Juice Fast - Day 8

After yesterday's 12-mile jaunt I find myself rather stiff today. At least my legs and feet don't hurt. There's still some minor peripheral neuropathy but nothing like prior to the juice fast.  I'm grateful for that.

BREAKFAST
Family: omelet and honeydew melon cubes
Me: I could barely stand the idea of drinking any more juice, so I just drank water.

Hiked down to lower Wahiawa with Butterfly and dropped her off. She seemed happy enough to go do her volunteer work. I walked over to the waiting room to rest before walking home and read more cooking magazines.  It was undoubtedly  not working in my favor to be reading about food while I could only drink my meals, but like gawking at the scene of an accident - I could't seem to stop myself.

I slowly walked up the hill very stiff and muscle sore.  I made it home, drank water and went to bed for an hour.  I awoke barely able to move.  It's a good thing that NSAIDs are over the counter drugs.

LUNCH
Butterfly said she had kalua pig and rice and root beer.
I still could't handle the idea of drinking any more juice so I drank more water.

I was getting crankier and crankier, no doubt because of lack of nourishment, but I could't seem to force myself to drink any more juice. I rested until it was time to get Butterfly.

I walked as briskly as I could back down the hill and had 10 minutes to sit in the air-conditioned waiting room before Butterfly arrived.  She had had  a good day and said that she was feeling good about working with the patients.  I don't think I mentioned that she is volunteering in the long-term care facility that sits across the parking lot from the hospital.  She said she chatted with a gentleman that was originally from Arizona and that she was beginning to bond with some of the patients.  I was so happy to hear that.  She also said that she had already told the staff that she was volunteering 4 days a week beginning after she gets back from Girl's Camp next week. Wow!

We slowly walked back up the hill, resting once on the way.  Butterfly was a good sport and patiently waited for me.  We were both pretty pooped when we got home; me from walking 12 miles and she from walking 6 miles and being on her feet for 6 1/2 hours.  I was pretty proud of both of us.

By this time I was light-headed. I waited until almost 6 o'clock before deciding that since I was irritable, dizzy and absolutely revolted by the idea of blending up more juice, that it was time to end my juice fast. I needed real food.  So I ate 1/4 cup of Indian eggplant and tomatoes, 1/2 cup of fried rice, and 1/2 cup of chicken stir-fry.  Later I ate 1 slice of pumpkin bread.  My stomach had shrunk considerably so I couldn't eat much.  Good.

This has been a good experience for me.  I've lost 6 pounds in 8 days.  I can see my feet without bending forward. I've started exercising again. I've learned that green vegetables provide the nourishment that take away my foot/leg pain. I've learned that vegetables and fruit need to make up half the meal and I only need half of what I had been eating prior to the fast. I've also learned that I need a decent juice menu and a real plan the next time I do this.

I feel calm and centered again.