Jacquie's Fast

[Rawjac]

This is more like a 'private' journal in a safe place. I'm on day 1 of a water and juice fast and I'm hoping to stick it out for as long as I can but aiming for 7 days minimum. If I do less than 7 days I'll still be grateful for what I've achieved. I'll not beat myself up and will love me regardless. if my heart wishes I carry on, I'll move on and continue. It is my fast and I'll conduct it as pleases me ;)

Reasons I'm fasting:


I'm doing this for health. I work in a cancer unit and handle cytotoxic drugs and I'm also exposed to radioactive agents (cancer treatment is BADDD!!!). I have a new job which I start on the 26th of October and I'd love to start clean, so to speak. I will not be handling chemo so much in this new job, though I'll be doing occassional clinical shifts - 2-4/month where I would be handling the stuff. I want to detox and get rid of any nasties that may be circulating around my body. It's a good day to start too as it's D1 of my cycle too. I've wanted to fast with my periods but somehow only managed one cycle, lol...

I'm also doing this for weight release. I fasted earlier this year and that kickstarted my weight release - I've lost 22lbs out of 44. I've been on a plateau and I'd love to release the remaining 22lbs by the end of this year. If I carry on eating as I do, and winter's here, I may well start gaining weight again - I don't want that! Plus, I've a new smart work wardrobe I want to look fab in (vain but honest).

Third reason - I'm resetting my palate. I want to try and maintain a high raw food diet after this fast for my general health. I want to be able to resist conventional junk without struggling too much. I eat healthy, but believe I can eat healthier. Especially as me and hubby are TTC... I just wish he'd join me, but...... oh well...


So far today, I've had water, apple, brassica stem, aloe vera and ginger juice (brassica stems saved from leaves eaten yesterday - I thought they were too good to waste). I plan to stick with water till bedtime.

So far, I've only felt hunger and a very rumbly tummy, but that's okay. It's all part of the process.

Feel free to comment but keep it positive and please keep detailed references to food to a minimum. I find I can deal with mentions of food, but nothing too detailed please.

Bright Blessings, J x

[Nubianess]

All the best on your fast Jac.
Im fasting as well, on juices and water.

Im back in London now :), so if you need to chat over a juice sometime, im sure we can arrange that.

happy fasting! xxx

[Rawjac]

All the best on your fast Jac.
Im fasting as well, on juices and water.

Im back in London now :), so if you need to chat over a juice sometime, im sure we can arrange that.

happy fasting! xxx

Hi girl, welcome back to London!!! (lol).

Sure chick, let's do a meet one of these days over a raw juice. I work very close to Planet Organic - they do some lovely freshly extracted juices - shall we? I'd love a shot of wheatgrass from there sometime later this week. How's your week looking up?

Happy fasting to you too!

J x

[Rawjac]

First day and already I've 'detox mouth'. Still, won't complain - better get it well done and fast.

[Nubianess]

lol I know about detox mouth.

Planet Organic is just 15mins away from my uni!! Im definately up for some juice with you :)
would know about my schedule at the end of tommorow and email you :).

Good luck fasting.
xx

[Rawjac]

Super! 'Speak' tomorrow girl!

[Rawjac]

Day 2 and I'm late to bed. I'd be lying if I said today was easy. I did water most of the day then had a very strong craving for melon, coconut water and fennel. I had fennel at home, so I passed my local organic store and picked 3 honeydew melons and 2 cartons of coconut water. Blended a melon, skin and seeds intact (chopped it first, mind..) with the coconut water and fennel with aloevara juice. It was the most refreshing juice ever! Satisfied me immediately. My body must have been craving something in the melon? I was flagging, so the coconut water must have helped with electrolytes? I don't know, I just know it worked. And there's 1.5 litres to take later today (0029hrs - so late for bed!).

Symptoms wise - headache. Not too bad but there. Mouth is yukkkk! Tummy grumbles are less, and the hunger pangs are more and more tolerable. I'm so glad I'm doing this. I pray D3 goes without a glitch.

Till next time, Happy Fasting!

J x x x

[margoss]

good for you...2 days down!! I'll meet ya'll for juice. It'll take me, oh I don't know about 10-12 hrs to get there. We've always wanted to visit London so, Juice is a good excuse to do it!! ;)

[margoss]

speaking of TTC...read up on Maca. It's also helped me with PMS, sleeping, depression. It's suppose to be good for TTC..many things.

[Rawjac]

speaking of TTC...read up on Maca. It's also helped me with PMS, sleeping, depression. It's suppose to be good for TTC..many things.

Hey Margoss!

Are you in London right now? We're meeting up for a short time on Weds, around lunchtime for a juice at Planet Organic - come if you can?!

Maca - I have that stuff. I hear good things about it. I try taking it and always give up as it tastes.... foul, sigh. I still try though...

J x

[Nubianess]

hey Jac

Wednesday it is! Im looking foward to that.

Where do you buy your coconut water?
I want to switch up my juices as I tend to stick to the same recipes.
Glad to see your doing great on your fast.

xx

[Rawjac]

Hey Nubian,

So sorry, still not communicated on email as promised...

Coconut water - from Planet O!

I'm going to look for young fresh coconuts at Southall tomorrow / Thursday - many Indian shops there, hope I get some...

[Rawjac]

Day 3 is come to a close and I'm so pleased! I had a most hectic yet wonderful day today. Thank goodness for my melon, fennel and coconut water combo and an extra litre of coconut water, is all I can say.

So, work was as usual, busy, lol. Armed with 3L of wonderful juices and a litre of water, it turned out very well! See, I do netball on Tuesdays and couldn't bear missing it, lol, hence all the juice! And well, no suprise, I felt fab! I felt stronger than I did in days 1 and 2 physically. Not a moment of faint feeling. Netball was fab! I could have played for another hour! I give credit to the coconut water, I think - it's full of electrolytes naturally, yes? Anyway, I had half a litre left, so I passed by my local supermarket and bought 2 pineapples as I really wanted pina colada. Got home, blended the flesh of a whole pineapple with the coconut water, squeezed all the juice through muslin, bottled half a litre and mixed whatever remained with a glass of kombucha. It was YUMMM! A perfect end to a wonderful day. Hubby had some too and liked it, so it passed a crucial taste test, lol (most of my juices do now ;)).

I also did a bit of cleaning and brewed more kombucha - I like to have a steady supply.

Bowels moved big and loose today. Had a small one yesterday. Today it was diarrhoea. I'll take it as a good sign - the fruit juices are doing their cleansing wonderfulness. So now I'm shattered, surfing in bed and will be asleep in 30 minutes, I bet.

Happy fasting and bright blessings to all!

PS: No headache today. Seemed kinda easy but I'm thankful. Tomorrow's my last day at my current job and I have a feeling something's being planned - I'll stick to my guns. A few know I'm fasting, and I believe they'll respect my wishes, and if not - oh well..... but I'm NOT eating cake, that's for sure!

[Rawjac]

Day 4 coming to a close and I'm so happy! This fast is going so well for me, and I'm thankful. I wonder, does detox have to feel terrible? I really hope I'm detoxing, lol.

Anyway, today was interesting.

Started my day with water and left over pina colada from yesterday till lunch time when I set off to meet the lovely Nubianess for an organic juice. I downed approx. 250mls of carrot, orange and ginger (was that it Nubian?) juice so fast, I almost got seconds before she arrived (the girl kept me waiting!). Went back, bought some more coconut water and aloe vera juice and waited till she arrived and chose the exact juice I got! - with extra ginger, just like me! We then walked back as we chatted fasting, life etc, as I was due back at work, and sadly went our separate ways. Got back and my colleagues had organised a 'surprise' leaving do for me. Today was my last day at my job. My biggest job change since I first started working as a nurse 7.5 years ago. I felt honoured. I knew they were organising something as it seemed suspicious yesterday - the room would go quiet when I walked in, lol. Anyway, most knew I'm fasting / detoxing and on raw only, so the food was bought to reflect this. And of course, I ate - but only the raw stuff... strawberries, melon pieces, celery and carrot sticks and guacamole and salsa. Not perfect but I didn't feel bad. It wasn't organic but it was raw, and I only ate a small amount anyway, lol. Plus I was planning to eat tomorrow as I'm visiting a pal and her new baby. I'm not breaking my fast totally, but I'm giving myself the freedom to dip in and out, but only allowing myself to eat small amounts of raw food, and nothing else. No grazing either - if I do eat, it will be only within a 2 hour window. So, I guess I''m fasting some days and intermittently fasting on other days. I'm still happy I feel good about my decision, so I will carry on I love this whole, 'it's your fast, make of it what you please', lol!

Time for green, citrus and ginger - that's what I'm preparing tomorrow... kale, lemon and ginger, with bramley apples (not too sweet) for the base.

Till then, happy fasting to all!

[Rawjac]

I must not forget to mention this - I ordered Jeremy Safron's Dining from an Empty Bowl on Monday. Received it today. Happy is an understatement. I'm building a library and this is my first book on fasting. I'm loving the experience and how it makes me feel!

Not weighed myself yet, and won't do for a while yet. I'll go by how my clothes feel - and I must say, so far so good!:D

Bright blessings all!

[margoss]

I live in the USA...Maca, I do not take what they recommend. I mix it in with juice-smoothie-food.

[Nubianess]

Hi jac! you and me are so on the same page!
Im doing greens, ginger and Lemons too. I had , cabbage,spring greens with lemon,fennel and ginger this morning.

Tried wheatgrass today, it wasnt too bad. Didnt knock me out or anything.
It was lovely meeting you! hope we get to meet (properly) some time soon.xxx

happy fasting.x

[Rawjac]

Margoss, lol... I thought for a moment you were in London! I shall try and incorporate more maca to my smoothies in future. Maca and mesquite meal - I bought them with gusto, but I'm struggling to take them, lol!

Hey Nubian! Yes we are! I too made a lovely green juice with a bramley apple, celery sticks, kale, lemon and ginger - managed to extract 500mls, so watered it down to a litre - it was fab! The ginger felt so good for my chest - I think it's what I need for my lung clearout. My lungs are full of gunk - I'm so fed up of coughing up mucous but it's better out than in, I guess... I'm draining loads!

So, day 5 is come to an end and although I started out feeling very tired and lethargic, I still managed to fit in a busy day! I had a litre of water with MSM for brekkie (lol), and packed half a litre of coconut water, my litre of green juice and a litre of water for my day - I was visiting a friend. I'd planned and was open to eating at her place but didn't - I stuck to my drinks because she just didn't have anything I could eat - no fresh salad, sigh! I had a cup of nettle and blackberry tea at her's though, and she understood I was on a strict regimen, so all was well. I got back home though and had a small salad (celery stick, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, a radish and a quarter of a red bell pepper, dressed with balsamic vinegar and some good oil) and that's okay, as I'm now intermittently fasting. I plan to fast intermittently indefinitely - I know I can do it. My body feels so much better fasting 20 to whatever hours and having a small window for eating something well thought, light and healthy and carrying on fasting till the next window. I'm happy to carry on like this for now.

Happy fasting!

[Rawjac]

Great day! Juiced another whole melon with coconut water - I love this combo so much! It's so sweet too! so fabulous for sustenance on a busy day. I love that i can rush around and not feel faint just from drinking a live, freshly extracted juice.

Another excitement..... I found some fresh young coconuts today! And fresh Aloe Vera leaves! The coconuts were labelled as 'jellynuts', so got a little confusing. Asked for one to be opened for me and wow! So much better than the cartoned stuff. So glad I found them - and so conveniently close to home too! I bought 5, including the one I drank on the spot, and ate the flesh when I got home, lol. Found another healthy addiction.

My IF is going well, I'm happy. I ate a salad this evening and feel great. I love that I'm doing this because I feel I can get a routine going and make it the norm for me for life.... Fast on juices and water only for 2-3 days a week and do IF the rest of the week. So far so good, and can't wait to see how next week pans out.

Happy fasting all! x

[Rawjac]

Day 7 and I'm enjoying breakfasting on water and my melon+coconut water juice combo from yesterday. I feel so light and I'm just so happy inside! And my skin glows. My facial skin has had dry patches for a while now, I tried everything and I've been oil cleansing. Well, all I needed was a fast, lol. I love the way my face looks and feels right now. All the spots are clearing up nicely too.

My plan for today - being a Saturday, I'm preparing a nice Kale and avocado salad for lunch as Saturdays are family get together and lunch days. I plan to stay on high, high raw, though my spirit isn't stopping me eating some of the regular stuff. Plan is to keep it high raw today then get back to my fasting tomorrow, do 2 days on just water and juice then take it from there - do IF if out and about or just fast proper when not much going on. No work next week, so I may well take the opportunity to fast proper for a few days.

This plan is subject to change, but changes will be mostly towards more fasting rather than less, so here goes!

Happy fasting to all! x

[Rawjac]

I need to call my family. My relationship with family is the one thing holding me back mentally/emotionally. Will pick a quiet evening when hubby is at work and call all of them. I miss my grandma and I need to talk to mum. And my brother. Trust detox to bring these issues up.

[Rawjac]

Superb! I'm sticking to mostly water today, and will juice whatever I feel my body's asking for, if it does, otherwise I'll just stick to water. I also have young coconuts so might open one later... we'll see!

I did eat with family yesterday at lunch and snacked with friends in the evening and I'm good about that. Happy that I can still continue intermittently fasting and feel good. I love that this journal is helping me keep things in perspective, plan and execute as planned and come back to what my spirit is leading me to do.

I went to an awesome piano concert last night - it's amazing what that did for me. I felt so good, so special, so happy, I was on a high, and still am from that performance by the lovely Ludovico Einaudi (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezSq5Vq8G88&feature=related). And I've purchased tickets to go see him again in March!!!

Anyway, plan for today, like said above - water, water, water and perhaps some juice or coconut water if my body asks for it.

And I still have my aloe vera leaf awaiting filleting and taking care of - might prepare and freeze it as I do not want it going bad on me...

Happy fasting all!

[Rawjac]

Doing great today, so thankful! Stuck to water and a 1L juice from kale, celery, ginger, lemon and coconut water. Weird combo, I know, but so good! And not a sweet fruit in sight - I'm glad I tried this. Coconut water is added to my list of base ingredients for juices, along with carrot and apple...

I ate last night and felt a little disappointed but moved away from the bad feeling. I'm intermittently fasting anyway, so that's okay - I had just planned to not eat yesterday and when I succumbed I felt weak and disappointed, though that didn't last as I made my new resolve not to eat till tomorrow - so far, so good and I feel so much better today. I'm reading a book that has too much food mentioned in it and I guess that weakened me, as I just couldn't stop thinking of food! Still, I didn't eat anything nasty, so it's all good.

Tomorrow is netball day, so I'll have fun planning tomorrow's meal - I want it to be all raw too - please help me God! I have an idea what i want, so will soak the nuts but won't look up recipes till tonight's well tucked in, lol!

Hope everyone else's fast is going well...

[margoss]

sounds like you are doing so good!!! It's great when we see it in our face.

[Rawjac]

sounds like you are doing so good!!! It's great when we see it in our face.

Thanks Margoss, I'm so very pleased by how I'm doing! I'm settling into IF (Intermittent Fasting) and loving it! I tend to fast for 24-48 hours at the moment, then eating a meal and repeating the cycle. I do mostly water only and a light juice on the first day after eating and do a heavier juice/light smoothie on the second day, leading up to my small meal. I love it because I'm eating alot less yet getting so much in the way of nutrition with the juices/smoothies. Will carry on till it comes naturally to me, and perhaps extend the fasting period for 72 hours...

My face and body looks great thanks! I'll take some before and after pix when I reach goal (trying to get smaller too). I pray I can achieve that before the year ends. I know I can if I keep doing what I'm doing.


TODAY'S ENTRY:

I ate this evening after fasting for 46 hours and playing netball. I really wanted a raw, creamy, very garlicky sauce - soaked cashews and blended that with a drop of aloe juice (I know, I know, but I wanted that!), loads of garlic, lemon juice and seasoned with seasalt, pepper and tumeric. Added chopped tomatoes and peppers. Ate this with spaghetti (cooked - I've no problems with this, though will visit wholefoods for kelp noodles). It was yum! Now I'm done eating, I plan to fast till tomorrow evening after a netball match. Will keep energy up with a melon/coconut water/aloe juice or smoothie. I managed well today with a pineapple/coconut water juice which I smoothied with the coconut flesh, some maca, mesquite and lucuma - filled me up so well, I didn't feel at all like I had not eaten for 2 days! See why I love IF? Makes me think well about what to eat! I like that. Beats just shoving anything intgo my body just because 'I'm hungry'.

Happy fasting all! x

[Nubianess]

Hey jac, hows it going?
Sounds like you are doing great,. no guilt about eating, food is not meant for us to feel guilty about.
had another shot of wheatgrass on monday, I actually LOVE the stuff!
Happy fasting! xx