Fabulous February 30 Day Challenge [Archive]

Svadhyaya

01-30-2007, 05:24 PM

Hello everyone!

I've spent the last year "chasing" raw, but I haven't caught it yet. Just the 50-75 percent raw diet that I've maintained has made a difference in the way I feel, but I've been unable to lose the excess weight I'm carrying.

This will be my third attempt at a 30 day challenge.
Both other times I caved. :(
Let's hope the third time is a charm.

Besides raw, this month I'm doing a 30 day herbal cleanse and adding fungal defense to the mix. I'm pretty sure I'm having candida issues, and it's been a long time since I've cleansed. Adding raw to all this?? I'm probably heading for a major detox.

And one BIG request.....
PLEASE post what you eat every day, including recipes whenever possible! It is so totally, completely helpful to me when I can be inspired by your rawsome daily menus. Thanks a million!

2inlovewithraw

01-30-2007, 07:53 PM

I'm in and dragging the Mrs. kicking and screaming. "Come-on honey, give it one month!"

We started on the 29th, so it will be a full 31 days for us. :p What can I say? I didn't want to wait for the 1st!

Mr 2

tinystrawberry

01-30-2007, 09:06 PM

I am definitely doing it this month, starting tomorrow. January wasn't so raw, I tried though, so I'm a step further than i was last month! I think i really can do it. I've been eating JUNK today, and my body feels it!!

here are my goals (not sure if im supposed to do these, but i want to)
~ Eat 100% raw
~ Repeat to myself every day WHY i want to be raw *there should be a thread for this..daily "thank yous" to yourself for being raw
~ Only weigh weekly, not every day *this will be hard..
~ Eat at least one meal of greens a day
~ Be more flexible, and do some type of exercise daily.
~ there's more, but these are the ones i think of first

girlsmiley

01-30-2007, 10:30 PM

Welcome, Welcome everyone!

I've got a feeling everything's gonna be alright ... oh, oh, oh, I've got a feeling ... February is going to be Fabulous :D

cassidy

01-30-2007, 10:44 PM

Oooo... the big day is almost here! I had a farewell coffee today... I've been craving one for about 3 weeks. I had one- and it really wasn't that great... I don't think I will be craving for it anymore. I am ordering some brazil nuts so I can make "frappachinos" when I'm craving something javalicious.
I'm also ordering 2 cases of Synergy Kombucha. I swear that stuff is a lifesaver. If I'm craving something non-raw and I drink that I'm fine. Or even if I just think about it and know I get to have some soon it makes me happy! I was thinking if I go to a cocktail party I will bring some and put it in my chapagne glass. It makes me feel tingly just like champagne but tastes so much better!

cassidy

01-30-2007, 10:45 PM

girlsmiley - were you just watching american idol? :D

DreamingD

01-31-2007, 09:09 AM

Hey guys COUNT ME IN!!!
I fell off the raw wagon after a week but I have been having mostly fruits and veggies throughout the month. I should be get Alissa book and my spiral slicer and I can't wait.
COUNT ME IN!!!! I'm going to but veggies tonight!!
Now to get DH to join me!!!

DreamingD :-)

shine72

01-31-2007, 09:10 AM

I forgot to say, that yes, I'm in for the month of Feb., however, I won't be posting from the 3rd of Feb - the 8th or so. I will be travelling. I'll try to get on though, okay! I'm so psyched! I absolutely LOVE being raw!

Sunshine :D

Ingenue

01-31-2007, 09:10 AM

Me me me! This is my month in soooo many ways. Last month I really tried but I was desperately poor and that got in the way a few times. This month I have a new job, new love, and am ready to get back to beautiful raw me!

xoxoxoxo Em

Zuri

01-31-2007, 09:17 AM

I can't wait to get a dehydrator! I've been raw 17 days and it's getting a lil' boring. I will continue on though. :p

shine72

01-31-2007, 10:43 AM

PeachyMama - I turn 35 in November, and we're hoping to be in Costa Rica for my birthday (a lot of things have to work out for that, but it's GONNA happen!), so I know this is the year for me! I should say the lifetime! I have NO intentions of going back to cooked! A lady that works at the local hfs was there yesterday (I've missed her the last couple of times) and she was SO sweet! She sad I looked fabulous and to keep it up. She said I have to come back and visit after we move so that she can see the rest of my transformation! So I know what you mean about a birthday coming up and saying "THAT'S IT! I'm doing this NOW!"

Zuri - Do you have a food processor? There's a lot you can do with just a really good blender and a food processor. Hang in there! You can do this!

Sunshine :D

Zuri

01-31-2007, 10:45 AM

shine72

01-31-2007, 10:47 AM

Zuri - Just so you know, I'm Sunshine, not PeachyMama. I was writing one part to her and another part to you. Sorry about the confusion!

Sunshine :D

Zuri

01-31-2007, 10:48 AM

Thanks, my fault. I was multi tasking and readin quickly. Hehe.

girlsmiley

01-31-2007, 11:32 AM

girlsmiley - were you just watching american idol? :D
No, why? I have church on Tuesday nights and don't get home until 10:45ish.
:)

G~Spice

01-31-2007, 12:18 PM

Hey Everyone

This is my first time here and I am encouraged by all the support!

I am ordering the book and am looking forward to being part of this challenge!

Any advice would be great!

Is it hard to do without buying all the equipment? I do have a blender.

preston

01-31-2007, 12:19 PM

Count me in. :) I Jan was a struggle. :(

preston

01-31-2007, 12:21 PM

Count me in. :) Jan was a struggle. :(

Gwenhyfar

01-31-2007, 12:41 PM

Heya G~Spice. I'm a newbie too! I started my raw adventure yesterday, so I'm excited to see how I do this Feb. Good luck, all! :)

SIN

01-31-2007, 12:58 PM

I'm new and I'm in. Actually the last time i ate was December 27th! i've been on a Master Cleanse and today is Day 35. going for 40 Days and then fire up my new appliances --- OOOOH they're so shiney :D

Zuri

01-31-2007, 01:19 PM

cassidy

01-31-2007, 01:24 PM

Girlsmiley -
American Idol was on while I was typing and I noticed you were "singing" in your post - so I assumed you were watching it too! :rolleyes:

girlsmiley

01-31-2007, 01:35 PM

:D Yup, I was singing ... can't help it, I got the music in me! :D

dawLs

01-31-2007, 01:55 PM

ok, it's official.
i am def. in now. you know whats funny? i was feeling very lazy and not really wanting to eat any raw foods but i logged in yesterday, saw this post and thought...
WHY THE HECK NOT?
i made it through november completely raw. i'm ready to give it another shot ;)
hoLs

**jessireebob**

01-31-2007, 02:35 PM

I thought I would start off this month's challenge with a motivational story!

I have suffered from depression for as long as I can remember, and last week, after 4 days of 99% raw (I had some alcohol), I felt this fog lift. My spirit lightened, I felt joyful, I felt conencted to the people in my life, and I even felt beautiful inside and out! It was, I think, the first time in my entire life that I have ever felt that good, or that full of love for myself and the world around me.

Then I went out with friends, had one too many drinks, came home and decided it was a good idea to eat some cooked (my trigger food, no less). The next day I woke up sad. I sat on the couch and cried all day. I ate refined wheat and corn products all day. I alsmot cancelled going to one of my closest friend's b-day parties I felt so crappy.

And then it dawned on me. If I felt so wonderful and gorgeous and full of light and joy yesterday, then I MUST still be today. No way could I just turn into a monster over the course of 24 hours. And the only thing that's changed is the food in my body! Ding ding ding. Finally, a clear, direct correllation. There was no denying it. I have always seen myself as mentally ill in some way. I've never felt like I had any agency or any sense of what was around the bend re: my derpession. And now I finally see that perhaps who I *AM*, deep down inside, is this wonderful, dear, intelligent, gorgeous, JOYFUL woman, and my depression is an ALLERGY! An allergy to wheat and dairy and corn and sugar, and perhaps a sensitivity to cooked.

Suddenly it feels easy. I've been back on raw for 3 days. This is right around when I started to feel better last week. And I know I won't eat those other foods. At least not for a while. I KNOW that if I stay raw, I can feel stupendous again! And hopefully if I stay raw, I can keep feeling stupendous! Suddenly this diet feels like a gift and a joy rather than a punishment for being too fat or too effed up or too abnormal. The peace and energy and self-love I felt last week was more comforting than any amount of cooked "comfort food" could ever be! I can't wait to get that feeling back!

So February challenge, here I come!

beanmonkee

01-31-2007, 02:48 PM

Great story, jessireebob! That's inspiration to do what's good for you, and not just for weight, but for overall well being.

This will be my first raw month. I haven't read Alyssa's Book, but I'm borrowing it from my sister. I'm also going to my first raw potluck on Saturday, so this will be the perfect start to my raw month. Hoorah.

brawdwaybaby

01-31-2007, 02:56 PM

oooh oooh me too! *raises hand and wiggles in seat*

jiujitsugirl

01-31-2007, 02:59 PM

yea jessireebob, thats how i totally feel im just having so muh trouble this time i went 30 days once why cant i get back on it seems like everytime i try i end up binegeing on certain raw foods which lead to cooked food binege...but i know exactly what you speak of like 5 days into raw you feel beautiful and happy and at peace with everything, almost because you know your living is bringing no harm to others...so heres to at least 28 days, only problem is im now on ambilify, but it doesnt matter what matters is im going raw

SIN

01-31-2007, 03:25 PM

ZURI - yup, yup, yup. i am glowing, my skin feels awesome, my mind is crystal clear, my clothes FELL-OFF :eek: .

so last time i weighted myself - DOWN 26LBS. in 31 DAYS! not sure what's going to happen in February when i begin eating again - but i do know RAW is the way. i probably won't be able to post some outstanding weightloss #'s with everyone here during February, but i do know i'll have a very happy body :D

well my dehydrator just arrived - time to read the manual :)

rawwannabe

01-31-2007, 03:40 PM

Great "a-ha!" moment, jessie.

I am waiting to make yummy dehydrated meals as soon as mine arrives. I think the first thing I will make will be "bread" (either Alissa's pizza bread or Matt Amsden's Onion bread), although I have always wanted to make Elaina Love's Cinnamon buns.

In the meantime, yesterday's eats: Glaser's muesli w/ almond milk; papaya and banana; pesto zuke pasta for dinner. Snacked, as usual, on curry nori crackers.

Today: green drink (beet greens, ginger, apple & parsley juice), Pure Bar, nori crackers & I plan to make Alissa's mock salmon pate (w/ dill) for dinner w/ a salad. Perhaps some of Matt's fudge for dessert if I'm still hungry.

ETA: I notice many new posters. Welcome!

dreamrawalwz

01-31-2007, 04:57 PM

same thing happens to me with cooked and depression.With eating cooked i MUST take my liquid vitamins or I get extremely depressed. With raw I don't "need" the liquid vitamins, but in the winter I'll use them because I also have seasonal affective disorder on top of chronic depression. Even 12 hours into the day 100% raw I feel a major difference. I must be very sensative!

SIN

01-31-2007, 06:20 PM

RAWWANABE - you are making me salivate! i'm still on a fast til monday so i anything would make me drool ;) i think i'm going to go for Matt's 'onion bread/cracker' as my first dehydrator test. what's this cinnamon buns receipe? is it in a specific book or somewhere on this BB?

DharmaGirl

01-31-2007, 06:23 PM

Hello Everyone!!!

Jessie, what a great story and how inspirational! You've really brought to light for me the wonderful things raw eating has done for me, too. I, too, have fallen off the wagon because of a recent trip to Disney World. The first couple of days I was able to stay probably 85% raw, but then as the week went on, I got REALLY tired and then just grabbed whatever I could. Breakfasts were always raw, but snacks and other meals started to slowly fall into the cooked category. I've been home 4 days now and am having a really HARD time going back 100% becuz of the cravings.

foods eaten today:
green smoothie w/spinach, kale, banana, strawberries
cooked soup for lunch :eek:
asian pear
cooked food again :eek:
tangerine juice

Thank goodness for all of you here, cuz now i'm excited to join you all tomorrow for the FABULOUS FEBRUARY challenge!!!

Raw blessings to All :D

RawFoodieMom

01-31-2007, 07:45 PM

Hi everyone, I'd like to join the party please!!!

February here we come!! :)

I hereby pledge to document everything I eat/drink in this thread. I think it will help me stay on track.

shine72

01-31-2007, 09:12 PM

I started my journal in the journal area now! I even put measurements! (Why oh why oh why did I humiliate myself like that?!)

MORN- OMG! I saw your pictures while I was there and you GO! You are just doing FABULOUS DARLING! Keep it up girl, keep it up!

Sunshine :D

dog lass

01-31-2007, 09:21 PM

I'm joining all you wonderful people for my first raw month. I'm very excited to see myself at the end of Feb. I'll put my starting weight and ending weight it my journal (woo hoo). It'll be interesting!

Thank you all for all your inspiration, support and just wonderfulness!

To everyone!

dog lass.

koolkidz

02-01-2007, 12:53 AM

I'm new here and starting this woe Feb. 5th. going for 30 days RAW!!!! I'm in...thanks in advance for the support and encouragement.

dread head vegan

02-01-2007, 09:49 AM

i'm in :D went raw for September and 1/2 of october then fell off. gained all the weight that i lost and started smoking again :mad: my goal is to suprise my husband when i see him again in June. :D

lavendarJ

02-01-2007, 12:05 PM

Happy February 1st Everyone!

I hope I'll be able to log in morn. Taking a fast today for the first day of the week to focus and think about where I am going this month and what my priorities should be in order to make the most of February.

In Peace...

BecauseICan

02-01-2007, 12:17 PM

;) Happy February 1 everyone!!!
My dehydrater came yesterday ~ Yeah!! ~ don't have anything to dehydrate right now but at least it's here and in my kitchen. :p
Weighed in this morning at 189# and 5'6". I'll weigh in every Thursday morning. I'd post what my food is for today but I haven't had any so there's nothing to post. :D

Good luck everyone and here is to our health!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BGVDiva

02-01-2007, 12:17 PM

I'm in. :D

cassidy

02-01-2007, 12:23 PM

I'm feeling so great! It has been nearly 2 weeks raw ( a few non raw - but very healthy items thrown in) and I feel so amazing. Happy, light, intelligent... energized! Just really really great. I'm excited to do 100% this next 30 days. I'm a little worried as I will be traveling back to CA from the 22 - 25th. But I can hit up Mother's and Good Mood Food (so good and inexpensive too!).
So today so far...
Banana Almond Milk... Have you guys tried this? It is AMAZING... so good. I've been looking for a replacement for my daughter's store bought rice milk and this morning we were out of it so I made this for her and she called it her milk!!!! YEAH.. I'm so glad she likes it.
Then we split a mango
I had a green tea
Now I'm drinking my Synergy Green Kombucha
I'm going to make Pesto Pasta (Zuchini) for dinner tonight.

I want to try to loose at least 5 lbs.
Today 134lb (eventually want to be 125)

cassidy

02-01-2007, 12:33 PM

koolkidz -
You just ispired me to go for 10 lbs instead of 5! That would put me at my goal.

sanelson

02-01-2007, 12:50 PM

It gets easier as I go along.

Svadhyaya

02-01-2007, 01:05 PM

Carrot Apple Ginger Juice (delicious)

Pineapple Orange Juice blended with Strawberries (even better)

Alissa's Broccoli and Cheeze (good, but made my stomach hurt)

I'm probably going to try to go to sleep. I was feeling great till I ate the cheeze stuff. Something is wrong with me where raw nuts are concerned. Three days seems to be the "magic number" for me....when I go 100% raw, after 2-4 days I end up with severe diarrhea and an excruciating stomach ache. I think it's because after 2-4 days I get sick of salad and fruit and want to venture into more complicated recipes which are danger zones for my digestive system.

everclear

02-01-2007, 01:07 PM

I'm so ready for this! :D

jessireebob - your story is very motivational! I've suffered from depression for the past 4-5 years and one of my motivations for choosing a raw foods diet is to cure it. :)

Tonight i'm going out to dinner with my mom and sister before we go to a Dr. Laura (can't for the life of me spell her last name!) book signing (they are both obsessed with Dr. Laura lol) and I have a feeling we're going to my favorite cooked restaurant. But no fear! I'm going to bring a baggy with some nuts and seeds in it for me to munch on, and i'm going to eat something before we go. :)

I'm so excited for this month! :D

RawTeacherLinda

02-01-2007, 01:16 PM

This morning I made a large Apple Waldorf Salad (chopped apples, celery, walnuts,raisins, and a sauce made from cashew butter and fresh orange juice)and ate a bowl for breakfast. There is enough for another meal or a few snacks! For lunch I had a Lettuce, tomato, avocado, cucumber salad with olive oil and lemon dressing sprinkled with raw sunflower seeds. I am feeling very satisfied and plan to make a yummy apple crisp for supper. The recipe I like for apple crisp (cobbler) and ice cream is found at www.therawtable.com. Very awesome treats that are good for you! I even got on the mini trampoline for 15 min! Thankful for my many Blessings and such a variety of fresh foods available.
Best of health to you all!

girlsmiley

02-01-2007, 02:03 PM

Respect Yourself
Artist: Robert Palmer
Album: The Very Best Of Robert Palmer

Refrain:
Respect yourself
Change your mind
Respect yourself
Don't be blind
Respect yourself
And you will see the light

Respect yourself
And you will find your way
So practice what you pray
Don't run away
Respect yourself

Respect yourself
Respect yourself
And you will see the light

1.
If you are feeling weak so deep inside
No place to run, no place to hide
R. E. S. P. E. C. T.
Respect your destiny

If you dont know what is right or wrong
If you feel confused and your thoughts are gone
R. E. S. P. E. C. T.
Respect yourself, be free

2.
Don't care about what people say
Believe in yourself and go your own way
Respect - no resignation
Leave the path of isolation

Don't care about what people say
R.E.S.P.E.C.T., will never get away
Today, we stay, and pay attention anyway
Fairplay, everyday don't run away

3.
You don't know, no, what you don't know
Like the colours of the rainbow
Respect is the name of the game
Respect yourself and you never miss your aim

If you gonna show weakness
You gotta let them know
You don't know, no, what you don't know
If you really wanna grow, say no just go

In some of the past challenges there has been a *theme* with songs ... sometimes a different song every day ... so I was trying to think of what to do for February. If anyone has a song they want to share to inspire the rest of us please feel free to share it :)

I don't really know this song yet I like the lyrics :D

For most of us who struggle with health and weight issues, eating RAW is about respecting ourselves, caring enough to give our bodies the very best that they(we) deserve. This is something that I personally need to consider whenever I am tempted to eat cooked or junk food ... that it isn't about what I *can't* have ... it's about respecting myself enough to enjoy what I *can* have.

Moonstone

02-01-2007, 02:21 PM

I would like to join in this February challenge too, I think I will return to writing in my journal as well, recording all I eat.

jessireebob, your story is truely motivational and sounds so joyous :)

Elizabeth

02-01-2007, 02:23 PM

Hi everyone!!! :) .. I am so excited to have them..now, if I can only figure out how to turn off the gas to my stove, so the pilot lights will go off..and I can put my excalibur on top of it.. Any Suggestions???

PeachyMama..I turn 45 in September... and I am going to make sure, through eating Raw, that I feel better at 45 than I did at 35....lol..maybe even 25...:p

I have been very hormonal lately and "fell off the wagon" a bit (no..really a LOT) in the last week..but am back on..more than ever.

So far I have just had smoothie..with O.J., banana, greens, hemp oil and strawberries... It was yummy but I am going to get my dehydrator fired up soon...and get my Raw Kitchen rolling..:eek:

The best to all of you!!!

cassidy

02-01-2007, 02:37 PM

mmm.... OK just had lunch. Zuchini spinach pesto pasta with portobella mushrooms and raisins and cheeze sauce on top. Wow.. this was unbelievable good!

tinystrawberry

02-01-2007, 03:53 PM

This is what i had today:
breakfast: a little bit of apple (i was in a hurry and didn't have time to eat :rolleyes: )
Lunch: red grapefruit, apple, and spinach

The other day, when i was at the Washington DC protest against the war, i fell and hurt my thumb pretty bad :( but i'm happy to say ITS HEALING SO FAST!! :) Thanks to raw!

reddragonfly

02-01-2007, 04:10 PM

I am in! I have been already for four days!

girlsmiley

02-01-2007, 04:13 PM

It took me an hour longer than normal to get to work this morning ... wow ... the roads were bad and people were in the ditch all over the place. I am very thankful that I made it to work safely. I understand that the roads are clear now so going home won't be as bad.

Today's intake:

3 bananas
1 apple
Salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion, peas, black olives, sprouts, sliced almonds, sunflower seeds)
1t honey
1t coconut oil

I have a class at church tonight (http://www.lifechangerscc.com/courses-ministries/image-courses.html) and won't get home until 9:45ish so I'm not sure what exercise I will squeeze in ... maybe some stretching (and yawning and ...). If I dream of exercise in my sleep does it still count? lol :rolleyes:

reddragonfly

02-01-2007, 05:37 PM

girlsmiley i keep seeing people eating olives what olives are these? are they the ones in the cans? i know no on cannedfood but where are these olives? also can you tell me what SAD is?

dawLs

02-01-2007, 05:50 PM

oh my goodness, i don't know where it came from but i have been sooooo hungry today!
i had a huuuuuge salad which i split into lunch and dinner...a handful of grapes, two handfuls of raisins, a handful of carrots...
and hopefully nothing else! hah
good job to everyone so far :p

dreamrawalwz

02-01-2007, 07:13 PM

Yay, raw again. For some reason I'm in a completely different mindset. For me I always have to start at the beginning of a moth, a Sunday, or whatever. Not sure why...I'm weird :p

apples
pineapple
tomatoes
grape tomatoes
baby carrots
celery
bell peppers

I ate A LOT today. I'm not saying how much of what I ate lol. I do feel different inside already though. I'm hungry tonight with eating all of that. I'm NEVER hungry, especially on cooked...it's a nice feeling. Hmm...I'm trying to down water to get more water weight off of me quicker. I have an urge to weigh myself daily to see, but not sure if I should do that or just weekly or ??

Gwenhyfar

02-01-2007, 08:23 PM

I've done fantastic for the past 2 days. Today, I had a smoothie for breakfast, a large salad for lunch and I planned on having a butternut squash soup I'd prepared...........but....... My husband (bless his heart) brought home some chinese food and I sabotaged myself with chow mein and steamed rice *sigh* Tomorrow's another day, eh? I'll have that soup for lunch. :)

Nutz Over RAW

02-01-2007, 08:30 PM

Officially starting on Saturday the 3rd. I'm new and I've been eating ~90% raw the last couple of weeks (I've been drinking 1 cup of coffee in the am). I'm quitting coffee on Saturday so that I'm human by Monday and won't scare anyone at work! I'm hoping a green smoothie will wake me up...

girlsmiley

02-01-2007, 09:39 PM

girlsmiley i keep seeing people eating olives what olives are these? are they the ones in the cans? i know no on cannedfood but where are these olives? also can you tell me what SAD is?
Hi reddragonfly :) Alissa sells olives in her on-line store http://www.alissacohen.com/shop/home.php?cat=5. Also, Pierre, who participates on RFT, puchases raw olives by the case. I don't know where he gets them. I just did a Google on "raw olives" and found this site ... http://www.rawganique.com/Food-raw-organic-olives.htm ... kind of expensive yet could be worth it.

In my case, these olives were from a can, I got them on the salad bar at work. I know they are not *raw* yet the amount I had was not very significant, it may have been about 5-6 olives, so I do not consider that I *failed* at being raw today. There wasn't much available on the salad bar and I wanted some fat and I did not put dressing on my salad.

SAD is the commonly used acronym for Standard American Diet.

cassidy

02-01-2007, 10:26 PM

:eek: Well... crap. :eek: I guess I'll have to start my Feb. over tomorrow! I ate some not so raw food tonight. Why... why,why,why I was doing so well too! Oh well... I'll start over tomorrow. Water fast then green smoothie fast for one day each to get me back on track.

Morn

02-01-2007, 10:58 PM

Jessireebob - great story! When we take care for ourselves it does make a difference on how we feel about ourselves. That was amazing that you got such insight. It must of been a God moment for you!

Dharmagirl- welcome back! I know in a few days you will be back on track! Glad you are here!

Shine72 - Thank you! I also went to check out your picture! You are a beautiful woman (even now). I know you are not happy with were you are at but sometimes we need to post pictures we don't like cause it will motivate us to be better and help us get to where we want to be. I can't stand some of my photos I posted but I was tired of hiding and for me posting my picture was a symbol of me getting serious and changing my life. I figured it was time for me to change what I saw and it is slow but I am doing it. So good for you. I am glad you decided to do this for you. It also helps us be accountable to one another (which is a good thing)! Your right this is your year - the year you get healthy and happy!

Hi and welcome to all the new people - it will be so nice getting to know all of you! Lets Rawk February!

Morn

02-01-2007, 11:09 PM

Today I had to work and on top of that, overall it has been an emotionally draining day - trying to deal with complexities that surrounded my neice (but I think a lot got resolved today so I thank God he hears our prayers and that he sits on the throne). Saturday and Sunday I will be driving to Kalamazoo to see her (my neice) in the Hospital and to be a support to my brother. I am excited about February and getting closer to my overall goal. I was stressing about my weight and how slow it is coming off and then I realized, I have the rest of my life to get this weight off and it is coming off so what does it matter when it does. I just need to relax and let God do the work in my body and be a little more patient.

I also got a chance to work out at the gym today. I did 30 minutes on the eliptical machine, 20 minutes on the stationary bike and about 10 minutes doing abdominal floor exercises. I needed that big time as it was a temporary distraction to my temporary trials of my neice.

Foods eaten today:

tangerine tea
grapes
salad with Alyssa's ceasar dressing
very large garden salad
raw fudge

swingbolder

02-02-2007, 02:50 AM

intake yesterday:

green smoothie
pear
kale chips
caesar's salad
orange juice

lavendarJ

02-02-2007, 06:17 AM

Hello Everyone!

How are you. I think I will do something very simple today and just chop up a green pepper or something and eat it. This weekend I will have to think of doing some serious raw prep. In the mean time, I am going to order these delicious raw wraps off the net (until I make time to try making them again with the dehydrator). My sister who has been slowly transitioning has now decided to try the raw challenge at 95% for this month. I am going to share Alissa's book with her this weekend and we may be able to whip up something simple.

PeachyMama

02-02-2007, 06:29 AM

Fantastic, Jessireebob! Thank you for sharing that with us!

Morn???? You're losing 2 pounds a week, girl!!! That is NOT slow!! I have the metabolism of a slug, and even on my most successful diet ever, I was lucky to lose a pound a week.

That's one reason I'm not weighing myself. I'm charting my progress by my wardrobe. So, let's see.... my newest change .... shirts and jackets that were "spanning the globe" (how my family refers to something stretching tightly across the hips/behind) are now hanging nicely with extra material! I see my cheekbones even more, and there is not one sign of a double chin at all.

I started a colon cleanse a few days ago, and man, is it taking a toll! I've had horrible headaches, and a raw, scratchy throat. I'm also exhausted.

Yesterday's intake...

2 small bananas

Tomato soup (5 soaked sun dried tomatoes, 2 medium tomatoes, 1/4 pine nuts, small bit of garlic and chives, water and sea salt)

10 small almonds

Large salad (red romaine, arugula, cucumbers) topped with a dressing made from leftover tomato soup mixed with lemon juice and paprika

Green smoothie (2 apples, 2 pears, 1 navel orange, 2 big handfuls parsley)

KatK

02-02-2007, 07:09 AM

I'm on day 11 now, 100% raw. I was able to exercize in the morning a little, and then our planned 1 hr hike turned into 2 hours from a "shortcut" we took. It was fun anyway!

Yesterday:
fruit salad
salad
1/2 coconut
sunflower seeds
2 bananas
marinated collard/onion/red pepper salad

rawwannabe

02-02-2007, 08:34 AM

What was that Girl Scout motto? Always be prepared. A cautionary tale.

As posted before, I've been raw (w/ the exception of coffee) since 2 weeks before New Years Eve. Three times since, including New Year's Eve, I made a conscious decision to eat cooked meals. And as they were conscious decisions, I had no remorse and thus, had no cravings.

Yesterday, I knew I would be out for the morning, so I packed a Pure bar. Well, my morning turned into afternoon, and I began craving a specific Amy's meal. I caved and bought it. And ate it. :( This caving in was a completely different experience than my prior conscious decisions. I felt badly for having succumbed to my craving. Because it wasn't a conscious choice, but rather a craving borne of hunger, I felt badly all day. I then proceeded to raid the pantry, and ate my kids Soy Crisps. THAT was my intake for the day. Had I been prepared, I would have never had the craving in the first place. It's a learning curve.

I can't wait to get my dehydrator so I can make Alissa's Enchiladas...minus the cheese.

girlsmiley

02-02-2007, 08:36 AM

Tomato soup (5 soaked sun dried tomatoes, 2 medium tomatoes, 1/4 pine nuts, small bit of garlic and chives, water and sea salt)
Yummmmm, this is why sharing what we eat, with recipes provided (or acknowledgement of whose recipie it was) is so cool ... I think I will make this tomorrow ... I love tomato soup. Now all I need is a good raw grilled cheese sandwich :D

shine72

02-02-2007, 09:12 AM

Morn - Thank you! The reasons you stated are why I just took a deep breath and did the photos! Thanks again!

Just wanted to let ya'll know I'm headed out today for about a week. I will be updating my journal, when, if, I can. So that's about all the updating I'll get to do. Hope ya'll have a wonderful week. I'm going up to the snow! (Maryland!)

Sunshine :D

p.s. I was going to make the fudge balls for the road and the lid on food processor fell on the floor and broke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH! :(

pps. I tried something out! The part that fell off, I didn't NEED it to make the fudge balls!!!!!!! Yay! This was my first time making them too! I did half the way the recipe says too and rolled the other half in coconut.

**jessireebob**

02-02-2007, 11:17 AM

Cassidy, I think you shouldn't start over your February. I think you should just say that you are raw and you slipped. I swim. I am a swimmer. People in my life know this about me. And even though I haven't been to the pool in several months, I'm STILL a swimmer! You're still raw, chica. Just pick up, dust off, choose raw for the rest of today, and head into day 3 feeling proud!

I've been eating so very much. I think partly I eat when I'm not quite hungry, but AM thinking about cooked foods? Like I make myself so full I can't imagine eating cooked? Not sure... But when I started, I promised to let myself eat whatever... literally anything and everything as long as its raw... for the 30 days. So I will. I was up a few pounds this morn, so guess what I did? I hid my scale! :D I'm getting a little out of hand with the onion bread. Maybe need to chill with that stuff...

Food yesterday:
1/2 mango
pineapple
1 banana
1/2 cherry larabar
handful grapes
Z Square salad (not raw balsamic dressing) w/ raisins, fennel, apples, walnuts, cukes, toms
more grapes
4!!!! mini sandwiches (onion bread, greens, pesto or deviled eggless) (oink oink!)
dried pineapple
few spoonfuls pudding

Day before:
1 piece onion bread w/ deviled eggless
green smoothie (kale, frozen banana, coconut water, date juice)
orange juice
13 baby carrots
4 olives
1 banana
1/2 cherry larabar
3 mini sandwiches - onion bread, deviled eggless, radishes, carrots, mixed greens
2 olives
1 pickle
pineapple chunks
1/2 mango

Ariannah

02-02-2007, 11:26 AM

I've started my journal, linked below.
Ariannah
(still raw, of course)

girlsmiley

02-02-2007, 12:41 PM

Cassidy - I second **jessireebob**'s comment about picking your self up, dusting yourself off, and continuing on your journey - rather than thinking you have to start over. I mean ... when you look back over your time since you started RAW what is this little "blip" on the radar? :D You are dowing RAWsome!

Today the team I work with went out to lunch to say goodbye to two team members. I've know about this for a month and I already knew what I was going to order - guacamole! However, I didn't anticipate eating it with chips and that is what I ended up doing (I was going to get a house salad and guac and mix them together). I am a bit disappointed in myself, however, I am not going to let this set me back.

Like rawwannabe said (and I think it is the boy scout motto), "Always be prepared." If I would have *really* thought ahead I would have made some crackers and brought them with me. I didn't think about that until last night and they would not have gotten done in time :rolleyes: Now I will know for the next time we plan to go to that restaurant :cool:

BecauseICan

02-02-2007, 02:58 PM

I was feeling great till I ate the cheeze stuff.

Not sure which cheese recipe you used but I know for myself, I am allergic to nutritional yeast, which is in some of the recipes. Gives me severe cramps, makes me wheeze, itch, etc. I think with all things you HAVE to listen to yoru body and do what is best for you. If you can't handle all raw then maybe go for 95% and see how you do that way. ??? I'm gonna try your carrot, apple, ginger juice ~ that sounds delicious. :D

Barb

lovely12

02-02-2007, 03:38 PM

I'm in. I am currently on day 3.

Nutz Over RAW

02-02-2007, 04:42 PM

I've started my journal, linked below.
Ariannah
(still raw, of course)

How do you start a journal? I've been looking for the link.

KatK

02-02-2007, 05:05 PM

At the top of the page, click on:

Post a Photo
(Click here for instructions on posting photos and journaling.)

tinystrawberry

02-02-2007, 06:25 PM

It's day three for me too ;)
I ate a lot today, but it was all raw :D
breakfast: apple, raw pizza
lunch: raspberries and a banana (with agave)
snack: couple almonds
Dinner: guac with baby carrots and onion bread. strawberries with agave for dessert!

Tomorrow i'm going to try to make almond mylk, any tips? ;)

RawTeacherLinda

02-02-2007, 07:40 PM

Breakfast= Pineapple, Coconut, and banana smoothie

Lunch= Mono meal of 4 apples, while driving in my car.

Dinner=Zucchini noodles with marinara sauce, big green salad with avocado & tomatoes and some warm apple crisp.

I put some things in dehydrator for tomorrow and am sprouting barley to make Alissa's Chili recipe....should be ready by Sunday. Today I was tempted to eat some cooked things, but I baggged them and put them in the freezer. Out of sight...out of thoughts! I invited a raw friend over for lunch so that will keep me motivated :) . Reading the RawTalk boards help alot also. Thanks! Great support group!

rawwannabe

02-02-2007, 08:15 PM

Tomorrow i'm going to try to make almond mylk, any tips?

Honestly, it's so easy. As long as you strain it well, it's really good. I use a plain old sieve, but will order a nut milk bag at some point. I have found that it keeps a long time too; much longer than the few days specified in several of the recipes I've seen. Also, if you make it plain, with no sweetners, you have a lot more variation for its use such as in soups.

Actually, I do have a tip....if you don't have a Vitamix, don't use too many almonds. I've already "killed" a blender by adding way too many. Additionally, you can blend the pulp twice (once before and once after straining) for additional mylk. It just won't be as creamy.

PeachyMama

02-02-2007, 08:25 PM

I either have the flu, or detox from the pits of Hades. Everything hurts, I have a fever, and I'm soooo tired. I couldn't rest today, either. Moms of young children don't get to rest!

Today's intake:

B - 1/2 canteloupe
L - 1 red delicious apple and 1 banana
S - 20 almonds
D - 1 small avo on Mauk Family Farms flax crackers

Not much food, and awfully fatty, but I just followed my body's cues as to what would be good at each point. I wouldn't be surprised if I wasn't hungry at all tomorrow.

Be well everyone, and have a wonderful weekend!

Morn

02-02-2007, 08:48 PM

Today I had to work in my daughter's preschool. We also had family dinner night at a steakhouse and I ate a dinner salad. Then we went to our dance class which is an hour. We did salsa with variations, waltz, and rhumba at the end of class. I am having a blast and breaking a sweat at the same time! I wish I could do this everyday! I will be leaving to go and see my niece tomorrorw and will be gone for the weekend. So see you all when I return. Foods eaten:

tangerine tea
salad with ceasar dressing
salad with honey mustard dressing
green beans (cooked)
peanuts

dreamrawalwz

02-02-2007, 09:40 PM

I eat WAAAYYY too much. I'll relax on it for now while my body gets used to raw once again :)

the usual:

3 apples
.5 pinepple
5 oranges
salad (romaine + tomatoes + lemon juice)
HUGE veggie bowl (tomatoes, celery, pepper, carrots)

I resisted those cravings/urges for the cooked food at my HFS :) yay!

girlsmiley

02-02-2007, 10:06 PM

dreamrawalwz - I wouldn't worry about it :) and you know that. I think when we come off a period of time of eating cooked our mind/emotion is expecting to be more *stuffed*. Tonight I was very tempted to eat something not raw so I just ate more celery.

I did eat something non-raw at lunch and that could be what was calling to me to eat something else not raw ... just because "I blew it and may as well just *go for it* starting new in the a.m." Well, I am worth the effort it takes to eat and get healthy and every moment is an opportunity for a fresh start - no need to wait "until" ... ;)

Today's intake:

Chocolate Brownie Pure Bar (www.thepurebar.com)
Guacamole Live! from On The Border (eaten with chips :o )
2 whole celery hearts eaten with homemade almond butter
1t honey
1t coconut oil

When I went to the produce market today I found they had the Thai coconuts for $1.99 so I picked up 2. I bought some several months ago and one was bad and the other one I never got open enough to get the meat out. So, I've been reviewing several videos on how to open them and tomorrow I will take another *stab* at it in order to make a great smoothie in the morning!

I have corn chips in the dehydrator and stuff to make guacamole to go with them. I also have sundried tomatos soaking to make PeachyMama's tomato soup and Alissa's Marinara sauce with zucchini noodles for Sunday :D My weekend is planned, that feels good!

Morn - please be careful traveling accross the state ... a whole lot of activities have already been cancelled for tomorrow due to the Winter Storm Warning for Mason, Lake, Oceana, Newaygo, Muskegon, Montcalm, Ottawa, Kent, Ionia, Allegan, Barry, Eaton, Van Buren, and Kalamazoo counties.

thevoyager

02-02-2007, 11:50 PM

hey everyone i'm back! i took a month off and learned how to appreciate whole organic foods/and eating the right amount of foods and exercising every day. i think i'm now ready to go raw! my february will only have 26 days :D i can handle it. other than naked juice, i will be completely raw. i drink the green machine naked juice as i have struggle to get the appropriate amount of greens and am a big fruit eater only.

tinystrawberry

02-03-2007, 07:21 AM

WHOA this morning I had a BURST of energy at.....5:30 IN THE MORNING!?!??!
I usually have trouble getting up at 9 :eek: I have heard of people needing less sleep while they're raw, so i think i can thank raw for this! :D

no foods eaten yet :p

KatK

02-03-2007, 08:06 AM

That's great, tinystrawberry! :)

cassidy

02-03-2007, 08:58 AM

Feb 3rd
AM one almond and I tried my banana chips and carrot/flax crackers. A couple bites each.
Right now I'm drinking my Synergy Kombucha
Lunch - Fiery Lava soup and crackers
Snack - Almond Milk/ or Apple juice
Dinner - Large Salad

I am STILL feeling like crap from my SAD eating two days ago :eek:

swingbolder

02-03-2007, 11:41 AM

intake yesterday:

green smoothie
salad
Friday night cooked dinner

cassidy

02-03-2007, 05:26 PM

Well... just checking in.
Like I said I ate non raw two days ago and am still paying for it. I feel a ton better though today. I have my energy back and my mood has lifted... Thank goodness!
Today, so far, I've had
Kombucha (of couse :o )
Dehydrated bananas and a few almonds
Waldorf Salad (raw.... so good)
Fiery lava soup with sd tomato bread and carrot flax crackers
warm (just out of the dehydrator) huckleberry banana bread with almond butter and honey (heaven!)
I'll probably eat light tonight... maybe even just a kombucha? I'm trying to shed a few lbs.

Currently 136 (weight gain! :eek: ... That time of the mos. maybe? Water wieght? The sad food I ate two days ago? :( )

cassidy

02-03-2007, 05:28 PM

JEEZ... I didn't realise I had already posted this morning. I'm loosing it.

Firicia

02-03-2007, 05:38 PM

Well I forgot to post yesterday, which was day 1 of my 30 day challenge. It was an awesome day though, but I'll just post what I've eaten so far today.

Food
B: 1/2 a grapefruit, 1/4 cup of palmagrates pieces, and a rambutan
S: some raw pumpkin seeds
S: 1 "cinnamin girls" ball from rawveloution I think
L: a plate of cucumber pieces with a little sea salt
S: a cup of frozen blueberry smoothy (frozen blueberries, water, and a little less than a tbsp of raw coconut butter)
D: 2 kiwi, 1 grapefruit, and some macadamian nuts, and a few bites of an orange
S: 1 grapefruit, and then a little recipy tester meal (it was guacamole with a little grated carrots, some red pepper, spinich, wraped in a lettus leaf)

girlsmiley

02-03-2007, 06:21 PM

Firicia - everyone is different as to when they do/don't hit detox. Just listen to your body and it will tell you what you need :)

cassidy - you can delete posts if you feel the need ... when you edit your post one of the options is to delete. I've done it before when I've been responding to someone's post and when I submit it I see someone else posted the exact same *thought* about the same time ... so I'll go back and delete or edit mine. p.s. what is "fiery lava soup"?

swingbolder - you are very disciplined ... I will get there too!

Today we are experiencing blizzard conditions ... quite a bit of snow falling/blowing/drifting ... nice day to be inside making recipes :D

Today's intake:

Smoothie - water and meat from Thai coconut, 4 bananas, 1T agave nectar, 1T cocoa powder ... I shared this with my son
One Serving of spaghetti w/marinara ... my son tried this and really liked it too! I wanted to make it today so the noodles have time to lose their water and the sauce flavors have more time to *mingle* :p
PeachyMama's tomato soup - delish! This could become a staple!
Juice - 8 carrots, 1 stalk broccoli, 1 pear, 3 cloves garlic, 1 jalepeno, 2 inch piece of ginger - whew! :eek: I am adding the pulp to flax seed crackers I'm making ...

Svadhyaya

02-03-2007, 10:10 PM

I'm doing okay. I've remained raw the last few days, but am discouraged about how my digestive system is behaving. My stomach won't stop hurting. Nuts are the biggest irritant, but almost everything I'm eating (except fruit) is bothering me. I am not comfortable eating fruit only, so I'm trying to just grin and bear it when it comes to vegetables and greens.

Banana, Strawberry, Almond Milk, Berry Green, Coconut Oil Smoothie
Carrot "Burger" with Spinach and Tomato
Kiwis
Apples
Tuna Tartare (I've been vegan for a long time and was irresistably drawn toward this the other night....out of the blue. I think I was craving protein from staying so far away from nuts. Or maybe the cleanse is weirding out my cravings/body. Anyway, this hit the spot and is raw, but is not "legal" here, nor recommended. I feel guilty. Poor fish.)
Sake and Lime Juice Martini (Sake IS raw, right?)

I've eaten more than this....I just can't remember what else.
Pineapple.
Baby Carrots.
Lettuce wrapped Avocado, Mushrooms, and Red Peppers.

I think that may be all.
I hope my stomach problem goes away soon. I fall off raw for this very reason every time. I am hoping that I'll "adjust."

PeachyMama

02-04-2007, 05:44 AM

Still feeling like something the cat dragged in, though my body aches have eased up.

Yesterday's Intake

1 canteloupe
1/2 small avo and 1 small tomato, sliced on Flax Crackers
Banana/Almond Shake (2 bananas, 20 almonds, 1 cup water)

The banana/almond thing is so soothing when my tummy is upset, and I don't know why! Everything about it sounds like it shouldn't help an upset tummy, but it works for me.

I know my diet isn't ideal right now, but I'm eating what appeals to me. I'll be back to the greens when I'm better, I'm sure.

PATH301

02-04-2007, 06:31 AM

hey I'm in for the feb's party :D
Though I'm still on liquids right now for a fast but will be coming back to normal soon.

tinystrawberry

02-04-2007, 11:35 AM

Lettuce wrapped Avocado, Mushrooms, and Red Peppers.[/B]
"

Mmmm, I'm deffinately having this for dinner!! But I dont think i have any red peppers, i'll just use jalapeno MMM

Haven't eaten yet, kind of doing a mini 16 hr fast, just because i feel like it.
I went to a little 'get togethere' with my friends last night and i resisted an old temptation :) I'm doing really good at staying raw lately. I think it's because I've been reading Natures First Law and now I'm reading The Sunfood Diet Success System. They're both terrific

cassidy

02-04-2007, 03:27 PM

girlsmiley

02-04-2007, 06:04 PM

Girlsmiley - Fiery Lava Soup is one of Juliano's recipes. It is carrot juice, avocado, jalepeno, garlic and ginger. I think there may be a few spices called for but I don't have the book anymore so I just fudged it. It was delicious anyway! I think I'll have some with dinner.
hummm, that sounds like the juice I made last night ... minus the avocado. So, if I make more juice with carrots, jalepeno, garlic, and ginger I can throw it in the blender with an avocado ... hummmmm, sounds like an idea.

Last night I made Alissa's Broccoli Soup because I had a stalk of broccoli just sitting around, juice the stalk and used the top for the soup ... yummmmy. I had some today and will take some for lunch tomorrow.

Today's intake:

Zucchini "spaghetti" with Alissa's Marinara sauce
Alissa's Broccoli Soup
Guacamole (1/2 bunch cilantro chopped fine, 1 jalepeno chopped fine, 2 avocados diced, 5 roma tomatoes diced, 1/2 onion diced, sea salt, lime juice)
Taco "meat" (1-1/2 c walnuts processed in FP, 1-1/2 t cumin, 3/4 t coriander, 2 T Nama Shoyu ... from RAWvolution)
Corn chips and flax crackers

p.s. I Google'd "fiery lava soup" and found the recipe on FromSadToRaw http://www.fromsadtoraw.com/Recipes/FieryLava.htm

PeachyMama

02-04-2007, 07:24 PM

Still feeling awful ... awful!!!!! My body aches terribly, and I have chills.

Fortunately, my stomach was a bit better today. I had...

Banana/almond milk (2 bananas, water, 20 almonds)
Tomato soup (2 small tomatoes, 5 sundried tomatoes, 10 almonds, piece of celery) with diced avo on top (1/2 small avo)
Cara Cara orange
Diced cuke and tomato topped with diced avo and tamari

Has anyone else ever experienced symptoms like this from a colon cleanse? I know I have 44 years of awfulness to undo, and I am sooo thankful that it is being done, but .... it really can end any day now! :D

Morn

02-04-2007, 07:47 PM

Just got back from Kalamazoo from seeing my niece. Was tired today from not getting a lot of sleep the last few nights and all the travel. It is good to be home again. It was a white knuckle drive in sections coming home because of the blowing snow and new snow coming down. Foods eaten:

hot tea
couple tablespoons of raisens
couple tablespoons of peacan chips
couple tablespoons of (frozen/thawed) peaches, pineapple (at hotel)
a small orange
a small apple
dinner salad
hummus with carrots

girlsmiley

02-04-2007, 07:52 PM

PeachyMama - I don't know that it is necessarily because of your colon cleanse ... it's just plain detox. When I started raw I got a *cold* that lasted almost 3 weeks and I'm going on week 3 for this one too ... I missed 2 days of work the first time and 2 days of work this time too. The first time I spent the days I was home "fasting" on water with lemon and honey in it. This time I am taking tons of vitamin C and taking honey at night before I go to bed.

Raw honey is good for the throat and a lot of other things too :)
http://www.newstarget.com/021506.html

girlsmiley

02-04-2007, 07:55 PM

Welcome back Morn ... I was praying for you and your drive ... a lot of businesses and churches closed down due to the weather ... a lot of schools are planning to be closed tomorrow due to the severe cold temperatures and the amount of snow on back roads etc.

I am sure your brother was blessed by your visit :)

Morn

02-04-2007, 08:00 PM

Peachymama - hope you feel better soon!

Girlsmiley - Yeah driving around Kalamazoo yesterday and today was a lot of fun in those blizzard conditions (and below freezing temperatures). I assume you live near there? I got home and there is no new snow on the ground by where I live. Driving through Ann Arbor was terrible (you could barley see the road in front of you. Luckily I was following a big semi that had two long rows of lights which I think was a god thing! It got better when I got near the airport (Romulous) but boy am I tired now since I drove staight threw.

I left before I got your warning which was probably good because it would have stressed me out and I may not have went had I known I was driving into a blizzard! God kept me safe though and I am glad I went.

girlsmiley

02-04-2007, 08:14 PM

I assume you live near there?
Holland is on the shore of Lake Michigan ... you were about an hour away ... south and east of Holland.

If the weather hadn't been bad I may have suggested meeting up somewhere in Kzoo :)

dreamrawalwz

02-04-2007, 08:18 PM

Completely fell off today. I think part was b/c my weight wasn't moving AT ALL so I was like "screw it, whatever..." I won't be happy in the morning I don't think. Part of it also was self-destruction. I kept those feelings in control last night, but they finally surfaced. I stopped them somewhat though. I was craving things ALLL day. I held out until late this evening. I stayed away from the main things I was craving (processed grains). For me work was hard. I used to do well on weekdays until the weekend when I work. I did well this weekend (friday and saturday) and messed up today. That's progress I guess ?? I ate A LOT of dried fruit bars today to try to keep the cravings at bay. It worked mostly. ::sigh:: I tried! I want to clean my body out tomorrow. Tomorrow is a new day.

Oh, and I had A LOT of tomatoes!

cassidy

02-04-2007, 08:20 PM

Aha! I knew I was missing a few components to the soup! I didn't put nama shoyu in - I could tell something was off. I've never tried it with the mint and I don't think it needs the olive oil. It sure is good with just the carrot juice, garlic, ginger and jalepeno though! MMMM... I read another recipe where you add a bit of curry powder.

So lunch I did have a ginormous and delicious waldorf salad minus the nuts and oil. Still delicious though! Ate with a few sd tomato crackers.

For dinner I had Banana almond chocolate milk (2 bananas, 10 almonds, cocoa, and a tsp honey. Was really watery but it was still good. Next time more almonds - less water!
Also had a small piece of huckleberry banana bread with a dab of honey.
And... I'm full.

Had tons of energy today. Finally feeling back up to par after eating non raw. I'll have to read back through this the next time I consider eating meatballs. Jeezz... three days to recover. I also think I've lost some weight but I don't plan on getting back on the scale until next week. Think I can do it? :eek: Probably not, it has a way of luring me in when I least expect it.

Elizabeth

02-05-2007, 12:17 AM

I have not been able to be online for several days...and also have a migraine..:( ..I have not been doing well..but am still trying..

I am in classes and cannot take the time to just rest..but I am still here..and will jump back in soon..very soon...

:o

blessings....

Elizabeth

PeachyMama

02-05-2007, 06:37 AM

Morn, glad to hear you're back safe and sound.

Girlsmiley, honey doesn't agree with me. For my throat, I've been drinking Traditional Medicinal's Throat Coat tea. Or thought I was.

The Throat Coat tea tastes a lot like the Kleri Tea from the colon cleanse. Last night, I thought my husband was making me Throat Coat.

He wasn't.

I had FOUR cups of Kleri Tea. :eek:

I was up allllll night, and feel even worse! That was something I truly did not need. All I want is orange juice and we don't have any oranges.

This too shall pass. This too shall pass. This too shall pass.....

Gwenhyfar

02-05-2007, 07:40 AM

Yesterday I feasted on half a musk melon, some raw cinnamon rolls, sunflower seed pate (refried bean style), broccoli and a nice large salad for dinner.

Today, I'm enjoying the other half of the musk melon and a tall glass of water for breakfast. Will have another piece of fruit at work mid morning and some more pate with a dark leafy salad for lunch. I'm not quite sure what I'm going to make for dinner, yet.

My cravings have been for starchy carby stuff like pasta and potatos. Those kinda things are hard to replace. :(

KatK

02-05-2007, 07:59 AM

Do bananas help with the starchy craving?

sweet pepper

02-05-2007, 08:58 AM

I want to take the challenge. I know it's 5 days into the month but I hope that is ok. I am not new to this site or rawfoods, but I am a backslider wanting to begin again. So today is a new beginning for me. A raw truth beginning.

"Today I will not wait for a bluemoon, a rainy day, the 355th day of the year, or Someday to accomplish good things in my life.

Each indecision brings its own delays and days are lost lamenting over lost days...What you can do or think you can do, begin it. For boldness has Magic, Power, and Genius in it." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I read this everyday, maybe this is the day I will put it into action.

Sweet Pepper

cassidy

02-05-2007, 11:29 AM

So far have just had my Kombucha and a little mango
Yeesh.. I got on the scale this morning (I wasn't supposed to - I was going to wait until fri.) and I'm down to 134 (from 136 two days ago and up from 132 5 days ago... what a roller coaster... see this is why I need to stay off the scale!)
My goal.. 125! Preferable before I go to CA on the 22nd please and thank you.

I don't know what I'm going to eat today. Probably just a salad and some soup. Same thing I've been eating the last 2 days. Boooorrrrriiiingggg... but I love it.

Morn

02-05-2007, 02:16 PM

I have to work today and get some stuff done from being away. It seems I am always on the go. Also weighed in today and I am at a plateau. It kinda sucks and I am a little frustrated. Last week I only lost 1 pound and this week none. This is the first time this has happened. I didn't get my three days in of exercise last week either so I know that makes the difference. I have to do that as well as add more exercise in. I just don't know how I will find the time to do it. Tonight will be a long night at work so I won't be exercising today. I guess I will do what I can do. I just wish I had more time. I also need to get grocery shopping. My house is pretty depleted and the husband is feeling slighted. So I need to get more fresh foods for me and sad food for them. My daughter's schools were cancelled due to the below freezing temperatures. Foods eaten:

watermelon
couple tablespoons of red pepper hummus/carrots

girlsmiley

02-05-2007, 02:49 PM

Morn - do you have coconut oil? Asparaw mentioned that she had been on a plateau and started taking this and her weight loss started up again (http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25834&highlight=coconut+plateau). I've been taking a dessert spoon (teaspoon?) once a day since the 1st and I won't be weighing until Thursday. Although I am believing for a good weight loss because I've only once had something that wasn't raw this week. However, because of still having issues with chest congestion I have not been doing any aerobic exercise.

Also, you've been under a lot of stress regarding your neice and I think stress can causes us to hang onto weight ...

You are 44 lbs lighter than you would have been if you hadn't found RAW ... you are doing great!

tinystrawberry

02-05-2007, 02:50 PM

Morn - don't let a plateau get you down, your body is just cleansing somethin' else right now! ;)

this is my day 6 and i'm feeling great!
grapes
RP brownie with raspberry sauce
almond crunch bar
smoothie (1tiny apple, 3 stalks celery, 1 orange)
blood orange

girlsmiley

02-05-2007, 07:19 PM

dreamrawalwz - hang in there ... you're here and you are doing great. You did have some raw food :D

sweet pepper - Welcome! Every moment is an opportunity for a fresh start!

Gwenhyfar - do you have Alissa's book? Even though the pasta is made from zucchini the Marinara (and the Pesto) is so good ... I finished the last of mine today and it was just an amazing experience ... I did kind of feel like I was eating real spaghetti. Otherwise, when I would crave something "starchy" I would eat nuts ... pecans in particular. I think it was the *fat* I was craving.

Due to the nasty weather here my boss let me work from home today ... it was nice :)

Today's intake:

Smoothie - I opened my 2nd thai coconut and it was brown inside so I tossed it and improvised with 2 c water, 3 bananas, 1/2 c shredded coconut, 2T coconut oil, 1T cocoa powder, 1T agave, drop of vanilla
Guacamole with corn chips and flax crackers
Juice - 3 oranges, 2 pears, 1 yam (from http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25908) my son ended up drinking most of this
Last of the zucchini spaghetti w/marinara

rawwannabe

02-05-2007, 09:14 PM

PeachyMama :lol re: Kleri Tea. I've had it so I hear ya. Poor you! You must be reaaaaaaaaly clean today. Feel better.

Yeah, Morn...don't despair. As stated above, look at how much you've accomplished already.

Had raw muesli & YUMMY, YUMMY Elaina Love's Pad Thai. Oh, and roasted (yeah, I know...) pistachios. This is on my must purchase online list: RAW pistachios; RAW cacoa; RAW olives.

Oh, and I think tonight my husband killed another blender helping me mix the Pad Thai sauce. That's 2 blenders in a month. Am waiting on my dehydrator, and will then consider a K-Tec or Vitamix. Any preferences between the two?If so, why? I am HOPING my blender is only "resting" rather than dead. :D Will see tomorrow.

Elizabeth

02-05-2007, 09:31 PM

My headache is about gone.,.and I had no caffeine today or anything cooked. I had my smoothie in the a.m. and one raw veggie nugget..lol..then 8 oz. of o.j. in the evening and a couple of olives..lol..they might have been cooked. I am not worrying about my olives right now..

I went to the store and got some yummy fruits for smoothies and salads.. I bought some kumqats..and almost bought a cherimoya, but it was going to be about 7 dollars..so I thought I would wait a bit..and find out how they taste from all of you raw food specialists... :D or look them up online..

I am counting today as Day 1 again...and I think this last bout with migraine has been a good thing..something I will remember wheb I feel tempted to go off Raw....

The best to you all...
I feel so happy that I am not in pain..it is such a blessing...:D :D :D

sweet dreams to you all..

PeachyMama

02-05-2007, 09:50 PM

Hubby went out and bought me some Cara Cara oranges, so I was a happy camper this morning!

Today's intake:

1 Cara Cara orange
2 bananas
10 almonds....

And not one bit of Kleri Tea :D

Morn

02-06-2007, 02:50 AM

Ok I just got home from the long day at work. I am exhausted. Foods eaten for the day:

watermelon
couple tablespoons of red pepper hummus/carrots
lara bar
small dinner salad
trail mix of nuts, seeds, and raisens
orange, strawberry, banana smoothie

Girlsmiley: - yes I have coconut oil - Maybe I will try some. Thanks for the suggestion.

tinystrawberry

02-06-2007, 06:35 AM

Today is my one week anniversary with raw :p
celebration breakfast smoothie - (1/2 banana, raspberries, mango and water)

Hope everyone stays warm today!!

PeachyMama

02-06-2007, 10:17 AM

Well, I've made a conscious choice here...

I am sick. Flu sick. I don't think this is detox, I have a fever, body aches, chills, and an upset stomach. To top that all off, I'm dehydrated. And that's in spite of drinking tons of water!

So, I am going to have some broth. It's the only think I know that really helps me when I'm dehydrated and sick to my stomach like this.

KatK

02-06-2007, 10:32 AM

Hope you feel better soon!

girlsmiley

02-06-2007, 10:33 AM

PeachyMama - I pray you feel better. My fever lasted 4 days without me taking any medication. I slept a lot, took lots of vitamin C and I did have some broth too.

Detox is our body getting rid of toxins ... so any *sickness* is detox, something is trying to invade and our body is fighting back. :o Hang in there!

cassidy

02-06-2007, 12:06 PM

How ARE you all today?

Kat - Lara bars and other dehydrated goodies help for a starch craving. I bet bananas would help - I know when I crave starchy foods it is because I have a desire to feel FULL. Bananas could probably do the trick if you're in the same boat.

I am INCREDIBLY exhausted today! I started out full of energy... now I have a hard time getting out of bed and even know I can barely keep my eyes open? Part of detox?
Also my nose runs non stop. I'm not sick - it's almost like allergies. But it's the dead of winter - what am I allergic too?! Dotox??
OK - snuck onto the scale (again) this morning and was down to 133. 8 more to go.

Today I had some banana huckleberry "bread" with sliced banana, almond butter, and honey. This was heaven. So good.
I'm actually feeling slightly nautious now.. so I'm drinking some tea and will probably eat lite the rest of the day.

I have to tell you about the ice cream I had last night....
1 and 1/2 frozen banana, frozen huckleberries (taste like blueberries but a little more tart) and a some pine nuts. I put this through my Champion and mixed up just a little. The pinenuts gave it a carmel affect (I guess thats how I would describe it). Then I made a sauce of cocoa and honey - it was really fudgy. This combo was SO good. Better than any Ben and Jerry's. I made some for my Dad too and he really liked it as well.

Hopefully I will get a bit of an energy boost today!

tvillemom

02-06-2007, 12:49 PM

Hey everyone! I sure hope I can join. I've been 100% so far this month except for 2 meals...but they were meals that just could not be helped...well, I just wasn't prepared. Being out all day, with no food (in baggies, in my pocketbook or car) is a MAJOR no-no for me! I am learning to ALWAYS be prepared with some kind of food to eat WITH ME at ALL TIMES!
I love being part of a month-by-month group, it keeps me ACCOUNTABLE.....
soooo....I know I'm late, but CAN I JOIN....PRETTY PLEASE????
Wendi
Girlsmiley....GREAT TO "SEE" YOU! :D

Morn

02-06-2007, 02:11 PM

Welcome back Tvillemom. I have been thinking about you and wondering when you would be off your fast and back. Did you end up losing any extra weight while fasting? Anyway I am glad you are with us of course you are welcome!

Peachymama - sending you lots of get well wishes for you to be well again soon!

Cassidy - that banana icecream sounds great! I think I will be making some now!

I have to work again this afternoon but will post later what I ate. So far I haven't eaten yet for today.

tvillemom

02-06-2007, 05:27 PM

Hi Morn! Yes, I did loose a few extra lbs. while fasting, but they quickly returned ;) Glad I wasn't in it for the weight. I was mostly checking out the recipes forum here....it seems like I became obsessed with food! I've had some trouble sticking to 100%...but I'm surviving!
Looking forward to posting my food intake, and being more accountable to my choices.
My biggest problem (since it FINALLY got COLD here) is eating in the morning....what's good to EAT when your cold? Fruit doesn't appeal to me, and neither does my favorite green smoothies. I think I will start juicing again in the am...
Best to all!!
Wendi

sweet pepper

02-06-2007, 06:26 PM

I have been doing fair with my commitment to raw this month. A lot better than in the past: so far today I have had,

Grapefruit/orange
2 bannanas
1 cup miso broth
1/2 baked potatoe with 1/2 avocado (can we mention cooked?)

I read your post and they help me realize that I am on a journey with this lifestyle and one day I will make it.

Thanks,
sweet pepper

(weigh-in 321.5 - Feb 5, 2007)

PATH301

02-06-2007, 09:25 PM

today's intake for my breakfast:
3 banana's 1 apple, 1 orange, 1 1/2 flora, spurlina, aloe vera juice, raw honey, 8 oz of water, grape seed oil, organic macca all blende togather for a smoothie. then for lunch:
today I put some kale leaves and some tomatoes and some mushrooms and carrots and 1/2 a green pepper and some garlic and olive oil and a little water and sweet basil and thyme and dill seed and oregano into a blender and it made me 5 - 2 cups size containers that will allow me to eat for 3 days
I'm good to go :D

Morn

02-07-2007, 02:03 AM

Ok I am now home from work now. I am tired. Here is my food intake from today:

banana/blueberry icecream (2 small frozen bananas/handful of frozen blueberries)
celery/carrots with hummus
an orange
watermelon
5 small cherry tomatoes

Tvillemom - I think raw grawnola is a good thing to eat when you are cold. Especially right out of the dehydrator/or in my case oven as my oven goes down to a low enough temperature! Very yummy and filling. I need to make some more! :) You are right though, cold fruit when it is this cold out does lose its appeal.

girlsmiley

02-07-2007, 04:55 AM

Hey everyone! I sure hope I can join.
Of course you can join! It just wouldn't be the same without you :D

As far as what to eat for breakfast when it's cold? Hummmmm, grawnola, like Morn said ... otherwise, no one said we have to eat breakfast ... lol. If I am not hungry in the morning I don't eat ... yet I know what I will eat if I do get hungry later. Mostly bananas and oranges are what I grab to take to work.

The coolest thing about raw is that you can eat dessert (date nut torte, blueberry pie, etc.) for breakfast if you want :D

I worked from home again yesterday and I ate something not raw. Like tvillemom said, if I'm not prepared I'm more likely to eat something not raw. Even though I've enjoyed working from home it is "off schedule" and it is amazing what creatures of habit we humans are even when we don't like to think of ourselves that way. Oh well, this morning I feel a bit *heavy* from what I ate so today I plan to keep it simple and make sure I get to the grocery store so I have stuff that I like to munch on available ...

Yesterday's intake:

Alissa's Broccoli Soup
Salad - baby greens, baby spinach, mushrooms, tomato, Green Goddess dressing
Something not raw

It's a new day full of new possibilities ... this is the day that the Lord has made and I *choose* to rejoice and be glad in it :D

tvillemom

02-07-2007, 08:22 AM

Good morning! It just feels so good to come here and report. Reading what everyone else is doing on a regular basis keeps me on track.
Yesterday's intake:
water until lunch
brownies rolled in cashew powder for lunch
all afternoon I snacked on raw corn chips and guacamole and salsa
some olives also

Today's plan:
B: green juice
L: a small salad with lots of variety in it, sprinkled with lime juice
Sn: I am planning to make maraw's apple crisp
Dinner: large veggie salad

I have some zuchini that I don't want to go bad, I am going to search for the recipe for the zuchini rolls....and maybe make those.

Ya'll have a fantastic day!
Wendi

PeachyMama

02-07-2007, 09:21 AM

Tvillemom, can you share the recipe you used for the corn chips?

Thanks for the well wishes, everyone!

Yesterday's Intake

1 Banana
5 baby carrots
2 cups broth

Today's intake so far...

Juice of 1 orange

DharmaGirl

02-07-2007, 12:43 PM

Greetings to All!

Sound like everyone is doing grrrrreat :D Nice to see alot of you from the December Disco challenge... January was tuff for me, cuz I went to Disneyworld in Orlando and stayed inside the park so I scavengered all around looking for as much raw as I could find!! Needless to say, i ate more cooked than I wanted to, but now I'm trying to get back on track.

I started this morning with a colonic session which I knew would help get me CRAVING raw, raw and more raw ;) It certainly did help, too, cuz here's what ive eaten so far today:

Green smoothie (just love them!) w/kale, spinach, celery, green apple, mango, raw honey, cinnamon... YUMMY!!!
guacomole w/onion, garlic, tomato, olive oil, celtic sea salt, lime juice - ate it with celery sticks, cucumber and tomato... DELISH :p
Limeade with 1/2 lime and agave

Like all of you, I'm determined to stay on track... I feel so blessed to know you're all here and we're all supporting eachother on a journey toward better health and happiness. May God continue to bless our journeys!!

RAW, RAW, RAWK on!! ;)

girlsmiley

02-07-2007, 03:57 PM

Well, I am about to go out to Costco to restock the kitchen.

Today I went out to a Chinese place ... ate some cooked food. I like the mushroom dishes they have and I try to pick out just the mushrooms. They don't seem to be over cooked ... and the green beans ... and the sushi which has cooked rice. My favorite one has lettuce and ginger in it ... it tastes so good. My son said, "Why don't you make these yourself?" so I guess I need to look into getting some raw nori sheets. Probably will order them from Alissa's site :D

tvillemom

02-07-2007, 04:49 PM

Peachymama: I made up my own recipe....so you can change this around any way you want, but I thought they turned out alittle crispier than some other corn chips I've made. This recipe is also based on a small batch, so you can easily double this. (This made about 1 texflex sheet)

Wendi's Corn Chips

1 cup dehydrated corn flour*
1/2 cup ground flax
1 cup zuchini (peeled and chopped....about 2 small zuchini's)
1/2 cup onion (about 1 med.....I used sweet)
1/4 olive oil
1/2 cup water (added alittle at a time to get it all blended well, and thinned out enough to spread)
1/2 teas. each of cumin and chili powder (optional)
1/2 teas. salt
Spread evenly using wet hands, on texflex sheet.
Dehydrate about 6 hours, flip (this is when I cut with a pizza cutter to get a nice edge on my chips) and dehydrate another 6-8 hours (I dehydrated them the second time overnight)

*corn flour is made by dehydrating fresh or frozen (I used frozen) corn until crispy and then grinding in the coffee grinder

Best of luck. Let me know how it goes!

Wendi

tvillemom

02-07-2007, 04:50 PM

Sorry, by the way, the recipe listed above, put everything in the FP and process until smooth!
Good luck.
Wendi

cassidy

02-07-2007, 05:12 PM

day 1 of juice fast and doing good!

sweet pepper

02-07-2007, 06:12 PM

I am feeling so good today. I have been 100% raw all day. I am just taking one day at a time.

Reading Alissa's message about raw yesterday has helped. I have decided to quite worrying about too much fat or too much fruit or not enough vegies. Plus I have found that when I am craving heavy cooked foods like pastas and breads, if I eat this huge (and I mean HUGE) leafy green salad, to the point of really feeling full and satisfied, it has taken care of those cooked cravings! I feel completely satisfied at this time.

Today I have eaten:
Grapefruit
several oranges (not counting)
several bananas
apple w/raw almond butter
a super large bowl of leafy green (UDO's oil and lime juice w/onions & salt)
1/2 avocado

If I get hungry later this evening, I am planning on having a raw food bar that I have been keeping on hand.

I can't wait to wake up tomorrow morning knowing that I was 100% raw today! :D

Namaste'
Sweet Pepper

Morn

02-07-2007, 06:48 PM

Today I did 40 minutes of high low aerobics and 10 minutes of abdominal floor exercises. I only got 3 hours of sleep last night so I am exhausted but proud I pushed myself to exercise even when I didn't feel like it. I have to work early a.m. tomorrow and was going to go to bed early but then I heard lost was back on tonight so I am in a dilemma. It is the only t.v. show my husband and I really watch. What to do what to do? Foods eaten:

tabelouh
1/2 cup of cooked mac & cheese that I made for Evelina :(
fruit and nut bread with honey and almond butter
huge salad with pinenuts, cherry tomatoes, peppers
small piece of raw fudge

thevoyager

02-07-2007, 07:13 PM

my goal is 90 days 100% raw. wish me luck!! i have no desire to cheat whatsoever. today i had two bananas, three apples, many many many grapes and some carrots.

BGVDiva

02-07-2007, 07:25 PM

I'm out. :(

Man, I struggle with this lifestyle. I don't think I'm ready for 100% yet. I'll try again another time.

MorningRuby

02-07-2007, 09:09 PM

I'm in. Even though I just found this thread today (2-7-07) I've been wantin Feb to be my first month all raw too. I came a bit late, but I'll be just as strong!!!

Elizabeth

02-08-2007, 08:59 AM

Today is my day 4 after getting back on track...and my migraine is gone..the natural way, no caffeine or refined sugars... I feel good..and determined to stay with this and not hurt myself in that way anymore..drinking the coffee..kknowing that I will have to re-withdraw from it..lol..it is so crazy..yet I have talked myself into it in the past..in spite of the pain that I know will inevitably follow..

I know that I need to be very aware of hormonal fluctuations..and realize the source of cravings..and also emotionally based cravings. I am getting so much better at that...and at talking myself down, so to speak..and thinking through to the end result if I give in to the cravings..how it will be afterward...and what i will wish I had done...

I made some onion bread and flax crackers yesterday..they are finished dehydrating now. Mainly, I have been eating smoothies and salads...and am hoping to expand my rep. this weekend when I have a bit more time for food prep.

The best Raw day to you all.....:)

Svadhyaya

02-08-2007, 09:16 AM

KatK

02-08-2007, 09:22 AM

That's great, Elizabeth!

Zuri

02-08-2007, 10:22 AM

Hi all!

I hope all of you are doing well. I wanted to check in as I have every intention to push forward and continue eating RAW. I had been eating raw for about 19 days then fell off for ohhhhh, 3 days and now I'm back. No use beating myself up. I dusted myself off and started again. I'm eating way better than ever so no worries. :-) This forum is a source of inspiration for me so thanks to all of you for being so supportive and kind. Have a great day!

Peace

BecauseICan

02-08-2007, 11:53 AM

Drumroll please......................... 186# !! Woohoo!! That is a weight loss total of 3# for this week! Yeah!!

And the really good news is...............I have not been hungry AT ALL!! :D No more starvation diets for this girl!!

Hubby and I have been into town twice this week and both times I took food with me and once when he wanted to get a bite to eat, I had him stop at the supermarket first ~ I got the stuff to make me a nice salad (LOTS of veggies) and we went into the restaraunt and I just took it in with me. They didn't say anything cuz he was ordering ~ so it worked out perfectly.

Some things I have learned about me this week. I like quick and convenient. I tend to want to grab something to eat when I get hungry, not have to stand in the kitchen and make it. So, I tend to lean more towards fruit smoothies, veggies that I have previously cut up and put in containers in the fridge and baby carrots in the bag. I make up a small pitcher of carrot/apple juice in the morning and that gives me 2 large or 4 small glasses of juice throughout the day. Apples, grapes, and bananas are a must. I have learned that dates are addictive! :D Oh those medjool dates are like caramels!! YUM!!! I have only craved one thing and that is bread/crackers. So, I made some of the tortillas in Alissa's book and I got the ingredients to make some of the pizza or Mexican or something crackers, which I'm gonna do today. I made some cookies with carrot pulp, raisins, coconut, and Agave nectar and am keeping them in the freezer and then I am making some of the fudge balls today. I also have banana chips going in the dehydrater. I'm really enjoying this and I feel GOOD. I'm excited to see what this next week is gonna bring! Oh, and we went to a concert last night (hubby won tickets on the radio) and it was in a nightclub and I didn't have even one drop of alcohol ~ I LOVE Strawberry Dacquiris and Margaritas but I guess I'm learning to love myself more!! Yeah raw!

Until next Thursday.....................

Barb

**jessireebob**

02-08-2007, 01:45 PM

I'm struggling. I'm on day 10 of 100% and I'm not losing any weight and I feel so so very sad. I feel constantly on the verge of tears today. Part of my reason for eating this way is to lose weight and get a handle on some food allergies, but also I was hoping to find some relief for my depression. Right now I feel like neither is happening.

I'm not going to give up. I promised myself 30 days. But my resolve is faltering and my fear is kicking in. I'm not feeling energetic or light. In fact I'm exhausted. I'm blue. I'm achey. I have vivid anxiety dreams every night and I seem to need MORE sleep, not less like others report. I was just hoping that some of you could give me a little pep talk. Remind me that this will pass and then I will feel better? Tell me about how YOU felt so much better? Maybe even tell me about how it took you several weeks before you felt better, but it was worth it?

Anything to help me feel less miserable and confused and stuck...

Zuri

02-08-2007, 01:54 PM

I'm struggling. I'm on day 10 of 100% and I'm not losing any weight and I feel so so very sad. I feel constantly on the verge of tears today. Now part of my reason for eating this way is to lose weight and get a handle opn some food allergies, but also I was hoping to find some relief for my depression. Right now I feel like neither is happening.

I'm not going to give up. I promised myself 30 days. But my resolve is faltering and my fear is kicking in. I was just hoping that some of you could give me a little pep talk. Remind me that this will pass and then I will feel better? Tell me about how YOU felt so much better? Maybe even tell me about how it took you several weeks before you felt better, but it was worth it?

Anything to help me feel less miserable and confused and stuck...

Hi jessiree :-)

If it helps I ate raw for 19 days then cooked for three and now I'm back to eating raw. During that time and still, I don't feel the energy surge I always hear people talk about. I do know though that we are going through some sort of emotional and physical detox. I don't think you've given yourself long enough yet to feel better. I feel better when I go to the gym and work out and take time in the sauna. Laughter and my loved ones help. My pet helps. What really helps is feeling so very empowered eating raw. I don't know where I'm going with eating raw or if I'll eat raw forever. I do know I WILL see this through though. I owe it to myself and it just feels right, you know? So, I hope this little pep talked helped! Hang in there. We all will hang in there. :-) What can you do to help yourself, anything? :)

Zuri

02-08-2007, 01:58 PM

**jessireebob**

02-08-2007, 02:33 PM

Also, how about not focusing on losing weight? You could focus on already being at your ideal weight by using visualization, positive affirmations and not weighing yourself. You could do the affirmations throughout the day and especially before bed as well as charging your food with these positive thoughts before eating. Just some thoughts.

Thanks Zuri. You know, I've lived so long with depression that I just plain forget to be positive or to envision happiness. I think these are excellent suggestions.

I have been exercising. Walking and doing yoga, and finally did some cardio this week (need to do more...). But I think its time to add in some goals or affirmations that I say daily. And I think its time to toss my scale (I can't seem to stop weighing myself).

I also think that maybe I'm starting to really feel some of the things that have been so deeply entrenched in me. All this self-hatred that I have never dealt with b/c I could never let it get close enough to the surface...

This is hard.

Zuri

02-08-2007, 02:42 PM

Thanks Zuri. You know, I've lived so long with depression that I just plain forget to be positive or to envision happiness. I think these are excellent suggestions.

I have been exercising. Walking and doing yoga, and finally did some cardio this week (need to do more...). But I think its time to add in some goals or affirmations that I say daily. And I think its time to toss my scale (I can't seem to stop weighing myself).

I also think that maybe I'm starting to really feel some of the things that have been so deeply entrenched in me. All this self-hatred that I have never dealt with b/c I could never let it get close enough to the surface...

This is hard.

Well, it will usually get harder before it gets easier. We're all taking a huge step in the right direction! Our thoughts really do define us and one of the great mysteries of good health, emotionally and physically (besides upbringing and genetics, hehe) are our thoughts. Depression is a lack of love and can really really hurt! You can do this though! Don't give up and if you fall off get back on. The failure is in not trying and giving up. That goes for me tooooo! (corny, hehe)

Svadhyaya

02-08-2007, 02:50 PM

Yes it is hard.
Depression is very, very hard.

And raw won't be a magical cure-all, but once the detox and transition is over, you will almost certainly feel much better. I've had depression issues almost all my life (I'm bi-polar, actually) and raw has helped me manage things much better. I feel clearer and more able to cope with life than I used to. But it took awhile to get here. When I first went raw (a year ago, I think, but I've never been 100 percent for any length of time) I went through some awful emotional detox. For several weeks - maybe a month or more - I seemed to get worse and not better. Felt like I was going nuts, actually. But things adjusted and I'm much, much better now. Better mentally than I've ever been before in my life, honestly, and I'm totally medication free. I still have hard times and mild mood swings, but nothing like it was before.

My thoughts and prayers are with you.

PeachyMama

02-08-2007, 05:09 PM

Jess, it sounds like you have a lot of emotional detox going on. I've read on here before that sometimes, the body won't release ANYTHING until we ourselves release some of our emotional baggage. Perhaps focusing on the emotional housecleaning might be what you need to do right now. You are a child of the universe ... don't hate yourself. Hating and loving are decisions. Sometimes, changing your mindset can be as simple as telling yourself to shut up when negativity creeps in. Sounds simplistic, but give it a try. You might be just as surprised as I was! Also, try looking into EFT.

The flu rolls on and on here.

Yesterday I had

Juice of 1 orange
10 baby carrots
2 cups broth

Today I had

2 oranges
handful of almonds

My stomach feels somewhat better, so I've asked hubby to pick up some salad for me. I'm still really dizzy and weak, and my sinuses and bronchial tubes are a mess. I'm going to go light on the salad ... sticking to a mild lettuce like butter lettuce. I know I'm not ready for any robust greens yet.

Morn

02-08-2007, 07:17 PM

Had to work today and then went to the gym after work and did some shopping. After the gym and shopping I felt famished and ate non-raw stuff. Also with it being so cold out I decided to get some soup. Tomorrow I will do better. Foods eaten:

tangerine tea
lara bar
garden salad
orange
salad
garden vegtable/tomato soup
piece of bread :( (came along side the soup and caved)

Today's exercise an hour and a half total:

40 minutes eliptical machine
10 minutes stairmaster
10 minutes stationary bike

50 reps at 90 lbs inner thighs
50 reps at 90 lbs outer thighs
50 reps at 60 pounds chest presses

abdominal floor exercises
stretching

Morn

02-08-2007, 07:37 PM

BecauseIcan - You are doing so awesome - Keep up the great work! I am so happy for you! Your post illuminates so much joy and excitement! Congrats on the weightloss! You and I are at the same weight! Of course I started 4 months ago though!

Jessireebob - I was really bummed last week cause it was the first time I didn't lose any weight. With all the excitement/stress with my neice in the hopsital I didn't meet all of my exercise goals last week. I went raw too to lose weight. When I didn't lose last week I thought about other benefits eating raw has done for me. One of those is the fact that I regained self control and don't overeat when I eat raw. This for me is huge as I have eating addiction issues. Maybe you could concentrate on other things (benefits) than just the weight loss. Anyway I am sending you a virtual hug! I hope you feel better tomorrow! :)

thevoyager

02-08-2007, 09:30 PM

morn, you go lady! you are just kicking butt and showing how great raw is for the mind body and soul! really your progress is awesome!

everyone i am feeling great, i can totally handle my ninety day challenge! i feel really a part of raw with my ninety day goal, as i don't feel like relapsing at all. i feel like it's really a lifestyle change and not a test run and i really need to take myself seriously to see improvements with it. does anyone have a specific website they order raw gourmet foods from? i only eat plain fruits and vegetables as i have no access to a kitchen or anything on the road, but having some crackers would be nice...

sweet pepper

02-08-2007, 09:49 PM

Hello everyone!

Here it is close to the end of my day, this will give me 2 days of total raw! I am excited about that! My goal is to continue, one-day-at-a-time. I had a few thoughts of cooked today, but immediately erased them from my mind. I want to be able to walk without pain, sleep without pain or a c-pap machine, to go dancing again and not wake up unable to walk, to have the stamina to work in my garden this summer longer than an hour.

My foods were:
grapefruit, oranges, bananas, two huge salads w/Udo's Oil & lemon, avocado, some walnuts and a Lara bar. I feel satisfied, no hunger, but a small desire to eat some cooked, but na da, it isn't going to happen.

Is it possible, that after just one day of all raw, one could see an improvement? Usually, I wake up with both hands and wrist tingling and with pain, I usually have to get up and move them around. But, this morning I only had some slight pain in my left thumb. Also, I have been taking 20 mg Paxil, which seem to be interfering with my weight loss, I cut that down to 10mg last week and my depression seems to have lifted somewhat. You would think it would get worse with me trying to come off of the medication.
I seem to see improvement already. It only makes me wonder how I will feel the end of February! :rolleyes:

I have a lunch date with some old office friends tomorrow. They let me decide which restaurant to go to. I decided on Mexican and I am not even going to look at the menu, I have already had there salad w/guacomole and salsa. I have made up my mind that this is what I will order. I am a little anxious about it, I do not want to fall off raw. Everyone, please hold me in your thoughts!

I am going to try and post my first raw pic - I failed before, lets see what I do this time. LOL!

Namaste'
Sweet Pepper

sweet pepper

02-08-2007, 09:51 PM

Oh MY! I don't think I did it right! How can I get it smaller and up in the corner where it should be? What did I do or didn't do?

Sweet Pepper

Morn

02-09-2007, 08:44 AM

Oh MY! I don't think I did it right! How can I get it smaller and up in the corner where it should be? What did I do or didn't do?

Sweet Pepper

Use the quick links button (eggplant above) and then choose edit avatar and it will guide you to put in your file (source). Sometimes it is a little tricky because it has to be a certain size. Hopefully yours will go easy as mine was a little difficult last time to do.

Morn

02-09-2007, 08:53 AM

Voyager - thank you for your kind words. Like many of us on this site, I have my ups and downs. But overall I am pleased to have found this way of eating and thank God everyday for it. Why are you on the road all the time, is it for a job? I am proud of you for even committing to such a challenge with no access to a kitchen. That must be difficult. Is there a health food store near you like Good Foods, Whole Foods, etc. I know Good Foods sell raw flaxseed crackers at mine. Also most Lara Bars are Raw (I try to keep one always in my purse, I especially love the lemon one). They are expensive (1.69 each but they do the trick when you need food quick and can't get to a place to sit down and eat). Also Lara bars are at my local Kroger (in the health food section) and sometimes you can get them on sale. Best raw wishes to you!

Sweet Pepper- You go girl! I hope you enjoy your salad today at the mexican restaurant! If they put chips near you just push them away to the other side of the table. However, I think you willl do great as you keep focusing on your goals. I wish I had a good mexican restaurant near me that had a good salad. I went on vacation in AZ and I ate one there that had a lime cilantro dressing that was out of this world! I am drooling just thinking about it! :D

RawFoodieMom

02-09-2007, 09:33 AM

Oh MY! I don't think I did it right! How can I get it smaller and up in the corner where it should be? What did I do or didn't do?

Sweet Pepper

Sweet Pepper, what Morn said. :) If it doesn't take your photo file, and you need help resizing your photo, let me know, I can resize it for you.

Debra

**jessireebob**

02-09-2007, 09:39 AM

Thanks Zuri, Svadhyaya, Peachymama, and Morn for your kind and supportive words. Yep, I agree its some sort of emotional detox. Yesterday was rough, but I made it through and I didn't turn to cooked food to help me do so. Yay! Today feels much better. Thanks for all your suggestions and your encouragement. It really really helped.

girlsmiley

02-09-2007, 09:46 AM

BGVDiva - if you are still reading - please don't just be "out." Raw isn't all-or-nothing. The more raw you can get into your diet, even if you continue to eat cooked sometimes, is to your benefit. I'm not 100% and I've always felt very welcome here. I've noticed great health benefits being 50-90% raw. Please stay and continue to explore the lifestyle. It isn't a contest to see who can be rawest, it's a journey toward better health and every step you take is worthy of celebration!
I second this, BGVDiva, and I pray you will not *give up* and *keep trying* instead ...

**jessireebob** - hang in there girl! There have been many people who have posted on RFT that talk about going through emotional detox. You will be stronger on the other side!!! I don't know if you've seen The Secret (www.thesecret.tv) or if you caught Oprah yesterday, they talked about it on there. Make a list of things you want to come to pass in your life and speak them out loud every day. "My body craves fresh fruits, vegetables, sprouts, nuts, and seeds." "My body craves exercise." ... those are two of mine :)

PeachyMama - I missed 2 more days of work because of this *junk* ... I finally broke down and took some medication ... I didn't go for the antibiotics though ...

sweet pepper - what you want is an "avatar" ... Morn gave you the instructions to post one, if the picture is the correct size. When I first signed up for RFT I tried to put one of my pictures as my avatar and it was too big, so I opted for a picture of tulips instead ... some day I may try to post my picture instead :rolleyes:

I did go to Costco on Wednesday and got a lot of fruit and greens ... I got Cara Cara and Blood oranges, 10 lbs of apples, pineapple spears, romaine hearts, baby spinach, sliced mushrooms, and stocked up on my nuts :D

Yesterday I had a terrible earache and caved for some comfort food. I did have a big salad too though :o

Morn

02-09-2007, 11:55 AM

A little while ago I finished my circuit training tape that has high and low aerobic movements and weights and then my abs of steel tape. I can't believe I am sweating more today from 30 minutes of exercise than the hour and a half from yesterdays exercises.

Tonight is my ballroom dance class with the hubby. I just went out and bought some ballroom/big band dance music so hopefully we can practice. So it will be another hour of exercise tonight of doing what I love. We will spend probably at least a half hour before class practicing though since we didn't do it together since last friday night and there were a lot of variations. I hope we can remember. I am now soaking some oatgroats to make raw grawnola for the morning. Can't wait!

Foods eaten so far:

handful of raw cashews
pineapple/banana/organic cocoa smoothie

cassidy

02-09-2007, 12:29 PM

What's today - OK day 9! Doing good! Not sure I've lost any weight since last time I posted - I'll check tomorrow. Feeling really great though. The juice fast didn't last too long. So I just modified my mornings and afternoons as just juice, kombucha, and smoothies. Then a raw dinner. That has worked really well the past three days.

shine72

02-09-2007, 01:00 PM

I did my trip AND stayed 100% raw. It wasn't too hard, but I find that for me, it's been easier to keep the mindset at home. But I persevered and made it through and didn't give in and eat cooked, so I'm happy for me.

So far today:
6 olives
lots of water
some cherry tomatoes, cut in half, w/some garlic powder, onion powder, little bit of apple cider vinegar, and some olive oil. I put it all in a container and shook it up, let it sit for a little while, then did that two more times so the flavors could all meld together. SO YUMMY!

I had a major headache on Tuesday and tried to not take anything, but with being away from home and the kids being all active and all, I took some Aleve. I'll detox it again, at HOME, where I CAN relax and rest and let it pass.

Hope ya'll have a wonderful raw day. I'll post dinner later!

Sunshine :D

Zuri

02-09-2007, 01:04 PM

Congrats Shine!!

Elizabeth

02-09-2007, 03:29 PM

Congratulations to all of you...you are doing great!!:D

Today is my day 5.. YEAH!!! I am feeling well...no headache..some cravings as I have been out and about..but nothing horrible. Yesterday I had a cookie in a class. The prof. brought them in and passed them around. It was yummy...and I think it is sweet that she does that... then later, I went to work without having a chance to go home..so I got an Arizona tea from a gas station and a side salad with the ginger asian dressing from McD's... not perfect..but I was happy with it... :-)

Today I made some of the chili...and also made the cheese sauce....yumm!!!! and then had them together as a dip with flax crackers I had made...very yummy...:D

I am happy with how it is all going...I feel the positive effects, and really enjoy preparing the food..and also love the way it tastes...

I love medjool dates for snacks..it is amazing how delicious and caramely they are...:p

have a great day you all.....:)

tinystrawberry

02-09-2007, 03:50 PM

Elizabeth - Dates are my favorite thing to snack on, they are truly delicious!!

KatK

02-09-2007, 03:57 PM

I'm impressed. I have such a hard time eating healthy when I'm travelling.

Today is day 18 100% raw for me. I was kinda weak when I was hiking today, but otherwise doing well. It's so cold out, but beautiful in the snowy woods!

Elizabeth

02-09-2007, 04:07 PM

Hi tinystrawberry.... Yes..they are so Yummmmmmyyy... I am going to make a pie or something later this weekend with a date nut crust and blended strawberries in the filling... I have been hungry for that. :-) Just thought I would mention that to you because of your name..lol....:o

KatK.... I am not in the part of NY that is getting all of the snow, although we have had some today. It has been so-o-o-o cold though.. I admire you for hiking out there. Stay Warm now!! :D

Elizabeth

02-09-2007, 04:10 PM

I put the rest of my cheese recipe in the dehydrator to make slices.. It smells so cheesy..and when I used it, in its liquid form on my chili..it tasted cheesy. The nutritional yeast adds so much to it.

My house smells like a chili-cheese factory.. YUMMMMMM!!!!! It makes it feel warmer to me..LOL....

I will have to go out to work (driving) soon...BRRRRRR....but am going to take some green tea with me, I think.

:D

sweet pepper

02-09-2007, 07:03 PM

Hi everyone!

Morn, Thanks for your suggestion. I did go back and retried my pic again and it is too large....too many pixels or something. So, I am going to take RawFoodieMom's offer to resize it for me.
So, RawFoodieMom, please resize my pic for me and thanks so much for your offer. After you do that, will it appear or will I need to take that a resubmit it again?

Today was my 3rd day of raw. I had my luncheon w/friends and did very well. Had my guacamole salad and water w/lemon, did some running around and it was when I got home that I caved in! I don't know what that was all about. How can you do so well and when you get home cave in to cooked. Had some of those veggie burrito wraps, my mind was racing for a "Pizza" and I was afraid I was going to act on that, so I ate the veggie burritos instead. Shine72,, I think what you said, about when you stay at home, the mindset is easier to maintain. I think that is going to hold true for me as well. I have another social coming up that I am really dreading. For today, I am back on raw and hopefully this won't throw me into a cooked food binge.
Foods for today: grapefruit, orange, 1/2 Lara bar, guacamole salad, burritos :mad: w/more guacamole, raw almond/banana milk. If I seem to be hungry later, it WILL be a leafy green salad.

Morn, how did you first start with your exercise. Full speed or work up to it?

Sweet Pepper

RawFoodieMom

02-09-2007, 07:12 PM

sweet pepper, here's the resized photo. Just right-click on it, choose "save as" and save it to your computer, then re-submit it as your avatar and it should work no problem

Let me know when you've got it and I'll delete it from my post here. ;)

sweet pepper

02-09-2007, 07:30 PM

I think it worked! Yes indeedie it did! Thanks so much RawFoodieMom!

Everyone is such great support on this site!! :D

RawFoodieMom

02-09-2007, 07:47 PM

You're welcome! :)

dreamrawalwz

02-09-2007, 08:14 PM

thevoyager

02-09-2007, 09:16 PM

today was day 3 of 90 at 100%. haven't had my burst of energy yet but i suspect it will come when i least expect or need it and i'll wake up ultra early this weekend.

i have an avocado..id like to make some raw guacomole but i'm clueless.

tinystrawberry

02-09-2007, 09:36 PM

this is how i make guacamole ~
1 avocado (smushed up)
1 tomato
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 onion
1 garlic clove
sea salt to taste

Hope you enjoy it however you make it!

girlsmiley

02-09-2007, 09:51 PM

Apparently I'm posting only on the days I do well haha. I fasted on water only for exactly 24 hours. Not much, I know, but more than I have done in a LONG time. I broke it with an apple and then salad/veggies. I'm feeling good inside.
We definitely welcome your posts no matter when you do it :D

And, that is great that you went 24 hrs on water ... you are moving forward and your body is thanking you for it ... :)

dreamrawalwz

02-10-2007, 06:26 AM

We definitely welcome your posts no matter when you do it :D

And, that is great that you went 24 hrs on water ... you are moving forward and your body is thanking you for it ... :)

Yep. Thing is I didn't have any cravings for salt or cooked. YAY. Maybe it'll come in the next few days since the first 3 days are detoxing that food. I'm strong, I can do this. I will do this. The ONLY craving I had was dried papaya spears. I had one and that helped (after the 24 hours that is), but I didn't post it, not sure why lol.

PeachyMama

02-10-2007, 06:39 AM

Yesterday's intake

1 HUGE golden delicious apple
medium salad of romaine, green leaf and ice berg (wanted the crunch) with tomato, celery, and avo topped with lemon juice and tamari
2 bits Mauk family farms wheat-free crusts
1/2 golden delicious apple

And, I'm relapsing. The sore throat is back, and I was up most of the night coughing. Ugh. I don't have time for this! LOL.

lavendarJ

02-10-2007, 08:31 AM

happy saturday everyone

i haven't been on in a while. i have been down and a little blue but now it's time to get it together... someone very special to me (best friend's dad) died last friday and there has been a lot of chaos and ugliness surrounding his death and it has really been draining... gotta keep moving though and help support my friend.

happy to see that everyone is still embracing this raw journey. i ate some candy last week when we first found out about his death and some other junk food but i'm still moving onward and upward and just praying for strength and guidance on my journey.

KatK

02-10-2007, 08:39 AM

Oh, sorry about your friend's dad. :(

thevoyager

02-10-2007, 09:13 AM

could someone PM me raw food goodie sites that are worthwhile and the food is good? kind of pissed every time i post or someone else posts asking for help with other links (i know alissa has food) that is gets deleted. i really want to make this work..i just need more options. i am on the road.

cassidy

02-10-2007, 09:25 AM

the 10th!
Well... I'm positive I've lost weight. In the bathroom this morning - I looked great! Skinny... whew! LOL. I feel like I am my target weight - I look like I've lost 5 lbs. But then... I got on the scale and nothing! What?
I'm thinking maybe I've lost fat and gained muscle? Although, its only been two days that I've been excercising. I do 3 miles walking with a 2 year old on my back in a backpack! Great workout! :eek: I'm sore!
Anyway - maybe that is what it is... all and all I feel great. My daughter and I are the only ones in the house that don't have the flu right now :rolleyes: yay raw!

Yesterday
I had a couple juices
some raw fudge (and some more and more... and then some more later on!)
Big Huge salad
raw pad thai
cucumber/kale salad (I made the last two for my family, as they are sick. One ate it a love it! She also liked the fudge. She said she even felt better after eating it.
My Dad opted for mac'n'cheese. I feel bad. I think I stepped over the line by telling him he shouldn't eat that crap when he's sick.. and then went into a detailed explanation of why your body can't handle it... :( I felt bad - he just said "it's good your so healthy!" in a very nice way.
I'll just keep making extra food and they can have some if they want. I'm sure if I make another pizza and MAKE them try it they'll like it. I was also considering making raw lasagna! MMMMM
I should be getting Alissa's book in the mail any day now... maybe she will have some good SAD eater raw recipes.

sweet pepper

02-10-2007, 09:59 AM

Lavendar, I am so sorry to hear about your loss. I will keep you in my thoughts. ((warm hugs))

thevoyager

02-10-2007, 05:05 PM

thank you. i actually found a site that has a list of a million raw food sites. so excited! after i'm raw for 30 days i'm allowing myself to order whatever i want.

i have been so hungry today. i do drink naked juices. i had a green machine naked juice and a red machine naked juice, two nectarines, an apple, a few handfuls of raw almonds, a few blueberries, blackberries, some honeydew, canteloupe, watermelon and pineapple. LOL. and it's only 5pm.

shine72

02-10-2007, 05:19 PM

I have eaten SO much today! I don't know why, but I was SO hungry. I had three Lara Bars, one small salad, lots of water, and then two good size salads back to back (making it one GIGANTIC salad) and more water, and now I'm finally full! I haven't been that hungry in a long while. But I feel better now that I'm satisfied. And that's what I mean by full now. Satisfied, not stuffed! I don't think I'll be having anything else today, but we'll see. I shouldn't be hungry though! LOL!

LavendarJ - I am so sorry for yours and your friend's loss. My prayers go out for both of you.

Sweetpepper - I do okay when I'm out, I enjoy my food. But I still love the smell of the cooked food. I think I would've been better off if I had asked my friends if I could've sniffed at what they had. I know that sounds totally retarded, but it actually helps me. I don't want to eat it, I'm satisfied with smelling it. I know if I eat it, I will feel awful, so no temptation there. I just love the smells of some things. DH lets me smell his food. It makes him giggle, but he knows it helps me so he indulges me. LOL!

Sunshine :D

KatK

02-10-2007, 05:40 PM

Haha, sometimes I kiss my husband so I can have essence of hamburger or cinnamon roll. :)

sweet pepper

02-10-2007, 06:50 PM

Haha, sometimes I kiss my husband so I can have essence of hamburger or cinnamon roll. :)

That's so funny! :p

I try really hard to stay away from cooked food smells. I am afraid I will falter! Maybe further down the road I will be able to do that!

So far today I had: Fruit bowl, bananas, HUGE green leafy salad w/UDO's oil & lemon juice, plus some avocado, cauliflower & broccoli, onions, red pepper, soaked sunflower, pumpkin seeds w/raisins. Still wanting something else, maybe I will fix some guacamole and have a Lara Bar. Those are good and maybe some almond milk w/dates. That ought to do it! I hope! :rolleyes:

PeachyMama

02-10-2007, 07:20 PM

I am so sick of being sick! And I know it's sick and not just detox, because the kids are coming down with it too :( I hate when my babies get sick :(

One of the main issues that I am having, is that even though my stomach isn't really bothering me, I am very gaggy (for lack of a better word). If I drink too much water, I gag, and it comes back up. The thought of greens makes me gag. Same for bananas. And I'm talking literally gagging.

I started off the day with an apple, but was fairly gaggy afterwards.

I had some cooked stuff today because I was hungry, and it was the only thing that didn't make me gag. And I do not regret having it. I'll move on from here. My committment for the year is to find health, and right now, I'm just having a bit of a rough spot because of this flu.

Tomorrow, my hubby will be going to the store, and I'm trying to think of raw things to eat that are soothing to my stomach. I can only come up with orange juice/almond milk for sort of a creamsicle taste.

I have tried not eating, but I feel even worse when I don't eat, so I'm in a bit of a bind here.

Does anyone have any ideas? I need some bland inspiration here!

tinystrawberry

02-10-2007, 08:28 PM

Today is day 11 for me!! I am very proud of myself, this is the longest consistent time i've ever been raw! :D

foods eaten :
2 smoothies (this hit the spot today, very delicious!!~ 1 banana, 10 strawberries, some raspberries, and the juice from an orange! delightful strawberry milkshake (without the nastiness of the milk) taste)
Guacamole with baby carrots
loads of grapes
I think that's all :rolleyes:

I have been really happy lately! :)

Morn

02-10-2007, 10:25 PM

Today we went and watched my daughter play basketball and then did some shopping. We are also thinking about planning a party for Ariana's 12 birthday party (but it is in two weeks) She wants to have it at the house and it is a disaster so I am not sure with how busy I am if we could pull it off. I am overwhelmed with life/my schedule as it is. Foods eaten:

raw grawnola
garden salad
hummus with carrots
raw fudge

PeachyMama - When I was sick, I ate chicken noodle soup and felt much better. Seriously you are going to have to just listen to your body - it will tell you what it needs to heal. Sorry you feel bad. Sending you get well wishes.

Sweetpepper - When I started raw food I wasn't exercising at all. It was probably a month into raw when I started exercising and then I started off slow and because I am now at a plateau I am adding more exercise in. I would say do what you can in the beginning and keep building on that pushing a little more as each week progresses. You will build back up your endurance and strength as you go. But take it easy cause you don't want to be so sore you can't move for a week cause that will discourage you from wanting to do it. You can do it - sometimes we just have to get past the mental block and just decide you are doing it and thats it! :D

LavenderJ - sorry to hear about your loss. I am praying for you and your friend!

lavendarJ

02-11-2007, 08:29 AM

Hello

Thanks for the kind words. Just sitting here trying to think of what to eat. Lately, I just haven't had an appetite been lounging around... I'm thinking about a smoothie this morning and maybe I'll juice these carrots, I need to do something with Morn you just gave me an idea- raw granola sounds. I might browse through Alissa's book later today and pick one recipee to try out this week. My schedule is so unpredictable lately that I just eat stuff that's quick like smoothies, fruit, and salads with a bunch of veggies.... I haven't had guacamole in a while..........

Buttercup

02-11-2007, 07:10 PM

The first 2 weeks is gone on 100% raw.

The damage:
$ 500 spent on grocery (and I'm single!!!! It makes me bankrupt!)
And I gained 12 lbs so far!!!!

Is it a wonder I feel frustrated?

I desperately need help with portion control! I try to listen to my body, but my mind screams for food so loudly, I can't hear what my body say.
:(

RawFoodieMom

02-11-2007, 07:28 PM

Buttercup,

$500 and 12 pounds in 2 weeks... Wow, that is frustrating. But please don't give up.

You mentioned that you need help with portion control. But maybe what you might want to try is different foods that might make you feel more satisified, so you don't have to eat as much to feel satisified. You know what I mean?

Debra

Morn

02-11-2007, 07:43 PM

Today I ate:

raw grawnola
garden salad
another huge salad with raspberry vinegarette dressing

Svadhyaya

02-11-2007, 08:10 PM

Buttercup - How frustrated you must be! Please try to understand that your body is going through an adjustment period right now, and weight isn't necessarily going to plummet if there's something else that needs "fixing" inside first. Just concentrate on being healthy, feeding your body good stuff whenever you feel hungry (and stopping when you're full) and let things fall into place. I also sympathize with how expensive raw can be. My grocery bill has doubled since I went raw last year.

Also -

I didn't have a very good weekend this weekend. Friday night was a birthday sleepover for my son, and staying up all night with a houseful of 9 year old boys left me really exhausted. (Does anyone else lose resolve and mistreat themselves when they are overly tired?) Then Saturday night I went out with some friends from work, skipped dinner entirely and drank too much, furthering my exhaustion and causing me to feel horrible today (AND I had to sing at church this morning.) I felt guilty for being onstage hung over -not that drinking per se is wrong in my opinion, but overdoing it is not prudent. Then, to make matters worse, I ate regular old crappy food today. I didn't even try to be raw. I don't know if I was punishing myself or what, but right now I feel so drained and tired and unhealthy. I'm going to bed.
Thank God for Scarlett O'Hara's motto, "Tomorrow is another day." Because I'm looking very forward to moving on as if this weekend never happened.

And....I'm giving up alcohol for lent. I was wondering what to sacrifice this year and last night just made it a no-brainer. I need to really concentrate and focus on inner housekeeping (spiritual as well as physical) right now.

Buttercup

02-11-2007, 08:26 PM

Guys, thanks for the encouragment. Unfortunately I'm seriously overeating myself.

There's an other thing what bothers me. It feels like all the raw food blows me up. Even if I've gained 12 lbs, my belly got unproportionately big, bloated.
Does anyone experiencing similar symptoms?

Svadhyaya

02-11-2007, 08:35 PM

Yes, I bloat sometimes. I haven't yet narrowed down what exactly does it to me, but I try not to worry about it because bloat isn't weight and I just try to ignore it and tell myself that it will go away. And it does.

I think maybe your digestive system getting used to processing different foods than it is used to (even if they are good foods, they are still different.) Any drastic diet change can cause digestive problems in the short term. Things will adjust. Have you tried taking probiotics? I take them and have found myself much less gassy and bloaty since I started taking them faithfully.

Also, if the bloating is severe and continued, you may have trouble digesting certain foods. In that instance you need to try to track down the culprits and either go easy on or forgo them.

Elizabeth

02-11-2007, 09:08 PM

Well..it has been a great week... :) very busy, but I feel such an improvement in my energy levels...and also my mood. I feel more optimistic and look forward to things more..even the challenges. There have been moments when it occurred to me to go and get something I knew I should not have..maybe when I was tired or wanted to avoid some feeling or even some work I needed to do. I have been able anticipate how I would feel if I did..and have avoided getting off track in any significant way.

I have a lot of food in the house and also flavored selzer waters...lol...they help me a lot. :-)

well...just checking in. I need to get some work done before I turn in.

blessings.....

KatK

02-12-2007, 07:14 AM

Ugh I had a rough day yesterday. We had a meeting at a pizza place. I ate before the meeting, but then had to sit with pizza in my face the whole day. It was torture. I didn't eat any though.

Today is day 21, 100% raw.

Buttercup: the first couple of weeks raw I ate a lot! Now it's sort of tapered off. I hardly want dinner anymore. I just have a piece of fruit or some such. That is soooo different from what I used to be: 3 huge meals a day on SAD. When I first started on raw, I felt like I was grazing all day.

On the cost, are you buying all organic or something?

shine72

02-12-2007, 08:02 AM

Okay folks, here's the breakdown!

Starting weight - 12/27/06 - 238.9
1/15 - 228.2
1/22 - 225.9
1/29 - 222.4
Today - 2/12 - 218.1

So that is the breakdown! I have lost 20.8 pounds in just under 7 weeks. I REALLY need to start exercising, I know it would help and I want to work out! So I think I'll start that on Wednesday! Hope you all have a wonderful raw day!

Sunshine :D

sweet pepper

02-12-2007, 08:33 AM

Good Morning everyone!

Well, it has been 1 week since I joined the February Challenge. Even though I slipped with a little of cooked :cool: I feel good about my week and feel I did well! :D

Weight loss was:

weigh-in - Feb 05, 2007, 321.5
weigh-in - Feb 12, 2007, 319.0 with a total weight loss of 2.5 pounds! :D :D
can't wait till I cross under the 300!

Pretty good considering I am not worrying about the amount of fats or calories I eat. Good Fats that is! Plus, I have been on Paxil and found out that can cause you to gain and here I have lost! :D I was taking 20mg daily, but, when I found out it keeps you from losing, I decided to take myself off of it. I dropped that down to 10mg daily and today I am going to start taking 10mg every other day and in the next two weeks I will be off of it. I am still feeling good, actually even better than when I started taking it! Is it the raw foods? :rolleyes:

Looking forward to the upcoming week. Moving on!

Namaste'
Sweet Pepper

tvillemom

02-12-2007, 11:19 AM

Hi everyone. I'm really busy lately, and forget to get in here and post what I've been eating. Yesterday was great.....as a matter of fact, the weekend was successful. Over the weekend I've eaten:
fruit, salad, homemade corn chips, dates with dehydrated almonds stuffed in! (yummy)
I can't wait to make a chocolate pie this week, and chocolate dipped date truffles, some more chips, and sprout some seeds (I have a mixture of alfafa seeds, brocolli and some other small seeds)
I know I need to add more seaweed, greens and veggies.
OH YEAH, Friday night at my mother-in-law's house, I ate cauliflower drizzled with olive oil, and sprinkled with alittle salt and pepper....YUMMY! It was exactly what I wanted to eat!!
Ya'll have a great, fantastic day!
Wendi

shine72

02-12-2007, 12:09 PM

Sweet Pepper - Keep it up girl! You are doing wonderful!

Today I have had:
Breakfast: Orange, Banana, Blueberry, and honey smoothie
Lunch: Thick creamy choc. shake. Made using water + meat of one young coconut, 4 frozen bananas, raw cacao powder, and agave nectar. YUM!
For dinner I'll be having a yummy salad with Alissa's dressing!
If I end up hungry after dinner, I plan on making ice cream for dessert!

Again, can I just say I LOVE being raw?! Yes, there are times where it hasn't been easy and I have a craving hit. But I find I get them when I'm REALLY hungry. So if I go make myself a raw whatever (something salty for salt, something crunchy for chips or whatever, something with raw cacao for choc., etc.) then I'm fine.

Sunshine :D

girlsmiley

02-12-2007, 12:51 PM

can't wait till I cross under the 300!
And you will do it ... I know how good it felt for me. Unfortunately I went up over the next week due to giving in to cravings yet I am back under again and I have vowed to NEVER weigh that much again in my life!

Hallelujah!

katk - good for you not giving in and eating pizza ... the way I've been lately I may not have eaten it in front of them ... I may have ordered one to be delivered to my house and ate the whole thing to get rid of the evidence!

shine72 - Congratulations! You are doing great! Can you send some of that *determination* my way :o

I've been crazy busy ... and a bit lazy ... and haven't been on here much the past few days.

I did eat a lot of dairy over the weekend and I am feeling it in my stomach and my joints.

Back on RAW again!

Today's intake:

4 oranges (3 blood oranges and 1 Cara Cara orange)
1 banana

I have more here at work to eat if I get hungry yet my stomach is a bit upset and I don't want to push it ... maybe another banana or an apple later.

Morn

02-13-2007, 01:42 AM

Well I just finished my day at work and I am tired. But I lost 2 more pounds yeah (for a total of 46 pounds) Foods eaten:

handful of raw grawnola
hummus with carrots
pineapple
small banana
garden salad

shine72

02-13-2007, 07:55 AM

Go Morn Go! You are doing so awesome! I have been wanting to ask, not to be nosy, but because it's been on my heart, how are your niece and brother holding up?

Girlsmiley - I have a son with autism that I need to be able to keep up with and eating SAD wasn't getting me there. My health to be able to help him and longevity to be there for him, plus the STRONG desire to not feel like cr*p anymore are my motivation. That's what works for me. But that still doesn't mean it's ALWAYS easy. Plus, I have grand goals and visions for my life and raw is going to help me get there.

I have the banana fruit leather finishing up in the dehydrator so that I can make the crepes for the first time. I'm so excited! I've been just living to try them!

Sunshine :D

ps. I did have a huge salad for dinner and ice cream (raw) for desert last night! It was all so wonderfully delicious and satisfying!

dreamrawalwz

02-13-2007, 10:16 AM

RawFoodieMom

02-13-2007, 10:46 AM

Apparently it seems like I'm a bad driver. I just spun out b/c of the icey roads in my neighborhood. Sheesh! First got totaled, then this. Oh well...neither are my fault.

I came home craving something cooked to eat to comfort myself emotionally and warmth, but I'm not! yay! Just wanted to mention that!

I'm so sorry to hear about that. My husband got run off the road by a school bus last month. The bus driver said "I didn't even see you there". :rolleyes:

Good for you for not turning to cooked food! That's awesome. :)

I hope things turn around for you...

Morn

02-13-2007, 11:16 AM

Go Morn Go! You are doing so awesome! I have been wanting to ask, not to be nosy, but because it's been on my heart, how are your niece and brother holding up?

Thanks for the encouragement. My neice a couple weeks ago almost died when a cyst inside her literally burst and came out of the back of her. They had to do emergency surgery and put in a colostomy bag and they didn't know if they could even perform the surgery. When they did they realized her hip was also broken in several spots. She was also on a ventilator (as she has several spots on her lungs). Well from all the prayers, within 24 hours after the surgery she was off the ventilator and awake again. She will permanently have a colostomy bag and be in a wheel chair even if she does win over the cancer. But they were amazed at how much better she was doing so fast. So anyway Monday they started Chemotherapy again cause her white blood count finally was normal again.

Thanks for asking. Everyone is believing for a miracle. She is a Christian and has strong faith. This is helping her a great deal as she walks through this trial. Thank you for your concern and prayers. My brother is also holding up well (as he is trying to be strong for her).

Morn

02-13-2007, 11:18 AM

shine72

02-13-2007, 01:56 PM

Morn - I am so glad she is doing better. I remember when you had posted all that and it's been on my heart ever since. The Lord is indeed good!

Sunshine :D

girlsmiley

02-13-2007, 03:01 PM

Morn - thanks for the update. We are still praying for them :)

Today's intake:

pecans
pretzels (because my stomach was queasy and the nuts didn't help)
2 bananas

Morn

02-14-2007, 12:18 AM

Had to work today. Plus a ton of errands in this yucky snow storm! Foods eaten:

waldorf salad
hummus with carrots
garden salad
cherry tomatoes
banana

sweet pepper

02-14-2007, 08:41 AM

for awhile and just had "stuff" going on. Staying on track - yesterday was exceptional - totally raw. Was even invited to dinner for SAD by my daughter-in-law, I filled up on raw all day and took my Hot Jasmine Tea, passed up the SAD dinner and played with the grandkids and (a BONUS) held my new great granddaughter. What an angel, she was born 1-4-2007. That's right, I am as old as the hills! :eek: Can't believe I am a Great Grandmother! Time really flies!

Morn: I am so sorry about your niece, I will keep you and yours in my prayers. I also wanted to acknowledge your weight loss. Great! Those 1 & 2 pounds add up eventually. This is what I keep trying to tell myself to keep going.

dreamrawalwz: so glad you weren't hurt in your mishap. You were strong to stay raw - I don't know if I could have been that strong.

girlsmiley & & : thanks for the encouragement. I feel once I get under that 300 mark it will empower me to move on. That's great that you are back on track. It makes you feel so great!

and also thanks to shine72: This is a good place to be. I wish I would have become more active on this site earlier. I think that in itself is so powerful. I look forward to checking in with everyone and reading all the posts. Such support and for free!!! :p Can't beat that! EH? :rolleyes:

Almost forgot: HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!!!

sweet pepper

shine72

02-14-2007, 09:25 AM

one of the things I love the most about being raw?! That I can eat WHATEVER I want, WHENEVER I want, so long as it's RAW! Last night I finally was able to try (I made) Alissa's crepes for dinner! DELISH! Now I just need to find more raw macadamia's at a decent price (can't get them locally) so that I can make more! They are sooooooooooooooooooooooo YUMMY!

Then today for breakfast, I had sliced tomatoes with olive oil and sea salt. Not something most people would consider having for breakfast, but I was hungry, and it's what appealed to me and I no longer feel confined to the certain foods at certain times of the day concept!

Raw is so freeing and God is so good for the abundance of food he provides! I eat more variety and tastes and flavors of things now then I EVER did cooked!

Just thought I'd share!

Sunshine :D