Follow up.......

This was this morning's breakfast.

Fruits thrown into juicer were-

1 mango

3 apples

1/2 lemon

two handfuls of blueberries

red grapes- most of a carton from Sam's Club

10 big strawberries

We had enough juice for 6 glasses full. The 4 kids each had one glass and I had two. The kids still have breakfast along with it but I just stick with juice, tea, and water.

A couple things we have learned so far with juicing is that apples and red grapes sweeten the juice and give it a clearer consistency.

Mangoes, pears, strawberries, and blackberries give a thick sometimes chunky juice. Sounds bad but goes down easily. The juice pictured is "chunky". Not bad, right?

To juice lemons or oranges is fun. The only fruit we have peeled so far.

Blueberries add alot of color and good flavor to the juice.

I have learned that I like fresh blueberries. The only way I have ever eaten a blueberry before was in a muffin. The gooey pie or cobbler does not look appetizing to me at all. Nor does the frozen ones. But now I am understanding why bears like them so much straight off the bush!!!

I also am not a fan of raspberries. But I am going to try them soon.

The family does not like mangoes fresh to eat but likes them juiced.

With the fruit juice we have not found any bad combinations of fruit. So just throw in whatever you have and enjoy a glass of goodness!! Thats all we have been doing. Kids have been enjoying coming up with the different combos. I just prepare it for the juicer whatever I'm handed.

Now the green drink made of veggies we are still working on. So far we tried juice made of cabbage, celery, and carrots. I cant say the taste was horrible but the smell of the cabbage juice was the hard part to get pass. I have found that it works for me to drink it with herbal tea versus water. It just helped to mellow out the taste of it.

All I have changed in my diet is the juice, eating as many raw veggies on a salad as I can, and double my normal serving size of steamed vegs. I still eat a regular a meal with the family.

One thing that has changed for me too is the craving for pop. I craved it all day long. I dont keep any in the house so I would buy one wherever I went anywhere instead of water like I use to drink.

When my sister-in-law told me how juicing took all cravings away for her I really didnt believe it would happen (Sorry Evonne, it was just too good to be true!! But you are right on!). And the first two days on juice I craved pop all the more. But that was the end of the craving part. I still enjoy some with a certain meal but have been drinking more water,tea, and milk instead without one urge to go for the cola. Weird, I know.

Normally when I "diet" I can handle the exercise, the eating of constant salads, etc., etc. But the one thing that always comes with diets for me is excruciating headaches. Those I cant handle. Instead of energy I am tired and in pain. So you know how long those diets last. As long as I can handle the headaches which is a very short time period!!! Since starting juicing I have had one of those headaches and it was my own fault. I have made sure to not do it again to myself!!!

Last night after the boys' band concert a few of us were craving apple juice. Instead we each grabbed apples while we watched Survivor. To me that was a positive that we are all on the right track!!

I would love to be able to buy organic produce but beings Whole Foods/big health food grocery stores are hours away and the local small health food stores dont have any or not very fresh produce so I have just been getting it all from Sam's or the local grocer.

So for a run down of what I all just blubbered on about-

I have 1 (or 2) 8 oz. fruit juice for breakfast.

And 1 occasional 8 oz.green drink- hope to increase that for my daily lunch

I dont snack anymore as I am not hungry at 3 pm.

And then I enjoy the meal I make for the family but smaller portion

Not a huge change but a huge difference its making.

Thought I would share some more!!!