It's Monday morning and I am happy! Not because it's Monday...I'm just happy! My mood has been so good lately. I feel like I've gotten my old spunky self back. Also, the cooler weather is down right exhilarating! I actually WANT to take brisk walks for exercise again! You know....summer is beautiful and all, but me and heat just don't get along these days! Even more so, humidity and I are down right enemies!
So anyhow....why is my mood so freakin' fantastic???? The past 2 weeks, I've been eating extremely well...mostly raw fruits and raw vegetables. I've had meat only about 4 times: chicken burgers twice, pork roast, BBQ pulled pork, and chicken....ok, that's 5 times. Ya, basically, I'm only shopping in the produce section and at fruit markets. It's been fun though!!
The variety of foods I've been eating is a blast....and it's all so delicious it's not even funny! My energy and mental clarity is fantastic. Oh, I almost forgot...no dairy and no breads the past 2 weeks either. I have had a few multi grain wraps though. The only dairy I've had is the half n half in my morning coffee...{as well as 3 tsp. sugar.}
The differences I have noticed these past 2 weeks have been pretty cool! For instance, the very first thing I noticed was on day 4 of eating like this. When I walked down the steps first thing in the morning......there was no pain in my hips, knees, ankles and feet. That in itself is pretty amazing! The crazy thing is, I never ever expected that. It just happened and I noticed it right away. I am telling you the truth people, for years...like the last 4 years at least....every single solitary morning, without fail, when I would walk down the steps first thing in the morning, it was painful and I would hold on the sides of the wall to kinda brace myself...and I would sorta ease myself down the steps.
In my mind, it was 100% due to my weight. I am 5 ft. 3 inches tall and I weigh right around 200 pounds. I know extra weight is very hard on knees and feet...so I figured I would be in pain until I lost about 30 pounds...something like that...something that would make a significant difference to the weight load on my joints. Well......amazingly.....by day 4 of eating 95% of my daily food as raw fruits and vegetables....I may have lost about 3 pounds maybe, maybe 2 pounds.....whatever...but I don't think losing a few pounds would be enough to take away pain from the waist down in my joints. Sooooo, the only thing I can attribute that to is the surplus of natural nutrient intake from the fruits and veggies that I've been feeding my body.
It's been 2 weeks since I started eating like this and the pain has not come back! Very, very crazy!! I also used to experience that same pain after sitting on the couch for a long time at night....I'd get up and go to walk to the kitchen and I would literally hobble!! Seriously, the hubs and I would joke about it. This has been going on for longer than 4 years...it's just I'm going by how long we've been in this house....we've been here for 4 years. By the way, I have lost a little weight during these past 2 weeks....don't know how much, I don't own a scale, and I don't care....scales will get me into trouble anyhow!!!!...it's not important what the scale says, it's important if my clothes are getting loose and too big. I haven't gone down a size yet...but the clothes are feeling a loose and that is great!!
The main reason for me eating this way is to be as healthy as I can and to try to eliminate and or prevent disease.....losing weight is just a nice,wonderful, awesome bonus! Of course I want and really, really need to lose weight...but that will happen if I'm eating clean. The nice thing about this so far is the digestion....it's fast.....not sluggish. Also, I have no feeling of lethargy. I can't tell you how many naps {prior to the past 2 weeks} I have taken on the couch, mid-day, after the kids get home from school....like maybe a 1 hour nap...because I felt so sleepy and blah. I don't feel sleepy anymore...I don't feel blah anymore. Bonus!
One last note here...when I go up the steps, I am not out of breath anymore...when I walk up my driveway, I am not out of breath anymore. I mean, not like I was gasping for breath before....but it would make me feel a little winded and yucky...now I'm straight up and bam...that's it, no ill effects...no racing heart, no heavy breathing. Pretty cool.
The above photo there is the breakfast I just ate while typing this. As you can see, I'm still drinking coffee in the morning. Like I said, still using half n half and sugar. That is the only sugar I eat all day though...other than the natural sugar I get in fruits. One more thing I wanted to say in case anyone is curious. I have no restrictions on eating. I eat meals at the normal times...I eat again if I am hungry...and I eat whatever fruit or veggie I feel like at that moment. It does seem that I eat the majority of fruit in the morning and then lots of greens and veggies the second half of the day. Not that I won't eat an apple or watermelon as an evening snack...I'm just saying that's mostly how I've been doing it. It's kinda like...whatever I'm attracted to during that part of the day. I have also been eating 2 eggs some mornings when I feel like I am craving them. Also, in the evenings sometimes, I will have some organic blue corn tortilla chips. That's it people. So far so good!
That's great, Bonnie! I'm curious...is your family eating the same way that you are? Or are you still cooking "regular" meals for them? That's one thing that holds me back...my hubby and kids wouldn't be too agreeable if I'd cut out the meat and breads for their meals.
ReplyDeleteAlica, my hubby is 100% doing exactly what I am. He even wants it more than me I think. Ya, fortunately for me, him and I have always been on the same page with nutrition. We have always talked about it together, and we've done a little here and there...and then both ate crappy for a long time too, {crappy, but tastey} then we'd get motivated together...some how..we have been fortunate like that. What's awesome is, Stan has always been the athlete...me, never...so he's totally into it any time any day...so that's the easy part for me. As for my boys, my youngest says "Mom, I'm totally fine the way I eat..just let me alone..I'm fine." LOL! I love him..so funny! But, yes, since we have tons of fruit in the house and veggies, they are eating a lot more of that! If me and stan aren't having meat, I will cook the boys pasta and whatever veggies we are eating. The boys want their veggies cooked though,so I do that for them. But, I will make ground chicken burgers and they love those and then stan and I will have one..or we won't if we don't feel like having one. Last night I made the boys soup from a can :P chicken and rice and stan and i had roasted asparagus and giant salads. The kids were offered the asparagus and even salad but they are not into salads..or asparagus. So, it's not really like making 2 separate dinners, it's more like just cooking one extra thing. But as far as fruit, both of them will eat any fruit there is in the house except for strawberries and blueberries because they think they're too tart. I haven't been able to get them to eat leafy greens ...or cucumber..or tomato. But, they will eat, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, peas, potatoes, squash, baked sweet potatoe fries..so I am very happy about that. I haven't restricted them on milk and cereal, and also, I will still take requests for the grocery store...I just bought Everest an apple pie from a farm/bakery and I bought Easton mini brownies and Honey Grahamfuls peanutbutter and chocolate crackers from Wal Mart. My thoughts on the kids is this...let them eat what they want WITHIN REASON, but feed them lots of fruit and veggies and healthier cereals and whole grain breads, which they love anyhow. Trust me, I have worked LONG AND HARD on the veggie thing with my kids and it has finally paid off. It's been a long road. The fruit thing has always been very easy though. They've always loved fruit and ate more and more variety the older they have gotten. Oh and I have always bought them yogurt ...especially the kind now that they sell that has no artificial flavors or colors...it's by Yoplait I think. Basically I am not forcing it on them, but they already know I expect them to eat fairly healthy...but they've been hearing that from me forever n0t just recently. I've always let them have sweets but we've always had healthy stuff in the house for meals. Heck, I even ate healthy stuff for meals...but it's all of the other stuff that I ate when it wasn't meal time that has killed me over the years. I was 125 pounds when I got married 20 years ago!
DeleteThat's great that you were able to change your eating habits and are feeling better. When I was sick and couldn't eat I lost 35 lbs. I really noticed a difference in my "waist down" pains too. I wish I could be as focused as you on what I eat. You are doing it right. I just can't seem to get there.
ReplyDeleteKathy, I haven't been able to feel focused like this for a very long time! It's just one of those things...I'm either into it or I'm not. I'm into right now...and man I just really pray that I stick with it...and not just for losing weight, but so I can be healthier in the long run. I've felt yucky for so long.
Deletesounds great, but girl you need your calcium for strong bones... you need your dairy. Got milk? just sayin' :)
ReplyDeleteI know Suzanne, you are right about calcium! But, I have been doing 1ots of research and have 1earned other ways to get ca1cium. I love milk...always have!! I am not like severely opposed to it or anything like that....but, I can also get it from broccoli, almonds, spinach, kale, oranges, oatmeal, arugala, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds....stuff like that....oh ya, and salmon...which salmon is also great for B12 too which is very necessary. It's funny, cause I'm actually getting more calcium now eating healthy, than I was before eating brownies and donuts with a glass of milk...hee hee! Seriously, I really ate way too much sugar and sweets and drank lots of Pepsi and iced tea. But yes, I'm making sure I'm covering my bases with vital nutrients and reading a lot of information about nutrition...from both sides of the fence. I am always, always open to nutritional advice..I swear it. I would never feel offended by suggestions from anyone..really, cause I could totally miss something important! I learn stuff all the time and I'm like, dang, I'm glad I read that, or I'm glad someone said that. Thanks for caring...I really do mean that. Heck, I wrote how much I weigh in this post, I am not embarrassed and I am putting it out there because I really want to do good and be healthy. :)
ReplyDeleteGood for you! I'm so glad you are feeling better. It sounds like you have found the key. Hold on to it. If I can reccommend one more thing... start walking. Whenever I start feeling blah I start walking at work during lunch. It makes such a difference. I love your photos, everything looks so good.
ReplyDeleteThanks f0r the wa1king tip. I did start that 1ast week and it d0es he1p me fee1 s0 much better. I wanted t0 eat g00d f0r ab0ut a week bef0re I started t0 exercise.. I just wasn't "fee1ing it" yet, but since the good f00ds have b00sted my energy and 0ut100k, it has made me actua11y want to m0ve my b0dy and get 0ut and go! S0rry , my stupid letters on my keyb0ard are fick1e..tr0uble with 0's and l's....s0metimes they work, and sometimes they d0n't...drives me nuts-0!! LOL!!
DeleteWell. .congrats to you!! I have managed lots of folks that wanted and needed to lose weight. .People DO feel better when they cut out the crap and eat as God intended us to. .I was worried about you not getting enough protein. .but saw that you replied to Suzanne that you are eating nuts. .beans are a great natural source too. .I have been intending to post on making your own refried beans in the crock pot (you can monitor what goes in that way. .and they froze great!) Maybe I will still get that done, or maybe if you are interested I can email you the recipe! Keep up the great work. .do you have a plan for the winter, when fresh won't be as easy to get or as yummy? Good luck!
ReplyDeleteHi Melanie!! I have been eating eggs, some nuts, also I just bought 2 big bags of frozen wild caught salmon filets, also, a chicken burger once or twice a week, also I have lots of dried lentils that i will be cooking up...and some chick peas...well, i've been getting that in hummus. I have read about the complete proteins and the incomplete proteins...it is not necessary to eat animal proteins to get all of the complete proteins you need...you can do it from a combination of veggies and lentils and beans etc. Thank you for the tip though....I'm still reading and still learning. I'm eating 1,000 times better than before...I guarantee I was very, very deficient on lots of things before I started eating this way. I'm also going to buy some canned sardines today for omega fats and B12. I am one of the weirdos who actually likes sardines! LOL! I love avocados too...I bought a few today as well. So, I'm making sure I get "complete proteins", B12, good fats, and calcium. Oh also I read that quinoa provides the complete proteins like meat does. I forgot...I'm going to pick up a package today. Hey, if there is anything else I'm missing or you have any other good advice, let me know...I'm not taking any offense here. LOL! I do believe that I am eating pretty well rounded. I have started to work in some exercise as well...like walking and such.
DeleteMelanie, forgt t0 answer ab0ut winter time, I'm just gonna eat what is in the pr0duce section, granted it will a11 be from Ca1ifornia, but that's the way it goes! I would rather eat loca1 f0r sure, but I'11 deal! :)
DeleteP.S...Thank you a11 for the tips!! I wi11 take them with great appreciati0n. Thanks for the support, now if I can just keep it up! :)
ReplyDeleteYea you!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I started eating healthy a year ago, choosing to remove breads, most potatoes and sugar and adding in lots of fresh veggies, and within a couple weeks my joint pain went away as well. Sure enough, I later read in a book on low-carb eating that removing refined carbs from your diet helps with joint pain. It would be interesting to see if your joint pain came back if you reinstituted bread in your diet.
ReplyDeleteHi... I'm wondering that stuff in a bowl -- salad? Corn with apples and cauliflower.... do you have a recipe? Any "dressing"?? thank you.
ReplyDeleteHi Kim! Yes, it is a salad, and it is actually one of my favorites!! The recipe is this: chopped apples, chopped cauliflower, parsley to your liking...don't go too heavy though or it will be too strong, and corn (cut off the cob if it's summertime). You do not have to cook the corn, it can be eaten raw and it is delicious that way! You can used thawed corn or corn from a can. Just use equal parts apple, cauliflower and corn...and a sprinkling of the chopped parsley, enough to see it well enough throughout the salad. So, it's just apple, cauliflower, corn and parsley. My favorite dressing to use on it is this: apple cider vinegar, honey, olive oil,splash of water, minced garlic or garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. I don't have a specific amount on the vinegar and honey and oil, I just eyeball it. If I had to guess here is the amounts: 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar, 1 Tbsp. honey, 1/2 tbsp. olive oil, 1/2 Tbsp. water, 1/2 tsp minced garlic or 1/8 tsp garlic powder, 1/8 tsp. onion powder, 2 dashes salt, 2 dashes pepper. Whisk with a fork and taste...adjust according to your taste preference. If this is for a party, you can dress the entire salad...if not, I would just use the dressing on your own individual portion of salad. I hope you try it..I think you will really like it. Enjoy, and thanks for commenting!
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