Raw Food Cleanse Journal

Day 1

I had mentioned before that I was concerned that I would lose weight during the cleanse which is something I did not need to do. I checked my weight upon waking and I was 126.4. I started my day off without coffee for the first time in quite a while. I drank 32 ounces of water with lemon instead. For breakfast, I had a green smoothie. In my smoothie was a new ingredient for me: chia seeds which are loaded with essentials such as protein, calcium and omega 3’s and 6’s. Around 10:00/10:30, I became very hungry and tired. I also had a touch of a headache. I think I was hungry because I would typically have a banana or a piece of fruit at that time. Being tired with a headache was mostly likely caused from the lack of coffee. I typically only have a 6-8 oz cup in the morning. I was really shocked to see that I was having slight withdrawal effects. The girls wanted their morning snack and I struggled a bit while making their snack. It took a lot to not eat a spoonful of the natural peanut butter that I was spreading on their crackers. I read through a bit of the raw cleanse book to keep myself focused. It was 11:00 and I was still very hungry, but the headache had subsided after drinking some water. I decided to make the fresh tomato and corn salad I was going to have for lunch and let it chill in the refrigerator for an hour or so. I had a bite of it while preparing it and it was so good. I was truly looking forward to that 12:00 hour. I ate my salad at 12:15 and it was fantastic! It left me feeling very satisfied but not stuffed even though it was very large. I had never eaten corn raw before and I was quite pleased. I never liked it overcooked anyway. At 1:00, I became tired again, so I took a 30 minute cat nap. It looks, to my surprise, like I am experiencing some detoxification symptoms. The slight headache comes and goes and I am having cravings. The funny thing is that I am craving just extra healthy food like bananas and apples. I think my mind is telling my body that I am hungry. The only thing in my diet that I would be having a withdrawal from is the coffee. I was truly looking forward to my evening yoga practice to clear my head and refocus my intentions. I had a cup of herbal tea. For dinner, I was supposed to start my dinner with fruit such as berries and finish off with a salad. Since my yoga class was at 6:30 and I don’t like to eat a large amount before yoga, I decided to have the fruit before yoga and the salad afterwards. This worked out well. Yoga was good. I was a bit off and kind of touchy but made it through. I was in bed by 10pm.

Day 2

I woke up feeling rejuvenated and consumed my 32 ounces of lemon water. I had lost a little weight. I had a lot of energy and made by green juice. Honestly, at first taste, it was awful. I drink green smoothies quite often but I typically add fruit in with the greens. This one was just straight greens and only lemon as a fruit. After a few sips, I acquired a taste for it and drank the whole thing. I went to boot camp which is a very intense workout. I was concerned I wouldn’t have the energy to make it through, but, to my surprise, I had a lot of energy and excelled during that workout. I went through the rest of the morning with a ton of energy. At lunch time, I had a tomato and cucumber salad, but was unable to finish it. I prepared the balancing broth that I was going to have with my dinner. I then took a 20 minute nap. Upon waking, I had a cup of rooibos tea. I performed a dry skin brushing and took a shower. After the shower, I sat in a massage chair. The book recommended either a deep tissue massage or a sauna. I thought this was close enough. For dinner, I had a large bowl of the balancing broth and a large mixed green “fiesta” salad with lime cilantro dressing. Again, I was unable to finish the large salad. I was in bed by 10:45 which was a little late than the recommended time but I would still be able to get 8 hrs in. Overall, day 2 was a success. I had a very busy day with the girls and the food I consumed gave me plenty of energy to do all that I needed to accomplish. No coffee cravings or headache all day long!

Day 3

I woke up and consumed my 32 ounces of lemon water and had a green smoothie for breakfast. I welcomed it since it had a banana in it and bananas are a favorite of mine. I proceeded throughout my busy morning and waited too long to have lunch. I didn’t eat lunch till 2:30 pm. My lunch consisted of a bowl of yesterday’s balancing broth and a spinach and orange salad with orange tahini dressing. This salad was fabulous! I made a smaller serving because the other salads seemed so large, I was afraid I wouldn’t have been able to finish. Now I wish I would have made it. I was planning on going to pilates, so I had another green smoothie before. When I came home, I had a mixed green salad with purple cabbage and grated carrot, a bowl of steamed broccoli and onions with liquid aminos and an ecstatic elixir which consisted of kombucha, freshly squeezed juice, lemon juice and topped off with sparkling mineral water. This was a satisfying dinner. No headaches, body aches, fatigue or anything out of the ordinary today. I didn’t feel the need to nap as I did the first two days.

I weighed myself the morning after the cleanse and I had lost 2.7 lbs....weighing in at 123.7. I need to gain a little over a pound back. I like to keep it at 125. I'll try to gain it back in muscle weight.

Over all I think this cleanse was a success. Throughout the cleanse, I didn’t feel bogged down and truly had a lot of energy. I did have the mental alertness to do the work in my current advanced composition class that I am taking. This class requires quite a bit of work, so this was a huge bonus for me. I didn’t have any stomach issues or churning like I might have after having some cheese or dairy. I learned how to exhibit a great amount of self control because on two of the three days, I was in social situations with food as the center. I was able to not have a bite. Each day, I consumed over 66 ounces of water.

I would recommend this cleanse to anyone. Especially those who feel their system is sluggish, have a lack of energy or need to release a few pounds.

Now, all I want right now is a nice bowl of warm oatmeal. :)

My Exercise Routine

Many of you have asked what kinds of work outs I do. Here they are. My weekly exercise routine consists of a variety of activities. I mange to keep the same basic weekly routine while changing one activity every few months and still keeping all the important factors of an exercise plan. I also switch up my strength training exercises every few months. This is my current weekly routine.

Cardiovascular activity: 30-60 minutes 4-5 days per week

Strength training: 20-30 minutes 3-4 days per week

Stretching and flexibility training: 30-60 minutes 4-5 days per week

My daily routine breaks down like this:

Monday
Rest day. I may do a 30 minute yoga practice mid-day at home.

Tuesday
60 minutes of yoga mid-day (self practice) and 60 minutes of yoga in the evening (group practice).

Wednesday
60 minutes of boot camp training. This is a combination of cardiovascular and muscle endurance exercises.
45 minutes of yoga (self-practice)

Thursday
30-40 min of yoga and either 60 minutes of pilates or a 60 minute step and sculpt class.
45 minutes of yoga (self-practice)

Friday
30 minutes of cardio machines.

I usually split it up as follows:
Bike- 10 minutes at level 10
Eliptical- 10 minutes at level 15
Treadmill- 10 starting at 6.5 mph. I gradually increase my speed until I hit 9 mph. I run this speed for 1-2 minutes at the end of the session.
Strength training: When I do weights, I typically do 3 sets of 8. On some days, however, I increase the weight and do only 3 sets of 3-4. All exercises are free weight unless otherwise indicated.
Legs and shoulders
Squats (120 lbs)
Front raises (15 lbs)
Leg press (240 lbs)
Dumbbell shoulder press (15 lbs)
Jump lunges or squat hold (no weight)- 3 sets of 15 or squat hold 3 sets @ 30 seconds.
45 minutes of yoga (self-practice)

Saturday
30 minutes of cardio

Strength Training
Biceps, triceps and abs
Bicep curls (25 lbs)
Tricep extension (30 lbs)
Wide grip bicep curls (30 lbs bar)
Tricep kick backs (15 pounds) or tricep push-ups- 3 sets of 15
Hanging leg raises (abs) 3 sets of 15

Sunday
30 minutes of cardio

Strength Training
Back and Chest
Bench press (80 lbs)
One arm row (35 lbs)
Chest Flies (20 lbs)
Reverse Flies (15 lbs)
Low back extension (3 sets of 15)
Reverse fly machine (60 lbs)
Push up (3 sets of 10)
Lat pull down (65 lbs)

Coming tomorrow....raw food update, day 1 journal of my 3 day raw food cleanse. Yes, I finally took the plunge!

Raw Update

I haven’t been able to start a raw cleanse yet. My window of opportunity is from Monday to Wednesday and I haven’t sat down to make a shopping list yet of everything I need. I have most everything but am lacking a few items. However, I have been truly paying attention to foods and how they make me feel. I have eaten a very high raw diet this week. My days have ranged from 70%-90% raw. Eating raw foods gives me a lot of energy and the ability to stay focused and complete tasks I need to complete. Here are a few easy recipes that I have used this week. They are high raw and vegan.

High raw veggie wraps



I was hungry and trying to stay high raw so made I made this up as I went along. Amounts are approximate.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup cooked quinoa
• 2 large romaine lettuce leaves
• Bragg’s liquid aminos

Dice the following veggies:

· ½ tomato
· 1 celery stalk
· ½ zucchini
· ½ bell pepper
· 1 tbsp leeks
· 1 green onion
· ½ yellow squash
· A few leaves of dandelion greens
· 2-3 baby bella mushrooms
1/4 cucumber

Put all veggies in a bowl and sprinkle on liquid aminos to taste. Lay out romaine; place a ¼ cup quinoa on top of each leave. Top with diced veggies. Wrap and eat. Serves 1


Zucchini “Pasta” with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

For this recipe, I used the raw spaghetti recipe as a guide, but customized it and used a pesto instead of marinara.

Ingredients:

For the Pasta

1 zucchini

For the Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

2 TBSP olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
A few leaves of fresh basil
5-6 sun-dried tomatoes, soaked
Dried oregano
1 TBSP water

Toppings

2 tsp capers
A few black olives
½ tomato – diced
A few pine nuts
Sea salt to taste

Grate or thin julienne cut a whole zucchini to make the “pasta.” I julienned mine with a mandolin but have also made this type of “pasta” with a cheese grater. There is a special tool available to make this kind of pasta but I do not have one yet. See photo below for guidance.

Put all pesto ingredients in a food processor. Pour over pasta. Top with toppings. Eat and enjoy. Serves 1.

Raw Food Cleansing

Just recently a new book was released called, “The Raw Food Cleanse” by Penni Shelton. This book was referred to me by a friend of mine who consumes a high raw diet. I decided to purchase the book through Amazon. At $9 and some change before shipping, you can’t beat the price. Anyways, I’ve been reading the book and although I am not quite done yet, I myself am considering doing the raw food cleanses listed in the book. The book lays out 4 raw food cleanses. There is a 3 day energy boost cleanse, a 7 day rejuvenation cleanse, a 14 day deep detox cleanse, and a 28 day total reset cleanse. I had previously considered my diet pretty raw prior to reading the book, but as I continue reading, I have become even more aware of the food I am consuming. I would say that I am about 50-70% raw which is way more than the typical American. The book mentions consuming an 80% raw diet and leaving the remaining 20% up to you for social situations, etc. There are several testimonies of individuals who have participated in a raw food experiment conducted by the book’s author. The participants list the benefits of the raw food lifestyle. Benefits include increased mental clarity, weight loss, clearer skin, brighter eyes, increased energy, better digestion, and the list continues. I am ready to make that shopping list and start cleansing.

My plan is to start with the 3 day cleanse, give myself a break (while staying very mindful of my consumption) and continue on to the 7 day cleanse. At that point, I will decide if I want to move on the 14 day cleanse. I think my biggest concern with doing more than a 7 day cleanse is losing weight. I do not wish to lose any more weight. I am weighing in right now at 127 lbs which is a great size for me. My BMI is at 20 and my body fat percentage is about 18-19%. The benefits that I am seeking from cleansing are, of course, overall health and wellness and increased mental clarity- especially since I am hitting my courses for my degree head on with full force.
Here is a list of things that are holding me back. I do not yet own a juicer or a food dehydrator. These are two tools that raw foodists own. After reviewing the recipes in the book and conducting my own research, I know that I can get by with my cheap $15 blender, but I would have more options with the juicer. I have been looking into buying one. I have searched new and used and, with so many choices, I am overwhelmed. A dehydrator gives you the option of making raw “chips”, dried fruit, etc. This is yet another decision that has overwhelmed me. I will break down and buy these gadgets eventually; it is just going to take some time.

The next item holding me back is……COFFEE. Now, granted I drink only organic coffee with coconut milk creamer, but if you’re going to cleanse, you’ve got to go for it. I know it’s all in my head. I am not a huge coffee drinker. I drink on average an 6-8 cup in the morning with 3-4 tbsp of so delicious coconut milk creamer. I have come a long way with reducing my consumption. I used to drink 20 ounces per day with who knows how many tbsp of Nestle French Vanilla Creamer which is full of terrible ingredients. I just have one word to say about that creamer and it is hydrogenated.

I think I will be okay giving up cooked foods. I am not a big dairy eater at the moment s that shouldn’t be a problem either. So, I guess that concludes my list. No juicer, no dehydrator, and the fact that I have to give up coffee. That’s not such a bad list, huh? I need to get over it. J
So my plan is to do this 3 day cleanse mid week. I will start on a Monday or Tuesday and conclude the cleanse on Wednesday or Thursday. The author recommends doing this cleanse on a weekend, but my circumstances are a bit different since I do not work. With my husband and daughter are at work and school for most of the day, I think it will be easier to focus on my agenda.

I will continue to post about my journey on this cleanse which I will start someday next week. I need to get my plan and my shopping list in order and then I’ll go in with smoking guns.

Until next time….

Energy

I have had so many things on my mind the past few days that I have wanted to blog about that I don't even know where to start. I have been working on my next post for a few days and it was about the health benefits of nuts. I decided to postpone that post. Please bear with me as I am not sure where this post is going as it is written on a whim and may lack in structure.

I go to the gym 6 days a week. I love my small little gym and its friendly staff. However, I have noticed the clientele (especially the women) at my gym do not seem to push themselves to their potential. This saddens me. Women are more powerful than they think....I wish they knew that. Now I am not saying that one has to go the gym and tire themselves out the point of exhaustion every time. But I really want to talk to these people and encourage them to push themselves just a little more with each gym visit. I can be a bit shy at times so I try to speak to them through my own energy.

This leads me to my next thought. There are a few women who go to the gym that work hard. When they walk into the gym, their energy radiates from them. Upon seeing these women and feeling their energy, I increase my level of intensity. I sense that our commitment to health is encouraging to one another. This goes to show that one's energy is powerful whether it be positive or negative. Be the one to radiate that positive, warm energy (prana). You never know who you may encourage just by your presence.

You may be the only one in your family right now who is trying to make healthy changes in their life. This may be discouraging, but "keep on truckin' " Eventually your energy will be inspirational to others. Since I have lost my 50 something pounds, my husband, who was already reasonably fit, lost 20. He also changed dramatically changed his eating habits one small step at a time. My picky children have begun to eat more vegetables (they already ate a lot of fruit) and slowly my teenager is making healthier choices on her own.

I guess this post is about energy. Your energy is important to all those you come in contact with. It's like a domino effect. Energy. You may not be able to see it but you can feel it. Speak and think positive thoughts. Smile. Laugh. Your energy is a means of communication. Now go about your day and just remember to let positive energy radiate from your presence. :)

Until next time....

Relationships: Food and You

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how my relationship with food has changed since adopting a healthier lifestyle. One thing is for sure, I have always LOVED food. Nutrition was never an issue in my home growing up. My family lived on fried foods, red meat, high fat dairy, sugar, occasional fruit and a few canned veggies. When veggies were prepared, they were cooked so long and so many things were added (such as brown sugar and bacon grease- yuck) that the nutritional content was dramatically decreased. As a young adult, I ventured into the veggie and lean meat world and ate a bit healthier. However, I still had a long way to go and I often turned to fast food because it was cheap and easy. When I became a mother at the age of 20, I automatically wanted to do what was best for my child and feed her the healthiest possible foods. I breast-fed and made my own baby food. I, myself, ate healthy- sure, sometimes. Truthfully, I was not a great example. The problem is that nutrition to me always made a lot of sense; it was somewhat natural to me, but I just would not commit. I knew in my heart what I should be doing, but wouldn’t do it. I dabbled in health foods but always turned back to the foods I was rooted in which was a lot of red meat and way too much sugar. I had an unhealthy love affair with unhealthy foods; so much that I would hide, eat in my car, or lie about who ate the most of that cake or cookies, etc. I talked the talk but didn’t walk the walk. Last week on the Biggest Loser, they laid out a buffet of food that two of the contestants would typically eat in one day before Jillian Michaels. It was all fried, large portions….lots of fat, and loads of calories. A year ago, I would have been in heaven.

Today, if I tried to eat that food, I would literally be sick. I know that my body would reject it. So much has changed in my life today. I have applied everything I know about healthy eating to my life and to my family’s lives and I continue to research and read about healthy living. I lead a vegetarian lifestyle. I eat, at the minimum, 9 servings of fruits and vegetables each day. At least half of each meal is completely raw and uncooked fruits and veggies. I don’t drink soda. The truth is I still LOVE food. But now I love to pick it out; choosing only the freshest organic produce available. I love to prepare the food, putting my mind (knowledge of healthy eating and balance), my heart (especially when preparing for my family) and soul into the meals I prepare. When I sit down to eat, I look at the beauty of the food before me. My taste buds are much more sensitive now. My food does not have to be drenched in salt, sugar, or grease to taste good. I can taste the flavor of each ingredient and savor it. Never do I hide and eat food, overindulge or feel guilty about what I eat. I still love indulgences. But my indulgences have changed. I eat dark chocolate with almonds or a piece of organic zucchini bread. I am more satisfied with food than I have ever been. Food makes me feel alive and energized. I know that my body is sacred and worthy of the best and freshest food available and that makes me feel content.

Pondering the New Year

I've been pondering what to blog about as the New Year has come and gone. So many people make resolutions only to find themselves frustrated with the fact that they cannot hold to these commitments. They give up on trying to better themselves and find themselves in a deeper hole than when they started. This year, instead of focusing on resolutions, I would like to focus on what I would like to accomplish in the year 2010.

• I would like to inspire others. I want to commit to the action of inspiring others to make positive changes in their lives. I want to help my friends and loved ones become accountable for their action which is something I would also like to do for myself.
• I want to plant a good size organic fruit and veggie garden to nourish myself and my family. I want my husband and children to do this with me. We can all take part in raising healthy food while reducing our carbon footprint.
• I want to make a large dent in completing my degree. I have already lined up a full schedule of classes and am in the process of making an appointment with my advisor to see where I currently stand.
• I am considering becoming a certified group fitness instructor. I have looked into some workshops and pricing. This may prove to be a difficult task as I am also attending full time classes for my teaching credential. However, this is something that I truly have a passion for and stand alongside my first accomplishment that I would like to carry out.

I have an ongoing commitment to being the best mother and role model to my three daughters and being a loving and faithful wife to my husband. I will always strive to be my best in this area.

Something I have come to realize is that I want to always recognize my self-worth. I want to always realize that I am important. For example, I deserve to put only the best and most nutritious food into my body. My body deserves the best care I can give it through exercise and pampering. I want to learn how to accept gifts, compliments and respect without thinking that I am not worthy.

What would you like to accomplish this year?

"Great things are accomplished by talented people who believe they will accomplish them." Warren G. Bennis