My mom got a juicer (a second one!) back in 2009 and it came with a hard cover book by Brendan McCarthy about a 7-day weight loss program with juicing. I never got around to trying it until now. For one, I didn't have to. I was a 99-lb single woman back then after all. But I got married in 2011 and gave birth to a bouncing baby boy, then my weight plateaued at 120 lbs (54.5 kg). I'm still unhappy with my size because most of my favorite old clothes don't fit me (for over a year I got stuck at size 6 or on better days, a 4). I refused to go on crazy diets that aren't safe for breastfeeding as well as I don't have the means to go through any noninvasive procedures for body toning and fat burning again. Most people know that juicing is good because of all the fruits and vegetables you'll be consuming together with the essential nutrients and vitamins. Question is... is juicing for you? Is it for me?

There's only one way to find out! You know I've gone through all sorts of diet programs in my life and still I really wanted to give this a go. The pros will definitely outweigh the cons, I figured. A little sacrifice will surely go a long way. So here's my story.

Day 1: I thought I was going to die. No, seriously. Even though I've been fasting (well, sorta!) and eating no meat for the past month, since Ash Wednesday (Feb. 13) to be exact, I felt like not being able to chew anything really gave me hell. Take note, I don't eat carrots, pears, nor apples. Honest! I'm just you know, the pakwan-langka-makopa-guyabano-bayabas-mais-kamote-eating Pinay. It's crazy because the hunger pangs made me want to pull my hair out. It made me want to give up already. Doing this cleanse really was extra challenging for yours truly. But you know what they say... NO PAIN, NO GAIN. Note: Make sure there's an available toilet near, because I had to go quite a number of times.

For detox purposes.

How can I possibly not drink this when my son actually LOVES it!? Natandog akong garbo ha!

Day 2: This must be what they call caffeine withdrawal. It's killing me! I'm a very migraine-prone person and last night I had a splitting headache that lasted the whole time even when I woke up to pee around dawn. Thankfully, the headache went away by the time I woke up which was around 10:30 am already. So tired and so weak. I felt like my energy was completely drained. Now I know what a battery or my phone feels like when it's out of juice. Another gripe I have with juicing is cleaning the juicer. What a pain in the arse! I used two juicers. because one broke down during my 7-day program. One is a really old Imarflex juicer and one is a newer (also a couple years old) Jumpstart Juicer Pro. Guess which one gave up? Hehe. Maybe I'll invest in a more expensive juicer when I really get the hang of this and continue juicing for life. Maybe this  Christmas, Santa might send me a Breville BJS600XL Fountain Crush Masticating Slow Juicer or an Omega VRT350 Heavy Duty Dual-Stage Vertical Single Auger Low Speed Juicer Silver. Tee hee. But really, remind me again why I'm doing this? Oh, that's right! Because I need to lose weight, detox my body, and feel healthier overall. That's right. I just have to keep telling myself that. You know, it's also difficult to look for certain fruits and veggies in this small town. I had to improvise and substitute fruits for others. I know this program is doomed from the start because I'm not following it to the letter. But let's just wait and see. *crossing my fingers*

Warm lemon water. No coffee and tea for me. When I get thirsty, I drink this.

Snack time! Mango, Apple, and Oranges freshly juiced! This wasn't part of the program but my taste buds were killing me!

It tastes insanely weird for me who does not eat anything green! OMG celery, what in the world???

Day 3: Ahhhh! 3 days down, 3 lbs off. Now with better tasting juices! FINALLY! I am so sick of carrots, honestly. And I am like pooping beta-carotene, TMI. But I still had to drink carrot juice today, although with fruits/veggies other than just apples and pears now. So, hurray!!! I didn't really believe I'd make it this far. I've kept my headaches at bay using the Indian breathing technique my mom imparted and with a little bit of research, I found some other natural headache remedies I could use. I'm wearing my computer glasses as well so as not to trigger my migraine and my light sensitivity. Also, I am still breastfeeding my son randomly throughout the day and at night and I believe NoodleLito is also reaping all sorts of benefits - nutrients and vitamins - from what I've been drinking. He also drinks a bit of the juices I make since it is without a doubt good for him, too!

Very easy to swallow! My taste buds are extremely happy!

I really don't think I can handle any more carrots. XD Ugh.

Day 4: Halfway there! So happy I have a husband that is extremely supportive. We went to a party today and I brought my juices. He takes pride in my willpower and tells me if I were a fantasy character, I'd be a mage. LOL! I never once got tempted to eat the savory roast duck during lunch or the gallons of ice cream. My taste buds must be having colds or something. Hehe. No headaches today and in fact, even though I had to wake up early because NoodleLito wet the bed and woke up around 4am, I don't feel tired at all. The first few days/night I was so lethargic but now I feel renewed and back to my naturally "hyper" self. We didn't even have a maid (helper) with us to watch over our super active toddler at the pool with the kiddos but I managed through the whole day (and night!).

Breakfast was not so great but the lunch concoction was really yum!

Meh.

My dinner was absolutely disgusting horrible weird. My gag reflex started to act up on me! Yikes!

Day 5: Today starts the fat burning process and I can't wait to see further results. I have a feeling the concoctions will be more veggies than fruits, but you know me, the ever rule-breaker so I tend to have 1:1 or more fruits. LOL. But that's just me. Like I said, I'm not really following the program strictly, primarily because some fruits and vegetables aren't available here in this island at this side of the world. So I'll have to make do with what I can get. Noodle Boy says I'm losing the love handles *wink*wink* and my size 27 jeans can be pulled down so easily I need to wear a belt! So yes, I'm probably back to a size 26 (perhaps maybe even a 25 at the end of the program?). I must go look for my old jeans and see if they fit me once more.

This woke me up better than coffee! I should make this a morning habit!

CAPPisce & Peachy Keen, my 2 favorite drinks with this program.

I'm not quite sure about my cholesterol levels but this drink is for flushing out the bad ones.

This wasn't as bad as I expected. I found this one quite tolerable.

Day 6: ZOMG! I can't believe it! I'm almost done with the program. Can't wait to see if the fat burning recipes will really take away all the fat in my abdomen and face. Staying positive!

How they looked before they were juiced.

Now it's all juiced and ready for slurping!

Best tasting juices.

I made the extra mango and oranges for my "dessert". LOL.

Day 7: And just like that I'll soon be done with the 7-day weight loss program with juicing! The support I'm getting from friends and family is crazy! I love it... They are all responsible for this feat. I mean, I can motivate myself but with them cheering me on is just amazing! Thank you so much everyone for rooting for me. I couldn't have done it without you. I mean it, really. It definitely helped me stay on track and at the same time want to accomplish this so I can show you the wonderful results.

To cleanse the liver, kidneys, and digestive system and gives energy while the body is still flushing toxins.

Perfect way to end the program with this calming blend and to help regain a healthy body by lowering blood pressure and releasing toxins.

In summary, here's what the 7 days of juicing did to my body:

• DAY 1 - Prepare the body for quick and natural weight loss
• DAY 2 - Eliminate air and gas as well as removes the primary stage of bloating and any indigestion
• DAY 3 - Focus on the second stage of bloating. Also for water retention as it balances H2O in the body & flushes the toxins
• DAY 4 - Flush more toxins and increases energy levels
• DAY 5 - Prepare the body for the remaining 3 days of systematic release of fat 
• DAY 6 - Flush the unwanted fat, cholesterol, and most of all the stubborn fats at the waist line
• DAY 7 - Remove the thin layer of subQ fat, facial puffiness, & hidden fat to reveal the muscle tone. Also improves skin appearance making it look healthy!

SO NOW... JUDGE FOR YOURSELVES!

BEFORE AND AFTER 7 days of the Jump Start Juicing program:

TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS: 8 lbs!

Whoop-de-doo! Can you see the difference??? Better have your eyes checked if you haven't. I wanted to get rid of my bloated abdomen because I looked pregnant and so irked at people asking me that question. LOL! Glad to say the juicing worked! It may not be the same drastic results as the others who seriously followed the weight loss program with juicing (especially the ones featured in the book) but I am one happy camper! Can't complain...

One of my pre-pregnancy shirts fit me! Meaning I can wear my old clothes again!!!

A much happier 112-lb me!!!

THE 3 C's!!! TIPS TO SUCCEED IN JUICING by MyMaria:

1. Clear your schedule. It is important not to be tempted to attend parties and other events where drinks and amazing food will be served. Holy Week would be the perfect time to do this. Jesus fasted for 40 days, so why not do it for 7?!
2. Conserve energy. Since it's fasting, you shouldn't do anything strenuous. If you must exercise, just do some stretching or Yoga. As for me, carrying my big baby boy and chasing him around all day is more than enough. Tee hee. Noodle Boy even advised me to stop talking so much so I can save my strength. (Referring to how animated I talk. LOL!)
3. Chill out. Take 7 days off if you can! Stay away from Instagram or Facebook. With the amount of food porn in social networks, it'll only make you hungry (and grumpy!) especially during the first few days. And speaking of chilling out, I drink my juices with so much ice. So my juices aren't just chilled, but they are ice cold. Whatever floats your boat, right? :)

And above all, NEVER GIVE UP! Noodle Boy kept me motivated as if he were a boxing coach. Always keep an optimistic view because it's all in the mind. Even if your mind says you must eat food, remember that what you're drinking contains more vitamins and nutrients than that box of pizza or whatever it is you're craving for.

All you need.. PLUS A LOT OF DETERMINATION!!!

Frequently Asked Questions by friends and family:

1. Did you feel hungry? Yes, but not like sooooo-hungry-I-can-eat-a-whole-cow-help-me-I'm-dying kind of hunger . I drink the juices or water whenever I get a borborygmus. :)

2. How's the taste? Sometimes I would hold my breath as I drink the juices. I'm not fond of eating vegetables at all and the smell and taste just turns me off. As far as the taste, the first sip is always weird but you get used to it immediately. I especially loved the ones with fruits. So tasty and refreshing!

3. How much juice do you drink per meal? I drank about 16oz or 500 mL.

4. So absolutely no solids? Yes. Pure juicing, no solids. Not even the fruits and veggies. I even strained them before drinking just to get some of the little solid chunks out. I also drank a lot of water or lemon water.

5. How long did you store your juices? I made juices twice a day. Once in the morning for my breakfast, snacks, and lunch. Then in the afternoon for snacks and dinner. You're not supposed to store them for long and must drink them as soon as they're juiced to get all the important nutrients. Though I probably put some juices in the freezer for 4-6 hours during the program.

6. Did you feel tired? The first two days I was lethargic and crabby but by the third day I was totally renewed. No issues with declining strength, mental acuity, or irritability. I suggest the first two days you lock yourself in your room because depending on the amount being cleansed/detoxed from your body, your symptoms could be worse than what I went through with my caffeine withdrawal.

7. What about your cravings?  To tell you the truth, I was PMSing. But then I got my period on the 5th day of juicing, I was okay. ;) I didn't even get dysmenorrhea which I often do. I was super tempted to eat during the first two days but with amazing sheer willpower *pats myself on back* I did not for once cheat. Cheating on... yourself??? Seriously. That's just crazy.

8. What's the program called and where can I get the recipes? I can share with you my recipes which I based on the book but I really suggest you get a copy of Brendan McCarthy's 7-day Jump Start Juicing Weight Loss Program. It's available in digital format (ebook) if you can't find the hard cover book like mine. I really hope you get a copy and read all the important stuff you need to know BEFORE juicing and what to do AFTER. There are so many good things you can pick up from the book. The information in there is priceless! Plus it comes with so many more healthy recipes you can try along with what the juices are for, i.e. good for the skin, flushes out cholesterol, weight loss, for the liver and kidneys, etc. VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have existing medical conditions, have issues with your blood pressure, or experience some sort of hypoglycemia, please consult your doctor first before doing this program!

9. Did you get paid to do this? No. I did this for myself so I can lose weight and get back to proper eating. Bought ingredients with Noodle Boy and extremely thankful for my mom to be ever supportive as well as buying me all these expensive fruits (because pears are expensive here, you know!). The juicers I used were hers so I didn't have to buy one. I love my mom! Ain't she something? Also I would like to thank my Yaya Mila who was the one who went to the market to look for those fresh vegetables and carried those 8 kilos of carrots and helped me clean the juicers (which is a total pain!) every night.

10. What if the vegetables/fruits aren't available for a certain recipe? I did what I had to do. SUBSTITUTE and IMPROVISE. Like I said, I wasn't able to follow the program to the letter, but I still managed to get great results. If you do it correctly, you're supposed to lose 10 lbs or more after 7 days. I got 8 lbs off and that's fine with me. I can always keep juicing to lose a few more inches and pounds off.

If you have any suggestions, violent reactions, or just want to share your thoughts with me, feel free to do so in the comment section below. Thanks for reading this post and good luck with juicing for losing weight and for a healthier lifestyle!!!



UPDATE 5/23/2013:

2 months later. I didn't gain back a single pound. In fact, I continued to lose weight slowly but surely with healthy eating.