Day 15!

So I passed the 2 week mark! I am still going strong and loving the way I eat each and everyday! Like I have stated before I am not as strict since I was fighting a cold and I didn't want to get worse, but I have only added soy back in and on occasion cane juice, like in my soup.
I have been looking online at college's as I am going back to school to become a Registered Dietitian. I know this is what I am supposed to do and I am so excited that I have finally found a path to go down. I have been very reluctant in wanting to go back to school only because I had no idea what I wanted to be or do. I did know that I love to help and educate people but I wasn't sure if I could manage to be a full time school teacher. Being a dietitian will give me many opportunities to work where I want to; either in a medical environment, a school or open up my own practice. I have never felt so passionate about one thing for so long. It truly is rewarding!
So on to my foods :)

This is heaven in a bowl! (or a mug!) It is creamy, full of flavor and so good for you! Made of all organic ingredients and soy for that creamy texture, it has been my partner in my office when it's been so cold out!

Just some more ideas for my lunches. Plain rice cakes with hummus all over them, (which I will add are tasty just like that!) avocado, raw sunflower seeds, tomato, red onion and cilantro. I made some with alfalfa sprouts on it as well. Yummy either way and very filling!

So this may not very appealing but it sure was good! I steamed a half of a sweet potato and made quinoa with black beans and corn. I knew I like sweet potatoes but I never had a fresh, steamed one. They are my new favorite food! M-K and I eat our fair share of baby red's and an occasional baker and they are not my favorite. Actually I'm not a real big fan of potatoes period; except for now! They have a very creamy texture, sweet and so good for you. I didn't add one single spice or herb the this sweet potato, it was that good! So back to the quinoa... if you don't know what it is... don't worry, I didn't either. But believe me when I say I felt lost without it! I cant even explain how this tastes... its nutty, has a wonderful texture but not a lot of flavor by itself. But it is a perfect canvas for adding other tastes and textures. I have been on this Mexican, south-west taste for a while and I didn't stop with this. It cooks very similar to rice and at the end I added a can of corn and black beans with some salt and pepper. I put a teaspoon or organic salsa on the top and mixed it in. My suggestion, come to my house and I will make you some! You believe your taste buds!

Day 11

I have been fighting a cold for the past 5 days and it has not been fun. One day I feel like it is getting better then the next I feel like crap again. It could be due to my lack of nutrients or it could be my body detoxifying itself, I am not sure. I am taking a multi vitamin, vitamin C and echinacea but my body craves more.
So I have started incorporating more foods in my system very slowly. I have been sticking to a vegan and raw diet still but I am eating soy and a little sugar (organic cane juice). Today I was feeling a little better. My energy level seems to be up still, which helps me to go to the gym at night, but my throat is scratchy and sinus's a little plugged. And now that I am allowing myself to eat a little more, my cravings and feeling deprived of yummy foods have gone away. To tell you the truth I love eating this way!
I look back just a month ago and I thought I was eating healthy, and to most I was, but I really wasn't aware of what I was consuming. I was more focused on the calories and fat grams that I didn't take in consideration that the food might have been bad for me altogether! The less processed, the better the fuel.
Many conversations have come up with co workers and friends of mine and I love nothing more then to educate people about my experiences. Being a nutritionist at a hospital made me realize what we take for granite: our body, our mind and our health. I need to go back to school and continue my education. Helping others has always been in my heart and I believe I have found my calling.

Day 8

I know I am very past due for a recent update but time has once gotten a hold of me and I kept putting it off.
It is day 8 of my detox plan and I feel great! My cravings have completely stopped from sweets and the way I eat feels very normal. I have even started my gym going again, 50-60 minutes of mixed cardio and free weights here and there. I know that I have lost some weight even though I did not weigh myself at the start. My goal wasn't for me to lose weight but its expected when you cut out sugar and gluten.
I love experimenting with new foods and flavors. There are so many options, you just need to know where to look! Vegan cuisine is so delicious, most of the time I don't even know that I am eating it. I have never been one to snub food, especially healthy items, but even I get a tad freaked out when something new is put in my face. I am starting to love food again and I love what the food is doing to me.
I have eaten some fish on a couple of nights but very small portions. Mostly beans, vegetables, fruit and grains. And I must admit that I had a half of a bud light tonight but I savored every sip and it was so tasty!
I do have one fear though: what I will be like once I am off the detox. I don't want to go back to eating crap again. I know that I wont but I almost feel that eating the foods that I have cut away from me is very bad and will do my body no good. I also have a feeling that M-K will try to get me to start eating again. He hates me losing weight and if I lose anymore he is going to feed me twinkies in my sleep... ok so that is a dramatization but you get my point. :)

Thank you for all the support and encouragement; it hasn't been easy but I love what I am doing to myself as an individual. I feel healthy, I look healthy and I have a new approach on life and what it has to offer.

Day 4

Today I did my juice fast... for the most part. I did have a few carrots with hummus and I had a small portion of rice with beans throughout the day; the carrots at 4 and the rice at 7. Surprisingly I feel great! I have been drinking a lot of water along with my juice which is good for pushing out the toxins. The natural sugar in the juice must have kept my energy level up as I didn't feel tired and I have had no headache or stomach ache.

Tomorrow I am back to eating solids again. I had M-K try my juice, the orange kind, and he loved it! We are going to start drinking these juices all of the time as they are all natural and 100% juice.
I may have mentioned this before but if I get one thing out of this detox is that I am beginning to be more and more aware of the ingredients that are in the food that we buy and consume on a daily basis. Even simple items like salsa and canned vegetables have hidden "extras" that we do not need to eat. Some people say that it's more expensive to buy natural food but its really not. When you eat processed foods or foods that have a lot of chemicals in them, they go right through you and don't fill you up. When you eat wholesome foods that are all natural and in a raw state, you will eat less, in tern saving money because you are not consuming as much as you usually do. And when you are eating healthy your carvings for junk food go away. We, as Americans, spend more and more money on daily fast food visits, junk food at the store, sodas, candy, etc. etc... if we could all just eat as we were made to eat the obesity rate, the heart disease, the cancers would eventually go down at a rapid rate. Everything in moderation.

Day 3

Breakfast was two satsuma oranges, applesauce with flax seeds and a piece of rice toast.

I had leftover dinner for lunch: re fried beans, onion, avocado, cilantro and radishes.

I have also been snacking on nuts all the time when I feel a little hungry.

My stomach was upset around dinner time and nothing felt good except cereal. I did by a wheat and sugar free cereal the other day. Its made out of millet and does contain barley but I needed to eat something and it was the only thing that sounded good. I love my rice milk too!

Day 3

I have read over and over by many sources that the third day is always the worst. Your body is finally flushing out a lot of toxins and is somewhat in shock by not having sugar, dairy and whatever else is cut out of your diet.
Well I can definitely say that it was the worst day for me. I was very tired and my stomach was upset for most of the day. I slept off and on and went to bed at 9:30 which is very unheard of me. I know that I am doing my body good and these side effects will subside and I will start to feel wonderful and full of life and energy again. M-K is a little worried though and this is a concern for me since he will insist that I get off the detox if I continue to look and feel worse.
I have never been one to complain if I don't feel well. I take steps to improve my feelings and try not to share with others. Although I didn't feel horrible, napping is very uncommon for me and he knows this. He also has noticed that I have been losing weight and doesn't like this as well. Believe me, I can use to lose a few pounds but I would never say that I was at an unhealthy weight. I think a lot of it is bloating and water. Since the first day I have not experienced bloating and the water is helping me feel lighter and flushed.
My sugar cravings are still there but not as bad and we even went to lunch yesterday after looking at a home to purchase. Of course he ate but I couldn't eat anything on the menu. His Cesar salad and pizza looked to good but I stayed determined and didn't give in. He sometimes feels bad by eating around me but I tell him that it is my choice and not to worry. I have pretty good will power when I want to use it. :)

Day 2

The bread was very good toasted and made an excellent sandwich!

My lunch was one piece of bread, hummus, red onion, avocado, sunflower seeds, tomato

Dinner was so good tonight! Vegan refried beans, brown rice, carrots, salsa, fresh cilantro, red onion, avocado and radish on the side.


For dessert I had applesauce.