I’ve just got back from a very interesting week. For business and personal reasons I visited one of my closest friends – Dawn Campbell – for a week and experienced my very first week of juice feasting. Originally three of us (all coaches) were to meet at Dawn’s to talk about our forthcoming ‘Breaking Free‘ event and book-signing; but Mala Shah had to pull out for personal reasons, so Dawn suggested that we make this a week of juice feasting.
Isn’t it interesting how, when you ask the Universe for something, it comes. I had been thinking that the only way to start loosing weight again was to go on a retreat; and here one is offered to me.
Dawn, who has no reason to diet in any format, does juice feasting to keep her fabulous figure in shape; whereas for someone like me who is overweight it was a great way to get back into healthy eating.
In the few days before I left home my car (which really needs a long run) decided it didn’t want to come. On the Saturday morning when I left here I couldn’t get it into third gear – so a quick change and off I drove in my partners car. Not too worry, he does have a classic sports car – so wouldn’t be left without transport. 🙂
I drove away without seeing any of the cats having said ‘goodbye’ to Smudge the evening before. I wasn’t sure how he was going to take being separated from me. We had, had an interesting few weeks with visitors arriving – sometimes overnight and sometimes for a few days. Smudge had taken well to everyone who had come to visit – often hoping onto their laps for a cuddle and a love. Now was the time to find out how he would take to one of us not being there.
Set SatNav to shortest distance and drove north west through the country lanes, cities, towns, and villages to just west of the Le Mans area. I arrived early afternoon and went straight into the juice feasting.
The week was a combination of work, resting, some out and about time, juice feasting, and watching movies! It was a great combination of not too much to do when your body is making an adjustment; while drinking 4 – 5 freshly squeezed juice each day. Each juicing made about 2 glasses, which meant that we were drinking about 8 glasses of freshly squeezed juice each day, starting the day with the classic lemon juice in water. Interesting how things from my childhood were coming back to me.
Dawn, being a qualified nutritionist, was blending the juices to ensure that mother nature was providing the right balance of the right balance of nutrients, minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and phytonutrients.
My concern about being hungry was unfounded. The quantity of liquid and the goodness of the fruit meant that it was not until day 6 that I heard my stomach rumble for the very first time. Another juice and all was ok!
After a couple of days I told Dawn that I was down another notch on my belt … then another … then another. As I had weighed myself at home I didn’t weigh myself at Dawn’s – so the only way I could tell that I was loosing weight was by my clothes. Towards the end of the week I thought I had lost about 3 – 4 inches around my waist! Wow!
The following Saturday I got into the car and drove home! I had 1 1/2 litres of fruit juice in the car for my six hour journey. Over that period I drank about 1 litre of juice and 1/2 litre of water. I got home not feeling hungry. As I had come home a day early I did tell my partner that I did not want to eat that evening but to continue my juice feasting for today.
Smudge and one of the other cats were there to greet me when I arrived home; my partner not expecting me until the next day, was sitting watching afternoon sport and hadn’t heard me drive down the driveway – so it was great to be able to walk in and completely surprise him.
Smudge wasn’t sure and although he let me cuddle him, his preference was to go to my partner. Sunday he suddenly realised that I was back and came to me for cuddles during the day and decided that his place for the evening was on my lap. Monday evening he sat on my lap again and put his paws around my neck, head under my chin, and purred. It made me realise that some of the fears he had within him about being lost, left on his own, etc. had resurfaced. His behaviour at the moment is reminiscent of that in the weeks following when we first found him on our front lawn. So this week I guess he will be on my lap during working hours 🙂 and its back to training him that he is part of the family and he will never be lost or left alone again.
On Sunday I got onto the scale … trepidation … had I actually lost any weight?
5kgs
I stood there a for a few moments … got off the scale and back on again … yes, it said the same – 5kgs (11.02lbs). Now the challenge is to continue the momentum.
It’s easy to go on a retreat and then come back home and just carry on ‘as normal’ but Dawn has given me some really great tips especially for the next two weeks. One of the things I have learnt already is that my appetite has reduced and I am not eating the same quantity that I was eating before. It will be interesting over the next few days and weeks to see if I need to increase the quantity that I eat to maintain my energy levels, or whether eating differently and more healthily will allow me to keep the reduced quantity levels and increase my energies.
Dawn and I are planning a Holistic Health Retreat in the future taking my experiences and her expertise and allowing you to have the same experience I had. Click here to let me know if you are interested in joining us.
I’m so pleased for you! xxx
Thanks Heather … chat soon xx
Juice rocks !
I agree Lynne. xx
How wonderful for you :). I love juicing, and do it on and off myself. I am sure it is so much more fun to do with others!
Thanks Bettina. It is a lot easier when you are doing it with someone else 🙂 xx
Well done ..now that you are back home, stay focused, it is amazing how our bodies can adopt and support positive change.
Must set up a time to chat…Gabriellexx
Very well done Barbara, I was so impressed with your attitude towards juicing so I’m thrilled to read about your positive experience. Obviously I could see the results of this regime daily because you were looking so much brighter.
Your results are not only a great boost to your confidence, but more importantly, your general vitality and longevity. Keep this up Barbara and you’ll soon be sprinting up that St Suzanne hill ha ha 🙂
Remember, weight loss is only one of many symptoms of the deeper cleansing that is going on at a cellular level. So it’s important to maintain a high fresh plant based diet to reap the longer term benefits available to you (and lose fat instead of just fluid).
The rule of thumb is take 2/3 days on a high raw plant based diet (so fruit, salad, steamed veg) per 1 day juicing. Therefore, I hope we’ll hear even more positive results in 14 and 21 days!
much love Dawn
It was a pleasure meeting up with you again Barbara. I was mightily impressed with your demeanure during your juice fest. Never known the house so calm with two fruitarians co existing..Ha ha !!!