Saturday, July 21, 2012

Juicing Just Got Better!

Day 2 of my juice was relatively eventless. I drank lots of water in between my juices every 2 hours so I wouldn't get dehydrated or feel empty. I did get a small headache around 4pm, which is kind of normal (for me at least). Usually the first 3 days my body feels the lack of sugars and reacts. I'm looking forward to completing day 3 to be honest- it's the hump. Then, it'll feel like a breeze.

With all the juice talk in the house, Val, who has never done a cleanse, but likes fresh green and fruit juices caught a Montel Williams infomercial about a juicer. It looked pretty awesome and like something we'd use at home a lot. Considering how often we shop at Whole Foods and Pressed Juicery, the investment seemed well worth it to be able to juice at home. After researching online reviews, I read repeatedly that the best blenders/juicers on the market are Vitamix and Blendtec. They are expensive so I was thinking of my approach to talk Val into buying one of these babies.

Later that afternoon, Val and the boys came home from Costco and look what they brought in!!


The boys were SO excited to tell me they watched the lady at Costco for an hour make several different recipes in the blender which included Tortilla Soup and Popeye Ice Cream (yes, it's with spinach!). They told me about all the different ways we could use it, how easy and practical it was and that they couldn't wait to start juicing and making smoothies! They also said that papa (that's what they call Val) would let them eat ice cream for breakfast! (One of the recipes uses low fat yogurt and veggies that end up being tasteless and unseen so that there is a lot of nutritional value.) 

I'm super excited about our new purchase. I also hope (after reading some of your comments) that this doesn't discourage anyone who isn't able to afford a blender. Losing weight isn't about the products and services we have. It's about making life long commitments to making good decisions and improving our health. I feel blessed that we're able to afford some luxuries that make life a little easier, but please know that they aren't necessary. I LOVE that so many of you reading this blog are answering each others questions and offering suggestions that will help each of you on your journey. And just as a reminder, this little blog of mine isn't a step-by-step follow-along program. I'm simply blogging about what I'm doing and what works for me, but that doesn't mean its the right path for you.  I do know that because we are all in this together, your answers and encouragement to one another are vitally important, so keep them coming!

 Remember, you have a choice with every decision you make. Make a good choice today, even with the small ones. The accumulation of small decisions carries us farther than one decision ever will. (pg. 82 of Reshaping It All).  That's how we create new habits!

As the book of Titus teaches us, be eager to do what is good.  :) 

32 comments:

  1. whats the juice cleanse you are doing? i would like to try one and theres so many out there that i feel overwhelmed....have read (and continue to re read) Reshaping it All and im trying to make healthier changes. thanks!

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    1. If you go back, a post or two, Candace tells us what she's doing! .. and read the comments also for more information :)

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  2. I love that you're blogging about your cleanse. I just finished a week-long one on Wednesday and lost 10 pounds and feel so much better. I can feel that my stomach is smaller which will help me keep my portion sizes smaller in turn. Knowing how you feel with having less energy while on this cleanse, made me feel better about it too. It's the first time I'd done one like this and wasn't sure what to expect. And it DOES get easier for sure after day 3! Have fun with the juicer!

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  3. The Ninja blender is a nice alternative for those of us that can't purchase the BlendTec or Vitamix. Bed Bath & Beyond sells them for $100 and then often offers coupons for 20% off. I love my Ninja!

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  4. We love our juicer, we use it everyday! Love our shakeology!!!

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  5. We have a Vitamix & LOVE it!! Use it multiple times a day. Happy juicing!

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  6. You made the right decision getting a Blendtec. We bought the Montel Williams Juicer and while it did make good smoothies and juices, the motor isn't very good on it and doesn't last very long. That's one of the defects in it.

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  7. Love your blog, i too am trying to get in shape and lose weight. Joined a gym 3 weeks ago, have gone regularly :). Had some trainer sessions, took different classes, tried not to compare my self to anyone else, as we are all on a different journey. Having the worst carb cravings, all things bread like and chocolate, i'm a total bread addict once I start eating it I just want more and more. I really love your commentary and the responses it keeps me motivated that others are doing this too and its not so easy. but like you wrote one has to make good decisions and bad decisions do add up

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    1. hope you can stay devoted to getting into shape and eating right ! :)

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  8. I've heard about juicing and I'm very interested. But they are very expensive. I liked what you said that they are expensive but we don't need them to make healthier choices. So maybe one day I'll buy a juicer but for now I'll start eating healthier and trying to excercise. :) Love your blog and faith!

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  9. I would love to try this! Not sure if I can convince my husband on this purchase though. Will a regular blender not work as well? Appreciate any tips!

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    1. trust me....NOTHING compares to a blendtec!! NOTHING!!

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  10. I'm so excited to read your blog, not because I'm going to go out and buy a Blendtec but because today I started back on my weight loss/getting health journey & you are an inspiration to me. Thank you for blogging about this, you are truly an inspiration.

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  11. I am so happy that you are doing this blog. While I am not able to juice, just hearing the positivity of this blog is keeping me on track to try and lose the extra 12 lbs I put on last year. I look forward to reading your daily postings... And hopefully feeling as fit and in shape as I possibly can soon :) My biggest struggle is trying to cook something healthy that my 2 year old and husband will eat. I'm tired of making 2 or 3 seperate meals!!

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  12. Hi Candace, Have fun with the juicer! Thank you for blogging. I look forward to reading your postings . Thomas

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  13. I own a Vitamix and I adore it! My husband got it for me last year for Christmas and I have to say it's one of the greatest kitchen inventions ever. You will love your Blendtec! My newest creation is a Tropical Blueberry Dream Smoothie {delicious} and I was so crazy about it I threw it on my blog. If you have any delicious creations I'd love to see a recipe! I'm always looking for new ways to juice/blend my fruits and veggies. Have fun!!!

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  14. Congrats on the Blendtec. It's so cool when you're thinking the same thing as your spouse, and you don't even know it! For those just looking for an inexpensive, but powerful juicer, the Jack Lalanne Juicer is now sold at Walmart!! It really works the way it does in his old infomercials (practically no prep!... you can throw a whole apple in there!) You can also collect certain pulp to make things like muffins with more fiber. For smoothies and ice cream like things, I use a Ninja Master Prep Professional (got mine at Sam's Club, but you can find it at Kohl's and other places with coupons, etc.) I must also say that Ninja is fabulous with their 2 year warranty (I use mine a TON and have used the warranty). I'm sure the Vitamix and Blendtec are worth the money, but those of us on a budget can make healthy drinks, too! :) I am a bit jealous of those recipes. I will have to see what I can find on Pinterest! ;) I should probably pull out the recipe book that came with my juicer again, too.

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  15. I love reading about this! I've lots 150 pounds and have probably another 80 to go. How would you jump start things again? I feel as though I'm at a stand still. Thanks for inspiring us!

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  16. I absolutely LOVE my Blendtec. It is by far the best investment I have ever made. We enjoy green smoothies every day here and the amount of veggies we are able to consume this way is unbelievable. I will blend 5 cups of spinach and 3 cups of Kale with other veggies at least once a day.

    However, I feel I must add that for those of you interested in juicing, blenders (of any kind) do not juice. They will liquify your produce for sure, but all the fiber is still there.

    Juicing removes fiber. There is a big difference between blending and juicing

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  17. My husband drools over the Vitamix. I'm determined to save enough $$ to buy it for him this Christmas. :) As far as a cleanse, I'm currently 7.5 months pregnant, and am already chomping at the bit to be able to start shedding this weight. I made healthier choices with this pregnancy and have gained much less than my first. So, once the baby comes out, I plan on doing the Original Food Diet to help get rid of weigh and flush the hormones. I can't juice - not enough calories for breastfeeding - but once he is off the breast - I'm so in! Anybody tried the Original Food Diet?

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  18. So... I'm curious...the difference is basically the consistency of the drink from a blender and a juicer? Do actually just put in the whole vegetable/fruit in a juicer and the "peel/seed/etc" does not come out? What about the cleanup? I've seen differing reviews. The Blendtec definitely looks easier to clean up than some others.

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  19. is it true that blending is better than juicing because our bodies need that fiber? please talk to me:)

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  20. I've seen that at Costco and it looks so cool! You will definitely need to give a review in a few weeks.

    I just came home from a weekend at the cabin and lots of smores! They were delicious but I am ready to try a juice cleanse. Thanks for the inspiration.

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  21. Would you say then that you could live on less income, or just love people from deprived areas? Most of the time so that you have little to do with these people want? Please answer this. It is very important for many of us. Linda :-))

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  22. Jen, Juice is just that...juice...You put whole fruits, veggies etc in the juicer and it extracts the juice and leaves the rest behind. The only things that can not be juiced are bananas and avocados. You leave peels and seeds on-yes, even pineapple-it is loaded with bromelain...however, you do need to remove pits (peaches, mango etc and you really should not juice orange peels because the oils in them are not easily digested. Cleanup is not that bad either, especially if you do it right away and dont let the stuff dry on the juicer

    A blender just blends the items that you put in there. Seeds and most peels need to be removed. Loaded with fiber and tons of good stuff too. (Highly suggest a book called the Green Smoothie Diet, she has tons of great ideas. Has a web site you can browse too..lots of videos on Youtube as well. Just look for GreenSmoothieGirl. Blenders are def a lot easier to clean

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  23. Thank you so much! That really helps.

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  24. Well yeah I live in Norway and it costs like $500 ...but we still can afford it!

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  25. I love to use my BlendTec and my Omega 8005 juicer. We had to save up for a long time to be able to get them, but the are absolutely worth the money.

    Candace, thank you for your insight through your blog. What I think is best about todays blog is that you and your husband are in agreement through God. When we pray together, and alone, and focus on what God wants for our lives, we begin to think alike and our hearts move in the same direction. One thing that my husband and I have learned is that if we have not separately had confirmation about something and are not in agreement, then we need to go back to God for His counsel. We didn't do this early on in our marriage and it caused much frustration, heartbreak and financial difficulty. When we go to God, we may still have to stretch a dollar in ways we were not expecting to, but there is a peace about it hat makes it an adventure rather than hardship! Thank you for sharing your personal stories and your insight as to how He is working through your family!

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