Coffee vs. Juice in the Morning

Oooh the smell of a good dark roast brewing in my kitchen... there is nothing better.  I am a coffee-a-holic to say the least and I love walking into a Caribou, refilling my "to-go" mug and breathing in the aromas of my first cup of the day.

Needless to say... that mug of coffee is doing the exact opposite of what I want it to do... Wake me up!

We all know that coffee has caffeine in it.  What you might not know is the affect coffee has on your body vs. what natural fruits, vegetables and juices can do!

Coffee - One small cup in all it's supposed glory!

• 1 small cup has over 150 mg of caffeine (image what a grande has!)
• Stimulates the central nervous system by mimicking stress (fight or flight responses) within the body.  
• Produces Cortosol which increases belly fat production
• Taxing on adrenals, tissues and major organs
• Dehydrates and leaches vitamins and minerals from the body
• It takes 3 cups of water to replenish the body from 1 cup of coffee
• Increases signs of aging
• Lowers energy
• Increases bloating
• Imbalanced blood sugar
• Carb cravings
• Mood swings

No wonder coffee causes you to crash just hours after consumption!

Fresh Juice or Fresh Fruits/Vegetables - One cup in all its actual glory!

• Released slowly through the body for sustained energy
• 1 cup of juice has as much energy as up to 3 cups of coffee!
• Detoxes
• Contains natural sugars
• Increases cell health and regeneration
• Contains nutrients and minerals that coffee does not
• Hydrates the body
• Regulates blood sugar
• Powerful life enzymes
• "Blood building" capabilities
• Slow release of natural sugars/energy
• Best of all... NO CRASHES!

So next time you reach for something to "wake you up" in the morning, reach for a piece of fruit or make a glass of juice!  You will be amazed at the difference in the kind of energy you will feel. 

Try this as a morning wake-up alternative!

Green Tea Morning Cooler

• 1/2 cup fresh brewed green tea - chilled
• 2 green apples
• 1 bunch spinach
• 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 cucumber
• Small bunch of mint

Four Days = Four Pounds!

Four full days of my clean diet and juice program... and I'm already four pounds down!

I'm a real woman, a real-life mom with a realistic body... so don't judge the mom-pudge... I'm working on it just like all of you!

Initial results?

1. Was the PERFECT way to get back on track.
2. I lost four pounds in four days.
3. I can SEE a difference. Look at my day 2, 3 and 4 pics to the right... note the upper stomach!
4. Have successfully detoxed from caffeine.
5. Have slept more soundly than I have in weeks.
6. I feel more optimistic and positive about my life.
7. I am more patient and less reactive.
8. My mood is more even keeled.

Four days and I am turned around!  I would say that the concept of eating cleanly and drinking fresh juice is a great way to break cycles, get back on track or start a path to a "new you!"

MAKE IT HAPPEN!

The First Three Days - Think Clean!

I'm on day 3 of an intensive "clean diet" cleanse.  Brian, my brother, came up with the concept and catered the program to fit my lifestyle.  So... I'm trying it out as an option for our program!

Day 3

Last night I went to bed with a killer headache... the kind that pounds and reverberates throughout your whole head, neck and upper back.  I attribute it to the fact that I am cleansing, during extreme weather changes and have completely cut out caffeine and alcohol.  The combination all came together by the end of day two to force me to bed early with a visit to the chiropractor and an ice back on my neck.

I woke up today feeling like a million dollars!  My headache is gone and actually my head is clearer and more alert than it has been in weeks.  I have some before and after pictures that I'll post at the end of the two weeks to show the progress, but within the first three days my jeans are starting to hang off my waste and my stomach is already looking more flat.

So what am I doing?

I'm embracing a "clean diet."  This means that I have cut out most foods that cause inflammation, some key "no-no's" are:

• Dairy
• Animal proteins
• Corn
• Sand-alone oils
• Heavy cooking
• White grains/starches
• Sweets (white sugar, processed candy, baked goods...)
• Alcohol
• Caffeine

Than what am I eating? 

• Complex grains (brown or wild rice, quinoa and barley)
• Sweet Potatoes (roasted or steamed with a tiny pinch of sea salt)
• Fresh vegetables... any kind... as much as I want
• Fresh fruits... any kind... as much as I want
• Fresh juice, mainly greens and herbs with apple, lemon and ginger to taste
• Tea
• Coconut meat and water
• Small handfulls of raw nuts (try to stay away from peanuts)
• Water... lots and lots of WATER

I'm going to keep the updates coming... in the meantime, if you want more information about this cleanse, let me know.  What a great way to be able to show off that flat stomach for summer!