I made some really bad food choices over the past few days. And I'm feeling it. I feel crampy, bloated, irritable, sick, lethargic and just all around *blech*.
Did I always feel this bad when I ate this way? Or does the eating raw then going back to bad food choices make it worse? Whatever it is, I hope I learn from this and start making some better choices.
Thank God for his fresh mercies every morning...tomorrow is a new day and I've got a fresh pineapple waiting for me to start the day off right!
Monday, June 21, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Ugh!
This is hard...It's not that the food isn't yummy. It IS. It's just that, well, I have 34 years of bad eating habits to overcome and it doesn't happen overnight.
I recently completed a Bible study about breaking free from those things that keep us in captivity. The author of the study said that when breaking free there is a progression that happens that looks something like this:
It's hard ---> It's hardest ---> It's a little easier ---> It's under my feet.
I'm hoping that it gets a little easier sooner rather than later because I'm ready for this to be under my feet!
That's about all I have to say today.
I recently completed a Bible study about breaking free from those things that keep us in captivity. The author of the study said that when breaking free there is a progression that happens that looks something like this:
It's hard ---> It's hardest ---> It's a little easier ---> It's under my feet.
I'm hoping that it gets a little easier sooner rather than later because I'm ready for this to be under my feet!
That's about all I have to say today.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
So here's the plan...
After trying to figure this thing out for the past week or so, I've decided that for practicality sake, I will lower my raw goal to 70% a day. This will allow me to eat raw all throughout the day and enjoy a nice meal with my family in the evening.
Really, I could eat fruits and veggies, salads and smoothies, energy bars (homemade) and snack mixes (nuts, seeds and dried fruit) all day. That's not the problem. I actually enjoy these foods. It's the amount of time to prepare the "gourmet" raw foods that help to add more variety into my food selections that is the problem. All the soaking, sprouting and dehydrating and the amount of coordination and organization that requires me to do this well is, at this stage of my life, prohibitive. What would be ideal is that I'd have a windfall of money - an astronomical amount - that would allow me to hire a raw food chef to prepare my entire family's meals every day. Of course, since that is not happening any time soon, I'll simply strive to eat raw 70% of the time. The evening meal I prepare will be comprised entirely of foods that I can both pronounce and recognize, but they can be cooked (basically, a cooked meal with God-made foods).
As for my half marathon training, I ran 3 miles yesterday. For now, it's all just prep work. The "real" training schedule actually begins week after next. I'm hoping that my hip heals up by then. It's really been uncomfortable since last October when I ran the 4.0 mile leg in the KC Marathon as part of a relay team - all up hill, too. After yesterday's run, it was really bugging me. I went to the chiropractor and he did an amazing adjustment that made me feel 1000% better - said my hip was rotating backwards. I'll see him again tomorrow. It's still tender and I'm icing it three times a day. I'm praying that it will be healed completely and quickly!
And on a final note, I just want to say "Thanks" to all of you who have asked me about my "Raw Food Adventure." I so appreciate it! It's helped me to stay accountable and focused. I never know when someone is going to say, "Hey, Loula! How's that raw food thing going?" and knowing that it could be at any moment helps me to smile and say "No" when I'm trying to justify that brownie batter could be considered a "raw" food...
Really, I could eat fruits and veggies, salads and smoothies, energy bars (homemade) and snack mixes (nuts, seeds and dried fruit) all day. That's not the problem. I actually enjoy these foods. It's the amount of time to prepare the "gourmet" raw foods that help to add more variety into my food selections that is the problem. All the soaking, sprouting and dehydrating and the amount of coordination and organization that requires me to do this well is, at this stage of my life, prohibitive. What would be ideal is that I'd have a windfall of money - an astronomical amount - that would allow me to hire a raw food chef to prepare my entire family's meals every day. Of course, since that is not happening any time soon, I'll simply strive to eat raw 70% of the time. The evening meal I prepare will be comprised entirely of foods that I can both pronounce and recognize, but they can be cooked (basically, a cooked meal with God-made foods).
As for my half marathon training, I ran 3 miles yesterday. For now, it's all just prep work. The "real" training schedule actually begins week after next. I'm hoping that my hip heals up by then. It's really been uncomfortable since last October when I ran the 4.0 mile leg in the KC Marathon as part of a relay team - all up hill, too. After yesterday's run, it was really bugging me. I went to the chiropractor and he did an amazing adjustment that made me feel 1000% better - said my hip was rotating backwards. I'll see him again tomorrow. It's still tender and I'm icing it three times a day. I'm praying that it will be healed completely and quickly!
And on a final note, I just want to say "Thanks" to all of you who have asked me about my "Raw Food Adventure." I so appreciate it! It's helped me to stay accountable and focused. I never know when someone is going to say, "Hey, Loula! How's that raw food thing going?" and knowing that it could be at any moment helps me to smile and say "No" when I'm trying to justify that brownie batter could be considered a "raw" food...
Saturday, June 12, 2010
What have I gotten myself into?
The more raw recipes I'm finding, the more I'm seeing that going raw is not just a willy nilly decision. Not that I ever thought it was, mind you. But I didn't really understand just how much work it is.
One of the books I've borrowed from the library is one called Raw Food for Real People. The recipes sound lovely. There's one called "Wild Rice Pilaf." It sounds divine...until I read that you have to soak the rice for 3 DAYS! I don't know if I'll be in the mood for wild rice pilaf in three days! This will take quite a bit of organization and preparation.
I'm also finding that it's much more expensive to eat this way. I could easily use my entire month's food budget on raw food for me. And yet, I still have to feed my husband and kids (who are not going raw with me).
Frankly, at this point, I want to give up. It seems like a big task - too big for my circumstances, really. Yet, I don't want to give up. It's not that I don't like eating the foods. What I've experienced so far has been quite scrumptious. I want to see what happens as I add more raw to my diet in regard to my health. I mean, it certainly doesn't hurt to add more God-made foods into my diet. However, the time and financial requirements are of concern to me. We'll have to see what is the best course of action for me to add as much raw food into my diet without being impractical.
Stay tuned...more to come!
One of the books I've borrowed from the library is one called Raw Food for Real People. The recipes sound lovely. There's one called "Wild Rice Pilaf." It sounds divine...until I read that you have to soak the rice for 3 DAYS! I don't know if I'll be in the mood for wild rice pilaf in three days! This will take quite a bit of organization and preparation.
I'm also finding that it's much more expensive to eat this way. I could easily use my entire month's food budget on raw food for me. And yet, I still have to feed my husband and kids (who are not going raw with me).
Frankly, at this point, I want to give up. It seems like a big task - too big for my circumstances, really. Yet, I don't want to give up. It's not that I don't like eating the foods. What I've experienced so far has been quite scrumptious. I want to see what happens as I add more raw to my diet in regard to my health. I mean, it certainly doesn't hurt to add more God-made foods into my diet. However, the time and financial requirements are of concern to me. We'll have to see what is the best course of action for me to add as much raw food into my diet without being impractical.
Stay tuned...more to come!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
What a difference a day makes
Yesterday morning, after two days of raw, I wanted to get on here and write about how great I felt already - no bloating, I actually felt lighter, my energy levels were up. I thought, Wow - if I'm already feeling this much better after just two days...imagine how I'll feel after a week, a month, a hundred days?
But, then yesterday got rolling and things changed. I knew that I wouldn't be eating 100% - or even my goal of 90% raw - yesterday. I knew I'd eat out with my husband as we celebrated our anniversary. I did my best to make good choices - well, better choices that I normally would. And I did. But by the middle of the afternoon, I felt like a slug again. And this morning, not the vibrant bundle of energy I had yesterday.
I didn't completely blow it. I do have some little victories to celebrate: when we stopped to get drinks at Sonic, instead of ordering my usual "large Diet Dr. Pepper with vanilla and very little ice," I ordered a Route 44 Water. Perfect and Refreshing. Even though we were handed ginourmous cookies when leaving the restaurant at lunch, I didn't eat it. In fact, yesterday was the third day in a row with no refined sugar or any kind. And looking back over the day, I'd say my total "rawness" was about 30%. Not my goal of 50% but still better than what I would have done in the past, which would have been to say, "It's my anniversary, I can celebrate! I can let loose! I can eat whatever I want!"
The problem with that mindset is this: I end up making every day something to celebrate. "It's Flag Day! It's Kiss a Pig Day! My son didn't have any cavities! My pinky toe didn't get stubbed today!" It can get quite ridiculous, actually.
There are a couple of realizations that I had yesterday too. I stood in the Barnes and Noble looking at the magazines, hoping to find one about raw food. I only one I found that came anything close to it was one called VegTimes...a vegetarian magazine. I didn't buy it because it seemed so...I don't know...self-righteous? Flipping through a number of books on raw eating I felt the same way. "Eat this way because it makes you a better person." It's almost off-putting, quite frankly. I want to eat this way because it's a challenge, I know it's a refreshing and healthy change, and it will be a great learning experience. I don't necessarily think it's making me a better person, though. I suppose those that care enough to make a magazine about vegetarian living are passionate about it. Just like I'm passionate about my Savior, my hubby, my kids or birth. I suppose anyone who's ever heard me talking about any of these topics might come away with the impression that I'm over-the-top about any of those things, too.
The other thing that I have come to realize in doing my research is that eating raw takes some serious preparation and time. Soak this for 24 hours, dehydrate for 12. That means for some recipes, I need to know 36 hours in advance before I want to start preparing a recipe that calls for such pre-work. I don't know if I'll be able to sustain that. I'm much more accustomed to the "here are six meals we can make this week" kind of planning. Depending on what the day brings us, we can pick from one of those meals. Some take longer to prepare than others, but none really take longer than an hour start to finish. I'm going to have to be much more diligent about meal planning and preparation. That will also be a big challenge for me. If any of you know of any short cuts, good recipe books, etc., please share!
And finally, I realized, while perusing the magazines, that I like cooked food. I like cooking food. I like eating cooked food. And when this personal challenge of mine is over, I'm sure I'll include more cooked foods in my regular eating. I foresee myself being about 70% raw when all is said and done after the 100 days are over.
All that being said, I'm committed to the next 97 days of being as raw as possible. And for now, I must go pick up my new food processor.
But, then yesterday got rolling and things changed. I knew that I wouldn't be eating 100% - or even my goal of 90% raw - yesterday. I knew I'd eat out with my husband as we celebrated our anniversary. I did my best to make good choices - well, better choices that I normally would. And I did. But by the middle of the afternoon, I felt like a slug again. And this morning, not the vibrant bundle of energy I had yesterday.
I didn't completely blow it. I do have some little victories to celebrate: when we stopped to get drinks at Sonic, instead of ordering my usual "large Diet Dr. Pepper with vanilla and very little ice," I ordered a Route 44 Water. Perfect and Refreshing. Even though we were handed ginourmous cookies when leaving the restaurant at lunch, I didn't eat it. In fact, yesterday was the third day in a row with no refined sugar or any kind. And looking back over the day, I'd say my total "rawness" was about 30%. Not my goal of 50% but still better than what I would have done in the past, which would have been to say, "It's my anniversary, I can celebrate! I can let loose! I can eat whatever I want!"
The problem with that mindset is this: I end up making every day something to celebrate. "It's Flag Day! It's Kiss a Pig Day! My son didn't have any cavities! My pinky toe didn't get stubbed today!" It can get quite ridiculous, actually.
There are a couple of realizations that I had yesterday too. I stood in the Barnes and Noble looking at the magazines, hoping to find one about raw food. I only one I found that came anything close to it was one called VegTimes...a vegetarian magazine. I didn't buy it because it seemed so...I don't know...self-righteous? Flipping through a number of books on raw eating I felt the same way. "Eat this way because it makes you a better person." It's almost off-putting, quite frankly. I want to eat this way because it's a challenge, I know it's a refreshing and healthy change, and it will be a great learning experience. I don't necessarily think it's making me a better person, though. I suppose those that care enough to make a magazine about vegetarian living are passionate about it. Just like I'm passionate about my Savior, my hubby, my kids or birth. I suppose anyone who's ever heard me talking about any of these topics might come away with the impression that I'm over-the-top about any of those things, too.
The other thing that I have come to realize in doing my research is that eating raw takes some serious preparation and time. Soak this for 24 hours, dehydrate for 12. That means for some recipes, I need to know 36 hours in advance before I want to start preparing a recipe that calls for such pre-work. I don't know if I'll be able to sustain that. I'm much more accustomed to the "here are six meals we can make this week" kind of planning. Depending on what the day brings us, we can pick from one of those meals. Some take longer to prepare than others, but none really take longer than an hour start to finish. I'm going to have to be much more diligent about meal planning and preparation. That will also be a big challenge for me. If any of you know of any short cuts, good recipe books, etc., please share!
And finally, I realized, while perusing the magazines, that I like cooked food. I like cooking food. I like eating cooked food. And when this personal challenge of mine is over, I'm sure I'll include more cooked foods in my regular eating. I foresee myself being about 70% raw when all is said and done after the 100 days are over.
All that being said, I'm committed to the next 97 days of being as raw as possible. And for now, I must go pick up my new food processor.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Recap from Day Two
Ok, I'm starving right now. Probably because I've stayed up too late. Darn HOA treasurer duties! (shakes fist) I'm going to have to munch on some strawberries before bed...so yummy and juicy!
I actually got a lot accomplished today. Made granola this morning, picked up the dehydrator that I found for $8 on craigslist, found an 11-cup food processor (barely used) for $75 (will pick it up on Thursday) and did a little grocery shopping...
In the dehydrator right now: kiwi and papaya dipped in a raw honey glaze (equal parts raw honey and water with a dash of cinnamon). Before I hit the sack, I'll rotate the trays...Here's hoping for a great morning treat!
For dinner I made the kids grilled cheese. They smelled heavenly. I decided to make some guacamole - one of my most favorite things to make and eat! And really, I make a mean guacamole. I mean, I've got some serious guacamole skills! I had one perfect little avocado - not too soft, not too firm - ready to enjoy it's guaco-destiny. I diced the onion. I harvested the lone jalepeno and some fresh cilantro from patio garden. I minced garlic. I was just about ready to mash it all up when I realized: I had no lime. "Oh well," I thought. "It will have to do." Then I went to add the salt, got distracted with one of the little ones and added WAY too much. I tried to salvage it, but, alas, could not. *sigh* I ate it anyway.
Can I just say, guacamole sans lime and with too much salt is, well, sub-prime?
No worries, though. I actually bought five more avocados tonight. We'll try again later this week!
I've wanted to just go off the raw and eat so many different things today - pop a veggie straw in my mouth, enjoy a Newman-O with the kiddies, take a nibble of the grilled cheese sandwich. I kept thinking, though, that I've got to learn to splurge on special occasions and not every day. It just so happens tomorrow is a special occasion. I'm going to spend the day with DH as we celebrate our anniversary. Just the two of us. I probably will be somewhere in the neighborhood of 50% raw tomorrow and that's okay. But thinking that I'll get to be a little more relaxed tomorrow helped me to stay focused and on target today. It's going to be interesting staying on task when "special occasions" come up or even special circumstances. I'll be doing a lot of traveling this summer - going out of town for work, pleasure, family time, etc. How will I manage those times? I'm not sure. I'm hoping I'll have enough of a momentum built up by the time my next business trip rolls around (in just two weeks) that it will be fairly easy to stay on target.
Right now, though, my goal is to enjoy these strawberries and focus on not going overboard tomorrow.
I actually got a lot accomplished today. Made granola this morning, picked up the dehydrator that I found for $8 on craigslist, found an 11-cup food processor (barely used) for $75 (will pick it up on Thursday) and did a little grocery shopping...
In the dehydrator right now: kiwi and papaya dipped in a raw honey glaze (equal parts raw honey and water with a dash of cinnamon). Before I hit the sack, I'll rotate the trays...Here's hoping for a great morning treat!
For dinner I made the kids grilled cheese. They smelled heavenly. I decided to make some guacamole - one of my most favorite things to make and eat! And really, I make a mean guacamole. I mean, I've got some serious guacamole skills! I had one perfect little avocado - not too soft, not too firm - ready to enjoy it's guaco-destiny. I diced the onion. I harvested the lone jalepeno and some fresh cilantro from patio garden. I minced garlic. I was just about ready to mash it all up when I realized: I had no lime. "Oh well," I thought. "It will have to do." Then I went to add the salt, got distracted with one of the little ones and added WAY too much. I tried to salvage it, but, alas, could not. *sigh* I ate it anyway.
Can I just say, guacamole sans lime and with too much salt is, well, sub-prime?
No worries, though. I actually bought five more avocados tonight. We'll try again later this week!
I've wanted to just go off the raw and eat so many different things today - pop a veggie straw in my mouth, enjoy a Newman-O with the kiddies, take a nibble of the grilled cheese sandwich. I kept thinking, though, that I've got to learn to splurge on special occasions and not every day. It just so happens tomorrow is a special occasion. I'm going to spend the day with DH as we celebrate our anniversary. Just the two of us. I probably will be somewhere in the neighborhood of 50% raw tomorrow and that's okay. But thinking that I'll get to be a little more relaxed tomorrow helped me to stay focused and on target today. It's going to be interesting staying on task when "special occasions" come up or even special circumstances. I'll be doing a lot of traveling this summer - going out of town for work, pleasure, family time, etc. How will I manage those times? I'm not sure. I'm hoping I'll have enough of a momentum built up by the time my next business trip rolls around (in just two weeks) that it will be fairly easy to stay on target.
Right now, though, my goal is to enjoy these strawberries and focus on not going overboard tomorrow.
Goals and Objectives
I thought I'd write a little bit about what eating raw is, what it's going to look like for me and what my goals are for the next 99 days.
By definition, Raw foodism is a lifestyle promoting the consumption of uncooked, unprocessed and often organic foods as a large percentage of diet. (from wikipedia). In basic terms, it means eating things only God made and not cooking them over 118*. The theory behind it is that there are enzymes in plant foods that our bodies thrive on but that are destroyed when heated to over 118*. Many raw foodists don't eat any animal products at all and are therefore vegan. Some will include raw animal products - cheese and yogurt made from raw milk, sushi, other raw meats, etc. The more raw food in your diet, the more health benefits you will reap. There are raw vegans, raw vegetarians (those who allow eggs and dairy), raw omnivores (include animal products in their diet).
My goal is to have a diet that consists of 90% raw and living foods. I'm going to need and certainly want some flexibility in my food choices. This morning I made granola - made from all raw and organic ingredients - but I cooked it at 300*. But because my goal is to be 90% raw, this yummilicious recipe will fit in nicely to my new way of eating. I ate my granola with some yogurt, a living food.
What's a living food, you ask? In short, it's a food that would grow if you put it in the ground - sprouts, seeds, etc. Why does yogurt fall into this category? Obviously yogurt doesn't come from a seed. Well, the answer comes with the use of a microscope. Yogurt is teeming with good bacteria and since bacteria is a living organism, yogurt is considered a living food.
One of my challenges is going to be sorting through all the information I take in and find out what fits my life, my goals, my objectives. I have a tendency to take what I read and make it law in my life, find that it doesn't work and struggle with feelings of failure, setbacks, disappointments, etc. Already, I've found that there are many who believe that if you go raw, you should go vegan. That's not going to happen with this woman. I am going to continue to enjoy my cheese and yogurt - made from raw milk, of course! I might even had the occasional omelette made with farm fresh eggs! Who knows?! The possibilities are endless! The point is, I'm going to be 90% raw and enjoy my journey.
What I have found, though, is that there is a substitute for just about anything you can think of: can't stand the thought giving up sour cream? Try Cashew Sour Cream. Want a burger? Try this recipe. Sounds delicious to me! I've also found that I don't exactly have the right tools just yet. I really need to invest in a food processor. I have a little one, but I need one with at least a 6 or 7 cup capacity. I would like to get a better blender, but they are EXPENSIVE! I have a juicer that I lent to a friend and am going to see if she's using it still. If not, I'll get that out, too. The other thing I'm going to need is a dehydrator. Hope to pick that one up today! Found a simple one for $7 on craigslist. The right tools are essential for this journey!
After just a day and a half of purposefully eating raw, I've found myself kind of surprised at the fact that it doesn't take a whole lot to fill me up. Raw and living foods are very filling. I suppose this is a very good thing.
By definition, Raw foodism is a lifestyle promoting the consumption of uncooked, unprocessed and often organic foods as a large percentage of diet. (from wikipedia). In basic terms, it means eating things only God made and not cooking them over 118*. The theory behind it is that there are enzymes in plant foods that our bodies thrive on but that are destroyed when heated to over 118*. Many raw foodists don't eat any animal products at all and are therefore vegan. Some will include raw animal products - cheese and yogurt made from raw milk, sushi, other raw meats, etc. The more raw food in your diet, the more health benefits you will reap. There are raw vegans, raw vegetarians (those who allow eggs and dairy), raw omnivores (include animal products in their diet).
My goal is to have a diet that consists of 90% raw and living foods. I'm going to need and certainly want some flexibility in my food choices. This morning I made granola - made from all raw and organic ingredients - but I cooked it at 300*. But because my goal is to be 90% raw, this yummilicious recipe will fit in nicely to my new way of eating. I ate my granola with some yogurt, a living food.
What's a living food, you ask? In short, it's a food that would grow if you put it in the ground - sprouts, seeds, etc. Why does yogurt fall into this category? Obviously yogurt doesn't come from a seed. Well, the answer comes with the use of a microscope. Yogurt is teeming with good bacteria and since bacteria is a living organism, yogurt is considered a living food.
One of my challenges is going to be sorting through all the information I take in and find out what fits my life, my goals, my objectives. I have a tendency to take what I read and make it law in my life, find that it doesn't work and struggle with feelings of failure, setbacks, disappointments, etc. Already, I've found that there are many who believe that if you go raw, you should go vegan. That's not going to happen with this woman. I am going to continue to enjoy my cheese and yogurt - made from raw milk, of course! I might even had the occasional omelette made with farm fresh eggs! Who knows?! The possibilities are endless! The point is, I'm going to be 90% raw and enjoy my journey.
What I have found, though, is that there is a substitute for just about anything you can think of: can't stand the thought giving up sour cream? Try Cashew Sour Cream. Want a burger? Try this recipe. Sounds delicious to me! I've also found that I don't exactly have the right tools just yet. I really need to invest in a food processor. I have a little one, but I need one with at least a 6 or 7 cup capacity. I would like to get a better blender, but they are EXPENSIVE! I have a juicer that I lent to a friend and am going to see if she's using it still. If not, I'll get that out, too. The other thing I'm going to need is a dehydrator. Hope to pick that one up today! Found a simple one for $7 on craigslist. The right tools are essential for this journey!
After just a day and a half of purposefully eating raw, I've found myself kind of surprised at the fact that it doesn't take a whole lot to fill me up. Raw and living foods are very filling. I suppose this is a very good thing.
Monday, June 7, 2010
New Adventures
I'm new at this blogging thing. I've thought about blogging for a while. I've even written various blog posts in my head (something I do a lot, actually). Never quite got around to making the leap into the blogosphere myself, though. Perhaps I was afraid no one would be interested in what I had to say. Or maybe I was concerned that it would be just "one more thing" to keep up-to-date in my life. Well, it's a done deal now. I've jumped in - all the way - and I'm not getting out anytime soon.
Raw Loula - today, I've embarked on a new venture - to eat raw for 100 days. I thought I'd share my journey, my thoughts, my struggles, my insights, my failures, my victories, my changes and even my attitudes here. Anyone who knows me in real life knows that I strive to be authentic. I want to be real. Too much fake, manufactured, silly, contrived nonsense in the world as it is. I don't need anymore...especially in my own life. Some of my friends - those closest to me - might say that I'm pretty transparent. Sometimes, I get pretty raw and it's not always easy. But it's good. It's right. I'm not saying that my transparency is always timed correctly. My friend "S" and I often joke about having a blurting problem. I'll say what's on my mind, when it's on my mind, without filtering it. It can be quite unfortunate, really.
That being said, I think that going raw in my eating will really be a extension of what I'm trying to accomplish in my character and life. Many have asked why I'm doing this. The reasons are numerous and plenty...here are a few:
Let the adventures begin!!!!
Raw Loula - today, I've embarked on a new venture - to eat raw for 100 days. I thought I'd share my journey, my thoughts, my struggles, my insights, my failures, my victories, my changes and even my attitudes here. Anyone who knows me in real life knows that I strive to be authentic. I want to be real. Too much fake, manufactured, silly, contrived nonsense in the world as it is. I don't need anymore...especially in my own life. Some of my friends - those closest to me - might say that I'm pretty transparent. Sometimes, I get pretty raw and it's not always easy. But it's good. It's right. I'm not saying that my transparency is always timed correctly. My friend "S" and I often joke about having a blurting problem. I'll say what's on my mind, when it's on my mind, without filtering it. It can be quite unfortunate, really.
That being said, I think that going raw in my eating will really be a extension of what I'm trying to accomplish in my character and life. Many have asked why I'm doing this. The reasons are numerous and plenty...here are a few:
- I'm tired - all the time. Yes, part of it is my thyroid issue, but part of it is the crap I put into my body on a regular basis.
- About a year ago, I started converting most of my family's food to natural, organic, chemical-free products. I completely cut out HFCS and trans fats. Wasn't an easy switch, but I'm so glad I did it. I've come to the conclusion, though, that organic junk food is still junk food.
- Having struggled with food issues my whole life (pretty much), I've tried diet after diet after diet. What I really don't want is another diet. I want to learn to eat and enjoy foods that God designed for me to eat and enjoy. I don't want to eat man-made, industrial crap. Fact is, many "diet" or "low-cal" or so-called "healthy" foods in the supermarkets are actually laden with so many chemicals and man-made food-stuffs that I need a PhD to read the ingredients list. I can't really see how that is "healthy" for us.
- I have a friend who started eating this way about a year ago. Her daughter had a ton of medical problems before they started eating (mostly) raw, and since then most of those medical problems have gone away. Plus, my friend lost some 65 pounds...just by changing the way she eats. The girl doesn't even hit the gym! She looks amazing - and not just because of her weight loss. Her skin looks lovely, her countenance has changed...she's become even more beautiful than when I first met her two and a half years ago!
- I truly recognize and believe that my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. I want nothing more than to honor and worship my Creator by keeping his temple in tip-top shape. 1 Corinthians 6:19 - "Do you know know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own."
- I like a challenge. Eight years ago, I began training for the Honolulu Marathon and in December 2002, I ran it. Those who know me know I'm not the athletic type. This was a HUGE accomplishment for me. I've challenged a dear friend of mine to run a local Half Marathon with me in the fall. I want to run with a strong, lean, well-fueled body.
- Because I can.
- Because I want to.
- Because I love to teach. I'm excited about what lies ahead of me and where this journey will take me. I'm even more excited to share it with you.
- Because this is going to be one of the most difficult things I've ever done in my life. I have 34 years of crappy eating habits to re-shift and adjust and that will be no easy task. I'm hoping that be being open and raw about my journey here on the internet will help to keep me accountable to what I'm trying to accomplish.
- Because my friend strongly suggested I should...not that I needed much prodding, mind you. I was strongly considering it myself ;)
Let the adventures begin!!!!
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