Simple One Day Revitalizing Cleanse

"Motivate the mind; the body will follow"

Happy Monday Everyone!  With August coming to an end, I thought I would share my Simple One Day Revitalizing Cleanse because it has been my saving grace with all the traveling I have done this summer. 

When your energy is low, your stressed out, your anxiety levels are high, your unhappy with how you look which in return affects how you feel.... Your body is SCREAMING FOR A CLEANSE!

Cleansing can be intimidating.  The idea of not eating solid foods for days is frightening, I know.  Some people may even think it's stupid...  some may think all of this trendy juicing is just another fad.  While it is in fact "trendy" right now, juicing has been around for ages.  There are a lot of people who have been avid juicers for a very long time.  The thing is, the way food is designed in today's society (processed, chemically designed to last for years, loaded with sugar and salt... the list goes on and on.) We NEED to "clean out our pipes" from time to time and rid our bodies of all the harmful chemicals we feed it on a daily basis.

Cleansing is important because it purifies the body and the mind.  Think of a cleanse as a mini retreat.  It gives you the opportunity to step back and take a look at the things you're consuming because so much of what we put into our bodies, weighs us down.  Cleansing, fortunately can set us free from all of that!  What you eat, affects every single aspect of your life.  

So now, you may be wondering how to even get started.  It's important to be prepared when you are about to start a cleanse.  Here is a list of things to do before jumping into a cleanse: 

1. Make a list of your favorite recipes that you will use. 
2. Make a shopping list and purchase all the necessary fruits and veggies you will need. (I recommend going to the Farmers Market so you are not tempted by other foods at the grocery store) 
3. Ask a friend to join you.  I recently did a 3 day cleanse with two of my friends.  We all live in different cities but we would text each other throughout the day in a group message just to check in and see how we were all doing.  We would also send each other pictures of the juices we were drinking and share recipes. 
4. Let your family know.  If you have a spouse or live with other people, let them know that you are getting ready to do a cleanse.  It's important for them to support you.  The last thing you need is your husband going to town on a cheeseburger while your sitting in the same room sipping on a juice.  
5. Write down a list of 5 reasons you need to do a cleanse and keep it with you.  It's important to maintain a positive attitude.  In moments of weakness it's easy to give up and give in but if you stay strong, you will feel so empowered! 

The Simple One Day Revitalizing Cleanse was designed for when I  have too much of a good thing over the weekend.  Whenever I would come back from a trip, even if I tried to eat healthy, I would always feel bloated and out of shape upon returning.  Sometimes you just throw your hands up and say to yourself, "Enough!"  This cleanse is about devoting 24 hours to your health.  It gives you the chance to start over and clean everything out.  This cleanse can be used to ease yourself into another (longer) cleanse, or you can use it as a weekly routine maintenance, which is what I do.  Just think of how we take our cars for oil changes... we need to take care of our bodies the same way!

 With all that being said... Drum Roll Please! I now give you the step by step instructions for the

Simple One Day Revitalizing Cleanse. 

• Upon waking:  Sip on some Lemon Ginger water or just Lemon Water
• Breakfast:  20oz Green Juice (de-bloat recipe)
• One hour after to breakfast:  1 Cup of Detox Tea
• Snack:  8oz Green Juice with 12 almonds (de-bloat recipe)
• Lunch:  20oz Beet Juice (digestion recipe)
• One hour after lunch:  1 large glass of lemon water
• Snack:  1 Banana or 1 Avocado
• Dinner:  Either 1 fresh veggie juice or 1 fresh all natural soup.  You can make homemade veggie soups with your juicer.  (weight-loss recipe)
• Post Dinner:  1 Cup of Detox Tea 
• Take a Detox Bath  

To enhance your cleanse, make sure you get a good nights rest the night before you start and the night of.  Sweating will also assist getting those toxins out of your body.  If you can, you should squeeze in the time to either go to a hot yoga class or sit in a sauna.

Well, there you have it! I hope you enjoy this simple cleanse and that you take some time for YOU!  If you need recipes for anything mentioned in the list above, keep scrolling down! I have recipes for everything you will need! 

 Lemon Ginger Water: Juice two lemons and an inch of ginger, pour into an 8oz mason jar and add water until glass is full

Juice #1 Green Juice:  2  granny smiths apples, 5 kale leaves, 1 cucumber, 2 lemons,  2 celery stalk

Detox Tea:  I prefer the Yogi Brand.  I have purchased it at Smiths, Sprouts, and Whole Foods.  

Juice #2 Green Juice: 2 celery stalks, 2 kale leaves, 1 green bell pepper, 1 cucumber, 2 granny smith apples, a handful of spinach. 

Beet Juice:  3 Beets,  3 Oranges, 2 Carrots, 2 Lemons.

Veggie Juice:  A handful of parsley, 2 carrots, a handful of spinach, 2 tomatoes, 2 celery stalks, 1/2 cucumber, 1/3 green pepper.  

Veggie soup made with juicer:  2 cups of tomato juice, juiced with a juicer. Then add all other ingredients in a blender.... 4 tomatoes, 2 califlower florets, 1/2 cup of spinach, 1 garlic clove, 1/2 red pepper, 2 carrots, 1 sage leaf.  Blend in Blender until its pureed.  Then simmer in low heat for about 5 minutes.  Season with pepper... Not salt! 

Detox Bath recipe can be found by clicking here on this Total 3-Day Detox. 

If you want to see more recipe options click here on my Super Green Juice Detox or 50+ Juicing Recipes.  

If you have any additional questions feel free to leave a comment or send me a message via Facebook!

XoXo 

-Ashley

For Daily Tips and Recipes follow me on: 

Instagram: ashleynicolemora1 

Twitter: MissAshleyMoora 

Going the distance with Michael Dunn. A juicers journey to losing 90+lbs

Going the distance with Michael Dunn.  

A juicers journey to losing 90+lbs 

Hello!  Today I am sitting down with Michael Dunn, who after losing over 90lbs has gone on to complete his first 1/2 Iron distance triathlon (70.3 miles).  Michael is a single dad of two beautiful girls and participates in numerous races all year long.  His journey is nothing short of amazing and I am fortunate enough to get the inside scoop! 

Here is my interview with Michael 

Me: So Micheal, tell us when your journey began? 

MD: August 2011 after watching my father complete Pikes Peak Ascent which is the half marathon I thought it would be cool to run that race with him the following year. I was 90 pounds heavier than I am today and had absolutely NO running base. I could barely run from home plate to 1st base on the softball field. I wanted to get back in shape and just live a healthier life style and be a good role model to my daughters. My Dad and I decided to run the full marathon the following year which meant I had to run a full marathon elsewhere to qualify for pikes peak by March 1, 2012. That only gave me about 28 weeks to train and be able to complete a marathon THEN still go on to participate in pikes peak marathon after. Boy did I have my work cut out for me…..

This is where it all started.  This was me (on the right) back in 2011..

Me: Do you feel like it was more diet or exercise that contributed to your weight loss? 

MD: For the first few months I thought it was all exercise but later on learned that it is all about diet. You can exercise all you want but it you are not eating right you wont see the results you are looking for

Me: How many Races have you completed since changing your lifestyle in August of 2011? 

MD: Hmmm let see. I have never counted them! Triathlons-I have done two, 1/2 iron distance (70.3 miles), 1 olympic distance and a number of sprint distance. Running-I have done 7 marathons, 12 half marathons and a number 10ks & 5ks

This was at the finish line of my first marathon.

Me: What has been your most challenging race you have ran in? 

MD: Haha they are ALL challenging!! :) 5k-70.3 I never take any of them lightly. Pikes peak marathon is a tough race though. It climbs 8,000 feet and gets up 14,115 foot of elevation. Thats is twice the elevation gain as the La Luz trail on Sandia mountain as the Sandias “only” gain about 4,000 feet. Last year I did what is called the Pikes Peak Doubler. Its the half marathon Saturday and the full Marathon Sunday. You run to the top of pikes peak saturday and run to the top then turn around and run back down on sunday. That was a tough weekend! FUN but tough! :)

Me:  I always see your posts about running, how many miles a week do you usually run? 

MD: Oh my…. right now I am running about 35-40 miles per week

Me:  Besides running, do you do any other kind of exercising? 

MD: I am doing a lot of biking and swimming right now but I do like doing kettle bells, yoga and TONS of foam rolling! haha

Me: Let talk about your diet, I know you said when you first started running you dropped some weight and then plateaued.  What did you start doing to overcome that, and accomplish losing 90+lbs?

MD: Juicing and paleo!! Back when all of this started I changed my eating habits and started running. Within the first few months I dropped about 35 pounds and pretty much floated around there for about 2 years. For that 2 years went on a marathon and half marathon spree and kept running as many as i could. 4-5 full marathons during that time and 8 or so half marathons. I was still eating healthy (some what LOL) and running 40-45 miles per week with a couple times going over 50! I was getting plenty of exercise but was still not losing any more weight. February 2014 I ran Sedona marathon. I weighed 225 that day. I trained really hard to hit my time goal and just didn't get there. I was really bummed and knew i still needed to lose more weight and really focus on my diet if i was going to do so. The day after I got back I decided to try a 3 day juicing cleanse to jump start a change! I didn't know what specifically what my change was going to be but I had 3 days to come up with a plan to follow thru with once the cleans was over! I had been juicing randomly for about a year so i had a little experience with it but was never consistent with it. Honestly, I dreaded going 3 days with only drinking ALL day long and have a salad at night. I didn't think i could do it! I went to farmers market and bought everything needed for the 3 days and went on to do it. I was hooked by day 3 and knew what my change was going to be! From the day on I kept it up! I now juice all day every day :)

Me:  So you juice a lot! How many juices would you say you have each day?  

MD: yeah, I guess you could say that!! :) I drink 3 or 4 32oz mason jars of juice every day

Me:  What is your favorite juice recipe?  

MD: There are so many good recipes out there but I have 2 favorites right now:

1. 2 pears, 1 cucumber, 1/2 lemon and some kale

2. 3 carrots, 2 apples and a little ginger

When I make these I normally make these in batches of 5-8 though so multiply the above recipes  by 5-8, make a big pitcher then separate them all out in to mason jars. I LOVE pears!! I also love recipes with pineapples, berries & melons but with the amount I consume I try to stay away from that many sugars.

Me: And tell us, which juicer do you use and do you like it? 

MD: I have a stainless steel Jack Lalanne which works great! It has a big chute where most fruit fits in it with out needing to be cut up. Thats a must for me at my volume! Although I LOVE this juicer I am currently looking to getting another juicer. Masticating juicers process at much lower speeds and tend to get more juice out of "leafy" veggies along with many other benefits. Stay tuned for my selection!! :)

Me:  What are your personal pro’s and con’s of juicing? 

MD: Pro’s- 1. its healthy 2. I lost a lot of weight 3.I don’t feel bogged down and sluggish 3.My entire day worth of meals(except dinner) are prepared 2-3 days in advance so it saves time. 4.I have a TON of energy! 5.I get all the vitamins and minerals + some :)

       Con’s-I dont really see any Cons to doing it except for maybe the process. I go to the farmers market 2 times per week  because i can only fit 3 days or so of produce in my fridge. I go thru about 40-60 pounds per week. Twice a week i spend 30-45 minutes juicing the next 2-3 days worth of juice. I am use to it now and its totally worth it though

Me:  When you’re not juicing, what do you eat? 

MD: During the day if i get really hungry or i need more energy for training i will eat avocados or hard boiled eggs. At night i eat chicken, beef or fish along with salads. I juice during the day and paleo at night.

Me: Do you ever cheat?  And if so, what is your favorite cheat meal? 

MD: Haha sometimes shhhh!! :) I have a major sweet tooth so once in a while i have a sweet treat! As far as cheat meals I try to only have 1 a week at most. pizza, cheeseburgers yum!!

Me:  You look great!  Do you feel good?

MD: Thanks, Ashley! Yes I feel great!! My energy level is thru the roof now!! Going from a size 40 in some pants now down to a size 32 tends to boost your confidence a bit!! ;)

Me:  Now, I know you’re a single dad of 2.  How do you find the time to workout and eat healthy?

MD: I have no idea!! Lol! it is certainly tricky to balance work, kids, training all while still trying to stay healthy and avoid comfort foods :)

Me: How do you stay so disciplined? 

MD: It's much easier now than it was in the beginning. One big thing is trying to set a good example for my daughters and raise them up to not be where I was three years ago. It's a life style for me (us) now. This is not temporary. I never want to be out of shape again nor do I want my daughters that way either. It's a mindset. Everyday I strive to stay healthy and active. Getting over the change the first few weeks was tough but once you change your routine and mindset it's easy. 

Me: Losing & maintaining is far from easy, do you ever feel like giving up?

MD: Everyday! Haha Just kidding :) There are days that I just don't care and I fall off the wagon but not too often. 

Me: What motivates you to keep going?

MD: My daughters! Ashley did her first tri just a few weeks ago and Haylei is well on her way to doing her first as well! They want to follow their Dad and do these together which is so fun!  I also feed on my friends, family and other people who have followed my story and have encouraged me this entire way! I LOVE hearing of all the people that say that I have given them the hope, courage and motivation to make a healthy lifestyle change as well!

Me:  I know you’re training for an Iron Man. What goals/ plans do you have for the future?

MD: Yes, I am currently training for Ironman AZ 140.6 miles on November 16, 2014. I'm not sure what I will do after that. I love the sport and will continue to do them as long as my body will let me! Who knows, maybe I will find a special lady friend to do these with me!!  ;)

Me:  What is your message to those who might be in same place you were 3 years ago  who are intimated to start their journey? 

MD: Don't be scared. Go out of your comfort zone. Set a goal and just do it. 

You will feel amazing!

You can follow Michael on Instagram and Twitter at abqdunn.  

Thank you Michael for sharing your story with us! Looking forward to hearing from you again.  Wishing you all the best of luck in every aspect of life! We know you will do amazing things! 

Juicing vs Blending

 Juicing is still a new concept for a lot of us therefore, I thought this week I would write about what juicing really is and how it’s different from blending. People tell me all time, “I just started juicing this weekend and I love my Nutribullet!” Although I too love my Nutribullet, using such like products is not considered to be “juicing” So this blog will be entirely dedicated to breaking down the difference between juicing and blending.

What is a juicer?

The sole purpose of a juicer is to extract the water and nutrients from fruits and vegetables. The produce will be fed through a strainer, which extracts all the liquid. Once the juicing process is done, you’re left with a liquid version of all your fruits and veggies making it a lot easier to get your daily dose of nutrients. (Plus, it’s a lot easier to down a quick glass of veggies rather than trying to sit down and eat an entire plate full of vegetables!)  Juicing fruits and veggies provides us with a hefty dose of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that immediately nourish our cells.  When you are juicing your final product should be 100% liquid with no pulp. 

Here is a list of Juicers that I recommend.

(I personally use the Breville Juice Fountain)

The Breville Juice Fountain Mulit-Speed $199.99 at Bed Bath and Beyond (make sure and use the 20% off coupon)

The Jack Lalane $99.00 at Bed Bath and Beyond (make sure and use the 20% off coupon)

The Juice Bullet by Magic Bullet $79.00 at Target 

The Black and Decker $31.43 at Wal-Mart 

*** All of these juicers can also be found on amazon and craigslist! 

 

What is a blender?

Everyone always asks me about the Nutribullet and the Ninja.  Both the Nutribullet and the Ninja are smoothie makers.  What goes into them is exactly what comes out. There is no extracting involved. The main difference between a blender and juicer is the final product.  The texture and taste of a juice and smoothie are completely different. I've tried the same recipe in both a blender and a juicer and they tasted completely different. With a smoothie you are going to be getting more fiber because all of the pulp is left in the drink. 

So which is better….Juicing or Blending?

         Although they are different, the answer is both! 

 Juicing Benefits:

·      No Digestion needed (it’s important to give your digestive system a break every now and then)

·      Disregards indigestible ingredients

·      Makes nutrients more readily available to the body in larger quantities

·      100% Liquid (zero pulp)

·      Nutrients and Vitamins directly go to the blood stream

·      Your body doesn’t need to use a lot of energy to process juice which leaves you feeling more energized

·      Benefits those with weak digestive track 

Blending Benefits:

·      Retains Fiber

·      You can use frozen ingredients

·      More filling than juice

·      Fiber helps balance blood sugar levels

CAUTION: 

All of the recipes on my blog are designed for juicers not blenders.  If you try to duplicate a recipe in your blender, it will probably overflow! You will have to cut the ingredients WAY down in a blender and the taste for my recipes will be completely different as a smoothie because they were intended to be made as juices. 

I hope this helped! If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment! 

XoXo, 

Ashley

For Daily Tips and Recipes follow me on: 

Instagram: ashleynicolemora1 

Twitter: MissAshleyMoora 

How To Get The Most Out Of Juicing

 This is a picture of a Juice Cleanse I did!

 Juicing is a convenient way to get your daily dose of fruit and vegetables.  A fresh juice is basically just a concentrated dose of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants that is shot immediately into our bloodstream so we can absorb all of the nutrients.  There are so many wonderful benefits that come along with juicing but it can be expensive. So I thought I would share with you some of the ways I get the most out of juicing. 

    The farmers market is the cheapest place to purchase produce and it’s local which is a plus.  I haven’t priced every single thing out but comparing complete trips to the grocery store, the farmers market was by far my cheapest trip.  I also enjoyed shopping at the farmers market because I wasn’t tempted by the cookie or chip aisle like I always am at the grocery store.  There was ONLY fruits and vegetables so I was able to go in, get what I needed, and get out!


 Fruits and Vegetables with a high water content will ALWAYS juice the best! For example apples, celery, and cucumbers are going to produce a lot more juice than kale or spinach.  So that is something to keep in mind when you are doing your grocery shopping.

There is a specific order in which you are able to get more juice when juicing! I have found this order of operation to be extremely beneficial, so I thought I would share :)

1. ALWAYS start with your leafy ingredients first! Spinach, Kale, Mint Leaves, Parsley, Rosemary, Wheatgrass, Cilantro.  These ingredients are going to produce a small amount of juice when you send it thru your juicer.  They are very beneficial but their water content is low.  You never want to save these types of ingredients for the end because they need some help getting pushed out.

2.  Second, if a recipe calls for ginger root, I will send that next.  Ginger is another thing you never want to save until the end to add in.  If a recipe doesn’t call for ginger root, I’ll do things like Jalapenos, lemons, oranges, grapefruit, beets, carrots, bell peppers… pretty much anything that is a little softer than an apple. 

3.  Last but not least you always want to save your hardest produce items for last… and by that I mean things like apples, celery, cucumbers, onions etc.  Saving these things to juice at the end cleans out whatever is hanging out in your strainer, therefore pushing out a little more kale or whatever wasn't fully executed on its own.  

Basically just remember when juicing,  go from softest to hardest!

I hope this was helpful to some of you who have recently started juicing! 

Happy Mothers Day to all the Mommas out there who read my blog! I so appreciate each and every one of you!  Have a blessed week everyone! 

XoXo,

Ashley 

For Daily Tips and Recipes follow me on: 

Instagram: ashleynicolemora1 

Twitter: MissAshleyMoora 

Me and my mom shopping in Florida last year!



 p.s Thank you to those of you who are taking time out of your busy schedule to read my blog! It means the world to me!