Starting again!!

Ok, I said I would start eating raw in January and its now February!! What is my problem>?
Easy, I love to eat, I eat out alot, and none of my friends are raw. I work long hours (over 12 hrs a day) and I have convinced myself that I cannot eat raw working these hours. However, when I look in the mirror, my face is puffy, I am gaining weight again, and I have no energy. I need to go raw for my health, and to have the energy I need to get thru the day.

So, I start today. I will eat as much raw food as I can. I have all the tools, the books, the recipes, and the food. The only enemy is myself.

I started a new job last week and its a doozy!! busy hospital, lots of work. Which is good because I need the hours, however, we were told that we cannot eat "lunch" until 6pm at night!
Wow, and this is a hospital? So, I made green smoothies for breakfast last week, but at 2pm I was so hungry that I caved and started eating graham crackers, and by 4pm I even drank a Pepsi!! I go to work at 10am and work till 1030 pm. So I can eat "breakfast" but am not allowed any lunch. I went to Whole Foods this weekend and got alot of raw nuts to put in my pocket to hopefully get thru lunch snacking, but we were also told no food or drinks at the nursing station! Oh, and breaks are rare if any!! WTH? Well, I will either lose weight or gain
weight at this assignment. Raw is going to be tough, but I need the energey to get thru my
shift!!

There are always challenges in every travel assignment and I am sure I will make my way thru these. The people are nice and to me, thats 90% of it!!

I hope to blog more this year and keep myself as raw as possible.

I'm Excited!

Wow, this blog made it to Justin and Heidi's website... although listed as not active... Well that would pretty much describe me these days... definitely not active and definitely not raw! I do have a goal to eat more raw foods, however, with the lifestyle of a nurse, my raw days are only a distant glow... I do have a vision of being raw again in January. Holidays will be over and I can again go full blown raw. The advantages of raw far outweigh me being a slug, which is what I have literally been all summer. My back is hurting more and because of all the stress of bills and no money, I have also started having chest pains. This is scary and is my body saying ok, enough already, get me some healthy food!! I love fresh fruits but here in SW Florida, fruit stands are few and far between. Ironic ... however, WholeFoods Grocery did just open up south of here a few weeks ago and I stocked up on alot of all time favs. Their produce section was awesome and I did pick up a great Raw Snack - Mango Salsa !! HOT and Spicy!!

One year later

I have not added to my blog in almost a year. My how time flys. Alot has happened in a years' time. I am not eating raw food now. I got so bogged down in the recipes and rules, that even though I felt good, I just didn't have the time to fix what I wanted to eat. I have kept up with the
smoothies and drink a spinach smoothie at least 3 x a week.

My weight is 130 today. I actually got down to 120 lbs eating raw last summer. I felt great and
looked great. Alot of bad stuff happened in September and I didn't care what I ate.

Now, I eat whatever, and whenever. I am sleeping good and my energy is about the same.

I try to eat alot of fruit, but mainly I eat cooked vegetables and starches. Not the best diet on the planet for sure.

I got shot down emotionally this year. I had the guts to apply for a job as a nurse working with Gabriel Cousins. I started back eating raw, had a wonderful interview... or so I thought.

I was packing and getting ready to move to Arizona, when I was informed via email that they felt I wasn't a good fit for them because my husband is not a raw vegan.

I was devastated, and at that point , I quit the raw diet ... I quit because here is this wonderful place, that heals diabetes, and I was willing to go work there for $10 an hour. Me, an RN with 22 years of experience, and I was willing to work for nothing. My husband was so supportive and willing to quit his job, move to AZ, and do whatever just knowing I would be working with Dr.
Cousins!!

However, I have learned that maybe being a raw vegan makes you very judgemental about other people and their way of eating and I want no part of that way of thinking. I would never think that I was so spiritual that I would not allow someone to work with me that was associated
with someone that didn't eat exactly like I did.

So, it was not meant to be, and I was heartbroken...

Today, I sit in the hospital, working as a Registered Nurse. I am valued here for who I am and
what I can contribute, not what I eat or what my spouse eats.

So, maybe I will write again soon.. hopefully it will not be a full year

More RAW!!

Ok, I am doing great on raw food. Other than getting no sleep, I am used to
sleeping at least 8 hours, and now I have all this energy so here I am up at 5 am
and today is my day off.

On cooked food, I would have slept until at least 10 am..

I am started to jog more . My weight is now 128.. I guess my goal is 125 so
I'm almost there. My face is getting slimmer and I am looking younger every
day.

Thats what keeps me eating this way. I just look in the mirror and I dont
see an old lady. I will be 51 years old next month!! Wow, that's my mothers
age.. I don't feel old and I don't look it!!

I want to go to a raw food retreat but I have no money to do it with. It seems
selfish but I know I deserve it. I will think of something!!!

Day 22 of Raw Food Journey

I started eating raw food (again) about 3 weeks ago. I needed to start a blog
then, but truthfully, I didn't know this was going to last this long.

I tried eating this way twice before. The first time lasted about 3 months.

The second time lasted again around 2 months.

I love eating raw food, trying all the recipes, reading all the books on the subject. I even went to a raw food retreat and really got hooked then.

So, I am starting over. What are the changes I have seen so far:

I am 50 years old and I swear, I look 1o years younger. My eyes are clearer,
my skin has no wrinkles, smoother, and my hair is great!!

My body is not thin, but adjusted better to my frame. I am not overweight
but I could lose about 5 lbs and be ok with that.

I am tired now. I wasn't before and find myself needing a nap everday. This
is detox and I have to get thru this part of it.

I am going to try and write something every day and see what I need to do
to improve.

Food Diary:

Breakfast: Green Smoothie

Lunch: 2 oranges

Afternoon snack : Vega Shake (its raw), with bananas..

Snack - Dark Chocolate Bar - 2 pieces

So far, thats it. Oh, and lots of water.