Im feeling?... Real good!!

Ok Ok I still have a horrible sinus infection but it is so much better today :) I weighed myself this morning and I weighed 132.( something)........ basically a 3 pound weight loss for the week. I think that is pretty darn good! My energy is through the roof, my skin is clearing up, and I have managed to get to see my auntie flow for the first time in 7 whole months. I know too much info but it just shows how much eating fruits and veggies can effect your whole body. I have even started exercising again :) Yesterday and today I ran/ walked for 30 minutes. I never once felt like I was going to die lol.

So? Have I been ever so faithfully eating 100% raw?... No :(... I eat raw fruits and veggies all day until dinner time then it gets wonky. One night there was meat lovers pizza in the house and I ate 2 pieces. Then tonight, I ate IHOP pumpkin pancakes with hashbrowns for dinner. I know these foods are not healthy in the least. One step at a time right? I'm an impulsive eater.I cant help it!! If I have a craving then I must satisfy it or else the craving will haunt me for days!! Maybe in the future my eating habits will be more disciplined.

Raawr for Raw Food

I know, I know!!! I haven't wrote in quite sometime. All of my health habits have taken a back seat to dealing with moving, working, and planning mini vacations. My weight got down to 128 lbs but then I indulged in a few Cola drinks and take out food. Needless to say my weight bumped up to 135.6 lbs. Of course that got me searching for something new.

I had read about how Tracy Anderson tried a raw food diet and got super skinny. Consequently, I decided to investigate this whole idea that I had once refused to ever try. I bought a few books that really explain the whole concept and give a few recipes. I admit it, I am terrified to try any of the recipes. I just imagine that all of the recipes taste like moldy whole wheat bread or carob chips.... yuck!!

One of the books suggested that one should ease into the raw food lifestyle. I feel like this concept completely eliminates the pressure to be perfect all of the time. It seems every time I try something new I dive in head first, start drowning, then get out as soon as I can. I can deal with baby steps.My current plan has been to consume raw foods until dinner time. At dinner time I maintain a vegetarian meal but it is often heated ( and bad for me..oops).

I only started eating raw food about 3 days ago. So far, I feel like I have done a million sit ups ( although I haven't done anything active), I had a mild headache, and I have intense carbohydrate cravings at dinner time. I mean I ate two biscuits with honey like a ravished animal one night. Then tonight, I had a serious craving for lo mein... which may or may not have been triggered by the sight of my new asian neighbors.... just saying. In addition my bladder feels like it has been stretched past capacity. It seriously aches from all the water my body has been processing. I have also noticed that my stomach feels fine until I eat my heated dinner. After that my stomach area gets cramps and I feel like crap for several hours. I suppose this is my body trying to tell me to just stick with raw fruits and veggies?

So onto another health adventure I go.. maybe I can stick with this one?

you are what you eat.... I eat alot

If anyone is curious about my organic challenge I have mostly stuck with it. That challenge taught me to try new vegetables in new and satisfying ways. I really enjoy eating "real" food instead of processed garbage. Once again I haven't lost any pounds but I still haven't gained any pounds either. In addition to eating organic, I am going to eat 1200 calories or less per day. In the past 1200 calories seems to be my magic number for weight loss I hope it doesn't fail me now. I will post on here everyday what my caloric intake is as well as a weekly weigh in.
current weight 132.6

21 days yoga complete

I am finished with my 21 days of yoga... have I lost a million pounds? do I have ripped biceps? what about the elusive yoga butt?... No, no, and no I didnt get any of those things. Instead I received peace of mind and a solid habit of doing something good for my body every day. I have noticed that I have gotten stronger and I am able to transition from plank to cobra the correct way without flopping on the floor. I see subtle changes in my posture and my back feels a lot better. I haven't gained weight but maybe lost .5 lbs. I just have not cared about the fast results since I heard from several blogs that a yoga transformation is slow and steady.

My current challenge has been to eat a clean/whole foods diet. I have been able to do this just about every day although I have cheated a few times by drinking a coke or frappe at work... hey our tap water literally tastes like dirt. I have noticed that since I started to mainly drink water I have been blessed with the caffeine DT's aka migraines. Not so fun but hopefully I can get past them. The current challenge has really pushed me to eat healthier and caused me to experiment with preparing vegetables in ways I never imagined. I have fallen in love with beats, whole wheat flour, and quinoa. I pretty much love this new lifestyle approach and I can see myself sticking with it in the long run... Unfortunately I have discovered chocolate covered bananas in the organic frozen section of my grocery store. I have rationalized that they are better for me than ice cream and that it is ok for me to eat a whole box in one sitting lol ( well maybe not the whole box but definitely half the box). The sweet bananas with their rich fudge coating are to DIE FOR!!SERIOUSLY!!

I still havent decided on a new 21 day exercise challenge... Im thinking that it will consist of pilates/ yoga and possibly zumba. I feel like I need to throw some cardio into my routine at least 3-6 days a week. The only problem for me is time and consistency... I dont have much time on the days I work to do anything at all. On those days I have to force myself to do yoga before I zonk out from exhaustion. So doing cardio on those days isn't very realistic but none the less I could get a few days in a week. I will probably have to go buy some zumba dvds to stay on track. Fortunately, we have a great zumba instructor at my yoga studio but I can only get into see her like 1-2 days a week. Anyhow I will post my next challenge on here in a couple of days....

Just like the butterfly, I too will awaken in my own time. ~Deborah Chaskin

carob chips suck!!

ok I did my stint as a vegetarian for a good year but seriously vegans of the world quit trying to prove your stuff is just as good as every one else out there. I mean its fine that you choose not to consume animal products but you obviously miss it. If you didn't miss good animal meat and chocolate then why do you constantly try to make imitations of these things? Just be satisfied with the fruits and vegetables that god has given you! Awhile back when I was a vegetarian, I had heard of this wonderful thing called carob chips that were supposed to taste just like chocolate....first of all why? chocolate comes from a plant and can be made without milk interfering. Secondly, y'all lied! Carob does not taste like chocolate in any shape or form. Carob tastes like an oil/ wax paste with baby powder in it... yummo!! If you have not figured it out by now I just had my first taste of carob and I am thoroughly disappointed.

I have started my first day of organic/ whole foods eating and day 13 of yoga. I went to the grocery store yesterday and a local farm today to buy all of my local loot. I also tried making my own crockpot yogurt but it turned out really soupy = NO GOOD! Im going to give it another go tonight, wish me luck.In addition I have enlisted the help of several blogs out there to help me with this clean eating thing.
I went to the yoga studio this morning but I chose to do zumba instead because they only had one other yoga class. Let me tell you that is a great cardio workout!! It kept my heart rate up the entire time but I never got bored. I think I found an additional new love to supplement my yoga yay!!

Blech

I forced myself to do some yoga tonight, 30 minutes to be exact. I am so exhausted. I couldnt even relax because i just wanted it to end so i could go to sleep. Regardless I have maintained and there is always tomorrow. Good night!!!


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21 day challenge: week 1

Im a week into my 21 day personal yoga challenge. On average I probably do about 30 minutes every day. Since I am currently traveling, I have been using several different yoga videos. I have found some really good videos but they definitely don't replace going to the studio. I doubt I have lost any weight because I like to eat way too much especially when I travel. Im sort of a foodie. Regardless of losing weight, I feel 100 times better every day. Yoga has helped me to really get the blood flowing to my muscles, which in turn relieves my aches and pains. I have a better outlook on life and I can finally think clearly through situations before I react ( well maybe not all situations but thats just a a part of who I am). I have never been too keen on any daily ritual except sleep but I cling to yoga like some do to the bible. It has really been a spiritual experience, it makes me want to be a better person inside and out.

I have decided that 21 day challenges could be really great for jump starting a healthier lifestyle. Therefore, every few weeks I am going to give myself a new health challenge. I really began doing yoga almost every other day for a couple of weeks before my 21 day commitment but I felt the need for a real lifestyle commitment. In addition , I chose to drop most beverages, besides the ever addicting mocha frappe, for water due to its many health benefits. My next personal challenge is going to be organic/ whole food eating for 21 days. I wont be starting til next week but I have been doing a lot of research in the meantime. It will be extremely difficult since I travel to work and require a lot of fast, easy to prepare, frozen foods for 3 nights a week. Fortunately, I am pretty convinced that Amy's frozen foods will help me through those difficult times. In addition, it will require a tremendous amount of planning since I prefer to buy local produce and meats. I feel a little overwhelmed by the idea but I believe it is a change I have been wanting to make for a long time.