I just had to blog about this, even though I've written something the last two days in a row. I try not to come on here too much because I know reading back, I'm not going to want to read everything I had to write about this pregnancy. Kind of like the Dad who videotapes the entire vacation, like hour for hour, and three years later no-one really cares about all that footage, LOL!
So I'm on my 9th day of 100% raw and I have had a ton of energy today! It's very cool - I've been a bit disappointed in the lack of "amazing" results so far - but then, I also have to remind myself that it's only been 9 days. For me, though, 9 days is a mile long - it's a very long time considering my history, so I feel like I should be rewarded more, I guess! Part of me is just worried that come 30 days, I'll be saying the same thing. But we'll see how it goes.
Anyway, my house is so clean!! I'm loving it - and trying not to be anal about it, because I *do* have five kids who ALL leave trails of messes like every minute they're awake. I have taught them to put their dishes on the counter when they're done and that has been really, really nice. The next step is to teach them to rinse & put in the dishwasher, LOL!
So I'm trying not to be anal in that every piece of paper they leave on the floor, every pair of shoes left in the middle of the hallway, I don't get irritated (as in, I JUST cleaned that!) and take it out on them. That's my goal, to patiently & sweetly remind them, "Where does that go?" and train them in a good way, with no demands.
I've been cleaning like a crazy woman - I cleaned & vacuumed the boy's room from top to bottom - decided it was time to put up my 3 year old's crib, and moved their big bunkbed out from the wall to vacuum. I washed all the bedding on our king-size bed & put it back on (the last part is a huge ordeal, LOL!). All day I was cleaning, cleaning, cleaning up messes and it's actually funny because at the end of the day, my house looked just a little bit better than when I got up: just neat & tidy. Like no-one even moved or breathed here today, except for the boys' room. All that work, and nothing to show for it! But not really, it would seriously be a different picture if I hadn't worked hard to wipe off the table numerous times, load the dishes twice, clean the counters off LOTS of times, pick up toys, shoes, books, trash, etc as I came across them.
The thing is, I had energy to do it. I didn't sit here on the computer just in a vegetative state not wanting to do any of it. That's the difference. Usually if my house is semi-decent, I'll be content with that and spend a good amount of time on the computer just doing whatever. So it's not like I was spinning around in circles just dying to go running or jump on a trampolene or something, not that kind of energy. It was more like it didn't take any effort for me to jump up & take care of the dishes, or fold a load of laundry, or give Grace a bath. This, THIS is what I am raw for!! This is the MAIN reason (besides wanting to not gain tons of weight) for adopting this lifestyle. I have so hoped that it would make a difference in my energy, in the way I feel. Evidently it's starting to!
I do have times now, that I feel like I've done too much and my lower belly is aching like it's tired of holding the baby up. But usually I'd be wiped out for the rest of the day at that point. Now if I just sit down at the computer, or lay down for a while, I feel refreshed & better, able to tackle the next project at hand.
I've also been reading some blogs that are so inspiring for me. I tend to really lean towards the same attitude of a person if I read about them alot. Like when I read Sarah's blog about 80-10-10 I wanted to do exactly what she's doing. And now when I read sunflower's blog, or homekeepingheart's blog, or lady of virtue's blog -- I just get so encouraged to 1) really get to know God in a personal, real way so that I can be a blessing to my family & those I'm around, and 2) keep my home a place with a heart in it. Not just a house that we dwell in, but a sanctuary, a place that is warm and welcomes the children with open arms.
So that is what has inspired me to keep my house clean, the laundry folded & ready for DH early in the morning when he's searching for clothes in the dark because he doesn't want to wake me, to have warm & yummy meals ready when he comes home, to have open & clean floors for my children to play with their train tracks or build forts on. When things aren't in order, there is chaos both in my heart & in my family that I live with. I can't deal with things as well, I get stressed out...and no, my home is NOT perfect. My carpets (who in their right mind agreed to put carpet in the dining room when they built this house? A light colored carpet??!!) are pretty much more stained than not, my pretty couches that I love have holes from children climbing on them, our yard leaves much to be desired after many hours of play. My oldest daughter sleeps on a mattress on the floor, and so does my 3 year old. Both the bathrooms are in serious need of cleaning, and the master bedroom looks like a disaster relief area. We'll be tackling those later in the week if this energy continues.
Sure I would love to have everything beautiful, perfect, and like new. But instead I've chosen to receive the best treasure anyone could want, and that is six precious children from heaven. So anyway, my 1 year old is standing next to me begging for me to put her to bed so I've gotta' go. =)
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Monday, July 30, 2007
Week 22: Day 1 Weigh-in!
So today I weighed in at 142! That was cool, since I've been at 143 for the past week. Considering all the dehydrated & raw goodies I've been eating, that is pretty good, I think. I probably eat fat the most in the form of nuts, and I should try switching over to more avocadoes, although in the past I have *hated* them so I'm not exactly in love with them yet. Like I couldn't just eat them straight like alot of people do. They definitely have their place, though, especially in the form of cold guacamole with fresh, raw, yummy cold organic carrots to dip in it. Can you tell it's hot outside?
Oh yes, I wanted to tell you - I've started T-Tapping again! Not very much and not on a strict regular basis yet, but I've done 2 1/2 of a Basic Workout Plus routine which is just about 17 minutes or so. I originally wanted to start just doing the back stretch because my back has been bothering me lately. But then I also have wanted to start doing squats or some kind of pregnancy exercise to get ready to give birth. I've never done this in the past, but I'm going to really work on being diligent to do them this time around.
I'm not going to get any pain killers with this baby, I want to do it completely natural - and the only way I'm going to not be nervous about that is if I'm completely prepared this time. Both physically and mentally. I'm considering buying a hypnotherapy set of CD's to prepare myself mentally. It's a fascinating concept - and even though they reference hypnotizing yourself, it's not like that at all. Basically it allows you to bring yourself into a frame of mind where you're blissfully aware, yet unaware of the pain. Like right before you fall asleep. http://www.natalhypnotherapy.com/. It costs about $100 for the set, so I'm not jumping in headfirst just yet - I'm trying to find a used copy, actually. You picture the ideal, most perfect birth in your mind and go through every contraction, ever feeling - over & over for months before the birth. Then, when you're actually going through it, you have mentally already done it. Similar to athletes picturing themselves running HARD, harder than they've ever run before, and winning that gold medal. Over & over they go through it in their mind, and then their body just follows. We'll see, anyway.
So here's my stats so far:
Week 1: 134
Week 2: 133
Week 3: 138 (this was my 3-day binge in Arizona!)
Week 10: 141
Week 14: 143
Week 15: 145
Week 17: 146
Week 18: 146 (you can tell I was really struggling to stay raw here and ate 20% junk/80% raw)
Week 19: 144
Week 20: 141
Week 22: 142
Future Week 24 MAX Goal: 148
Oh yes, I wanted to tell you - I've started T-Tapping again! Not very much and not on a strict regular basis yet, but I've done 2 1/2 of a Basic Workout Plus routine which is just about 17 minutes or so. I originally wanted to start just doing the back stretch because my back has been bothering me lately. But then I also have wanted to start doing squats or some kind of pregnancy exercise to get ready to give birth. I've never done this in the past, but I'm going to really work on being diligent to do them this time around.
I'm not going to get any pain killers with this baby, I want to do it completely natural - and the only way I'm going to not be nervous about that is if I'm completely prepared this time. Both physically and mentally. I'm considering buying a hypnotherapy set of CD's to prepare myself mentally. It's a fascinating concept - and even though they reference hypnotizing yourself, it's not like that at all. Basically it allows you to bring yourself into a frame of mind where you're blissfully aware, yet unaware of the pain. Like right before you fall asleep. http://www.natalhypnotherapy.com/. It costs about $100 for the set, so I'm not jumping in headfirst just yet - I'm trying to find a used copy, actually. You picture the ideal, most perfect birth in your mind and go through every contraction, ever feeling - over & over for months before the birth. Then, when you're actually going through it, you have mentally already done it. Similar to athletes picturing themselves running HARD, harder than they've ever run before, and winning that gold medal. Over & over they go through it in their mind, and then their body just follows. We'll see, anyway.
So here's my stats so far:
Week 1: 134
Week 2: 133
Week 3: 138 (this was my 3-day binge in Arizona!)
Week 10: 141
Week 14: 143
Week 15: 145
Week 17: 146
Week 18: 146 (you can tell I was really struggling to stay raw here and ate 20% junk/80% raw)
Week 19: 144
Week 20: 141
Week 22: 142
Future Week 24 MAX Goal: 148
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Week 21: Day 6 - a BOY!
I wanted to wait until tomorrow to post, being day 1 of week 22 and all, but I am feeling chatty today so today it is. Lately I've been on an "uncooking" kick - I've made some pretty yummy stuff. My favorite are the chocolate chewy cookies - my two kiddos 4 & 3 loved them and probably would have eaten them all. So I need to make more - they need to be in the dehydrator for a good 4-6 hours or so, and even up to 12 hours, so it's not something I can just whip up & eat right away.
Speaking of that, though, I somehow put together the most awesome recipe for a chocolate cherry nut milk shake. It is seriously, the best drink I've ever had raw - and I've been making at least one per day, sometimes two! The good thing is, it fills me up & keeps me going for several hours and that is really important to me. Here's how I make it:
2.5 cups cold water
2/3 cup soaked nuts (I've only used almonds so far)
1 frozen banana
1 entire tray of ice cubes
1.5 T. cocoa powder
1 tsp. almond flavoring
couple squirts of agave
5 dates, pitted
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
It's easy to throw together - I have all the ingredients in my head. It makes the most creamy, cold, thick shake - and the reason I call it cherry, is because it tastes almost exactly like a maraschino cherry. You know, those cherries that they put on top of the whipped cream on desserts & shakes? Just like that. It's probably because of the almond flavoring, which is pretty strong. This recipe actually fills up 1 1/3 of my Baja Fresh cups, and leaves me absolutely stuffed to the gills, so I might bring it down to 2 cups of water & 1/3 tray of ice. It's been really nice to have on hot days, especially in the early evening after the kids go to bed.
I'm SO excited that I now have a raw buddy - Tina - from church. She is also doing 100% raw and we both started a 30-day challenge last Monday on 7-23. It has been WAY easier to stay 100%, like probably 80% easier! I'm so thankful for that, and it's been fun talking "Raw' with her. Today is my 7th day of 100% raw and I really think I'm going to be able to go 30 days this time due to the support of another person, being held accountable. Hopefully by then I'll feel so good that I'll want to continue on, and make it to 40 days, 50 days, etc.
I'm a little disappointed in how I feel - I think I have this image in my head of the ideal health and I know I haven't reached it yet. I still require a nap during the day, but in all fairness, I'm staying up until midnight usually, and don't sleep that well if I get woken up in the early morning hours like at 5am or so from the kids. I finally fall back asleep around 6:30-7, then they wake me up around 8-8:30.
I just feel like I should have more energy, more bounciness, my skin should be clearer & my eyes too. My skin esp. on my heels/elbows should be getting softer - especially with the oil pulling which I have done for 14 days in a row now. It's not, my heels are even a little more cracked & dry than they used to be. What's up with that? I guess I have to remember that I *am* pregnant - and my results are not really going to be "normal" if I'm comparing them to a raw foodist who has been raw 7 days and is not pregnant. I basically have a little being inside me that gets 100% priority when it comes to my body changing...so I am going to have to be content with the way my body looks (meaning that I haven't gained a ton of weight) and how I feel.
Although I do have enough stamina for the most part, to get through the day - even spending the entire day at church like I did yesterday. DH wasn't around much, so I fed the kids all lunch, took them swimming, to their choir practice, played on the playground (swings), and then fed them dinner. It is no small task, especially with a one year old who doesn't let me have a minute's rest at the pool, and the two younger ones didn't take naps so they were pretty much spazzing out before dinner even started. Another pregnant mom was there who is 24 weeks along, and she was saying she feels so tired, big, and hot. I didn't feel any of those things, and I know I would have totally felt that if I was eating normally.
I had a doctor's appointment last week, and their scale showed that I had lost 5lbs since I'd been there the month before! I was kind of shocked at that, but I guess it's true - I was 146 before conference, and then 141 afterwards. My doctor asked me if I was eating okay, and if I was hungry. She didn't really seem that worried, just wanted to know - I told her I'd been to summer camp for 2 weeks and walked a TON. I wonder though, if I lose again next time I go, or if I'm the same weight - if she's going to inquire further about my diet.
I asked her about the gestational diabetes glucose test that we have to take. She said it's not until 28 weeks. My worry is that it's this hideous sugary drink much like orange soda, and you have to drink a whole cup in one hour. Bleh!! It's awful on a SAD diet, and I can't imagine what it'd do to my system if I've been 100% raw for say, 60 days and then put THAT into my body. She told me to eat a high protein meal like eggs/meat/etc beforehand and it should be okay. Yuck! But I did a little research on rawfoodtalk and others recommended a green drink with LOTS of leafy greens & some nuts. So I'm going to do that. She also said they can't MAKE me take it, but it is highly recommended....so if I gather up the courage, I would really like to just refuse it. We'll see - I still have 6 more weeks until I have to take it anyway.
I also had my ultrasound, and we're having a BOY!!! I am sooooooooooooo thrilled about that - I've had two girls in a row, and my youngest boy is almost 5. It's totally time for another cute little cuddly boy, and finding that out made it so much more exciting for me. I can't wait to meet him, and see how he compares to my other two boys, who are as alike as night & day. One is blong/blue eyes, and the other is brown hair/brown eyes. We have some fun boys names that we like, too!
My ultrasound tech was impressed with the health of this baby, and that was so reassuring for me to hear. He could see very clearly a healthy heart with four chambers, and the ambilical cord, I was amazed at how clearly we could see that. He kept saying there's nothing wrong with this baby! And everything measured exactly spot-on for the due date, meaning that everything is growing perfectly in a healthy way.
It really inspired me to continue with the GREENS GREENS GREENS even though I'm getting really tired of green smoothies. I'm trying to have at least one per day, stuffed with greens - so maybe about 13oz per day or so, not counting if I have any salads (which I usually don't). They're kind of a pain because I want to eat all the raw goodies I've been making at green smoothies don't taste all THAT great - plus they really fill me up. I use them alot when I go places, because they're handy for grabbing & just drinking when I am on the go.
My ears have been getting plugged again, and it is the most annoying thing ever! No other symptoms that you would expect like a cold, etc - just plain 'ol plugged ears and I can hear each breath, in & out. It for some reason makes all noises amplified and I feel like I do when I take out my contacts and can't see. Something is impaired and I can totally tell....I can't hear quite as well. I struggle the most with being irritated with the kids when this happens - especially when they're plugged all day long. I assume this is detox since it never happens when I eat even a little bit of SAD, so that's a comfort I suppose.
My weight is doing really well, holding steady at 143. It was low at 141 right after summer camp, and then I ate some SAD and struggled to stay raw - 4 days on, 2 days 90%, etc. It went up to 145 at one point, and now is back to 143 since I've been raw 7 days.
I think the reason I dropped the weight fairly fast at summer conference is because I was eating almost exclusively juicy fruits, berries, seeds, and leafy greens - most of that blended in smoothies. I'd usually make two full vitamixes per day. Now I can barely get one in, and the rest of my food consists of alot of nuts, cookies, pizza, or whatever else I happen to be making at the time. I hope to finish the cinnamon rolls today, and perhaps make butterscotch blondies later. I have also eaten alot of watermelon, berries, & peaches so that's good.
Speaking of that, though, I somehow put together the most awesome recipe for a chocolate cherry nut milk shake. It is seriously, the best drink I've ever had raw - and I've been making at least one per day, sometimes two! The good thing is, it fills me up & keeps me going for several hours and that is really important to me. Here's how I make it:
2.5 cups cold water
2/3 cup soaked nuts (I've only used almonds so far)
1 frozen banana
1 entire tray of ice cubes
1.5 T. cocoa powder
1 tsp. almond flavoring
couple squirts of agave
5 dates, pitted
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
It's easy to throw together - I have all the ingredients in my head. It makes the most creamy, cold, thick shake - and the reason I call it cherry, is because it tastes almost exactly like a maraschino cherry. You know, those cherries that they put on top of the whipped cream on desserts & shakes? Just like that. It's probably because of the almond flavoring, which is pretty strong. This recipe actually fills up 1 1/3 of my Baja Fresh cups, and leaves me absolutely stuffed to the gills, so I might bring it down to 2 cups of water & 1/3 tray of ice. It's been really nice to have on hot days, especially in the early evening after the kids go to bed.
I'm SO excited that I now have a raw buddy - Tina - from church. She is also doing 100% raw and we both started a 30-day challenge last Monday on 7-23. It has been WAY easier to stay 100%, like probably 80% easier! I'm so thankful for that, and it's been fun talking "Raw' with her. Today is my 7th day of 100% raw and I really think I'm going to be able to go 30 days this time due to the support of another person, being held accountable. Hopefully by then I'll feel so good that I'll want to continue on, and make it to 40 days, 50 days, etc.
I'm a little disappointed in how I feel - I think I have this image in my head of the ideal health and I know I haven't reached it yet. I still require a nap during the day, but in all fairness, I'm staying up until midnight usually, and don't sleep that well if I get woken up in the early morning hours like at 5am or so from the kids. I finally fall back asleep around 6:30-7, then they wake me up around 8-8:30.
I just feel like I should have more energy, more bounciness, my skin should be clearer & my eyes too. My skin esp. on my heels/elbows should be getting softer - especially with the oil pulling which I have done for 14 days in a row now. It's not, my heels are even a little more cracked & dry than they used to be. What's up with that? I guess I have to remember that I *am* pregnant - and my results are not really going to be "normal" if I'm comparing them to a raw foodist who has been raw 7 days and is not pregnant. I basically have a little being inside me that gets 100% priority when it comes to my body changing...so I am going to have to be content with the way my body looks (meaning that I haven't gained a ton of weight) and how I feel.
Although I do have enough stamina for the most part, to get through the day - even spending the entire day at church like I did yesterday. DH wasn't around much, so I fed the kids all lunch, took them swimming, to their choir practice, played on the playground (swings), and then fed them dinner. It is no small task, especially with a one year old who doesn't let me have a minute's rest at the pool, and the two younger ones didn't take naps so they were pretty much spazzing out before dinner even started. Another pregnant mom was there who is 24 weeks along, and she was saying she feels so tired, big, and hot. I didn't feel any of those things, and I know I would have totally felt that if I was eating normally.
I had a doctor's appointment last week, and their scale showed that I had lost 5lbs since I'd been there the month before! I was kind of shocked at that, but I guess it's true - I was 146 before conference, and then 141 afterwards. My doctor asked me if I was eating okay, and if I was hungry. She didn't really seem that worried, just wanted to know - I told her I'd been to summer camp for 2 weeks and walked a TON. I wonder though, if I lose again next time I go, or if I'm the same weight - if she's going to inquire further about my diet.
I asked her about the gestational diabetes glucose test that we have to take. She said it's not until 28 weeks. My worry is that it's this hideous sugary drink much like orange soda, and you have to drink a whole cup in one hour. Bleh!! It's awful on a SAD diet, and I can't imagine what it'd do to my system if I've been 100% raw for say, 60 days and then put THAT into my body. She told me to eat a high protein meal like eggs/meat/etc beforehand and it should be okay. Yuck! But I did a little research on rawfoodtalk and others recommended a green drink with LOTS of leafy greens & some nuts. So I'm going to do that. She also said they can't MAKE me take it, but it is highly recommended....so if I gather up the courage, I would really like to just refuse it. We'll see - I still have 6 more weeks until I have to take it anyway.
I also had my ultrasound, and we're having a BOY!!! I am sooooooooooooo thrilled about that - I've had two girls in a row, and my youngest boy is almost 5. It's totally time for another cute little cuddly boy, and finding that out made it so much more exciting for me. I can't wait to meet him, and see how he compares to my other two boys, who are as alike as night & day. One is blong/blue eyes, and the other is brown hair/brown eyes. We have some fun boys names that we like, too!
My ultrasound tech was impressed with the health of this baby, and that was so reassuring for me to hear. He could see very clearly a healthy heart with four chambers, and the ambilical cord, I was amazed at how clearly we could see that. He kept saying there's nothing wrong with this baby! And everything measured exactly spot-on for the due date, meaning that everything is growing perfectly in a healthy way.
It really inspired me to continue with the GREENS GREENS GREENS even though I'm getting really tired of green smoothies. I'm trying to have at least one per day, stuffed with greens - so maybe about 13oz per day or so, not counting if I have any salads (which I usually don't). They're kind of a pain because I want to eat all the raw goodies I've been making at green smoothies don't taste all THAT great - plus they really fill me up. I use them alot when I go places, because they're handy for grabbing & just drinking when I am on the go.
My ears have been getting plugged again, and it is the most annoying thing ever! No other symptoms that you would expect like a cold, etc - just plain 'ol plugged ears and I can hear each breath, in & out. It for some reason makes all noises amplified and I feel like I do when I take out my contacts and can't see. Something is impaired and I can totally tell....I can't hear quite as well. I struggle the most with being irritated with the kids when this happens - especially when they're plugged all day long. I assume this is detox since it never happens when I eat even a little bit of SAD, so that's a comfort I suppose.
My weight is doing really well, holding steady at 143. It was low at 141 right after summer camp, and then I ate some SAD and struggled to stay raw - 4 days on, 2 days 90%, etc. It went up to 145 at one point, and now is back to 143 since I've been raw 7 days.
I think the reason I dropped the weight fairly fast at summer conference is because I was eating almost exclusively juicy fruits, berries, seeds, and leafy greens - most of that blended in smoothies. I'd usually make two full vitamixes per day. Now I can barely get one in, and the rest of my food consists of alot of nuts, cookies, pizza, or whatever else I happen to be making at the time. I hope to finish the cinnamon rolls today, and perhaps make butterscotch blondies later. I have also eaten alot of watermelon, berries, & peaches so that's good.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Week 20: Day 3
Guess what I had for breakfast today??!! Onion rings and chocolate truffles, LOL! I made them last night...they are absolutely divine. The truffles are sooo good, filled simply with walnuts & dates mixed with a little vanilla flavoring and honey until they're yummy, sticky balls. Then I mixed young coconut water with some cocoa and coconut flakes, and rolled them in it. I better stop eating so many!
The onion rings are also really good! The batter they are dipped in is first olive oil mixed with water to make them sticky, then ground flax seeds, paprika, and ground almonds. I dehydrated them overnight & they taste almost exactly like the real thing, except not as juicy. I think next time I'll cut thicker rings and see if more of the onion taste comes out.
I ended up getting the stomach flu on Monday night, and threw up a couple of times which was fine, because I had eaten mostly SAD all day (yeah, I knew it would start a spiral when I ate that pizza!) and I was glad to be rid of some of it. Yesterday I didn't eat until about maybe 1pm, and was 100% raw all day. DH got a HUGE crate of blueberries so we snacked on those most of the day. Then I started getting sooo hungry so I was surfing the recipe section of rawfoodtalk.com and wow, got inspired! I had corn on the cob w/coconut butter & salt, and that really hit the spot.
I'm rebelling against green drinks right now, probably because I had like two entire vitamix fulls almost every day at summer camp since that seemed to be all that would keep me full. I think here at home, I have just about anything I could ever want to eat at my fingertips if I want it, so it's much easier just to graze all day. I have fixings for the yummiest salads, and a good 6 pages full of dressings to make. I have stuff for guacamole, carrots to dip them in (that is the best!!) and also a batch of "Igor's Flax Crackers" that I am about to put in the dehydrator. They smell really good and should also make yummy bread for sandwiches if I take a tray or two out before they get to cracker-ish.
I think the little stint of not eating for about 24 hours made me feel starving, LOL! I feel like I usually do after 3 months of morning sickness: food sounds absolutely yummy. And not SAD food either, but the good for you stuff, the raw stuff.
The best thing - is this morning I weighed in at 141lbs! If I dip back into the 130's, I am seriously going to drop my jaw to the floor. I never expected this! My clothes are still loose, and I'm loving the way I look in the mirror for the first time in my entire pregnant history. Putting on clothes is a snap because everything looks great - even some things that didn't used to look so great. So I am changing my "week 20" to reflect my 141 weigh-in; I just have to document that I actually did weigh just 141 (only a weight gain of 7lbs at 20 weeks!!) at 5 months pregnant.
The onion rings are also really good! The batter they are dipped in is first olive oil mixed with water to make them sticky, then ground flax seeds, paprika, and ground almonds. I dehydrated them overnight & they taste almost exactly like the real thing, except not as juicy. I think next time I'll cut thicker rings and see if more of the onion taste comes out.
I ended up getting the stomach flu on Monday night, and threw up a couple of times which was fine, because I had eaten mostly SAD all day (yeah, I knew it would start a spiral when I ate that pizza!) and I was glad to be rid of some of it. Yesterday I didn't eat until about maybe 1pm, and was 100% raw all day. DH got a HUGE crate of blueberries so we snacked on those most of the day. Then I started getting sooo hungry so I was surfing the recipe section of rawfoodtalk.com and wow, got inspired! I had corn on the cob w/coconut butter & salt, and that really hit the spot.
I'm rebelling against green drinks right now, probably because I had like two entire vitamix fulls almost every day at summer camp since that seemed to be all that would keep me full. I think here at home, I have just about anything I could ever want to eat at my fingertips if I want it, so it's much easier just to graze all day. I have fixings for the yummiest salads, and a good 6 pages full of dressings to make. I have stuff for guacamole, carrots to dip them in (that is the best!!) and also a batch of "Igor's Flax Crackers" that I am about to put in the dehydrator. They smell really good and should also make yummy bread for sandwiches if I take a tray or two out before they get to cracker-ish.
I think the little stint of not eating for about 24 hours made me feel starving, LOL! I feel like I usually do after 3 months of morning sickness: food sounds absolutely yummy. And not SAD food either, but the good for you stuff, the raw stuff.
The best thing - is this morning I weighed in at 141lbs! If I dip back into the 130's, I am seriously going to drop my jaw to the floor. I never expected this! My clothes are still loose, and I'm loving the way I look in the mirror for the first time in my entire pregnant history. Putting on clothes is a snap because everything looks great - even some things that didn't used to look so great. So I am changing my "week 20" to reflect my 141 weigh-in; I just have to document that I actually did weigh just 141 (only a weight gain of 7lbs at 20 weeks!!) at 5 months pregnant.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Week 20: Day 1
So I decided last night to take a break, and ended up eating chicken pizza, cookies, and ice-cream. LOL! It really has been rough staying raw, not like I thought it would be easy, but I'm trying to go with the flow and really figure out a good way for me, personally, to strive closer & closer to my goal of 100% raw for a long period of time.
So now my new goal is to beat my last goal! I made it 11 1/2 days - so my new goal is to finish 12 days at least, at 100%. I figure it's really not too bad, if I can keep lengthening the amount of time I'm 100%, because even at eating cooked once every 12 days, that's just eating cooked twice per month! I also didn't feel as bad as I thought I would - I wasn't congested during the night from the ice-cream. The main thing is within an hour of eating the pizza (the chicken was gross, I tried to pick it out - and the pizza was kind of like a lukewarm lump, not really what I was expecting) I started to feel lethargic. It took much more effort to get up off the couch (where I was laying; I haven't done that in quite a while!) and go through the motions of brushing teeth, etc.
As a side note........I think I got like 2 hours of combined sleep last night! First my 8yr old threw up at 10pm, then at 12pm my 4 yr old. They both threw up all night long, even one time in the same bowl at the same time because I wasn't quick enough. Then at 7am my 6 yr old came into my room and also threw up, and at 9am I was awakened by my 14 mo old crying, who had thrown up in her bed at some point last night. Whew! My poor DH had to get up at 5:30 (we went to bed at midnight watching a movie) and he pretty much tossed & turned all night as the light went on & off, on & off, with the lovely sounds of stomach flu-ridden kids. I hope he's doing OK today.
Talk about trying...I just kept praying for patience and the energy to keep going today. I have my appt. at 2pm for the ultrasound which I'm going to have to cancel again - kind of disappointing, but I'm actually pretty much too tired to care. I had all these things I wanted to get done today: unpacking, my newsletter, grocery planning & shopping, trip to the store to stock up on raw food, cleaning, laundry. Hmmm...I'm just kind of sitting here staring, LOL.
So....even though I did eat some pretty heavy stuff last night, I still weighed in at 141.2 this morning. I am very happy with that! 3lb ahead of my goal weight - and I plan to stay raw now for at least 12 days, so hopefully that will also keep me in check.
Oh my gosh, I just realized I've been calculating it wrong! I'm halfway there, right, at 20 weeks. So if my goal is to gain a max of 25lbs, then you divide that in half, and my max I should have gained now is 146 - so I'm actually FIVE pounds ahead. That's awesome - especially if I continue to be raw, and maybe even continue to lose.
Last night in bed I was a bit nervous about losing any more. But then I thought, this is what raw does. It searches out the unwanted and unneccesary (harmful) things in your body, including fat. If I go by normal standards, at 5'3" I should weigh around 120-125 lbs not pregnant. So that means that to start with, I was about 10lbs overweight. If I started at 125 and gained 25lbs, I would weigh no more than 150 at 40 weeks pregnant. So it could be that my body is just getting rid of the excess, and I don't need to worry unless I dip way low. Then I'll be stuffing the nuts & avocados/healthy fats for sure, LOL! When I was 100% raw for 3 months in my previous pregnancy, I lost 9lbs also. And that was from my beginning weight of pregnancy, so I think it's about the same.
Current stats:
Week 1: 134
Week 2: 133
Week 3: 138 (this was my 3-day binge in Arizona!)
Week 10: 141
Week 14: 143
Week 15: 145
Week 17: 146
Week 18: 146
Week 19: 144
Week 20: 141
Future Week 24 MAX Goal: 148
So now my new goal is to beat my last goal! I made it 11 1/2 days - so my new goal is to finish 12 days at least, at 100%. I figure it's really not too bad, if I can keep lengthening the amount of time I'm 100%, because even at eating cooked once every 12 days, that's just eating cooked twice per month! I also didn't feel as bad as I thought I would - I wasn't congested during the night from the ice-cream. The main thing is within an hour of eating the pizza (the chicken was gross, I tried to pick it out - and the pizza was kind of like a lukewarm lump, not really what I was expecting) I started to feel lethargic. It took much more effort to get up off the couch (where I was laying; I haven't done that in quite a while!) and go through the motions of brushing teeth, etc.
As a side note........I think I got like 2 hours of combined sleep last night! First my 8yr old threw up at 10pm, then at 12pm my 4 yr old. They both threw up all night long, even one time in the same bowl at the same time because I wasn't quick enough. Then at 7am my 6 yr old came into my room and also threw up, and at 9am I was awakened by my 14 mo old crying, who had thrown up in her bed at some point last night. Whew! My poor DH had to get up at 5:30 (we went to bed at midnight watching a movie) and he pretty much tossed & turned all night as the light went on & off, on & off, with the lovely sounds of stomach flu-ridden kids. I hope he's doing OK today.
Talk about trying...I just kept praying for patience and the energy to keep going today. I have my appt. at 2pm for the ultrasound which I'm going to have to cancel again - kind of disappointing, but I'm actually pretty much too tired to care. I had all these things I wanted to get done today: unpacking, my newsletter, grocery planning & shopping, trip to the store to stock up on raw food, cleaning, laundry. Hmmm...I'm just kind of sitting here staring, LOL.
So....even though I did eat some pretty heavy stuff last night, I still weighed in at 141.2 this morning. I am very happy with that! 3lb ahead of my goal weight - and I plan to stay raw now for at least 12 days, so hopefully that will also keep me in check.
Oh my gosh, I just realized I've been calculating it wrong! I'm halfway there, right, at 20 weeks. So if my goal is to gain a max of 25lbs, then you divide that in half, and my max I should have gained now is 146 - so I'm actually FIVE pounds ahead. That's awesome - especially if I continue to be raw, and maybe even continue to lose.
Last night in bed I was a bit nervous about losing any more. But then I thought, this is what raw does. It searches out the unwanted and unneccesary (harmful) things in your body, including fat. If I go by normal standards, at 5'3" I should weigh around 120-125 lbs not pregnant. So that means that to start with, I was about 10lbs overweight. If I started at 125 and gained 25lbs, I would weigh no more than 150 at 40 weeks pregnant. So it could be that my body is just getting rid of the excess, and I don't need to worry unless I dip way low. Then I'll be stuffing the nuts & avocados/healthy fats for sure, LOL! When I was 100% raw for 3 months in my previous pregnancy, I lost 9lbs also. And that was from my beginning weight of pregnancy, so I think it's about the same.
Current stats:
Week 1: 134
Week 2: 133
Week 3: 138 (this was my 3-day binge in Arizona!)
Week 10: 141
Week 14: 143
Week 15: 145
Week 17: 146
Week 18: 146
Week 19: 144
Week 20: 141
Future Week 24 MAX Goal: 148
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Week 19: Day 6
I'm back! There's sooo much I have to say ~ I can already tell it's going to be long. =) Wow, what a fun time! First off, I have to say that I am on the verge of breaking my record of being 100% raw - I'm on DAY TWELVE!! Can you believe it? So basically the last time I was 100% for more than 12 days was back in October '06, when I miscarried; I had been 100% from August 1st (about) until about October 25th or so. That's like what, 85 days. Crazy.
But anyway - starting off at summer camp, it was pretty hard. I made my green drink every morning and seemed to be able to have a raw breakfast just fine. Around lunch time I would get really hungry and of course, the kids would too, so I would make them their lunch and then the chips just looked absolutely divine. Two days in a row their sandwiches looked so yummy that I had two whole hamburger buns (as in, four pieces of bread) with american cheese & tomatoes! So basically minus the lunchmeat. And yes, I felt pretty heavy and it didn't settle well in my stomach at ALL. Then at night I had to stay in the dorm while the kids were sleeping, so I'd get on my husband's laptop and munch on something - like the squirt cheese & Ritz crackers or the packaged pudding. I never seem to binge on anything that's actually semi-good for me.
My DH also hurt his knee a week before camp, and couldn't do much. So I was also dealing with issues that I was having, trying to do everything myself. I can't really say that being pregnant made it harder, though. I think it's because I've kept the weight off and I just don't feel so heavy, possibly also because I'm eating much lighter food. My stomach is getting noticably bigger, but not really all THAT much - so it's not like my stomach is in my way or anything. But anyway, I was having to deal with emotional issues and that pretty much always triggers a binge. Especially when I'm alone.
So here's the AWESOME news - I said I'd be without a scale, right? And I always weigh myself in the morning because during the day you add on lbs with food in your tummy. But on a whim, after being raw for 7 days, I was at home doing the bills & I decided to jump on the scale. 144!!! I had actually LOST 2 lbs AND I was still fully clothed AND it was in the middle of the day. So I'm excited to see what I weigh tomorrow in the morning, without any clothes on. Today I weighed myself, and I'm at 143. DH commented that it seems like I'm losing weight - and my clothes are a tad bit more loose. My belt is down one notch (I can't BELIEVE I'm actually wearing a belt still - at 5 months pregnant!)
I haven't purchased or worn one single piece of maternity clothing. Actually, I take that back - I did buy a maternity bathing suit before camp, that hides my tummy. And then after seeing several moms much further along than me (one due in 4 weeks!) baring her tummy, and many others wearing bikinis with their stretch marks and mommy weight, I got inspired & went & bought a new 2pc. I wore it the last day and it was nice - I'm still trying to get used to the fact that I can actually be proud of the way I look......usually by now I'm so embarrassed at my weight gain and just feel overall, tired & yucko.
Tomorrow if I weigh in at 142, that means I'm 2lbs ahead of my goal - and if I stay on course for a gain of 25lbs, I need to weigh no more than 146 by week 24. Of course, I'm not hard-core about this - I'm not going to freak out if I am 100% raw and my body still gains. It's just a really good motivator for me to remain 100% raw if I possibly can.
So I have a good friend who said she wants to start 100% raw tomorrow. She told me this, and we talked alot about raw, 13 days ago - and after I talked to her I was just really inspired to go 100%. And just decided to. I told her about rawfoodtalk.com and she said she read on there that one thing that will help you to stay 100% is to read something, anything, inspiring about raw food every day. That has been a HUGE help for me - every night I would read a chapter of my new book by Victoria Boutenko, Twelve Steps To Raw Food - how to end your food addiction. That helped ALOT, to reaffirm what I'm doing and keep me on course.
I went shopping while I was hungry at Fred Meyer's produce section and bought lots of yummy things for a salad: sprouts, mushrooms, pineapple, tomatoes, green leaf lettuce, jalapeno's, avocados, cucumbers. I also brought stuff from home and made some vinegar-honey dressing that was very good! So I've been eating alot of that, always a green smoothie per day, and lots of peaches & berries.
I'm getting tired of eating simply, though - I need something to look forward to, you know? So whenever I'm tempted I think about the rawsome pizza I'm going to make this week, guacamole, flax crackers, and something sweet like brownies or fudge balls or something. I plan to put my dehydrator to good use and have things to snack on. I'm also getting really tired of smoothies....I think I need to mix up what I make them out of. Basically bananas, berries, apples, and greens. Maybe a different taste somehow....because I really want to get at least one bunch of greens in per day, through a green smoothie.
Cravings have been intense. Victoria Boutenko says to give cravings a good two months, so that helped me when I read that - not to think that they'll go away immediately. Boy, has it been hard though!! It's helped alot to be staying with others who watch what I eat, and would know I wasn't supposed to be eating chips or cake. LOL. I'm really nervous about being home now. I just have to keep the course, not give in to the old ways of binging when I'm alone or down about life. I love the way I look - and I want to stay that way, it's been actually very cool to see how being raw for such a short time has seemed to melt the fat away - especially the annoying back fat that I have always hoped would go away. It's not all the way gone at all, but is not as noticeable, yay!
As far as other things I've noticed, really there's not much. I don't feel much different at all, which I'm kind of disappointed about. I don't feel awful, which is how I feel on cooked food, but I don't have bundles of energy and am never tired. Every night I had to go to bed at around 10pm or I'd get irritable and not able to cope - which was kind of annoying, since the adults usually gather around & talk while the kiddos sleep. But at the same time, I walked a TON - all over camp - every day, and pushed the kids on the swing, pushed the stroller, I was going-going-going all the time. At the pool too, in the sun for sometimes up to five hours at the pool. So we'll see how this week goes, with us just staying home all the time, maybe I won't be as tired. But I have had enough energy to do all that, and I think if I were eating cooked food I would have either collapsed halfway through the day (as in, meltdown - I NEED A NAP) or been completely irritable and pretty much a mean mom. So I'm glad it worked out like it did.
As far as detoxing goes, there really hasn't been much there either. I've noticed my ears get plugged at weird times and they don't unplug for a while no matter what I do. A little nose drip here & there, and my skin feels like it might be a little softer, I don't know. I wasn't able to do my oil pulling since I was around people 24-7 and didn't feel like announcing, "Okay folks, for the next 20 min. I won't be talking...." LOL. So I'll start that up again tomorrow. I also have not been skin brushing!! Mostly because I got so much sun, and slightly sunburned several days - I didn't want to brush the skin since it seems tender at that point. But also when you share a public bathroom, AND share a bedroom with all of your family, there really isn't any place to strip down and do the 5-minute routine. So I'll start that tomorrow too.
My family is getting pizza for dinner, and I'm hungry. Aaack! But I plan to go to the store shortly after DH gets home with the pizza, and stock up on some bare essentials, including stuff to make salsa guacamole. That just sounds good to me right now, with cold, juicy carrots to dip it in. We're going to get a movie tonight to "destress" ourselves from the constant go-go-go of summer camp, and I love having munchies during movies. I'll be munching on my guac. =)
Tomorrow I'll post current stats for week 20 - and my ultrasound! I'll find out what I'm having hopefully, at my appointment tomorrow. =)
But anyway - starting off at summer camp, it was pretty hard. I made my green drink every morning and seemed to be able to have a raw breakfast just fine. Around lunch time I would get really hungry and of course, the kids would too, so I would make them their lunch and then the chips just looked absolutely divine. Two days in a row their sandwiches looked so yummy that I had two whole hamburger buns (as in, four pieces of bread) with american cheese & tomatoes! So basically minus the lunchmeat. And yes, I felt pretty heavy and it didn't settle well in my stomach at ALL. Then at night I had to stay in the dorm while the kids were sleeping, so I'd get on my husband's laptop and munch on something - like the squirt cheese & Ritz crackers or the packaged pudding. I never seem to binge on anything that's actually semi-good for me.
My DH also hurt his knee a week before camp, and couldn't do much. So I was also dealing with issues that I was having, trying to do everything myself. I can't really say that being pregnant made it harder, though. I think it's because I've kept the weight off and I just don't feel so heavy, possibly also because I'm eating much lighter food. My stomach is getting noticably bigger, but not really all THAT much - so it's not like my stomach is in my way or anything. But anyway, I was having to deal with emotional issues and that pretty much always triggers a binge. Especially when I'm alone.
So here's the AWESOME news - I said I'd be without a scale, right? And I always weigh myself in the morning because during the day you add on lbs with food in your tummy. But on a whim, after being raw for 7 days, I was at home doing the bills & I decided to jump on the scale. 144!!! I had actually LOST 2 lbs AND I was still fully clothed AND it was in the middle of the day. So I'm excited to see what I weigh tomorrow in the morning, without any clothes on. Today I weighed myself, and I'm at 143. DH commented that it seems like I'm losing weight - and my clothes are a tad bit more loose. My belt is down one notch (I can't BELIEVE I'm actually wearing a belt still - at 5 months pregnant!)
I haven't purchased or worn one single piece of maternity clothing. Actually, I take that back - I did buy a maternity bathing suit before camp, that hides my tummy. And then after seeing several moms much further along than me (one due in 4 weeks!) baring her tummy, and many others wearing bikinis with their stretch marks and mommy weight, I got inspired & went & bought a new 2pc. I wore it the last day and it was nice - I'm still trying to get used to the fact that I can actually be proud of the way I look......usually by now I'm so embarrassed at my weight gain and just feel overall, tired & yucko.
Tomorrow if I weigh in at 142, that means I'm 2lbs ahead of my goal - and if I stay on course for a gain of 25lbs, I need to weigh no more than 146 by week 24. Of course, I'm not hard-core about this - I'm not going to freak out if I am 100% raw and my body still gains. It's just a really good motivator for me to remain 100% raw if I possibly can.
So I have a good friend who said she wants to start 100% raw tomorrow. She told me this, and we talked alot about raw, 13 days ago - and after I talked to her I was just really inspired to go 100%. And just decided to. I told her about rawfoodtalk.com and she said she read on there that one thing that will help you to stay 100% is to read something, anything, inspiring about raw food every day. That has been a HUGE help for me - every night I would read a chapter of my new book by Victoria Boutenko, Twelve Steps To Raw Food - how to end your food addiction. That helped ALOT, to reaffirm what I'm doing and keep me on course.
I went shopping while I was hungry at Fred Meyer's produce section and bought lots of yummy things for a salad: sprouts, mushrooms, pineapple, tomatoes, green leaf lettuce, jalapeno's, avocados, cucumbers. I also brought stuff from home and made some vinegar-honey dressing that was very good! So I've been eating alot of that, always a green smoothie per day, and lots of peaches & berries.
I'm getting tired of eating simply, though - I need something to look forward to, you know? So whenever I'm tempted I think about the rawsome pizza I'm going to make this week, guacamole, flax crackers, and something sweet like brownies or fudge balls or something. I plan to put my dehydrator to good use and have things to snack on. I'm also getting really tired of smoothies....I think I need to mix up what I make them out of. Basically bananas, berries, apples, and greens. Maybe a different taste somehow....because I really want to get at least one bunch of greens in per day, through a green smoothie.
Cravings have been intense. Victoria Boutenko says to give cravings a good two months, so that helped me when I read that - not to think that they'll go away immediately. Boy, has it been hard though!! It's helped alot to be staying with others who watch what I eat, and would know I wasn't supposed to be eating chips or cake. LOL. I'm really nervous about being home now. I just have to keep the course, not give in to the old ways of binging when I'm alone or down about life. I love the way I look - and I want to stay that way, it's been actually very cool to see how being raw for such a short time has seemed to melt the fat away - especially the annoying back fat that I have always hoped would go away. It's not all the way gone at all, but is not as noticeable, yay!
As far as other things I've noticed, really there's not much. I don't feel much different at all, which I'm kind of disappointed about. I don't feel awful, which is how I feel on cooked food, but I don't have bundles of energy and am never tired. Every night I had to go to bed at around 10pm or I'd get irritable and not able to cope - which was kind of annoying, since the adults usually gather around & talk while the kiddos sleep. But at the same time, I walked a TON - all over camp - every day, and pushed the kids on the swing, pushed the stroller, I was going-going-going all the time. At the pool too, in the sun for sometimes up to five hours at the pool. So we'll see how this week goes, with us just staying home all the time, maybe I won't be as tired. But I have had enough energy to do all that, and I think if I were eating cooked food I would have either collapsed halfway through the day (as in, meltdown - I NEED A NAP) or been completely irritable and pretty much a mean mom. So I'm glad it worked out like it did.
As far as detoxing goes, there really hasn't been much there either. I've noticed my ears get plugged at weird times and they don't unplug for a while no matter what I do. A little nose drip here & there, and my skin feels like it might be a little softer, I don't know. I wasn't able to do my oil pulling since I was around people 24-7 and didn't feel like announcing, "Okay folks, for the next 20 min. I won't be talking...." LOL. So I'll start that up again tomorrow. I also have not been skin brushing!! Mostly because I got so much sun, and slightly sunburned several days - I didn't want to brush the skin since it seems tender at that point. But also when you share a public bathroom, AND share a bedroom with all of your family, there really isn't any place to strip down and do the 5-minute routine. So I'll start that tomorrow too.
My family is getting pizza for dinner, and I'm hungry. Aaack! But I plan to go to the store shortly after DH gets home with the pizza, and stock up on some bare essentials, including stuff to make salsa guacamole. That just sounds good to me right now, with cold, juicy carrots to dip it in. We're going to get a movie tonight to "destress" ourselves from the constant go-go-go of summer camp, and I love having munchies during movies. I'll be munching on my guac. =)
Tomorrow I'll post current stats for week 20 - and my ultrasound! I'll find out what I'm having hopefully, at my appointment tomorrow. =)
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