce my consumption of toxic chemicals. And also to get rid of wax! Esp so for cucumbers (urgh bitter taste!), carrots, celery and apples.

4) Will I get sufficient nutrients when I’m fasting?

I’m not a doctor in this field so its a little hard to advice, but personally, i still take my supplements when I’m fasting to make sure I’m not lacking in any nutrients or vitamins. I take Spirulina tablets every morning (B12 !!) and a multivitamin.

5) Can I exercise during the fast?

You can do light exercise during the fast. The definition of light exercise is probably different for everyone based on their active level, so the most important thing is to listen to your body and don’t overexert yourself. in Don’t try to be hero and train for a marathon during your fast!

6) I have no time to fast! Any tips on fasting when you’re super busy??

You can pack your ingredients the night before (wash, sliced, chopped) so all you need to do is juice when you wake up! Wake up slightly earlier the day you’re juicing and juice produce of high water content to get more liquid.

Fellow instagrammer and blogger Lynsey (@Freakyfreaky) asked if we can freeze the juice. I did some research and some people do that but the tricky part is freezing it immediately after juicing without letting any oxygen get in. Would still recommend that if you’re freezing the juice, just keep the frozen juice for not more than a day – say juice at night and defrost it the next morning. After all, no use drinking juice if the nutrients have been oxidised right!

7) Who should not be fasting?

If you’re pregnant, nursing or have a serious health condition, its advisable not to fast. Or at least check with your doctor before you do.

8) What can I do with my excess juice pulp?

Don’t throw your pulp away! There’s so much you can do with it! I normally freeze my pulp so that I can make raw bread or crackers. If you’re not into such things, you can do your part for the earth by reusing them as compost or give them to your pets.

9) I don’t think I can do a full juice fast, can I do something easier?

If you’re not ready to jump head first into a juice fast, you can always start by replacing one meal with a large green juice. Would definitely recommend breakfast as it’s always good to have juice on an empty stomach. For the rest of the day, you can opt to eat more fruits and lots of greens whilst staying away from anything processed, fried or with too much salt.

Read Part 1 of my Juice Fast FAQs here . And tomorrow (oops, i mean later,…gasp!) I’ll be writing on how to juice on a budget! Stay tuned =)

Juice Fast Day 1

Hello there, today I started the first day of my juice fast! For the next 7 days, I’m going to try to give a comprehensive rundown about my juice fast – my recipes, detox symptoms, FAQs, cravings, feelings, important notes etc…people normally freak out when they hear the word “fast” and I guess that’s a pretty normal reaction. But I hope that my next few posts will change some of your minds and even motivate you to start on one yourself!

DAY ONE
OVerall, I felt really tired today. Am not sure if its because I only slept for 4 hours last night or because I didn’t consume solid food. In fact, I was so tired that i fell asleep on the bus, missed my stop and took it all the way to the bus interchange. I finally woke to an empty bus and an angry bus driver shouting at me to get off. FML hahhaa.. So I’m gonna sleep really early tonight and hopefully tomorrow I’ll be able to give an unbias evaluation of the day.
Though tired, was very motivated today. Managed to get through the whole day with 3 different delicious juices (recipes below) and it really helped that my co-workers were in it with me! Its really helpful to have a support group especially when you work in a kitchen and you’re surrounded by FOOD =S

I plan to make 3 types of juices a day. 2 large pitches at work, and a small glass at home/on the go

Juice 1 – Mean Greenie
1 pitcher = 1/2 green capsicum, 450g kailan, 15g ginger, 2 stalks of celery with the leaves , 1/2 peeled lemon , 1 large cucumber, 60g parsley, 2 green apples

Juice 2 – Ruby Red
1 pitcher = 5 carrots, 1/2 beetroot, 2 stalks of celery with the leaves, 1/2 peeled lemon, 2 red apples, 15g ginger, 60g parsley

Juice 3 – Citrus Punch
1 Mason Jar (1 1/2 cups) = 1 white grapefruit, 1 small orange, 2 stalks of celery with the leaves, 3 small strawberries, 8 cherry tomatoes, 1/2 large cucumber

REBOOT YOUR LIFE  Before I started my fast, I did some research on juice fasting and here are some FAQs that you may be interested to know. Shall break up the FAQs into 2 parts and continue the rest in tomorrow’s post=) Just a short disclaimer, I’m not a nutritionist and the below FAQs are written through research and personal expereince=)

JUICE FAST FAQS (PART 1)

1) Benefits of a juice fast
Just to name a few:
Weight loss
Improved and glowing complexion
Cleansed and regulated colon
Increased mental clarity
Increased energy levels
Resets your taste buds (loss of craving for unhealthy food. FOR REAL)
Strengthen immunity
LIver cleansing

2) How long should I go on a juice fast?
It really depends on you and how much you want to challenge yourself. You can start off slow with a 3 day fast first like what I did just to know what to expect. And later on you may want to try again for a longer duration. Of course, the longer the fast, the more thorough the cleanse=) The most important thing is to have a positive attitude! If you go into the fast thinking you won’t be able to do it, you sure as hell wont complete it.

3) How should I prepare for a fast?
You’ll need to prepare your body for a fast….lest your body gets a shock. WHAT? WHERE ARE MY MEALS? Its best to eat lightly and consume mostly fresh fruits and vegetables 2 – 3 days leading up to the fast. Some people also begin their fast with a self administered enema or by taking a natural laxative to cleanse thier colon. That’s recommended but optional of course.

4) What can I and can’t I drink?
Going on a juice fast doesn’t mean you can drink all sorts of juices. Firstly, you should only drink FRESH juice. Nothing concentrated and nothing that comes from a packet, bottle or off the shelf (i don’t care how much the label claims its “REAL JUICE”). Secondly, 70= 80% of your juices should be vegetable juices. Veggie juices are low in sugar, gives you the nutrients you need and helps to alkalize your body. Fruit juices on the other hand are tasty but extremely high in sugar. They spike your blood sugar and give you a natural energy boost after you drink it…but you tend to get hungry and tired more easily after that. An easy way would be to make sure each glass you make contains 70-80% veges and around 20% fruit to sweeten it out. Read more about the benefits of Green Juices here.

I also have to emphasize on HYDRATION. Drink Lots and LOts of water! Your body is detoxifying, expelling old toxins, throwing them temporarily into the bloodstream for it to be eliminated and you’ll need water to flush out all these the toxins. I like to dilute my juices with water or add lots of ice cubes. Other than plain water, you can also drink coconut water, fruit infused water and herbal teas.

5) How should I store my juice?
Its best to store your juice in a mason jar or glass jar. A mason jar is the best choice because its gauranteed to keep the juice sealed for freshness. Storing a juice properly is important because it ensures it’s freshness, it’s flavor, and even more importantly to help retain its nutritional value as long as possible. You may want to add lemon juice in your juices because it helps to keep your juice fresh by slowing down the oxidation process. I use a mason jar & a glass jar – Bought my mason jar at The Living Cafe (haha where else?) for $11.90 (middle size) and my glass jar from IKEA. Keep your juices refrigerated immediately if you plan to store them.

6) How long can I store my juice for?
It best to drink your juices immediately as it is the freshest and most nutrient dense. ASAP! However, if you’re making large batches to store, I personally wouldn’t recommend storing for more than 12 hours. I’ve read on some websites that you can store fresh juices for up to 3 days…but seriously now, how fresh can that get?

Part 2 continues tomorrow!