I work Saturday nights, usually getting home between 11pm and midnight, depending how many dogs are at the kennel. I work Sunday morning/afternoon, meaning I'm up at 6.30am, out the door at 6.45am and, depending on trains, at work between 7.15-7.30am. Ever since starting work there over a year ago, I would roll out of bed, hastily get ready in the dark, and tromp out the door, still half asleep, doze on the train to work, am awakened by the brisk air and ready to start my 9 1/2hr shift. I'd just be getting peckish as Noon/1pm rolled around, and traipse to the grocery to buy a little snack, which sated me until after work at 5pm.
I cherish my sleep - especially since I get so little of it Saturday night into Sunday morning. If the occasion arose for me to choose between getting up early for breakfast or sleeping more, I'd always choose sleep. I generally shower at night, because if it was a battle between showering and sleeping, again, sleep would win. Never has it occurred to me to get up early on a Sunday morning before my appointed 6.30am. Until this past week.
As you read in my last post, I discovered and extolled the joys and virtues of juicing. In my wild enthusiasm, I got the strange notion to juice before work on Sunday morning. Now, I have my timing down to an art. I know just how long it takes me to get ready and which train times I need to catch to make it to work on time. Obviously, with my current schedule, juicing of a morning wasn't going to fit. I figured it wouldn't kill me to try it this once, so I gulped and rolled my alarm back to 6.10am. Yikes! After hitting snooze once, I was up and out of bed at 6.15am and because I'd prepped the juicer and put all the ingredients together the night before, it was a simple process of dumping the ingredients in, turning Juicey on, straining my juice to remove extra pulp, then cleaning Juicey (because it you don't clean your juicer right away it's a devil of a time to clean it later, when all the juice/pulp/whatever has had time to harden and whatnot - really best just to do it right away). I also have the Juicey cleaning process down to perfection. All in all, I had juiced, cleaned Juicey, and was drinking breakfast before 6.30am, which gave me a more time than normal to get ready for work.
I found myself more alert, having more energy, and wasn't fighting off wanting to fall asleep during work. 1.30/2pm rolls around finding me famished. I deal with a client and then am heading to the grocery to get my favorite - Tuscan Bean Salad (I really need to learn to make it myself). I take my brief lunch break and then it's back to overseeing playtime and walking the pups. It was nice feeling more awake and energized for work, especially when it's such a long shift and can get monotonous, especially if there are a lot of individual playtimes where the dog is just sitting or sleeping, not wanting to play.
I've also realized my diet for the past week has been mainly a liquid one. How strange is that!? I did splurge on junk food at an Oscars viewing party, and I ate dinner at the Musical Theatre Forum Monday night, and my bosses took us out to lunch for our work meeting where I had a turkey burger on Tuesday, but other than those three times, I've really just been drinking my food. It's so strange! On the one had, it's super convenient, easy to do and clean up, filling, and I know it's absolutely nutritious. I am also looking great (not to say I ever looked bad/fat/chubby whatever, but I figured I was how I was going to be, but I seem to have gotten a little leaner, more streamlined. I look good! Just take a look at the new song on my media page compared to the older videos - crazy!) On the other hand, I love to cook! I miss trying new recipes and eating delicious foods. But the thing is, I'm just not very hungry anymore. I'm not going to buy ingredients and cook when I'm not hungry, as I don't want it to go to waste or spoil. I've noticed my poor roommate eating out a lot because I haven't been cooking like I usually do. I'm definitely not back in 6th grade anymore, where I could eat anything twice over and still be hungry. One glass of fresh juice and I'm set for hours. I'm wondering if I should juice every other day and on the off days try new recipes - there's so much out there to try, I need to get crackin'!
1 C blueberries (or a pint/package, however many you want, really)
1 Medium tomato
1 Granny Smith Apple
5-7 Carrots (depending how much room you have left, I usually end up using 5)
Juice in the given order - and admire the lovely layers. Then mix it together, strain into a glass, and enjoy!
And just for kicks and giggles, here's my favorite pic during Oscars night: