Juicing Detox: Day 1

Last night I had a dream that I was at a family reunion and everyone kept passing around buttered bread and turkey legs. In the midst of all of that passing, I myself felt like passing out when I realized I could not have any of it. Talk about mind over MATTER, my mind was literally wrapping it self around the idea that day 1 of my juicing detox was officially HERE.

I have never in my LIFE opened my eyes after a long nights rest and thought, “Damn I want a cheeseburger.” But today, it is exactly what I was craving. Instead, it was off to juice land. I headed on over to a smoothie place near my apartment that makes fresh juices. It seemed as though on my drive over I immediately began to feel a bit of envy toward the people sitting on the patio of Panera. Eating their little pastries and drinking their hot brown coffee just the way I like mine. I knew that this feeling towards these strangers was a result of me being able to see myself doing the exact same thing. And I knew just how good it felt.

When I walked in to get my first juice, the guy said to me, ‘Acai fit shake right?’ and as I began to smile like the Cheshire cat reality was right their to remind me that my duty was to walk into this place and say, ‘Not today. Let me get apple, kale, carrots and strawberries juiced, please.’ He looked at me in dismay and I just blurted out, "I’m detoxing.” since I figured he was wondering what was up with the sudden change. Or perhaps I was saying it to remind myself of my new life for the next, how ever so many days.

It was not as exciting this visit when he called my name to let me know my order was up. This showed me in this moment just how much food caters to our feelings.

The first juice of the day was actually pretty good. It was cold, fresh and tasty. Something I felt in my mind as I was drinking it, would taste amazing after a chicken biscuit from chick fil-la. It is amazing how loud the fat kid inside of you becomes when she is not fully satisfied. Its unstoppable. Like a bully almost. Now, I am slender, fit and I eat healthy for the most part, so don’t get me wrong in that department. But I believe everyone has an inner fat kid. And mine is the twin of little Debbie. I have THE worst sweet tooth in the world, and I think bread and cheese was Gods way of truly blessing his children. Needless to say, this detox is much needed.


Before my second juice of the day, I took a trip to the international farmers market in Georgia. I had never been to this market prior to this juicing journey and I can not explain the chaos that went on inside of my body as I walked inside. There was food EVERY WHERE. My roommate decided to come along to join me in the hunt for fruits and veggies, since she has done this detox before. I guess it was a good thing because the more she steered the cart the more my eyes steered toward the fresh coffee stand, the pastry window that looked like every single item tasted the way it looked, DELICIOUS. I kept thinking Jesus be a FENCE! And in a sense He was. The market was so crowded. People pushing and shoving, waiting in line with their carts just to go down the spinach isle.

So I had no choice but to get what I came for, and leave.

I was impressed with how much money I saved getting all this overly healthy food.  My entire cart was almost filled to the top and my receipt read $67.10. Not bad right?  I thought, maybe this detox won’t be so bad after all.

The remainder of my day was truly a struggle unlike any other. I began to clean up the apartment just to get my mind off of food. I went out with friends and I felt like a crack head when I saw someone walking by with french fries. Or how about the kid I saw who threw away the other half of his pizza. I felt like going over and yelling, ‘WHAT KIND OF MONSTER ARE YOU! JUST THROWING AWAY GOOD PIZZA LIKE THAT!'

Thank God for the support of good friends.

I realized in all of these moments of anger, being annoyed, hungry, agitated that there are so many people in this world who can not afford three meals a day, if any. What is their world like? Am I now feeling apart of that? And if so---God bless the homeless and underfed. Because I truly can not imagine not having anything, at all.

Around 5pm I began to sing and rap about food while I waited for my friends. I thought maybe I was becoming delusional but then again, my inner fat child. I did not want juice and my thoughts of water was that it should only be use for boats to float on. I did not want any of it. I wanted---a burger from 5 guys. I wanted---some oodles and noodles in the orange pack and I do not even eat that shit because it is terrible for you. But I knew it would taste amazing. When true hunger strikes, you will take whatever, wherever, however you can get it to silence. But I knew my “whatever” was waiting at home. Spinach, kale, onion, garlic, bell pepper. This time I heated it on the stove, pretending it was a soup. But it sure did not taste like soup. Where was the salt? What do you mean I can not add any? I felt like I wanted this day to be over so day 2 could already be here.

Needless to say I treated myself to one more juice after my “dinner”.  Mango, kiwi, strawberry, apple, pear. It was delicious. But I realized it did not go as well with my Netflix movie like a bag of popcorn would. So I just sucked it down and turned in early.