Well folks, here it is. The last of my fast. I have to say, this wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be. Don't get me wrong, I had my moments. Developing bad breath, dizziness which put me down, especially after yoga & a shower. Dry mouth, having to stay under an electric blanket. Of course we live in a post war house and the windows are old. Even my draft socks, which I made by the way, only help a little from these deluges of Nor-Easters. None of this lasted long. Why…one of the side effects of fasting for a week or more is bad body odor. I'd only developed that today. I've been scrubbing my body from bottom to top for nearly 30 years and I was amazed at how slimy I was after getting wet. My soap & loofah made short work of that. They, the people giving advice on this sort of thing, say that a dry scrub is best. I don't know what these guys are on but have you ever done that? It's brutal. Scrub your head, dry they say. Hell no I won't do it and I don't think you should either. Use a brush for Pete's sake. The best way to scrub down is from your toes to your heart & your head to your heart in the shower. Not too hot as you're scrubbing off the dead layer of dermis & oil deposits. Now, after my 7 Day Juice Fast I am going to heat up the room and draw me a hot bath. Light some candles. Set out my jammies. Get out the book of short stories I'm reading now; 'Nasty Bits' by Anthony Bourdain. Pour a glass of white wine (it has less alcohol than red). Situate my bath pillow and let my troubles flow down the drain. I believe in getting the last little bit of waste off your body once you're done.

It has become obvious in the past 7 days how little I really cared for myself. I wasn't drinking enough water, apparently not brushing my teeth very well, not keeping my self groomed. Sure I'm comfortable with me being a slob and I don't even notice if I need to shave or do my nails. Not eating gave me so much time for other things. I've cleaned up including a mani/pedi. I found a salon that's cheaper than my regular girl. Found it on my way to get juice. I've been getting farther on my projects and I've even caught up with my correspondence. The house isn't clean clean but its cleaner that it usually is. I'm wanting to carry these behaviours over and turn them into habits. This hopefully I can attest to in the future. It does help that the moon is in Aquarius.

Oh joy! The last week has taught me so much about myself. I now know I can go a week without needing food, even when I'm cooking. Oh, I was afraid of that one. A few blog entries ago I was complaining about losing some of my sense of smell. Well, it is so much better now. That's not always a good thing. Today I was breathing deep during my morning yoga routine and I smelled the most god awful smell. It was rust on the underside of one of the radiators. Then I smelled blueberry pancakes from downstairs. Yes, that's right, I said blueberry.

I have gone from 129.6 lbs to 118.4 lbs. I can see the definition of my stomach muscles for the first time in 6 years. My "muffin top" is all but gone and I found me getting into the clothes I could only get into back then. Yes I keep my clothes for ever. My stuff wasn't in style when I got them but they've come back in at least 3 times. You know what I found out? I discovered something I'd never seen in my entire life. Wanna know what it is? I have a waist! An honest to God waist. I used to be so skinny, built like a boy really, people accused me of having anorexia. Please. I ate everything in sight but to keep these people off my back I wore baggy clothes. I missed out on prancing around in cute little numbers & being a teenager, enjoying my body the way I do now. That time has passed and everyone knows if you dress like your daughter you'll be chasing that rabbit for a long time to come. Now, I'm down to feather weight and all I need to do is get my butt tone. Fitting into my jeans doesn't really matter if you can't fill them out. Am I right ladies, (and guys) or am I right?

Again, I'm not a licensed medical anything so don't follow any advice I have until you've done your research and find out I'm right. Ha Ha! Just kidding. All I have is an ass…no wait I meant opinion & regretfully very limited experience. What I went through these last few days was enlightening & ridiculously easy. Only for me. No case studies.

All I did was eat whole grains,some cooked veggies & absolutely nothing processed for 3 days then ate only small amounts of raw food: fruits & veggies, drinking my weight in green tea w/ honey another 3 and on the 7th day I rested. I was hungry & noticeably uncomfortable, having trouble getting to sleep & such for 2 days. Then it became easier. The weight & bulk around my waist started to come off quickly, I felt lighter and more & more comfortable in my body. I drank 3 or 4 honey-lemon-cayenne pepper waters a day. A 12 oz. glass of water every hour. That might be too much but I constantly had dry mouth. I had to brush my teeth for at least 10 minutes to feel I'd gotten the stink out. Another side effect of fasting is pimples, you know, toxins taking whatever is the closest door out? I got a couple on my face and they went away quickly but I got a few on my back which never happens & a few on my left shoulder. Obviously they were like "aahhh!!! Let me outta this place!" I have a feeling I may be seeing more of those for a few days yet. I just hope I don't get one on my butt. In the next couple of days I'll blog about the "aftermath" (said in whispered mock awe) for a day or two. Then it's on to bigger & better things! Thanks to everyone who has been following & giving their support. It really helped in my resolve. I had accountability plus you kept me positive.

Gotta go. The kitchen isn't going to clean itself. Thanks for listening. Sending out peace & love. Write a comment if you will. It makes my happy.