Today was my first day (in about six months) of being completely raw. It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be... i just have to think a little bit more and use just a little bit more will power! Because i have a 3 1/2 year old son, things get a little crazy at times and I am finding that i need to keep more "prepared" foods on hand in the refridgerator. And, i'm trying to listen more to my body - If I think i should be eating a salad and i'm craving fruit, i'm going to have fruit! I want to make my body happy and maybe it will make me happy :) So, here is a rundown of what I actually ate today - the only thing i drank is water.

Breakfast: Grapefruit and the leftovers of my son's slice of watermelon.
Snack: 3 dried figs
Lunch: From Ani Phyo's book, I had the Italian Herb Collard Wrap: Large Collard Green leaves stuffed with sun dried tomatoes, red peppers, avacado, scallions, rosemary, oregano and a dill cheeze spread which consisted of Sunflower Seeds, Water, Lemon Juice, Dill and Garlic. These were so good! They would definitely be good when you are craving Italian Food or when everyone around you eats Italian
Snack: Strawberries with Cashew Cream (I know, i don't normally eat cashews, but i had this a few weeks ago and I've been craving it ever since... I'll try it with Mac's and Brazil's next time!)
Dinner: Salad of mixed greens, red peppers, sweet white onions, the rest of the avacado (the other half i used for the wraps), Sprouts and then i made a dressing from Ume Plum Vinegar, Bragg's Amino Acid Spray and Sesame Oil. I'm trying to get off the Bragg's completely, but It's in so many recipes!
And, as I type this, I'm eating a new concoction taken from a recipe in Raw Food Real World (i just borrowed this book from the library and it is a very nice book that would be great for when i entertain). It is Raw, Dried coconut flakes, vanilla, agave nectar, sprinkle of salt and some Coconut Oil. It reminded me of rice crispy treats, but just not as gooey. They were pretty good!

So, that was my first 100% raw day. I'm going to be making the Hawaiian BBQ Skewers tomorrow for dinner - these were awesome last time i made them. I'll start posting pictures of my meals as soon as I get the time to actually download some! I'm hoping to get some time this coming weekend.

Please feel free to post your raw food experiences, recipes, ideas, menu's, etc... it's always fun to share!

100% Raw Challenge

Okay, so i came to the realization that i need to do something more for myself if i want to lose the last 20 pounds... so, i'm going to start by going 100% raw all the time! I have to really test myself and my will power. I did this for about a month and i felt great and i lost about 10 pounds and almost 2 dress sizes. So, as i write this, it's 10:47 pm and when i wake up in the morning, i'll start my new transformation! I have to make a conscious effort to eat this way and to work out as much as i should/need to for what i want to accomplish. So, Tuesday and Thursday mornings when my son is in pre-school, i'll be in the gym (this is my normal routine anyway) and then I'll be doing Yoga and/or Pilates every day during his nap - INCLUDING the days when i go to the gym. I need to find some good Yoga DVD's. I like yoga where the moves just flow into each other. Any suggestions would be awesome! So, i'll keep everyone updated on my 100% raw diet and my weight loss accomplishments.... keep me posted on yours as well!

100% RAW??

Well, I finished my 3rd master cleanse about 1 1/2 weeks ago. I've been eating mostly raw foods since then, but i just haven't felt the same - i felt wonderful on the cleanse - the best i've felt in years! Unfortunately, we (my husband and I) had some obligations that we couldn't get out of... so, i had to end my cleanse. I'd really like to do this again towards the middle of April. If anyone would like to do it with me, please let me know! I'm thinking that i need to just change over to 100% raw! I want to feel and look great! I really need to lose my last 20 pounds before the summer! I'm just getting so frustrated that I'm not losing the weight - I'm eating mostly raw, working out at the gym 2 or 3 times a week, doing Yoga or Pilates at home everyday... My body must be confused!!!!! Any suggestions? I'd like to stay away from nuts and avacado's for awhile - I'm pretty sure that's how i gained back 5 pounds! Anyway, any help/suggestions/comments would be greatly appreciated on this topic.

RAW FOODISTS?

Hello there. I'm new to this blogging thing, so please bear with me :) I live in the Syracuse, NY area and, if anyone else does then you know, it's hard to be a raw foodist in this area! There is 1 Natural Foods Store and there isn't a large selection of organic groceries. We do have a farmers market, but it's not so great in the winter. Winter in this area just stinks! So, I'm looking for any fellow raw foodists in this area or surrounding areas or just looking for some raw friends to share recipes with . I love raw foods and how they make me feel - energized, clean, clear, healthy, etc... I grew up wanting to only eat fruits and veggies but meats were literally forced down my throat. I didn't even care for bread until college... the bread at both Outback and Red Lobster got me hooked! So, now i'm experimenting with raw food recipes trying to find some good staples. My husband is not a raw foodist, but he is 100% behind me and very supportive and does try everything i make - he's not a huge fan of nuts, so that is a difficulty when i try to make deserts. I don't care for the consistency of Young Coconut Flesh and Young Coconut Water mixed/blended... that's a basis for a lot of raw treats and smoothies. So, if anyone would like to contact me, please feel free. If your in the Syracuse area, please let me know! Good luck on your raw food journey - I know i'm enjoying it!