So I know I have not written in a while. Well mostly good news here on the health front. I have lost a total of 15 lbs. I have not been sticking to a strict plant based diet like I should, but I am working on that transition. It is really hard to eat "vegan" in a country that eats processed food and tons of animal products. I say "vegan" because it is easier to type than "plant based diet." I hate the connotation that the word vegan has. I am not some weird hippie who doesn't eat anything or is a crazy animal rights activist. I still love leather and my ostrich cowboy boots. I do however feel like eating a plant based diet is the way to be healthy and happy.
I am in Las Vegas for a couple weeks visiting my parents and I am trying to get them eating right. So of course that means a juice fast! Today was day one. We have been drinking delicious green juice and beautiful red beet juice. So far so good. I forget how hard the fasting is, but I do know how great it makes me feel.
My mom and I woke up and went to a yoga class. One of the things that I wanted to do was set her up at a good yoga studio. I think we found one that will help her out. She needs to be strengthening her core and muscles to help with her back and body pains. Yoga is a great way for her to do that. I also want to help her get her migraines in check. I know that through eating right and exercise she can minimize those migraines and limit the amount of medication that she is on. I have gotten rid of my migraines, I know only deal with small headaches.
Dad has been really funny throughout the day. He makes the best faces at the juice. He does not like it, but he chugs those drinks. I actually think that he is doing the best on the cleanse. Mom found out that she hates beets. She about vomited when she tried it. I personally love the beet, it is a welcome change from the green juice.
The more that I research and learn about a plant-based diet (PBD) it just makes sense. The more I eat a PBD, the more that I know that this is the way to eat. I know that I will get crap for it, but no one can tell me that eating plants is unhealthy.
I will be keeping the blog updated on how it goes with the parents, hopefully they will find it as beneficial as I do.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Monday, February 17, 2014
Another Juice Fast! Day 1&2
Addicted to Food
A couple of exciting things! I started another Juice Fast! This time I am going to do 5 days. We have a military ball to go to on Friday, so that will be my first meal. Also I will be looking amazing! So far so good. The fast has been going great. Of course I am craving food, but it is easier this time. I took a week off, but in that week off I ate really well and none of the weight that I lost came back, none! I was a little frustrated because I was so used to seeing rapid results, and I was just staying the same, despite eating great and exercising. I know I need to remember that these things take time. However, when I took my measurements yesterday, during last week I did loose some inches on my waist, butt, hips, etc. So I was down about an inch all over. Right now, I have lost 9 lbs and 3 in on my waist. I feel healthy and I love seeing my fridge full of veggies and healthy food. That first cleanse has really helped me see the effects that food has on my body, it can be either positive or negative.
Some people are going to say, "Oh you aren't being healthy" or "That is an unhealthy way of loosing weight." and so many other things people say about it. This is the thing. I know that the Lord has shown me a better way to feed my body. I am filling my stomach with nutrient rich foods and cutting out the things that are bad, and frankly, that I am addicted to. I know that I am addicted to food. The definition of addiction is the compulsive need for and use of habit forming substance, persistent compulsive use of a substance known my the user to be harmful. I know that certain foods are harmful to me, but I eat them anyways, many times when I am not even hungry. I compulsively eat.
I hung out with my cousin Marie and her family this weekend. We talked a lot about being addicted to food. We eat food when we are happy, sad, seeing friends, celebrating, stressed, nervous, basically every emotion constitutes eating something. It really shouldn't be that way, we need to be eating when our body needs to eat not wants to eat. Which is way I like to do the Juice Fasts, It trains my body and mind to say no to food. It gives my mind and spirit strength over my carnal body. I have a big problem with thinking that I need to eat everything in front of me, like it's my last meal. I need to help myself realize that there will be food tomorrow, there will always be donuts, cookies, fast food, and pizza tomorrow and the next day and the next. Those things aren't going away and I can enjoy them later if I want to. Everything in moderation.
Hank and I went snowshoeing for Valentine's Day at Mt. Rainier. After that, we stopped at a cute little diner for dinner. I will be honest, I didn't eat super great, in fact, I had a hot chocolate. And I felt fine about those decisions because I had done so well previously and once in a while it is going to be ok. My problem, is I am great at make excuses. For some reason, everyday is a special occasion and you really can't eat like that or you will have problems.
Most people know that sugar gives me migraines. Basically I have to think that I am allergic to sugar. I am not allergic, it is just a negative reaction to a bad choice in foods. We had the ability to choose, but we can't choose the consequences that come from those decisions. I don't have to get a migraine if I just don't eat that brownie. It is easier said than done, but it does go back to training yourself to make healthy choices! MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES!
A couple of exciting things! I started another Juice Fast! This time I am going to do 5 days. We have a military ball to go to on Friday, so that will be my first meal. Also I will be looking amazing! So far so good. The fast has been going great. Of course I am craving food, but it is easier this time. I took a week off, but in that week off I ate really well and none of the weight that I lost came back, none! I was a little frustrated because I was so used to seeing rapid results, and I was just staying the same, despite eating great and exercising. I know I need to remember that these things take time. However, when I took my measurements yesterday, during last week I did loose some inches on my waist, butt, hips, etc. So I was down about an inch all over. Right now, I have lost 9 lbs and 3 in on my waist. I feel healthy and I love seeing my fridge full of veggies and healthy food. That first cleanse has really helped me see the effects that food has on my body, it can be either positive or negative.
Some people are going to say, "Oh you aren't being healthy" or "That is an unhealthy way of loosing weight." and so many other things people say about it. This is the thing. I know that the Lord has shown me a better way to feed my body. I am filling my stomach with nutrient rich foods and cutting out the things that are bad, and frankly, that I am addicted to. I know that I am addicted to food. The definition of addiction is the compulsive need for and use of habit forming substance, persistent compulsive use of a substance known my the user to be harmful. I know that certain foods are harmful to me, but I eat them anyways, many times when I am not even hungry. I compulsively eat.
I hung out with my cousin Marie and her family this weekend. We talked a lot about being addicted to food. We eat food when we are happy, sad, seeing friends, celebrating, stressed, nervous, basically every emotion constitutes eating something. It really shouldn't be that way, we need to be eating when our body needs to eat not wants to eat. Which is way I like to do the Juice Fasts, It trains my body and mind to say no to food. It gives my mind and spirit strength over my carnal body. I have a big problem with thinking that I need to eat everything in front of me, like it's my last meal. I need to help myself realize that there will be food tomorrow, there will always be donuts, cookies, fast food, and pizza tomorrow and the next day and the next. Those things aren't going away and I can enjoy them later if I want to. Everything in moderation.
Hank and I went snowshoeing for Valentine's Day at Mt. Rainier. After that, we stopped at a cute little diner for dinner. I will be honest, I didn't eat super great, in fact, I had a hot chocolate. And I felt fine about those decisions because I had done so well previously and once in a while it is going to be ok. My problem, is I am great at make excuses. For some reason, everyday is a special occasion and you really can't eat like that or you will have problems.
Most people know that sugar gives me migraines. Basically I have to think that I am allergic to sugar. I am not allergic, it is just a negative reaction to a bad choice in foods. We had the ability to choose, but we can't choose the consequences that come from those decisions. I don't have to get a migraine if I just don't eat that brownie. It is easier said than done, but it does go back to training yourself to make healthy choices! MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES!
Monday, February 10, 2014
Day 6 and 7
Well I am sure you guys are just hanging on wanting to know what happened with the cleanse! Okay so I got through day 7 and I knew that had to be the last day. I just really felt like if I kept going it would be a bad thing and I felt really good about doing 7 days. I knew that if I continued that I would get really burnt out of juicing and I didn't want that to happen.
On day 8, I continued to juice but then I had a healthy meal for dinner with my husband. What I have been doing, is a juice or green smoothie for breakfast and lunch and then a healthy meal for dinner. It is going great. I have been eating great. No sugar, sweets, white bread, etc. I have been watching my carbs and sugars. That seems to work well for me. I also have cut my portions almost in half. I only eat what i need to be eating. I stopped snacking because I was bored and I only have a healthy snack if I actually need it.
I am down 7 lbs and I think I am still heading in the right direction. Now that I am eating food I can begin seriously working out again, which is one of the main reasons that I stopped the cleanse. It has felt good to get back to the gym.
Anyways thanks so much for all of your support! I will keep you posted on my continued weight loss....fingers crossed. We have a Hawaii Trip coming up in March and I want to look great!!
On day 8, I continued to juice but then I had a healthy meal for dinner with my husband. What I have been doing, is a juice or green smoothie for breakfast and lunch and then a healthy meal for dinner. It is going great. I have been eating great. No sugar, sweets, white bread, etc. I have been watching my carbs and sugars. That seems to work well for me. I also have cut my portions almost in half. I only eat what i need to be eating. I stopped snacking because I was bored and I only have a healthy snack if I actually need it.
I am down 7 lbs and I think I am still heading in the right direction. Now that I am eating food I can begin seriously working out again, which is one of the main reasons that I stopped the cleanse. It has felt good to get back to the gym.
Anyways thanks so much for all of your support! I will keep you posted on my continued weight loss....fingers crossed. We have a Hawaii Trip coming up in March and I want to look great!!
Monday, February 3, 2014
Making the Juice
I like to make all of my meals in the mornings. I only like cleaning the juicer once! It really is a pain. But it is just like cooking any other meal, there is going to be a mess to clean.
Day 4 and 5
I am not stopping today at day 5, I am going to keep going. I have made it this far, I am going to shoot for 10 days. Well and the plan is to continue what I am doing and then add in whole produce, veggies, fruits, salad, etc. I am going to eat as much plant based food as possible.
Yesterday, day 4, was really a breeze. I am not longer craving anything. I just drink a juice and water when I feel hungry. I even left the house for about 4 hours and was fine. Which is huge for me. I don't like to self diagnose but I do get symptoms of low blood sugar. When my body needs food, it needs it now. I get shaky, dizzy, and very angry. Haha. I always have when I am going to eat planned out. If I am going somewhere, I have to know when we will be eating, I have to know where my next meal is coming from, because if I don't eat it can be really bad. So before leaving the house yesterday, I drank a juice and was fine until we got home. I think my body is finally getting all the nutrients that it needs from the plant based food I have been putting into my body. My body doesn't have to freak out anymore, because it is getting what it is asking for.
Many people have been asking me what I have been putting in my juices. I have mainly been following rebootwithjoe.com. Joe Cross is the guy who created, "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead." On his website, there are tons of recipes and plans for juicing. But I have adaped my own sort of plan. Sometimes I think his juices just have too much sugar in them. Really you can juice whatever produce you like. It isn't always going to taste great, but it is always fun to experiment. I like to keep it at about 80% vegetables and 20% fruit, maybe even 90/10. I guess the best thing is to get creative and have a variety. Joe always says to eat the rainbow. Eat all sorts of different colors.
These past five days, I have mostly stuck to liquified produce. I have had one smoothie a day and the rest juices. I don't know what to say about juice vs smoothies. I do think smoothies are better for you, you get the WHOLE food. But there is something to be said about the juice and getting those nutrients into your body ASAP. I have decided that I like to do both. The juices are a lot easier to drink, they taste better. The smoothie, is hard sometimes. I put mostly veggies into my smoothies and they usually taste like grass and the texture is like slop. But it makes me feel good and it gets those veggies into my diet.
I don't like vegetables, but I can drink them. And the more that I drink them, the more that they look good to eat. I really can't wait to eat a huge salad, with all of the veggie trimmings. One of the major points of the cleanse has been to show myself that I can do it. I can say no to foods. I can survive on plant based foods. And that it makes me healthier, stonger, and happier.
Yesterday, day 4, was really a breeze. I am not longer craving anything. I just drink a juice and water when I feel hungry. I even left the house for about 4 hours and was fine. Which is huge for me. I don't like to self diagnose but I do get symptoms of low blood sugar. When my body needs food, it needs it now. I get shaky, dizzy, and very angry. Haha. I always have when I am going to eat planned out. If I am going somewhere, I have to know when we will be eating, I have to know where my next meal is coming from, because if I don't eat it can be really bad. So before leaving the house yesterday, I drank a juice and was fine until we got home. I think my body is finally getting all the nutrients that it needs from the plant based food I have been putting into my body. My body doesn't have to freak out anymore, because it is getting what it is asking for.
Many people have been asking me what I have been putting in my juices. I have mainly been following rebootwithjoe.com. Joe Cross is the guy who created, "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead." On his website, there are tons of recipes and plans for juicing. But I have adaped my own sort of plan. Sometimes I think his juices just have too much sugar in them. Really you can juice whatever produce you like. It isn't always going to taste great, but it is always fun to experiment. I like to keep it at about 80% vegetables and 20% fruit, maybe even 90/10. I guess the best thing is to get creative and have a variety. Joe always says to eat the rainbow. Eat all sorts of different colors.
These past five days, I have mostly stuck to liquified produce. I have had one smoothie a day and the rest juices. I don't know what to say about juice vs smoothies. I do think smoothies are better for you, you get the WHOLE food. But there is something to be said about the juice and getting those nutrients into your body ASAP. I have decided that I like to do both. The juices are a lot easier to drink, they taste better. The smoothie, is hard sometimes. I put mostly veggies into my smoothies and they usually taste like grass and the texture is like slop. But it makes me feel good and it gets those veggies into my diet.
I don't like vegetables, but I can drink them. And the more that I drink them, the more that they look good to eat. I really can't wait to eat a huge salad, with all of the veggie trimmings. One of the major points of the cleanse has been to show myself that I can do it. I can say no to foods. I can survive on plant based foods. And that it makes me healthier, stonger, and happier.
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Post-its
Day 3 of the Juice Fast, except for one banana
Yesterday, was the hardest mentally. I really wanted food, like bad food. I feel great and my energy is on its way back up, but everything just looks so good and my smoothies and juices just don't. I just need to take it one day at a time. Days one through three are supposed to be the hardest and now they are over! I am hoping after day 5, I will continue the cleanse but just add in whole vegetables and fruits. Except, I did eat a banana last night because, I was really hungry and I had drank everything I had made and I really didn't want to make a juice at midnight. I don't feel like it was cheating too bad. Hahaha. Well I am down 4 pounds and 2 inches on my waist and it's only day 4. I hope I can keep this going. The cravings have subsided, I think! At least for right now. Everything my husband eats just looks so good, its really hard to have food around, but it makes me realize how strong I really am and can be.
I got up this morning early and made all of my juices. The making the juice is the most annoying things about all of this. It is messy. I only like cleaning the juicer once! The juicing part is fun....cleaning, not fun!
I like to think that I got this idea all on my own. No, not really. I learning about the green smoothie from my sister-in-law's mom. That really changed my life. I always thought, "Man, if I could do two smoothies a day, I would be set." But I have never been able to just get passed the idea of it. Then like most people, I was perusing Netflix and the documentary "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead" caught my eye. The film really helps you to see the change that can happen in your life by being healthy. And I had already experienced that first hand with my migraines, but I just needed a reminder. If you haven't seen it then WATCH IT! You can watch it at http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/ for free or on netflix. And when you are done with that watch "Hungry for Change" also on netflix. I have just been steadily gaining weight since I got married, because of the food that I eat. And I knew that is was time that I need to make a change and I knew that I had a strong motivation.
I know I am not the ideal healthy person but I am trying and that is what really matters. In the country filled with crappy foods, it is hard, cause those foods taste great. They make you feel good, for a second, and then you feel like crap. The problem is, is why don't we like to remember the crappy part; we remember how it tastes. It is just like doing something wrong, it feels great, it is fun, but then when it is all over, you feel like crap! We need to remember what makes us feel crappy, what decisions that we make throughout the day that brings us temporary fun and excitement or the decisions that make us feel real joy and make us proud of ourselves when we lay down and go to bed at night.
I got up this morning early and made all of my juices. The making the juice is the most annoying things about all of this. It is messy. I only like cleaning the juicer once! The juicing part is fun....cleaning, not fun!
I like to think that I got this idea all on my own. No, not really. I learning about the green smoothie from my sister-in-law's mom. That really changed my life. I always thought, "Man, if I could do two smoothies a day, I would be set." But I have never been able to just get passed the idea of it. Then like most people, I was perusing Netflix and the documentary "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead" caught my eye. The film really helps you to see the change that can happen in your life by being healthy. And I had already experienced that first hand with my migraines, but I just needed a reminder. If you haven't seen it then WATCH IT! You can watch it at http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/ for free or on netflix. And when you are done with that watch "Hungry for Change" also on netflix. I have just been steadily gaining weight since I got married, because of the food that I eat. And I knew that is was time that I need to make a change and I knew that I had a strong motivation.
I know I am not the ideal healthy person but I am trying and that is what really matters. In the country filled with crappy foods, it is hard, cause those foods taste great. They make you feel good, for a second, and then you feel like crap. The problem is, is why don't we like to remember the crappy part; we remember how it tastes. It is just like doing something wrong, it feels great, it is fun, but then when it is all over, you feel like crap! We need to remember what makes us feel crappy, what decisions that we make throughout the day that brings us temporary fun and excitement or the decisions that make us feel real joy and make us proud of ourselves when we lay down and go to bed at night.
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