Feasting and Fasting

Whew - it's been quite a couple of weeks. Being raw was awesome. I didn't have any food cravings or detox symptoms. My skin conditions cleared up, I lost some weight, I was able to rise up early in the morning without the use of alarm clocks, my normal body odor was basically gone (didn't have to use deodorant), and I actually enjoyed the food. My husband and I feasted at Quintessence in NYC (a raw food restaurant - www.raw-q.com) and it was soooo good. I was smiling ear to ear with every bite. My husband enjoyed it so much he actually considered going raw afterwards! lol.

Yesterday on the way to church I felt lead to go on a 14 day water/juice fast. Now that I've been raw for two weeks, I figured it was the next logical step to really cleanse my body so that I can get the full benefits of being raw in the future. Well, if you count that my last actual meal ended on Saturday around 6pm, I've been fasting now for 51 hours (a little over 2 days). My gosh! Can we say DETOX??! I started feeling a little weak last night while my friends were over. I couldn't even get off the couch to say good night to them when they were leaving. I was tossing and turning all night to finally get up around 3am and vomit what I later found out was bile (iuuuooooooo). Apparently when your body is cleansing, the liver takes extra toxins and puts them in the stomach with bile so it doesn't get overtaxed. That was nasty. I had a little more of that tonight. Not to mention that my body odor is back with a vengeance, I haven't had a bowel movement (yes, you had to know that), I've been weak and dizzy and basically bed ridden all day. My tongue is coated with some slimy stuff, my legs are achy and I have had no desire whatsoever to drink juice. My husband made me a green juice this morning of romaine lettuce, celery and parsley. That's the only juice I've had, and only because he "made" me. I've only wanted water and have been drinking a ton of it.

Despite all the bad symptoms I'm feeling, I'm excited to be getting clean inside and out. So many people live with toxic bodies like I have for so many years. I'm turning 30 at the end of this month (March) and want to be in the best shape I've even been in - Spiritually, Physically, Mentally, Emotionally, Socially and Financially. I'm on my way! In a sick way, this is kind of fun. I KNOW the grace of YHWH is encompassing me through this whole journey. Yay! I'll keep you posted.

Evolution of Yadi

I haven't touched this food journal in several weeks. First I thought I had this thing down and could keep everything I ate in my mind. LOL. Seriously. I figured I had learned the lesson that needed to be learned (no mindless eating) therefore I no longer needed to heed this discipline. After that I went on several binges which included eating red meat. I hadn't eaten red meat in 8 years. I gained close to three pounds back and decided to stop weighing myself. That's where I've been.

So now this journal is taking a different direction. It is with great trepidation of the thoughts of my readers that I say the following - I am now a raw foodist. For a full explanation as to why I made this decision, see my personal blog here. I feel the need to write a disclaimer. Going raw is not for everyone. I'm doing what I know is right for me.

That being said, I am now going to use this journal to document my experience as a "raw foodist" (a term which I detest and will only use this one time). I officially went raw on Monday, February 11, 2008. That makes today my 3rd day. The last time I weighed myself was February 4th and I was 173 point something. I didn't weigh myself again until today because the rest of that week I ate atrociously and knew I had gained even more weight. Today, after only 3 days of eating raw, I weighed in at 170.2. I know the numbers aren't everything, but it is always nice to see them going in the direction of a healthy weight instead of the opposite.

Since I prefer to live an intuitively and spirit-led life rather than cerebrally-led, I prefer not to set a time frame on how long I will be raw - and I definitely won't say it's forever. At this point I can see myself transitioning to a high raw diet (mostly raw with a few cooked whole grains, still vegan) - but who knows? So my journey begins and I'm looking forward to the fabulous changes this will bring.

Day #24

Breakfast 12:30pm
1 large bowl of honey nut cheerios with rice milk

Lunch 3pm
Homemade salmon pizza

Dinner 8:30pm
WW pasta with organic tomato and red pepper soup, soybeans, corn, artichoke and marinara sauce.

Day #23 (with review of previous days)

Today I'm supposed to be fasting. I'm not sure if I'll make it the whole day as it's currently noon and I'm famished. I also haven't gotten my period (4 days late) and am not sure if I'm pregnant. That would put a bit of a damper on the whole weight loss thing. lol. It's probably just because I've changed my routine. Will keep you posted.

Breakfast 12:30pm (yea...)
1 egg fried in 2 teaspoons soybutter
1 slice whole grain toast with soybutter
3 tamarinds
4 Belgian chocolates

Lunch
I don't remember...

Dinner
Brown rice and salmon with lemon dill sauce

Monday January 21 - Tuesday January 22
I ate a bunch of junk including Belgian chocolates and homemade pizza...but I exercised!!!!! Woohoo!! First time in a long time. It felt good.

Sunday January 20
Breakfast 11am
Scrambled egg and cheese on an everything bagel
A few chunks of honeydew melon

Lunch
Veggie lomaine and broccoli in garlic sauce

Dinner
My mother-in-law's cooking (I don't remember what it was)

Saturday January 19
Breakfast
The usual

Lunch
I went to a birthday party at a Colombian household. I broke ALL the rules. I had red meat for the first time in years. I even had wine (which I'm not supposed to have at all on this plan). Overall, I ate 1 chicharon (fried pork), vegetable rice with chorizo (sausage) mixed in, potato salad, avocado, beef lasagna, and marble cake with strawberry mousse filling.

Dinner 9pm
Veggie Lomaine w/ broccoli in garlic sauce
1 veggie egg roll
2 Tostones (fried plantain)
1.5 cups Snapple

Friday January 18
Breakfast
1 egg fried in two teaspoons of soybutter
1 slice whole grain toast with soybutter
1 cup frozen berries
1 cup soymilk

Lunch
French Bread Pizza (organic mozzarella, pizza sauce, tomatoes and red pepper flakes)

Dinner
Blackened Cajun Salmon
Brown rice
Spinach and tomato with balsamic vinegar
2 butter cookies

Day #17

Breakfast 10am
1 bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios

...felt dizzy afterwards :(

Lunch 1pm
Homemade veggie sandwich (multigrain french bread, romaine lettuce, raw baby spinach, tomatoes, onion, jalapenos, avocado, cucumber, shredded carrot, mustard, organic shredded mozzarella cheese, a splash of apple cider vinegar)

2 butter cookies

I know I know! I said I gave them away! I did...except the burnt ones which I kept because they weren't worthy to be given away and I didn't think I would eat them. I was wroooooong.

Dinner 5pm
Homemade pizza (ww crust, tomato sauce, organic mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, baby spinach)

Less than 1 serving of multigrain chips

A few freeze dried mangosteins

Snack ? 8pm
2 butter cookies.

They're gone now. For real.

Day #16

Yes, I have totally fallen off the wagon. I think it all started on Friday when I checked my weight and saw that I had lost over 3lbs. I got too confident...and my son's bday party on Saturday only exacerbated things. Now I'm back at square one. I haven't written my food choices down in days. I'm starting again today. I'm dreading that 4 week weigh in. I haven't exercised (except for housework) and I can't find my work out dvd. No excuses. I must get on the ball!!

Communion 11am
Small piece whole wheat matza
tiny bit of organic grape juice

I thought I should start my day with communion to get refocused on what I'm doing.

Breakfast 12pm
1 fried egg
1 slice whole grain toast with soybutter
1 cup soymilk
a few frozen strawberries
...2 butter cookies I baked this morning.

Lunch 2:15pm
1 homemade veggie sandwich (multigrain french bread, romaine lettuce, shredded carrots, tomatoes, onion, jalapenos, cucumbers, mustard, a dash of apple cider vinegar and tarter sauce)
1 butter cookie

I could've done without the tarter sauce (made it kinda gross) but I thought it needed something extra since I didn't have any special sauces to put on it. Darn those butter cookies.

Snack 3pm
2 butter cookies

OK, I gotta give these things away and never make them again.

Dinner 5pm
1 slice homemade pizza (whole wheat crust with pesto, tomato sauce, organic mozzerala cheese, tomatoes, and spinach)

Went to church and gave all those darn cookies away!

Day #12

Saturday, January 12 - My Son's First Bday Party

Breakfast 10am
2 homemade pancakes with maple syrup

Snack 2:30ish
A bunch of multigrain tostitos and salsa

Lunch 3:30ish
A slice of pizza

Dinner 6ish
Rice and beans with chicken in sauce
Another slice of pizza

Later on I had some bday cake.