Weight Loss vs Getting Healthy

I don't talk to everybody I come across that complains about their weight, and there is a good reason too. The general public today is so focused on their weight and yet we keep getting bigger and wider every year.

Why?

Because we LOVE diet fads. I've heard almost everybody say that they hate diets, but they go on them anyway because they don't want the weight. What's happening then? If all these diets say they work, why are we as a community getting fatter?

It's because diets have failure built into them. "But I was successful in my diet! I lost 15 pounds when I was on it! Even though I gained it all back and then some around Christmas time."

My reply: it's because you went "ON" a diet. A diet isn't something you go on and off of. A diet is your day to day eating for month after month, year after year. Not a short term fad, like the mustache obsession or the next hottest boy band among kids and adolescents.

Here's how a diet works: you go on it, eat a certain amount, a certain type of food, exercise, lose weight, fight cravings, maybe cheat, reach goal, then go off they diet, and return to eating they way you did before the diet... And then gain it all back and then some, leaving you five steps back from the two steps you took on the diet.

Now I understand that there are some people who went in diets, were successful, and changed their ways of daily, monthly, an yearly eating to a healthy one and are happy. However, that is not the general public.

Juice Fasting is NOT a diet fad. It's a revolutionizing way to get healthy, restart your systems, stifle cravings, improve your moods, give you energy, cure your ailments, AND then lose weight.

The thing is that Juice Fasting is setting your body up for success on a wholesome diet that gives your body optimum nutrition. Your body will rid itself if excess body fat as it heals itself and then slow down to almost stop when it reaches the balance it requires to function. Of course your weight will fluctuate from season to season because it us natural, but you won't lose because your starving yourself.

So all in all, the reason I don't talk to everyone about Juice Fasting, is because most people are looking for the next diet fad that will allow them to eat whatever they want and then, unfortunately, gain the weight back.

How do I know if some one is serious? They say they want to: "get healthy" or "lose weight and get healthy" or "go off my meds" or "I wish I had more energy" or, my favorite, "Wow you look great! What are you doing?"

Caloric Overload

I went into my local smoothie place to purchase a yummy orange, carrot, banana, and wheatgrass juice. Next door is a sandwich shop franchise that I will not name out of respect for the restaurant. My mother and brother had gone in there for their lunch and some ice cream. As I entered, sipping happily in my juice, I asked my mother what she was eating.

She told me, "A roast beef and avocado sandwich with the works."
"Mmm! Yummy!" I replied. And then she told me that she didn't order what she wanted because of how high the calories for the 6" sandwich would have been.
"How much was it?" I asked, sitting down next to her.
"900 calories," she took another bite.
"What?!" I swallowed hard.
"Yeah. I'm glad that they put the calories next to the sandwiches bow so I am more conscience of making better choices."

I looked over her at the menu above the line of people ordering sandwiches. 700 calories for a 6" meatball sub, 1010 for a 9". 800 calories for a hot pastrami sandwich, 1100 for a 9". 600 for a 6" turkey club, and 970 for a 9".

The list went one and on and this is just the sandwich! That doesn't include drink (100-300 calories) and chips (200-400 calories per bag)!!

I was shocked, SHOCKED! At the high calories count involved for one meal! My stomach churned as I realized that I used to partake in this amount of calorie overload. I remember being in high school, not being very active because I hated to sweat; and chilling with friends and my fiance's friends at each others houses, and stuffing our faces in between video games and movie rounds! No wonder I got to where I was! No wonder why my fiancé lost so much weight before, during, and after bootcamp for the Marines! We didn't see it on us, and I doubt the people standing in that line did either.

I write this to warn you! It's okay to eat that way once in a blue moon. What does that mean? Once or twice monthly. Yes, MONTHLY! Sharpen your culinary skills at home, and cook your own meals where you know what you're eating, and how many calories, fats, sugars, and sodium your consuming.

And that is why I created this blog. That us why u joined Thrive. And that is why I Juice Fast.

Eve's Gift/Curse

Ladies, you know exactly what I'm talking about and it's both good and bad.

The thing I'm coming to realize is that it is not so easy to have our little "gift" during a Juice Fast, but it is completely doable. So I wanted to write a post just for us gals during that time of the month where we feel bloated, emotional, crampy, have head aches, break out in acne, and crave more chocolate than a candy factory can supply!

Juice the following for how your feeling or what ever your issue is:

Complexion: for a fresh face you can feel and see.
-Cucumber
-Grapefruit (this one is okay to just eat)
-Apples
-Ginger

Bloating and Cramps: for when the roaring monster inside you will not allow you to put on your jeans.
-Cucumber
-Watermelon (eat this too!)
-Zucchini
-Red Grapes
-Cantalope
-Celery
-Tomatoes
-Bananas (I like to make my juice and then blend a banana in.)

Emotional: I love/hate you!
-Bananas
-Oranges
-Pineapple
-Carrots
-Spinach
-Watermelon
-Apples

Headaches: for when all you want to do is put the covers over your head.
-Ginger
-Spinach
-Cucumber
-Apples
-Carrots
-Blackberries
-Celery


Cravings: before you devour the nearest chocolate mousse cake.
-Apples
-Bananas
-Kale
-Turnips
-Celery
-Green Bell Pepper
-Tomatoes
-Pineapple
-Grapes
-Lemon

Any combination of these fruits and veggies have great physical, mental, and emotional benefits that we women desperately need during that week. I recommend juicing most to all of those listed above! I do, and you can ask my fiancé, sometimes he has to ask if I'm "on it," cause he can't even tell! :)

Before You Decide on Happy Pills...

Juice!
Yes, Juice!
Try a ten day Juice Fast before deciding on asking your doctor for anti-depressants. (Note! Do not go cold turkey off your anti-depressants before consulting with a doctor!)

Juice Fasting is better than all the happy pills put together in a delicious and nutritious food drink! Yes, it is FOOD! Why juice? Why not eat more fruits and veggies? Look at the picture and see just how much fruits and veggies you would have to eat to get all the nutrients of a tall glass of juice! I don't know about you, but I'm not one for eating all that and I also am not keen on the bitter flavors of some leafy veggies. :P

Also, the liquid form of those fruits and veggies gets into your system faster and your body does less focusing in digesting and more focusing on doing other important jobs, like making you NATURALLY happy!

I have been juicing for over a month, on and off juice fasts and the effects of the juice is miraculous! Before I was always tired, seemed like I was walking in a daze most of the time, depressed that I couldn't talk to my fiancé whenever I wanted (who is deployed in Okinawa, Japan for the Marine Corps) and missing him dearly, and most of all, I was in bad attitudes. I would snap at everyone and it almost seemed like I was bullying my little brother! I kept seeing him as the little annoying brother and never wanted to really listen to what he was saying half the time.

Then the juice changed me completely. I am more positive, more energetic, I think and see more clearly, I am always happy and very thankful when I do talk to my fiancé and say positive things to him all the time to ease his mind off his work, and I'm much more patient, kind, and understanding to people around me and my little brother. We even jump on the trampoline together and play silly games! And I've come to discover so much more about my brother and his interests, his habits, and his inspirations.

So to sum this all up, even though work stress may be killing you, or perhaps stress at home with finances, or even if it's just stress in general about the world around you, you gotta try two things.

1.) Make a list, split it in two, on one side write down the problems you can control on one side, and what your can't control in the other. take some time to do this right and when your ready, tear off the can't control side and toss it, burn it, bury it, what ever you like and don't stress about those things again. Your "can control" list is now a to do list that you can gradually check off. ;)

2.) Juice. Even if you supplement 2-4 meals a day (based on eating every 2-3 hours) you will feel the Juice revolutionize your body and you'll feel incredible!

Best of luck and don't forget to smile!
"You are one smile away from improving your mood." - Andy Andrews.

- Chef Marie CM

Restart...

Most people will lie and tell people that they never gave up even when they did. People will also start over half way through what they started. But no one that I've seen it met yet will admit that they did their best and caved at their goals or will they don't take the responsibility that they didn't achieve their goals.

I'm gonna be real with you and tell you that I made it 20 days into my 60 days and fell into temptation. Why would I tell you this? Didn't I fail? Didn't I quit? Didn't I fall short?

My answer to you is "NO!" I made it 10 days longer than my last Juice Fast and acquired beautiful skin, lost 18 pounds of excess body fat, and great amounts of energy!

A gentleman in L.A. Who attended the international event for my business invited my mom and I to share a dinner table with him when the restaurant was packed. I learned a lot from him but I took away something very special from him. He told me: "always remember this, no matter what people tell you or what people do to you, remember, 'to thine self be true.'"

So, I believe in being genuine with people and with myself, and by doing so, I give you this post about my restart on juice fasting for 60 days and how I went head to head with myself.

I first looked at myself in the mirror, told myself that I did a fabulous job and that I was proud of myself. Then I smiled wider and said: how bout we kick it up another notch? Let's do it and let's do it hard!

So I want to tell you that if you only get to 7/10 days of a juice fast, good for you for achieving that much! You proved to yourself that you can do it and when you're ready, do it again for the extra three days. You can do it, I believe in you, and if you ever need an accountability partner, contact me!

Tips for success:
1. Tell everyone what you're doing and the positive or negative responses are all good. Both build your confidence that you can do it!

2. Tell yourself every morning, in the mirror, that you fully accept who you are and love yourself unconditionally. (it sounds a little silly, but it works!)

3. Pump positive health driven music, videos, movies, or audio into your body every day. (I watch Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead at the beginning of each week and listen to motivating speeches from my other business.)

4. Keep yourself busy. Avoid sitting on the couch at all costs, even when you're tired. (unless it's bed time) you'll avoid the urge to snack when your bored. Get up and walk to listen to music, spend time outside, read, or meditate, or call a friend or family member, or my favorite, spend some time playing with the pets (hamster to dog) and they'll be happy too!

5. Don't beat yourself up and don't surround yourself with people who are eating the foods you want. If you aren't strong mentally to handle it, don't tempt yourself.

You can be successful and love your new life and body!

-Chef Marie CM

Working Out Tips

So I've lost 15 pounds on this Juice fast. There would have been more, but like I said in the previous video, I was under a lot of stress. So what better to relieve stress than a work out? I found this picture and realized that it was a really goo diagram for "Jiggle Prevention!" (Hahaha)

60 Day Juicing Fast

Are you Crazy?!
I couldn't be without real food!
I need to be chewing something!
I have to eat!
That sounds unhealthy!

Those are the top five things I hear every time I go shopping and buy only fruits and veggies, or lose pounds and people ask me what I'm doing, or family ask me what's new. My favorite is the last. Think about it. Juicing fruits and veggies and peole who are eating highly processed foods and high sugary drinks are telling ME that I'M eating unhealthy? To be brutally honest, by saying those things up there, you sound like an addict. Do you really have so much lack of self control that you couldn't do it even for a week?

Sounds silly doesn't it? However I can't blame them entirely. The food that is available in stores these days has literally brainwashed us into thinking that it's good for us.I recently came across a "wellness depot" by a company that I will not name here out of respect. They offered a free 16 oz smoothie, 16 oz. Tea, and an Aloe Vera shot with a wellness profile. Out of curiosity, I joined my mom as she went to receive her free trial drinks. When I was sked for which flavor smoothie I wanted I asked to see the nutritional information. The girl blinked at me in surprise and then went to retrieve the label for both the smoothie and tea. When I was handed the containers the first thing I asked was: "Why is the tea coming as a powder and just not leaves?" She had no real answer for me. as I looked through the Nutritional information I read a key ingredient that showed up on both: Fructose Syrup and Flavoring. I knew exactly what that was, but I asked her what it was and she said it was fruit flavors and sugar derived from fruits. I smiled and shook my head. "Actually, it's one of the 50 names for High Fructose Corn Syrup." Again, blank stare.

Then she asked if i still wanted any, and I politely declined and told my mom that I would go get real Juice from the whole food and organic store instead. The girl asked me what I was doing and I told her a 60 Day Juice Fast. When she asked what it was I told her. I also told her all the benefits of a Juice Fast. She then replied: "That seems very hard and unhealthy." I just smiled back at her and said: "At least I'm not taking in High Fructose Corn Syrup in any of my meals for 60 days, so I'm finding it quite easy to do." After that I left, because I really didn't want to stir up trouble. I'm glad my mom enjoyed her tea and smoothie for the both of us.

Flash forward a week and I lost 10 pounds from my juice fast and was working out one morning at my gym. I go to Curves because I have Scoliosis and the workouts are low impact on my back. So during the circut, someone asked me how I was doing with Culinary and with my weight loss. they know me a the Pastry Chef Instructor, even though I was so much more than that. (I find it funny that they know me as the Sweets Chef in a gym!) I told her my pounds lost and told her about the Juice Fast. Another lady joined in and told us that her son's ex girlfriend had done a cleanse that was prescribed to her doctor. (This was NOT a juice cleanse! Again, I'm not naming the cleanse out of respect) This girl would mix this powdered drink every day for every meal for a period of time and she lost a ton of weight! In addition to her thyroid and gallbladder and another organ I can't remember. I was shocked! How can a doctor prescribe something like that and still have her on it when she lost the first organ?! Her doctor told her that she needed to lose a little more and her boyfriend at the time replied: From what organ this time?

I posted that story because I want people to realize that a Doctor is studied and trained in medicine and not always nutrition. A Nutritionist is specifically trained and studies in the health and wellness of people through micro-nutrients, macro-nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Please ,PLEASE be careful on what your doctor says and what nutritionists say. The doctors doesn't have much training on nutrition and the nutritionist doesn't have much training on medicine. Make sure that you contact your doctor about the side effects from your pills that you may or may not have by changing your eating habits. At the same, time, you may be safe. I did have a doctor tell me that he didn't think anybody should do any sort of cleanse. That told me that he didn't know what I was talking about.

Chef Marie CM