The "Eve" & My Story

So here I am, on "the night before". I think this is it! I'm really, really excited to start another journey. Well, it's actually the same journey, but a different branch of it I guess. For some reason I'm always pushing myself, searching for the true health that I know can be had, that I haven't attained to yet. It's not just that I want to lose weight and feel good about the way I look. It's that I want to feel good. Period. I want to feel all those incredible things I've read that others have attained to, and I haven't.

So tomorrow starts the beginning for me, of my journey in the 80/10/10 raw vegan diet lifestyle. I've been raw for the most part, since August of 2006 after a 30-day Master Cleanse. So I guess you could say that I actually started this lifestyle in July. It's pretty easy to be raw in the summertime, I never realized what a difference it would make. It's been harder this winter. I managed somehow to be 100% raw for 3 whole months - I became pregnant in August '06 so I wanted to stay raw to see if it would help me with my awful morning sickness that descends on me with every pregnancy. This being my 6th pregnancy.

I ate whatever I wanted to as long as it was raw - Alissa Cohen style. I felt SO great! There was a period of maybe 2-3 weeks where I felt a little nauseous, but nothing at ALL like the vomiting 2-3 times a day and completely feeling awful 24-7. I also lost 9 pounds, which is incredible for someone with MY track record who pretty much gains like 50lbs the second I get pregnant (well, almost - LOL - I do gain 50lbs every pregnancy though).

Then I miscarried the baby.

I believe that I gave my baby every fighting chance he/she had by eating the way I did - and it was just not enough, the baby was meant to be in heaven. Late October right after I miscarried, despite knowing that I needed to stay raw in order to heal, I fell off the wagon, so to speak. I hate that term. But anyway.

I struggled for a good two months after that, especially during Christmas. But I never completely released myself back to my old habits - I never ate chicken or red meat - I had salmon once, I think, and it wasn't really that good. I tried to get my greens in via a smoothy, and was pretty good about that every morning.

In January '07 I embarked on another Master Cleanse, this time for 38 days. I think that was too long - I had some really harsh mood swings towards the end, and could hardly control myself when something irritated me. That's not my normal temperament - it usually takes alot to rile me, so I know now that next time 30 days will be my absolute max. So I lost 20lbs, though - which is awesome! I've been working hard to lose the weight I gained with my last baby, who was born in May of 2006.

I'm 5'2" and 30 years, so time is catching up to me. I can see the crow's feet creeping in my face and am shocked when I see friends who are my age, starting to look "older". I weigh 134lbs as of this morning, and my goal is to reach 120lbs. However, I could get pregnant and if that happens, then my goal will change obviously - I want to gain a max of 15lbs with my next pregnancy and stay 100% raw, hopefully on the 80/10/10.

So as I embark on this new and EXCITING journey tomorrow, these are the things I am hoping for:

1. Energy! To be able to rough & tumble with my kids no problem, to feel like I can easily run a mile (or two!) and not be tired all the time.

2. Weigh 120lbs. That's 14lbs away, but I also plan to build muscle by exercising so I'm OK with that happening as long as #3 happens.

3. Fit into size 4 Gap jeans comfortably. I wear about a size 6 now.

4. LOSE the back fat! This is my #1 annoyance!

5. Get a flat tummy - I'm OK with loose skin, I just want to stop looking like I'm 3-6 months pregnant all the time!

6. Get the feeling back in my fingertips. My palms and soles of my feet are very very dry, almost cracking, and rough like sandpaper - since almost to the day I started raw. I can't even feel my baby's soft skin anymore. =( I don't know what is causing this, but it's the main reason I found out about 811 - I'm hoping cutting out most of the fat will help.

7. Lose the skintags & maybe some of the moles??? I have heard of this happening, I'd love it to happen to me!!

8. Reduce or eliminate periods.

9. Get toned and look great for summertime! (This would require actually exercising...hmmmmm)

10. Feel rested on less sleep.

That's all I can think of for now. The main reason I'm writing this blog is to hold myself accountable to what I'm doing and really DO it!!!!