I'm still here and still freezing my ass off. Ugh. I have been having great runs lately which is awesome. I need to start looking at half marathons in my area this spring. I hope when I go back to work I can somehow keep up w/ running this much- it's hard b/c I can't really go for more than 3 miles at a time in the dark b/c the other roads I run on to get more miles in aren't well-lit and have uneven sidewalks so I might trip & fall or something. I could do 2-a-days 1-2x per week though and run in the AM and PM. That's a good option.
I'll try to remember yesterday:
-3 bananas
-2 raw cacao-goji energy bites
-smoothie w/ 2 bananas, frzn strawberries & blueberries, splash of OJ (sooooo good)
*6 mile run*
-2 apples & 2 bananas
-a few baby carrots & cuc slices w/ lower-fat raw zucchini hummus & an apple- rushed trying to leave earlier than I thought I'd have to
-didn't have time to finish dinner but I went out w/ friends- bad b/c I asked for a plain tomato salad w/ the balsamic/olive oil on the side, but they brought it w/ the dressing on the tomatoes AND on the side, and I was too stoned to do anything about it. So I had too much fat again yesterday, which I'm a little bummed about. It was prob 2 tomatoes and a few onions & basil leaves w/ EVOO & balsamic (the balsamic was prob not raw b/c it gave me stomach pains later on)
-banana
So yesterday ended up being kind of a wash, but it happens. That's what you get when you try to order raw food when you're stoned. At least I didn't end up eating the amazing looking fresh bread or tortilla chips w/ salsa, right?
Today will probably be:
-2 bananas, 2 c. OJ
-smoothie w/ 2 bananas, frozen strawberries & blueberries, splash of OJ
-another banana & apple?
*3 mile run, squats & lunges, arms, maybe abs*
-carrots & cauliflower w/ raw hummus
-salad w/ romaine, tomatoes, cucs, carrots, red & yellow peppers, cauliflower, raw ACV
-maybe another apple
The cats are probably getting salmon for the next 3 days. Spoiled girls.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Friday, December 28, 2007
Freezing in CA
I am so cold. I won't even try to describe it b/c I can't do it justice. I just want a giant warm furry animal to come over and lay on me. I wouldn't mind spontaneously combusting right now b/c at least I'd be warm for a second before I burst into nothingness. Last night I went to bed late b/c I was sitting in front of the heater for HALF AN HOUR. Just sitting there. I was too cold to move. My hands are coldest, and my back is also super cold. No fun :( I am going to keep whining about this until it's at least 80 degrees out.
I did have a DELICIOUS day of eating today. I was really hungry this morning- that seems to be pretty normal, then it tapers off during the afternoon/evening. Here's what I ate today and yesterday:
Today's Food:
-14 oz. OJ, 3 bananas (I think...it may have been 2 though?)
-another banana
-lara bar & apple
*3 mile tempo run, abs stuff, stretching*
-smoothie w/ 2 bananas, frozen strawberries & blueberries, splash of OJ- SO GOOD!
-taste of raw tahini while I was making raw hummus...ooooops bye bye 811!
-TONS of veggies- a plum tomato, half a red & yellow bell pepper sliced, 1/4 of a giant cuc on steroids (I hope not literally), 2 pcs. cauliflower, and 2/3 of a small bag of baby carrots. Some with raw zucchini hummus, some plain.
-maybe an apple later. I'm so full right now though.
Yesterday's Food:
-smoothie w/ 2 bananas, frozen mango, strawberries & blueberries, splash of OJ; 2 raw brazil nuts
*4 mile run, squats, lunges, stretching*
-2 bananas
-lara bar & apple
-2 bananas & some pineapple
-salad w/ romaine, carrots, cucs, red & yellow peppers, 2 plum tomatoes, cauliflower & raw ACV
-banana
So today was too much fat, but I'm ok with it. I think the fact that my body temperature is around 30 degrees (ok, I'm exaggerating a little) had something to do with this. Fat just seems like the most "warming" raw food. Even if it doesn't actually make me warm. The good thing is I added a lot less raw tahini and less garlic to the raw hummus and it was so much better and not overstimulating to my taste buds. It's mainly just zucchini now :)
Cat update- they got raw organic/hormone free/free range chicken legs and chicken livers yesterday for dinner, and then again for bfast & dinner today! Noelle, the middle child, was fussy at first but then ended up devouring it later on. Shima & Gracie ate it right away! It seemed chewier/tougher than the salmon but they all figured it out. It's really fascinating to watch them eat raw meat. Makes them seem like such wild cats... I just like to watch them eat their natural diet, too. It's weird, but it doesn't make me feel that guilty, like I would if I was eating the meat (eeeeeeeeew) or buying it for me or another person to use. It doesn't feel 100% ok either though, b/c of the conditions the animals are subjected to on the farms (even free-range) and the fact that those animals are bred solely to be killed. I think there's a lot of negative energy and trauma and stress in their short lives, and I bet this negativity gets transferred from the animals to the people/other animals who eat them. It's an interesting thought. I guess that means I must eat happy apples & bananas & carrots b/c I'm so happy all the time lately ;)
Enough deep thoughts for tonight... Time to go pile under 3 fleece blankets (and hopefully a couple of cats) and watch a movie. I love lazy days!
I did have a DELICIOUS day of eating today. I was really hungry this morning- that seems to be pretty normal, then it tapers off during the afternoon/evening. Here's what I ate today and yesterday:
Today's Food:
-14 oz. OJ, 3 bananas (I think...it may have been 2 though?)
-another banana
-lara bar & apple
*3 mile tempo run, abs stuff, stretching*
-smoothie w/ 2 bananas, frozen strawberries & blueberries, splash of OJ- SO GOOD!
-taste of raw tahini while I was making raw hummus...ooooops bye bye 811!
-TONS of veggies- a plum tomato, half a red & yellow bell pepper sliced, 1/4 of a giant cuc on steroids (I hope not literally), 2 pcs. cauliflower, and 2/3 of a small bag of baby carrots. Some with raw zucchini hummus, some plain.
-maybe an apple later. I'm so full right now though.
Yesterday's Food:
-smoothie w/ 2 bananas, frozen mango, strawberries & blueberries, splash of OJ; 2 raw brazil nuts
*4 mile run, squats, lunges, stretching*
-2 bananas
-lara bar & apple
-2 bananas & some pineapple
-salad w/ romaine, carrots, cucs, red & yellow peppers, 2 plum tomatoes, cauliflower & raw ACV
-banana
So today was too much fat, but I'm ok with it. I think the fact that my body temperature is around 30 degrees (ok, I'm exaggerating a little) had something to do with this. Fat just seems like the most "warming" raw food. Even if it doesn't actually make me warm. The good thing is I added a lot less raw tahini and less garlic to the raw hummus and it was so much better and not overstimulating to my taste buds. It's mainly just zucchini now :)
Cat update- they got raw organic/hormone free/free range chicken legs and chicken livers yesterday for dinner, and then again for bfast & dinner today! Noelle, the middle child, was fussy at first but then ended up devouring it later on. Shima & Gracie ate it right away! It seemed chewier/tougher than the salmon but they all figured it out. It's really fascinating to watch them eat raw meat. Makes them seem like such wild cats... I just like to watch them eat their natural diet, too. It's weird, but it doesn't make me feel that guilty, like I would if I was eating the meat (eeeeeeeeew) or buying it for me or another person to use. It doesn't feel 100% ok either though, b/c of the conditions the animals are subjected to on the farms (even free-range) and the fact that those animals are bred solely to be killed. I think there's a lot of negative energy and trauma and stress in their short lives, and I bet this negativity gets transferred from the animals to the people/other animals who eat them. It's an interesting thought. I guess that means I must eat happy apples & bananas & carrots b/c I'm so happy all the time lately ;)
Enough deep thoughts for tonight... Time to go pile under 3 fleece blankets (and hopefully a couple of cats) and watch a movie. I love lazy days!
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Happiness Is..
Cold toes in warm sand. I spent the day at the beach today and it was just total bliss. I love this week! I have done so many "me" things and it's been incredibly therapeutic! I took my pastels & drawing pad with me and sketched for a bit, then read some more of my book (I'm reading and LOVING Atlas Shrugged, I may end up liking it even more than The Fountainhead but let's not get ahead of myself...haha). I took the day off from cardio b/c my legs and butt were/are pretty sore! Those mountains I hiked are catching up to me!
I'm really become better about this whole crazy appetite thing that's been going on for the past week or so. I've lost even more weight and I think maybe raw is making my metabolism speed up or something, now that the junk is being cleaned out and my body can run more efficiently. I wonder if anyone else experienced this? It makes sense to me. Anyway, eating more fruit feels right. Bananas especially...I am crazy for them. Especially when they're getting spotty. Mmmm. I was craving Italian food for the past couple days (I think I was detoxing all the lasagna and pasta I've eaten in my very Italian past b/c I smelled like marinara sauce all day yesterday...). I decided to make some raw zucchinagetti w/ marinara. It was kind of a disappointment. I don't usually eat imitation cooked foods or raw gourmet- In fact, I haven't at all in the past 2 months. I missed the simplicity of a salad or fruit meal. The garlic in the marinara also nearly killed me! Eeek. I'm really thirsty now and my nose is running. I know they say garlic is good for your heart, but I'm starting to question things like that. I mean, we wouldn't go up and pick some garlic and start eating it by the clove, right? Maybe we're not meant to eat it. Either way, I have half the sauce left so I'll have to finish it up at some point. I hope my mouth doesn't catch on fire. I never realized how spicy garlic is- I used to eat tons of it!
The cats are doing great w/ their raw meat based diet! I noticed Gracie, the overweight and veeerrryy lazy cat, has been running around like crazy for the past 2 days! Seriously, this is like a miracle b/c she usually doesn't get up off her butt for anything but food! I'm really happy that she's getting some "exercise." She wasn't even like this as a kitten! The only thing I've changed is her diet...I am honestly shocked to see a change so early-on, and it really affirms that this is the right path for them as well as for me :)
The Daily Dish:
-1 c. OJ & 1 brazil nut, then an hour later, 4 bananas
-cashew cookie lara bar (WHY are they ALWAYS out of chocolate coconut??), apple
-2 bananas, apple
*half hour of abs pilates & push-ups/tricep dips*
-half a small bag of baby carrots (sooooo good); raw zucchinagetti w/ 1 peeled zucchini sliced thin and half of the marinara made from 1.5 big tomatoes, 5 soaked sundried tomatoes, half a red pepper, 3 garlic cloves, 1 tsp. EVOO and a tiny bit of basil. Also, I ate the remaining half of a tomato. Mmmm.
-definitely having an apple later
I'm really become better about this whole crazy appetite thing that's been going on for the past week or so. I've lost even more weight and I think maybe raw is making my metabolism speed up or something, now that the junk is being cleaned out and my body can run more efficiently. I wonder if anyone else experienced this? It makes sense to me. Anyway, eating more fruit feels right. Bananas especially...I am crazy for them. Especially when they're getting spotty. Mmmm. I was craving Italian food for the past couple days (I think I was detoxing all the lasagna and pasta I've eaten in my very Italian past b/c I smelled like marinara sauce all day yesterday...). I decided to make some raw zucchinagetti w/ marinara. It was kind of a disappointment. I don't usually eat imitation cooked foods or raw gourmet- In fact, I haven't at all in the past 2 months. I missed the simplicity of a salad or fruit meal. The garlic in the marinara also nearly killed me! Eeek. I'm really thirsty now and my nose is running. I know they say garlic is good for your heart, but I'm starting to question things like that. I mean, we wouldn't go up and pick some garlic and start eating it by the clove, right? Maybe we're not meant to eat it. Either way, I have half the sauce left so I'll have to finish it up at some point. I hope my mouth doesn't catch on fire. I never realized how spicy garlic is- I used to eat tons of it!
The cats are doing great w/ their raw meat based diet! I noticed Gracie, the overweight and veeerrryy lazy cat, has been running around like crazy for the past 2 days! Seriously, this is like a miracle b/c she usually doesn't get up off her butt for anything but food! I'm really happy that she's getting some "exercise." She wasn't even like this as a kitten! The only thing I've changed is her diet...I am honestly shocked to see a change so early-on, and it really affirms that this is the right path for them as well as for me :)
The Daily Dish:
-1 c. OJ & 1 brazil nut, then an hour later, 4 bananas
-cashew cookie lara bar (WHY are they ALWAYS out of chocolate coconut??), apple
-2 bananas, apple
*half hour of abs pilates & push-ups/tricep dips*
-half a small bag of baby carrots (sooooo good); raw zucchinagetti w/ 1 peeled zucchini sliced thin and half of the marinara made from 1.5 big tomatoes, 5 soaked sundried tomatoes, half a red pepper, 3 garlic cloves, 1 tsp. EVOO and a tiny bit of basil. Also, I ate the remaining half of a tomato. Mmmm.
-definitely having an apple later
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
I'm Dreaming of a Sunshiney Christmas!
Merry Christmas! This is my first Christmas on the West Coast and this weather is AMAZING!!! It's much warmer and sunnier than it's been in weeks and it just makes me feel so happy and full of energy. I really do believe that I get a great deal of energy from sunlight. When the sun is shining I just feel happier and buzzing. When I'm indoors all day or it's gray or rainy out, I just feel depressed and somewhat lethargic. I'm so happy this weather is here now when I have time to enjoy it! I went for a great 5.75ish mile run today (it was more than 5.5 miles but probably a tad less than 6, lol). It felt great and I just felt so lucky to be out there! Yesterday I went hiking in this huge mountainous park here in LA and that was WONDERFUL too. Tomorrow I'm going to Malibu to lie on the beach all day :)
So this year Christmas is very unconventional. I didn't go home to the East Coast b/c of $$, and I also chose to go home for Thanksgiving instead (truth be told, I kind of wanted to spend my time off from work here in Cali b/c I do love it here and there's so much I want to do that I don't normally have time to do). I guess it's a little lonely being w/o my family on Christmas, and none of my friends are in town today, but it's just another day, right? I got plenty of Merry Christmas calls & texts so I feel kind of in the loop. Plus my cats are having a ball with all their new toys! It's way too cute.
My cats are all doing so well transitioning to a raw diet! I'm not sure when I last posted, but I got them fresh wild salmon for their Christmas Eve & Christmas meals and they went crazy for it! I'm so happy that eating raw meat came very naturally for them. Something I've found is the raw meat seems to satisfy them & keep them full for longer, which is great b/c they are eating less of the dry food that I leave out for them during the day. I HATE the dry food & it seems so unnatural for them to eat it so I hope I can eventually wean them off of it totally. I'm planning to slowly increase the amount of food they get at their mealtimes at breakfast & dinner so they get used to just eating 2 meals a day with no food in between. I think this is optimal for their digestive systems. They all have very very different metabolisms (one is skinny and eats all the time, one is a totally normal weight and eats like an average cat- can be finicky from time to time but generally eats well, and the third is overweight at 14 pounds and loves food but even though I feed her less she doesn't lose weight!). Anyway, I'm getting used to dealing w/ raw meat and they are happy!
Ok onto my Christmas Eve & Christmas Day Deliciousness! I haven't been juice fasting, I just don't feel like it! Oh well.
Christmas Eve:
I'll try to remember... lol.
-2 c. OJ
-3 bananas
*hiked for 1 hour 40 mins., then stretched in the grass- so nice*
-2 c. OJ, banana, 2 raw cacao-goji energy bites
-2 apples, banana
-salad w/ romaine, red peppers, carrots, cucs, tomato, cauliflower, raw ACV; a few carrots/pieces of cauliflower w/ raw hummus
-banana & half a cacao-goji energy bite (was starving late at night, I don't like eating past 8:30 but oh well!)
Christmas Day:
-2 c. OJ, banana
-4 bananas, 1 raw cacao-goji energy bite
*5.75ish mile run, stretching like woah*
-apple, brazil nut, half a banana
-smoothie w/ 1.5 bananas, frozen mango, blueberries & strawberries, splash of OJ
-a little bit of raw veggies (carrots, cucs, tomato, red peppers, cauliflower) w/ raw hummus, and a red, green & white "Christmas Salad" w/ romaine, red peppers, cucs and a tiny piece of cauliflower b/c I had no hummus left to eat it with! *I did not plan on this being red green & white, I'm not THAT big of a dork, it just happened b/c I have no more carrots or yellow peppers!* Oh and I had another raw cacao-goji energy bite too...oops.
-apple
I've been eating more lately b/c I've been hungrier. I had a slight freak-out about it but I still seem to be losing weight based on how clothes are fitting, so I'm trying to listen to my body and accept that it may need more food than I've been eating. I do have lots of energy for great workouts lately, which is awesome!
So this year Christmas is very unconventional. I didn't go home to the East Coast b/c of $$, and I also chose to go home for Thanksgiving instead (truth be told, I kind of wanted to spend my time off from work here in Cali b/c I do love it here and there's so much I want to do that I don't normally have time to do). I guess it's a little lonely being w/o my family on Christmas, and none of my friends are in town today, but it's just another day, right? I got plenty of Merry Christmas calls & texts so I feel kind of in the loop. Plus my cats are having a ball with all their new toys! It's way too cute.
My cats are all doing so well transitioning to a raw diet! I'm not sure when I last posted, but I got them fresh wild salmon for their Christmas Eve & Christmas meals and they went crazy for it! I'm so happy that eating raw meat came very naturally for them. Something I've found is the raw meat seems to satisfy them & keep them full for longer, which is great b/c they are eating less of the dry food that I leave out for them during the day. I HATE the dry food & it seems so unnatural for them to eat it so I hope I can eventually wean them off of it totally. I'm planning to slowly increase the amount of food they get at their mealtimes at breakfast & dinner so they get used to just eating 2 meals a day with no food in between. I think this is optimal for their digestive systems. They all have very very different metabolisms (one is skinny and eats all the time, one is a totally normal weight and eats like an average cat- can be finicky from time to time but generally eats well, and the third is overweight at 14 pounds and loves food but even though I feed her less she doesn't lose weight!). Anyway, I'm getting used to dealing w/ raw meat and they are happy!
Ok onto my Christmas Eve & Christmas Day Deliciousness! I haven't been juice fasting, I just don't feel like it! Oh well.
Christmas Eve:
I'll try to remember... lol.
-2 c. OJ
-3 bananas
*hiked for 1 hour 40 mins., then stretched in the grass- so nice*
-2 c. OJ, banana, 2 raw cacao-goji energy bites
-2 apples, banana
-salad w/ romaine, red peppers, carrots, cucs, tomato, cauliflower, raw ACV; a few carrots/pieces of cauliflower w/ raw hummus
-banana & half a cacao-goji energy bite (was starving late at night, I don't like eating past 8:30 but oh well!)
Christmas Day:
-2 c. OJ, banana
-4 bananas, 1 raw cacao-goji energy bite
*5.75ish mile run, stretching like woah*
-apple, brazil nut, half a banana
-smoothie w/ 1.5 bananas, frozen mango, blueberries & strawberries, splash of OJ
-a little bit of raw veggies (carrots, cucs, tomato, red peppers, cauliflower) w/ raw hummus, and a red, green & white "Christmas Salad" w/ romaine, red peppers, cucs and a tiny piece of cauliflower b/c I had no hummus left to eat it with! *I did not plan on this being red green & white, I'm not THAT big of a dork, it just happened b/c I have no more carrots or yellow peppers!* Oh and I had another raw cacao-goji energy bite too...oops.
-apple
I've been eating more lately b/c I've been hungrier. I had a slight freak-out about it but I still seem to be losing weight based on how clothes are fitting, so I'm trying to listen to my body and accept that it may need more food than I've been eating. I do have lots of energy for great workouts lately, which is awesome!
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Raw Cats & Flea Markets
My cats are doing amazingly well adjusting to a raw meat diet! Noelle, the "middle child," even jumped up on the counter and ate a piece of raw meat as I was preparing their dinners! I was pretty shocked at how quickly they took to eating raw meat. None of them have ever had it before but it must be instinctual. Just like us, their bodies know what they want... they just have to have the chance to realize it!
I furnished my apartment today! I've been in this apartment for 10 mos. now but never had the money to furnish it. This month I got a great holiday bonus and I've also been spending less money on food (thanks to the Farmer's Market & not eating so many nuts, raw bars, etc) and I don't spend money out on drinks anymore. This left me with more than enough money to buy a TV stand and corner shelf at the flea market- both are really unique & very cool- and then some little things like a Buddha tea light holder, a poster (Marilyn Monroe, my favorite), and hopefully I'll be able to find some fabric to cover my very old 1940's cards table. I also need a futon but still have the whole week and more than enough money to get one! I'm happy, my little apartment looks SO much more cozy and homey.
Carrying all that stuff and what my friend bought was quite a workout! I am beat! We braved Target afterwards to help furnish her brand new apartment and it was a madhouse. Ugh, I hate stores like that! But they do have very affordable basics, toiletries, and of course, cat litter ;)
FOOD!
-smoothie w/ the usual- 2 bananas, frozen mango, strawberries & blueberries, splash of OJ; extra banana to hold me over all morning
-apple
-16 oz. fresh-squeezed OJ and a single wheatgrass shot from Jamba- liquid energy & happiness!
-2 bananas & an apple
-carrots w/ raw hummus and 2 plum tomatoes
-apple
No "real" workout. My body doesn't want it lately. I'm detoxing a little again.
The juice fast starts tomorrow! My fridge is stocked w/ OJ!
I furnished my apartment today! I've been in this apartment for 10 mos. now but never had the money to furnish it. This month I got a great holiday bonus and I've also been spending less money on food (thanks to the Farmer's Market & not eating so many nuts, raw bars, etc) and I don't spend money out on drinks anymore. This left me with more than enough money to buy a TV stand and corner shelf at the flea market- both are really unique & very cool- and then some little things like a Buddha tea light holder, a poster (Marilyn Monroe, my favorite), and hopefully I'll be able to find some fabric to cover my very old 1940's cards table. I also need a futon but still have the whole week and more than enough money to get one! I'm happy, my little apartment looks SO much more cozy and homey.
Carrying all that stuff and what my friend bought was quite a workout! I am beat! We braved Target afterwards to help furnish her brand new apartment and it was a madhouse. Ugh, I hate stores like that! But they do have very affordable basics, toiletries, and of course, cat litter ;)
FOOD!
-smoothie w/ the usual- 2 bananas, frozen mango, strawberries & blueberries, splash of OJ; extra banana to hold me over all morning
-apple
-16 oz. fresh-squeezed OJ and a single wheatgrass shot from Jamba- liquid energy & happiness!
-2 bananas & an apple
-carrots w/ raw hummus and 2 plum tomatoes
-apple
No "real" workout. My body doesn't want it lately. I'm detoxing a little again.
The juice fast starts tomorrow! My fridge is stocked w/ OJ!
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Raw Cats!
I don't usually post til nighttime, but I'm SO EXCITED b/c my cats are going raw! I have had that little nagging voice in the back of my mind for nearly half a year now telling me that I had to suck it up and get them on a diet of raw meat, and I've been doing research and even going into the meat section of the grocery store and then "chickening out" (lol) and leaving empty-handed...But not today. Today, armed with a ton of research and after asking my mom a million questions about meat handling and preservation, I bought them some Wild Kitty raw cat food (http://www.wildkittycatfood.com/index.htm) and a supplement called Missing Link (http://www.sojos.com/missinglink.html) that will provide them with even more EFAs, ground bone, organ meats (eeeeeew) and other vitamins and nutrients. I don't plan on using Wild Kitty food for long- I just need to order a raw food dry "base" that I can mix with my own raw meat- but I wanted them to get started on a raw diet ASAP so that I can introduce it to them and moniter them while I'm off from work this week and hopefully they will be used to it and transitioned to as much raw as I can afford in 3-4 weeks! I plan on feeding them mainly chicken/turkey (all organic, hormone-free and free-range) and supplementing with wild salmon & tuna when I can. Meat is much more expensive than my old cooked vegan staples, especially when I want to get the healthiest, safest, and "least cruel" kind. But this is important for my babies.
This is all incredibly overwhelming and I've got a million questions, but I felt the same when I started on my own raw foods diet. Of course, I don't mind experimenting on myself, but with my furbabies it's a different story. But I really feel like this is right for them (and my vet even suggested it last week when I brought Shima in!). I think this is what's been missing for a long time. My youngest, Gracie (2 years & 2 mos. old) has had a lot of health problems. She had tapeworms and a very bad case of Upper Respiratory Disease as a kitten and was pumped full of antibiotics before I adopted her. She is overweight and has what may even be seasonal asthma. I am especially excited to see how she takes to the raw diet and how it changes her health. My other two cats, Noelle (2 years 3 mos. old) and Shima (3 years 5 mos. old) are in excellent health, but I still feel like something is lacking. I HATE giving them processed canned & dry food. I never knew there was another option.
This is all incredibly overwhelming and I've got a million questions, but I felt the same when I started on my own raw foods diet. Of course, I don't mind experimenting on myself, but with my furbabies it's a different story. But I really feel like this is right for them (and my vet even suggested it last week when I brought Shima in!). I think this is what's been missing for a long time. My youngest, Gracie (2 years & 2 mos. old) has had a lot of health problems. She had tapeworms and a very bad case of Upper Respiratory Disease as a kitten and was pumped full of antibiotics before I adopted her. She is overweight and has what may even be seasonal asthma. I am especially excited to see how she takes to the raw diet and how it changes her health. My other two cats, Noelle (2 years 3 mos. old) and Shima (3 years 5 mos. old) are in excellent health, but I still feel like something is lacking. I HATE giving them processed canned & dry food. I never knew there was another option.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Vacation!
Wahoo- it's vacation time!! 11 days off, baby!
I had the best dinner EVER- Whole Foods salad bar (the one in W. Hollywood is the best!) w/ kale, mixed greens, romaine, shredded carrots, beets & zucchini, cucs, grape tomatoes, red peppers, onions, "health mix" which is chopped mixed raw veggies, half an avo and raw ACV. It was so huge I had to put the health mix, zucchini and cucs in another container! And now, as usual after eating a giant meal, my stomach is SCREAMING at me- only this time it's screaming, "Thank you for giving me so many nutrients, vitamins and minerals!!!" Haha. Wow that was good.
I am so excited about my vacation time! Tomorrow I want to get up & run, then go in search of raw pet food and figure out how to do that whole thing (yes, I may end up with meat in my house by the end of the day. I am trying to mentally prepare myself for buying meat... I'm telling myself that it's what my babies NEED but it's still going to be tough). I also want to go read some books at B&N and also walk down to this raw food cafe/store near me b/c I've never been! Then I'm meeting friends for drinks (I'll stick to my organic red wine or else I'll suffer the consequences!). Should be a good day!
I'm thinking of starting my juice fast on Monday. I guess I'll see how it goes, I'm not setting any time goals. I think it would be good to really get some junk out of my system, and I have time to rest so this is the perfect time to do it.
Then later in the week I'm getting a facial & manicure to get ready for New Years!!!
Eats:
-smoothie w/ 2 bananas, frozen mango, thawed frozen strawberries (not in microwave though!), OJ
-1 c. OJ, banana
-4 bananas (really craving them today...as usual I guess!)
-apple & a raw cacao-goji energy bite
-aforementioned salad and a couple baby carrots
I took the day completely off from exercise. I really felt like my body needed it. I'm looking forward to my run tomorrow though!
I had the best dinner EVER- Whole Foods salad bar (the one in W. Hollywood is the best!) w/ kale, mixed greens, romaine, shredded carrots, beets & zucchini, cucs, grape tomatoes, red peppers, onions, "health mix" which is chopped mixed raw veggies, half an avo and raw ACV. It was so huge I had to put the health mix, zucchini and cucs in another container! And now, as usual after eating a giant meal, my stomach is SCREAMING at me- only this time it's screaming, "Thank you for giving me so many nutrients, vitamins and minerals!!!" Haha. Wow that was good.
I am so excited about my vacation time! Tomorrow I want to get up & run, then go in search of raw pet food and figure out how to do that whole thing (yes, I may end up with meat in my house by the end of the day. I am trying to mentally prepare myself for buying meat... I'm telling myself that it's what my babies NEED but it's still going to be tough). I also want to go read some books at B&N and also walk down to this raw food cafe/store near me b/c I've never been! Then I'm meeting friends for drinks (I'll stick to my organic red wine or else I'll suffer the consequences!). Should be a good day!
I'm thinking of starting my juice fast on Monday. I guess I'll see how it goes, I'm not setting any time goals. I think it would be good to really get some junk out of my system, and I have time to rest so this is the perfect time to do it.
Then later in the week I'm getting a facial & manicure to get ready for New Years!!!
Eats:
-smoothie w/ 2 bananas, frozen mango, thawed frozen strawberries (not in microwave though!), OJ
-1 c. OJ, banana
-4 bananas (really craving them today...as usual I guess!)
-apple & a raw cacao-goji energy bite
-aforementioned salad and a couple baby carrots
I took the day completely off from exercise. I really felt like my body needed it. I'm looking forward to my run tomorrow though!
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Sooo close to 11 days off...
I'm tired tonight (thanks, wine) but just want to post really quickly-
-3 bananas
-2 c. oj & banana
-2 bananas, c. of grapes, apple
-apple & banana
*50-min. power walk w/ lots of gradual hills, 10 mins. abs. *
-glass of red wine; salad w/ 2 heads of romaine, red & yellow peppers, carrots, cauliflower, tomato, raw ACV; 2 raw cacao-goji energy bites
I feel good about today. The wine definitely affected me but I'm not drunk. Just sleeeepy and have to concentrate a little harder! I've been eating a little more lately- like 1400 calories as opposed to 1200ish- and it's good b/c I am losing weight and NONE of my clothes are the right size anymore:( I don't mind losing weight and I'm letting my body just do it's thing- after all, it's got 22 years of toxins stored in my fat cells (where the fat cells are at this point is anybody's guess though! Haha). It's just kind of sad to see all my clothes getting too big! Stuff that was too tight 2 months ago is now hanging on me- so I missed that "in the middle" period where I could have looked perfect in it! Oh well!
Oh and I was thinking today about what I love to eat the most/crave the most. It's definitely bananas. Nothing compares to a perfectly ripe banana. Except for mangoes, but they're so expensive that I can't get fresh ones often. The frozen mango makes my smoothies taste heavenly though!
-3 bananas
-2 c. oj & banana
-2 bananas, c. of grapes, apple
-apple & banana
*50-min. power walk w/ lots of gradual hills, 10 mins. abs. *
-glass of red wine; salad w/ 2 heads of romaine, red & yellow peppers, carrots, cauliflower, tomato, raw ACV; 2 raw cacao-goji energy bites
I feel good about today. The wine definitely affected me but I'm not drunk. Just sleeeepy and have to concentrate a little harder! I've been eating a little more lately- like 1400 calories as opposed to 1200ish- and it's good b/c I am losing weight and NONE of my clothes are the right size anymore:( I don't mind losing weight and I'm letting my body just do it's thing- after all, it's got 22 years of toxins stored in my fat cells (where the fat cells are at this point is anybody's guess though! Haha). It's just kind of sad to see all my clothes getting too big! Stuff that was too tight 2 months ago is now hanging on me- so I missed that "in the middle" period where I could have looked perfect in it! Oh well!
Oh and I was thinking today about what I love to eat the most/crave the most. It's definitely bananas. Nothing compares to a perfectly ripe banana. Except for mangoes, but they're so expensive that I can't get fresh ones often. The frozen mango makes my smoothies taste heavenly though!
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Drama
Today was mildly traumatic. One of my cats started limping last night and it seemed like there was something wrong w/ her paw, but of course she wouldn't let me get a good look at it. I brought her to the vet this morning after getting the OK from my mini-boss, and it turns out she had a nail that had grown into her paw pad b/c I must have skipped it last time I clipped her nails! Poor thing! I felt horrible, she was screaming and her foot was bleeding and it was awful. The vet suggested I stay with her to moniter her for the rest of the day, and today wasn't an actual work day, just my company's holiday party/lunch/then they go home b/c they're too drunk to work...So I called to explain what was going on and my mini-boss was a total bitch to me. She honestly expected the holiday party to be a higher priority for me than the well-being of my furry child. I don't understand it. Not to mention I was obviously upset from what had happened to my cat (it really was very traumatic for her & me both!) and my mini-boss just didn't care. So now there'll be hell to pay at work tomorrow. I'm bringing cookies as a peace offering for everyone, and I'm just not talking to my mini-boss about it. She always tries to make me feel bad for doing something like taking a lunch break, so missing a whole day is pretty apocolyptic (although she comes in late 4 out of 5 days per week and takes sick days a few times per month). Oh well. I know I made the right decision. I don't care about this job anyway and am leaving VERY soon.
I've been doing really well eating raw...I probably had a bit too much fat today but I really don't care, it's one day. I did notice that the stress of this morning gave me a killer headache and completely zapped my energy for the rest of the day. I never made the connection before between stress/negative energy and feeling like crap (b/c I used to feel like crap much more often and get headaches almost daily!). It was so weird to NOT feel energetic and good- and having a headache seemed so foreign! Anyway it just reinforced the fact that I need to surround myself with positivity even during difficult times. This is something I have to work on.
FOOD!
-smoothie w/ 2 bananas, frozen mango, blueberries & strawberries, a splash of fresh-squeezed OJ and a splash of water..then another banana b/c I was still hungry! I also grabbed 2 brazil nuts & 2 raw almonds. Oops.
-banana, apple & 1.5ish cups of super good grapes when the vet crisis was over
-cashew cookie lara bar (How do these only have cashews & dates in them? They're so good I almost feel guilty eating them!)
*4 mile run* pretty crappy but I got through it
-apple, plum, banana
-salad w/ romaine, mixed greems/arugula, red & yellow peppers, carrots, cucs, tomatoes, cauliflower, raw ACV
Clearly I still need to work on eating bigger, less frequent meals. It just doesn't feel natural to me- I've always been a grazer and I like eating often and never feeling too full or too hungry. I'm on the fence about eating just 3 times a day. I'll see what happens. I should try eating just 4 times a day to start. It's tough when I'm working, but maybe during my time off next week I'll get into a pattern or something.
Oh and all of my clothes are officially falling off of me. Actually my tank top that I was wearing under my long-sleeved race T-shirt quite literally fell down my shoulders while running today! And don't get me started on those damn running tights, they are anything BUT tight and it's really annoying to have to pull them up at every red light. Oh well, I still like getting skinnier!
I've been doing really well eating raw...I probably had a bit too much fat today but I really don't care, it's one day. I did notice that the stress of this morning gave me a killer headache and completely zapped my energy for the rest of the day. I never made the connection before between stress/negative energy and feeling like crap (b/c I used to feel like crap much more often and get headaches almost daily!). It was so weird to NOT feel energetic and good- and having a headache seemed so foreign! Anyway it just reinforced the fact that I need to surround myself with positivity even during difficult times. This is something I have to work on.
FOOD!
-smoothie w/ 2 bananas, frozen mango, blueberries & strawberries, a splash of fresh-squeezed OJ and a splash of water..then another banana b/c I was still hungry! I also grabbed 2 brazil nuts & 2 raw almonds. Oops.
-banana, apple & 1.5ish cups of super good grapes when the vet crisis was over
-cashew cookie lara bar (How do these only have cashews & dates in them? They're so good I almost feel guilty eating them!)
*4 mile run* pretty crappy but I got through it
-apple, plum, banana
-salad w/ romaine, mixed greems/arugula, red & yellow peppers, carrots, cucs, tomatoes, cauliflower, raw ACV
Clearly I still need to work on eating bigger, less frequent meals. It just doesn't feel natural to me- I've always been a grazer and I like eating often and never feeling too full or too hungry. I'm on the fence about eating just 3 times a day. I'll see what happens. I should try eating just 4 times a day to start. It's tough when I'm working, but maybe during my time off next week I'll get into a pattern or something.
Oh and all of my clothes are officially falling off of me. Actually my tank top that I was wearing under my long-sleeved race T-shirt quite literally fell down my shoulders while running today! And don't get me started on those damn running tights, they are anything BUT tight and it's really annoying to have to pull them up at every red light. Oh well, I still like getting skinnier!
Monday, December 17, 2007
Monday, monday...
Today I felt like a kid. Just smiley and bubbly and full of energy. It was fun! I also had a great, happy day despite some not-so-happy stuff that went on last night that would normally bring me way down. These days I'm finding my happiness comes from inside me & from the universe, not from the energy of others.
Daily Dish:
-smoothie that turned into more of a sherbert/slushie w/ 2 bananas, frozen mango, strawberries & blueberries, splash of fresh-squeezed OJ
-2 bananas (was starving this morning!)
-another banana, an apple & a lara bar for lunch
*walked fast for about 40 mins. on my lunch break*
-a mango and a banana
*fast 3 mile run that felt awesome, and SUPER hard 10 mins. of abs moves*
-2 vine tomatoes, a big chunk of cucumber sliced, a handful of baby carrots, & 2 pieces of cauliflower. I had some of the carrots & the cauliflower w/ the last of my raw hummus- about 1 tbsp.
Something interesting- I seem to be able to do more reps of push-ups, abs exercises etc. lately. I just noticed it this weekend while doing push-ups...Usually I can barely get to 8 REAL push-ups and I'm about to die by the last one. This weekend I wasn't at all tired at 8, so I kept going and made it to 12! That's a 50% increase! Then on my second set I made it to 11! Kind of crazy. With abs exercises tonight, I did at least 2 more reps of each exercise than I usually do b/c it didn't seem to be as challenging. I feel so strong! Haha. That'll be the day...
I may have an apple later if I get hungry. This is more than I usually eat but dinner was light and I was pretty hungry all day. My workout was also really great/tough tonight! I feel great! I need to work on eating less often though- usually when I eat at home in the morning, I'm really hungry by around 10-11 AM, but if i wait and eat at work, I can hold out til lunch for my next meal or at least just have an apple for a snack. I'll try that tomorrow.
Daily Dish:
-smoothie that turned into more of a sherbert/slushie w/ 2 bananas, frozen mango, strawberries & blueberries, splash of fresh-squeezed OJ
-2 bananas (was starving this morning!)
-another banana, an apple & a lara bar for lunch
*walked fast for about 40 mins. on my lunch break*
-a mango and a banana
*fast 3 mile run that felt awesome, and SUPER hard 10 mins. of abs moves*
-2 vine tomatoes, a big chunk of cucumber sliced, a handful of baby carrots, & 2 pieces of cauliflower. I had some of the carrots & the cauliflower w/ the last of my raw hummus- about 1 tbsp.
Something interesting- I seem to be able to do more reps of push-ups, abs exercises etc. lately. I just noticed it this weekend while doing push-ups...Usually I can barely get to 8 REAL push-ups and I'm about to die by the last one. This weekend I wasn't at all tired at 8, so I kept going and made it to 12! That's a 50% increase! Then on my second set I made it to 11! Kind of crazy. With abs exercises tonight, I did at least 2 more reps of each exercise than I usually do b/c it didn't seem to be as challenging. I feel so strong! Haha. That'll be the day...
I may have an apple later if I get hungry. This is more than I usually eat but dinner was light and I was pretty hungry all day. My workout was also really great/tough tonight! I feel great! I need to work on eating less often though- usually when I eat at home in the morning, I'm really hungry by around 10-11 AM, but if i wait and eat at work, I can hold out til lunch for my next meal or at least just have an apple for a snack. I'll try that tomorrow.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Goals for the Week
Yeah, I know it's still Sunday, but I had some things happen today that inspired me to set some weekly goals. Just a few that I feel are attainable and VERY relevant and important right now.
There are some toxic people in my life. Only two of them, but they both bring me down and have made me feel absolutely horrible about myself in the past. One I can't avoid b/c I work with her, and the other I can avoid but it's reeeaaalllly hard to do this b/c of my feelings for him. But I respect and love myself (I really honestly do) and I deserve to be free of negative energy from others. So my first goal is to not get sucked into anything with these toxic people. I will not let their negativity in. I will only send positive vibes out. I will not allow myself to feel bad if they do something disrespectful or hurtful to me. THEY are the only ones they can hurt from that kind of behavior.
My second goal is related to raw foods! It's to eat in proper food combinations as much as possible and eat larger meals, less snacks. Enough said!
There are some toxic people in my life. Only two of them, but they both bring me down and have made me feel absolutely horrible about myself in the past. One I can't avoid b/c I work with her, and the other I can avoid but it's reeeaaalllly hard to do this b/c of my feelings for him. But I respect and love myself (I really honestly do) and I deserve to be free of negative energy from others. So my first goal is to not get sucked into anything with these toxic people. I will not let their negativity in. I will only send positive vibes out. I will not allow myself to feel bad if they do something disrespectful or hurtful to me. THEY are the only ones they can hurt from that kind of behavior.
My second goal is related to raw foods! It's to eat in proper food combinations as much as possible and eat larger meals, less snacks. Enough said!
Another Perfect Day
I feel better today! Eating all that fruit cured me, just like I knew it would. I also rested a lot yesterday and took a nap for 1.5 hours on and off (it's tough to nap when you've been eating nothing but fruit b/c you feel so high).
Went to the Farmer's Market this morning and got plums- I went to bed craving them, which is weird b/c I only had one plum my whole life, when I was about 6 years old!- grapes, mixed greens, red peppers and tons of tomatoes. Didn't need much else since I'm doing mainly fruit these days and lots of bananas. I went to run some other errands afterwards. I was in Trader Joe's picking up some carrots, OJ, cauliflower & the like and I was pretty hungry. But none of the old foods I used to eat even seemed like options to me. There was also a quiche they were sampling out and it didn't even seem like real food. I felt so free, free from all my former food addictions, free from grabbing the bread, vegan chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter, etc. b/c I WANTED it instead of because it made me feel alive, and most of all, free from the "system." I really feel like I'm cheating these days. Like I found a loophole. I don't have to eat "their" crap. I don't have to get weak and old and sick like "they" want me to. I don't have to give "them" my hard-earned money to "heal" me because their "healthy" foods and medicine made me sick. I feel so awake.
I'm also so happy to be a part of the raw foods movement, right now, when the movement is in its infancy. The things that us raw fooders do now are going to determine part of the future. I think we are really onto something here. I think raw foods is ahead of its time, but it'll all catch up when more and more people start opening their eyes and shaking off the haze of half-truths and lies that they've literally been fed since birth. I feel like a newborn right now, every path is wide open to me and the future is limitless. It's amazing. For the first time in my life, I feel like I am the one in control of my life. I still have so much to learn, and I always will. But I know that I don't have to play their game. I can live my life any way I choose.
Food Today:
-banana, then 2 frozen bananas made into banana ice cream (mmmm)
-a sample of a plum & fuji apple @ the Farmer's Market, then a smoothie (16 oz.) made w/ 2 bananas, strawberries, frozen mango & blueberries, and a splash of OJ
-chocolate coconut lara bar
*abs pilates & push-ups/tricep dips, 4 mile run* I am sooooo excited to get out and run!
-grapes- lots!
-salad w/ romaine, mixed greens, red & yellow peppers, carrots, cucs, cauliflower, tomatoes & raw ACV
-glass of organic red wine w/ the boy if I do end up going over
Or I may have dinner out w/ the boy, but it'll still be a salad & a glass of wine.
Another reason this day rocks: I'm currently wearing size 2 American Eagle jeans from way back when size 2 was actually a size 2, and these jeans haven't fit me in about 4 years! The last time I could fit into them, I'd been fasting on one apple a day every other day for like 2 weeks. I was killing myself with overexercising. I hated food and my body. Now, I'm eating everything I want. I'm working out b/c it feels great and I want to move my body. I love everything I eat and feel at peace with my body. And I'm effortlessly losing all the unnecessary body fat that I have to lose. Raw is so much more than just a "diet." It's a fulfilling & whole way of living. I am so thankful that raw found me, or I found raw, or whatever it was that happened. I'm so thankful I went against the grain and gave this a try. It's given me my LIFE back!
Went to the Farmer's Market this morning and got plums- I went to bed craving them, which is weird b/c I only had one plum my whole life, when I was about 6 years old!- grapes, mixed greens, red peppers and tons of tomatoes. Didn't need much else since I'm doing mainly fruit these days and lots of bananas. I went to run some other errands afterwards. I was in Trader Joe's picking up some carrots, OJ, cauliflower & the like and I was pretty hungry. But none of the old foods I used to eat even seemed like options to me. There was also a quiche they were sampling out and it didn't even seem like real food. I felt so free, free from all my former food addictions, free from grabbing the bread, vegan chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter, etc. b/c I WANTED it instead of because it made me feel alive, and most of all, free from the "system." I really feel like I'm cheating these days. Like I found a loophole. I don't have to eat "their" crap. I don't have to get weak and old and sick like "they" want me to. I don't have to give "them" my hard-earned money to "heal" me because their "healthy" foods and medicine made me sick. I feel so awake.
I'm also so happy to be a part of the raw foods movement, right now, when the movement is in its infancy. The things that us raw fooders do now are going to determine part of the future. I think we are really onto something here. I think raw foods is ahead of its time, but it'll all catch up when more and more people start opening their eyes and shaking off the haze of half-truths and lies that they've literally been fed since birth. I feel like a newborn right now, every path is wide open to me and the future is limitless. It's amazing. For the first time in my life, I feel like I am the one in control of my life. I still have so much to learn, and I always will. But I know that I don't have to play their game. I can live my life any way I choose.
Food Today:
-banana, then 2 frozen bananas made into banana ice cream (mmmm)
-a sample of a plum & fuji apple @ the Farmer's Market, then a smoothie (16 oz.) made w/ 2 bananas, strawberries, frozen mango & blueberries, and a splash of OJ
-chocolate coconut lara bar
*abs pilates & push-ups/tricep dips, 4 mile run* I am sooooo excited to get out and run!
-grapes- lots!
-salad w/ romaine, mixed greens, red & yellow peppers, carrots, cucs, cauliflower, tomatoes & raw ACV
-glass of organic red wine w/ the boy if I do end up going over
Or I may have dinner out w/ the boy, but it'll still be a salad & a glass of wine.
Another reason this day rocks: I'm currently wearing size 2 American Eagle jeans from way back when size 2 was actually a size 2, and these jeans haven't fit me in about 4 years! The last time I could fit into them, I'd been fasting on one apple a day every other day for like 2 weeks. I was killing myself with overexercising. I hated food and my body. Now, I'm eating everything I want. I'm working out b/c it feels great and I want to move my body. I love everything I eat and feel at peace with my body. And I'm effortlessly losing all the unnecessary body fat that I have to lose. Raw is so much more than just a "diet." It's a fulfilling & whole way of living. I am so thankful that raw found me, or I found raw, or whatever it was that happened. I'm so thankful I went against the grain and gave this a try. It's given me my LIFE back!
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Healing...
I woke up this morning feeling pretty awful. Sore throat, runny nose, coughing, "sick breath," and feeling really dizzy & weak. So I decided to just eat fruit today (it's what I wanted anyway!). I ate lots of vitamin-C containing fruits and stuck to 3 meals with one small snack (an apple) and by the end of the day, at a time when I usually feel worse when I'm sick, I feel almost normal! Yay. I think I'll wake up feeling fine tomorrow.
I was talking to my mom last night and she was questioning me about my low-fat, high-fruit diet. She thinks I'm depriving myself of anything that could be good- first I stopped eating beef, then all meat, then dairy, eggs, and all animal products, then all cooked foods, then most raw fat. I can understand why she would see this as extreme. But I was saying I don't feel deprived at all- If i want something, I eat it. I just want mainly fruit b/c I feel so great eating like this. I also said that the benefits in all areas of my life are enormous. I create virtually NO garbage now. It's all fruit & vegetable peels, cores, seeds & rinds that will naturally decompose. No packaging and plastic and styrafoam containers sitting in landfills rotting for the next 100 years. I said that was reason enough to eat like this! She was surprised and said she never thought of that before. That shut her up! We have the power to make responsible, environmentally-conscious decisions about what to fuel our bodies with. I don't think most people are even aware of this fact. As a vegan, I thought I was doing a good job of using my dollar to condemn the meat industry & factory farming, and support organic and local farming. Now I see it wasn't enough. You can always go one step further. Instead of feeling hopeless and overwhelmed, take ONE MORE STEP. Live out your vision of the world. It is possible. The way the world works can be changed. But not unless we stop feeling helpless and intimidated and actually stand up, stand out and put our ideas into action.
I have no idea where all of that came from...Lol. I never do. All that fruit makes me want to protect the Earth though. I feel privileged to be eating its greatest treasures and perfect creations. I can't take it for granted anymore, even if I try! When I bite into that gorgeous mango, or that perfectly just-a-little-overripe banana or that vine-ripened juicy tomato, I just feel bliss. Suffice it to say that cooked foods, no matter how intricate the recipe or how fancy the ingredients, just didn't come close to how I feel when I eat now. And raw fats don't feel like this, either.
Food Today:
-3.5 small tangerines (other half of the last one was too mushy & acidy) & 2 bananas
-pink lady apple; smoothie w/ 2 bananas, strawberries, frozen mango & blueberries, fresh-squeezed OJ
-gala apple
-a PERFECT mango (if heaven had a flavor, it would be mango! just like sunshine's flavor would be OJ!); 2 small bananas; a pink lady apple
I am totally satisfied and happy and floaty. Definitely on a fruit high. I'm so happy I was able to fight off this cold, too! I get to see the boy tomorrow :) I would have been mad if I had to cancel b/c I was sick (and he would have told me I was sick b/c I wasn't eating enough or b/c of my raw diet!).
I was talking to my mom last night and she was questioning me about my low-fat, high-fruit diet. She thinks I'm depriving myself of anything that could be good- first I stopped eating beef, then all meat, then dairy, eggs, and all animal products, then all cooked foods, then most raw fat. I can understand why she would see this as extreme. But I was saying I don't feel deprived at all- If i want something, I eat it. I just want mainly fruit b/c I feel so great eating like this. I also said that the benefits in all areas of my life are enormous. I create virtually NO garbage now. It's all fruit & vegetable peels, cores, seeds & rinds that will naturally decompose. No packaging and plastic and styrafoam containers sitting in landfills rotting for the next 100 years. I said that was reason enough to eat like this! She was surprised and said she never thought of that before. That shut her up! We have the power to make responsible, environmentally-conscious decisions about what to fuel our bodies with. I don't think most people are even aware of this fact. As a vegan, I thought I was doing a good job of using my dollar to condemn the meat industry & factory farming, and support organic and local farming. Now I see it wasn't enough. You can always go one step further. Instead of feeling hopeless and overwhelmed, take ONE MORE STEP. Live out your vision of the world. It is possible. The way the world works can be changed. But not unless we stop feeling helpless and intimidated and actually stand up, stand out and put our ideas into action.
I have no idea where all of that came from...Lol. I never do. All that fruit makes me want to protect the Earth though. I feel privileged to be eating its greatest treasures and perfect creations. I can't take it for granted anymore, even if I try! When I bite into that gorgeous mango, or that perfectly just-a-little-overripe banana or that vine-ripened juicy tomato, I just feel bliss. Suffice it to say that cooked foods, no matter how intricate the recipe or how fancy the ingredients, just didn't come close to how I feel when I eat now. And raw fats don't feel like this, either.
Food Today:
-3.5 small tangerines (other half of the last one was too mushy & acidy) & 2 bananas
-pink lady apple; smoothie w/ 2 bananas, strawberries, frozen mango & blueberries, fresh-squeezed OJ
-gala apple
-a PERFECT mango (if heaven had a flavor, it would be mango! just like sunshine's flavor would be OJ!); 2 small bananas; a pink lady apple
I am totally satisfied and happy and floaty. Definitely on a fruit high. I'm so happy I was able to fight off this cold, too! I get to see the boy tomorrow :) I would have been mad if I had to cancel b/c I was sick (and he would have told me I was sick b/c I wasn't eating enough or b/c of my raw diet!).
Friday, December 14, 2007
Finally Friday!
I need the weekend soooo badly.
I find myself questioning a lot of things lately. Is there such a thing as a realistic purist? Can I really not only survive, but thrive, eating only fruits and vegetables? Is eating very little fat a step towards superhuman health or a huge mistake that could end up costing me my health?
I've been doing a lot of research, and in any case, it seems to be the consensus that 20% of calories from fat in a rv diet is the upper limit. Some say we need fats, every day, in the forms of nuts & seeds, oils, and fruits (avos, durian, etc.). Others say we are designed to eat predominantly fruit and very very little fat. Then there are people following high-fat rv diets who are doing great, and people following virtually fat-free rv diets who are also thriving. It's overwhelming. I guess all I can do is go by what feels right. And that is definitely eating lots & lots of fruit, some greens & other veggies, and small amounts of fat. Fruit makes me feel fantastic and so alive. It satisfies everything- my hunger, my taste buds, my desire for sweetness. It's also beautiful and visually appealing, and every piece of fruit tastes different. Whenever I'm hungry I seem to crave fruit before anything else (even fat!).
I am going to try a weekend w/o overt fats. I want to eat very simply with plenty of mono-meals when I can. Maybe it'll be an all-fruit weekend. I'm sure I'll have a smoothie or 2 b/c I LOVE then and they really energize me, but I want to focus on eating one type of fruit at a time.
Today was:
-2 bananas
-2 c. oj and another banana
-chocolate coconut lara bar (my weekly treat) and 2 apples
-banana
-big salad w/ kale, mixed greens, romaine, shredded beets, carrots & zucchini, chopped cucs, tomatoes, cauliflower, red & yellow peppers, and raw ACV, plus maybe 6 baby carrots w/ raw hummus
That salad made me insanely full. I seem to fill up faster. My body doesn't want much food right now. I think I'm about to go through some more detox (I can see it in my skin... oh well!).
I didn't run today, but I did get in 25 mins. of hard abs pilates in the morning before work. It's so cold out, I just didn't want to be out in it b/c I've been so cold all the time lately. I think tomorrow & Sunday I'll be able to run in the sunshine during the day :)
Oh, and I've also decided I need to take some B12 supplements. Like, stat. I'm going to check out the selection at The Vitamin Shoppe tomorrow.
I find myself questioning a lot of things lately. Is there such a thing as a realistic purist? Can I really not only survive, but thrive, eating only fruits and vegetables? Is eating very little fat a step towards superhuman health or a huge mistake that could end up costing me my health?
I've been doing a lot of research, and in any case, it seems to be the consensus that 20% of calories from fat in a rv diet is the upper limit. Some say we need fats, every day, in the forms of nuts & seeds, oils, and fruits (avos, durian, etc.). Others say we are designed to eat predominantly fruit and very very little fat. Then there are people following high-fat rv diets who are doing great, and people following virtually fat-free rv diets who are also thriving. It's overwhelming. I guess all I can do is go by what feels right. And that is definitely eating lots & lots of fruit, some greens & other veggies, and small amounts of fat. Fruit makes me feel fantastic and so alive. It satisfies everything- my hunger, my taste buds, my desire for sweetness. It's also beautiful and visually appealing, and every piece of fruit tastes different. Whenever I'm hungry I seem to crave fruit before anything else (even fat!).
I am going to try a weekend w/o overt fats. I want to eat very simply with plenty of mono-meals when I can. Maybe it'll be an all-fruit weekend. I'm sure I'll have a smoothie or 2 b/c I LOVE then and they really energize me, but I want to focus on eating one type of fruit at a time.
Today was:
-2 bananas
-2 c. oj and another banana
-chocolate coconut lara bar (my weekly treat) and 2 apples
-banana
-big salad w/ kale, mixed greens, romaine, shredded beets, carrots & zucchini, chopped cucs, tomatoes, cauliflower, red & yellow peppers, and raw ACV, plus maybe 6 baby carrots w/ raw hummus
That salad made me insanely full. I seem to fill up faster. My body doesn't want much food right now. I think I'm about to go through some more detox (I can see it in my skin... oh well!).
I didn't run today, but I did get in 25 mins. of hard abs pilates in the morning before work. It's so cold out, I just didn't want to be out in it b/c I've been so cold all the time lately. I think tomorrow & Sunday I'll be able to run in the sunshine during the day :)
Oh, and I've also decided I need to take some B12 supplements. Like, stat. I'm going to check out the selection at The Vitamin Shoppe tomorrow.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
There is such a thing as heaven on Earth...
And it's in your blender ;) Seriously, smoothies are my favorite.food.ever. Mmmmm. I just finished one for dinner.
Not much is new today...I'm finding this raw thing really easy so I don't have anything interesting like struggles, decisions or odes to cooked foods to write about! Lol.
I think I want to mainly save bananas for a mid-day meal, and focus on lighter fruits in the morning. I've had a few days where I've done apples & OJ & grapes in the AM w/o bananas and I feel more mentally focused & kind of "high"- I don't get that fruit high from bananas for some reason. So that's my goal from now on. I did have 3 bananas for lunch and that was perfect- Kept me full for a good 3.5 hours.
Chow:
-banana
-1 c. OJ, apple, banana
-3 bananas
-2 apples, half a banana, 1 raw energy bite (cacao-goji-date-sunflower seed thingy)
*50 min. power walk...no abs though, bad me*
-smoothie w/ 1.5 bananas, strawberries, frozen mango & blueberries, splash of OJ
I am super full now. And super cold, but man that smoothie was worth freezing over! Hmmm I am boring today. I'm going to go do an oatmeal mask on my face now- what a great way to use my leftover oatmeal from like 3 mos. ago ;)
Not much is new today...I'm finding this raw thing really easy so I don't have anything interesting like struggles, decisions or odes to cooked foods to write about! Lol.
I think I want to mainly save bananas for a mid-day meal, and focus on lighter fruits in the morning. I've had a few days where I've done apples & OJ & grapes in the AM w/o bananas and I feel more mentally focused & kind of "high"- I don't get that fruit high from bananas for some reason. So that's my goal from now on. I did have 3 bananas for lunch and that was perfect- Kept me full for a good 3.5 hours.
Chow:
-banana
-1 c. OJ, apple, banana
-3 bananas
-2 apples, half a banana, 1 raw energy bite (cacao-goji-date-sunflower seed thingy)
*50 min. power walk...no abs though, bad me*
-smoothie w/ 1.5 bananas, strawberries, frozen mango & blueberries, splash of OJ
I am super full now. And super cold, but man that smoothie was worth freezing over! Hmmm I am boring today. I'm going to go do an oatmeal mask on my face now- what a great way to use my leftover oatmeal from like 3 mos. ago ;)
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
I'm feeling ethereal...
That's what I feel like today, a fairy buzzing around a flower. Soft & glowing. I love eating so close to the Earth, it makes me feel like all my senses are heightened. Like instead of picking up my boss's suits on Rodeo Drive, I should be crouched in a forest hiding from a jaguar or something. Yeah, I'm officially a weirdo.
My skin is also looking really amazing and is SO soft. I just feel really at home in my body, which, believe me, isn't something I am used to feeling! I feel at peace with myself. Thank you, raw fruits & veggies. I want to scream from the mountaintops, "EAT RAW!!!" but probably no one would listen anyway. It's hard not to tell everyone about this great way of eating, but they have to learn for themselves in their own time, just like I did and so many others have done before me!
I had pretty bad dizzy spells yesterday afternoon & I think I'm probably eating too little. So I tried my best to eat more today, although it wasn't very comfortable.
-smoothie w/ 2 bananas, strawberries, frozen mango & blueberries, oj (this is big- about 410 calories by my estimates)
-grapes & banana
-2 c. oj and 2 bananas
*35-40 min. walk*
-apple & banana
-handful of carrots w/ raw hummus (wasn't supposed to eat fat today but i felt like my body needed a little something extra before my run)
*3 mile run...i almost froze to death!*
-salad w/ 2.5 heads of romaine lettuce, carrots, red & yellow peppers, 1.5 tomatoes, lots of cucumber slices, cauliflower, & raw ACV
I estimate that to be about 1450 calories, which is better than I've been doing. I just don't seem to need many calories on a raw diet, but I think it's good to make myself eat more once a week or so to keep my metabolism going.
I really really really want to do an orange juice and/or apple fast. I have 11 days off from work for the holidays, so I think I'll take some time to do it then. I feel that eating low fat will really prepare my body for that type of thing.
I've been a total banana fiend lately. They are just soooo good. They're sitting right in front of me in the fruit bowl and they look so delicious, I may have to eat another one later! I really don't feel good when I wake up though if i eat past 8:00 PM or eat too much at night. Sigh. I wonder what will win out, logic or my stomach? Lol.
Monday, December 10, 2007
it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...
today i just felt alive. i felt energetic, radiant, happy and appreciative all day. i don't think a single negative thought entered my mind! is this how humans are meant to feel, all the time? at peace with themselves, positive about the future, content with their days? who knows, but i like it. and at any rate, i really don't think we're supposed to feel depressed, empty and pessimistic 90% of the time. there are so many miracles all around us if only we open our eyes (or do something like go raw and force our eyes to open!).
so i have had some interesting experiences over the last couple of days. the first is (TMI alert) my period- i got it yesterday after having very few of the usual PMS symptoms that i've gotten used to dealing with. and it's super light and i got NO CRAMPS for pretty much the first time ever! i didn't expect this to happen so quickly, but my diet has been really pure and at least 90% organic lately, so i'm sure that doesn't hurt!
the second is the way i'm starting to view cooked food. i had to go pick up my boss's lunch today at one of my old favorite restaurants. the temptation to order something myself never even crossed my mind- i already knew i was going to pick up some bananas on the way, and i was also really looking forward to the pink lady apple i had stashed in the fridge at work. when i got to the restaurant to pick up his food, i noticed that i really enjoyed the smells of the food- you pick up orders at the bakery, so i could smell all the breads and pastries along with other things cooking. but it was just that- smells that were nice. i didn't actually want to eat any of it, and i didn't think of eating any of it until i realized that i wasn't thinking of it! weird, huh? it may be partly b/c i've been vegan for a while, so i'm used to not being able to eat certain things and blocking them out of my mind, but still... it's happening a lot sooner than i expected. i ate cooked food for 22 years, so i don't expect that it'll keep being so simple, but so far this raw diet, and especially 811, just feels so perfect.
i also had an amazing run tonight. i felt so good, even after walking killer hills and then doing buns/thighs pilates yesterday, that i decided to throw a bunch of sprint intervals into my run! i sprinted all but one of the hills, too, and i felt great. i wasn't sore at all, which is so weird b/c the hills yesterday were practically straight up & down!
today's eats:
*25 mins. abs pilates & push-ups/dips when i got up at 6 AM...just b/c i felt like it*
-smoothie w/ the usual- 2 bananas, frozen mango, strawberries, frozen blueberries, splash of OJ
-banana & a cup of grapes
-2 bananas & an apple
-another banana & apple
-handful of baby carrots
*3 mile run w/ sprint intervals*
-salad w/ romaine, arugula, mixed greens, carrots, cucs, red, yellow & orange peppers, cauliflower, a big tomato, and raw ACV; 2 small tangerines
i'm not going to bother plugging that into fitday b/c i know it's within the 811 ratios of carbs/protei/fat. no overt fats today and i feel really good:) i do feel kind of skinny but it's a good skinny. i think it'd be next to impossible not to lose any extra bodyfat eating like this, which is a nice perk!
so i have had some interesting experiences over the last couple of days. the first is (TMI alert) my period- i got it yesterday after having very few of the usual PMS symptoms that i've gotten used to dealing with. and it's super light and i got NO CRAMPS for pretty much the first time ever! i didn't expect this to happen so quickly, but my diet has been really pure and at least 90% organic lately, so i'm sure that doesn't hurt!
the second is the way i'm starting to view cooked food. i had to go pick up my boss's lunch today at one of my old favorite restaurants. the temptation to order something myself never even crossed my mind- i already knew i was going to pick up some bananas on the way, and i was also really looking forward to the pink lady apple i had stashed in the fridge at work. when i got to the restaurant to pick up his food, i noticed that i really enjoyed the smells of the food- you pick up orders at the bakery, so i could smell all the breads and pastries along with other things cooking. but it was just that- smells that were nice. i didn't actually want to eat any of it, and i didn't think of eating any of it until i realized that i wasn't thinking of it! weird, huh? it may be partly b/c i've been vegan for a while, so i'm used to not being able to eat certain things and blocking them out of my mind, but still... it's happening a lot sooner than i expected. i ate cooked food for 22 years, so i don't expect that it'll keep being so simple, but so far this raw diet, and especially 811, just feels so perfect.
i also had an amazing run tonight. i felt so good, even after walking killer hills and then doing buns/thighs pilates yesterday, that i decided to throw a bunch of sprint intervals into my run! i sprinted all but one of the hills, too, and i felt great. i wasn't sore at all, which is so weird b/c the hills yesterday were practically straight up & down!
today's eats:
*25 mins. abs pilates & push-ups/dips when i got up at 6 AM...just b/c i felt like it*
-smoothie w/ the usual- 2 bananas, frozen mango, strawberries, frozen blueberries, splash of OJ
-banana & a cup of grapes
-2 bananas & an apple
-another banana & apple
-handful of baby carrots
*3 mile run w/ sprint intervals*
-salad w/ romaine, arugula, mixed greens, carrots, cucs, red, yellow & orange peppers, cauliflower, a big tomato, and raw ACV; 2 small tangerines
i'm not going to bother plugging that into fitday b/c i know it's within the 811 ratios of carbs/protei/fat. no overt fats today and i feel really good:) i do feel kind of skinny but it's a good skinny. i think it'd be next to impossible not to lose any extra bodyfat eating like this, which is a nice perk!
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Lazy Sunday...
Relatively speaking, at least. I woke up to an apartment in shambles after the cats decided to do a little rearranging last night...and then my youngest cat puked 3 times! I think her sister chased her around too much after breakfast and it upset her stomach. Anyway, I did hit up the farmer's market today and got lots of grapes, red peppers, arugula, mixed greens, and tons of tomatoes. Not as much as I usually get, but I found some good deals at Whole Foods & Trader Joe's this weekend so I didn't need all of the usuals.
I was thinking today about how, in the almost month & a half since I've been raw again, I've been living so much more in the present. I've always had a problem with this, mostly b/c there are SO MANY things I want to do and see and experience and I always seem to be thinking ahead, going onto the next thing. For the past 4 months or so, I've also felt like LA isn't the place for me, and I can't live the kind of life I want to live here. But since going raw, I've been really enjoying LA again and seeing all the great things about living here- the sun, the beach, the farmer's market, the weather, the crazy geography we've got... and I've been thinking, why not live the life I want to the best of my ability in the place I'm in? What's so special about Amsterdam (where I really want to move in a few years) that would immediately make everything in my life come together? There is no "perfect" place. There is only the place we're in right now in this moment, and we have the power to make the most of it or keep wishing life away. Anyway, this has really given me the boost I need to look around me for the things I want and need in life as opposed to looking to some far-off point in the future and thinking, "that's when things will be better." Maybe things would be great in Amsterdam, but maybe they'd be the same. And at any rate, there's no reason things can't be everything I want them to be right now.
I still want to move to Amsterdam though ;) I'm just really happy here right now. Maybe b/c it's winter and I still went running in shorts yesterday. Hehe.
Delicious Daily Dishes:
-2 bananas (I was actually hungry when I woke up!)
-a couple of grapes & 2 strawberries while putting my farmer's market stuff away... then about a cup of grapes. They are SO GOOD!
-smoothie w/ 2 bananas, 1.5 c. strawberries, 1 c. frozen mango, some frozen blueberries, and a splash of fresh-squeezed OJ
*powerwalked in the hills for 50 mins.- KILLER hills- then decided to do 20 mins. "buns & thighs" pilates*
-an apple, a banana, and ONE (!!!) raw cacao-goji energy bite- was craving chocolate (TOM) and I'm so happy I was able to have one, enjoy it, then forget about them!
-HUGE salad w/ arugula, mixed greens, romaine, carrots, red & yellow peppers, tomatoes, cucs & cauliflower, 1/3 of an avocado, and raw ACV
The breakdown: 1234 calories, 284 g. carbs/20 g. protein/18 g. fat or 80/7/13. I'm happy with that!
My goals this week:
-Stay 811 or as close as possible
-Overt fats every other day (at most)
-Run every other day
-No eating after dinner! I really think this will help my digestion- I tend to wake up still feeling full!
That's all I've got! I swear I'm going to make this blog public someday...
I was thinking today about how, in the almost month & a half since I've been raw again, I've been living so much more in the present. I've always had a problem with this, mostly b/c there are SO MANY things I want to do and see and experience and I always seem to be thinking ahead, going onto the next thing. For the past 4 months or so, I've also felt like LA isn't the place for me, and I can't live the kind of life I want to live here. But since going raw, I've been really enjoying LA again and seeing all the great things about living here- the sun, the beach, the farmer's market, the weather, the crazy geography we've got... and I've been thinking, why not live the life I want to the best of my ability in the place I'm in? What's so special about Amsterdam (where I really want to move in a few years) that would immediately make everything in my life come together? There is no "perfect" place. There is only the place we're in right now in this moment, and we have the power to make the most of it or keep wishing life away. Anyway, this has really given me the boost I need to look around me for the things I want and need in life as opposed to looking to some far-off point in the future and thinking, "that's when things will be better." Maybe things would be great in Amsterdam, but maybe they'd be the same. And at any rate, there's no reason things can't be everything I want them to be right now.
I still want to move to Amsterdam though ;) I'm just really happy here right now. Maybe b/c it's winter and I still went running in shorts yesterday. Hehe.
Delicious Daily Dishes:
-2 bananas (I was actually hungry when I woke up!)
-a couple of grapes & 2 strawberries while putting my farmer's market stuff away... then about a cup of grapes. They are SO GOOD!
-smoothie w/ 2 bananas, 1.5 c. strawberries, 1 c. frozen mango, some frozen blueberries, and a splash of fresh-squeezed OJ
*powerwalked in the hills for 50 mins.- KILLER hills- then decided to do 20 mins. "buns & thighs" pilates*
-an apple, a banana, and ONE (!!!) raw cacao-goji energy bite- was craving chocolate (TOM) and I'm so happy I was able to have one, enjoy it, then forget about them!
-HUGE salad w/ arugula, mixed greens, romaine, carrots, red & yellow peppers, tomatoes, cucs & cauliflower, 1/3 of an avocado, and raw ACV
The breakdown: 1234 calories, 284 g. carbs/20 g. protein/18 g. fat or 80/7/13. I'm happy with that!
My goals this week:
-Stay 811 or as close as possible
-Overt fats every other day (at most)
-Run every other day
-No eating after dinner! I really think this will help my digestion- I tend to wake up still feeling full!
That's all I've got! I swear I'm going to make this blog public someday...
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Tangerines!
I got so much great food today- and the best part is that I got 12 tangerines for $2.30! Yum. I had 2 of them half an hour ago and they are really good and juicy. I like smaller tangerines/clementines better than big oranges b/c they're easier and faster to peel! I've been craving vit. C like a madwoman lately- orange juice, mangoes, peppers- so I'm really happy to have my stash of tangerines.
I haven't thought of cooked food in a while. I realized it today when I was picking up some cat litter at Target, and I passed a looong line of people waiting at the little pizza hut they have in the store. It kind of took me by surprise, like, why would they eat that stuff? Funny though, b/c when I was home over Thanksgiving I was craving pizza! I haven't had pizza in a good year and a half though since I've been vegan for a while now. It just reminded me of how addictive cooked food is. I love eating predominantly produce- it makes grocery shopping really easy b/c i just hit the produce section, stock up and I'm done!
I haven't had any overt fats today, and I'm planning on a salad like last night's for dinner, followed by an apple and maybe a banana later tonight. Sweet fruits really seem to satisfy me, especially denser ones like bananas. I felt great all day, didn't experience any blood sugar swings, and never got really hungry. I also feel like I got such a variety of tastes today! People ask me how I don't feel limited on a raw diet, but the truth is I've never had more variety in my diet! I think when I was eating cooked vegan foods, sure, I ate tofu different ways, or different kinds of bread, or put different things in my oatmeal...but I still pretty much ate the same things all the time. Now, yeah, I eat mainly fruits and veggies...but each different kind of fruit & veggie has different nutrients & vitamins and minerals to offer, which can't really be said for different kinds of cooked carbs, or dairy products, or even meat. So really, I think I have more variety in my diet than ever! I am definitely satisfied, especially with all the fruit. I feel like a little monkey at work with my stash of bananas though...hehehe. But it makes sense... other primates don't eat steak and tofu and bread and wash it down with a glass of milk! They eat what I'm eating- tons of fruit and some greens. Oh and an occasional insect, like the spiders in my avocados ;) LOL.
Food!
-banana
-really delish smoothie w/ 2 bananas, almost a pint of strawberries, lots of frozen mango, frozen blueberries, & 1/2 c. OJ
-apple & 2 bananas
*ran 4 miles, then did some sit ups/bicycle crunches/pilates core moves*
-2 tangerines
-i'm about to make a big salad w/ lots of romaine, red & yellow peppers, carrots, cucs, tomatoes, cauliflower, sprouts & raw ACV
-apple & maybe a banana
With all of that food it comes to 1249 calories, 312 g. carbs/19 g. protein/8 g. fat or 88/6/6. I'm really happy with that macro breakdown! I probably could use more calories, but I'm letting my body tell me what it wants and when it wants it. This is within my normal calorie range for eating raw, which is 1100-1400 cals/day. I don't ever plan my food (unless I'm grabbing stuff for work, but I usually keep different fruits/veggies/hummus there to choose), but this is where I tend to be once I add everything up at night, so I guess it's sufficient! I'm pretty small anyway, 5'3 and maybe 110 pounds. I will admit though that I did seem to require a lot more calories on a cooked vegan diet!
I haven't thought of cooked food in a while. I realized it today when I was picking up some cat litter at Target, and I passed a looong line of people waiting at the little pizza hut they have in the store. It kind of took me by surprise, like, why would they eat that stuff? Funny though, b/c when I was home over Thanksgiving I was craving pizza! I haven't had pizza in a good year and a half though since I've been vegan for a while now. It just reminded me of how addictive cooked food is. I love eating predominantly produce- it makes grocery shopping really easy b/c i just hit the produce section, stock up and I'm done!
I haven't had any overt fats today, and I'm planning on a salad like last night's for dinner, followed by an apple and maybe a banana later tonight. Sweet fruits really seem to satisfy me, especially denser ones like bananas. I felt great all day, didn't experience any blood sugar swings, and never got really hungry. I also feel like I got such a variety of tastes today! People ask me how I don't feel limited on a raw diet, but the truth is I've never had more variety in my diet! I think when I was eating cooked vegan foods, sure, I ate tofu different ways, or different kinds of bread, or put different things in my oatmeal...but I still pretty much ate the same things all the time. Now, yeah, I eat mainly fruits and veggies...but each different kind of fruit & veggie has different nutrients & vitamins and minerals to offer, which can't really be said for different kinds of cooked carbs, or dairy products, or even meat. So really, I think I have more variety in my diet than ever! I am definitely satisfied, especially with all the fruit. I feel like a little monkey at work with my stash of bananas though...hehehe. But it makes sense... other primates don't eat steak and tofu and bread and wash it down with a glass of milk! They eat what I'm eating- tons of fruit and some greens. Oh and an occasional insect, like the spiders in my avocados ;) LOL.
Food!
-banana
-really delish smoothie w/ 2 bananas, almost a pint of strawberries, lots of frozen mango, frozen blueberries, & 1/2 c. OJ
-apple & 2 bananas
*ran 4 miles, then did some sit ups/bicycle crunches/pilates core moves*
-2 tangerines
-i'm about to make a big salad w/ lots of romaine, red & yellow peppers, carrots, cucs, tomatoes, cauliflower, sprouts & raw ACV
-apple & maybe a banana
With all of that food it comes to 1249 calories, 312 g. carbs/19 g. protein/8 g. fat or 88/6/6. I'm really happy with that macro breakdown! I probably could use more calories, but I'm letting my body tell me what it wants and when it wants it. This is within my normal calorie range for eating raw, which is 1100-1400 cals/day. I don't ever plan my food (unless I'm grabbing stuff for work, but I usually keep different fruits/veggies/hummus there to choose), but this is where I tend to be once I add everything up at night, so I guess it's sufficient! I'm pretty small anyway, 5'3 and maybe 110 pounds. I will admit though that I did seem to require a lot more calories on a cooked vegan diet!
Friday, December 7, 2007
This is really working...
This 811 thing, that is. I really love eating this way. Granted, it's been like 2 days, but I'm really excited to see where it takes me! I feel more energetic already, and I find I'm enjoying very simple foods (fruits & veggies) much more than I enjoy more complicated raw foods with nuts, dried fruit & mixed dressings. I had raw hummus with my lunch today, but I found it took away from the flavor of the foods, especially the tomatoes, so I ended up eating some of it plain. And on my salad tonight, I just put a little raw apple cider vinegar- No avocado or sundried tomato dressing- and it was SO INSANELY GOOD!! I really loved it and can't wait to eat another salad tomorrow!
Grub:
-banana
-2 c. fresh-squeezed OJ (heaven)
-apple
-veggies (carrots, cucumber slices, cauliflower & 2 plum tomatoes), some w/ raw zucchini hummus. a banana afterwards
-apple & banana
*walked for 50 mins. very very fast with lots of hills*
-my amazing salad- tons of romaine- almost a whole bag- with half each of a red & yellow pepper, baby carrots, another tomato & some cauliflower drizzled w/ raw ACV. an apple afterwards.
It's interesting that the banana and the apple I had after my lunch & dinner didn't hurt my stomach at all even though I mixed them with veggies.
The macro breakdown for today from Fitday is:
1117 calories
249 g. carbs, 16 g. fat, 22 g. protein - 78/13/8
Not bad at all! I do want to lower the fat, but that will come with time. I may eventually get to the point where I'm not eating any overt fats most days of the week. Of course my lara bars and avocados will still be occasional treats!
I'm so happy it's the weekend. My boss has been just awful to me lately, trying to make me feel like an idiot. I have done my best to just deal with it and not say anything mean back to her (and i've been able to actually do that!) but it got really tough today. I ended up crying hysterically in my car on the way home from work! My emotions are very near the surface lately- probably PMS. I don't usually sweat the small stuff like that. In a way, this may be a good thing (my boss becoming a heinous bitch, I mean), b/c that will make it easier for me to leave in a few months if & when I find a job I feel better about. My dream is to work for a nonprofit. I'd love to do something in animal rights & welfare, but I also worked for a very large humanitarian-oriented nonprofit in college and absolutely loved that. I just want to feel good about what I'm spending my days doing, and I want to make a difference. I have a lot of things I feel passionate about, but the Hollywood film industry is certainly not one of them :-/
I am looking forward to making a GIGANTIC fruit smoothie for brunch tomorrow! And then I'm sure I'll have another salad in the evening. And maybe a glass or 2 of organic red wine! We'll see. I keep saying I'll have a glass, but then when I actually open up the bottle, I really don't want it! It's so unlike me!
Grub:
-banana
-2 c. fresh-squeezed OJ (heaven)
-apple
-veggies (carrots, cucumber slices, cauliflower & 2 plum tomatoes), some w/ raw zucchini hummus. a banana afterwards
-apple & banana
*walked for 50 mins. very very fast with lots of hills*
-my amazing salad- tons of romaine- almost a whole bag- with half each of a red & yellow pepper, baby carrots, another tomato & some cauliflower drizzled w/ raw ACV. an apple afterwards.
It's interesting that the banana and the apple I had after my lunch & dinner didn't hurt my stomach at all even though I mixed them with veggies.
The macro breakdown for today from Fitday is:
1117 calories
249 g. carbs, 16 g. fat, 22 g. protein - 78/13/8
Not bad at all! I do want to lower the fat, but that will come with time. I may eventually get to the point where I'm not eating any overt fats most days of the week. Of course my lara bars and avocados will still be occasional treats!
I'm so happy it's the weekend. My boss has been just awful to me lately, trying to make me feel like an idiot. I have done my best to just deal with it and not say anything mean back to her (and i've been able to actually do that!) but it got really tough today. I ended up crying hysterically in my car on the way home from work! My emotions are very near the surface lately- probably PMS. I don't usually sweat the small stuff like that. In a way, this may be a good thing (my boss becoming a heinous bitch, I mean), b/c that will make it easier for me to leave in a few months if & when I find a job I feel better about. My dream is to work for a nonprofit. I'd love to do something in animal rights & welfare, but I also worked for a very large humanitarian-oriented nonprofit in college and absolutely loved that. I just want to feel good about what I'm spending my days doing, and I want to make a difference. I have a lot of things I feel passionate about, but the Hollywood film industry is certainly not one of them :-/
I am looking forward to making a GIGANTIC fruit smoothie for brunch tomorrow! And then I'm sure I'll have another salad in the evening. And maybe a glass or 2 of organic red wine! We'll see. I keep saying I'll have a glass, but then when I actually open up the bottle, I really don't want it! It's so unlike me!
Thursday, December 6, 2007
wahoo i feel great right now. another good day, i think i stuck really close to 811. the only overt fat i had was a lara bar :) man i love those things, but i could tell after eating so simply all day that they're NOT ideal food. it hurt my stomach afterwards! ooops. anyway i was up at 5:30 AM this morning b/c i had to work super early, but i still had energy and was happy all day. here's my food for the day:
-2 bananas
-1 c. fresh-squeezed oj that i bought on the boss's dime ;) had to pick up pastries for a meeting and they said i could "get some for yourself, too" so i got myself oj! lol.
-apple
-2 bananas
-apple & banana (repetitive much?)
-lara bar
*3 mile run, abs pilates & some wimpy push-ups*
-SMOOTHIE w/ 2 bananas, strawberries, lots of frozen mango, frozen blueberries, splash of oj (fresh-squeezed of course)
so according to fitday that's 1421 calories, 19 g. fat, 328 g. carbs, 18 g. protein which breaks down to 83/12/5 carbs/fat/protein. not bad at all! actually that's kind of more food than i usually eat, but i was hungrier than usual today, and i also ran so i try to eat a bit more on running days.
it's weird but in the past i didn't think 811 could work. i used to get too hungry, or too bored of fruit, or dizzy & shakey. i think my main problem last time around was that i was anemic but didn't know it. now, i take an iron supplement daily- i sometimes take 2 on days i feel weak or shakey- and i feel fine now. last time, i couldn't run without my arms & legs going numb and feeling like i was going to pass out. now, my runs are great (although shorter than usual, but mostly b/c it's dark & cold when i'm out!). i think 811 will help my running/working out even more. i need to do some more research though!
-2 bananas
-1 c. fresh-squeezed oj that i bought on the boss's dime ;) had to pick up pastries for a meeting and they said i could "get some for yourself, too" so i got myself oj! lol.
-apple
-2 bananas
-apple & banana (repetitive much?)
-lara bar
*3 mile run, abs pilates & some wimpy push-ups*
-SMOOTHIE w/ 2 bananas, strawberries, lots of frozen mango, frozen blueberries, splash of oj (fresh-squeezed of course)
so according to fitday that's 1421 calories, 19 g. fat, 328 g. carbs, 18 g. protein which breaks down to 83/12/5 carbs/fat/protein. not bad at all! actually that's kind of more food than i usually eat, but i was hungrier than usual today, and i also ran so i try to eat a bit more on running days.
it's weird but in the past i didn't think 811 could work. i used to get too hungry, or too bored of fruit, or dizzy & shakey. i think my main problem last time around was that i was anemic but didn't know it. now, i take an iron supplement daily- i sometimes take 2 on days i feel weak or shakey- and i feel fine now. last time, i couldn't run without my arms & legs going numb and feeling like i was going to pass out. now, my runs are great (although shorter than usual, but mostly b/c it's dark & cold when i'm out!). i think 811 will help my running/working out even more. i need to do some more research though!
8-1-1 time!
i have decided to give the 8-1-1 diet another try. i tried this last time i was 100% raw but it failed b/c i unknowingly wasn't getting enough iron, and thought that i needed more fat to fill me up/have energy. now, i feel GREAT on 100% raw and am leaning away from nuts & other heavy foods anyway. i tried it yesterday, and eating no overt fats during the day worked really well. i will be relying a lot on bananas to keep me full since they are so cheap and i love them :)
i'll post food later- gotta get to work now. we have guests from Germany and i have to serve them muffins/croissants/bagels and coffee at 8 AM. how people can eat such crap early in the morning is a mystery to me... but i used to be one of them! well, i never ate crap, but i used to eat a big breakfast every morning. now, i am finding i eat lighter & lighter in the AM, yet i don't get that ravenous, must-devour-everything-in-sight feeling i'd get on cooked foods if i didn't eat a big breakfast.
i love raw :)
i'll post food later- gotta get to work now. we have guests from Germany and i have to serve them muffins/croissants/bagels and coffee at 8 AM. how people can eat such crap early in the morning is a mystery to me... but i used to be one of them! well, i never ate crap, but i used to eat a big breakfast every morning. now, i am finding i eat lighter & lighter in the AM, yet i don't get that ravenous, must-devour-everything-in-sight feeling i'd get on cooked foods if i didn't eat a big breakfast.
i love raw :)
Monday, December 3, 2007
feeling grooooovy...
no detox today! yaaaay! i can't express how happy i am. headaches, fatigue and detox zits make life so much more difficult!
my food today was good- i actually met my goal of staying at 20% fat! woohoo!
breakfast: 16 oz. fresh-squeezed oj...mmmm heaven
snack: fruit salad w/ a banana, grapes & strawberries
lunch: GINORMOUS salad w/ kale, spinach, mesclun greens, red & yellow peppers, carrots, tomatoes, sprouts, half an avo, and raw ACV
snack: apple & banana
pre-run: a handful of baby carrots w/ raw hummus
workout: 3 mile run very fast!
dinner: an amaaaaaazing smoothie w/ a banana, lots of strawberries & frozen mango, blueberries, a splash of fresh-squeezed oj. seriously sooo good, if i had more fruit i'd make another one!
so today's food was super delicious. i need to get more fruit tomorrow so i can have more of those smoothies! lol.
my food today was good- i actually met my goal of staying at 20% fat! woohoo!
breakfast: 16 oz. fresh-squeezed oj...mmmm heaven
snack: fruit salad w/ a banana, grapes & strawberries
lunch: GINORMOUS salad w/ kale, spinach, mesclun greens, red & yellow peppers, carrots, tomatoes, sprouts, half an avo, and raw ACV
snack: apple & banana
pre-run: a handful of baby carrots w/ raw hummus
workout: 3 mile run very fast!
dinner: an amaaaaaazing smoothie w/ a banana, lots of strawberries & frozen mango, blueberries, a splash of fresh-squeezed oj. seriously sooo good, if i had more fruit i'd make another one!
so today's food was super delicious. i need to get more fruit tomorrow so i can have more of those smoothies! lol.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Detox, round 1085039802
i'm not feeling so hot right now.
i could tell another round of detox was coming b/c i've been having headaches for the past 3-4 days, but nothing major. then all of a sudden it hit me tonight! ugh. just in time for a super busy week at work.
here's my day today:
breakfast: smoothie w/ 2 bananas, strawberries, fresh-squeezed OJ, frozen mango & blueberries
snack: fruit salad w/ grapes, strawberries & half a persimmon
lunch: banana (wasn't very hungry)
workout: 1.5 hour powerwalk in the hills & around my neighborhood, 20 mins. abs pilates & arm strength exercises
snack: 2 raw cacao-goji energy bites; 1 raw brazil nut & 2 raw almonds; carrots & cucs w/ raw hummus
dinner: umm...i slept through dinner so i just had a banana. i wanted a big salad, but i'll make it for lunch tomorrow instead.
that's all i've got today.
i could tell another round of detox was coming b/c i've been having headaches for the past 3-4 days, but nothing major. then all of a sudden it hit me tonight! ugh. just in time for a super busy week at work.
here's my day today:
breakfast: smoothie w/ 2 bananas, strawberries, fresh-squeezed OJ, frozen mango & blueberries
snack: fruit salad w/ grapes, strawberries & half a persimmon
lunch: banana (wasn't very hungry)
workout: 1.5 hour powerwalk in the hills & around my neighborhood, 20 mins. abs pilates & arm strength exercises
snack: 2 raw cacao-goji energy bites; 1 raw brazil nut & 2 raw almonds; carrots & cucs w/ raw hummus
dinner: umm...i slept through dinner so i just had a banana. i wanted a big salad, but i'll make it for lunch tomorrow instead.
that's all i've got today.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
My Challenge
hello to everyone out there! this is me, living life to the fullest. this is me, feeling ALIVE every day. this is me, connecting to the powers of the universe. this is me, living on raw foods!
an introduction: i'm 22 years old, female, and am currently living in southern CA by way of boston. things that i'm passionate about include animal & human rights, nutrition & health, running, and learning as much as i can about everything i don't know! i am very much into eastern spirituality right now and feeling drawn towards it, so that's what i'm exploring now. i want to leave this world with a positive impression. i want to make a change- any change- for the better. not just for me, but for as many others as i can touch. animals are my true passion and i see myself working with animals some day, hopefully soon. i am interested in way too many things and my mind is usually going a mile a minute. i have 3 wonderful rescue cats that i'm lucky to share my life & tiny apartment with!
i've been raw for a month this time around, and am challenging myself to a month of 100% raw on www.rawfoodtalk.com. i'm very excited about this. i've done a full month of 100% raw this past summer and it was wonderful. now i feel like i've tweaked my raw diet even more and i have never in my life felt so happy, glowing and optimistic, or as connected to the universe and what's going on in the world. raw foodism has ripped the blinders off of me that used to sheild me from the things i didn't want to think about. now, i feel like i have an influx of ideas and interests, a flood of things i see around me that i'm suddenly not ok with, things i want to work to change. it is a bit overwhelming but i feel like i can do this because i'm on the right path.
my goals for the month of december, aside from staying 100% raw, are:
*cut down on nuts & seeds (it's too easy to grab a handful here & there, but they don't make me feel that great!)
*more super dark leafy greens- kale, collards, spinach- i have been craving these lately so this shouldn't be hard!
*continue to exercise, but also listen to my body about if it needs a break. continue with abs pilates- i want really great abs by the holidays!
*only 2 lara bars per week- they are too packaged & expensive
*keep up my meditation, visualization, etc. and stay open to everything that may come my way. don't be afraid to ask the universe for what i want/need.
i think that's about it. i'll also try to post my meals & workouts here daily, as well as my thoughts, and pics every now and then if i make something really yummy and good looking!
today's raw treats:
breakfast: smoothie w/ 2 bananas, strawberries, fresh-squeezed oj, frozen mango & blueberries (this is heaven in a cup)
lunch: cashew cookie lara bar & a banana
snack: apple; 1 raw brazil nut & 2 raw almonds- i was about to have more but stopped myself! yay!
workout: 4 mile run. should do abs pilates for a few minutes, too. wait- WILL do abs pilates!
dinner: HUGE salad with lots of kale, baby romaine, carrots, red & yellow peppers, a huge tomato that was INSANELY good, cucumber, half an avocado, and raw apple cider vinegar. just what i wanted.
snack: an apple later if i want it- probably will
i've noticed i tend to eat around 1100-1400 calories on an average day. sometimes less, rarely more. raw foods fill me up & give me SO much more nutrition than my old cooked vegan diet did. it's great! i've lost some weight so far, too, which wasn't necessary but is a nice bonus!
these are my "before" pics from one month ago- halloween (i was marilyn monroe, lol) and a tequila bar! since then my skin is smoother, i've lost probably 5 pounds, and my eyes are brighter. this is essentially me on a "healthy" cooked vegan diet. i want to post another pic one month from now, after a month of 100% raw food, for comparison.
an introduction: i'm 22 years old, female, and am currently living in southern CA by way of boston. things that i'm passionate about include animal & human rights, nutrition & health, running, and learning as much as i can about everything i don't know! i am very much into eastern spirituality right now and feeling drawn towards it, so that's what i'm exploring now. i want to leave this world with a positive impression. i want to make a change- any change- for the better. not just for me, but for as many others as i can touch. animals are my true passion and i see myself working with animals some day, hopefully soon. i am interested in way too many things and my mind is usually going a mile a minute. i have 3 wonderful rescue cats that i'm lucky to share my life & tiny apartment with!
i've been raw for a month this time around, and am challenging myself to a month of 100% raw on www.rawfoodtalk.com. i'm very excited about this. i've done a full month of 100% raw this past summer and it was wonderful. now i feel like i've tweaked my raw diet even more and i have never in my life felt so happy, glowing and optimistic, or as connected to the universe and what's going on in the world. raw foodism has ripped the blinders off of me that used to sheild me from the things i didn't want to think about. now, i feel like i have an influx of ideas and interests, a flood of things i see around me that i'm suddenly not ok with, things i want to work to change. it is a bit overwhelming but i feel like i can do this because i'm on the right path.
my goals for the month of december, aside from staying 100% raw, are:
*cut down on nuts & seeds (it's too easy to grab a handful here & there, but they don't make me feel that great!)
*more super dark leafy greens- kale, collards, spinach- i have been craving these lately so this shouldn't be hard!
*continue to exercise, but also listen to my body about if it needs a break. continue with abs pilates- i want really great abs by the holidays!
*only 2 lara bars per week- they are too packaged & expensive
*keep up my meditation, visualization, etc. and stay open to everything that may come my way. don't be afraid to ask the universe for what i want/need.
i think that's about it. i'll also try to post my meals & workouts here daily, as well as my thoughts, and pics every now and then if i make something really yummy and good looking!
today's raw treats:
breakfast: smoothie w/ 2 bananas, strawberries, fresh-squeezed oj, frozen mango & blueberries (this is heaven in a cup)
lunch: cashew cookie lara bar & a banana
snack: apple; 1 raw brazil nut & 2 raw almonds- i was about to have more but stopped myself! yay!
workout: 4 mile run. should do abs pilates for a few minutes, too. wait- WILL do abs pilates!
dinner: HUGE salad with lots of kale, baby romaine, carrots, red & yellow peppers, a huge tomato that was INSANELY good, cucumber, half an avocado, and raw apple cider vinegar. just what i wanted.
snack: an apple later if i want it- probably will
i've noticed i tend to eat around 1100-1400 calories on an average day. sometimes less, rarely more. raw foods fill me up & give me SO much more nutrition than my old cooked vegan diet did. it's great! i've lost some weight so far, too, which wasn't necessary but is a nice bonus!
these are my "before" pics from one month ago- halloween (i was marilyn monroe, lol) and a tequila bar! since then my skin is smoother, i've lost probably 5 pounds, and my eyes are brighter. this is essentially me on a "healthy" cooked vegan diet. i want to post another pic one month from now, after a month of 100% raw food, for comparison.
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