February 28th- I Just Had the Biggest Salad Known to Mankind

(Photo- a blurry photo of tonight's high-point salad)

It's hard for me to eat throughout the day to get points in, and it's hard to eat large meals to make up for not having eaten more often. Today I made another conscious effort to eat more points. Again, I am overly full and slightly uncomfortable, plus, I think I'm getting heartburn this time. I'm not doing that again! I guess I'll stick to what's been working thus far.

TODAY'S MEALS

BREAKFAST
Smoothie: banana, mango, raspberries, strawberries, OJ
Salad
12 points

LUNCH
none

DINNER
Spinach leaves
corn
1 oz blue cheese
1 cup taboule
1/4 cup hummus
mushrooms
garlic
tomatoes
13 points (hard to believe! However, hummus, cheese and taboule do have fat in 'em)

SNACKS

TOTAL POINTS: 25

February 27- Another Day Raw

(Photo: flax seeds)

Those of you who are VERY overweight might relate to the fact that when I was younger, I used to pray for God to take away my appetite. Please God, make me hate food! But alas, I only grew to love it more. The thought came to me today that perhaps my prayers have been answered, in a way. I don't hate food, but that out-of-control appetite is most definitely gone. I truly do not think of food all the time- only when I'm hungry or when I've got a break in my busy schedule and know I should eat something.

When I was little (under age 10) my parents took me to the doctor because I was so skinny. I was a very active child without much of an appetite, and I was a picky eater. The doctor said nothing was wrong with me. I don't actually remember that doctor visit, nor did I know of their concerns-thank goodness(my mom told me years later). Now I'm wondering if that low appetite is just part of how I function, something I would never have been aware of due to all of my food addictions, which I always blamed on an abnormally huge appetite. My appetite has been low since I stopped eating processed junk foods - that's one of the reasons I don't eat much more than 1200 calories on a daily basis, even though I really try to sometimes. Usually when I try to (like tonight) I end up eating too much (volume-wise) and feeling unwell.

TODAY'S FOODS

BREAKFAST
Dates
Grapes
Banana
10 points

LUNCH
salad
6 points

DINNER (Go Raw Cafe)
Mexicali Pizza
Carob pie
20 points (a guess, but that food is full of fat! I could be underestimating.)

SNACKS
none

TOTAL POINTS: 36

February 26th- Beginning my 8th Week Raw

(Photo: red cabbage)

Not much to day about today. My point count is pretty low, but I might have underestimated a bit. My software crashed right as I was calculating points and I refuse to go through it all over again, so I'm making an educated - albeit conservative- guess. My calorie count for the day was not abnormally low at all, so the low points, if I'm correct, must be from the fact that one of my meals was all fruits, which have almost no fat.

My mom and dad might come out for a visit this fall and it'll be pretty amazing to them if I've lost 100 lbs by then. This is not entirely impossible to imagine; it's less than 60 lbs away, and there are 8 months until fall. My girlfriend says she can tell I'm getting smaller. I can tell that some of my pants are a tiny bit looser, but that's really it. I don't "feel" smaller yet. But I'm taking pictures every month of myself getting into the same pair of pants and it's going to be pretty fun blending them into a video sequence!

Well, on to today's meals...

BREAKFAST
Salad
6 points

LUNCH - Smoothie
Banana
mango
orange juice
strawberries
6 points

DINNER
Sushi
5 points

SNACKS
3 medjool dates
3 points

TOTAL: 20 points

WEEKLY SUMMARY OF MY 7th WEEK EATING RAW FOODS

NUTRIENTS

Calories.......................1026 to 1460
Fat...............................30 g to 69g
Carbs...........................100g to 222g
Protein.........................29g to 44g

I noticed that with the switch to points, my fat and carb intake went up over the week while my protein intake went down. My calorie intake went up, but less steeply. These seem to reflect the fact that I was trying to increase my daily points with higher-calorie foods so that I wouldn't have to eat a greater volume of food, and that the higher calorie foods tended to be higher in fat and carbs (avocados and dates, for example). My protein intake is lower than sparkpeople.com recommends for me, but as we all know, there is some disagreement about how much protein the body really needs.

Anyway, this week I exercised for the first time and am not the worse for wear. I thought I'd be in a lot of pain, but I didn't really exert myself that much- I just used muscles that have started to atrophy. I hope to be able to create a regular workout schedule, between going to class, studying, work and family. I lost 4 lbs this week, which is great. I should be out of the 300s in a couple of weeks!!! That'll really make me feel that I am on my way to lasting health.

Truth to tell, I find that I am really more interested in getting this weight off right now than anything else. I feel I have the luxury of not having to concentrate so much on my nutrients right now because eating raw and taking my vitamins feels so good and healthy to me (except for that pesky fiber problem!!) I don't have cravings and don't binge anymore, so I don't worry anymore about eating junk or eating too much. I really believe that a visit to the doctor will confirm that I am healthier compared to last winter. I think that I'll concentrate more on the weight loss, eating what I'm eating now and adding exercise. Later in the year - like winter time, when I'm much lighter and therefore more mobile, flexible and able, I'll put more energy into the actual variety of foods I eat. A real nutritional emphasis rather than a weight loss emphasis.


STARTED WEEK AT: 309
WEIGHT LOSS 4 lbs
ENDED WEEK AT: 305
TOTAL POUNDS LOST SINCE JANUARY 1ST 2006: 36 lbs.


COMPARISONS
Compare to week 1
Compare to last week
Compare to week 2
Compare to week 3
Compare to week 4
Compre to week 5

February 25th 2006 - 56 Days Raw

(Photo: Fennel Seeds)

Today was another study day, but I did take the time to make sushi and taboule. I was getting tired of those spinach salads, even though I really love them. It looks like it's time for me to get some new recipes again!

Today I didn't even come close to 32 points, but it's getting close to 9pm and I'm really not hungry. As I lose weight, the number of points I'm supposed to eat per day will also decrease. Maybe as I get closer to my goal, what I feel like eating will match what I'm "supposed" to eat. I'm just ahead of schedule. :-)

BREAKFAST
Mangos, 1 fruit
Banana, 1
Vitamin
POINTS: 4

LUNCH (sushi)
Sushi Nori, Raw Untoasted, 3 sheets
Scallions, raw, 1 large
Nama Shoyu 2 tbsp
Carrots
Mushrooms,
Avocados, California (Haas), 1/2
Taboule Salad, 6 tbsp
POINTS: 6

DINNER
Taboule Salad, 8 tbsp
Blue Cheese, 1 oz
POINTS: 5

SNACKS
5 medjool dates
Added at 11:45 pm: smoothie
POINTS: 8

TOTAL POINTS: 23

February 24th- 7 Weeks Raw

(Photo: Fenugreek seeds)

Today I've had no cramps in my side, no diarrhea - Yippee!! finallyfaith recommended I eat fermented foods to help me resolve that problem in the future. I'd be very interested in knowing more about that, finallyfaith- how do you think they will help me? The only fermented food I've tried since becoming raw is Kombucha tea. Is that one of the foods you'd recommend? I'd be willing to try it, but not the gingerade (ugh -I still remember writing item #3 in my first raw week summary about that!). Ren suggests drinking aloe gel and also practicing proper breathing techniques. I do breathe improperly- and shallowly, too. Maybe I should do yoga.

Ausjulie - you asked how I count my calories. Currently I go to NutritionData.com because I'm counting points. There, you can save all the foods you eat for a meal into a "pantry" and then easily calculate your nutrients for an entire meal at once rather than calculating ingredients separately. Another site I use is sparkpeople.com, which I use as an exercise and diet journal.

Finally, happy birthday all of you with upcoming birthdays - that includes annaconda and dazzle (I love these screen names!!).

And now, back to the books!

TODAY'S MEALS

BREAKFAST - Smoothie
Mangos, 2/3
Banana, 1 large
Raspberries, 1 cup
Vitamin
5 points

LUNCH
None

DINNER
Olive Oil, 2 tsp
Blue Cheese, 2 oz
Spring mix of lettuces
Red Ripe Tomatoes, 1 cup
Avocados, California 1/2
Taboule Salad, 1/2 cup
Garlic
12 points

SNACKS
Orange Juice, 2 cup
Another salad
12 points

TOTAL: 29 points

My First Day of Exercise

I figured I'd go out and exercise - at 1:30 a.m.! It's a convenient time for a night owl like me, and gave me a nice break from studying. I thought I'd better start off as slowly as possible, so I planned to limit myself to a mile on the indoor track. I lost count of how many laps I did, but I probably did a tad more than a half mile, and then even my iPod couldn't keep me interested.

I moved to the treadmill so that I could get a better idea of my starting level. It took me 21 minutes to complete a mile (that's just a tad slower than a dead turtle, in case you were wondering).What a shame! And worse, I'll probably be in pain tomorrow from this piddly little excuse for a workout- I can already tell that my back, my neck and my knees will be sore. (My neck??)

Sigh... one day when I'm back to doing 45 minutes on the elliptical trainer I'll have this journal entry to look back on and I'll be proud of my accomplishments. We all have to start somewhere, don't we?

Well, I'm good and sleepy now! Good night, all.

-Allison

What I ate on my Raw Birthday

(Photo #1: raw Lasagna from the Go Raw Café)

This is not really a review of the Go Raw Café- it were, I'd have the real names of the meals and a much more descriptive vocabulary, but I'm no food reviewer. However, I can say that I heartlily endorse the Go Raw Café and recommend it to anyone interested in tasty, healthy meals done up in an imaginative way. I've put a link to it in the sidebar to the right, in the "My Favorite Places" section, so you can go right to their webpage. (If you are able to visit them, please tell me what you had and how you liked it!) My girlfriend and I went there for an early birthday lunch. She ordered the lasagna. We both liked it, ( but we agreed that there wasn't very much lasagna on the plate!). It came with garlic bread but we weren't sure at first that she'd gotten any- until we saw two tiny triangles of something on the plate that must have been it. These pieces of living bread didn't taste especially garlicky, but they were good.



(Photo #2: "Veggie Cotta" from the Go Raw Café)
I chose the "Veggi-Cotta", which were like enchiladas, only with what seemed to be more of an Italian flavoring. The "ricotta cheese" was made from almond paté. My girlfriend couldn't really detect the almond flavoring, but I could detect the subtle nuttiness- I liked it. There was a side dish of zucchini strips with a very well-herbed combination of other chopped-up vegetables.

Photo #3: Ginger Brew at the Go Raw Café

I drank 'John's Ginger Brew" (I think that's what it was called). I liked the strong ginger aroma and flavor, although my girlfriend didn't think it tasted stongly of ginger at all. Overall, we enjoyed our meals and wish we could have gotten more for our money. However, we have to admit that you do get full quickly on these entrées. Neither of us could finish- especially because we knew we wanted dessert!




(Photo #4: blueberry pie from the Go Raw Café)



My girlfriend chose a blueberry pie that was reminiscent of cheesecake. It was really good- the texture, everything about it. Both of us agreed that we never would have guessed it was a raw recipe. However, I think my choice was even tastier: a mousse-like carob pie.

Photo #5: carob pie from the Go Raw Café

The carob pie had a rich texture and flavor, and the crust was chewy with a mild flavor (the same crust appeared to be used for both pies). Neither the crust nor the chocolate part were overly sweet. I could tell it wasn't chocolate, which was fine with me- I like carob quite a bit. I tried hard to eat the whole thing but had to leave some behind, it was so rich. And that was despite the fact that I only ate half of my entrée.

One of the owners explained that the "mousse" portion of the pie contained only carob, avocados and dates- nothing more! Mmmmm.....

_____________________
Thanks, everyone, for all of the nice birthday wishes and recipe ideas and medicinal advice! Because this blog is mirrored at two sites, I'll combine all of the input into a post for all to see at either location - but I can't do it tonight because I've gotta study!
_____________________

TODAY'S MEALS

There is no tally of points for today- I don't have time to try to figure it out. I suspect, however, that I didn't eat more than a couple more points than I have been eating this week (so I would guess 31 or so points). And that's only because of the fat content from the pie and the almond paté.


BREAKFAST/LUNCH
Veggie-Cotta
Ginger Brew
Carob Pie

DINNER
Remainder of veggie-cotta. OK, and the other half of the lasagna, too!
(Hey- she had gastric bypass surgery! Someone had to eat the other half!)

SNACKS
None

It's My First Raw Birthday!

Today I'm going to the raw cafe for a birthday celebration. I might even get myself a raw dessert! This will be my first birthday where I didn't indulge in foods that have no nutritional value whatsoever. It's great knowing that whatever I eat today- even if it's something extra for celebratory purposes rather than for hunger, it's not going to harm me!

Next year this time, I hope to be at my goal weight, but even if that's a pie-in-the-sky wish, I know that I'll be close enough to my goal that I'll be a much happier, healthier person. Eating raw was the best birthday gift I could have gotten for myself.

February 22nd - The Good, The Bad and the Ugly of Raw

FIRST: The Bad and the Ugly
Today I felt really bad. I had a stitch in my side for hours. The kind that makes you press in on your side so you can breathe without pain. I am getting tired of these problems. I feel that all this fiber is wreaking havoc with my insides. I don't remember how long it took me to get used to a high fiber diet the last time I lost weight, but I remember that eventually I was absolutely fine and ate high-fiber every day. Of course I ate a lot of cheese, too. The raw cheese I'm eating this time around isn't helping. I don't want to take medicine- I've been 99% medicine free since I started raw (I say 99% because I'm pretty sure I took pain medication one night in January when I had a lot of back pain). I don't want to start taking Pepto Bismol or Immodium at this point, but I sure was tempted to. In fact, I was tempted to drink hot water, too, thinking it might soothe me. Does anyone have any advice for me? How can you not eat high fiber when you eat raw? I'm stymied. And I'm starting to feel like I have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). It's no fun at all.

OK- NOW FOR THE PHOTO
Before things got really bad last year, my blood pressure was never higher than 120 over 80, even at my highest weight of 358 lbs in 1998. But last year it started creeping up. The last time I checked it at the grocery store, the systolic was in the 130's and the diastolic was in the 90's. That really scared me and was one of the the experiences that moved me towards eating raw.

Well, as you can see by the picture above, eating raw has made a definite improvement in my blood pressure. 118 over 74! I know my pulse rate is too high, but that will improve; more and more I'm thinking of moving - walking, stretching, anything. When I was in a bad mood a few days ago, I wanted to go for a walk to clear my head. Today when I had a second store to go to in the same plaza, I considered walking there rather than driving (it was too far, really). But still... I think these are signs that my body is telling me it's time to start getting some exercise. I'm thinking of starting slowly by walking on a track. Maybe I'll start this week!
By the way, feel free to click on the photo for some BP information.

TODAY'S MEALS (I still can't quite make it to 32 points!)

BREAKFAST
Spinach salad AGAIN (I'm on a kick)
10 points

LUNCH
5 medjool dates
6 points

DINNER
Spinach salad with bulgar
12 points

SNACKS
(none)

TOTAL POINTS: 28

Raw Foodists and Protein Revisited

According to NutritionData.com, here are the essential amino acids the human body needs from foods to create a complete protein.

Essential Amino Acid	mg/g of Protein
Tryptophan	7
Threonine	27
Isoleucine	55
Leucine	25
Lysine	51
Methionine+Cystine	25
Phenylalanine+Tyrosine	47
Valine	32
Histidine	18

NutritionData has this cool feature where you can look at the amino acid content of individual foods, so I thought I would revisit the protein controversy. The website acknowledges that their assessment of protein quality is affected by the body's ability to digest it and how the food is prepared (quote: "protein digestibility depends on the type of protein (animal proteins are more digestible than plant proteins), as well as the method in which the food was prepared")*

What I like about the analysis page is that regardless of whether the protein is actually digestible, I can see what amino acids exist in the food in the first place. If someone says I can get all the protein I need from raw vegetables but I don't see that all the amino acids even exist in the vegetable in the first place, I can't help but be a little doubtful about that, you know?

NutritionData takes the lowest amino acid in any food you look up and lists complementary foods that are higher in that amino acid (to make up for what you are missing) and/or lower in the amino acids that are sufficient. I looked up mushrooms and found that the ones I chose were low in methionine+cystine. A link led me to a list of 999 foods that they say complement the mushrooms by providing methionine+cystine. Luckily, the list is broken down into food groups, such as "nuts and seeds" and "vegetables & vegetable products", etc. It was way too long a list for me to wade through, but I did see that Brazil nuts have the amino acids missing from the mushrooms.

To read what NutritionData has to say about proteins, click the link below.

* http://www.nutritiondata.com/images/protein-quality.jpg

February 21st - Almost Two Months Eating Raw!

(Photo: frozen berries)

I find that now that I'm counting points I'm a little more free with the type of food I eat. I'm eating more fats again - avocado, olive oil and raw cheese in the same meal, for example. But I'm still eating around 1300 calories or less a day, it appears (at least I'm consistent). I'm going to continue using sparkpeople.com to tally my nutrients for a little while so I can see if, over time, there really is a difference in how much I eat when I count points vs. calories.

A New Question
My current interest in the world of raw food is the difference between alkaline and acidic foods (and an alkaline or acidic body). What does each term actually mean, both in scientific and practical terms? I have an article about it but I haven't had time to get deeply into it yet. However, if any of you have knowledge about alkalinity vs. acidity, I'd love to hear what it is you know or have heard. Which one is good? Which is bad? What has been your experience with these conditons? Why should I care more now about them than I did while eating the Standard American Diet?
UPDATE: just found this post on the topic that readers might find interesting. I'm not saying it's wrong or right, but I'm all about reading people's takes on this topic: khailil


TODAY'S MEALS

BREAKFAST
Spinach Salad
9 points

LUNCH
5 Medjool dates
6 points

DINNER
Spinach Salad (minus the olive oil)
Kiwi fruit, 1
7 points

SNACKS
Humongous carrot
0 points

TOTAL POINTS: 22 (That's gonna have to be it. I'm too full to eat any more food today!)

February 20th - Yesterday Was a Fluke after all!

(Photo: wheatgrass)

Hee hee - I looked at the scale and saw I'd lost 3 more lbs.! Good thing I didn't freak.
No news today- too busy to post!

TODAY'S MEALS

BREAKFAST
Banana
2 points

LUNCH (Salad)
Spinach
Tomato
Taboule Salad 1/2 cup
Scallions
Blue Cheese, 1.5 oz
2 tsp olive oil
10 points

DINNER (Salad)
Taboule
Spinach
1 tomato
Sweet Corn
Avocados 1/2
Scallions
Garlic, 1 clove
Blue Cheese, 2 oz
12 points

SNACKS
OJ+ Mango juice (16 oz)
4 points
TOTAL POINTS: 28

February 19th- Thank God Today is Almost Over

(photo: whole cloves)

Today was a baaaad day. If I wasn't studying I was dealing with technical problems related to my studies (one of my classes is very technological and my software isn't at all cooperative). This affected my eating; not only did I not take the time to write down anything that I ate, but I didn't eat much at all. Right now I have no appetite due to severe frustration. I know I should eat, but I'm too mad to! Now let's see... I remember my girlfriend making me a salad this morning. It seemed bigger than usual so I gave it an extra point. I made a second salad myself around 2pm, and I conscientiously added bulgar to it to increase the calories, but since I ran out of raw cheese, my points really didn't go up appreciably. I'm probably overestimating both, to tell the truth.

Some time later I grabbed a banana and a few dates. Then around 8pm I made a hummus sandwich, figuring it would be "high calorie." Oh well, again I end the day short a few points. Maybe I'll make a snack later. What I really think I'll do is take a walk to clear my head. Hey- there's progress! In the past I would have eaten something to clear my head.

(p.s. everyone- a second raw food podcast is already out! Check the sidebar links to the right and click RawVeganRadio.)

TODAY'S MEALS

BREAKFAST
Salad
7.5 points

LUNCH
Salad
6.5 points

DINNER
Hummus sandwich
8 points

SNACKS
3 dates
banana
5 points

TOTAL: 27 points

Weekly Summary for Week 6 of Raw Foods

This week was a strange one, gaining and losing a couple of pounds there in the middle and ending up the same as last week. But it's only strange when comparing it to my previous weeks on Raw- not in comparison to my history of weight loss. Indeed, the previous few weeks on Raw have been the strangest weeks of my life! In the past when I've lost weight I've lost the largest amount on the first week, and then I gradually settle down to about 2 lbs a week. Losing 10 or 12 lbs in a month was a good thing! So losing 32 lbs in less than 2 months on Raw is extraordinary for me.

Why didn't I lose anything this week? Whenever this happens to dieters there are scores of reasons given: "you didn't drink enough water", "your body is adjusting", "you ate too much fat" "you didn't eat enough" "you ate too much." Well, it's too soon to look back and see what might have been the cause, if one is ever able to be discerned. I'm not going to make adjustments to my diet based on one week of not losing anything. First of all, 32 lbs!!!! Second of all, weight is not the only indicator of improving health; my headaches have disappeared, today I can zip up a pair of pants that I could barely get around me on January 1st, and I haven't had that pain on the sides of my tongue since last year. Good health encompasses all body parts (and your mental health, too!)

SUMMARY
This week was a bust as far as weight loss. It was good as far as the increased variety I've introduced into my menu, and my ability to stay raw despite barbecues and all sorts of treats in the house. I have proven that these days, old temptations tempt me no longer. I haven't done a single thing that I regret so far. Yaaay!!

NUTRIENTS FOR THE WEEK

Calories.......................1186 to 1450
Fat...............................19 g to 49
Carbs...........................132g to 270g
Protein.........................17g to 43g


WEIGHT LOSS 0 lbs
STARTED WEEK AT: 309
ENDED WEEK AT: 309
TOTAL POUNDS LOST SINCE JANUARY 1ST 2006: 32 lbs.


PROGRESS CHECK

Compare to week 1
Compare to last week
Compare to week 2
Compare to week 3
Compare to week 4

Feb 18th- the barbecue's on!

(photo: spinach salad)

Today all of the guests are here and the food is smelling great. Barbecued ribs, baked beans, potato salad, potato chips, sodas, all kinds of bar drinks, a big ol' cake... And what am I eating? The GOOD stuff! I mean it - look at that salad up there. How can you beat a salad that looks that inviting? My girlfriend made it and I just had to share it with all of you. Knowing that I'm up here writing a paper and staying raw, she's already made me two salads, juiced some oranges, made sure I got my vitamin and brought me papaya slices. Isn't that sweet?

So today I had only about 26 points when I'm supposed to be, according to Weight Watchers, at 32. I'd eat more but I'm too full from my salad to do it. As you can see below, much of my salads contain 0-point foods. This illustrates one of the arguments against a sustained diet of raw foods; that raw vegetables and fruits are so low in calories that you have to eat more than you might be comfortable with in order to get all your calories in. Since I'm trying to lose a lot of weight, that particular argument isn't so crucial to me at the moment, frankly. I'll worry about it when I approach my goal weight - um, whatever that may be. (Unsurprisingly, healthy weight is another point of contention between raw foodists and the non-raw).

TODAY'S AWESOME MEALS

BREAKFAST salad
Tomato 0
Spinach 0
Raw Blue cheese (1 oz) 2
Scallions 0
zucchini 0
Corn 1
bean sprouts 0
Avocado 2
1 tsp olive oil 1.5
2 cups OJ 4
10.5 points

LUNCH
5 dates
6 points

DINNER
Another spinach salad 6.5
Papaya slices 1
banana 2
9.5 points

SNACKS
(NONE)

TOTAL POINTS: 26

We Have a Raw Food Podcast!

I'm so excited!! Raw Vegan Radio is producing raw vegan podcasts. I hope it becomes a regular, quality affair for all of us interested in pursing raw foods as a healthy way of life. Their first guest is Storm Talifero (whom some of you may know from TheGardenDiet.com. To hear the podcast, click the following link: rawveganradio. Or you can click rawveganradio.com to get to the rawvegan podcast website. Either way, happy listening!

-Allison

NutritionData- A Cool Resource

I really like using online calorie and nutrition counters because they are so convenient. What I especially like about NutritionData's site is that you can do several things with their database. Besides simply looking up foods in the search bar, you can compare different foods for their nutritional contents, and you can look up foods based on nutritional values you are interested in. For example, I know that without my vitamins my diet is low in B12, calcium and iron. I used the "find foods that match specific criteria" search, chose "nutrient search tool" and learned that my best vegetable choices are mushrooms (brown, Italian or Crimini mushrooms), and "yeast extract spread" (eew).

The interface for this site is a little clunky, and it might be a little too busy to easily find what you are looking for, but despite the visual shortcomings I find myself going back to it. I like the downloadable nutritional label it draws up for your food item, and the fact that you can click a link on the page (or scroll down) for more in depth nutritional information. Using the mushrooms as an example, the site told me its moisture content, fullness factor, how it ranks compared to other foods in terms of aiding with weight loss, how many of its calories come from fat, carbs and protein, and much more.

Although this site doesn't have everything, it is jam packed with goodies. You can keep an ongoing list of your favorite foods buy adding it to your "pantry" (which is stored in a cookie on your computer). You can convert measurements using their little conversion program at the bottom of the main page. You can find out approximately how many calories you need to maintain your current weight. This will be a handy site for me to build up an online pantry of fruits and vegetables that are high in the nutrients my diet is low in. If you haven't already checked it out, I urge you to take a peek: www.nutritiondata.com

February 17th: 48 Days Eating Raw

(Photo: fenugreek seeds)

I barely made it to 32 points today! When I finished my last meal and saw I was still down by 6 points, I made 16 oz of orange juice and had my remaining two dates. They happened to come to 6 points. I spent all of today studying, so I had to consciously break from the books to eat and to record my meals. If it weren't for the points being on my mind I would have skipped eating just to keep studying. Luckily it's a lot faster to record points than calories. Overall, today was a good day as far as keeping with the new points system and geting enough to eat. I haven't taken any more sneak peeks at the scale this week, which is good because I don't want to get obsessed with that.

I think I'm really going to like using points because of how simple the system is, but what's even more fun is that I can compare my progress losing 200 lbs this time with my progress losing 200 lbs on Weight Watchers a few years ago. It took me almost 3 years to do it (not bad at all), but I had a lot of bingeing, "cheating" and anxiety along the way. The experience is certainly different this time around.

Well, time to hit the books again.

TODAY'S MEALS

BREAKFAST (Salad)
Orange Juice 1 cup 2 pts
3 cups raw spinach
1 oz raw blue cheese,
2 oz. avocado
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup taboule
Bean sprouts
Grated carrot
Total: 11 points


LUNCH (Fruit salad)
1 Banana
1 mango
2 mejool dates
A few blueberries
Total: 6 points

DINNER
2 sushi rolls (12 pieces)
yam
nori
carrot
bean sprouts
avocado
nama shoyu
4 points

SNACKS (Sandwich)
2 slices Ezekiel bread
3 TBS hummus (must be the largest container of hummus ever made!)
2 oz avocado
---
2 cups OJ
2 medjool dates
11 points

DAY'S TOTAL POINTS: 32

My Raw Odyssey Encounters a Fork in the Road (And It's Not the Kind You Eat With!)

I Had Another Oprah A-Ha Moment!
My girlfriend mentioned to me that it didn't appear that I had eaten much yesterday (Thursday). I thought about it and realized she was right, even though my calorie count was around 1200. This got me thinking. As you may know from my earlier post about Weight Watchers, it's the only plan through which I've lost a lot of weight in a healthy, sensible manner. I think it's the best program out there for weight loss. The only problems I have with it is 1) I can't afford it and 2) that it is based on the Standard American Diet, so it allows a lot of processed foods which leads me to regain the weight. WW does support vegans and vegetarians, though, so I'm quite sure a raw foodist could adapt the WW plan with a few adjustments (mine would be not eating the soy they recommend for protein, for example).

Weight Watchers and Raw Foods
If I were still having problems with compulsive eating and bingeing I would definitely want to join WW again, but since I don't suffer temptations to overeat or to eat cooked meals, I really don't need that kind of hand-holding these days. But I do like their points plan and for that reason I am doing an experiment. I just bought their materials late last year in my last attempt to lose weight on SAD, so I'm going to get my money's worth and use them to start counting points and stop counting calories. You see, although I haven't been forcing myself to eat differently based on knowing my day's-end calorie count, I do have a "minimum comfort range" of about 1200 to 1300 calories where I feel I'm not starving myself, and I judge a day as successful or unsuccessful based on the calories. I'm even familiar enough now with my menu items that I habitually stop eating in order not to eat much over 1300, without even looking at the count ahead of time. Clearly I am still consumed by the topic of calories. By counting points, though, I hope to create some distance from calorie counting and to begin to concentrate more on the quality of the foods I'm eating. I'd rather be obsessed with points than with calories. It's not a perfect system, but it might be just what I need.

How Will I Do This?
A person of my weight, to lose about 2 lbs a week, should average 32 points per day according to WW. Guess what yesterday's meal came to? 21.5 points! Now, maybe raw food veterans will say to ignore the points because they are based on "outdated" nutritional information. The veterans may be right, but this is my odyssey and I want to learn by doing. I don't mind being wrong, but I can't be wrong OR right if I don't try. So starting Friday (if I remember-old habits die hard) I will not count calories, but points. I predict that I will be eating a lot more food once I do this; WW says that certain vegetables are 0 points per serving. That doesn't mean you can eat endless amounts of them for no points, but they are so low that you can get full without jeopardizing your point count. Many raw foodists say almost the same about all raw vegetables: eat all you want!! Now, I'm not going to give away all of WW's information. They are a business and I'm going to respect that. But I will provide my point count for the day and talk about my experiences as I've been talking about them. Weight Watchers has a very good website I used to practically live at.

Why Count At All?
Now, why do I count points or calories at all? you might ask. Well, it's because I'm reluctant to go without some kind of framework for my weight loss effort. Without a guide I am a terrible judge of how much I eat (like yesterday, when I ate only fruit salad, orange juice, a banana, and two vegetable sushi rolls). I'm still learning how to eat and I'm still recovering from decades of emotional garbage associated with food and eating. Eating instinctively will come over time, but I'm not there yet. This wouldn't be an odyssey if I were already there, now would it?

Have a great day, everyone!

February 16th, 2006: Non-Raw Temptations Surround Me

Temptation surrounds me everyday while guests are visiting. Today there were leftovers from P.F. Chang's in the house, and in the car I was surrounded by the aromas of Taco Bell. Those aromas are heavenly to me still. Maybe even more so now. I'm not one of those raw foodists or vegetarians who can't stand the smell or sight (or thought) of meat. I wanted to stay in the car until the smells faded away! But I'm very happy to report that the aromas were sufficient for me. I really did not feel the urge to sneak anything out of anyone's bag.

I'm not going to pretend, however, that I don't love fast foods. And chocolate. And barbecued ribs... To be dishonest would be dangerous, because it could lead me, in a moment of weakness, to convince myself that I can afford just one sip of Pepsi or one small burger since I don't really like that stuff anymore. However, one slip-up this early in the game would be the beginning of a ride down a slippery slope I don't want to start on. In the past I often would quit a diet when stress overtook me. Right now I'm under a lot of stress from the demands of my classes, so it's even more important for me to stay raw and healthy and to maintain my point of view that raw is a lifestyle for me, not a short-term diet that I'll quit when I lose 200 lbs.

I want to note, however, that I'm not thinking I'd be a "bad person" if I slipped; I just don't want to indulge in something that has proven to be an addiction for me - as well as exceedingly unhealthy. I'm grateful that I do not feel a single temptation, and can only hope and pray that this feeling continues. Forever!
__
(OK, yes- I'm a leeeetle compulsive and I hopped on the scale this morning. Those extra two pounds are gone. The science experiment continues.)
__

TODAY'S MEALS

BREAKFAST (Fruit salad, Orange juice)
Banana, fresh, 1 medium (7" to 7-7/8" long)
Mangos, 1 fruit without refuse
Medjool dates, 1 date, pitted
Orange Juice, 2 cup
Blueberries, fresh, 10 berries
One 'n' Only Pure Essense Labs Superior Tonic Multiple Vitamin, 1 serving
Nature Made Calcium Citrate, 1 serving

LUNCH
None

DINNER (Sushi)
Yams, 2 cup, cubes
Carrots, raw, 0.5 cup, grated
Scallions, raw, 1 small (3" long)
Avocados, California (Haas), 100 grams
Nori, 2.5g sheet, untoasted, 2 serving

SNACK
Banana, fresh, 1 medium (7" to 7-7/8" long)

CALORIES 1,253 CARBS 270 FAT 20 PROTEIN 18

February 15th- A Little Weight Glitch This Week?

Today something new happened: I took my midweek sneak peek at the scale and found myself UP two pounds! Since January 1st I've been steadily losing weight or staying the same each time I weigh in. However, I can't say I'm upset about the gain. First of all, I stick to a once-a week weigh-in right now, and today ain't my weigh-in. Second of all, I feel very positive about the foods I've been eating and I know that any weight gain I may experience isn't caused by bingeing, fast foods, candy, or Pepsi. In fact, I made it through Valentine's Day without even thinking about eating chocolate, despite buying some for my sweetie. It's amazing to me how thoroughly I've been able to immerse myself into a raw way of eating. So I'm totally curious to see how this week's official weigh-in turns out. I feel like a science experiment! But a fun one.


TODAY'S FOODS
A raw sushi note: I've discovered that grated raw yams makes a great substitute for rice. It is dry enough that it doesn't cause the nori to get any more moist than rice would, and its flavor is mild enough that it doesn't detract from the other flavors. The photo above is of the new sushi I'm making now. I throw lots of things into it. This one has yam, carrots, taboule and avocado!

BREAKFAST
Smoothie: banana, OJ, mango, raspberries

LUNCH (salad)
Whole Foods Raw Nuts/Seeds Mix (estimated cals), 0.13 cup
Green Giant Spring Mix Salad, 2 cup
Sweet Corn, 1
Avocados, California (Haas), 0.2
Blue Cheese, 1.5 oz

DINNER (Sushi)
Yams, 1 cup, cubes
Carrots, raw, 0.5 cup, grated
Scallions, raw, 1 small (3" long)
Avocados, California (Haas 3 oz
Nori, 2.5g sheet, untoasted,

UPDATED to include a little midnight snack of one sushi roll (same as above but without the avocado)



Calories 1,268 carbs 177 Fat 45 Protein 30

Happy Valentine's day 2006!

Made Spice Blends Today, Like a Raw Chef!
Today my girlfriend brought me a load of spices. I spent a little time putting together some spice blends: Chinese 5-Spice blend, berbere, garam masala, and mole spices (for which I used ground raw cacao nibs!) The house smelled wonderful all morning. The picture above is of green cardamon pods. She also got me black ones. They smell heavenly! Other spices she brought (all whole): cumin seeds, allspice berries, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, fenugreek, sesame seeds, coriander seeds, whole cloves, and anise seeds. We already had cinnamon sticks, turmeric and paprika, which I made use of. The only problem I had making the spices was the pain in my hip from all the standing and bending. If I move the wrong way, something moves out of place (I'm guessing) and I'm in severe pain for a minute or two until it goes back to where it should be. I really don't want to go to the doctor for this because I'm already losing weight, so what is there for a doctor to do for me? I will grin and bear it for now.

My Sushi Turned out Much Better!
I made sushi today, using the ideas I got from the raw restaurant. I threw some yam into the food processor and processed it twice- once to grate it and then again to create more of a "pulp" (that word that is so unappetizing to me). I liked the fact that it was relatively dry, so I didn't have to worry about the nori getting too wet. It was a different story with the carrot, which I processed the same way. I had to literally wring out handsful of carrot pulp before spreading it on the nori. I didn't put much seasoning on the yam but I did spice up the carrots with the 5-spice blend and some dill weed. The end result: large pieces of sushi that weren't too moist to slice through. I got a thoroughly satisfying meal out of it.

TODAY'S FOODS

BREAKFAST
Orange Juice, 2 cup
Banana, fresh, 1 medium (7" to 7-7/8" long)

LUNCH (Sandwich)
Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Bread, 2
Hummus, 1/4
Avocados, California (Haas),2 oz

DINNER (Sushi)
Yam 1/4 medium
Avocados, California (Haas), 3 oz
Taboule Salad, 6 tbsp
Carrots, raw, 1 large
Soy Sauce, 2 tbsp
Sushi Nori, Raw 2
Kikkoman Soy Sauce, 4 tbsp

SNACK
Taboule Salad, (about a cup)

CALORIES 1,310 CARBS 201 FAT 37 PROTEIN 43

February 13th - Hunger Headache!!!

How Can I Not Eat When I'm STARVING?
As I type this, close to midnight, I am FAMISHED. I haven't eaten enough today due to all of the studying I have to do. And because it's so late, I can't make myself a shake or I'll wake everyone up. I guess I'll find something boring, like carrots! Times like these are rough. I've never had an equivalent experience on SAD, where I was hungry but felt picky about what to eat. "Back then" my only criteria for not eating something at midnight was if it caused heartburn. Now that I eat raw, I find myself going for hours without eating because I have no cravings for anything. I look up and I've missed lunch or skipped dinner without realizing it. And then late at night when I am starving I still find myself debating what to eat, like a crazy woman! I'm going to go forage in the refrigerator. Maybe I'll have some dates. I'll list them below order to make it a done deal. (Good thing, because my head is killing me!)

Despite my skipping meals, I think my friend in Ohio who is a nurse would say I'm doing all right in the calorie range. I always keep her concerns in mind when I look at my calories after I've eaten all my meals. "What would Pam say?" I ask.

MEDICAL STUFF

Two new aches/pains since January 1st, 2006
Since the increase in my study load, I've found myself sitting for hours at a time. This has wreaked habit with my hip, to the point where sometimes I can't walk for a few minutes due to extreme pain. Back before I lost 200 lbs the first time around, I had a similar problem, but not with pain- just discomfort. It feels like my hip is dislocating, but that its exacerbated by my lack of physical activity as well as by my weight. As I lost that original 200 lbs, the problem went away completely, so I hate to go to the doctor just to hear, "you're morbidly obese and need to lose weight!" I already know that!

I also have a pain in my foot, along the top. It doesn't impede my walking at all so I tend to ignore it, but it's been there on and off for about three weeks. I attribute most aches and pains to my weight but I might go get that checked out since I don't understand it.

Bloodwork
OH- I almost forgot to add that I found out that if I get bloodwork done, I'll have to pay for it. If I can afford it, I'm going to go ahead and do it because I think it's important for my raw food lifestyle. I also found out the my insurance provides free consultations with a nutritionist, so I plan to pay her a visit. I don't know if she's an advocate of raw foods, but we shall see!

TODAY'S MEALS



BREAKFAST (Smoothie)
Banana, mango, blueberry smoothie - YUM!


LUNCH (More like a snack!)
1 banana
Whole Foods Raw Nuts/Seeds Mix (estimated cals), 0.25 cup

DINNER
Taboule 1 cup
Raw Blue Cheese, 1 oz
Green Giant Spring Mix Salad, 2 cup


SNACK
4 Medjool dates (they're pretty big)

Calories 1,381 Carbs 203 Fat 36 Protein 27

February 12th, 2006 Eating Raw Foods

A busy day in which I was both studying and cleaning in preparation for guests who are coming this week. I haven't thought about what eating raw will be like with a house of guests, probably because I'm not worried about staying raw. This is despite the fact that they will have barbecued ribs and all sorts of foods I would have gladly eaten in the past. I am simply too dedicated to eating raw to eat that stuff now. Tonight I did do something a bit different and had a glass of red wine. Is it raw? Maybe! Some wines are not, apparently. What do I know about wine? It was a nice treat, though. I was never much of an alcohol drinker- in fact, it is pretty normal for me to go months without any. This is the first alcohol I've had since last year and I decided to limit myself to one glass. They say red wine is good for you, but who is "they", anyway? :-)

TODAY's MEALS

BREAKFAST (Salad, Orange Juice)
Green Giant Spring Mix Salad, 3 cup
Sweet Corn, Fresh, 1
Lime Juice, 1 fl oz
Taboule Salad, 4 tbsp
Garlic, 1 clove
Basil, 3 leaves
Blue Cheese, 1 oz
Vitamins
Orange Juice, 1 cup
Pecans, 1 oz (20 halves)

LUNCH (Skipped again- too busy studying)
None

DINNER (Salad)
Taboule Salad, 2 tbsp
Scallions, raw, 1 medium (4-1/8" long)
Garlic, 1 clove
Basil, 3 leaves
Blue Cheese, 1.35 oz
Zucchini, baby, 0.15 large
Tahini, 0.15 tbsp
Honey, 0.02 tbsp
Dates, 0.1 date
Garlic, 0.1 clove
Scallions, raw, 0.1 medium (4-1/8" long)
Hummus, 1 tbsp
Spring lettuce mix
Banana/mango/berry smoothie

SNACKS
Red Wine, 7 fl oz<-- (Yes, I did!!)

CALORIES 1,187 CARBS 133 FAT 48 PROTEIN 35

February 12, 2006 WEEK 5: It's the Weekly Raw Weigh-In Show!

This week my calories never dipped below 1200. My fat intake was higher than I'd planned, but it doesn't seem to matter as far as weight loss goes. I can't tell you what it means to my arteries to eat 62 grams of plant fat, but raw foodists will tell you that it isn't the least bit harmful. I haven't made that doctor's appointment yet, but it's on my agenda to get all my levels checked. I'll report my cholesterol and blood pressure, etc. as soon as I get 'em.

Here is the weekly summary with the weight loss reported below.

NUTRIENTS

Calories.......................1207 to 1321
Fat...............................31 g to 62g
Carbs...........................145g to 205g
Protein.........................23g to 50g

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Iron - Still consistently too low, even with the vitamins I take because they don't provide the RDA. I need to eat more of the foods that have iron, or I'll have to rely on supplements, which I hate to do. Not just because I prefer to get my nutrients from foods, but because iron pills taste like a set of keys.
Sodium- I like salt! Most days my sodium intake is well within the RDA, but on two days at the beginning of the week I was above that. Even with that, however, I've seen a huge improvement in my sodium intake since January 1st 2006. Since high blood pressure is a concern for me and it runs in my family, I have to watch how much sodium I take in.

WEIGHT LOSS 4 lbs
STARTED WEEK AT: 313
ENDED WEEK AT: 309
TOTAL POUNDS LOST SINCE JANUARY 1ST 2006: 32 lbs.


NEW FEATURE
Comparisons motivate me, so I decided to incorporate them into my weekly summaries. So if you want to see how I did this week compared to last week or even all the way back to the first weigh-in, just click on the links below.

Compare to Week 1
Compare to week 2
Compare to week 3
Compare to week 4

February 11th- 42 days Raw!

I had a very busy day today, so I decided to have only "easy" foods today. A salad and a smoothie for breakfast, a salad at Whole Foods while I was out, and then another smoothie when I got back in late in the evening. And since I was still not full and had plenty of calories to spare, I had extra orange juice as my late night snack.

I remembered to upload the camera shots of my meal from the Go Raw Cafe yesterday. They are a tiny bit blurry, but they show the sushi, enchiladas and smoothie we had at the Go Raw Cafe in Las Vegas. They were scrumptious!!

TODAY'S MEALS

BREAKFAST (Smoothie and salad)

Banana, Mango, blackberries
Vitamins
Spinach, fresh, 3 cup
Red Ripe Tomatoes, 1 plum tomato
Sweet Corn, Fresh, 1
Lime Juice, 1 fl oz
Taboule Salad, 4 tbsp
Garlic, 1 clove
Blue Cheese, 2 oz

LUNCH

None

DINNER (Salad)

Taboule Salad, 4 tbsp
Scallions, raw, 1 medium (4-1/8" long)
Basil, 3 leaves
Blue Cheese, 1 oz
Spinach, fresh, 3 cup
Lime Juice, 1 fl oz
Taboule Salad, 8 tbsp
Chickpeas (garbanzo beans), 0.25 cup

SNACKS
Orange Juice, 2 cup
Banana, fresh, 1 medium (7" to 7-7/8" long)
Blueberries, fresh, 1 cup

Calories 1310 Carbs 205 Fat 38 Protein 46

I Made Raw "Bread" Today!

I was so excited about the great food I had at the Go Raw Cafe in Las Vegas that I asked one of the owners how they make their awesome raw tortillas. She told me that they use vegetables and ground flax seeds, and told me to grind the seeds in a coffee grinder because a food processor doesn't do as good of a job. They mix the ground seeds with vegetables, herbs and spices and then dry it for 4 to 5 hours at 95 degrees. She said to use whatever vegetables I wanted, so when I got home I gave it a try.

Well, first I went to Target and bought a coffee grinder, then went to Bed, Bath and Beyond and got some spice jars. And then I tried my hand at making raw "bread". For the vegetables, I decided to use the "hummus" recipe that Sarinya sent me the other day. I ground almost 2 cups of flax seeds altogether for the recipe, and added grated carrot for the heck of it, along with a bit of salt. Oh, I added almost a tablespoon of olive oil to make the mixture less sticky. When I spread it on the teflex, I sprinkled water on top to keep it from sticking to the back of the spoon.

I dehydrated the mixture for about 4 hours (the house smelled great!), then peeled it from the teflex tray and put it on a mesh one to dry out the rest of the way- about 6 hours total of drying at 100 degrees. The picture above is of the bread right after I was done drying it. As you can see from the closeup, the flax seeds and carrot bits are visible.



When I lifted it off the mesh, I saw that the edges had curled up a little, but it was pliable and shiny on the bottom (from the first tray it was on). However, I noticed that it was easy to crack the edges. I don't know if it'll do that in only the thin or thick places, but I guess I'll find out tomorrow after it's been sitting for a few hours.



Since the edges were thinner, they were more cracker-like. I broke a piece off and tasted it. It was very interesting - certainly not as bad as I feared it would be. My girlfriend arrived later and tasted it and thought it was great! (I'm seeing a pattern here- she's very excited about my raw stuff and I'm more cautiously enthusiastic). We're both looking forward to trying some of it tomorrow as a wrap - that is, if it doesn't crack into tiny piece. I've placed it in the refrigerator, which may or may not have been a good idea.

So, there's the story of my first dehydrated bread!

February 10- One Giant Raw Step for a Woman

Today I went back to the raw restaurant. I decided to try something completely new, so I went for the "mock salmon sushi". It was DELICIOUS! I didn't expect it to taste like salmon, and it didn't, but it did have a slight taste reminiscent of fish. That's because they use herbs and spices that you would use on fish, such as dill. I thought that was pretty clever. They serve it with nama shoyu (the brand pictured above). I still can't get over how great the sushi was. I now feel emboldened to try my own sushi again, this time with some of the stuff they put in theirs, like spiced/herbed grated carrots (really, carrot "pulp", but that sounds so unappetizing) and spiced/herbed raw yams, food-processed the same way. There were also mushrooms and avocado in the sushi- so much stuff I'm sure I've forgotten something. I took pictures with my camera phone but I forgot to upload them. I'll try to do that later.

My girlfriend had enchiladas and boy, were they delicious! They were definitely enchilada-tasting. The "bread" was soft and pliable just as a tortilla would be. This visit really blew me away. I mean, I thought my first visit to this restaurant was exciting, but this time around I learned how important herbs and spices are. I haven't used anything beyond fresh basil, garlic, salt and some pepper to add flavor to my dishes- shameful!!! I marched right outta there and bought myself some spice jars and a coffee bean grinder. I love to cook meals from different cultures, so I know about creating spice blends like berbere and garam masala- and that's exactly what I'm going to do. I'm going to make several spice blends and then use them with grated carrots, grated yams, grated anything! I'm so excited about this. I feel like I've advanced one more step into the world of raw foods. My girlfriend even said that if I could make foods that tasty even she'd go raw!

So now my mission is set: to put together really tasty foods using herbs, spices and different flavors and textures so that even my girlfriend will go raw. She's lost 150 lbs since having gastric bypass surgery in 2004 but has been stalled with over 50 more lbs to lose (not that she looks like it). She works out now and again but doesn't eat right. It would be great to have her do this with me and to see her reap the benefits I'm getting. Tonight I'm going to gather my spice blend recipes and tomorrow we're going shopping!



TODAY'S MEALS

BREAKFAST
Yams, 0.5 cup, cubes
Avocados, California (Haas), 56 grams
Nori, 2.5g sheet, untoasted, 1 serving
Carrots, raw, 0.5 cup, chopped
Shiitake Mushrooms, 0.5 cup pieces
Soy Sauce, 2 tbsp
Almonds, 0.2 cup, ground
Banana, fresh, 1 extra small (less than 6" long)
Raspberries, 1 cup
Flax Seed Crisps, RAW, Mauk Family Farms, 1 oz
Olive Oil, 1 tbsp
Dates, 1 date

LUNCH (none)
None

DINNER (Fruit salad)
Banana, fresh, 1 medium (7" to 7-7/8" long)
Mangos, 1 fruit without refuse
Honeydew Melon, 0.33 melon (5-1/4" dia)
Pecans, 1 oz (20 halves)



CALORIES 1,322 CARBS 190 FAT 63 PROTEIN 24 (The fat's high because of the restaurant visit)

Febrary 9th- Tried a New Raw Recipe Today

New Recipe Today

Someone sent me a recipe for replacement hummus and I tried it today. It calls for 3 zucchinis, 2 tbs of tahini, 3 clove garlic, shallots, lemon juice, 3 dates and salt. After putting in everything except 1 of the garlic cloves and the lime I have to say it tasted....horrid. But wait! It was very bitter, so I added a teaspoon of raw honey and voilà- it actually tasted... all right! I added 1 tablespoon of tahini to make it more reminiscent of hummus, and since I had no lemons I used lime juice to taste. I add a little extra salt and since I didn't have any shallots I figured a couple of scallions would do. The only problem with the recipe was that it was too liquid to use as hummus- my fault, since I added a little water to get the blender going. I really wasn't sure what to do with the stuff until my girlfriend said it would make a great salad dressing. So that's what I have now! A tasty dressing. Thank you so much for the recipe, Sarinya! I appreciate all of the recipes people suggest. It's so nice to have new meals to look forward to.

Couldn't Help It...

I did a sneak peek of the scale and it appears I'm now down 30 lbs. Nothing's official until Sunday, but I'm really astounded. 30 lbs in 40 days! I never used to look forward to weigh-ins before, but I sure do now.

And Last But Not Least

My classmate came through and brought me a peach so I wouldn't feel left out while everyone else in the class ate rice krispie treats in celebration of her birthday. Funny thing- a couple of other people said that peaches sounded like a great idea and they wanted some, too! We have two more birthdays in the class this month (mine included) and she said she'll bring fruit for those days, too. Pretty cool, huh?

I invite you to take the Raw Odyssey poll on the right!

TODAY'S MEALS

BREAKFAST (Yup- fruit salad!!)
Banana, 1 medium
Mangos, 1
Tangerine Juice, 6 fl oz
Honeydew Melon, 0.33 melon
Cantaloupe, 1 cup, cubes
Pomegranate Juice, 4 oz
Vitamins

LUNCH
Skipped it again.

DINNER (Salad )
Spinach, fresh, 3 cup
1 plum tomato
Sweet Corn, Fresh, ½ ear, medium
Basil, 3 leaves
Blue Cheese, 2 oz
Zucchini dressing 2 oz.

SNACKS
Baby Carrots, raw, 1 medium
Dates, 5 date
Whole Foods Raw Nuts/Seeds Mix 1 oz.
Peaches, 1

CALORIES 1,207 CARBS 201 FAT 31 PROTEIN 201

Who are You?

This blog gets visitors from all around the world (Jamaica, England, USA, Canada, Denmark...), and I'm quite sure you have something interesting you can tell us about eating raw - even if you are like I used to be and hardly eat ANY vegetables! Tell us why you do or do not eat raw vegetables. I didn't eat them because I thought they were mostly bitter and uninteresting. Plus, who has room for vegetables after drinking a liter of Pepsi and downing a bag of Ruffles with dip?

If you do eat raw vegetables, what kinds do you like the most? Is it easy to get organic vegetables in your location? Is raw eating catching on in your area? How often do you find yourself shopping for raw produce? Do you eat more fruits than vegetables? Tell us whatever you want us to know by clicking on the link with the word COMMENTS right below this post .

By the way, today I decided to place a little poll in the side bar to the right- if you scroll down a bit you'll see that I am asking all of you about your raw food "time status." Are you not raw at all? Raw for a few months? Raw for a few years? Let us know. It's completely anonymous, if are concerned about that.

Talk to you later!
-Allison

February 8th- I've Come a Long Way!

Today I was pressed for time, so I had the dreaded hummus sandwich- twice! It's so easy to make hummus sandwiches. If I could just come up with a replacement for the hummus- something that would fill me the way hummus does- I would make that instead when I'm in a hurry or need something quick and easy for the university. Of course I'm now suffering from gastric distress from the double dose of hummus.

Tomorrow some people are bringing party food to one of our classes. This is a first for me- so far in class I've passed up candy dishes and offers of gum. I've not allowed myself to be tempted by the Pepsi EVERYONE seems to be drinking around me these days. But this will be the first party. Luckily, just a couple of days ago I revealed my raw food "diet" to my classmates because I am using it as the topic for a paper I'll be writing. Would you believe the person bringing the junk food actually asked me what she could bring for me? I thought that was so nice! I told her she could bring me a big, juicy peach!! Who'd a thunk I'd be looking forward to eating a peach at a party where everyone else will be eating chocolate rice krispy treats and other dishes of decadence? I've come a looooooong way!

TODAY'S MEALS

BREAKFAST (Sandwich)
Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Bread, 2 serving
Hummus, 0.25 cup
Avocados, California (Haas), 56 grams
Taboule Salad, 4 tbsp
Mangos, 56 grams
Orange Juice, 6 fl oz

LUNCH
Taboule Salad, 1/2 cup
Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Bread, 2 serving
Hummus, 0.25 cup

DINNER
Spinach, fresh, 3 cup
Avocados, California (Haas), 0.2
Lime Juice, 1 fl oz
Taboule Salad, 4 tbsp
Scallions, raw, 1
Garlic, 1 clove
Blue Cheese, 1 oz

SNACK
Banana, 1

CALORIES 1,284 CARBS 174 FAT 46 PROTEIN 48

February 7th

MMMM- a great breakfast! Why do I keep forgetting to start my day with all fruits? Probably because I still remember my first experience eating a breakfast fruit salad that left me with a hunger headache way before I normally would have been ready to eat again. I don't seem to have that problem anymore. It could be because I am used to eating less per meal, or that I'm used to the sugars in fruit, or that the ingredidents I'm using now are more suited to my body and tastes.

I juiced tangerines with a mango to get 8 oz. of scrumptious juice. For the salad, I combined two types of melons and added some mango for richness. The mango turned out to be a bit "over the hill" so it wasn't as sweet as the one I had juiced. I took care of that by juicing another tangerine to pour over it, and then sprinkled cinnamun and nutmeg to finish.

Today was a tiring and stressful day, only partly because I'm so terrible at statistics and now have to deal with them as part of my graduate program. I also feel like I'm having allergy symptoms: itchy, watery eyes and congestion. My professor was feeling ill, and a member of my household has a cold, so I hope I'm not coming down with anything. (I'm remarkably healthy and rarely get viruses, despite my long history of horrid eating habits). Anyway, I threw myself into bed after arriving home, having lost my appetite. Now, at 11:30, I'm finally hungry enough to eat and am planning on having a salad using those wonderful, dark spinach leaves. I've been going to bed around 2 or 3 a.m. lately due to studying too late into the night. This will be another one of those nights but will be especially difficult because of my eyes. I will survive....

BREAKFAST (Fruit Salad)
Tangerine Juice, 6 fl oz
Honeydew Melon, 0.33 melon (5-1/4" dia)
Cantaloupe, 2 cup, cubes
Mangos, 2 fruit without refuse
Orange Juice, 6 fl oz
Vitamins


LUNCH
None

DINNER (Salad)
Spinach, fresh, 3 cup
Sweet Corn, Fresh, 1 ear, medium (6-3/4" to 7-1/2" long) yields
Avocados, 0.2
Lime Juice, 1 fl oz
Taboule Salad, 4 tbsp
Basil, 3 leaves
Blue Cheese, 1 oz

SNACKS
Pecans, 1 oz (20 halves)
Baby Carrots, raw, 140 grams
Banana Chips, 0.5 oz

CALORIES 1308 CARBS 221 FAT 46 PROTEIN 28