Raw Food Cleanse - 18 days :)

I've gotten off track a bit. Yeah, it happens. I'm not upset about it, but I want to get centered again. As I've mentioned before, I feel so alive when I am eating raw. So, Raw Food Naturals is doing a 15 day raw food cleanse starting July 1. I've decided to start mine a little early - TODAY :) Yes, I am ready. I'm going to post what I eat each day in an effort to show some accountability. It is not my intent to be 100% raw my entire life - I will strive to be 80% or above. BUT, for these 18 days, I am going to be as 100% as I can be!!! I don't expect to be perfect, but close to it would be lovely!!!

Breakfast:
Green juice - kale, collards, wheatgrass, carrots and pineapple - YUM!!!!

Lunch:
Raw falafel burger with raw hummus and cucumber and a few cherries :)

Dinner:
Large salad of napa cabbage, shredded rutabaga, carrot, red pepper, zucchini "pasta", in a red pepper dressing :)

Dessert/Snack:
Raw strawberry/banana ice cream!!!

Day 1 - experiment

Yesterday went GREAT!!! I ate well, no alcohol - life is good, and I even slept fairly well (kids had a party till 4:30am!) I'm keeping VERY busy. Actually, I'm a bit overwhelmed....but not in a bad way. I have a huge group of kids here today and will be making quesadillas on the grill for them :)....My farmer harvested tons of greens from my garden last night, so that will be my lunch. I'm not really tempted by the SAD food - but I am a bit by the alcohol. I'm having dinner tonight with 3 friends from high school - it may be a challenge.....

30 DAY EXPERIMENT

Okay, I'm ready - I think :)....I've been talking lately about how great I feel when I eat a high raw diet. But often, I end up overeating on foods that are not very good for me at the end of the day. I'll also have a cocktail at the end of the day that usually ends up becoming 2 or 3 glasses of wine! I'm finding that I just don't feel as well emotionally or physically when I do that. So, starting today, I am going to undertake a 30 day experiment (until June 24th - my daughters 21st birthday!) to see how my body reacts to no alcohol and a high raw diet :) Its going to be a huge challenge for me because I am so social. Its also going to be hard because I think I am going to have to face some of my emotions head on - you know - those emotions that have been hiding under the surface for YEARS - the ones I don't want to feel - the ones I mask with food & alcohol. I've already figured out how to explain to my friends why I am not having any wine (they all know that I am high raw) - I am going to tell them that it is an experiment with my night sweats - which, in a way it is. I am on bioidentical hormones - which are great, but I'm starting to figure out that I still have the night sweats when I drink alcohol at night. This will either confirm or deny that :) So...my 30 day journey begins - geez, right before memorial weekend!! But my excitement is high. I will try to blog during my rough spots and maybe I will be able to figure out my emotions and work through them to become the "real me" :)....so.....here goes!!! Wish me luck!!!

Bumps in the road :(

Yes, since my last post, I've had "bumps" in the road. Its okay - I'm learning from them all :) Life is so good and I'm proud of all the positive changes I've made in my life. However, it seems as though there is still "something" deep inside that I run from...that I don't want to "sit" with...that I want to drown out with food and/or alcohol. What is it? It will bring me close to God so I'm going for it - it will just take time for me to figure it out - PATIENCE!! I have to keep reminding myself how much better I feel when I am eating high raw and drinking very little...summer is a hard time for me. There is so much going on, and I feel so overwhelmed with my yard. I will figure it out and just try to stay present.

Technically, DAY ONE

So...I cleaned the frig yesterday evening - not much to clean really, but I felt cleansed, uncluttered and organized. I guess its just the way I work. So, today I start applying the principles of Women Food & God. Some days I will do well, and others not so well and I'm okay with that. I'm not trying to be perfect. I'm trying to change some habits, honor my body and stay healthy. I've actually done quite well on my journey since the beginning of the year. I just want to step it up a notch. I will continue to eat high raw because I BELIEVE in it and have seen the changes in my body - two warts and one bunion have mysteriously disappeared!! AND my fibroid issues have lessened. Coincidence? Maybe....but I don't think so. The exciting thing for me is that for once in my life I am NOT on a diet - I am NOT black & white - there is NO perfection :) How liberating!!!! So....you will have to wait until tomorrow morning to get the upate on day one......smooth sailing :)

Continuing.....

Oh....so many bumps in the road!! Just finished watching the Oprah show - Geneen Roth was on. They will be doing an update show two months from now. So...I am making a commitment to follow the principles in her book and blog about it every day until July 12th (these next two months) - a sort of journal of my progress and my journey of really looking at who I am and what is really bothering me at my core. And when I am eating, following her 7 "rules". So, I am off now to go through my frig - not to necessarily get rid of the "bad" stuff, but to "clean out" and throw out the outdated and rotting things....knowing in my heart, that nothing is "bad". I do however, still believe in the "raw" lifestyle. It is NOT a diet, but a way in which I prefer to eat 80% of the time, knowing that I am nurturing my body in the best way possible!!! So....until tomorrow.....

Going Raw

Its been awhile - it took me some time to figure out how to access my own blog :) So.... I've been "leaning" in to the raw food lifestyle since the beginning of the year...I've read TONS and I really believe in it. When I am eating 80%+ raw, I feel AMAZING!!! My energy is off the wall and another incredible change takes place - spirituality, love and joy....how does that happen? Maybe eating "live" food makes ME more alive...whatever it is, I LOVE it. So, you may ask, what is the problem? Well, I still have that nasty habit of using food to comfort and/or numb myself. I am a work in progress. A BEAUTIFUL work in progress :) The new book by Geneen Roth - Women Food and God - is SO AWESOME!!! It has helped me to understand. More later....