Sep 30, 2011

The Seeds of Change

I've planted lots of seeds in the past few months.  I began this journey by walking every morning.  Then I began cutting sugar and processed foods.  Then I started to eliminate meat and heavy dairy.  Then I transitioned to an 80 percent raw diet.  I planted these seeds myself in hopes that they would change my body and my life.

More importantly, I began thinking differently about myself and my weight, which I used to perceive as one in the same.  My weight is not "me".  It is not part of my chemical make-up or part of my genetic inheritance.  It is not my burden or my life sentence.  Changing my thoughts has yielded the most positive change in my world these past months.  I feel I can do it... and so I can.  It's really that simple.  Sound's silly, doesn't it?

Now that the seeds are planted, I must continue to water, weed and tend my garden.  This is the long term work, and it can be difficult to sustain.  I've lost 32 pounds so far.  I feel great about this big weight loss.  However, I still have 43 pounds to lose in order to reach my goal.  The remaining weight will only dissipate if I remain focused and committed.  I'm now in the process of learning how to remain committed to the goal.

As I wrote above, my first move towards obtaining my goal was to walk every morning.  I haven't been walking consistently since the end of July.  This is something I need to reinvigorate.  More physical activity will surely transition my weight loss into the next phase.  So I guess that starting a walking regimen (again) is the first step.  What else should I be doing?  What do you do to stay focused and committed when working towards a long term goal? 



Thank you all for your continued support and readership.  This blog has been the most invaluable tool in my journey to lose 75 pounds by June 1, 2012.

Sep 26, 2011

Weigh In - Week 17

This was the first week following my three-day juice fast.  My body felt amazing after the fast and I was really excited to eat again!  At first I made great food choices.  I ate only fruits, veggies and juice for two days.  Then I slowly began adding nuts, seeds, dried fruits, nut milks, etc. 

Yesterday, while out and about with my family we popped into a soda fountain so that my three year old son could enjoy a chocolate ice cream treat.  (This is when making good food choices gets hard for me.)  I decided to order my most favorite thing in the whole world: a butterscotch milkshake.  Oh boy, it was yummy.  I drank about half and began to feel full and woozy.  So, I did something I've never done before - ever ever ever before - in my life EVER.  I didn't finish it.  When we left, there was still half a milk shake sitting on the table. 

Also, I went on a birth call this week.  As a doula, I spend long hours in hospitals and birth centers helping moms deliver their babies.  This time away always requires lots of energy and focus and I usually end up snacking on whatever is around.  Its usually a prime opportunity to consume junk and energy drinks and coffee drinks, etc.  This time, I drank lots of water and noshed on some raw sesame treats that I brought along.  Instead of eating lots of bad food, I simply helped my client deliver a beautiful baby boy, went home afterward to enjoy a nice raw meal in the comfort of my own home.

Pounds lost this week: 1
Total pounds lost: 32


The "I Did It" List
mostly stuck to my eating plan
didn't binge when on the job at a birth
allowed myself a treat, but didn't consume all of it
continued to juice every morning

Sep 24, 2011

Juicer Reviews

I've been a juicing fool.  And I've had about six weeks with my Jack LaLanne juicer.  Originally, I went to Bed Bath and Beyond to buy a Breville.  Unfortunately, they were out of stock.  But I was impatient and bought the Lalanne instead.  At first, the Lalanne was great.  But after the first week of juicing once and sometimes twice a day it started to feel a little loose and some of the tougher veggies (like kale) were having a harder time getting through the blades.




Then, Jack and I went on a juice fast for three days.  We juiced five times a day and the Lalanne started to show even more weakness.  It was very difficult to clean because the design has lots of little crevasses and notches which collect juice residue.  I needed a special brush for hard to reach places.  Then the hardware that keeps the spout in place cracked a little and the spout, while still functional, was loose and rattled when the juicer was on.  If you're looking for a juicer to pull out once every week or so for fresh orange or apple juice then you can feel confident buying a Jack Lalanne.  If, however, you're looking to juice daily and use it for juice fasts, you might want to try something a bit more sturdy and more powerful.

Lucky for me, Bed Bath and Beyond has a fantastic return policy.  I just packed up the Lalanne (in the original box) with my receipt and will take it back to the store today for a refund or exchange.  They still do not have a Breville in stock so I ordered one from Amazon.  I used it this morning and it was AWESOME.  I'll report back about the Breville in a few weeks after lots of use and experience.


Sep 23, 2011

Between Clothes

I've lost 30 some odd pounds in the past few months and I'm ecstatic!  My body is definitely changing shape and there is a marked difference in my appearance and attitude.  So, naturally my existing wardrobe is starting to become a little obsolete.  The blouses and sweaters and tops are fine and will work for the next few months, but my pants and skirts all look pretty baggy and even silly now.

I'm at an impasse.  I don't want to invest in clothing to fit my current body shape, because I'm going to keep losing.  My goal is to make my clothing work through the winter and spring so that in the summer, when I've reached the end of my weight loss year I can go shopping for clothes to suit my new shape.

Yesterday I bought a cheap pair of sale jeans from Lane Bryant to take me through the winter.  I'm thinking of altering my winter skirts (an easy project) and sticking with my sale jeans for the cold season.  I've got lots of sun dresses and stuff for spring and they'll fit no matter what size I am.  There is also a plus sized consignment store near my home called "Larger Than Life" that I'll try for some cheap cross over clothes.  For those of you who lost a lot of weight, what did you do for this in between period when it came to your wardrobe? 

Sep 21, 2011

The Spiralizer

Ever since being on a mostly raw food diet, I've been really curious about using a spiralizer to turn my raw vegetables into noodle shapes.  A spiralizer is a tool for turning raw vegetables into small, curly noodles. You can eat these raw, cooked, or use them as a fancy garnish. It can help you add more vegetables to your diet and is really fun to use. It is by no means necessary, but it is a cool addition to your kitchen if you like non-electric kitchen cooking tools and/or making noodles and garnishes out of vegetables. It can be really helpful on a raw food diet/cleanse to give you some variety in how you prepare your vegetables.  My neighbor, Kathryn, graciously allowed me to borrow hers for a test run.  All I can say is, I'm sold.  Last night I turned this:


...into this:




Zucchini Pasta Marinara

2 zucchini
1 tomato
marinara sauce
 pine nuts
parmesean cheese
fresh basil

Cut off the top and bottom of zucchini.  Place into spiralizer and turn crank until all of the zucchini is in noodle form.  Place in bowls.  Top each bowl with 2 tablespoons of organic marinara, chopped tomato, and chopped basil.  Sprinkle pine nuts and parmesean cheese to taste.  Makes 2-3 servings.


Deeeeeee-licious!

Sep 20, 2011

Breaking the Fast

I've just finished my three-day juice fast.  I thought I might go longer, but decided to break the fast today.  I was up all night with my baby last night and didn't quite have the energy to continue on.  So, how did it go?  I think it went very well. 

The first day was much easier than I thought it would be.  I juiced green lemonade throughout the day, never going longer than 2 hours without a 12 to 16 ounce glass of juice.  I just focused on my kids and house chores.  I also did some writing to keep my mind off food and eating.  By the end of the day, I was feeling really good and somewhat euphoric even.  I finished the day with a small mug of green tea. 

The second day was much tougher.  I continued to juice throughout the day.  I felt energized and alert all morning, but by 3pm my tummy was grumbling and I had the keen desire to chew on something.  I hadn't had much water and realized pretty quickly that I needed more water.  Once I was hydrated and had another 16 ounce glass of green lemonade, I felt fantastic. 

Day three (yesterday) was pretty simple.  I felt at ease and energized.  My body felt empty and light which allowed me to run around and wrestle with my three year old.  My body felt markedly different.  I was thinking last night that I'd continue the fast for another 3-4 days, but no.  I broke my fast late this morning with a salad comprised of spinach, wild greens, sprouts and tomato.  It felt good to chew on something!

Overall, I think the fast was a success and I'll definitely do another one again sometime.  I lost about 2 pounds while fasting.  If my body were a pantry, I feel like I just took all the food off the shelves, threw out the old and unwanted food, scrubbed the walls and shelves, then wiped everything down with a plush dry towel.  I feel clean, fresh and void of dust and grime.  Its a good feeling.  Now, I can start putting hand picked, whole foods back on the shelf.  I'll chose wisely, I promise!

Sep 19, 2011

Weigh In - Week 16 ...and day 3 of juice fast

Last week I didn't weigh in because I was on my period and I thought I'd take it easy and give myself a week off.  I was still losing weight, but I didn't care to check.  This week has been great.  I started the week with lots of healthy raw foods.  On Friday, I went on a date with Jack, my husband, and splurged a little - shrimp and avocado salad, ceviche and two cocktails!  Wheeee!

Then on Saturday, Jack and I began a juice fast.  Today is day three and I'm feeling refreshed and ready to meet the day.  Last night was a doozy, however, because I was wanting to eat and feeling a little weak.  It turns out I needed a little more juice and some water.  So after re-hydrating, I felt better.  (Fasting tip - keep yourself hydrated!)


Pounds lost in the past 2 weeks:  6
Total pounds lost: 31



The "I Did It" List
I stayed focused on my eating plan
I allowed for splurges when appropriate
I began a juice fast, which I've been wanting to try



As per reader request, here is the juice recipe:

GREEN LEMONADE
head of Romaine
two-three leaves of Kale
one lemon with peel
1-2 apples (cored)
4-5 whole celery sticks
small bit of ginger to taste

I juice these items in this order through my juicer, stir and drink!

Sometimes I'll add carrots or green grapes to this mix for sweetness and variety.

Sep 18, 2011

Juice Fast - Day Two

I'm feeling surprisingly good.  This is my second day of only fresh veggie and fruit juice and I'm feeling light, energized and happy.  My mood is lifted and I have a slightly "high" feeling.  I feel nourished, satisfied and while I have moments of wanting solid food, it passes quickly when I turn my attention to other things.  Jack is feeling similarly.  He was a bit headache-y yesterday and was feeling tired mid day, but that seems to have passed.  I'll check back in again tomorrow, but so far so good!



UPDATE:
Its 10pm on day two and its been a tough evening.  I was fine until about 4pm, then I started getting peckish and peavish and a little jittery.   I'm feeling a little better now, after a liter of water and the distraction of an episode of "Mad Men".  I'm curious to see how I feel tomorrow.

Sep 17, 2011

Juice Fast

I know that this is a fad right now, but I'm going to give it a try.  After reading lots about it and watching "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead", I've been inspired to do a short juice fast.  This weekend, Jack (my husband) and I are going to only consume fresh vegetable and fruit juices.  I'll be making our juices fresh from my Jack Lalanne Juicer (I wanted a Breville, but they were out of stock).

I can hear my friends saying, "Why in the world are you going on a juice fast?"  Here is my goal with the fast:  1) to cleanse my congested eliminative organs (liver, kidneys, intestines and colon), 2) to give my overworked digestive tract a break 3) to jump start the next phase of my raw eating plan.

The detox claim:

"Detoxification is a normal body process of eliminating or neutralizing toxins through the colon, liver, kidneys, lungs, lymph glands, and skin.  Just as our hearts beat nonstop and our lungs breathe continuously, so our metabolic processes continuously dispose of accumulated toxic matter. However, the environmental toxins of modern-day life -- the pollutants, chemicals, other synthetic substances -- are more than the average body can handle. The body doesn't know what to do with foreign substances, so it will store them outside of the regular elimination system, so we don't get poisoned. Those poisons start building up in our body fat."  -from Web MD


So, I figure that a juice fast might help - and it certainly can't hurt.  I'll let you know how it goes over the weekend.  Jack will probably resume eating solid raw foods on Monday when he has to go back to work.  I will probably extend the juice fast into a third day and possibly longer.  We'll see how I'm feeling on Monday when I weigh-in. 

Sep 15, 2011

Behind the Scenes

Today, a little whole foods exposé.  Since making the shift from processed foods to whole/raw foods, my kitchen has undergone a pretty big change.  It has ceased to function as a room where I cook and begun a new phase as a room where I store and chop food.  My blender and juicer now sit on the counter all day next to the coffee maker, instead of being called into use once every month or two. I've begun buying in bulk, which means that I need new storage.  The good part is that because of our new buying and eating habits, our kitchen produces far less plastic and paper waste.  Less garbage, fewer calories and better food for the whole family.  It's a pretty good deal.

So here is a behind the scenes look at my pantry and fridge.  I have a before and after shot of my newly organized pantry.  The Jars were 3.99 a piece at IKEA and the labels are Avery address labels that I printed out on our home computer.



And here is the refrigerator.  I don't have a before photo, but just imagine a 24 count box of Pepsi, lots of cheese products, Tupperware with unmarked leftovers, packaged spreads and dips, and lots of old half filled jars of jelly, pickles, olives and other sweet and salty preserved things.  Currently my freezer holds lots of frozen raw cashews, brazil nuts, macadamias, almonds and pine nuts - mostly for my raw soup, smoothie and sauce recipes.



So there you have it, a behind the scenes look at my food storage.

Sep 13, 2011

Soups

In order to stick to my eating plan, I've been preparing and eating lots of raw (and some not so raw) blended soups.  So far, I'm loving it.  They are chock full of nutrients and enzymes and are perfect for weight loss.  These are by far my three favorite soups so far and I thought I'd share them with you.


TOMATO GAZPACHO

Soup Base:                                 3 tomatoes
                                                      1 tablespoon pitted dates
                                                      ½ cup Brazil nuts (or almonds or cashews)
                                                      1 cup of olive oil  (I use a little less)
                                                      2 cloves garlic
                                                      1 teaspoon ground black pepper
                                                      1 tablespoon soy sauce
                                                      2 - 4 cups water for desired consistency

Soup Toppings:                        1 large tomato diced
                                                      ½ cucumber peeled and diced
                                                      chopped basil or cilantro

Blend tomatoes, dates, nuts, oil, garlic, pepper, soy sauce, and water until smooth.  Pour into bowls and add toppings.  The soup base will keep for three days in fridge, toppings will keep for one day in fridge.

Raw Gazpacho



SWEET CORN CHOWDER

Soup Base:                                 3 ears sweet corn cut from cob
                                                      ¾ cup walnuts
                                                      ¾ cup olive oil
                                                      1-2 cloves garlic
                                                      1 teaspoon sea salt
                                                      2 cups water
                                                      1 avocado pitted and peeled

Soup Toppings:                        1 ear sweet corn cut from cob          
                                                      Avocado slices or cubes from above
                                                      cracked black pepper
                                                     
Blend corn, nuts, oil, garlic, salt, avocado (remember to set a few slices aside for topping) and water until smooth.  Pour into bowls and add toppings.  Chowder will keep for one day in fridge.

Raw Sweet Corn Chowder





SWEET POTATO BISQUE

2-3 sweet potatoes                                 1 packet of sweetener or spoonful of honey
2 cups baby carrots                                ¼ teaspoon cumin
1 cup of water                                          ½ teaspoon coriander powder
2 cups vegetable broth                          ¼ teaspoon minced ginger
½ teaspoon sea salt                                ¼ teaspoon minced garlic

This soup is easy with no real chopping required.  Bake the sweet potatoes and boil the carrots until soft.  Blend all ingredients together until smooth.  If the soup lost any heat in the blending process, you can warm it in a pot on the stove to the desired temperature. Pour into bowls and enjoy!

Sweet Potato and Carrot Bisque

Sep 12, 2011

The Non-Weigh-In

Hello dear readers.  I usually weigh in on Monday and post a little list of good things that I did for my weight loss plan.  But today, I'm giving myself a little break.  I'm moody and bloated and serving my monthly sentence for being a woman.  Instead of weighing myself, I'm going to eat a banana almond smoothie, shove some tampons in my purse and pack my kids in the car for a therapeutic trip to IKEA.  I'm in the process of detoxing my pantry and throwing / giving away all the processed foods I've been storing since Bill Clinton was president.  IKEA will help me organize all my new whole foods.  Don't worry, 'll be back next week for my weigh-in.

Sep 10, 2011

Stop. Try again.

Tonight I hosted a social gathering for about 20 people at my house.  It was a potluck kind of thing and some of the guests brought really decadent treats.  I'd like to note at this time that this is the first day of my period, which made me extremely vulnerable to all of the sugary, cheesy treats on my dining room table.  So, I ate my fill.  I gorged.  I totally fell off the wagon tonight.  Here is a list of all that I ate:

a handful of tortilla chips
a bunch of cream based corn dip
goat cheese bites
lots of hummus and pita chips
two glasses of red wine
a chocolate Milky Way cupcake
and a beer at the end of the evening to top it all off

So there you have it.  A list of my sins.  It was a really nice party and everyone had a great time.  But I feel totally bloated and a little woozy from all the cheese.  I think I need to take a Midol and sleep it off.  I may fore-go a weigh-in this week because of my period.  I'm sure that I'm retaining like 8 pounds of water.  Or maybe I'm retaining beer.  Ugh.

Sep 9, 2011

A Little Game of Tennis

Yesterday, my family and I headed out of doors to enjoy this beautiful weather and play a game of tennis.  I was on the tennis team in high school and have always enjoyed the game.  However, I haven't held a racket or been on a court in years.  Many, many years.  I had a blast, produced lots of sweat, got some sun and had a marvelous time.  My husband and I noted that this would be a great way to spend date night (when we have the opportunity).  I also want our future family outings to revolve more around physical activity.  Normally, we see a film or go out for dinner or go to a museum.  But a family swim or a game of kick ball or tennis is just as much fun and shows our children that physical activity is a part of our everyday life.  Here are a couple shots from yesterday's game:


Sep 7, 2011

Raw Banana Macadamia Cream Pudding

I made this last night for my family and we loved it!  Its a decadent and rich sweet treat that falls well within the confines of a raw only diet. 


Raw Banana Macadamia Cream Pudding

4 bananas
1 cup macadamia nuts
1/3 cup dates (I soaked mine for about 45 minutes before hand)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-3 tablespoons of water from soaking dates

Mix all ingredients in blender - serves four.  You can also add cacao powder for a fudge-like chocolate version.  Next time I make this, I'll try it as a pie filling with a raw date and nut crust!  You can also make it into a parfait as in the image below.


Sep 6, 2011

Me in a Bathing Suit

Yesterday was Labor Day and we spent the morning and afternoon at a friend's home.  We ate, chatted, enjoyed a break in the Dallas heat wave, and swam.  Swimming of course requires that I squeeze myself into a suit of some sort.  Usually, I hate it.  I feel fat and exposed and judged and it's junior high all over again.  But for the first time in eleventy-billion years, I was not embarrassed to be seen in my suit.  I'm not skinny or perfect or fit (yet), but just dropping 25 pounds made me feel comfortable in my suit - and more importantly, comfortable in my skin.  Here's a shot of my and my son, Walker, in the pool!

Sep 5, 2011

Weigh In - Week 14

Its been a funny up-and-down week of mood swings and weird accidents and great times with family.  Even after over a month of eating a mostly plant-based diet, my body is still adjusting.  I have temporary mood swings and the usual means of leveling my emotional world (a bowl of ice cream or a cake ball or a big fat cookie) are not in place any more.  But I feel that it's getting better and in general, my body feels better, more alive and more alert than it has in years. 

My Dad is visiting this week from Scotland and I have been preparing mostly all raw meals for him as well as myself and my husband, Jack.  He's been impressed at the yumminess and easy digestion of our meals.  I think we might have a convert!  In order to prepare these awesome raw meals, I do a lot of chopping and this week, I got lazy and cut off a small tip from my middle finger.  Ouch!  It was a painful reminder that I need to remain mindful when preparing meals.  Ugh.

But, overall, this was a great week that proved to me that eating raw meals and juicing in the mornings is working for me and my family.  My husband even lost two or three more pounds!  Isn't that cool?  This week, I lost three pounds for a total loss of 25 pounds.  That is 1/3 of my weight loss goal!  I'm thrilled.


Pounds lost this week:   3
Total pounds lost:  25



The "I Did It" List

stuck to my eating plan
switched out most all beverages for water
began all of my days with 16 ounces of "green lemonade"


Sep 2, 2011

Chewing My Nails

I know, I know.  Gross, right?  I've been chewing my nails ever since I can remember.  But when I started eating mostly raw meals and juicing in the mornings, a strange thing happened.  I stopped biting my nails.  I don't know why, but I just stopped for a few days.  Then another strange thing happened.  My formerly weak, splitting, flimsy, paper thin nails grew in strong and thick and white.  It's been about a month since the last time I chewed my nails.  In fact, Charlie's surgery date was the last time I caught myself biting.  This new diet is really good at curbing my mood swings and stabilizing my stress levels.  I think this plays a huge factor in why I haven't had the urge to chew.  The other component is that all the phyto-nutrients, minerals, vitamins and enzyme consumption is improving my cellular quality.  This allows my cells to produce more quality tissue.  I'll let you know how it pans out.  I'd love to call nail biting a thing of the past!