So it's the weekend...I'm always happy to relax a bit, spend time with my family and friends and just get myself ready for the next week. Last weekend, I decided to make some healthy lifestyle changes.
It all actually started when a documentary was brought to my attention. Typically, Netflix gives me the opportunity to spend countless hours watching entire seasons of mindless dramas like Friday Night Lights. Though I was really sad to say goodbye to all my friends in Dillon, Texas, I can't say I learned much from it besides how not dramatic my life is compared to tv shows most days.
Well, in this instance I was told that I should watch a documentary called Sick, Fat and Nearly Dead. It is about an Aussie, Joe Cross, who comes to the US for 60 days to go on a juicing fast. He was obese, unhealthy and suffering from a chronic disease that required him to be on many medications with numerous side effects. He was closely monitored by doctors throughout his journey because all he consumed were fruit and vegetables in juice form as well as tea and water. Long story short, he lost around 100 pounds and was able to stop all of his medications and to this day he is feeling great and is actually very well known for his choice to take a stand and change his life.
There was another documentary that piggy backed off of it called Hungry for Change. This really impacted me. So many of the foods that fill our grocery store shelves are terrible for us. Partially hydrogenated oils, aspartame and sugar are just a few of the topics health experts tackle. It was almost as if I had a mini epiphany by the end of the documentary. I mean I eat pretty healthy for the most part. I have my days where I struggle or have a social event or family party to go to where the temptations are endless. But in my day to day, I tend to make good choices. I just realized that there are some new things I want to incorporate in my everyday.
The main change I decided I wanted to make was to start using a juicer. Vegetables and fruits in their purest state are the most nutrient rich. So that is what I have been doing for the last week. The baseline of this 'diet' that doesn't feel like a diet is broken down as follows: 50% of daily calories should be from veggies and fruit, 25% from protein and 25% from whole grains. The more organic, grass fed, farm raised, cage free foods I can consume, the better.
So for now, I will leave you with a yummy morning recipe that i've come to really like.
The three ingredients are carrots, apples and a lemon. The following information about these fruits and their benefits are from www.rebootwithjoe.com:
Carrots: richest plant source of vitamin A, and a good source of potassium.
Apples: contain antioxidants that help protect “good” cholesterol levels in the blood.
Lemons: High in vitamin C and anti-inflammatory. Also contains natural anti-nausea and overall digestive-aid properties.
So take two carrots, two apples and a peeled lemon, put them all through the juicer and just like that you'll have about 16 ounces of morning energy. I'll have some rolled oats with peanut butter or eggs along with it to carry me through most of the morning.
So my journey has only just begun but I'm feeling motivated, energized and excited the reap the benefits of my healthy choices.
Well, I'm off to laugh at an episode of Modern Family before bed.
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