eating – Urban Raw Food

Inspired by Queen Afua

Ajima — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 15:56:50 +0000

Queen Afua is giving me the inspiration I need right now, before I get lunch.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxdHN_GtC2c]

Oh my goodness. I really want to be this wise and be able to inspire people too. There are so many people like me who have suffered from the “Corporate Kitchen” and food addiction and have looked for answers everywhere. When I went raw 2 years ago it was the best thing EVER! I know it’s part of the answer, a large part. However, education is just as important. I have to educate myself so that my new habits become a lifestyle. There is so much to learn, but it all rings true to me.

What I’ve eaten today:

Green Smoothie – 2 bananas, spinach, cup and 1/2 of frozen mango
Baby Carrots as a snack

Mood – I was very calm this morning. As the day goes on I’m feeling a little irritable because I can’t run to food…my normal coping mechanism.

Day 10

Ajima — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:47:30 +0000

Yesterday was day 10 on raw food with only 1 day where I wasn’t 90-100% raw!!! Yeah! This is going better than expected. Weight today: 180.5

I’ve basically been eating the same thing every day…morning green smoothie, large salad for lunch, either another large salar for lunch or just fruit (grapes or rasberries) and some dried fruit and raw walnuts in the morning and evening. This is really working well for me.

I’ve been feeling kinda lonely. Food was my friend. I hung out with food after work. Food comforted me. Food was always there for me. I mean I’m still eating food, but I’m talking about soul food, comfort food…sugary food especially. Yesterday after work I went home, but I felt so bored…looking for something to do. I realize that so much of my energy was focused on eating, not eating, what to eat, and buying/not buying food. Sure, I have a life…but with that internal struggle subdued it just leaves a void that I now need to fill with LIFE and actual Living!!! That is exciting. It makes me happy. I just don’t know what all that will be, but it’s good to have to opportunity to really live and not just live as a seudo-victim of my tummy.

Day 7: Life doesn’t revolve around food

Ajima — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 01:24:59 +0000

Today was the first day that I really realized how much my life was controlled by food. I was constantly thinking about what I was going to eat…rationalizing what was “good” or “bad”. I was worried about eating bad things. I wasn’t consumed with eating…I just thought about it way too much because it’s connected to my weight…and my weight is connected to my self esteem…the way I feel about myself. The way I feel about myself is something I have to confront and/or embrace everyday. Today I felt good about me. I got a pedicure and my brows arched. I went down to the National Mall and put my feet in the huge fountain at the Sculpture garden. The huge jets of water combine like every 30 min…and you can see rainbows in the water from the way the sun shines through. Beautiful…you’d have to see it. I also went to the National Museam of Art…saw a couple Picassos…some Degas sculptures. Awesome. The coolest thing was that I was present…in the moment…not distracted.

Weight: 180.5

What I ate:
Green smoothie: Kale, 1 banana, frozen blueberries, and spinach
2 bananas
1 cup of walnuts
banana chips
large salad with walnuts, red onion, mushrooms, and sunflower seeds

I walked at least 3 miles…maybe 3.5 today. I walked from the nail parlor to the mall…it’s a hike. I might have walked even more…I’d have to check Google Maps. I was kinda tired after, but not extremely so. I feel really good right now (it’s around 9pm) and I have lots of energy. Life is good. Oh…I didn’t have to face the challenge of eating out today…dinner got rescheduled for tomorrow. I’m hopeful that I’ll just be satisfied with salad. I’m not naive enough to think it won’t be challenging. I know what I want…I don’t want to go backwards.

Day 6 on raw food

Ajima — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 14:45:46 +0000

Day 6 went very well

I ate:
My morning green smootie (see other days) with Kale added
1/2 cup of raw walnuts
Large Lunch salad (see other days) with red onions this time
Large apple
cup of walnuts, 1/2 cup of banana chips, and a bowl of grapes for dinner

Weight: 182

I think the green smoothies really help me not to have cravings. I didn’t have any greens in my morning smoothie on Thursday and I got hungry faster…about an hour earlier than usual. I’m experiencing hunger around 12:15 and I usually go to lunch between 12:30 and 1:00. I went to the mall after work and wasn’t really tempted by anything. I ate my after lunch/mid day snack (apple) at the mall. I also experienced no diarrhea yesterday (2 regular movements).

Today I’m going out to dinner with a friend to celebrate his b-day. I’m about to check the reservation and make a decision on what I’m going to eat. I woke up this morning weighing 181…so straying off the path is not what I’m trying to do. A sista is so happy about the way my raw journey is going and I’ve been at least 90-100% raw the

Supplements and Raw Nuts

Ajima — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:23:33 +0000

Supplements I take: One-A-Day Energy Multi, Flax Seed oil, Milk Thistle, Zinc, Magnesium, and Alpha Lipoic Acid

I know a lot of people say that supplements just make your urine more expensive. LOL. It’s something that I’ve always taken. Sue me. Maybe I’ll stop by the new year but I’ll likely always take a multi-vitamin or a b-complex.

Raw Nuts: Love em. I’ll likely be recording eating a lot of raw walnuts and sunflower seeds. From what I understand, “raw” almonds are now pasturized per the FDA.

Almonds labeled as “Raw Almonds” will still have been pasteurized!

A big lie and fraud!! You are about to be denied your food freedom choices!

Did you know that starting in the fall of 2007, truly raw almonds will not be available in the USA or Canada? See link below for the pasteurization plan.

http://www.almondboard.com/Programs/content.cfm?ItemNumber=890&snItemNumber=450

The FDA, USDA and the California Almond Board has developed a marketing order which mandates that all almonds must be pasteurized. This came about because ” two outbreaks of salmonella, associated with conventional farms several years ago”. Industry has now overreacted in grand fashion and they do not even know it yet.

No outbreaks have been associated with raw organic almonds to date that we are aware of. – source

I’d be interested to know what, if any, supplements any other raw folks out there take and why…if you’d like to share.

Day 4: Feeling good, feeling dry

Ajima — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:06:20 +0000

I need some lotion. I am so dry. My hands and my legs have shown signs of dryness. That would be ASH. You know what I’m talking about sistas and brothers. Amen. I love Nubian Heritage products and I’m about to slather on some of their chocolate smelling cocoa butter lotion after this post. LOL

Yesterday I had a package of fresh raspberries for dinner. Wasn’t that hungry. I was on the phone all night talking to my best friend about a situation with some other of our friends that pissed me off. There was a birthday party and some how we weren’t invited. So high school, right. I know. So, I bitched about it and I’m over it. However, I was proud that I didn’t run out for any nasty goodies out of frustration and hurt. Very proud of myself. Talking it out works much better than eating the pain away. Who knew?

Weight: 184

What I’ve eaten so far:
Green Smoothie: Spinach, frozen mango, 1 banana, frozen blueberries
1/2 cup of walnuts
Large salad with sunflower seeds, olives, mushrooms, carrots and olive oil

I had some stronger hunger pains today right before lunch. They were strongest so far and not terrible, but strong. I’ve noticed my skin is clearing up and looks more healthy. I have an insulin imbalance that causes a dark coating on certian areas of my skin like my neck. That is looking better today as well, although as I was cleansing and decreasing my sugar intake during the month of September, that had been getting lighter and lighter. I feel good. OH and…2 movements of the bowels so far today (I know…TMI…but it’s part of the cleansing process).

Not thinking about and worrying about what I’m going to eat or not eat makes me feel so FREE. That is one of the best things about this life change. I suggest that you not tell an whole lot of people about going raw when you start, because if people were asking and questioning me right now…it would make me think about food and what I was “missing”. I’m sure as my body changes I will get plenty of extra attention directed at how I’m transforming and looking so beautiful. LOL Right now I’m focused and happy.

April 22 So far so good

Ajima — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:53:40 +0000

I had a great Sunday being raw. After going out and looking at a condo I was interested in with 3 of my girlfriends we went out for lunch. They all had cooked food and I had steamed broccoli and read potatoes on the side. No…not raw…but I felt really good about it. I didn’t want the salad because I’ve had it at this particular restaurant and it’s that nasty, iceberg, out of the bag style salad. Wasn’t feeling it. They all shared a chocolate chip cookie and ice cream dessert. I just looked on and politely said no when they asked if I wanted some. Some how I felt empowered. One of the girls is on the Weight Watchers plan and she was lamenting and boo hoo-ing about her meal. How many points could she have? How many calories does this have? After her meal of grilled chicken, rice, and veggies she went on and on about how she just felt like something was missing. Like her meal was not complete without ending it with something sweet so she had a small portion of the dessert.

I really really understood what she was saying. I’ve been dealing with the feeling that my meals were not complete because it’s not “real food”, hot food, or sweet junk food. However, I know that those thoughts are just part of my relationship with food. I don’t want to have this kind of relationship with food anymore. I want to eat to live, not live to eat. I want to be fulfilled by things other than food.

Monday was great. I was really busy, had a very stressful day, but I didn’t medicate or soothe myself with food. The only non raw thing for the day was a can of soda. Today much much more stressful. Crazy drama that I’m only half way involved with at my job. It’s a mess. I don’t need the drama. I ate half of a chocolate chip cookie. Didn’t beat myself up. I knew that it was from stress and I was trying to find relief in the cookie. No relief to be found in the cookie. LOL I wasn’t surprised. LOL I saw a friend of mine during my break and he give me a hug and a kiss hello. That felt so much better than the cookie made me feel. I’m learning more and more that food is secondary to our primary sources…love, friendship, spirituality, environment…etc.

I went to the supermarket after work and was worried that I would walk out with some junkfood or end up stopping for a sandwich or some friend chicken on the way home, but I didn’t. I just went in and got mangoes, bananas, salad, sunflower seeds, apples, and dried pineapples. I was so so so proud of me when I got home. I had a big salad for dinner.

My mantra for tomorrow: I love myself regardless of what I eat. I love myself regardless of external stress.

I fell pray to birthday cake

Ajima — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 18:42:29 +0000

Yes, I admit it. I just ate the icing off a piece of birthday cake. I wanted it. I know better. I just had that long rant yesterday. But I ate it. AND…there is a Dessert reception at 3:00 (It’s 2:37 now). I have to keep myself in my seat, LOL. Oh, it must be the fact that I’m on my cycle. Yes, that must be. I can’t believe I just at that. Maybe it’s just the social setting thing. When I tried to go raw last time I had a horrible time eating cooked food when I was out with friends. It may have just been a dessert or some fries but I always had something.

Oh well. No need to beat myself up. I feel a heavy feeling in my tummy. I don’t feel the usual sugar high.

So far today I’ve had a banana and and apple for breakfast, and my usual salad for lunch. I’m going to make a faux salmon pate recipe I got from Allyssa Cohen’s book tonight.

It’s going well, but I really want to be 100% raw

Ajima — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:54:49 +0000

My emotional eating continues to be the major revelation I’m having in the process. The reason I’ve eaten to much over the years has nothing to do with hunger or physical need. I eat because I’m lonely, fearful, sad, stressed, confused, bored, lonely, lol. I’m a really happy person, but I wear the mask like everyone else. I’ve been dieting for so long, eating and feeling bad for so long, wishing I was smaller and cuter for so long, envying other people for so long…I’ve wasted a whole lot of time. I realize that I haven’t been happy with my weight since my Junior year of college (at around 160 pounds). That was about 8 years ago. So for eight years I’ve been waisting time. For eight years I’ve been beating myself up. For eight years I’ve been trying various diet plans and getting bigger every year. I could probably teach a college level class on dieting plans…the pros and cons…how to follow them…etc. *Sigh*

It’s time to go 100% raw. It’s time to commit. I’ve been doing well. I’ve been at least 80% raw everyday. I’ve been drinking about 20-24 oz of water per day. I just still have that psychological hurdle to overcome. The cooked food addiction. The addiction that is connected to the cravings. The addiction that makes excuses. I want to stop meeting my emotional needs with food.

Food does not run me. Food does not control me. That is what I want to live…not just strive for, but live. I want to be complete…whole…healed.

So much energy

Ajima — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:40:55 +0000

I was so stressed about my taxes this year and usually that would lead to eating, eating, and more eating. But things are different and I’m so happy. Sunday I stayed in…rested from filing my taxes on Saturday. I ended up just napping, cleaning the house…it was great. I went to the store and just let my body tell me what it wanted. I usually get bananas, but I’m not really feeling them right now. So I got mangoes, kiwi, carrots, salad, sunflower seed, dried pineapple, baby portabello mushrooms and black olives. When I came home made a great salad and felt great. I’d only had apple sauce and carrots earlier in the day. I really felt like I ate and was satisfied. No night time sugar run…no late night eating.

Yesterday, Monday at work I had so much energy. I felt warm…ya know. I only had kiwi in the morning so I was concerned…will that be enough to hold me till lunch. It did. By lunchtime I was ready for my usual salad but not riddiculously hungry. I had lunch with some of my co-workers and no one questioned my eating :). Later that day a friend did my state taxes and I had to wait around for about an hour. Even though is was kinda chilly out and I just had on a light jacket, I felt like walking so I just walked all over her neighborhood…trendy lil neighboorhood with shops in DC…for the whole hour. I was so surprised. I wasn’t tired or rundown after. I could have kept walking. It was great just getting the exercise but not having to feel all stressed in the gym. I took her out to eat afterward and had a bowl of berries at Busboys and Poets and wedge french fries. I know…not raw, but I wanted the starch and I felt ok with eating it. I love my body. I love my journey. It’s my life to live and I’m living it with compassion.

Oh…and my friend who did my taxes says she can see the weight loss in my face. Yay! That was encouraging! It’s great to have people who are supportive of the positive, healthy changes in your life.