Juice Fast - Cycle 2 - No juicer this time

Monday we are starting our 2nd Cycle of the juice fast.  The first cycle we relied on the juicer, this cycle we are not going to use the juicer and instead rely on 100% prepared juices (Low Sodium V8, V8 Fusion, NOT V8 SPLASH!!) and a basic green juice prepared in the blender.  Preparation time, cleanup time and cost will be reduced.  Sam's case of V8 is only 50 cents a can for the 12oz cans.

24oz Tervis Insulated Tumbler

For the basic green juice we will be using Spinach, Celery, Cucumber, Lemon and Lime.  We will also be using the blender for Red Cabbage, Bananas, Apples, Strawberries and Pears.  To help make the juice more liquid we will be using coconut water, kefir or V8 mixed with the greens in the blender depending on taste desired.

Utilizing the blender will make the juice have more texture depending on your blender settings and length of time run.  Having the additional texture will be helpful to me in the morning and evening when I'm taking my medicine.  Sometimes taking my pills with nothing in my stomach causes queasiness.  Additionally, the thought is that having the extra fiber from the pulp will add to the feeling of fullness.

We are probably doing this in reverse.  If I had thought about it before, it would likely be more logical to have started the fast with the thicker blender juices and worked to the thinner juices, but, hindsight is 20/20.


Right now we are playing around trying to find the best method to realistically add juice to our daily lifestyle permanently.  Honestly, the juicer isn't very hard to clean, but it is time consuming and does make a little bit of a mess on counters and other things around it.  If we could get the same results from Cycle 2 using just the blender, then the cleaning would be a lot easier and the juicer will be going back.

Jerry is still going to be drinking the juice in place of a meal with water in between.  I am going a slightly different route.  Instead of drinking all at once, I am filling up a 24 oz. Tervis Tumbler in the morning and sipping it throughout the day while also drinking water and my beloved herbal tea.  This cycle I am cutting back on the fruits and adding more veggies making sure to have enough sodium rich veggies.

At the end of this 10 day cycle we'll compare the results and design a plan for Cycle 3.  One thing I am considering is getting a masticating juicer instead of the centrifugal one we have now.  The masticating juicer produces juice that is better for storing and is much easier to clean. The pulp extruded is also much drier and contained because more juice is extracted.  It costs a little more than the low end juicer ($75) we are using now ($100 more for a base model by Lexen).

I figure I could make enough basic green juice in the evening for the next day and if desired, it could be mixed in the blender with a piece of fruit to sweeten or drunk straight.

That's where we are now.  I'll update you after this cycle and let you know how it's going.

If you want to read all about our juicing experience, click on the Diet-Health topic in the right column.