Day Seven PRPV

The RAW Brownies may seem like a bit of an indulgence, but I have given up A LOT of sugar! The brownies are made with Sprouted Almonds, Cocoa, Honey, Coconut Oil, and Dates. The "batter" is pictured below. I just take the "dough" and roll into individual balls, store them in the freezer. Yum-zee.

Now to Day Seven. The struggle of a social life continues.....read on below.

Yahoo!!! I've completed Seven Days. Will post picture tomorrow...not that there is a noticeable difference!

I'm not giving a weight update today, because the scale was acting up a little. I wasn't able to get a consistent reading that I trusted, so we'll see what happens tomorrow morning which will actually complete 7 full days from when I started.

Breakfast: Smoothie with assorted fruit, spinach, and carrot juice and a truffle made by Kabs for Mother's Day.

Lunch: All Beef Brat (Organic Grass-Fed) Gumbo (Asparagus, Celery, Corn, Mushrooms, Meatless Organic Beef Broth) with Rice and Quinoa served over salad greens

Snack: Organic Milk Mocha Drink, Raw Brownie (Pictured)

Supper: Assorted Frozen Fruit and Nuts (served at graduation party), salad greens with avocado and Raw Ricotta.

Snack: Small Smoothie and Raw Brownie

Detox Symptoms: Last night shortly after I posted my blog, I sat down to eat a couple of plums and I got a sharp headache in my left temple. It lasted about 30 minutes and then passed. Beginning yesterday and continuing into today, my Plantar's Fasciatis has flared up on my right foot....not sure if this is a detox symptom or not. Also, my scalp is extremely dry and flaky...again not sure if it is detox or not....hubs wanted me to mention that my breath stinks....thanks babe. The mocha was a little too much....felt a little sugar dizzy after drinking (had raw cane sugar in it).

Obstacles: Ugh. Today was difficult. I was irritable again because of the social tempations I knew I would be faced with again today. I was very hungry this morning and ate later than I should have. I came home to lunch fixed for me and thankfully it was within the parameters of my guidelines. I just had to switch my idea of eating my raw meal from lunch to supper. We joined my mom at the Valley Drive-In for hot fudge sundaes and I brought my mocha smoothie and raw brownie with. Later, we had a graduation party to attend and I was so thankful to see they had a simple bowl of frozen fruit. I filled half a plate and went back for some nuts instead of cake for dessert. When I got home I sat down with a nice bowl of salad and filled my stomach. I had some sugar cravings today and once I got past lunch...I was able to sail through the day.

Joys: A relative I haven't seen in awhile came up to me at a graduation party to tell me how great I look and that she could see how hard I must be working at something. She said she had to look twice. Keep in mind, over the past year and half I have lost 40 lbs and am now building on that. It was just the words I needed to hear to encourage me to continue this 30 day challenge.

Day Six PRPV

I think I can get used to feeling SO good. The most noticeable is NOT feeling like a nap after every meal.

Down 5.5 lbs for total of 9 lbs!!!! I checked and re-checked the scale settings. I hope I'm not disappointed in the morning with a new reading! Oh well, I feel great and that is what MOSTLY matters.

Breakfast: 3 Bananas with Chia Seed, 1 Cup Coffee

Lunch: Pineapple, Salad Greens, Avocado, Fruit Smoothie

Snack: Naked Juice, Raw Brownie, 1 Cup Coffee

Supper: Spaghetti Noodles, Sauteed Veggies, Tomato Sauce, Raw Ricotta, Salad Greens,

(Pictured above before cooking and below cooked and assembled) and a Banana

Snack: Not sure yet....thinking about some pears or plums.

TONS OF WATER AGAIN...getting easier!

Detox Symptoms: None today.

Obstacles: Lunch was with a group again. Our church has lunch together every Saturday for anyone who volunteers either at "The Light" or on the building project. I worked at "The Light" this morning and brought my own food in preparation. Well, I felt guilty for not putting my pineapple and salad out to share with everybody, soooo I piled my plate with about 1/2 as much pineapple as I wanted and filled the rest with salad....then I put the remaining out to share with everyone. I tried hard to cut up my avocado in secret, but pretty sure I was spied out on that one. Needless to say, I just felt funky throughout the entire meal as if I was hoarding my food or something AND I was left with an empty stomach.

Joys: Just as I was preparing to clean up after the church lunch and planning for a trip to my parents to grab some fruit to fill the hole in my stomach, I was offered a fruit smoothie made only from strawberries, bananas, and coconut milk. YUM!!! Also led to a great conversation with a guy who eats mostly Raw/Vegan. Also, no cravings again....well actually I do recall a couple of times I was actually craving fruit and salad. I've heard of this happening...but was caught off guard.

Day Three PRPV

Made it! Down 3 more lbs this morning for total of 5lbs. Had some ups and downs today, but probably mixed with stress and too many "irons in the fire."

Breakfast: 1 Coffee, 1 Banana, Smoothie
Snack: 2 Bananas, Red Pear, Clementine, Naval Orange
Snack 2: 1/4 C. Cashews, 1/4C. Pistachios
(I Just felt off this morning and kept trying different things to get rid of the feeling)
Lunch: Oh, Thank the Lord for Taco Del Mar!!! Baja Bowl, no rice, meat, or cheese.
Snack: Freshly Juiced Juice, assorted
Supper: Portobella Mushroom Burger on Wheat with Sauteed Vegetables, Avocado, Tomato, and Spinach with Steamed Asparagus. (Picture above).

Snack: Grapes, and 1 bite of plum. HA!
Detox Symptoms: When I woke up this morning, one of my joints in my fingers was really sore (I have occasionally soreness in this finger, but was noticeably worse and not combined with the neighboring finger as usual). I felt decent all morning but noticed my jaw was hurting like crazy from biting into fruit and eating nuts. I have chronic jaw problems that my chiropractor has helped with A LOT. I hit a wall at about noon when I was far from home for lunch and faced with the decision to eat out AGAIN! I was irritable and becoming quite dizzy and slight headache. As soon as I ate an hour later, I felt a whole lot better. The rest of the day was good except for that weird mouth soreness...more like achiness....like in my teeth...added with the sore jaw which is all just a little annoying...but bearable compared to the migraines I've had in the past.
Obstacles: Just got real bored with the fruit today and felt like I couldn't satisfy a craving for something I didn't even know that I was craving. Usually it is an avocado, but that wasn't it.
Joys: I drank 54 oz of water today....that is a great accomplishment for me!!! Also I am doing a Garden for Life Detox that friend, Cara, gave me. I've used it off and on, but am going to try to be more consistent and use the rest up until it is gone. I LOVED the Portobello Mushroom Burger. I was pleasently surprised as I tried one many, many years ago and couldn't eat more than one bite. I will definitely be having that again and won't be long that I won't even care about the bun!

30 Days as a Raw* Vegan*

*Exceptions to follow.

Perfect time to resurrect my junky blog. I am embarking on a journey for 30 days committed to eating a Raw Vegan Diet (exceptions to follow). I would really like to go into the why's, but for fear I will get caught up in time of blogging and lose sight of the goal I will only give these details for the "Why Raw Vegan."

1. Physically: After reading several books on the subject and testimonies from others, I believe this may be THE Best way to eat for optimal health and wellness. I say maybe, because I'm open to change...if I weren't I wouldn't be open to this, right?

2. Emotionally: Honestly, I am addicted to sugar and carbs. Even though when I consume them I feel bogged down, foggy, and lethargic. I want to be mentally alert and not emotionally sluggish and irritable if you know what I mean.

3. Spiritually: I want to be able to have a lifestyle of fasting and prayer and in order to not have a migraine and other sickness everytime I fast, my eating must change so I can transition easier into a fast. Although I am not calling the next 30 days a fast...for whatever reason....I will lean on God every step of the way and offer this up to Him as a sacrifice as I enter a "season" of pressing into Him.

I have decided to blog this 30 Day "Project" for accountability and encouragement. Let me clarify. Accountability is me posting for all to see with the possibility of failing in front of everyone. The encouragement is YOU (anyone reading) urging me on without criticism. :)

I expect as I blog the next 30 days, more of the "why" will come out.

The Rules:

1. Two meals per day are Raw (not cooked)
2. All snacks Raw
3. One meal per day can be Cooked
4. No meat, unless organic, grass-fed (thanks to Thankful Harvest) or my very own farm-raised chickens...but will still be eaten sparingly.
5. No dairy unless Raw Milk or made with Raw Milk....again sparingly.

Exceptions:
1. Nuts (Raw will not be necessary as Raw Almonds are nearly impossible to come by)
2. Eggs (Local Farm-Raised only)....sparingly.

That's it. No inspiring writing, fancy words, or bible verses to match up. Keeping it simple so I'll continue on. In the words of Gabriel from The Office, "Ciao'."