belleadonna

Good job!! Hang in there.

Those of you trying to gain weight should really read Doug Grahams book. He gets athletes to gain weight on a 10% fat diet. High fat is really not good for us whether we are eating raw or eating SAD.

Good luck to everyone going raw and seeking to stay raw. It's a journey and we all need to encourage one another.

Good health first!!

I know that everyone's body is different. That is why I am seeking what is best for my own. I try not to read too much stuff because there is too much conflicting info out there. I am on a course now and I am going forward. I am gaining strength and the weight is coming off slowly. The first week was probably water weight coming off.

I am not sure what a dislocated knee has to do with being raw.

DAY NINE

I slept better last night than I have in awhile. I only woke up once and went right back to sleep. I have been going to bed at about 10pm and rising at about 5:30.

My husband and I went to Raleigh, NC (about 70 miles from us) to go to Whole Foods. I bought tons of fruit. I got tree-ripened nectarines, plums, clementines, Medjool dates, apples, and tons of bananas. I also got organic mangos, 2 for $3 so I bought 6 of them. Yum. We also had lunch there. I had a plate of fresh fruit.

I found my energy much better today. Not as sleepy nor did I feel as much fatigue as before.

2 oranges

1 grapefruit

1 banana

plate of assorted fruit (melon, strawberries, grapes, and pineapple

8 medjool dates (awesome)

carrot/turnip & radish greens juice

huge salad with 1/2 tbsp of olive oil/raw vinegar

20 almonds

2 nectarines

Weight 142

No cravings for cooked foods yet nor for grain products. That used to be my biggest craving. I used to eat tons of rice, cereals, and crackers.

My candida problems have seemed to clear up. I stopped taking one of my acidopholus pills. I used to take two a day. Now I am down to one. I am also phasing out my supplements. I want to finish what I have so as not to waste them. I don't feel a need for them anymore.

I still take powdered barley grass but I will stop that when I finish it.

I have not needed anything to clean out my bowels as I am eliminating fine and I am taking in about 50 grams of fiber a day.

Onward and upward!!

Day 8

Woke up a little stuffy. Other than that, I did not feel as tired although I am not getting a full night's rest yet. I worked out with free weights at the gym for an hour and felt really strong.

2 bananas blended with frozen wild blueberries

Carrot/turnip greens juice

2 grapefruits

2 oranges

Banana

Carrot/radish greens juice

mango

huge salad with olive oil/vinegar

1/2 raw food bar

raisins

Not much else to report. Just perking along!!

Weight- 142.8

I do just great on sweet fruits, thanks. I also eat/juice/blend alot of greens. I don't like a high fat diet. I have enough fat on me now.

Day 7- Not so tired today even though I am still waking up at intervals during the night. My dogs got me up at 5:30 to go out. Ugh.

Except for going to church I just rested today and watched the Daytona 500. Yee Haw. Nascar's back!!! Feeling good. Reading Doug Graham's 80/10/10 book. I like it and agree with alot that he says.

Green lemonade

Carrot/spinach juice

Banana

Raw food bar

Smoothie with kale, romaine, frozen banana, frozen strawberries, psyllium flakes

plate of cuke slices, radishes, grape tomatoes, and sugar snap peas

2 star fruits

4 kiwi

3 oranges

10 olives

Weight 142.2

May I simply suggest re-reading what I already posted.

Because you don't know if you'll still be "addicted" to cooked if you've

never even tried to do a full transition.

Also, herbal cleanses/fiberblends are a completely different world,

compared to colon hydrotherapy.

Andesuma, not sure what you mean by the first sentence.

Also, I am not in a position to do colon hydrotherapy. First of all, I live in the sticks and second of all is the expense. We are living on a retirement income.

I am not really finding myself hungry for cooked foods and it is even starting to smell bad everytime my husband cooks something or I cook something for him.

I am sure that cravings will come but I need to learn how to say NO to some things.

I have been addicted to alcohol, drugs, and caffeine in my life. God has helped me to kick those things and I am looking to Him to help me with this too.

Thanks for the encouragement and imput. I appreciate it. It's good to know that I have people on my side.

I am reading Doug Graham's 80/10/10 right now. Good book. I like his thoughts on how some raw fooders are basically substituting raw high fat treats for the junk they ate as cooked fooders. I wondered about that as I peruse the raw food boards. My word, the use of oils, chocolate, coconut, and nuts is overwhelming. I am trying to keep it simple. One thing on my side is that I have always loved fruits and veggies. Even as a kid I would prefer to sit down to a bowl of peaches than a sweet dessert.

I'm hanging strong bud!! Thanks. I was a real caffeine junkie. At least this time I only suffered one debilitating headache from withdrawal. The rest has been fatigue. I feel strong when I lift though.

Well I'm just not hungry for more right now. I have always suffered from fatigue even when I ate alot of calories. I feel much more energized today. I believe that most of my fatigue is from coming off of caffeine. As I wrote in my blog, I was doing 2 energy drinks a day and 5 mugs of coffee.

Andesuma,

I am already a week into this. Unfortunately, I have an addictive type of personalilty and if I tried to transition with cooked food, I would not stay raw. I have been vegan before and partially raw. I used to eat 85% raw. So my detox has been close to none except for some tiredness. I am trying to eat a good variety to get all of my nutrients. I am reading raw books. I have quite a few. I am taking Herbal Fiberblend to clean out my colon. I have used it before with success. I only use it every other day or so because it can be kind of rough using it everyday. So I also use Psyllium Husk on the other days.

Thanks for the advice. I am listening to my body. I am keeping a blog if you want to follow it too. Thanks again.

Day 6

Still eating raw!! Felt very weary today but pushed through it. I went to the gym and walked on the treadmill on an incline program for 30 mins. Later in the afternoon I went back to the gym and played ping pong for an hour with my friend. No other detox symptoms other than being tired. I am taking naps during the day. Still waking up during the night alot so that would account for some of my sleepiness.

I was also a caffeine junkie so I suspect that the tiredness may have something to do with my caffeine withdrawal. I was drinking two energy drinks a day and up to 5 mugs of coffee!!

2 grapefruits

banana

barley grass powder in water

red pear

grapes

smoothie with coconut water, frozen pineapple, frozen banana, and a touch of raw honey

2 small handfuls of raw trail mix

huge salad with 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and braggs vinegar

3 oranges

Weight- 142.8

Onward and upward. Today will be a week!!

ME NO LIKE AVOCADO NO HOW!!! BLECK. ME NO EAT!!

Sorry, my alter ego, Taz, just kicked in. He likes road-kill. Especially dead possum. He's not a vegan.

I will try and keep him under control.

Day 5- I woke up stuffed up but it cleared out as I got up and moved around. I wish that all of the mucus would hurry up and clear out. I think that I am the mucus queen. It hasn't been bothering me much but I know that it is in there!!

Felt really tired in the afternoon. Took a nap. I am still waking up alot at night. Not sure why my sleep is so disturbed. I have been going to bed no later than 10pm and getting up at about 5:30am.

I went to the gym and worked out for about 45 mins on free weights.

Green lemonade

raw food bar

salad bar at Ruby Tuesday

small dessert cup of almonds, brazil nuts, and raisins

Green smoothie

3 oranges

grapes

Not too hungry so far and not many cravings.

I have been averaging a little more than 1,400 cals a day. I try to eat now only when I am hungry in my stomach and not mouth hunger. I am learning to tell the difference.

I am reading books like Mucusless Diet System, Doug Grahams 80/10/10, Raw Foods by Boutenko, and the Live Food Factor by Schenck. I have read other books before when I first tried to go raw last year and fell off of the wagon hard.

Weighed 142.8 this morning.

I don't know how I can not like avacados. Blame my tastebuds I guess!!

I wish I like avacado. Bleck.

I have been sleeping fitfully. I keep waking up at intervals during the night. I am not sure why but this too shall pass.

Day 4 went well. Still feeling a little tired. Other than that, no problems. I had to work in the morning and felt a little weary after work. I clean houses and businesses part time. Yesterday I cleaned for 2 hrs.

No cravings so far which makes it alot easier. Hope they stay away but I am sure they won't. One day at a time. I am making no plans for tomorrow and I am not trying to out think this.

Green Lemonade

Raw food bar

4 kiwis

Grapes

plate of cucumber, grape tomatoes, radishes, and sugar snap peas (these were yummy) Didn't feel like having any salad dressing

small handfull of raisins

Green smoothie with romaine, spinach, banana, wild blueberries, hemp protein powder, raw honey

2 oranges

carrot/parsley juice

barley grass powder in water

Weight 142.4

Wow dude. Nice workouts and you are going to turn into the jolly GREEN giant. That's alot a greens!!

Wow, that's awesome lean and green. What a great birthday gift. Hope I can stay raw for as long as you have and longer!!

Off to make some green lemonade and then to work. See ya later.

Day three started with a slammer headache. No suprise. Caffeine withdrawal. Thank the Lord it subsided or I wouldn't have been able to do anything.

I felt tired and washed out. Went to the gym anyway and worked out for an hour. Even though I went there tired, I felt really good lifting and gained energy as I went on.

One thing I noticed is that I have a tear duct that has been clogged up for months now and the swelling seems to be going down. I hope that it will be back to normal soon.

Other than periods of tiredness, no noticable detox symptoms yet except for a growly stomach and gas (ugh). 2 bms.

I ordered a Vitamix today. Our old blender (Oster) was losing it ability to make good smoothies so I opted to go for the best. I got the 4500 at a great price. It doesn't have all of the bells and whistles of the 5000 but I don't need anything fancy and this way I can afford to get a good food processor. I'd like to get a dehydrator but I have spent enough money right now. I decided that if I am going to stick with this I need some variety and I need to learn to make some meals for once in awhile. I like to keep it simple but I will need some variety to keep me from straying. I had some cravings yesterday and tried to talk myself into eating something cooked but talked myself out of it again. Whew!!

2 grapefruits

small handful of pumpkin seeds

8 oz of carrot/parsley juice

Huge salad with olive oil/vinegar

lots of grapes

banana

6 dates

2 oranges

raw food bar

plate of 1/2 cuke sliced and 3 large radishes

Green smoothie with romaine, kale, frozen strawberries, 1/2 banana, raw honey, and psyllium husks (I don't like alot of banana in my smoothies, I like to eat them too!!)

The list above is in no particular order and I didn't eat this all at once!!

Weight 143.6

More tomorrow!

PS- No colonics for me. I am taking Herbal Fiberblend which cleans you out. I've used it before.

I am also taking barley grass (powered) but I plan on getting some dulse. Thanks for the comments guys.

Yeah, I try and watch the food combos. I didn't eat all of that stuff at once. I spread it out through the day. Thanks for the comments.

Great. Hope we all can make this journey together!!

How long have you two been raw?

Thanks Flanders!! I just started a blog in the blog section if you want to read it. All suggestions, comments are welcome!!

Day Two

Woke up feeling good. Weighed 143.6.

Had to work. I clean a house every other Tuesday. It takes me approx. 4 hrs. I started out good and then got very tired. I ate but it didn't help much. Felt kinda washed out. Finished and came home and took a nap. Got up and had a big salad. Here's what I had for the day.

Green smoothie made with water, kale, red top romaine, hemp protein powder, 5 frozen strawberries, 1/2 banana, squirt of raw honey.

Raw food bar

banana

lots of grapes

huge salad with greens, cuke, green pepper, grape tomatoes, raw sunflower seeds

apple with almond butter

3 oranges

I was really tempted to have some Melba toast with my salad but I talked myself out of it. Glad I did.

Went to bed at 9:30. Really sleepy.

I know that this is the beginning of detox and I have alot to detox out. I am addicted to caffeine and I have been taking OTC drugs for my horrible sinus problems which cause migraines if I don't take them. But I am not taking them so far. I also was eating meat and processed foods for a time.

More tomorrow.

DAY ONE

Monday was my first day back to 100% raw. The day went well. I had some hunger pangs so I ate when I was hungry. I didn't eat regular meals.

I had:

2 grapefruits

1 raw food bar

1 banana

Huge salad with olive oil/vinegar

3 oranges

8 brazil nuts

small handful of raisins

lots of grapes

That's all I wanted, all I needed.

I worked out at the gym doing weights (45 mins) and then played some ping pong.

I am starting out at 144.6 lbs

Had numerous bowel movements (3). I felt a little sleepy in the afternoon. Took a little nap. Slept well last night.

I feel good this morning. I will attempt to update today's journey tomorrow.