90 day juice feast!

Holy bashiz- has it TRULY been a year since my last post?

SO MUCH has happened this year.

Let's see.... My ex-husband and I had it out in court over the kids.  I won on that.  Actually, THEY won that but not for this post.  Charlie and my 2nd anniversary was March 25.  That was the day my MIL passed away.  I was truly looking forward to her living with us.  I had the twins on April 16th.  THAT was a funny story that I will save for another post.  And we moved over 400 miles away- yay military move.

So, it's quickly coming to a new year and I've decided to take control of myself.  Don't we always do that, every year? LOL!  well, this time I mean it darnit!

I've started my transition already and here's my plan:

Today and tomorrow (and yesterday but that's gone) I'm eating raw vegan.  Saturday - Monday I'm doing a water fast to cleanse my system.  Tuesday the 1st starts 90 days of juice feasting.

96 ounces of fresh fruit and veggie juice a day plus 1/2 my body weight in fluid ounces of water a day.  Holy kidney workout, batman!

Meanwhile, I will be using the fruit and veggie pulp to make crackers in my dehydrator.  For both the kids and myself when I'm done my feast.

My goals:
Aside from the "just get healthy" aspect, (what does that even mean?!  health means so much to so many)  I want to see how cured my asthma can be- (I believe that it's a curable autoimmune disease because of what I eat) and I want to see weight loss.  I want energy and for my kids to see me as the fun, energetic mom, the one who plays with them.

I'm not putting an actual weight-loss goal though, I would LOVE to initially get down to 180.  that was the weight I was when Charlie and I met and while it's not the best looking weight, he was attracted to me. :)  I want to see my body in a shape other than round.  I want to be the eye-candy that my husband deserves when he is in his dress uniform instead of what I feel I look like now.

My Attitude:
I have heard some really crappy things all of my life from my parents.  I have been told that I'm ugly, not worth "it", that I'll never be pretty, that my body will never be desirable, etc- all the things that normal people would NEVER say to a child, and yet I have heard them.  I won't go into the most damaging things, but I want to erase these toxic thoughts from my brain when I purge my fat.  When I detox my body, I want to detox my mind as well.  I have already removed certain toxic people from my life and I am a happier person for it, but I have work to do before I am renewed.

My Spirituality:
I am not only hoping to draw closer to God, but I am not ashamed to share that.  I plan on doing scripture to help me get through whatever I need for that day.  This is not to "bible-thump" to you, but this is to help myself.  If you have an issue with that, please don't watch the videos.  there's no need for you to be insulting with it by leaving nasty comments or even "disliking" the vids I post.  I'm not here to do this for anyone but me, but I do hope that you can gain wonderful information with it, and maybe I'll be able to help you through something you're going through.

Why I'm doing this:
I'm blogging and video logging this, because I want to be sure that I see changes.  I may have tons of energy, but I want to SEE it.  I want to feel it, I want to verify and have proof that I'm losing and that I'm gaining at the same time.

My starting stats:
Weight: 261
measurements:  IDK.  I haven't checked.  I will before the 1st day of the fast.


Today's video:

Twins, blender murderer and more...

I am preggo with twins!  Double trouble; two times the blessing!  Charlie and I couldn't be more thrilled, however I've had to up my chow intake.  boo, scale decided to start climbing up and up.  Yeah, I've been crying a little bit lately over that.  Chock that one up to increased hormones.

So, I murdered my blender.  no really.  I had a preggo brain fart and was putting a mason jar of garlic granules on my shelf and when I thought i had it up on the shelf, I let it go.  Yeah.  It wasn't on the shelf.  The glass pint jar fell and shattered my blender carafe. It was pretty. - Glass, 12 speed, made "snow".  I miss it.  I have been DYING for a green smoothie.

After the new year, I'm going to be upping my raw food intake.  The way I figure it can only help me, not harm me or the babies.  After all, everything I put in my body affects both of us, why not give them the best start possible- but you can read about that in my last post.

STILL working on my ebook.  It'll be out sometime... if my wonderfully amazing husband (not sarcastic there!) stops knocking me up, and after we relocate and I get used to life with twins, in a new place, and if Charlie's mom moves in with us (I'm truly looking forward to that!) life will be a little different, and hopefully I'll be able to get stuff done. :)

So, that's the news for now.  as soon as I'm blenderized again, I'll see what I can do to post a new smoothie or something.

Blessings in Christ,

me. :)

Raw Pregnancy!

I am having a raw pregnancy this time.  I want the absolute best for my body and in all honesty, being this big (dare I say obese) during pregnancy is hell on my joints.  My hips are already hurting, BUT I'm getting plenty of nutrients in what I'm eating.  I have lost 9 lbs this week.  I'm rather excited about that!

I know with the SAD (Standard American Diet) pregnant are expected to gain weight.  I get this, because you want the baby to grow.  Why do you need to gain 30 lbs?  (standard)  You only NEED to gain the weight that baby is, the placenta and the fluids.  How is htis a hard concept?

Well, you shouldn't be dieting while pregnant.
you're right.  you shouldn't.  Raw food isn't a diet.  I am eating nutritionally what is right for me and my baby.  Answer me a question:  which is better, a bag of cheetoes or a bag of salad?  any idiot (and some smart people) will of course say salad.  So why is it a major deal that I'm eating salad more than anything else?

I don't see what the problem is.  I"m getting 100% nutrition and yet people are worried about me getting nutrition.  Sure, makes sense to me.

What about detox?
my thought on that is this- I'm not a medical doctor, I don't work for hte FDA and if you follow what I'm doing it's on you, not me.  Now, with that disclaimer said, even though I might detox into my blood, 1, the placenta is a filter, 2, I am flushing those toxins out.  They're not staying in my body.  3- if I continue to eat a greasy cheeseburger, my cells become made of that.  my cells become nutrient deprived and "greasy".  So do my unborn child's.  I breast feed to give my children the best start.  The most normal, natural, healthy food for my children, (and I'm doing it to this day!) why wouldn't I start that in-utero?

Well, last night I made some date mini donut holes and some cauliflower popcorn (I've posted that earlier).  Zoe helped suck down the popcorn, and they both helped me eat the donut holes.

The donut holes recipe:
I didn't measure anything, so I'm winging this.  PLEASE suit it to your taste!  All measurements are "about".
cup or so of dates, pitted
2T cacao nibs
1/2 c. shredded coconut
1 c. walnuts (soaked)
tsp vanilla extract
few pinches of sea salt.

process in a food processor until almost a paste consistency.  scoop out using a mini scoop, and put on dehydrator sheets.  dehydrate 12-14 hours at 115*.  remove to plate (or glass mason jar).  Just try to deny these to your kids.  HA!

Btw, I started this week at 250, and I'm now down to 241!  WHILE pregnant.  rather excited.  (funny thing, I don't look like I weigh that much, but it still is hard on my joints while I'm pregnant).

as I'm writing this, the baby is kicking giving me the "kid tested and approved" recipes! LOL!!

My next endeavour will be an ice cream maker.  There's some nut ice creams that I am wanting to make.  Ani Phyo has an AMAZING coconut one!!  No really, ask Charlie, I've eaten BOWLS of this multiple times before I was pregnant last time and it was hard for me to keep it in stock!  It was so delicious and I craved it.

Well, I'm going to sign off for now, but 9 lbs down.  6 more weeks until Charlie comes home.  I'm hoping to surprise him!  I'll post pics of progress when I get them.

Guess Who's Back!

So it's been quite a while since I posted.  Last you heard I was pregnant and I'm writing a smoothie E-book.  Well, I'm still writing the book, and I had our beautiful son (Nathan) on Janary 14th! 

So much has happened in the past few weeks that for the sake of my health, sanity and thrivation (I'm the author, I can make up words as I go along.)  I'm going back raw... again.  This time is different and here's why:

My amazing, wonderful, sweet, meat-and-potatoes husband was just diagnosed with diabetes.  Everyone's heard of it, but what it means is that his cells arent' absorbing the sugar in his bloodstream anymore.  He's on a pill, not insulin shots and he has to monitor his BSL and we'll find out more as we go along.  Don't know if it's type 1 or 2 yet, but he has ZERO signs that he's type 2, for instance, he's not older (33!), he is in no way obese (185lbs at 5'11"), he's not having any problems, vision, sensory, kidney, liver, etc. 

How we found out was we went to get life insurance.  the bloodwork came back on him and they refused him.  I'm just thankful that we found this out NOW instead of in a few years, when he's driving on the interstate and passes out or something.    It's a scary thing.

So, we've made a pact and I basically told him: "You ARE going raw with me".  He is choosing his health, so now it's my duty to find recipes he'll like.

SMOOOOOOOTHIIIIIIEEEEEEES!

So, a friend of mine who is new to raw keeps begging me for smoothie recipes.  She and I have decided that we're going to write a book- of course, we're "babies" to raw (I've been raw for about 2 years, but that doesn't mean that I know everything... no where near it) and while I have an uncook book in the works, my smoothie book will definitely be different.

I have a sweet tooth like you wouldn't believe.  YUM more than you know, baby.  I prefer sweet smoothies to straight-up green smoothies.  I'm working on it, but it's what my tastes prefer.  Just like I can't stand beets.  dry, fresh, raw, cooked.... gag.  no thanks. 

SO, my decision (though I haven't posted in months- pregnancy kicking my tushie right now!) is that I'm coming up with at minimum 50-75 recipes for smoothies myself, HOWEVER if you want to email me a recipe, you will get FULL credit for it!  You are no less important, and you can become immortal by your original (that's the clause!) smoothie recipe. 

hugs, and super glad you checked it out...

I'M PREGNANT!!!!!!!!!!!

my husband and I couldn't be more thrilled to be expecting our first child together.  my 3rd, his 2nd.  I just found out today, and I have already made a decision to eat primarily raw while pregnant.  Now, I will possibly give into cravings while preggo, but I want this child to have NONE of the problems I have, i.e. asthma, obesity, etc. 

Wish me luck!!!

11 week challenge and what is living food?

Penni Shelton (I probably spelled her name wrong) from RawFoodRehab.com (come check me out there!) is issuing an 11 week challenge.  it's 77 days and I think I'm going to take her up on it.  she is giving so many awesome tips, like having a core menu, and a support system, and getting our minds right, things like that.

Well, it starts tomorrow.  Most people gorge on crap that's nto good for them teh day before a "diet" starts.  Well, raw food is a lifestyle, not a diet.  It's a way of living, and eating, not just deprive yourself of something.

That is focus on what we CAN have, instead of what I don't want to shove into my body anymore.  The premise of raw foods is taking care of our bodies. 

Living food = living body.  Dead food = dead body.  plain and simple.  Well, okay- what does living food mean?  Living food is food with live cultures and enzymes in it that when broken down in your body, your cells absorb and can begin healing itself if necessary, as well as allows it to funciton properly.  Well ok, so what is "dead" food?  dead food is food that has been heated to a point where the enzymes are destroyed and the food is no longer beneficial.  while there may be some traces of nutrients, they are no where near where you need them to be for your body, or the portion size that you would need to eat.  These dead foods leave us feeling hungry, lethargic, and all around "blah".  Kind of like that overstuffed feeling from thanksgiving.

Our bodies create millions of cells an hour. What we put into our bodies is what makes our bodies.  You've heard that you are what you eat, well, that saying is more real than we realize.  Every molecule of food that you take in becomes part of your cells.  If you're eating crap, that crap will be part of you.  it will become part of the structure that is your bones, skin, blood, lymph- everything!

Imagine if you fed your body pure unadulterated goodness?  100% live energy?  This is what raw food is.  Feeding our cells everything that it absolutely needs to create a sound structure, to live longer, and to be healthier is what this lifestyle is about.  Will you lose weight?  depends on if your body needs to.  Will you gain it?  same answer.  Imagine every time you eat that you are filling every cell you have with much-needed nutrition, live enzymes, and hydration?  Imagine how plump, toned and healthy your skin cells would look?  Move over oil vou frog!  Real solutions are here!

so back to the 11 week challenge- for the next 77 days I will be high raw.  Haven't been so much with the 100% so I'm working DAILY on a high raw over the next 11 weeks.  I will also post a weekly picture of me and my stats.  sigh.  that scares me, but I'm looking forward to it.  the accountability is pretty mixed.

Wish me luck!