Bodyweight Series: Squats

Lord, Please Make My . . . Smaller/Bigger/Tighter
We as women are a pretty self-conscious bunch, especially when it comes to our bodies. There's always something on our person that we want to be smaller.  Or bigger.  Or tighter.  Or rounder.  Regardless of what change in shape, size, or texture we want, I would venture to say that {in my non-expert opinion} I think I know exactly which body part we all want to change.

The Batootie.

 The butt, bum, derriere, trunk, badonkadonk, bottom, tush, rear, or in my family's case {thanks to my dad's Polish background...} the doopa. 

When You Wish Upon the Butt Genie

Whatever it is that you affectionately call your posterior, I doubt that you would call it strong.  That’s probably not something you would have thought to wish for if the Butt Genie were to show up on your front door step.  Why should you want a strong butt? Because a strong butt means a smaller, tighter, non-jiggly butt…which I KNOWis what you want!

The Butt Genie would like to make your wish come true! With a wave of his hands and an “Abra, Kadabra, Alakazaam!”, he gives you…

The Squat

Squats are the essence of functional movements for us bipedal people.  We squat to pick up children and dropped keys.  We squat when going from a sitting to standing position. Heck, my 1-year-old squats constantly as he has recently started walking and loves taste testing everything on the floor {I pick it up, it goes in my mouth, I drop it, I pick it up again…}

Squats are vital in maintaining healthy backs, knees, and hips. And butts!  It’s a simple yet super effective move to strengthen your entire core, increase mobility and flexibility, and lift, lift, LIFT that doopa!

I can honestly say that I have definitely noticed a huge difference in my tush and hamstrings in only a few months’ time of doing squats on a regular basis.  It’s easier to pick up my boys, grab things off the ground or in low cabinets, and do yard work.  Going up two flights of stairs every day at work is cake. 

My pants fit way better in the back side.  I have one pair of work pants that make me chuckle because I can’t actually say they’re bigger in the butt on me now.  Truth be told, they’re actually tighter around the upper part of my butt and loose in the bottom part.  I just laugh and think, “My butt may be getting bigger…but at least it’s more lifted!” 

So let’s drop it!

How to Squat

•Start with feet shoulder width and slightly toed out.

•Keep the head up.

•Maintain the lumbar curve of the lower back.

•Keep the midsection tight.

•Send the butt back and down.

•Keep the pressure on the heels.

•Delay the knees forward travel as much as possible.

•Lift the arms as the butt drops down.

{Thighs should drop “below parallel”}

•Squeeze the glutes and hamstrings to rise.

•Stand tall at the top*

Squat Variations

Front Squat

Add weight to your squats by using a barbell, dumbbells, kettlebell, child, dog, bag of sand…anything!  The front squat allows your torso to remain more vertical, but the movement does not target the hamstrings and glutes as directly as the back squat.

Back Squat

Same as front squat but instead of weight being in the “front rack” position, the weight is behind.  Typically, one should be able to back squat a higher weight load compared to their front squat.  This movement targets quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and abs.  However, back squats can be a little more taxing on your spine.

Overhead Squat

Dubbed the “ultimate core exercise” by CrossFit’s Greg Glassman, the overhead squat is an extremely challenging movement.  Elbows are locked out as you hold the weight up while you squat.

Single Leg or Pistol Squat

This one really tests your balance!  I couldn’t do these just a few months ago. I tried last week for the first time and was super stoked that I could do them without falling over and feeling like a fool.  You can start by using a chair to help you balance.  To make it more challenging, try to get your butt as close to the ground as possible.

Lots of love, Dawn

*http://www.rebelfitnesssquamish.com/2011/11/12/the-squat-test-and-foundation-for-functional-movement/

No Boundaries. Stop stereotyping.

She's such an inspiration! 

Ladies, don't be afraid to lift, climb, push, drag, carry,  pull, & swing. Push yourself to a new fitness level, eat more, lean out  and build muscle! 

You're not going to look like a guy unless you're taking some sort of drug supplements. I promise. 

Strong and muscular women is the new "skinny" right?! ;) 

 ~Inspirational and motivational thoughts coming your way, with love from Mel! 

Read this awesome article! 

http://m.utsandiego.com/news/2013/Jul/18/crossfit-camille-leblanc-bazinet/2/

Burn of the Day {7.19.13}

It's one hour and 20 minutes of torture, but your body will thank you and reward you for it! Take breaks as needed.... It's Ok, I promise! 

Stay fit and healthy ladies (and men) by exercising and eating healthy! Still allow yourself your cheat meals/drinks and still enjoy the pleasures in life, but in moderation! ;) 

My post-workout omelette: four egg whites, one yolk, fresh basil, green onion, grape tomatoes, red bell pepper, minced garlic, cooked with EVOO, topped with one small avocado. It was so delicious and very satisfying. 

Burn of the Day {7.18.13}

Get it in ladies! 

Burn of the Day (7.17.13)

Burn baby burn and sweat like crazy! 

Kicked My Own Butt! (7.16.13)

I was in Canada for 10 days on a missions trip with my church youth group. I brought my workout clothes thinking I would actually have time to workout. Who was I fooling?!?? There was absolutely no down time to workout. 

My days started at 5:30am waiting in line to take a shower. My days didn't end until around 1:00am. I was literally running on fumes each day. 

After driving 20 hours back home (I drove 16 out of the 20 hours),  I decided to take another two days off to SLEEP! Oh how I missed sleep and my own bed. 

With that being said, I took 12 days off from working out! That's a lot when you're used to working out 5-6 days a week. My motto for my workout this morning, was "go big or go home." I had a love hate relationship with my workout today, but I'm so glad I did it. 

Keep moving friends! Even though I was walking non-stop on my trip and we even went on two hikes, it still wasn't good enough! Our bodies need to do more than just walking. 

Mel's WOD/BOD:

Burn of the Day 7/16/13

Good morning! I used my barbell for the overhead squats. If you don't have a barbell, you can use any weights...a kettlebell, dumbbell, son, or daughter! Be creative! Or you can do squats without the added weight. Post time to comments!

Workout courtesy of www.crossfit.com

Image courtesy of www.crossfitbattlefield.com

Burn of the Day 7/15/13

3 Rounds

15 Hang Power Cleans {65, 45, or 25 lbs}

15 Burpees

Workout courtesy of www.crossfitmom.com

Image courtesy of catalyst-strong.com

Burn of the Day 7/12/13

4 Rounds For Time:

20 Pistol Squats

10 Push-ups

5 Burpees

Post time to comments!

Burn of the Day 7/10/13

AMRAP {As Many Rounds As Possible}

5 minutes

15 Overhead Lunges {20 lbs}

15 Kettlebell Swings {20+ lbs}

Image courtesy of www.crossfitblackhawk66mil.com

Burn of the Day {BOD} 7/8/13

"Faith"

3 Rounds of:
Burpees
Power snatch, 20 lbs
Box jump, 18" box
Thrusters, 20 lbs
Pull-ups

Same format as CrossFit's Fight Gone Bad workout.  In this workout, you move from each of 5 stations after a minute.  This is a five-minute round from which a one-minute break is allowed before repeating.  The clock does not reset of stop between exercises.  The athlete must move to next station at the end of each minute.  One point is given for each rep.  Post score to comments!

Lots of love, Dawn

Workout courtesy of cfmamas.blogspot.com
Image courtesy of CrossFit East Sacramento

Cardio Makes You Fat

I saw this article on Yahoo Health today and thought it was pretty thought-provoking.  Your thoughts?  Written by Jim Karas, a four-time New York Times bestselling author and weight-loss professional...

Are you interested in gaining weight? If you are, perform cardiovascular exercise, and a lot of it.

Are you interested in losing weight? Then you should cut back on classic cardiovascular exercise. Shun it, even. Abolish it. Throw out your treadmill or better yet, give it to someone you don’t like as cardio doesn’t work if your goal is long-term weight loss. There truly is only one reason to exercise: To increase your metabolism in order to burn more calories 24 hours a day, seven days a week. What is the only style of exercise that accomplishes that goal? Strength training. Increasing your metabolism through strength training is the key to successful, permanent weight loss.

Why? Because a classic diet coupled with cardiovascular exercise will result in weight loss, but it will come at a cost as 60% of the weight loss will be fat (that's good!) while the remaining 40% will come from muscle (that's really, really bad!).

Natural Muscle Loss After Age 20

You never want to lose lean muscle tissue. It's simple mathematics.

• One pound of muscle burns six calories per pound per day.
• One pound of fat burns two calories per pound per day.

That four calorie difference may not sound like much, but for most people, that’s the difference between living lean and living obese and even morbidly obese (defined by those who are 100 or more pounds overweight).

To further complicate things, after the age of 20, the average person loses one-half to seven-tenths of a pound of muscle a year. That’s 5 to 7 pounds a decade.

As women approach menopause, the rate at which they lose muscle doubles, which is why so many women begin to gain weight right around that time of life.

After the age of 70, the average person loses 3 pounds of muscle—per year! And you wonder why some of our formerly lean celebrities blow up before our eyes. Did I hear William Shatner? Come on, did young Captain Kirk look like he had a weight problem?

Why is this weight gain happening? It's simple—muscle loss. When you lose muscle, your metabolism is destroyed.

You are also decimating your metabolism by dieting without exercise or dieting with cardio. Your successful weight loss formula is dieting plus strength training. Period.

How Cardio (Negatively) Effects Your Body

In 2007, my book The Cardio-Free Diet was published and went on to become a New York Times best seller. The original title of the book was CARDIO KILLS, and to this day I believe that was a far more effective representations of my opinion. That book represented a revolutionary, highly controversial approach to exercise, which continues to gain a huge following. I firmly believe that classic cardiovascular exercise is a total waste of your time because it has adverse effects on your body in the following ways:

• Your Joints: An article about "boomeritis" in The New York Times reveals that the number two reason baby boomers visit their doctor is because of an exercise-related injury, most of which are attributable to the punishing nature of classic cardio.
• Your Posture: Do you really want the rounded shoulder, chin jutting alignment of a runner, stair stepper or spin fanatic?
• Your Immunity: Want to get sick and tired? Blast the life out of your immunity, which is what happens after 20 to 30 minutes of classic cardio. Why do you think so many marathon runners get sick post event or during training?
• Your Lungs: A brilliant article by Men's Health called “Dying Breaths” proved that while exercising in a heavily polluted area, such as Central Park or along Lake Shore Drive in Chicago (my hometown), you are gulping down gallons of toxic air. You might as well put your mouth over the exhaust of your car as that is the quality of what you are breathing. Just think of what those toxins are doing to your insides? How about the wrinkled, gray pallor of most runners’ faces. Ever wonder why?
• Your Shape: If you are shaped like a pear and do manage to lose a few pounds with cardio, what do you end up looking like? A smaller pear. This won’t get me out of bed and into the gym with gusto as cardio does nothing to change your body’s composition and often results in a big old muffin top from all the stress.
• Your Muscle: After 20 to 30 minutes, most classic, steady state cardiovascular exercise begins to chew up your precious, calorie-burning muscle. Shocking to realize that something you believed was the ultimate weight-loss tool ends up being the ultimate weight-gain tool because the moment you chew up that muscle, you are in a metabolic free fall.

But wait, there is one thing cardio doesn’t kill—your appetite. Go out for a run, burn a few calories, and then come back and eat up twice as many calories. Translation: Weight (and fat) gain. Doesn’t sound like a solution to me.

Interval Training Works Best
Clearly exercise is a must to lose weight, so what should you be doing? Only interval-based strength training. Here are the benefits:

• Better heart health than classic cardio because exercising in intervals enhances what is called heart rate variability, and by doing so, you reduce your risk of heart disease much more than classic cardio.
• A maintenance and increase in your lean muscle tissue. A diet without strength training results in a diminished metabolism. I bet you always wondered why you couldn’t keep the weight off. It’s simple, without strength training, you are all but doomed to fail.
• An enhanced after burn. You never want to worry about the calories you burn during exercise. More important are the calories burned after exercise, called EPOC (Excess, Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption). You get up to 38 hours of EPOC from interval-based strength training. That is the key to long-term weight loss success. (You get maybe two to three hours of EPOC from classic cardio training.) 
• Optimized posture. When you properly balance your interval-based strength training, you immediately see improvement in your posture.  
• Flat abs. Honestly, most abdominal exercises are a complete and utter waste of time. Want to burn abdominal fat? Strength train your upper and lower body, blast off that fat, and reveal defined abs. 
• Results. If you don’t believe me, take the “Jim Karas Challenge.” Go to your gym, and look at the people performing cardio. More than likely, they are not in shape, hanging over the machines, frowning, and burning nothing but their precious time, which all but guarantees that they will continue to “live life large,” and that’s not “large” in a good way. Then look at the people performing strength training. What do you see? People who are long and lean with flat abs, great posture, and sexy bodies. Which person would you rather be?

_____________________________________________________________________
Jim Karas is unique in the weight loss and fitness industry because he combines a degree from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania with more than 27 years of unparalleled success as a weight-loss professional. Jim is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, which includes his most recent NYT bestseller, The Petite Advantage Diet.

As the fitness contributor on ABC's Good Morning America, Jim helped former cohost Diane Sawyer lose more than 25 pounds. He has been a regular guest on The Dr. Oz Show, The View, CNN, and Fox News, to name a few.

Jim has served as a contributing editor for Good Housekeeping magazine and has written feature articles for countless other national publications, including "O" The Oprah Magazine (and he helped editor-at large and Oprah’s bff, Gayle King, lose 25 pounds). Jim and his team of trainers also continue to personally work with one of People magazine's “Sexiest Man Alive" Hugh Jackman and with countless other celebrities, CEOs, and soccer moms in Chicago and New York.
In addition, Jim is a widely sought after as a keynote speaker for many of the country’s most prominent corporations, trade associations, small businesses, and special interest groups.

For more information, please visit www.jimkaras.com

Burn of the Day {BOD} 7/6/13

5 minutes:

Handstand hold against wall till failure, then...

Air squats till failure

Repeat until 5 minutes are up

2 minute rest

5 minutes:

Plank till failure, then...

Tuck jumps till failure

Repeat until 5 minutes are up

Wall Handstand variations...

Tuck jumps...

Burn of the Day {BOD} 7/5/13

Warm-up:

3-3-3-3-3

45# barbell Overhead Squats

MetCon:

Every Minute on the Minute {I love using this YouTube video timer for EMOTM workouts. It beeps every minute for 30 minutes} http://youtu.be/Y-AYC3_DbpY

5 push-ups

15 American or Russian Kettlebell Swings {35#}

Add 1 push-up each successive minute until failure

Here's a hint on kettlebell swings...your quads should not be burning. This is not a squat! Yes, you are bending your knees, but just enough to "catch" the kettlebell on the downswing. It's more of a hip thrust action to get that sucker up to overhead {American} or to shoulder or eye-level {Russian}.

American Kettlebell Swing

Russian Kettlebell Swing

Lots of love,

Dawn

Burn of the Day 7.4.13

Happy Independence Day!

7.44 mile run (7:53 pace) 

(One round using 20 lb. kettlebell):

*15  box jumps

*30 deep squats 

*15 push ups 

*25 KB swings w/ deep squat 

*25 punch swings r arm

*25 punch swings L arm 

*15 KB squats w/over the head press

*25 over the head KB swings with squat 

*15 box jumps 

*20  KB squats with over the head press

Burn of the Day {BOD} 7/4/13

100 Lunges {50 each side}

100 Push-ups

100 Sit-ups

100 Squats

cfmamas.blogspot.com

Lots of love, Dawn

Burn of the Day 7.3.13

Get your sweat on!

 I have/had (still going strong today) been so busy, overwhelmed, and a little stressed out today. I ALMOST didn't workout today because of my busy day. I am so glad I MADE time to do this. This entire workout took less than 90 minutes.

I'm feeling much better now. Remember, working out is cheaper than therapy! 

Post your times!  

*6 miles on treadmill (7:50 pace) 

*120 sit-ups tossing 10lb. medicine ball

*Seated Row (10x3 reps with 85 lbs.)

*Row (10x3 reps with 90lbs)

*(1 round)

Using 20 lb. KB: 

15 box jumps (20 inch)

15 push ups (not girly)

25 KB swings w/deep squat

30 squats (no KB) 

25 punch swings L arm

25 punch swings R arm

15 deep squats w/high KB press

25 over the head swings with deep squat 

20 burpees

Burn of the Day {BOD} 7/3/14

For Time:

100 Burpees

Take your time. Breathe. You're welcome :)

Lots of love,

Dawn

Burn of the Day 7-2-13

Power through it! Take a rest as needed! Drink plenty of water. 

6 mile run on treadmill or on trail

120 sit-ups with 10lb ball

25 V Ups

10 box jumps 

50 KB snatches (25 Right, 25 left)

25 push-ups

50 KB swings

20 Burpees

10  box jumps 

50 KB Clean & Press (25 right, 25 left)

50 mountain climbers

75 deep squats 

Burn of the Day {BOD} 7/2/13

4 Rounds For Time:

30 Squats

20 Push-ups

1:00 Plank

Partition...partition...partition...

If you can't do 30 squats straight through or hold a plank for a minute, partition if out. Do 15 squats, take a teeny quick breather, then do the remaining 15 squats. Hold a plank for 30 seconds, release for just a few seconds, then hold for the remaining 30 seconds. You can do it!

Lots of love, Dawn

Burn of the Day {BOD} 6/30/13

Every Minute On The Minute

1 Squat

1 Push-up

1 Burpee

Add 1 rep to each movement with each successive minute until failure.

Post time to comments!

Lots of love,

Dawn

Burn of the Day {BOD} 6/29/13

 

7 Rounds For Time:

7 Burpees {more info on burpees here!}

7 Squats

7 Sit-ups

Post time to comments!

Burn of the Day {BOD} 6/28/13

CrossFit posts their Workout of the Day {WOD} each day on their website...we're going to start posting our Burn of the Day {BOD} for all you lovely ladies! Do the BOD, and work your bod!

For Time:

25 Squats, 5 Push-ups

20 Squats, 10 Push-ups

15 Squats, 15 Push-ups

10 Squats, 20 Push-ups

5 Squats, 25 Push-ups

Squats: Thighs should drop past parallel. In other words, you should feel the back of the thighs touch the back of your calves.

Push-ups: Modify as needed. Hands can go against a wall, on a desk or chair, or on the floor for strict push-ups. You can also do push-ups on your knees instead.

Post your time to comments!

Burn and Fuel Woman: Mindy Spencer

Since Burn and Fuel Women is about inspiring and encouraging women, we decided to feature spotlight stories of women close to us who we believe are beyond inspirational. This blog is about all of you, not us. Sure, Mel and I like to write about our runs or various workouts, but at the end of the day, we want to hear your stories and allow others to draw inspiration from your challenges and accomplishments. 

Mindy is a dear friend of mine who I have known {and loved!} for several years from church. She is always such a pleasure to be around and has the sweetest spirit. I asked her to be the first BAFW profile because I have seen her life just blossom with amazing opportunities just in the past several months. She has always been beautiful inside and out to me.  But now she looks smokin' hot! I am so thrilled about her dedication and hard work to get to where she is today...I know it hasn't been easy, friend!

Here's Mindy's story...

My fitness journey begins when I was 20 years old and in college. At the time, I was taking 22 units, working two jobs and at my ultimate breaking point of the amount of stress my body could take. What can I say... I have a high amount of "Achiever" in me. I believe in hard work and doing your very best. 

After awhile I started feeling very ill and noticed I wasn't able to recover from it. It took about two years to get the correct diagnosis. I had Crohn's Disease, an autoimmune deficiency that happens to some young people. I was immediately placed on a steroid, Prednisone, which brought on significant weight gain. 

At that point in my life I was in "survival mode." I was struggling just to get to my next class. But nothing was going to stand in my way of getting my degree, not even an illness. Regardless of my ambition for school, my body was not getting excercise and the nutrition it needed. Emotionally, I was such a mess from everything that I didn't even have time to care. 

Let's skip forward six years...

I am in remission at this point, graduated and in a full-time job. I am finally able to take on the issue that I knew was so important and that I had been almost too "scared" of taking care of. I knew I HAD to get healthy. My body needed it so that I could function fully. I desired to be strong. To not be afraid of the body that I felt had failed me. 

I realized I had a choice and knew that I could do this. I joined Weight Watchers in August of 2012. The nutrition classes they offer were incredibly helpful, especially for a person who has diet constraints due to illness. I also took up running since adopting a rambunctious puppy, as well as getting back to some old loves of mine: hiking and tennis. 

Skip forward to today, June 2013. I am 35 pounds lighter! It's crazy how much you find that you are able to do activity-wise when your body is in shape. I even recently lead a fitness challenge at my work place that had coworkers track their activity level in "steps." It was awesome to get to coordinate that and it definitely kept me in check. 

What's ahead? The same thing. Consistency, I'm finding, is key. Sometimes you have to get to your breaking point to realize that you have to make a change. In my case it was exactly that, and it worked. My hope is to continue taking adventures in the great outdoors and lose about 15 more pounds. Slowly but surely, you can achieve all things!


-mindy spencer 

Bodyweight Series: Burpees

We'll be starting a series on the cheapest, most convenient, and most effective piece of exercise equipment ever...your own body weight!

No gym membership required.

No fancy schmancy equipment.

All you need is a floor...and you!

It's freer than free!

Can literally be done any place, any time, while wearing {or not wearing!} anything.

Let's first look at burpees...

Burpees may just be the single best exercise that you can possibly do.  And yet, burpees are one of those exercises that people absolutely love to hate. It's hard not to hate something that kicks your butt, leaves you a millimeter from passing out, and burns the besqueezus out of every muscle in your body. This will burn crazy calories, shed fat all over, and make you stronger while working your arms, abs, glutes, hamstrings, quads, and chest.

I think there's something wrong with my neurological wiring because I just love doing burpees {strangely enough} for the same reason people want to give them the middle finger.

If you search the web, you'll find a whole heck of a lot of burpee variations, depending on how hard you want to get knocked on your tush. But the idea is that you go from a vertical position to horizontal then back up to vertical as quickly as you can. Like this...

4-Point Burpee

Start standing.

Squat.

Kick feet back to plank/push-up position.

Pull feet back in to squat.

Back up to standing or jump up.

6-point/Push-Up Burpee: For an extra challenge, there's the 6-point burpee which adds a push-up {chest to touch the ground} from the plank position.

Burpee Box Jumps: Instead of standing up or jumping straight up, jump on to a plyometric box.

There's some burpees that exhibit poor form and good form. For example, CrossFit's version of burpees are the perfect example of the former. It goes a little something like this:

Squat. Kick out {more like flop down} to touch chest and thighs to the ground. Back to squat. Jump up to touch a target 6" above your max reach.

And I have a confession...my sorry butt has been doing this version of burpees, thinking I'm all hardcore knocking burpees out faster than you can say "onomatopoeia." In the back of my mind I keep thinking, "Why do people hate burpees so much? They're easy!" Well, no wonder! I've been cheating!

I really have no idea why CrossFit has its athletes do burpees like this. To be able to do more in less time? Doing this version of burpees causes the athlete to hyper extend the lumbar when getting up, which can cause injury.

Ready to do it?  Let's go!

30 Day Burpee Challenge: This is a great way to slowly get into the swing of your new favorite exercise. Modify any way you want, take your time, and try to keep your back as straight as possible.

The Prisoner Workout: What do you do when you're a prisoner...meaning, you have no agenda, no equipment, and limited space? You work out, of course!  You do burpees!  Lots and lots of burpees!  Here's how this one goes...do 20 reps of burpees {straight through without stopping, if possible}. Rest and catch your breath.  Now do 19 reps of burpees. Catch your breath.  Keep descending the number of reps you do until you get all the way down to 1.  See how long it takes you to complete this workout.  I have done this once {doing cheater/CrossFit burps} and it took me 26:33.  I'll have to try it again by doing 4-point or 6-point burpees. You can modify by starting at a different number other than 20, like 10 or 5, depending on your fitness level and how much time you've got.

Let us know how it goes!  Keep an eye out for the next Bodyweight Series exercise...

Lots of love, Dawn





REFERENCES:
New York Times article "What's the Best Exercise?": http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17exercise-t.html
Burpee T-shirt: http://skreened.com/superdoubleextreme/burpees-not-a-fan
4-Point Burpee Image: http://joshuaspodek.com/burpees-the-one-year-review
6-Point Burpee Image: http://workitoutchicago.blogspot.com/2013/01/1000-burpees-in-february.html
Burpee Box Jumps Image: http://www.crossfitmemorialhouston.com/2012/06/
Burpees and proper form: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/rossboxing2.htm

Juicy Juice: Mel's Magic Potion

I am absolutely in love with juicing! It has totally changed my body on the inside and out, increased my energy level, totally leaned out my body,  improved my running and workout routines, eliminated my migraines,  and has allowed me to stop taking all medications! It has literally changed my life and I would encourage all you ladies out there to give it a shot.  

I've been researching juicing for a while now just to make sure I had accurate info. I put together this plan based off of multiple websites I found useful and accurate, and based off of my own personal juicing experience. Let me know what you think and please share your success stories with us! 

Remember, you HAVE to use a juicer when you are juicing to detox and cleanse your body. You do not want any chunks or pulp in your juice. 

The first day may be rough, but hang in there! It's totally worth it. Try very hard to only have the juices and the juices only, that's what will clean you out and reduce bloating. 

Preparing the juice takes time. To make it easier and save time, I juice all of my meals and snacks the night before and store them in mason jars. Makes it easie the next day. You just shake it up and drink up! You can store your juice in the mason jars for 4 days. I would only suggest storing in mason jars and nothing else. I bought a case of 12 16oz. Mason jars at Food 4 Less for under $10. 

When I'm not on a juice fast, I always drink  32 ounces of the green juices and 16 ounces of a citric and acidic fruit juice for nutrition, to boost my metabolism, and the keep me regular. It's a very good and healthy habit to get in to. 

On the days you are juice fasting, try to keep your workouts light......I know...... Easier said than done! You can still workout, just nothing too CRAZY! When you are fasting, you wont have all of your energy to have a crazy workout. 

Remember, drink lots of hot water with fresh lemon and fresh ginger slices. This helps with the hunger pains and cravings. The first day is brutal, but it gets so much better by day 2 and you will feel so much better, lighter, and less bloated. My stomach has never felt this good. My entire life I have struggled with IBS and it's taken a lot out of me. So I am very excited to see such amazing results from juicing, going gluten free and eating more "clean."

After day 3, I  slowly introduce solid foods back in to my eating. This is a great opportunity to see which foods you may be sensitive or allergic to.  Eliminate those foods from your eating in hopes of improving your digestive system. I also suggest keeping a food journal. 

You can also choose to do the juice fast for more days if you would like. I wouldn't suggest doing it for more than one week at a time. If you do decide to do it for more than two days, just repeat the recipes from day 1 & day 2 for your other juicing days or just get creative and create your own recipes. Always remember to have your smoothie transition day before introducing solid foods back in to your diet. If you don't do this, your tummy and digestive system will not be too happy with you. 

3 Day Juice Cleanse to Heal & Repair Digestive System

*Sunday: juice fast preparation day

*Monday: juice fast day 1 (2-3 liters of juice/day 66-99 oz.)

*Tuesday: juice fast day 2 (2-3 liters of juice/day 66-99oz.)

*for more than 2 days, drink the same amount of juice and water as the previous days.

*Wednesday: smoothie transition day. Blended smoothies and blended soup. (see below for recipes)

**Shopping List**

Millet (grain polenta type thing. I get at Lassen's) 

1 tbsp Soy seasoning 

2 avocado 

1/2 banana

Fennel bulb (looks like a big bulb of white/green type onion. I get at trader joes)

Dates

Sun flower nut butter (^^^similar to peanut butter)

16 cups spinach 

1 cup vegetable stock

Pure vanilla extract 

1 sweet potato 

Almond milk

2 beets

Ginger root

Lemon

2 tomatoes 

1 bunch romaine 

1/2 bunch parsley 

4 green onion

4 carrots

1 pear 

apples

Strawberries 

Oranges 

4 celery bunch

2 kale bunch

2 green peppers 

4 cucumbers 

1 onion 

Olive oil

Cinnamon 

Cider vinegar 

Liquid stevia or honey

Digestive tea

*Day #1: 

In total, Drink around 4 liters of water, 2 (64 oz.) liters of juice, and 250mL of digestive tea

*Day #2:

In total, drink around 2 (64 oz.) liters of juice, 4 liters of water, and around 3 dixie cup sized popsicles made from juice, and 250mL of digestive tea if needed.

*Day #3:

In total, drink 4 liters of water and see recipes below for meals and smoothies.

**Juice Fast Preparation (day before actual fast)**

The day before a juice fast is just as important as the fast itself. You want to make sure you’re not eating heavy foods that are going to cause any digestive upsets in the days to come. So, on Sunday plan on having foods like:

Steamed vegetables

Fruit puree

Brown rice

Nut or seed butters

Rice protein shakes

Hummus

**For more recipes, check out:

http://www.jointhereboot.com/category/recipes/

**Check out the documentary on juicing called "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead." You can watch it on Netflix or you can Google it and watch it for free.

***Juice Recipes***

~~~My favorites! I drink this everyday!

**Green Monster**

Kale

Cucumber

Celery

Parsley

Spinach

Green apple

Lemon (peeled)

**Sweet and Sour**

Cucumber

Lemon

Green apple 

~~ (DAY 1) Sweet and Green~~ 

Vegan, Gluten free, Dairy free, Sugar-free, Yeast free, Corn free, Grain free

Yield: 750mL or 3 cups (24 oz.)

Servings: 1

Ingredients

1 pear

1 apple

2 cups spinach

1 bunch of kale

1 celery stalk (about 10 sticks with leaves)

1 cucumber

Directions

If you have a ‘low’ setting on your juicer, begin with the softer veggies first – spinach, kale and cucumber. Then turn to ‘high’ and juice the pear, apple, and celery. Use cheese cloth to strain out any pulp or chunks that may have passed through your juicer.

~~ (DAY 1) Veggie Overload~~ 

Vegan, Gluten free, Dairy free, Sugar-free, Yeast free, Corn free, Grain free

Yield: 1000mL or 4 cups (32 oz.)

Servings: 1

Ingredients

2 tomatoes

4 cups spinach

1 bunch of kale

3 green onions

1 celery stalk (about 10 sticks with leaves)

1 green pepper

1/2 bunch parsley

1/2 lemon, juiced by hand and added in afterward

Directions

If you have a ‘low’ setting on your juicer, begin with the softer veggies first – tomato, spinach, kale, and parsley. Then turn to ‘high’ and juice the onions and celery. Squeeze in juice from half a lemon. Use cheese cloth to strain out any pulp or chunks that may have passed through your juicer.

~~ (DAY 2) Cinnamon Ginger Nectar~~ 

Vegan, Gluten free, Dairy free, Sugar-free, Yeast free, Corn free, Grain free

Yield: 1000mL or 4 cups (32 oz.)

Servings: 1

Ingredients

4 cups spinach

1 head romaine lettuce

1 English cucumber

1 celery stalk, about 10 sticks with leaves

1 apple

1 small knob of fresh ginger, about 1 inch section

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

5 drops liquid stevia or honey

Directions

If you have a ‘low’ setting on your juicer, begin with the softer veggies first – spinach, lettuce and cucumber. Then turn to ‘high’ and juice the celery, apple, and ginger. Use cheese cloth to strain out any pulp or chunks that may have passed through your juicer.

Transfer the juice to a blender, add cinnamon and stevia or honey and pulse for a couple of seconds to break up the cinnamon.

~~ (DAY 2) Love Drunk Spinach~~ 

Vegan, Gluten free, Dairy free, Sugar-free, Yeast free, Corn free, Grain free

Yield: 1000mL or 4 cups (32 oz.)

Servings: 2

Ingredients

4 cups spinach

1 English cucumber

1 green pepper, seeds removed

1 celery stalk, about 10 sticks with leaves

4 carrots

2 small beets

Directions

If you have a ‘low’ setting on your juicer, begin with the softer veggies first – spinach and cucumber. Then turn to ‘high’ and juice the pepper, celery, carrots, and beets. Use cheese cloth to strain out any pulp or chunks that may have passed through your juicer.

~~ (Day 3 SNACK) Caramel Apple Green Smoothie ~~

Vegan, Gluten free, Dairy free, Sugar-free, Yeast free, Corn free, Grain free

Yield: 500mL or 2 cups or 16 oz.

Servings: 1

Ingredients

1 cup almond milk

1 frozen apple

2 tbsp sunbutter

2 cups spinach

2 medjool dates, pitted

1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

pinch salt

2 ice cubes

Directions

Place in your blender in the order of the ingredients listed, then blend for 30 seconds or until smooth.

~~(Day 3 SNACK)~~

Cinnamon Nectar Ginger Juice (see recipe above)

~~(Day 3 BREAKFAST)~~

Ultra Green Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 cup apple juice made from fresh apples in juicer 

2 cups spinach 

1/2 avocado frozen 

1/2 banana frozen 

3 ice cubes

Directions

Place in your blender in the order of the ingredients listed, then blend for 30 seconds or until smooth.

~~(Day 3 LUNCH)

Pump up your greens creamed soup

Ingredients

2 cups spinach leaves

1 avocado 

1/2 cucumber 

1 green onion

1/2 red pepper 

1/4 veggie broth 

1 clove garlic 

1 tbsp soy seasoning 

1 tbsp Lemon juice 

Pinch chili powder 

Pepper

Directions

Place all the ingredients and blend in blender. 

~~ (Day 3 DINNER) ~~

Sautéed Fennel and Lentil Soup

Vegan, Gluten free, Dairy free, Sugar-free, Yeast free, Corn free

Yield: 500mL or 2 cups or 16 oz.

Servings: 1

Ingredients

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup diced onion

1 small sweet potato, diced – yield ~1/4 cup

1/4 fennel bulb, sliced – yield ~1/3 cup

1 cup vegetable stock

1/3 cup cooked millet

1/3 cup cooked lentils

Directions

To cook the millet, rinse and drain 1/4 cup raw millet before placing it in a small saucepan. Cover with 2/3 cup water. Cover and bring to a boil on high heat. Then reduce heat to low. Cook gently without stirring for 15-20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and set aside.

Place the olive oil, onion, sweet potato, and fennel in a medium saucepan on medium-low heat. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring often until sweet potatoes are tender.

Non-power blender version: Add vegetable stock to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and pour in your food processor or blender. Add remaining ingredients and pulse until smooth.

Power blender version (like blendtec or vitamix): Drop sauteed vegetables in blender with all other ingredients. Turn blender on low, progressing to high and run for 2-3 minutes until soup is hot.

***"Snacks"***

~Fruit juice – Juice in juicer 1 orange, 1 apple, 1 cup strawberries 

~Teas: chamomile, peppermint, lemon grass, ginger root, & sliced ginger root with lemon in hot water

~use fruit juice to make Popsicles in Dixie cups

***SUGGESTIONS/TIPS/ADVICE***

-Keep moving! Stay active!

- When using your juicer, use cheese cloth or colander  to strain out any pulp or chunks that may have passed through your juicer.

-Teas are great when you’re juice fasting. They’re comforting, warming, and calming. Some of my favorites are chamomile, peppermint, lemon grass, and ginger root.

-Green smoothies once per day to increase daily veggie consumption

-Smaller meals more often to lower the impact on digestion. Instead of

having 3 meals at approx. 500 calories each, switched to 5-6 meals at approx. 300 calories each

-Get back to intuitive eating and trust your internal wisdom

-Keep a food journal to rule out sensitivities or allergies

-Increase hydrochloric acid to assist with digestion:

5 minutes before each meal consume: 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or 1/2 fresh lemon juice with 1/4 cup water.

-Increase healthy fats:

1 teaspoon of fish oil twice a day.

1 avocado per day. Has high fiber and high fat!

-Support smooth moving digestion:

2-4 grams of vitamin C powder per day.

-Give your digestion a break with a two-three day juice fast.

-If you feel hungry, tired, lethargic and a bit volatile while juicing, drink about 1 liter of fresh fruit juice in an hour or so.