Day 8 and feeling great

Today is day 8 of my two week juice fast and I couldn't feel better. I can't say that my hunger pains have completely subsided but they are definitely not as difficult to get through.


Benefits that I have seen so far:
-Weight loss: 9lbs :) :) :)
-Clear skin, I dont have acne but my dark circles are definitely better and it's not like Im getting more sleep :)
-Clarity of thought. This one is HUGE! I just feel so aware and alert, I like the way Carynn put it, it's like "I'm smarter" haha whatever it is it feels good in my brain.
-My view of food and what I will put in my body from here on out is rapidly changing. Veggies look good to me. Thats something thats never been a fixture in my life, the only vegetables that I was able to eat before was salads, which are good, but not enough. I love this benefit. It was one of my main goals!!
-Ryan and I have grown closer because of this. YES he stuck it out. Even after the terrible carrot ginger juice I gave him. It was almost a deal breaker, but we made it through :) It may sound strange and Im not even sure how it happened, it just did. We totally bonded over veggies. We talk about the healthy things we are going to eat after the fast and how we are drastically changing the way Nelson's do food. Which I am so so grateful for, there is no way I could make this lifestyle change without him! But Don't judge us when you see us at In-N-Out every once in awhile, I may just be eating a grilled cheese but I can guarantee I will be there from time to time! Ryan says he "just feels better" which is great! He works such long hours and things can get pretty stressful for him, I figure since he internalizes most of that stress these veggies could help him out a little on the inside.
-I've received so much encouragement from friends and family and it has made it that much easier! Being able to talk to my husband, Shawnna, and Carynn about it all has made it almost impossible for me to fail.

Theres only a few negatives I've experienced so far:
-Im not sure why it is but I pretty much need to brush my teeth after every juice. I guess its because its so concentrated but man my mouth kinda doesn't love the aftermath of a juice. I did have a friend warn me it could cause bad breath so maybe thats why I feel that way after. I just keep a pack of gum on hand in case the brush is not around.
-The desire to snack when bored is still there. For this reason I have also been eating a handful of raw almonds a day and have eaten fruit if the hunger is too strong. This may go against the "juice fast" but like I said before I didn't want to be to militant on myself because I knew I would fail. Im perfectly fine eating some fruit and nuts along with my juice.


I definitely recommend the juice fast to anyone. A couple things I suggest doing is...
-When you purchase your fruits and veggies, right when you get home, prep them for juicing. Even if you're not going to juice them right then. Whether its washing, coring, peeling, or cutting do it all when you buy it. Coming from someone who has a pretty busy life, its easy to put off juicing, especially if nothings ready for you when you go to juice. This has helped tremendously!
-Buy as much produce from your local farmer. Its cheaper, it tastes better, and your helping support your community and that farmers business.
-The early bird gets the worm. I realized I was going to the produce stand after I got off work and it was slim pickens since Redlands/Mentone restaurants and families are big on buying from local farmers, by the time 530 rolls around theres not much to choose from.

Ill post again in a few days

P.S.
I decided to do 14 days instead of 17. My birthday is on day 14. C'mon...a girls gotta eat!

P.P.S.S My wonderful husband is currently buying "superfoods" online right now. This man owns my heart!!