Feb 29, 2012

Juice Fast: Day 5

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I’m still going strong on the juice fast. It’s now Day 5 and I’m down another 1.4 lbs. I’ve now lost 7.4 lbs. total from my starting weight.

I’m almost halfway through my first ten days, which I’m pretty excited about. It gives me hope that I can keep this up even with as hard as it is. But, I’ve realized that it may not be kale that makes my juices taste like grass. It may be celery. I’m going to put less stalks in my juices from now on and see if that helps. *crosses fingers*

Last time, I felt the detox effects from the start. This time around, I started to feel them yesterday. I feel like I’m getting ready for a colonoscopy, which I’ve done, and it’s not too pleasant. I also feel a little tired in the mornings, not sleepy tired but no energy tired. Thankfully, after I have my first juice, I start to feel more energetic, even more energetic than I do eating a normal meal, healthy or not.

I’ve decided that I need to stop using Pinterest for the duration of this fast. There are way too many yummy looking foods being pinned on people’s boards and they’re making me hungry. When I see anything that looks remotely yummy, I just remember a saying I saw on Pinterest a while ago: “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.” In my mind, though, I’m thinking of it as: “Nothing tastes as good as healthy feels.”

Filed Under: Getting Healthy, Weight Loss · 18 Comments
Feb 28, 2012

Juice Fast: Day 4

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I started doing the juice fast again on Saturday. I didn’t post anything about it until today because I wanted to get past where I did the last time.

This time around has been a little bit easier, mostly because I’ve skipped out on the kale. Also, having had some time to deal with Cassie’s death makes a difference on my ability to stick with it, even if the drinks are less than desirable.

The juices this time around have tasted a little better because while I’m following the rules of 80% vegetables and 20% fruit, I’m not using the recipes on the reboot website. They’re too intense and earthy for me right now. I’ve substituted spinach for kale and red cabbage for beets. They’ve both made a huge difference since they have milder flavors. If I’m completely honest, though, I really like the juices at first, but then after I drink half of it, they start to wear on me. But, I still drink the rest. I’m hoping that as time goes on, I’ll start to enjoy them better and I may even be able to add the kale and beets back in since they’re so good for you.

I’m not deluding myself in thinking that I can keep this up for 60 days like I did the last time, mainly because 60 days is a long time to keep thinking about. I’m taking baby steps. I’ll get through 10 days first, then another 10 days, etc. and see how far I can get. I think this is much for manageable.

Also, since doing just the juice fast (no exercising yet), I’ve lost 6 lbs.

Filed Under: Getting Healthy, Weight Loss · 8 Comments
Feb 27, 2012

A New Home

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I’ve decided to do it. While I’ll still post book reviews and about books I love because they’re an integral part of my life, they won’t be the only thing I post about anymore. I want to share all of myself, not just my reader self.

And, as part of this change, I’ll no longer be blogging at my Getting Healthy blog. All my posts from there as well as any new information will be moved/posted here from now on, and I have some updates to post in the next few days regarding my journey to becoming a better, healthier me.

Miscellaneous entries from Getting Healthy Blog

There may be a few changes to this blog in the near future. I’ll let you know when I make my decision. And, I feel like I’m in a better state emotionally now and I feel like I can start getting back into the swing of things on my journey to becoming healthier. After hearing Grandma Bea’s life story at her funeral, I feel inspired to get out of this funk. She was active until the end and passed away at 94. I want to be like her.

*****

As far as progress since my last post, I’m finally back on track. I’ve started watching what I’m eating again. And, while I gained my 11 lbs. back plus two more after the loss of Cassie by not watching anything I ate, binging, and eating only crap for the most part, I’ve lost 5.8 lbs. in the last four days.

I’m going strong and I intend to keep it up. I know it’s hard to believe me because I’ve lost weight before and then gained it all back (the 13 lbs. in the last month is a pittance to a couple of years ago), I’m determined to see this through and change my lifestyle. I’m sick of always feeling bad. I’m sick of having no energy. I’m sick of being sick. And, the only way those things are going to change is by me taking the reins and being responsible for how I treat my body. Wish me luck and I’ll see you at my new home!

Filed Under: Blog, Getting Healthy, Weight Loss · 10 Comments
Feb 20, 2012

Please Tell Me

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I love to blog. It’s one of my favorite pastimes. But, I’ve felt a little blogged out lately because sometimes I feel like it’s just too much work to keep up with the book blogging world. Don’t get me wrong, I love book bloggers and blogging about books. I miss, however, blogging just to blog, blogging about anything that suits my fancy. I also feel like with my crazy schedule that I don’t post enough interesting posts about books because I just don’t have the time to devote to reading like I’d like to.

For the last few months, I’ve been contemplating whether to turn my blog back into a personal one. I’d still post bookish posts (reviews, author events, etc.), but I wouldn’t post about that exclusively anymore.

If I did this, would you still read my blog? Please answer the poll in the sidebar. If you have more to say than the poll options allow, please leave a comment on this post. Thanks!

Update: Poll closed.

Filed Under: Blog, Polls · 46 Comments
Feb 15, 2012

Review: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling

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Title: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Author: JK Rowling
Series: Harry Potter #3
Genre: Fantasy (Middle Grade)
Buy on Amazon · Add to Shelfari · Add to Goodreads

Harry Potter, along with his best friends, Ron and Hermione, is about to start his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry can’t wait to get back to school after the summer holidays (who wouldn’t if they lived with the horrible Dursleys?) But when Harry gets to Hogwarts, the atmosphere is tense. There’s an escaped mass murderer on the loose, and the sinister prison guards of Azkaban have been called in to guard the school….

There are a few minor spoilers in this review, mostly for the two previous books.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is my favorite story in the Harry Potter series. I love the dynamic of everything found in its pages–the characters, the adventure, the “mystery,” etc.

In Prisoner of Azkaban, the third year students finally get a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his stuff. You get to see the students learn how to battle boggarts, grindylows, hinkypunks, and much more. It’s fun to see how the students handle each of these obstacles. Professor Lupin is one of my favorite characters. I loved getting to know him and learning all about him and his life at Hogwarts as a student and as a teacher.

Speaking of teachers, Snape made me so angry in Prisoner of Azkaban. I wanted to reach through the pages and strangle him on more than one occasion. I remember hating him after finishing this book for the first time. You think he hates Harry in the first two books, but there’s nothing like his hatred for him in this book. I completely understand why Harry, Ron, and Hermione don’t trust him. I wouldn’t have either.

“You think the dead we loved ever truly leave us? You think that we don’t recall them more clearly than ever in times of great trouble?” Albus Dumbledore

It was also fun to see the growing pains Harry, Ron, and Hermione go through. At first, it seems as though their friendship is perfect, none of them can do wrong in each other’s eyes. But, in Prisoner of Azkaban, the reader sees that their friendship is just as susceptible to anger, hurt, indifference, and jealousy as any other friendship. But, their friendship is so strong, it can stand these hiccups and actually become stronger because of them. Their friendship, as I said in my review of Sorcerer’s Stone, is one to be jealous of.

I loved exploring Hogsmeade, the only all-Wizard town in England. It was fun to delve deeper into the wizarding world and explore all the different shops. It actually made me kind of jealous of the characters as I’d love to experience everything they did, especially the sweets and food.

My favorite thing about Prisoner of Azkaban is the concept of the Marauders and the Marauders’ Map. I love the back story of Loony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs. This is the main reason I don’t like the movie version of Prisoner of Azkaban very much because I think it doesn’t give enough time to explain the importance of the Marauders and the map.

Filed Under: Book Reviews ·  Tagged: , , · 8 Comments
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