The fast is over! I'm a slim jim now.
Ok, so let me recap back to day 13, Saturday.

I was still on lemon juice, no big deal. I don't recall anything out of the ordinary.

Day 14, Sunday: I full water-fasted. This was mainly because I'd be travelling and away from my juicer, and I didn't really want to trust any of the juices they serve on planes or in restaurants. I met up with friends for brunch and they were ok with me not eating, but of course think I'm crazy. Fine. But I look fabulous! :) I started feeling a little acid-reflux-type pain that night, but just upped my water and slept through it. Of course, this made me wake up every 2 hours, but hey.

Day 15, Monday, I knew I'd be breaking the fast. I was extremely dehydrated that morning, so I just drank water until about 10am, then found a fairly reputable juice in a bottle, made sure to read the ingredients for any hidden sugar or syrups, and then watered it down about 50-50. I had another juice that afternoon (orange in the AM, grapefruit in the PM) and I could really tell afterwards that my digestion had begun to "turn on" again. I had watered the grapefruit juice down for half the bottle, then drank the rest straight. I tried making sure to chew the pulp on both drinks. I felt some hunger pangs that evening, but again drank water to quench them.

Day 16 is today, and I began to break the fast. I had juices for breakfast at full strength, then another full juice at around 10:30. At lunch I got some oranges and have now had a half of one. Only took me about 20 minutes to chew those 6 sections. :) I'll probably have a second orange today, and more juices too, then perhaps grapefruit tonight. I'm trying to stick to "mono-meals" and the same goes for the juices. Tomorrow I'll continue with citrus fruits and juices in the AM, then add some veggies by the afternoon. I'm hoping to be up to guacamole by Thursday evening, and nuts or seeds Friday morning.

I should really be taking an extra day to break this, but I'm finding it really distracting to be thinking about food so much, while travelling on business. I love the pyramid of oranges and grapefruits on my workstation, though. :) They'll undoubtedly make great breakfasts the rest of my travel.

To wrap, I feel great! Everyone who sees me says I look terrific, and I don't think it's the haircut. I've lost 28 pounds in the last 10 weeks and went from a 14/16 down to an 8. I cannot believe that one! I was mainly 12/14 really, but yesterday I walked into a store wearing a size 16 skirt and realizing it was too big (it's a new feeling for me, really, so it took a while for it to click that it was time for smaller clothes). I knew my size 12 pants, over which I rejoiced every day I slipped into them, were fitting fine so I thought that I'd just arrived at that size and that was that. However, I thought I'd try on a 10, just to see. I haven't been a 10 since before the 7th grade. Anyway, I found a pair of pants that fit well and I was happy I was so IN that pair of 10's. Nope. I looked again as I was re-hanging them and they were 8's. Wow!! Being so tall, I had no idea I could even be that size. Ever! Yay!!

Day 12: What hunger?
Last night, trying to fall asleep (which took way longer than it has this entire fast), I had the most intense hunger pangs ever! However, this morning I feel good, and although I'm still a little weak when I stand up quickly, I think overall I'm past that just-began-fasting phase. Sucks that I had to go through it twice on this fast!!

Today I decided to drink my juices in 3 big cups, rather than 6 smaller ones. I think that works. In between, I have a much better shot at getting water down, and herbal teas for detox.

I'm still jazzed about eating soon, though, which is a little sucky to do to my body. Brunch on Sunday might be a little tough, but I'll live. Then Monday I can start juices again, and maybe even on Tuesday have some fruit. Depends on my schedule, though, and when I get to go to the store. I might not have a good opportunity in the evenings. Anyway, I feel like I've come this far and there's everything to lose if I cave in, and just a little discomfort if I hang tight.

I'm thinking about cooked foods, though, but maybe it's because of my favorite cookies on the counter upstairs (thanks, honey) or the potroast in the slow-cooker. It's kind of cruel to have that smell wafting through the house, although usually it doesn't affect me. Guess it's not so cruel as it is bad timing.

Day 11: addendum. Napping is good
I took a nap at lunch time and I feel pretty good now. Amazingly good, actually. I felt pretty crappy after the "internal bath", which happened before, the last time I fasted. And like last time, I took a nap and I woke up refreshed, like nothing had happened. Usually I'm groggy after naps.

I think the fatigue is the normal drain people feel when their glycogen is depleted and the body switches to other sources. This time, obviously, my store was depleted from the previous 10 days of fasting, so the crash was much harder when I stepped my juice down from a rather hearty apple to a weak lemon.

Also, I think my colon is pretty well emptied. The carrot juice I had Monday came down today. Boy, what a weird sight that was! That's good news, as I'm super tired giving myself enemas. It's just so... ew.

Day 11: hunger pangs and fatigue
Aha, so now is where I start to get weak. I must wonder if it's just from switching from apple drinks to lemon. Hmm. Maybe next time more of a step-down should happen. At any rate, I think I'll add some psyllium to the lemonade to try and keep that all moving. The "results" have been tapering off (ha!) and I think the lack of psyllium is why. Of corse, it could be the lack of pectin, too, but I kinda think once the plaque in the colon is softened, it's softened! But as far as keeping things moving, well, that's probably something that could stop once the psyllium is through the system.

I'm also going to start trying to re-introduce friendly bacteria to the colon today or tomorrow. I'll read up on whether it's the fasting or the irrigation that wipes them out. Obviously, if it's the fasting I can't very well try re-establishing them until after I'm done fasting.

I've gotta wonder if I'm weak today because I was sedentary LITERALLY all day long yesterday. I get a little light headed when I stand quickly, but tonight at practice I'll make note of my energy. It was fine Tuesday night. I even walked for 20 minutes once everyone left. I'll do that again tonight, since I have to wait for my ride again.

I'm really looking forward to food, just for food's sake. This bet is crazy.

double-digit day fast, finally hungry
Now, am I hungry because it's time for me to eat, or am I hungry because I switched from apple juice to lemon juice? Hmm. Either way, my stomach is rumbly this morning. Or is that actual hunger? That's what I've always called it, but I've read that hunger is more in your throat, like thirst is.

Well, unfortunately I cannot listen to my body at this moment. Unless something drastic happens, I have to keep on until Monday so I can win this stupid bet. This morning I weighed in at 159 unclothed. That's the least amount of numbers I've seen on a scale since I can remember. All through HS and college I was 168, and only recently did I weigh in at 166. Obviously, I'll have to weigh in clothing for the bet, but I'm hoping I can choose an outfit that is _very_ light-weight and defray at least a pound.

I'm still losing gunk from my colon. That's good, and I'm sure that's contributed to the weight loss. I had thought I'd go back to cooked foods one day this month - a "free" day - but now I'm not so sure. I certainly wouldn't do it right after the fast. It's going to take me an entire week to get back to normal meals and foods, raw. Then I thought I'd have a day for something cooked or sweet, but no. Something about that just sits wrong with me. I think it's the idea of losing all the crap in my colon and then packing it right back in. No thanks.

I can't wait for those mushroom pizzas again. And I really want to try some raw cacao beans. I'll undoubtedly be making a huge order online. Sucks that I have to buy my raw food from somewhere in CA or NY.

Back to thinking about something other than this fast. Day 10!! I can't believe I've made it this far. I'm super proud of myself. Of course, the other option after the weigh-in is to stay on with a juice fast. Then again, I wouldn't have a juicer so I'd have to drink dead juices. Wonder what that would do to me... sounds yucky. No, I'll stick to a 2-week fast for now. That's a goodly amount. Then next time, 3-weeks if I feel like I need another long fast.

day 8 of the fast: emotionally fragile?
Well, here I am, now officially on my longest fast ever. Seems so easy, now. Yesterday was weird, though, and Saturday, too. It was like I wanted the whole world just to leave me alone. That's really not like me. I'm usually so social. But I just wanted sleep. Maybe my body needed some rest after the workweek. Not like I dig ditches or something for a living. I sit!! How can I be tired?

At any rate, it all kind of came to a head yesterday morning, when I fell down the basement stairs. I wasn't hurt (yet) but I just cried and cried. I didn't want to go to the gathering I had planned, and I didn't want to do anything but crawl back into bed. I had to go, though, but I felt emotionally fragile the whole time. Again, not like me. I'm the rock!

My joints hurt from about noon until I (finally) fell asleep last night, getting worse and worse as the day wore on -- even though I had fallen at about 6:30 am. Getting older, I suppose. I'll go to the chiropracter today, just to get everything all squared away.

I think I'm done with the apple cleansing part of my fast. I have apples through today, then I'm on to lemons. I'll also try to taper off to just water by the end of the week, so I can compete in this weight-loss bet. I will most likely continue the fast even after the weight-in. I'm liking the cleanse of it!

Success! The (gross) results are in. Or out, as the case is.
Yay! Right on schedule, according to the book where I found this cleanse I'm on, I just passed a whole bunch o' gunk! This should have happened last time I fasted, but I think the flax just wasn't cutting it. I switched to psyllium powder, just like the book says, and whammo! Ask and you shall receive.

I'm glad that it wasn't the black rubbery stuff people have pictures of online. Le yuk! Does that mean my bowels are clean or is there more to come? Either way, I sure am glad it's gone and done.

I've got enough apples for 2 more days of this fast, and I'll continue the "internal baths" during that time, too. By Sunday I'll want to start tapering the juice down to water, and I might even switch to the master cleanser. I mean, as long as I'm cleaning house, let's clean house!!

Now I know what all that gas and rumbling was about this morning. This is the weirdest thing I've ever been excited about.

day 4 of the fast: supersonic
Ok, so today's the day I usually become superwoman. I've got my juices all lined up: the pear/orange/yam (yes, yam) juice is THE best. The whole fam tried it and loved it, even the pizza-heads.

I had a slight moment of a headache earlier, and then got a lot of mucous from my sinuses. That took about half an hour, tops. Now I'm free and clear. Wonder if that's because my last cleanse was so recent. I remember being snotty for a couple of days on that, too. Man, it's cool to 'see' the detox happening.

My guts sound like Peter Jackson's entmoot noises. Somethings happening down there, and I'm gassy, which has never happened before on a fast. Hope this means some housekeeping gets done. Third time (on this apple/bentonite/psyllium fast) is a charm, perhaps?

Fast Day 3: coming out of the hunger fog
Ok, so usually day 3 is THE worst, but by the end of it I'm golden: plans and dreams crystallizing in single points of action! I can't wait for that moment of transcendance. Yes, that's what it feels like. My body finally releases it's habitual food-need and my mind can do some serious work. I wonder if as humans eat more and more, we use less and less of our brains. Has there ever been an obese super-genius? Sounds horrible, but there may be a theory there.

Anyway, yesterday I was sooooo tired, but I found a juice recipe called "runner's high" so I tried it. Bam! So much energy. It was 3 oranges, 2 hard pears, and 1 yam. I reversed the orange/pear numbers and added extra yam. It filled a huge container, about 2 full glasses' worth. I was golden after that, and stayed up until after 11, but then slept like a baby!

Tonight or tomorrow should be the zen moment. Feels like sooner, since usually at this point I'm feeling horrible, and I don't feel too bad just now. But I've just got to ask myself why oh why I decided I'd go and get my license picture done today??

Second day of fast: the hunger day
Oh, how I love day 2 of fasts. No, wait. They're not fun at all. Usually this is the day that every food in the world, including big ol' meatloafs, smell good to me.

It's so hard to break the food habit, and of course everything looks great right now. It's torture going through recipes online.

I had a great skin brush after yoga this morning. That felt really good, and I've read that it will stimulate whatever parts you concentrate on. So I made a lot of loops over my abdomen, just to make sure to give the message that I want to see some action down there!

Anyway, I'm pretty beat. Think I'll fall asleep right at my desk. Guess I'll wake up if the phone rings...