Life's busy. Still making time for daily green smoothies and sharing most of them with my son and my mom, both enjoy them a lot.
Weight has leveled out and I still haven't lost anything since I last blogged. 138 to 140 on any given day.
Skin is clear, except for the dry hands I have experienced since the weather dried up. It's snowed here pretty much every day since I last wrote and before! I've never seen it snow so much on the West Coast of B.C.
Feel really clear headed on days when I concentrate only green smoothies, not hungry much when I've had about four to five cups of green smoothie for a meal. I am also enjoying avocados and tomatoes lots.
Cravings: I have had huge cravings for cooked food, especially any vegan dish that my husband makes. I have chosen to eat it on some occasions and hope to develop a raw version of some of these great tasting foods. That's my next challenge, coming up with some of my own recipes, some that mimick Indian food, or Thai food or polenta, etc. There are ways to do it, I just have to get the right mix. I used to get down about the days I didn't eat fully raw, but if I still sleep soundly, make proper cooked choices and still eat 90% raw I am easier on myself these days. I still strive for 100% for life and know it will come with time. Maybe when I live in a lush tropical area and fruit falls off the trees in my yard the entire year...
Sun Run Training is going well. I feel strong and have absolutely no cardiovascular difficulty with the 2 min. run and 3 min. walk. My legs feel strong and I don't feel sore the next day.
I also shovelled three driveways this last week and it was over a foot of snow! I felt some tenderness in the shoulders the next day and slightly more the day after that, but really nothing like I may have in earlier years. I could not believe how fast my body got over that kind of exercise. It was easy when I was doing it as well, and I have not been doing a great deal of muscle building exercises this last six months. I will need to improve that as I want to continue to develop my muscle development.
My daughter turned 5 and asked that I make raw ice cream and raw pecan pie for her birthday party. Get outta here! I was thrilled...until I heard that she asked Daddy to make hamburgers...still thrilled that she wanted some raw food there. It's so a part of our lives now.
I used to decorate cakes. This year I am having difficulty knowing all I do about the ingredients in the icing sugar, food colouring, cakes etc. I am torn between wanting to do a great cake for my daughter and wanting to keep that crap out of her system...more on that at a later time.
Spoke at my Grandma's memorial on the weekend to a group of about 80. Usually I'd be so stressed that I could not control my voice and sound like I'm cracking up. This time it went so smoothly and I enjoyed speaking in front of all of those that attended. I really believe that my confidence has soard by eating raw and living foods. It's amazing how much more comfortable I am in my own skin. I recently had someone call and ask me more about how I ate, saying that they had not seen me in so long and how much I had changed, not only physically but in how I presented myself as well. They said that I was calmer, that I glowed, that I seemed so passionate about the way I eat. All of these things are true. I am sure because of my increased self esteem and confidence, I am far more likely to be social, talk about things that interest me and engage the listener in a way I have never been able to do before.
I like that I am doing something different from the mainstream. I have another blog post that I am working on called "It's not easy being green". It is a difficult path to follow in our society, we are SO connected to the food we eat and define our holidays and get togethers by the food that's presented if not how we define ourselves.
Comments like - "How do you unwind if you can't drink a beer?"
"Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without the mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy and turkey."
"What's Valentine's Day without Chocolate?"
"What's Easter without the Easter Egg Hunt?"
"What's a birthday without the cake?"
"What's a wedding without the amazing food, or buffet?"
I could go on. But what advertising and "tradition" in our society have done is hard wire us to believe that these festivities would be nothing if it were not for the food that's involved in them? We do not have to buy into that. Christmas is Christmas because we come together as a family, an Easter, Valentine's day and so on can be fun without focussing on the food aspects.
This is why I am having difficulty making and decorating a cake for my daughter's birthday. I am buying into this stuff as well. Ever been to a birthday without a cake? Think about it...
For my last birthday they made a cake out of whole berries for me that was a mound about a foot high, it was impressive. BUT! They bought an ice cream cake for the rest of the guests to enjoy because they didn't want anyone to be deprived of a "proper" birthday cake. Argh. I guess I need some raw friends out there who know what I am talking about.
Another thing about how it's not easy being green is the fact that I feel lonely in this plight. Sure the internet is great, but it's not personal contact. I can't tell you how excited I get going out to Aaron's restaurant, Gorilla Foods on Richards Street in Vancouver. He is amazing!!! His food is so delicious. Actually I may go out there tomorrow or next week because it's been too long since I have had any. I also like that I get to talk to someone that's just as passionate about raw and living foods as myself. That's why I am blogging, hoping to make some more connections. I am also wanting to attend the Raw Spirit Festival this year. It's an amazing event bringing together rawbies from all over North America and beyond. I need a driving partner if anyone is interested?!?!
I'm putting together the goodie bags today. Another thing I've bought into and wish to opt out in the future. There's got to be another way than buying cheap items that only become clutter and then fill up our landfill. There's got to be a better way than filling it up with candy and crap that will hurt our poor kids' hearts and bodies! That is my goal for their birthdays next year. Somehow to break out of this mold. I have thought about giving a small two or three dollar gift to each child as they leave, but still this adds to the clutter and heck, they come to a party with a gift as well...options, there have to be other options. Donations to a food bank, donations to a children's charity, donations to an animal shelter...better options. Most of our kids want for nothing but the latest fashion and video game, they have to know that there's more to life than getting the "set" of characters from a certain line of toys. I can learn a lot from that as well, as I am a collector and now see this tendency in my kids.
So, off the soap box I get.
Looking foward to another green smoothie tomorrow morning. I really enjoy them as my first meal and as a snack in the mid afternoon...finally getting into the rhythm now.
Ciao for now. Have an apple or a banana after reading this. Increase the raw food you put in by taking baby steps. Just a little more each day and before you know it you'll be 70 - 80 % raw yourself!
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