Juice Snack

Well, the past eleven days have been uneventful.  No raw food in those days.  Boo.

Yesterday was Mother's Day.  My mom's favorite meal is turkey and dressing, so my sister-in-law made that and all the regular sides: green bean casserole, broccoli rice casserole, corn, rolls....

I have to say, it was delicious, but so filling. 

It's so funny how every body is ready for a nap after turkey and dressing.  It was a really nice afternoon.  My sister-in-law and brother did so much work.

Today, I havent really been all that hungry up until now, around 4:30 pm. 

I started out with coffee then we had a salad for lunch.  Big salad.

We just had a great little snack of orange and cucumber juice. 

I used:

4 small orages

1 large cucumber

It made about 25 ounces which Ronnie and I shared.  The cucumber cut through the sweetness of the oranges and it was just the right amount of yummy.  I think I will be good now for another hour or so. 

Then, I will eat the little bit of turkey leftovers we have. 

Not a perfect day, but at least we got some lymph moving orange juice in!

Calorie Counter

Oh brother!

I already have a love hate relationship with calorie counters.

Which, by the way, I have change calorie counters. 

I am now using FatSecret. 

We can get this one on the Kindle so Ronnie can track his cals, too.  I wouldn't mind keeping track of his on my account but since he gets 3000 calories a day and I only get 1200 he would be coming up way short.  It's not fair...just sayin'.

Back to my love hate relationship.

I really like the idea of knowing how many calories I am eating but dang, it makes me mad.  I feel like I eat just a regular ol' meal and before I know it, I'm up to 1800-1900 calories at the end of the day.

For instance, today for lunch I had a couple of cups of salad, 7 croutons, 2 tablespoons of Ken's Steak House Ranch dressing, about an ounce of green olives and about an ounce of pecans. 

That doesn't seem totally unreasonable to me.  Just a good salad with a little flavor and crunch.

Well...that salad was a whopping 462 calories.  What the heck?  The pecans...196 calories.  For pecans???  Are you kidding me??

I have been been thinking, "I'm transitioning.  A couple of tablespoons of Ranch dressing is ok.  Look at all these greens Im eating.  The good will outweigh the bad".  Hmmm...not so much.

This reality check is more than I can handle, haha.

Geez!

I've been wondering why I cant lose weight.

HELLO!  Part of it is because I am in denial of how many calories I am actually consuming!  Part of it is because I don't want to change.  Yep.  I want to keep drinking cokes and eating dessert and enjoying large portions of bad foods I think my body needs. 

How can I be so sick of being overweight yet say, "I dont want to change"?  Because I DO want to change. 

I want to be healthy, mostly, but I also want to be back at 120 lbs again.  I do.

So, I sit here this evening in dazed astonishment of all the calories I took in today.

I say "dazed astonishment" because it isnt like I had 4 pieces of pizza or 3 pieces of fried chicken or the Golden Coral buffet and I still took in a ton of calories

But as I analyzed them, I realized that if I am going to insist on having egg products I need to have egg whites instead of eggs. That's one easy way to reduce cals.  

Also, I had two slices of bacon.  I could have done with one but I am psychologically attached to bacon.

The whole bacon thing stems from my childhood. 

I had three leg surgeries when I was a child.  When I did, and when my mom worked, I stayed with my Aunt Mercy.  She knew I liked bacon, so she would make me tons of it with toast.  Ahhh, those were the days.  But they weren't really.  I was in a cast months at a time, stuck in bed.  Borrrring.

Aha...bordom...perhaps the beginning of emotional eating?  Maybe.

I did walk on the treadmill today but not anything worth noting.  The soles of my feet were getting so tight I could only walk about 10 minutes.  Will try again tomorrow.

As for today...calories consumed: 1757

Backfire

Oh man!  Wednesday already?!  This week is really flying.

We had a pretty decent day of raw today.

It started with a smoothie:  kale, blueberries, bananas, dates, chia seeds and flax seeds and coconut water.

That smoothie is a staple when we are trying to get more raw in.  I actually like the kale better than the broccoli. 

Don't get me wrong...the broccoli tastes good too, but the blueberries seem to hide the green flavor a little better.

The fruit sugars seemed to wake up my brain.

And, can you believe a cup of kale only has about 35 calories? 

Especially considering it has tons of fiber and anti-oxidants.  Take that into consideration with all the Vitamin A it has and what do ya know...you have a good chance of preventing and fighting cancer.

Not only that, kale is an anti-inflammatory, it supports our heart health and detoxification!

Ok, back to our food choices.

We had a cooked meal for lunch.  We invited Mom to join us for a menu of Spaghetti and meat sauce plus some green beans...cooked w/bacon and onions.

Mom hung out with us for a while and I roasted some peanuts so we ate those for a snack. 

I gotta tell ya...about two hours later Mom went home and we fell into a very long blissful snore fest slumber.  A result, I believe, of our lunch choices.

We had not had any juice today so I made us some orange, strawberry, red grape, celery and cucumber juice.  Delish.

And then the sun went down and the demons came out.

I wanted something to eat. 

We had salad, fruit, nuts in the house. 

I did not choose any of that.  I chose half a sandwich...and then a corn tortilla with a slice and a half of  bacon...and a cup of coffee with a tablespoon of creamer and sugar.

Lesson for ME today:  Dont deny yourself.  It doesnt work for you.  Eat what you want in small portions while adding in the good stuff. 

I can tell you this is no new lesson.  Nope. 

I know that denial does not work for me, but I keep doing it. 

I know pressure doesnt work for me either, yet I keep putting pressure on myself to make a drastic change in my diet.

So, I ate what I didnt eat this morning at the worst time of the day...right before bed.  Geez.

As if that didnt hurt enough, I decided to count the calories.  Whoa!

I really like the Calorie Counter I found. 

I did not, on the other hand, like the count it gave me for today.

Calories for today...drumroll please...1968.  Holy Bejeebers!!! 

I like knowing though. 

So that is it for today.  Tomorrow will be better...calorie wise at least.

Sunday Kick Start

We actually made this video last Sunday, but I forgot to post it!  Ugh. 

This juice was sooo good.  I highly recommend it...after you check with your doctor, of course.

Ol' Dawg and Some Green Juice

How bout a little juice?

Yep, it's the same juice I made in the last juicing video, but this video stars my husband, Ol' Dawg aka Ronnie.

By the way, we DO make different kinds of juice, such as...

Carrot, Apple, Cucumber

...or...

Carrot, Orange, Cucumber and Ginger

...or...

Orange, Grape and Cucumber...divine.

These are nice treats, but we mostly stick with the green juice. 

We have also made carrot, beet and apple juice, but I have since seen this video by Drew at Fitlifetv.  He encourages organic beets - if you can't get organic he suggests using another vegetable. 

There is an organic co-op in Houston called Rawfully Organic that we are anxious to try, but we just have not had the chance to drive over there yet.  We will have to wait until we get there and hope the boxes have beets in them before we make beet juice again.

Anyhoo, we hope you enjoy this video with Ol' Dawg in it.  He is like my carrot, grape, cucumber juice...very sweet and I love him so much!!

This was yesterday morning, obviously before Ronnie brushed his hair, haha.

We have big plans for the weekend.  Hopefully, I will remember my camera and we will have pictures of a new addition for you.

Have a blessed weekend.

Jenn

Raw Food Breakfast Smoothie

If you are familiar with our blog you know we aspire to follow a raw, whole foods diet.

You also know that although it has been a struggle for me, I have not given up on the idea.

It has become evident we are those peeps that have to slowly incorporate more healthful practices.

One of those practices is adding in the Breakfast Smoothie.

Our smoothie today had (for two of us):

• 2 bananas - high in potassium and fiber.  Bananas are also a good source of vitamin B6, vitamin C and manganese.
• 17.5 oz coconut water - naturally low in calories and fat free.  It is a good source of potassium and it is low in sodium which, combined with a healthy diet, may help lower blood pressure.  It is super hydrating and rich in electrolytes.  We love the C20 coconut water
• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple - contains potassium, calcium, fiber, manganese, vitamin B6 and vitamin C
• 1 cup frozen blueberries - as everybody knows, they are high in antioxidants which may help prevent cancer.
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds - High in omega 3 fatty acids (helping to fight inflammation) antioxidants, fiber, calcium, iron and potassium
• 1-1/2 tablespoon raw flax seeds - when ground, these are a good source of omega 3 fatty acids, fiber and lignans, which may help balance female hormones, they have protien and amino acids to build a strong body. 
• 1 - 1-1/2 tablespoon maca root - considered a super food, it is an adaptogen that increases the body's ability to handle stress.  It may also increase energy, as well as, help the whole endocrine system of the body.  If you would like to know more about this root follow this link to  Z Natural Foods web site.
• 1 tablespoon Fo-ti root - also known as Ho Shou Wu, there is just too much to say about this root powder.   If you would like to know more about this root follow Z Natural Foods web site to learn more about this root.
• 4 dates - good source of potassium, iron and fiber, rich in minerals and vitamins.

Don't ask me what insect dates remind me of.  :)

We also include a secret ingredient.  Well, it isnt so secret but it's green.

Today it was:

Yep!  Good ol' broccoli crowns.

Sometimes, it is kale or romain or red leaf lettuce.  We like to mix it up so we get a little of all the good each has to offer.

As for the broccoli, according to Energise for Life website, "Broccoli has been proven over and over and over again to be incredibly powerful in inhibiting cancers, supporting the digestive system, the cardiovascular system, the detoxification processes in the body and also supporting the skin, metabolism, immune system, being an anti-inflammatory and providing ample antioxidants."

So...we use the crowns in our smoothies and then we use the stems in our green juice.  It has that "broccoli smell", you know the one, but man, you cant even taste it in the green drink.  It's so good for you too.

But not to get too far from the smoothie. 

We throw all this stuff into our Vita-mix and it makes it oh so smooth. 

Now, don't get me wrong.  We are still not depriving ourselves of anything we want.  We have our breakfast smoothie and then if we still feel like eating a traditional breakfast we will.

It varies on whether or not I want more.  Yesterday I wanted eggs, today I was satisfied with my smoothie.  After supper, I wanted a piece of that Sock it to Me Cake, so I had one.  The idea right now is just to get more good stuff into us.  Even though we still eat stuff that isnt good for us, it isnt as much as it used to be.

We have been doing this for a couple of weeks, now. 

This week we are trying to have a meatless lunch. 

Yesterday, lunch was a big beautiful salad.  Granted, we still added a little Ranch Dressing and a pinch of cheese, croutons and olives.  Our plan is to phase out the bad stuff and work toward a raw, whole dressing.  All in due time.

Today, although it isnt raw, we had a la charra beans for lunch.  The beans have pieces of bacon, but not much.  It's better than a hamburger or bar-b-que or pizza, which is what we would normally have had.  Plus, beans are good for you!

Tonight we had a salad and some sauteed portabella mushrooms and left over chicken fajitas with red and orange bell peppers. 

We marinated our mushrooms in Worchester sauce and olive oil.  I didn't think much of it when I did it, but as I sauteed them, I thought about the sodium content.  We live and we learn.

So, that is where we are at right now with our raw food journey.

I feel like we are making some progress and I feel really good about it.  I haven't lost any weight, but I havent gained any either, and I know we are getting more good stuff into our bodies. 

I hope you will try a raw smoothie soon.  Keep in mind you can tailor it to your likes, but I would definitely keep the greens in it!

Until next time, Peace and Love, my friends.

Jenn

Note:  I know you know this, but...the information included on this site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his/her healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan. Reading the information on this website does not create a physician-patient relationship. 

Raw Food Update

Happy Sunday Evening!!

I hope this was a good weekend for everyone.

It was a very nice weekend for us.  Saturday was fun and today...well...it was oh so ordinary.  Football and chili.

Chili?  That has meat in it, doesn't it?

Yeppers.  It sure does

How does that fit into a high raw diet, you ask?  Well, it doesn't.  Unless it is our one cooked meal a day.

Which it wasn't.

So here is my raw food update.

This last week was a bust.  No vegetable smoothies...at all.

I ate some fruit, but not near enough.

I ate cooked food and animal protein...a lot.

And I gained back 1.4 lbs. 

Bummer, dude.

I totally lost focus of the intentions I set forth when I first started keeping track of my raw journey.

But, these things happen!

I am not going to beat myself up over it.

I am just going to remind myself of why this is important to me.

I am going to remind myself thet I do not fail unless I quit!

I am going to remind myself that my first raw update was full of hits.

And then I am going to pick myself up, dust off my britches and get back on that horse, dangit!

And now that I think about it...there are a couple of hits for this week. 

I did 30 minutes of walking 2 days in a row. 

That was really good for me.

Let's see...I know there is another hit....

Uhmm.....

Oh yeah! 

You are going to think I am crazy.

I started listening to hypnosis videos for weight loss on youtube.

Yep...I'm certifiable.

Seriously, though.  They are really just short excerpts, about 10 minutes worth.

I don't think they are working yet, though :D

I'm sure it takes time.  So, anyway....

I cant really classify this last week as a raw week.

Tomorrow is a new day, though. 

And it will start out raw, at least.

I will walk another 30 minutes.

I will have no sodas.

And, I will re-focus on my intentions.

Let's all hope for the best.

Have a wonderful Monday and a blessed week!!

Raw Journey

Hello, Hello!

Wow!  It has been a busy week.  I don't even remember what all I've done, but I have been busy.

I have some good news!!

I lost 3.4 lbs this week!!

Maybe you read in this post that we are striving to move to a higher raw diet.

This past week I would stamp as a success!

Not only did I lose 3.4 lbs Woot! Woot!  But, I also worked out on my Pilates Power gym three times this week!!  Yee Haw!!  Ronnie lost weight too!  We just dont know how much because he didn't do a starting weight, but we knew it was in the 270's somewhere.

Not only that, but it hasnt been all that hard this time around.  We were faced with all sorts of trials this weekend and we really handled them. 

Normally, if I slip and eat something not good for me, I go all out.  I think, "what the heck???  I already messed up."

But, not today.  I am anxiously awaiting my morning green smoothie. 

And...I think I will be able to give up my coffee tomorrow.  I will be replacing it with what raw foodist Dara Dubinet calls a tonic.

My tonic usually has:

• a base of 1 cub green tea
• 1 tsp - 1 tbsp macca powder
• 1 tbsp cacao powder (raw chocolate)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp raw honey
• 1 tbsp raw coconut oil
• a dash of cinnamon
• a dash of pumpkin pie spice
• a dash of cloves
• a dash of nutmeg

Yeah...I know...the pumpkin pie spice probably has all those spices, but I like to add a little more.

I just put all that stuff in a blender long enough to make it kinda frothy.  It's pretty good.  This week I am going to add raw almond milk.  Oh yeah, we even made our own raw almond milk!  Ronnie eats it with sliced apples and a raw sprouted granola we bought.  He really likes it.

Ok, enough with the hits - how about the misses?

I didnt walk at the park every day.  Not even once.  I don't know why.  Maybe this week.  I did it the week before, once, and I really enjoyed it.  I cant figure out why I havent gone back. 

Maybe because it involves getting in the car and going somewhere.  I have really gotten to the point to where I just want to stay here in my little bitty home.

So anyway...this next week I will try to make some videos on what we are eating. 

One night we ate raw portabella mushrooms with just a little bar-b-que sauce.  Soooo goooood.  Since the bbq sauce isn't raw, we warmed it on the stove and it helped make it feel like the mushrooms were warm.  I like warm.

This week we will be trying:

• Asian cauliflower rice by one of my favorite raw foodists, Michelle K
• "Cheese" made out of nutritional yeast and raw nuts
• portabella mushrooms with a thai flare

I dont know what this week holds.  I may lose my mind and turn back to the standard American diet, but please pray that I wont. 

If you have any interest at all, please check out the Raw Food Rehab and join the Raw Balance initiative.  You wont be sorry.  But, just in case, check with your doctor first : )

Day 1 Raw Review

Breakfast Smoothie

(a take on the Life Regenerator's Lemon Ginger Blast): 

5 Romain Leafs

3 Celery ribs

1 Lemon

3 Apples

1 huge cucumber

small piece of ginger

It was awesome.  So yummy and fulfilling.  And this made a LOT of smoothie, about four and a half glasses full.

Lunch:

1/2 twice baked tater (left overs I didnt want to waste)

Snack:

1 Apple

Supper Smoothie:

2 ribs of celery

1/4 huge cucumber

large handful of spinach

Yep, that was truly a green smoothie, but it was soooo good. 

Ronnie had it easy.  He was in a field all day hunting dove, so all he had was water between breakfast and supper.

His supper, though, was beans and 1/2 twice baked tater and I added 1/4 of a twice baked tater to my day.  That's the end of the leftovers...unless you consider that dang chili con queso dip. 

Dont worry, it has been in there a couple of days...it's going in the trash :)

I did about 30 minutes on my Pilates Power Gym, but I did not go walking.  I don't like to walk around the park alone and Ronnie was...well...in the field hunting dove.

He had a blast, by the way!

Today wasn't extremely hard.  I had a few weak moments when Mom and I went to the grocery store, but I came unscathed.

I hope and pray, tomorrow will go just as well!!

Hope you have a beautiful day, tomorrow!! 

Intentions and Stats

As I promised in the previous post...my goals and intentions

(I already did this post once and there is a problem with communication with the Squarespace site.  Lost it...ugh!  I'll try to recreate it)

1. I turn down the lights and turn off the computer and tv at least 30 minutes before I plan on going to bed.
2. I listen to my favorite morning meditation every morning before I rise.
3. I review my goals, intentions and affirmations before I rise.
4. I drink lots and lots of water and herbal teas (read as NO COKES).
5. I start my day with a 32 oz green smoothie.
6. I eat plenty of fresh fruits and veggies throughout the day.
7. I work out every day:  3 days a week on my Pilates Power Gym and a walk in the park every day.
8. I drink a 32 oz green smoothie every evening.
9. I listen to what my body is telling me it needs and wants.

That's it.  Nothing earth shattering.  Just a good start to changing the way I live.

I also promised stats.  This part hurts.  Women don't often share their weight or their age, but today, I will share my weight and measurements.  Here goes:

Weight 10/3/11:  163.2

Measurements:  42.5, 39, 45

That really hurt.  I am already second guessing this Going Raw page.  I already want to pull it.  But I wont.  Not today anyway.

Starting the Raw Food Journey

Note:  This post started out on a page called Casa Causpanic Goes Raw.  As the day has proceeded, I have decided not to have a new page, but a new category on the blog.  It's mostly just a journal for me, but I hope you get something from it too.

Yay!  Our first day of moving to the next level of going raw!!!

What exactly does that mean, you say?

Well, it means that Ronnie and I (especially I) are TRULY making a commitment to eating a diet high in fresh, raw, fruits and vegetables and nuts and seeds.

I have mentioned in other posts that we have been trying to incorporate more raw fruits and veggies into our diets.  And we have.

But...

1. I want to take it to the next level.
2. I want to feel my best.
3. I want to know that I am eating foods that will be nourishing my body, not contributing to the start of disease and aches and pains.
4. I want to eat LIVE foods which in turn will give life to my body. 

Sometimes, my body doesnt feel alive. 

Many times I feel so tired and kinda achey and even a little depressed at times.  Sometimes, my brain feels foggy and I am irritable. 

This is not me. 

I mean, it is me, but it is not the Me I want to be.  Hey...poet and didnt know it!

I have done my research and I know in my mind and in my heart that raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds are the way to go

Dont get me wrong

It isnt easy.  I have tried many times over the last two years.

But, this is the first time I have really put myself out there with my commitment. 

I joined a raw food initiative called Raw Balance at Penni Shelton's, Raw Food Rehab. 

Her initiatives are chock full of information, support and motivation.

Especially this one!!  She has the best of the best in raw food on her team for this last initiative.  There is a nominal fee, $33, but coming from someone on a budget, it is soooooo worth it.

I am in no way under the impression that I am just going to give up cooked foods in the blink of an eye. 

That has been my problem in the past. 

But, I AM saying that I am going to listen to my body more and think about my body and what I am doing to it with the foods I feed it.  And in my mind, I know I am doing good things for it when I eat raw fruits and veggies!