It is now 12:11 a.m on the 27th of February. I'm about to crush an Insanity workout...
My Progress: 42.2 Pounds Lost in 45 Days!
Say what??
Looks like I have some catching up to do in the pounds lost department! Bring it! I'm ready (again)!
Showing posts with label a healthy weight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label a healthy weight. Show all posts
Still here.
I'm still around... and still more 'round' than I'd like to be. I've been stuck on a plateau all week. Doesn't help much that I haven't worked out at all this week. Between life, kids, time, and the mental fog I posted about a week or so ago... it has been interesting, at best.
It is now 12:11 a.m on the 27th of February. I'm about to crush an Insanity workout...
It is now 12:11 a.m on the 27th of February. I'm about to crush an Insanity workout...
Tips. As promised.
This is the 32nd day of my reboot / juice fast! A lot has been learned since this journey started! And a lot of people have asked me questions. Some were asked here in the comments and some on MyFitnesspal that I turned into a blog post. I answer questions best as I can however, I'm not a doctor or a juice expert. I'm learning as I go. I'm a daddy, a husband, a guy who grew up eating meat and animal products for probably 80% or more of his diet. Why? Well, that's just what we did. Between meats, milk, butter, cheese... all of these that we consumed were derived from animals in one way or another. I answer reader's question to the best of my ability. After seeing Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead... I made a change! (This plays on a laptop or pc for free, I've heard that it doesn't come up on mobile devices.) My Doctor and wife are happy with my blood work / lab results since I've started! And my Day 27 pictures look great!
Below you will find some Juicing and Cleaning Tips. In an effort not to make this be insanely long, I've cherry picked a few tips and attempted to condense the bigger issues that have come up, like flying food (wasting it) in the Breville and how to clean juicer accessories (even if you don't own a Breville, all juicers have small areas that can be difficult to clean at times. My "Q-tip" suggestion (with pictures) will hopefully make life easier for all who are doing a juice fast / cleanse.
Juicing Tips:
Something I realized... juicing doesn't have to be just hit and miss... or a mish mosh as I took a chance at early on. Juicing can be an art. When cooking a "real meal" most people don't just toss ingredients in. They either have a recipe or they taste as they go. That is my new philosophy as I am juicing. If I am trying something new, I am slowing down. Adding the new ingredient. Tasting it. And then I contemplate, what will complement this best. I'd much rather take a few extra minutes and taste as I go then just toss in a bunch of ingredients and then have a horrible tasting juice that either gets choked down or tossed out. I don't toss out juice... so if it is gross, I generally tell myself in thirty seconds it will be gone. Well, that is what I used to do. Now, I take my time and, like an artist... I create a juice. One that I will enjoy.
Below I am going to show how to use (in my opinion) your vegetables and your juicer to maximize your juice potential. The Breville spins the vegetables around at a high rate of speed, which can blow delicate fruits and leaves of greens into the remnant catcher unless you find a way to smash them between heavier products. My solution... stuff em!
I used this stuffed pepper in the juice below. It was pretty good.
5 roma tomatoes
1 Full bok choy
5 carrots
1 orange pepper stuffed with as much spinach as possible. (Cut a whole in the bottom to allow access to pepper). <-- I leave the stem and seeds in. If you want to remove them, make your hole in the top, not the bottom.
Last night I was trying to take the bite out of the bitter flavor of two Indian Bitter Melons (my wife and I think this looks like a rat. She coined the phrase; "rat juice" when she saw the look on my face upon first tasting it. "How's the rat juice?" haha That name has stuck.
Below you will find some Juicing and Cleaning Tips. In an effort not to make this be insanely long, I've cherry picked a few tips and attempted to condense the bigger issues that have come up, like flying food (wasting it) in the Breville and how to clean juicer accessories (even if you don't own a Breville, all juicers have small areas that can be difficult to clean at times. My "Q-tip" suggestion (with pictures) will hopefully make life easier for all who are doing a juice fast / cleanse.
Juicing Tips:
Something I realized... juicing doesn't have to be just hit and miss... or a mish mosh as I took a chance at early on. Juicing can be an art. When cooking a "real meal" most people don't just toss ingredients in. They either have a recipe or they taste as they go. That is my new philosophy as I am juicing. If I am trying something new, I am slowing down. Adding the new ingredient. Tasting it. And then I contemplate, what will complement this best. I'd much rather take a few extra minutes and taste as I go then just toss in a bunch of ingredients and then have a horrible tasting juice that either gets choked down or tossed out. I don't toss out juice... so if it is gross, I generally tell myself in thirty seconds it will be gone. Well, that is what I used to do. Now, I take my time and, like an artist... I create a juice. One that I will enjoy.
Below I am going to show how to use (in my opinion) your vegetables and your juicer to maximize your juice potential. The Breville spins the vegetables around at a high rate of speed, which can blow delicate fruits and leaves of greens into the remnant catcher unless you find a way to smash them between heavier products. My solution... stuff em!
I used this stuffed pepper in the juice below. It was pretty good.
5 roma tomatoes
1 Full bok choy
5 carrots
1 orange pepper stuffed with as much spinach as possible. (Cut a whole in the bottom to allow access to pepper). <-- I leave the stem and seeds in. If you want to remove them, make your hole in the top, not the bottom.
Last night I was trying to take the bite out of the bitter flavor of two Indian Bitter Melons (my wife and I think this looks like a rat. She coined the phrase; "rat juice" when she saw the look on my face upon first tasting it. "How's the rat juice?" haha That name has stuck.
In an effort to sweeten up this juice, 7 braeburn apples were used. In one of them went a medium piece of ginger. Simply took a knife, hallowed out a small section of one of the apples and stuck the ginger in.
Anytime you have something you're not sure if it will juice well or be blown around (parsley, cilantro, wheat grass, berries... if something else, that is going in your juice is dense enough that you can hallow out a bit of it and stuff in the ingredients, you'll maximize your juice potential.
Yes, I know there are more efficient juicers out there. The Norwalk is $2,400 and the Omegas between $200 to $400... both of those are efficient when it comes to juice quantity, but with raising two kids I am in high demand. I don't have time to spend 20 to 30 minutes preparing a juice (slicing, chopping, stuffing, waiting...) just so I can squeeze out a few extra ounces. I'd like to get all the juice, but I have to be practical too. The Brveville has a 3" food chute. I can literally toss an entire apple, pear, cucumber, and tons of other fruits or vegetables in whole. That alone, the saving of time, is the real winner for me. Someday I may get an omega for the delicate fruits and for wheatgrass... but for now. I'm happy with speed, efficiency and creative ways I'm coming up with to maximize my juice getting potential.
If you have a pineapple corer, in my opinion it is the best way to prepare a pineapple for juicing. The first time I ever juiced a pineapple I left the skin on and it didn't get separated as much as I'd like. Some friends told me they leave all the skin on. Maybe I'll try it again. For now, I core it and throw in the pineapple slices. The Livestrong website gives tips on how to juice it if you don't want to leave it on. It says that the skin contains "vitamin C and bromelain."
I started using the Breville fountain plus juicer about a week and a half into my juice fast. Before that I used a Jack LaLanne juicer that my neighbor wasn't using (however, he is now).
Cleaning:
I did a post a few weeks ago about the oxo brush that I use. Since then, experience has taught me that the brush that came with the Breville is amazing at scrubbing the bladed and filter, but pretty pathetic for squeezing between the chute and the edge of the cover. I found that the oxo bottle brush that my wife had under the sink works the best. Amazon has several cleaning brushes, I prefer mine as the black pivoting point just below the brush head really allows flexibility when I am cleaning this, and the stainless steel water bottles that I blogged about before. Those are exceptional for keeping the juice cold when we're out and about with the family.
No matter what juicer you use the spout needs to be cleaned. And for the Breville so does the screen and blade device... somehow food accumulates in the bottom of it. These two spots can be hard to get to. My solution. Chopsticks and a piece of paper towel. Seriously, it works! Imagine it being a large Q-tip.
This works perfectly! And only takes a quick moment to clean it out.
Well, there you have it. juicing and cleaning tips as of today... I'm sure I'll learn more as time goes on. And I'm happy to answer any questions you have as well.
My Progress: 38.4 Pounds lost / exterminated!
Food Log
I received this question about my food diary on MyFitnessPal... I thought it was a good one and that others might be wondering the same thing.
Q: "When I look at your diary I think wow that must cost a fortune, My hubbs is thinking about juicing. I know we cant put a price on health, but with all these kids I am trying to feed I worry about price often. Do you find it to be expensive?"
A: Honestly, the food lasts a long time. Also, think about the juicer you get. The more you pay up front for a really good one, the more 'juice' you'll squeeze out. Which means, more bang for your buck. For me, I have two kids... and I need the ability to make a juice fast. I KNOW that I could be getting more juice out of my vegetables and fruits if I bought an omega or a norwalk, but I don't have that time to prep and the time to juice at that kind of slower pace. The Breville is awesome! And I am learning ways to juice more efficiently. I stuff things down inside yellow peppers to prevent them from flying around and little things like that. The 3" diameter on the Breville is amazing! I can drop an apple, a pear, a cucumber, a beat, a small jicama, etc... all straight down without having to slice them up. The juicer will separate the fruit. When I drop grapes in, I do it with stem and all. The stems go to the catcher and the juice flows out. I'm really impressed with the Breville for it's speed and juicing capabilities. However, I want to get an Omega too... that way the smaller, more delicate fruits and greens can be juiced without being 'lost' into the remnant catcher.
I also look at it as, I'm not buying meat, processed food, frozen pre-made meals, or canned foods for myself.... so, I'm saving money, or at least switching where my cost is going. And in the end... I'm not sick, no Doctor visits, or meds. That saves money.
My mother has diabetes and she actually starting eating more fruits and vegetables a short time ago. She doesn't have a Breville, she has a magic bullet (which is a lot cheaper if someone is on a budget) and just adds a lot of water to make her "juice." I personally love the juicer though. She is getting A LOT more fiber than I am, as the bullet keeps everything together. She used to have to give herself insulin shots... she no longer does.
Fruits and vegetables are powerful! Most people just don't know very much about their potential, their protein or their nutrient and vitamin values. We are designed to eat meats, fruits and vegetables. The problem is 'man' has gotten his hand so involved in the growth and production process of animals and now science uses chemicals, hormones, antibiotics and other things to raise and care for livestock before it hits the table that we don't consume animals the way our ancestors would have. Instead, a steak eaten by someone today is polluted with all kinds of chemicals and added items that never were a factor 200, 300 years ago. Which is why eating "meat" today, unless you pay more to find grass fed animals, is a crap shot... and potentially will land people in the hospital, a doctor's office or the cemetery a lot faster than before. Store bought meat just ins't as good as it once was. I feel that the 'cost' of fruits and vegetables is way cheaper than the alternative. And if you can find a place like the Red Tomatoes Farmers Market that I blogged about yesterday, you'll get A LOT more for even less money! It took me about two weeks to find them, now I am glad I did. They are about a 30 minute drive away. When I go, I'll be buying a lot for sure... but their prices are LOW enough that it is worth it.
Q: "When I look at your diary I think wow that must cost a fortune, My hubbs is thinking about juicing. I know we cant put a price on health, but with all these kids I am trying to feed I worry about price often. Do you find it to be expensive?"
A: Honestly, the food lasts a long time. Also, think about the juicer you get. The more you pay up front for a really good one, the more 'juice' you'll squeeze out. Which means, more bang for your buck. For me, I have two kids... and I need the ability to make a juice fast. I KNOW that I could be getting more juice out of my vegetables and fruits if I bought an omega or a norwalk, but I don't have that time to prep and the time to juice at that kind of slower pace. The Breville is awesome! And I am learning ways to juice more efficiently. I stuff things down inside yellow peppers to prevent them from flying around and little things like that. The 3" diameter on the Breville is amazing! I can drop an apple, a pear, a cucumber, a beat, a small jicama, etc... all straight down without having to slice them up. The juicer will separate the fruit. When I drop grapes in, I do it with stem and all. The stems go to the catcher and the juice flows out. I'm really impressed with the Breville for it's speed and juicing capabilities. However, I want to get an Omega too... that way the smaller, more delicate fruits and greens can be juiced without being 'lost' into the remnant catcher.
I also look at it as, I'm not buying meat, processed food, frozen pre-made meals, or canned foods for myself.... so, I'm saving money, or at least switching where my cost is going. And in the end... I'm not sick, no Doctor visits, or meds. That saves money.
My mother has diabetes and she actually starting eating more fruits and vegetables a short time ago. She doesn't have a Breville, she has a magic bullet (which is a lot cheaper if someone is on a budget) and just adds a lot of water to make her "juice." I personally love the juicer though. She is getting A LOT more fiber than I am, as the bullet keeps everything together. She used to have to give herself insulin shots... she no longer does.
Fruits and vegetables are powerful! Most people just don't know very much about their potential, their protein or their nutrient and vitamin values. We are designed to eat meats, fruits and vegetables. The problem is 'man' has gotten his hand so involved in the growth and production process of animals and now science uses chemicals, hormones, antibiotics and other things to raise and care for livestock before it hits the table that we don't consume animals the way our ancestors would have. Instead, a steak eaten by someone today is polluted with all kinds of chemicals and added items that never were a factor 200, 300 years ago. Which is why eating "meat" today, unless you pay more to find grass fed animals, is a crap shot... and potentially will land people in the hospital, a doctor's office or the cemetery a lot faster than before. Store bought meat just ins't as good as it once was. I feel that the 'cost' of fruits and vegetables is way cheaper than the alternative. And if you can find a place like the Red Tomatoes Farmers Market that I blogged about yesterday, you'll get A LOT more for even less money! It took me about two weeks to find them, now I am glad I did. They are about a 30 minute drive away. When I go, I'll be buying a lot for sure... but their prices are LOW enough that it is worth it.
My Progress: 38.4 Pounds Lost in 31 Days!
aka Roughly 134,400 calories EXTERMINATED!
My Haul.
After googling "farmers markets" in the area, I found them to be hit and miss... mostly miss, unless it is a Saturday. Today is Tuesday. I'm not waiting til' Saturday. I found this market / store in Rancho Cucamonga that reviewers were pretty happy about called Red Tomatoes Farmers Market (a little link to their site). I almost missed it as Google Maps had me go around back.
I took my two little ones (Tip: Bring a jacket for the tykes, it is COLD in the produce section.). Upon walking in I found some organic and some normal food. The prices and quality of the items... WoW! Three pounds of roma tomatoes; only $0.99! At that price 10.49 pounds of tomatoes went into the cart! Eggplants were 3 for a buck (not 3 lbs, but 3 entire eggplants). They offered bell peppers by the pound for $0.99 and had a HUGE variety of sizes. Which is perfect for juicing!
You'll find all kinds of produce, fruits, grains, nuts, sprouts, etc... some of which were completely new to me. I bought OPO Squash, Kohlrabi, Parsnip, Bitter Indian Mellon and Chinese Bitter Melon all for the first time today. Additionally, they have English Cucumbers for only $0.49, each!
And my favorite find... JICAMAs! Not just any old Jicamas, but these babies had NO wax on them? I had asked the produce department at Sprouts last week; "Is it possible to buy jicamas without this THICK nasty wax on them?" They said; "No. They are not native to here and they all come in that way to help preserve them. Kind of gross I know. Sorry." Well, now I know where to get them. I bought several of them! What to do with jicamas...? Well, the juice is way sweet! And I've seen video of people using them as "rice" in their RAW Sushi. They simply grate them down and use it as the rice.
I spent a touch over $20 for all of this...
My first 'Juice' after getting home consisted of:
**Slight disclosure: If you are new to juicing, I'd try this one after week one or so, as it might be bitter to taste buds that are still used to soda, candy, danishes, etc...**
2 English Cucumbers
5 Roma Tomatoes
1/2 a "sweet lime" <-- Next time I'll only do 1/4 or an 1/8th
1 Yellow Bell Pepper
1 small handful of Parsley
2 Purple potatoes
1/4th inch of Ginger (possibly a little less)
I tasted this as I went... as it was new to me. All was well until I added the lime. The lime was very strong (darn organic limes).
2 small Jicamas <-- See below as to why I added these (And yes, I would do it again.)
1 Radishes <-- I won't add this again.
I wanted to sweeten this up without making it fruity... as I was really craving a vegetable drink. Then I remembered the jicama! This guy that I posted a link to his raw sushi the other day was raving about how sweet jicama juice is. He suggested just drinking it. So... in went two jicamas! And this time, I just dropped them straight into the Breville! Since there wasn't any was on them to be removed!
In the end this made over 40 ounces of juice... easily 2 meals worth. Some juicers might make more and others less. It all depends on what you are using.
Just a little heads up... I've been juicing now with the Breville for about 22 of my last 30 days of juicing and the ONLY two things (imo) that are easy to clean is the food pusher and the pulp container. I will do a post either tonight or tomorrow with some useful tips for cleaning the juicer. Why? Because this thing works, but can get annoying. And if you don't know or don't pay attention food gets built up in some unusual places.
I took my two little ones (Tip: Bring a jacket for the tykes, it is COLD in the produce section.). Upon walking in I found some organic and some normal food. The prices and quality of the items... WoW! Three pounds of roma tomatoes; only $0.99! At that price 10.49 pounds of tomatoes went into the cart! Eggplants were 3 for a buck (not 3 lbs, but 3 entire eggplants). They offered bell peppers by the pound for $0.99 and had a HUGE variety of sizes. Which is perfect for juicing!
You'll find all kinds of produce, fruits, grains, nuts, sprouts, etc... some of which were completely new to me. I bought OPO Squash, Kohlrabi, Parsnip, Bitter Indian Mellon and Chinese Bitter Melon all for the first time today. Additionally, they have English Cucumbers for only $0.49, each!
And my favorite find... JICAMAs! Not just any old Jicamas, but these babies had NO wax on them? I had asked the produce department at Sprouts last week; "Is it possible to buy jicamas without this THICK nasty wax on them?" They said; "No. They are not native to here and they all come in that way to help preserve them. Kind of gross I know. Sorry." Well, now I know where to get them. I bought several of them! What to do with jicamas...? Well, the juice is way sweet! And I've seen video of people using them as "rice" in their RAW Sushi. They simply grate them down and use it as the rice.
I spent a touch over $20 for all of this...
**Slight disclosure: If you are new to juicing, I'd try this one after week one or so, as it might be bitter to taste buds that are still used to soda, candy, danishes, etc...**
2 English Cucumbers
5 Roma Tomatoes
1/2 a "sweet lime" <-- Next time I'll only do 1/4 or an 1/8th
1 Yellow Bell Pepper
1 small handful of Parsley
2 Purple potatoes
1/4th inch of Ginger (possibly a little less)
I tasted this as I went... as it was new to me. All was well until I added the lime. The lime was very strong (darn organic limes).
2 small Jicamas <-- See below as to why I added these (And yes, I would do it again.)
1 Radishes <-- I won't add this again.
I wanted to sweeten this up without making it fruity... as I was really craving a vegetable drink. Then I remembered the jicama! This guy that I posted a link to his raw sushi the other day was raving about how sweet jicama juice is. He suggested just drinking it. So... in went two jicamas! And this time, I just dropped them straight into the Breville! Since there wasn't any was on them to be removed!
In the end this made over 40 ounces of juice... easily 2 meals worth. Some juicers might make more and others less. It all depends on what you are using.
Just a little heads up... I've been juicing now with the Breville for about 22 of my last 30 days of juicing and the ONLY two things (imo) that are easy to clean is the food pusher and the pulp container. I will do a post either tonight or tomorrow with some useful tips for cleaning the juicer. Why? Because this thing works, but can get annoying. And if you don't know or don't pay attention food gets built up in some unusual places.
My Progress: 37.8 Pounds Lost in 30 Days!
a.ka. Roughly 132,300 Calories Exterminated!
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