So I started out the year strong, did over a month on a juice fast to reset my body... lost nearly 40 lbs... and then I went to regular food again and lost my focus.  Though I didn't gain any of my weight back, I don't feel quite as energetic or balanced as I did when I was juicing every day.  In fact, I got quite lazy the last month or so only juicing a couple times a week.  My body craved the veggies and fruits and I deprived it making excuses like I'm busy or cleaning the juicer is such a pain in the butt or organic vegetables and fruits are too expensive.  All excuses.... all ways for me to try to justify depriving my body of the micronutrients that it needs and craves, all valid in a way....but still...not valid enough..

It's funny how easily we can create excuses to justify doing or not doing things.  I mean, my excuses were all valid but I think I conveniently turned to them when the holiday candies and treats came out and then I just kept using them for all the foods I shouldn't be eating all that much of but wanted to eat.   Oh another one of my favorite cop outs is PMS apparently... I've used that one for years.  Hey, there's nothing wrong with eating different types of foods but I know my body and what it needs and doesn't need right now and until I reach or come closer to my goal weight, I need to cut out all the comfort foods I normally turn to and opt for healthier options.

So, I'm back on my juice reset-ish... Those of you who've been reading my blog in recent months will know I did the total reset for about 42 days and lost about 40 lbs and kept it off.  That was a diet of ONLY organic fruit juice and it was wonderful but I have to admit, I didn't put my all into it.  I think I missed quite an opportunity to use that time while I was fasting to just pray to God and lean on Him instead of myself.

This time around I think I'm going to do it more gradually because I have a heavy workload on me from my "day job" and I don't think my body can function on all 4 cylinders on just juice alone so this time around it's going to be 2 meals juice fast and 1 regular meal.  Juice fasting takes a lot out of you because your body goes into kind of a withdrawal as it's cleansing itself.  I'm actually excited to start the diet again, is that crazy of me?  I am honestly dreading the working out again.  I finally found the charger for my Nike Fuelband so I am back to using that which really helps motivate me and keep me in check..  Funny that for over a month I didn't use it because I couldn't "find" the charger when the truth is, I never looked for it.  LOL.

So ladies and gents, back to juicing for 2 meals a day and I'm going to allow one regular meal that is balanced with veggies and protein and just a little witto bit of starch because starch is my comfort food of choice so I'm trying to really, really cut back on how much of it I consume.  The days of comforting myself with food are over.  It's time to rest on the Lord and get my comfort from Jesus and His Word instead of a bag of potato chips, candy, or a  yummy Loco Moco plate lunch.  Le sigh...

Are you making any changes to the way you eat as we journey into the spring and summer months?  Are you going to incorporate more exercise into your day to day routine?  Share with me your tips, recipes and exercises that really just push you and help you to get your body fit and in shape!!  I'm always looking for new ideas and motivations to keep it from getting boring.

For some of my older posts about juicing and some of my favorite juicing recipes, click here

In other news, I've extended the Aloha Friday Blog Hop giveaway to end on May 1st instead of today.  Giving everyone a few more days to enter away at your chance to win $200, 12 ad spaces and some lovely handmade items!  You don't even need a blog to enter and it's open internationally.

To check out the rest of the giveaways happening on my blog, you can click here.  I'm going to do a week in review post which will link to all of them individually and I have a sponsor giveaway coming up this week too!! It's been an exciting week for this little blog of mine and for me personally but I'll get more into that later.

Have a blessed Sunday my dears!

Aloha,