One Week Raw

Well, I’ve decided to take tRAWnsformation pictures every Tuesday night to document the changes in my body.  I guess I should have done measurements…ah well.

Weight: -6.5 lbs in 7 days!  Incredible. 

Exercise:  I went for two 5K runs this week and only made it to 1 hot yoga class.  This week I’ll be back on my regular schedule which includes 4-5 days of hot yoga, so I can’t wait to see next week’s results!

One Week Raw - Front

One Week Raw - Side

This Week’s Challenge:

Today we were at the Rogers Cup, and although we brought some raw chocolate and some cashews, we were starving for something different.  Amongst all the crap that other people were eating, I found a yummy fruit salad, but I needed to buy about 10 of them to be fully satisfied!  Which would have cost about $50…  Just a reminder that if you’re out of the house all day, you had better be prepared! 

It’s amazing the effect that eating raw has on my desire to exercise.  Last night I took the dog for a 5 k run.  Today after work I went to a hot yoga class, and after I biked home I went for another run with a friend.  It’s really nice to have a running partner because you have that little bit of added motivation.  When you have someone calling you and asking if you want to go running, it’s like an alarm going off and motivation calling you!  If you get several running partners, there’s a guarantee you’ll be running a few times a week!

I haven’t had much to eat today, which is kinda weird considering the amount of exercise I’ve had, but I don’t feel much like eating anything right now.  When you eat raw, natural, good quality foods, you are more in touch with your nutritional needs, wheras when I eat cooked foods, I think I need food all the time!  I’d eat late at night all the time when I was on cooked food. 

When I eat raw, I only go into the kitchen when I am truly hungry…or if I can’t wait to try a new raw recipe!  Also, on cooked I always cleaned my plate, but on a raw food diet, I just stop eating when I’ve had enough.  I eat raw dessert for breakfast if I feel the desire!  And when I have dishes that are rich in nuts or other heavy raw ingredients, my body steers me clear of them for a few days.  Never, ever on a cooked diet did my body tell me anything!  I remember years ago when I didn’t have any idea the effects that food had on my mood or energy level.  Now, I know the second I have eaten something that doesn’t agree with me.  I can just feel it. 

And since you only eat when you’re hungry on raw, there is no breakfast, lunch, dinner schedule…you eat on your own hunger schedule…that being said, I think my hunger level just rose…so apparently “dinner” tonight is going to be around 11pm!

Marinara Salad

Dinner: Marinara Salad

Time To Make: About 3 minutes

Would I Make It Again: Yes!

Ingredients: 1 cup leftover Marinara Sauce, (recipe in Eating for Energy) an avocado, 6 stalks asparagus, 1 yellow pepper, 3 green onions, and 1/2 a cucumber.  Variations:  Whatever you have in the fridge!

I had a little bit of a challenge tonight. I opened up the pantry door and a jar of Nutella called me on…but I won the mental battle. I just thought about what Nutella had done for me lately. It gave me a stomach ache the last time we had crepes, and it gave me a killer sugar buzz that left me in a coma. No thank you Nutella. I don’t like you anymore! 

I started thinking about how addicted we are to the foods we eat. Heavily processed foods with loads of sugar and salt and chemicals we can’t even pronounce!  I remember when I thought milk did the body good - now milk isn’t allowed in the house.  I remember when I used to drink 4 diet cokes a day….or more! I haven’t had a diet coke in 2 years. Once you learn that aspartame causes brain tumors, you don’t feel like quenching your thirst with a can of nail-dissolving formaldehyde!

I got into a conversation with a guy a few months ago who stated proudly that he would continue to drink aspartame until they found evidence it harms humans…I was absolutely speachless.  There are hundreds of studies, and thousands of people that have nerve damage, migranes, vision problems, and 89 other side effects caused by aspartame! I just left him there floating in his fantasy bubble. I am continually amazed at the ignorance in our society! I used to think the government wouldn’t pass a drug that would hurt us, but that was when I was a little naive girl from Rodney, Ontario, before I realized that obscene amounts of money can blind anyone to anything.

IGNORANCE IS NOT BLISS. IGNORANCE CAN KILL YOU. The take-home message in my little rant is that it’s important to know what’s in your food!  One of my friends recently said to me “ignorance is bliss” while she was eating a sandwich stuffed with bacon and cheese.  I got an uneasy feeling right away and thought “ignorance is NOT bliss! It’s going to make you fat!”  Worse yet, it’s going to make you sick and diseased over time. 

Ok, lets not talk about disease - let’s talk about “Cheese”cake!

Raw White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

I know what it looks like, that I’m dissing some bad food and promoting other bad food - but that’s the beauty of raw food.  It’s vegan and fresh.  Whole, unadulterated, and exploding with nutrients - even dessert is heathy!

It was so fun to make a raw dessert again. No oven required, thankfully, because it’s so damn hot in here already!

I’ve made something similar to this before, using coconut butter instead of cacao butter, but it is definitely worth the time, effort, and money to get raw cacao butter!  So very worth it!  The ingredients in this dessert are so decadent and the fresh raspberries taste unbelievable.  Every single bite kind of pops in your mouth.  You can find the video about how to make it on the G Living Network website.  I used cashews instead of almonds for the crust just because we love cashews so much in our house.  This could quite possibly be breakfast tomorrow morning!

Go raw!

Got Greens?

Green Supersmoothie

1 tbsp spirulina
1 mango
1 tbsp bee polin
1 cup strawberries
few cubes ice
1 tbsp chia seeds
2 dates
1 tbsp sesame seeds
water to desired consistency

Then it was off to pick berries at Whittamores Farm on Steeles Ave.  So many delicious berries!  I think we picked for a couple of hours, and I got sunburnt but it was worth it.

 

Raspberry Picking

 

Mango, cucumber, hemp seeds, green onion, red pepper, and avocado.

Nori Wraps For Dinner

To make these wraps, simply cut up your favourite veggies, like the ones to the left, and get some Nori (seaweed) sheets to wrap them in.  I also made an easy almond butter paste to spread on the sheets before I filled them.  The paste gives the wrap a nice salty kick!

Almond Butter Paste

2 tbsp raw almond butter (or other nut butter)

2 tsp tamari, braggs, or soy sauce (add to taste)

I ate three of these wraps and I am so full!  I was going to make the raw cheesecake tonight but I am so tired that I’m afraid it’s going to have to wait until tomorrow.

 

Mangoes From Kensington Market

I started this morning off with a much needed hot yoga class.  1 1/2 hours in a 38 degrees celcius room with 51% humidity!  I felt like I was going to pass out and/or thow up most of the time, which resulted in me laying in Savasana (corpse pose) for most of the class.  My heart was going haywire even in that calming position!  When class ended, I hit the shower.  Sometimes a cold shower feels so good!

I had an apple after yoga, and then actually went out to eat for my first raw meal.  Eating raw on the run can be a little stressful, so it’s important to plan ahead!  We went to Herbivore, a tiny little vegan resto in Kensington market.  I had a fresh salad with tomatoes, mushrooms, sprouted lentils, alfalfa sprouts, carrots, and cucumber, and a green juice.

The Night Before Raw

It’s been a while since I posted, and there’s only one reason why:  I fell off raw.  Every time I fall off raw, I can never understand why.  How can I give up flawless skin, endless energy, painless periods, or the creative genius I am when I’m raw?  Not to mention how in the world can I accept the 10 pounds that jumps back on my hips the second I eat cooked food!?

I owe it to myself to be the true me, and that me is definitely raw.

This is why I am challenging myself to live the raw life once again - out in the open, free to be the healthiest me I can be.  Oh how I have secretly longed for the days to return when I walk down the street eating an avocado! 

I am looking forward to waking up with the sun and going for morning runs once again - a desire that vanishes when I eat cooked food.  The morning hangovers encompass my being and render waking impossible.  My alarm rings, and by the time I finish dressing to run, the sludgy processed gunk we call “food” running through my body has effectively talked me out of it.  “Sleep,” it says, “you need sleep now, not running, s-l-e-e-p!”  And sleep I do.  I change back out of my running gear, and adorn myself with comfy sheets once again.  After an hour or so passes, I wake even groggier than before.

Why Now? Why today?

Today marks the 1 year anniversary of my return from Panama, and the completion of a 31-day water fast.  I had every good intention of staying raw when I returned home, but the second the real world presented itself, a love affair with Toronto patios ensued.  Looking back, I realize what an unbelievable chance I let simply pass me bye.  My body was so clean!  It has endured so much abuse over the past year!

My Purpose:

I am writing this blog to prove to both you and myself that it is never too late for a girl to be healthy and fit, strong and lean.  I want to lead you on your own journey to a healthier you.  I want to inspire you to make your own healthy choices, not just because you may want to lose weight; but because you have developed deep respect and love for yourself.  All of us were born deserving superior health during our lifetimes.  All you have to do is believe in yourself to acheive it.  Many of mankind’s problems stem from a diet void of nutrients.  So, what happens when only eat nutritious food?  We will see! This journey is not going to be one of deprivation, but rather a journey of introspection and awakening, driven by values and self-love.

Let the tRAWnsformation begin!

I invite you to join me on my (3rd?) journey into raw foods.  There will be pictures along the way, and daily updates to entertain both you, the reader - and myself, naturally!

The Night Before RAW - Front

 

The Night Before RAW - Side

The term trans-fat is short for transformed fat.  And transformed fats have no place in your body.  They are artificially created by scientists in laboratories when they hydrogenate liquid oils to make them solid so they can withstand longer shelf lives.  Trans-fats are created anytime fats are heated.  Saturated fats are more tolerant to heat treatment than mono- and poly-unsaturated fats, so if you’re thinking of cooking something, it’s best to use butter or coconut oil to avoid minimize the creation of trans-fats.  And don’t be fooled by restaurants that boast “trans-fat free” signs.  As soon as their “trans-fat free” oil is heated, it has become trans-formed! 

Margarine

Margarine is a synthetic, man-made chemical, alien to our bodies.  Hard stick margarine is loaded with trans-fats.  Hydrogen is forced into vegetable oil to turn it into a saturated fat, solid at room temperature.  Hydrogenation changes the shape of oils at the molecular level, and the shape of a molecule s extremely important.  Think of your body like a moving jigsaw puzzle.  The billions of processes that occur every second are all little parts and pieces of your body puzzle.  If any piece has been altered in any way, it will not be able to fit in where it should…and could even fit in places it shouldn’t!  Newer margarine is made from vegetable oil and modified palm and palm kernel oil.  It boasts non-hydrogenation, but I’ve never been a fan of the word “modified,” and palm oil is liquid at room temperature.  Somebody messed with it, for definite.  Would you like your body to be “modified” or all-natural?  Remember to read the labels of any food you’re planning to consume.

Did you know?  Margarine is one molecule away from being plastic!

Product Dissection: Becel Margarine:

Ingredients: Canola and sunflower oils 74%, water, modified palm and palm kernel oils 6%, salt 1.8%, whey protein concentrate 1.4%, soy lecithin 0.2%, vegetable monoglycerides, potassium sorbate, vegetable colour, artificial flavour, citric acid, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D3, alpha-tocopherol acetate (vitamin E).

The Low down: 

• Remember what happens to canola oil before it hits the shelves?  This product is 74% rancid, bleached, artificially coloured vegetable oil. 
• It contains 6% “modified” oils.
• It contains dairy in the form of whey protein.  Milk is the #1 allergen.  Humans have difficulty digesting cow’s milk, whether they are aware of it or not…and I must say that many of us are painfully aware. 
• Monoglycerides are a common food additive used to combine two things that wouldn’t normally mix such as water and oil. 
• Potassium sorbate is a preservative used to discourage the growth of molds and yeasts, thereby increasing shelf life.  Apparently since it is used in such small quantities, there are no known adverse health effects.  Comforting.
• Vegetable colour is a tricky one.  My instincts are to say that it likely comes from Yellow dye #5 which is known to create a myriad of problems within the human body, especially known to exacerbate autism and other behavioural problems.  But to be fair to Becel, it could be turmeric, which has a vibrant yellow colour, but since I think Quebec would let turmeric into their province since it is a cleansing herb…so it must be something else that Quebec’s government is afraid of, and I think we should be too!
• Becel contains artificial flavour.  I’m not a big fan of eating anything artificial, especially if it’s there to trick my brain into thinking plastic tastes good.
• The next 3 ingredients are added vitamins.  Vitamins are best obtained from whole foods as found in nature, and not in a tub of chemically processed margarine…
  • Vitamin A palmitate is a common pre-formed Vitamin A supplement.  Better sources include apples, apricots, beets, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, collard greens, mango, peas, pumpkin, spinach, sweet potatoes, and winter squash.
  • Vitamin D3.  15 minutes of sun on your hands and face will get you the same amount of vitamin D, so go for a walk and get some exercise!  Go for a longer walk in the wintertime as the sun is not as vibrant then.
  • Vitamin E.  Better sources include walnut oil, sunflower oil, olive oil, (make sure all oils are cold processed) nuts (raw), sunflower seeds (raw), whole grains, and green leafy vegetables. 

Always remember, quality matters! 

I just recently started reading A NEW EARTH by Eckhart Tolle, and I’ve got to say it is an unbelievably good read. At one point, Eckhart makes a statement about Bulimia, and how sufferers often make themselves vomit so they may continue eating. 

“Their mind is hungry, not their body.”

Now, not everyone suffers from bulimia, but if you or someone you know is struggling with a weight issue, you will know that there is a large body-mind connection to which you or they are not aware.  Unless every effort is made to strengthen this connection, any effort to lose weight will be in vain.

It may take some time to become aware of your body’s true needs, but you can do it.  The trick is simply to pay attention.  There is a connection between the foods you eat and the way you feel.  If you’ve ever had a hangover, you know what I’m talking about! 

Once you start paying attention, you will notice subtle changes in the way you feel, expecially if you are eating foods to which your body is particularly sensitive.  For most people, this will include dairy and wheat products as they comprise the top 2 allergens.  You likely eat some form of dairy or wheat every single day, multiple times a day, without awareness.  Try going 4 days without eating dairy or wheat products.  On day 5, indulge in some ice cream or pancakes and note how you feel afterward.

I say 4 days because that is roughly the amount of time it takes the body to work through, process, and eliminate foods from the cells of your body.  You may feel symptoms of ”withdrawal” after the first or second day, and it may not let up through the 4th day.  In this case, I challenge you to keep on with this little experiment, perhaps going beyond the 4th day, because the fact that these symptoms exist is your body telling you that it is indeed sensitive to these foods, and it needs extra time to expel them from your body due to years of toxic build-up brought on by eating these foods every day.

The results may suprise you.  It wasn’t until I did this exact experiment on myself that I realized my body had been telling me for years to stop eating dairy foods.  Once I became aware of my body’s needs, I drastically cut down on my dairy intake, and I have never felt better!  If you have eczema, psoriasis, acne, or any other dis-ease, I encourage your participation even more because your body is screaming and you are not paying attention.

Once you start paying attention to the messages your body relays, over time it will become easier and easier to tell when you are truly hungry and when you are not.  You may become aware that you eat in social situations, whether you are hungry or not - just becasue others are eating.  You may find the courage to say no to your eyes when they see ice cream, and listen to your body when it says ”I don’t like ice cream, it makes me feel sick.”

I’m sure by now that you’ve heard of or seen “The Secret”.  Among its many teachings, it tells you this: What you think about you bring about.  What you focus on expands.  If you spend your days thinking about how upset you are with a particular person, how fat you’ve become, or how depressed you are over your financial situation, you are only digging yourself a monstrous hole to lay in.  You will get even more angry, fatter, or more depressed…or all three! 

Instead of focusing on what is bad in your life, focus on the good!  Trust me, you’ll be a whole lot happier!  If you want to change your eating habits and sculpt your body, keep a mental picture of what you want to look like!  Spend at least 5 minutes looking at a picture of the body you desire every morning.  Go through the feelings you would have if you were in that position.  What could you do?  Think of the confidence you would enjoy!  Be sure to do the same thing right before you go to bed.

But, because pain is probably the best motivator I know, I would also like you to think about what not changing will cost you.  If you keep going where you’re headed, what will it cost you physically, mentally, emotionally and financially?  What will not changing cost your loved ones?  If you keep smoking, drinking, overeating, doing watever it is that is causing you your discomfort, what will you feel like?  What will you look like?  What will the quality of your life be?  Theses are all great questions to ask yourself to light that fire deep inside.

So light the fire right now and look at that inspiring picture every day to keep it burning!