Friday, February 1, 2008
The first meal
So I decided to test the waters while still at work - I just had some fresh baked bread and a small amount of vegetarian bean soup. We will see how that goes and use that info to determine what dinner will be.
The Final Countdown!!
Mummy asked for a FULL review/analysis for the final day of this raw vegan diet trial... so here it is!
I totally understand why people eat this way for a living. You lose weight, you feel good, the food is nourishing, etc. Could I technically continue on this forever? If I wanted to become a hermit, yes. But the outside world is completely against this type of lifestyle. You can't find anything at restaurants, you can't visit friends and share a meal... It just can't work.
But I do intend to incorporate a lot of raw foods into my life. I'd like to eat a lot more vegan and vegetarian cooked items and see how I feel then. I just know that I don't want this feeling to go away, I don't want the cramped and bloated feelings that I had before, and I don't want to put the weight back on.
I've had food cravings (I dream about eating a filet from work and Quaker Steak's wings), but for the most part I enjoy what I'm eating and I feel good after I've eaten. And they're not really cravings like I've had before when I feel like I *NEED* to have Chipotle for dinner... they're more like visions where I think to myself, "Gosh, I remember eating that, how good it was, and I can almost FEEL the cheese ozzing from it, etc." and I can envision myself eating it, but I don't feel like I *NEED* it at that moment like before.
That said, I have had serious cravings for natural sugars a couple of times a week. We'll eat dinner, go about our evening and suddenly I have an uncontrollable urge to go to the kitchen and find something sweet. And I always let myself do it - I'll eat a handful of dates, I'll dip my finger into some raw sugar, I'll mix up some type of sweet recipe, I'll seriously consider drinking maple syrup, etc. I was not a huge sweets eater before, but the urge for a natural sugar has been almost uncontrollable on a few occasions. But then I get my sugar and then it's like I'm cured.
I haven't denied myself anything this entire month. I eat until I'm full. When I'm hungry, I snack. If I want a second pickle I don't think about my salt intake - I just eat it. I did not want this diet to be about denial in any way, shape or form.
To anyone who hasn't tried this, it probably just sounds crazy... and inside you're thinking that I've been starving, that I've been missing some sort of essential nutrients, blah blah blah... But I'd like to think that I know my body better than you can assume you know it. I don't think I'm missing anything.
This diet has consumed much of my time and attention for the past month - but I don't know if it's because it's actually the diet was really that time consuming or if it's just my personality to absorb a topic and only focus/talk about one thing. I lean toward thinking it's just me. So forgive me if this is all that I've talked about or if we've been unable to have a conversation without me bringing it up. I'm insane, you know I'm insane... so I'm glad that you understand and still choose to have me in your life.
I've had this stupid cold for 2 weeks and I still cough a little, but my digestive tract has never felt so good. My skin looks good, I feel great relief when I go to the restroom (not to gross you out, but mom asked that I include this information). Seriously, if you have any issues going to the restroom, try the flax seed breakfast cakes that I posted yesterday. A couple of days of those for breakfast and you'll be SMOOTH SAILING! Awesome! I've only had a few bouts of bloating/gas. Before this diet I'd venture to guess that I would feel bloated after 5-6 meals a week, but now it's probably down to once a week, if that.
The final count is that I've lost about 12-13 lbs., which if I'm calculating correctly was about 9% of my overall body weight. I feel amazing because this time the weight loss was very different. Usually when I go on a diet and lose weight, I lose it off of my stomach and face right away. Then I totally lose my chest, then a little on the arms, and I never really seem to lose it on my hips, legs, or butt. This time it seems that it's come off of everything evenly. I don't feel like any of this weight loss has been disproportionate or unnatural. Lizzie has been jokingly calling me Karen Carpenter which I think is funny, but I really don't feel like it's true. I don't think that I look unhealthy at all - weight loss and all, I really feel like I look the best that I've looked... gosh, probably since my freshman year in college, but maybe it's the best I've looked and felt ever.
Probably sounds like I'm bragging, but I can't help it. Mummy asked for a honest, detailed analysis, and this is it. This was a great 30 day trial and I do recommend it to others. You will feel great, you will lose weight, you will learn about food and "uncooking," you will feel nourished by your food, and yes - you might even learn a thing or two about yourself.
I totally understand why people eat this way for a living. You lose weight, you feel good, the food is nourishing, etc. Could I technically continue on this forever? If I wanted to become a hermit, yes. But the outside world is completely against this type of lifestyle. You can't find anything at restaurants, you can't visit friends and share a meal... It just can't work.
But I do intend to incorporate a lot of raw foods into my life. I'd like to eat a lot more vegan and vegetarian cooked items and see how I feel then. I just know that I don't want this feeling to go away, I don't want the cramped and bloated feelings that I had before, and I don't want to put the weight back on.
I've had food cravings (I dream about eating a filet from work and Quaker Steak's wings), but for the most part I enjoy what I'm eating and I feel good after I've eaten. And they're not really cravings like I've had before when I feel like I *NEED* to have Chipotle for dinner... they're more like visions where I think to myself, "Gosh, I remember eating that, how good it was, and I can almost FEEL the cheese ozzing from it, etc." and I can envision myself eating it, but I don't feel like I *NEED* it at that moment like before.
That said, I have had serious cravings for natural sugars a couple of times a week. We'll eat dinner, go about our evening and suddenly I have an uncontrollable urge to go to the kitchen and find something sweet. And I always let myself do it - I'll eat a handful of dates, I'll dip my finger into some raw sugar, I'll mix up some type of sweet recipe, I'll seriously consider drinking maple syrup, etc. I was not a huge sweets eater before, but the urge for a natural sugar has been almost uncontrollable on a few occasions. But then I get my sugar and then it's like I'm cured.
I haven't denied myself anything this entire month. I eat until I'm full. When I'm hungry, I snack. If I want a second pickle I don't think about my salt intake - I just eat it. I did not want this diet to be about denial in any way, shape or form.
To anyone who hasn't tried this, it probably just sounds crazy... and inside you're thinking that I've been starving, that I've been missing some sort of essential nutrients, blah blah blah... But I'd like to think that I know my body better than you can assume you know it. I don't think I'm missing anything.
This diet has consumed much of my time and attention for the past month - but I don't know if it's because it's actually the diet was really that time consuming or if it's just my personality to absorb a topic and only focus/talk about one thing. I lean toward thinking it's just me. So forgive me if this is all that I've talked about or if we've been unable to have a conversation without me bringing it up. I'm insane, you know I'm insane... so I'm glad that you understand and still choose to have me in your life.
I've had this stupid cold for 2 weeks and I still cough a little, but my digestive tract has never felt so good. My skin looks good, I feel great relief when I go to the restroom (not to gross you out, but mom asked that I include this information). Seriously, if you have any issues going to the restroom, try the flax seed breakfast cakes that I posted yesterday. A couple of days of those for breakfast and you'll be SMOOTH SAILING! Awesome! I've only had a few bouts of bloating/gas. Before this diet I'd venture to guess that I would feel bloated after 5-6 meals a week, but now it's probably down to once a week, if that.
The final count is that I've lost about 12-13 lbs., which if I'm calculating correctly was about 9% of my overall body weight. I feel amazing because this time the weight loss was very different. Usually when I go on a diet and lose weight, I lose it off of my stomach and face right away. Then I totally lose my chest, then a little on the arms, and I never really seem to lose it on my hips, legs, or butt. This time it seems that it's come off of everything evenly. I don't feel like any of this weight loss has been disproportionate or unnatural. Lizzie has been jokingly calling me Karen Carpenter which I think is funny, but I really don't feel like it's true. I don't think that I look unhealthy at all - weight loss and all, I really feel like I look the best that I've looked... gosh, probably since my freshman year in college, but maybe it's the best I've looked and felt ever.
Probably sounds like I'm bragging, but I can't help it. Mummy asked for a honest, detailed analysis, and this is it. This was a great 30 day trial and I do recommend it to others. You will feel great, you will lose weight, you will learn about food and "uncooking," you will feel nourished by your food, and yes - you might even learn a thing or two about yourself.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Recipe: breakfast cake
I do have a little tasty treat to report, courtesy of Ani Phyo... Breakfast cake!
It's kinda like pancakes with maple syrup...
2 cups ground flax seed
1/2 cup raw agave syrup (or maple syrup)
1/2 TSP sea salt
2 TSP coconut flavoring/oil
1/2 cup water
Process in food processor. Top with maple syrup if you so choose -maple syrup is considered a "borderline" item like honey. Strict raw foodists don't use it, but lots do.
It's tasty and sweet and wow - the flax seeds really get the 'ole colon working hard!!
It's kinda like pancakes with maple syrup...
2 cups ground flax seed
1/2 cup raw agave syrup (or maple syrup)
1/2 TSP sea salt
2 TSP coconut flavoring/oil
1/2 cup water
Process in food processor. Top with maple syrup if you so choose -maple syrup is considered a "borderline" item like honey. Strict raw foodists don't use it, but lots do.
It's tasty and sweet and wow - the flax seeds really get the 'ole colon working hard!!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
One day to go...
Tomorrow is the last full day of the diet, but I'll refrain from eating anything off of it until Friday night - partly to make up for having those noodles when I was sick and partly to have a real "Friday night date night" with Kirky. We haven't had one in a long time, and we're totally due for one.
I'm craving a fabulous filet something fierce!! I can't believe we're almost there!!!
I'm craving a fabulous filet something fierce!! I can't believe we're almost there!!!
Friday, January 25, 2008
One week to go
So we're in the final stretch. I don't feel like I have much to report. I'm feeling better, but still hacking and coughing all of the time. I'll take that over the fevers anyday. My appetite is pretty much back to normal. Diet has remained the same - Either juice or soaked buckwheat for breakfast, a salad or tomatoes and 1/2 an avocado for lunch, dinner is usually the same as lunch. I've become a huge fan of cherry tomatoes with just a little EVOO, a little salt & pepper, and some shredded basil. TASTY! Sure, it would be better with some fresh mozzarella, but in the meantime it still makes for a tasty treat.
My total weight loss to date is about 10 lbs with the help of my weekend illness and I'm officially back at my Miss Ohio competition weight. I'm curious how long I can remain there when we make our forage back into "normal food" territory. In some ways I'm looking forward to this being over, but in many ways I don't want it to be. I like eating right, I like focusing on health, and I like having something like this to do with Kirk.
My total weight loss to date is about 10 lbs with the help of my weekend illness and I'm officially back at my Miss Ohio competition weight. I'm curious how long I can remain there when we make our forage back into "normal food" territory. In some ways I'm looking forward to this being over, but in many ways I don't want it to be. I like eating right, I like focusing on health, and I like having something like this to do with Kirk.
Monday, January 21, 2008
A minor setback, Day 20
So I've been pretty darn sick since Friday night, fevered, dizzy, with no appetite. Sunday Kirk ventured out, bought a thermometer and we discovered my temperature was 103. So we headed to stat care (closed), then the ER. Turns out I just have a nasty virus so they gave me a power dose of motrin to break my fever and sent us on our merry little way.
I hadn't eaten since breakfast Saturday morning and this was Sunday night around 8:00, so I decided to break the diet for a meal to get my strength back up. I thought the most effective and non-upsetting thing would be to have some whole grain noodles. This turned out to be a mistake on several levels. First, they tasted awful and secondly a few hours later I had awful acid reflux, stomach cramps, and nausea. I got up around 1:30 a.m., threw up a little, and sat up watching TV until around 6:00 a.m.
So I'm back on the diet today and intend to add an extra day onto the end to make up for yesterday's breach.
I hadn't eaten since breakfast Saturday morning and this was Sunday night around 8:00, so I decided to break the diet for a meal to get my strength back up. I thought the most effective and non-upsetting thing would be to have some whole grain noodles. This turned out to be a mistake on several levels. First, they tasted awful and secondly a few hours later I had awful acid reflux, stomach cramps, and nausea. I got up around 1:30 a.m., threw up a little, and sat up watching TV until around 6:00 a.m.
So I'm back on the diet today and intend to add an extra day onto the end to make up for yesterday's breach.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Day 18
I am sick. Sick, sick, sick, sick, sick. Like fevered, dizzy, delirious, shivering, sweating sick. I had to work today anyway--Boo. But what can you do? People still need to get their married on. Let's hope this ends soon.
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