Raw Food Transformation

30 day challenge

2010-03-15T13:54:00.001-07:00

After almost two months later I am coming back to raw food lifestyle. Mmmmmm...! Since starting synthroid I have dropped 6lbs and have had a ton more energy. I feel thats it s time for me to go raw again. Although I am planning a trip overseas in 2 months when it will be close to impossible to stay raw, I am still going back to raw for now for 30-60 days. Biggest challenges from my last journey: 1. Going out/peer pressure 2. Lack of variety 3. Craving cooked foods because they were never totally eliminated from my diet, I never actually gone all raw.

Today's meals:

M1 : coffee, 1.5 tsp sugar

M2: organic banana

M3: Salad: organic greens, 5 strawberries, 1/4 cup pecans, feta cheese, 1 chicken breast, raspberry vinegarette.

M4: 10-2 strawberries, 1 tsp sugar, 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, 1/4 cup pecans

Day 10 with Nutritional Analysis

2010-01-23T09:40:00.001-08:00

M1: fresh squeezed juice (2 carrots, 1 lemon, 2 small oranges) 100% daily vitamin A and C, 25%B6, almost 20% Copper and 25% Thiamin. 17% Potassium. Total:153 calories.

Fish oil supplement 1 tbs 123 cal, 100% vitamin E.

M2: Going to try another raw juice: organic potato +lemon. That would put me at 97% B6, 76% Copper, 56% Potassium, around 50% on Manganese, Magnesium, Niacin, and Phosphorus.

M3: soaken sunflower seeds 1-2 oz. Then I will be at 100% or 90% on Phosphorus, Pant. Acid, B6, A, C, Magnesium, Manganese.

So the rest of the day i have to pick up B12, D, Calcium,Iron, Zinc, Riboflavin, Niacin and Potassium.

Thoughts

2010-01-22T22:36:00.000-08:00

So since I've started this Raw Food lifestyle, it has been good to me some days and not so much other days. The pros I have discussed already and they are so worth it:) The cons is the strong opposition fom everybody and the difficulty of trying to fit it in your social life. I am starting though to figure out what to order in restaurants. Today we went to Carabas and I only found 2 things on the menu that are kind of okay. I ordered the ministrone soup, no its not raw but its vegetarian and yummy. The other thing was a salad with grilled egglpant, except the eggplant had a pound of salt on it and a ton of oil. So I dont know what to do about going out.

Its been hard the last 3 days because I am not sure I am getting everything I need with this diet. So I've decided to go out a fitday.com and enter food I would eat to see if I am lacking protein, minerals, or vitamins. I was really surprised to find out that raw food diet is not low calorie ( what a relief, now i know i am not starvig myself..), I actually lost 6 pounds in 6 days and I was eating 1600-2000 calories a day and not all raw! wait it gets better...and also I got 100% recommeded daily intake on all minerals and vitamins. So it made me feel better.
The menu I entered into the website program was all raw though. Plus vega supplement. I've discovered that the staples in a balanced raw diet are:

Vega (delivers 100% all vitamins and minerals at once, so 1, instead of 2, scoop is a better option)
Greens, vegetables (they have protein too!!!)
Sunflower seeds and Almonds(germinated)
Fruit

Other discoveries:

Lemon has iron!
If not for Vega I would have been completely missing B12, and low on Calcium and vitamin D.
You can get 75 grams of protein without trying really hard on a raw diet
With fish oil supplement (in addition to almonds, seeds and avocado) I am at 120 grams of fat, which is a lot
Juicing is a good way to eat more carrots:)
Hemp seeds, what are you?:))

Day 9

2010-01-22T08:27:00.001-08:00

M1: 3-4 tsp soaken sunflower seeds

M2: carrot + lemon juice

M3: baked fries, totally vegan mayo and a ton of garlic in it.

M4: ministrone soup at Carrabas + Salad with eggeplant

note: vegan mayo, or grapeseed vegenaise that consists of grapeseed oil, filtered water, brown rice syrup,apple cider vinegar, soy protein, sea salt, mustard, and lemon juice.

Day 8

2010-01-21T08:34:00.000-08:00

M1: Soaken sunflower seeds ( 5-6 tsp very filling!)
M2: 3 Kombu sea vegetable pieces ( good source of potassium, iodine, magnesium) M3: raw superfood bar
M4: vegetable soup
M5: vega superfood bar
M6: big green salad, no dressing
M7: chocolate bar (ccccravings...)

NOTES:I am starting to add germinated foods to my menu. They contain the necessary amino acids, such as GABA. Another reason is: Sprouted (germinated) nuts, seeds, and grains are living foods. When nuts, seeds, or grains are soaked, enzyme inhibitors are removed, and germination can occur. Germinated foods are easier to digest because the availability of enzymes is increased, enhancing the life force and vitality in the food, and making all of the nutrients readily available and easier to assimilate. This mornng I an going try germinated sunflower seeds soaked in pure water overnight. They actually tasted ok, much softer, but crunchy and had a similar to roasted flavor. I think I am a fan.

Day 7

2010-01-20T18:17:00.000-08:00

M1: vegetable soup -all veggies, no noodles, no meat
M2: Superfood bar
M3: apple
M4: 2 handfuls of raw chashew

M5: my husbands boss decided to take us out to dinner. Very nice restaurant. We had a great time. But nothing raw on the menu! So I've decided to eat a regular dinner just for an experimental purpose. What the heck? Either that or risking to look like a snob, or a fanatic. I wanted to see what happens, have I missed it? Have my cravings been justified? So I ordered the best thing on the menu: filet mignon with mash and green beans. The best cut, perfectly cooked, just delicious by any standart. We waited about 40 minutes for our dinners and I was excited to take my first bite. As soon as my plate arrived..i was baffled: it all tasted weird, dead, too salty, not the right texture....i was looking for the crunchy, juicy piece of vegetable, but instead there was a glue like mashed potato next to my dead piece of beef...Green beans were the only ray of hope, but even they were drowned in butter and salt and have lost their natural flavor...I found myslef missing my raw food...the living food. On top of all I almost immediately became bloated, felt heartburn, had this unpleasant stuffed feeling, and hadf a persistent feeling as if I was undernourished.
Raw food fortifies a body, while animal and overcooked food places a burden on it, making a body work over time, depleting it of enegy and nutrients. A piece of raw vegetableis digested in 4 hrs, while red meat can take up to 3 days!!! The choice is clearer than ever to me.

Activity: 50min hr cardio class, 10 min stretch

Day 6

2010-01-19T08:07:00.000-08:00

M1: big fruit salad (2 bananas, 2-3 apricots, 1 kiwi, 1 pear)

M2: Vega Super Food 1.5 scoops

M3: Baked is Sunflower oil Organic Butternut Squash on a bed of organic romaine. Note: baked BT Squash is awesome!

M4: organic raspberries, cherries, 1 banana

M5: raw organic sunflower seeds

Activities: 30 miutes elliptical, 25 min abs, 1 hr Pilates

Day 5 !

2010-01-18T10:52:00.001-08:00

M1: organic banana

M2: organic apple

M3: cooked zuccini

M4: 2 baked potatoes with garlic and sunflower oil

M5: homemade salsa on a bed of organic spinach

M6: broccoli

M7: organic cherries, pecans

Activities: 9am interval workout (cardio + arms), 5:30pm Step class

Day 4 thoughts

2010-01-17T20:01:00.000-08:00

Definitely need to start balancing the raw food. My main concerns are getting enough protein, iron, B12, and Calcium. But then again: it is highly arguable that people who eat regular American food get everything they need. I have read so many articles on dairy how it actually draws calcium out of your body, instead of supplying it with it. I have learned that only a small amount of protein can be absorbed anyway, and the rest of the burger/chicken breast/etc. is a heavy burden on the kidneys...in fact so heavy that many end up on dialysis. Look it up. B12 in any cereal is artificially injected into it. You can't listen to the propaganda of the meat and dairy industry. They are a business. I like how Tonya Zavasta put it: you need to read books to get a different perspective on familiar things. Its so simple. Just do your research.

Day 4 breakfast recipe ideas

2010-01-17T19:54:00.000-08:00

- Raw Food Breakfast -

Carrot Juice

Serves 1

Ingredients

2 pounds carrots
1/2 lemon

Coconut Yogurt

Ingredients

1/2 cup coconut water
1 cup coconut meat
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Open the coconut with a cleaver. Pour the coconut water in the jar of a high speed blender and some or all of the milk. Blend well. You should get the consistency of yogurt.

Top 10 organic foods

2010-01-17T19:50:00.000-08:00

Top 10 Organic Foods

These foods contain the most pesticides. If you'd like to eat an organic raw food diet, you definitely want to consider these:

•Meat and poultry
•Dairy products
•Strawberries
•Bell peppers
•Spinach
•Cherries
•Peaches
•Celery
•Apples
•Green Beens

Day 4

2010-01-17T16:25:00.000-08:00

Today I had a little more cooked food than the last 3 days. Not on purpose just happened that way.

M1: 2 organic bananas

M2: borscht ( russian beet/cabbage soup), 2 slices of zuccini with garlic and mayo

M3: 2 organic pears

M4: grilled zuccini, 1 small organic baked potato, some sunflower oil, salt

M5: pecan halves, tea

Update-end of Day 3

2010-01-16T19:06:00.000-08:00

So far I am doing well. Its all about gradual change. I wish I could eat all raw foods already, but I still crave warm foods, cooked foods, baked goods. I am still missing something at night, need my big late dinner. It makes so much sense to eat raw, I see results in just 3 days, and I havent been eating 100% raw. I am not bloated, I sleep better, I need less coffee, my headaches are lighter, even my skin is a healthier color. And I wasnt a junk food eater either. Not eating at night is something I knew had a rejuvenating effect on a body a long time ago, but I havent had the motivation to stop the habit. Simply amazing. I am very excited to see more changes! Taking pictures is looks like a lot of food, but it's at least 2 times less than how much I used to eat before. Salads look big, but they turn to nothing in your stomach. Also I noticed I am having more meals, instead of 2 or 3 i had before. I ate a lot more grains, a lot more meat, and protein bars. Tomorrow I will start fish oil and magnesium/calcium and B12 just to have a peace of mind:)

Inspiration

2010-01-16T19:02:00.000-08:00

Interview with Tonya Zavasta: Beauty through Raw

http://www.rawmom.com/raw-mom-blog/archives/607

this beautiful woman is over 50 yrs old! her story is amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/Tonyazavasta

Day 3

2010-01-16T08:43:00.001-08:00

Feeling Gooood:) Less and less headache in the morning. Better sleep. Overall calmness. Still hungry late at night ( 8,9,9:30pm). Expecting my appetite to get with the schedule by the end of January.

M1: (evrthng organic except kiwi)1 kiwi, 1 banana, raw sunflower seeds, raw cashews

M2: mixed greens salad: organic spinach, herbs, avocado, cukes, tomatoes, 1 tsp sunflower oil, a pinch of salt.

M3:chicken broth, potato pancakes made by my mom:)

M4: organic chicken broth with some greens

M5: pecan halves

Day 2

2010-01-15T07:48:00.000-08:00

Day 2! I can't wait till day 22, or 30, or 100:)) I slept a little better and though I had a headache it was not as severe as usual. Anyway, I made some coffee and am sipping on my 2 cup. My first meal in an hour is going to be fruit. Meal two: organic spring mix herbs, organic spinach, 2 cukes, 1 tomato, 2 tbs unprocessed sunflower oil, a pinch of salt. It was very filling, almost could not finish it, thats weird...Starting to feel like a rabbit now:) lol:) Have to remind myself to chew everything well.

Meal 3: devoured a citrus family:)
Meal 4: baked organic pearl potatoes with salt, black pepper, some sunflower oil. Chicken broth. Mmmm...yummy. Need to get some vegetable broth next time I am grocery shopping.
Meal 5: Went out with Yana and ate out in the mall: salad with blueberries, pineapple; almonds, and 100% pure mango juice.

Activities: 20min stretched in the morning with some yoga and pilates stretches, i need to make it a habit.

Day 1 continued

2010-01-14T09:39:00.000-08:00

Woke up with a headache as always. Had 3 cups of coffee. Then sipped on 2 glasses of water over the next 2 hours.

First meal: Papaya!

Second meal about 2 hours later: 1 cuke, 1 tomato, 1 avocado, little salt.

So far my very first two meals are raw.

Third Meal: handful of organic cashews and 1 ripe organic banana. I dont expect do eat all raw foods right away. It could happen. But if it does not I am okay with it.

Fourth meal: Asian soup: spinach, water chestnut, organic chicken broth (didnt fully boil to preserve vitamins in spinach). I was hungry and needed something warm. Overall, felt pretty content with my food intake. Going to bed with a light stomach:)

What I want the most is to try to move my dinner earlier to about 5pm and not eat anything afterwards until the next morning. Tonya Zavasta, an amasing raw foodist and a role model for many, has come out with a book Quantum eating. I am not quite ready for it yet. But I plan to research it later. My other desire is to kick my coffee habit. My battle plan is to start drinking smothies in the morning. Might start that this weekend.

Activities: Today is good day: I am getting a deep tissue massage and doing Pilates later.

Day 1

2010-01-14T09:22:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody.. this is a blog about my transformation . I've been contemplating going Raw for a few years and it has always intrigued me. The simplicity of it and the amazing effect it has on health and life. A little about me: generally I eat pretty healthy, though I am not a vegan. For example: Brkfst: protein bar, coffee. Lunch: chicken or a Vega shake. Snack: fruit. Dinner: starch, salad and some kind of meat. I exercise 3-5 days a week, every week. I guess I am a little better about staying healthy than an average 24 year old. What bothers me about my health is the condition of my skin, hair, teeth; my addiction to caffeine ( i wake up every morning with a headache that does not go away until I have 2 cups of coffee), i crave sugar, i overeat occasionally, have sleep problems, get bloated a lot, and a few other things. Based on my research, the Raw Food Lifestyle deserves a try.

Today starts my transformation!

PS: There will be a lot of illustrations! I have decided to photograph everything I eat, it's more fun that way:) and it gives me a summary of each day in pictures:) I am a very visual person:)