Plan to succeed. We’ve all heard the saying, “failing to plan is planning to fail.” Taking some time to plan your juice steadfast will immensely increase your odds of success. These are all things that took me several rounds to learn. You can get it all here in one scoop! I’m sure I’ve left something out, so if you have a tip to add, please add it in the comments.
Do your research. In today’s internet age, we have mounds and mounds of information at our fingertips. Some of it is accurate, but a lot of it is not. Do some research and reading on juicing before you begin your juice steadfast. You will need a juicer. If you do not have a juicer yet, there are several things to consider before buying one. (That will be an entirely different post.) Be discerning about where you get your information and what you choose to believe. Use reputable sources and be cautious of articles quoting “experts” that don’t back up what they claim.
Plan the length of your steadfast. The first thing you’ll want to do is to plan the length of your steadfast. You can always leave it open ended if you want to see how it goes and possibly extend it longer if you’re doing well. However, you will want to at least set a minimum length. Think about what your goals are and why you are doing this steadfast. That will help determine how long it needs to be.
Look at your calendar. The next thing you’ll want to do is to look at your calendar and plan when you will have your juice steadfast. Having your steadfast at a time that you have a lot of outings or family gatherings might not be a good idea. Look at your calendar and find a time that you don’t have a lot of celebratory functions to attend. If you do have a few to go to, plan now how you will handle them. Sometimes carrying around a small plate with a few veggies on it is all you need to do to keep people from noticing that you’re not partaking in the buffet of food offered.
Plan your grocery shopping. Not having what you’ll need to make your juice is a sure way to fail. Plan your grocery shopping now. Try to make a grocery list and purchase three to four days worth of produce for your juices at a time. When it’s time to shop again, take an inventory and only buy what you need for the next three to four days. If you’re using a pre-made plan, that plan most likely will provide a shopping list.
Don’t let getting to the store and the time it takes to pick out your produce be an obstacle. If you have to, find a store that delivers or offers pick up. This has been a huge time saver and life saver for me many times. The cost associated with this service is cheaper by far than those impulse purchases that we often make.
Plan your juices. You’ll want your juices to be as fresh as possible. Making your juice and immediately drinking it is about as fresh as you can get. However, most of us are not home all day to make each and every juice when we need it.
If you are in a rush to get out the door in the morning, making your juices the night before might be the way to go. If you have the time to make your juices in the morning, you can still prep your produce the night before to make it go quicker. When bottling your juices, try to fill the bottle to the very rim and then seal it tight. This will help keep your juices fresh and keep out air that causes oxidation.
If you will be traveling during the day, plan how you will take your juices with you. You will most likely need a small cooler and some ice or ice packs to keep your juices cold. If you are going to work, store them in the refrigerator as soon as you get there. I’ve never had to worry about my co-workers drinking my juices!
Plan your family’s meals. If you are the one that makes most of the meals in your house, the best thing you can do is to pass the baton on to someone else during your juice steadfast. This will keep you away from all kinds of temptation. If that’s not possible, plan your family’s meals now. Planning meals that have the least amount of preparation will give you the least amount of temptation. Now is not the time to try new dishes that you will also want to taste to see how they come out. Now is the time to fix food for your family that they like that you don’t.
Pull out the crock pot, dutch oven, casserole dishes, and electric skillet. Make as many one-pot meals as you can. Better yet, prepare some dishes ahead of time and put them in the freezer so that all you have to do is heat and serve. If you can, go to a freezer meals class or make some on your own and have them on stand by if needed.
Get support. Doing something all alone is tough, but it can be done. If you can, find at least one person to give you encouragement and support. All it takes is one person. When it comes to juicing, finding someone else that you can ask questions or confide in is helpful. If you don’t know someone personally that you can go to, then look for a group that you can be a part of, whether that be locally or online. There are formal support groups for everything under the sun. There are plenty of casual, juicing support groups on social media. If you want something local and more personal look for something in your area. If you’re not able to find one, you can always start your own!
As with any lifestyle change, there are a lot of naysayers out there. Broadcasting to your family and friends that you are doing a juice steadfast will let you know right away just who they are. The best course of action is to keep quiet. People will start asking questions once they start seeing a positive change in you.
Plan how you will end your juice steadfast. This step goes back to research. In researching your juice steadfast, be sure to research how you will end your juice steadfast. Going back to your old ways or the standard American diet (SAD), may not agree with you. Take it slow. Start off with some soups and vegetables and gradually introduce other foods back into your diet.
Don’t want to plan? If you don’t want to take the time to do all of the planning, or you are unsure about doing your first juice steadfast on your own; you can look for a group to participate with. Usually, you register for these groups way ahead of time. They provide you with a shopping list, daily recipes, when the juice steadfast will take place, and lots of support. This is a great way to get started and get your first juice steadfast under your belt. If you cannot find a group that is doing a steadfast at a time you would like, there are still programs that will provide you with all of the above, except that you will not be juicing at the same time as others and will not see their success stories. Regardless, you will still need to plan your grocery shopping and your family’s meals.
Most importantly of all, don’t be hard on yourself. If things don’t turn out as you planned, reassess and decide what you can do to get things to work better the next time around. If you have difficulty making it through the day and end up taking a bite of food, it’s ok. It doesn’t mean failure. Continue to march ahead!
Regardless of what path you decide to take, the best time to make a healthy lifestyle change is now! Don’t delay, go do it!
By Lori Camper
LoriCamper.Com 