Post: #21

Ah, I really care for avocados and always have and I have to point out that I am trying to maintain my weight so I am not actually aiming for a 1,500 calorie diet, but closer to an 1,800 calorie diet. As I usually only add about half of an avocado to what I am eating, I am really not too worried about that. Besides certain leafy vegetables I am eating are fat soluble, so I need to have some of that in there somewhere! And considering that the fat in avocados are considered to be a healthy fat, I'm even less worried.

As I mentioned before, I am steaming potatoes as well and have added those to my diet as a way to add more of the needed calories. So I am not sticking with too many of the avocados. I am trying to eat more vegetables than fruits right now though, except when my stomach is being a bit more crazy as I find the fruits easier to digest. Natural sugars are still sugars and definitely a fast carb that I need to watch out for. I don't want the majority of my calories to be based in sugar, however natural.

I will, however, admit to having the leftover quinoa in my fridge from dinner last week this afternoon though. It wasn't raw and it wasn't a fruit or vegetable, but I think I could have strayed further from my cleanse than a seed like that.

I am also considering picking up some edamame to steam as well. That would definitely make me a happy camper as I've always loved them, they make me full, and they are full of carbs and protein. I think it might be a good addition to my meals because I have to say I am getting a little bored of some of the things I have been eating. I think this is due to my lack of sauces on most things though. I don't really have much flavoring on anything that isn't the actual fruit or vegetable's own flavor. I should figure out some sort of fun raw sauces and spreads, I guess.

Post: #22

I LOVE EDAMAME! haha. What a coincedence that you mentioned them... I first had them when i went to japan 4 years ago, and when I came back to canada i tried to find them but didnt know the name. just 3 days ago I saw a bag in a store of some weird looking peas (so I thought), which I ended up buying only to realize that those are the same beans i had in japan! I been having them every night. They are soo yum.

When I first went raw I got bored of the food too, but after a month I no longer wanted anything complicated... I was satisfied with a bowl of romaine lettuce or just mangos blended up. It takes a while before your taste buds change ( I think I read somewhere ~10 days)

Good job so far!

Post: #23

I am working really hard on this though I am actually finding it more and more hard as time goes by, instead of less! The edamame is definitely an awesome addition though and I am really glad to have picked some up. I guess I should be really glad I have a local market here that sells them, complete with the original Japanese wrappers and everything.

I also tried out a somewhat fun raw sushi roll the other day. It had avocado so you may not have been too fond but I am sure there would be a way to replace that with something else. Mine had raw nori, blended avocado, and carrot and cucumber sticks in the middle. It was quite tasty and definitely helped me find something else to add to my raw meals, as I had mentioned before I was getting bored of the same thing every day.

Post: #24

Hey Moirawr! How long has it been on your trial - 10 days? Have you experienced any difference/changes so far in terms of mental clarity, complexion, and so on?

"If you want to get something you have never gotten before, you've to do something you've never done before."
Personal Excellence - For people passionate about achieving excellence in life

Post: #25

It's been going pretty well here actually, though I am still getting cravings for meat and heavier foods. I am having a few less issues reaching my calorie goals, but as Hannah had pointed out, I am starting to be able to just enjoy the clean raw vegetables without worrying about sauces or additional flavorings.

I am worried about the coming week because it's going to be a pretty harsh one, work-wise. It is definitely harder to reach my calorie goals when I am at work for 9 hours that I am awake. My complexion has definitely improved quite a bit since I started this, though it was never too bad to start with. Though, I think it is definitely progress to say that I started my menstrual cycle without a breakout, which is usually the only time a couple will pop up. So that is pretty lovely.

I am not sure about any improved mental clarity though. I do happen to feel like my body is much healthier than it was before I started this trial. I do not, however, think I will be staying with the raw vegan lifestyle. I do plan, however, to stay mostly vegetarian with a few lean meats when I am finished though. It helps that I am such a fan of tofu anyway.

I believe I have lost a little bit of weight since I started this trial, but not enough to be noticeable, which was my plan so I am pleased with this. I have not kept up with my yoga as much as normal but I am less worried about that since it means I've only done yoga 5 days instead of all 7 days in a week. And I think my appetite is changing. I think I am requiring less food to feel full these days as well, so I might lose a bit more weight after this is done but as long as my face doesn't thin out too much leaving me looking a little skeletal, I am okay with that.

Post: #26

omg.... just reading hannah's descriptions of bananas, dates smoothie is making me salivate big time!!!
and then the purple cabbage wrap photos nearly killed me!!!!!
then all the other mentions of raw foods.. edamame (DROOL), steamed potatoes (DROOL), bean nachos omfg..... i might need to keep away from this thread!!!!!

I picked up a few packets of raw grains/seeds/nuts/lentils the other day, ever since the introduction to raw foods in detail by celes accompanied by my interest with her 21day fast (I didn't have much interest before when I read about it a few years back) I have been buying more raw organic foods, and reading what you wrote about quinoa makes me want to try them more now (I've seen them appear on many whole food blogs)... how do you prepare them? obviously I won't be able to have them for a while, but it's good to dream for the time being...

and I must confess, I'd also kill for a vege wrap right now even though I was all craving cheeseburgers and cookie icecream sandwiches previously... now even the thought of fresh raw veges and fruits excites my tastes buds...

keep up the good work Moira!

Post: #27

I prepare my quinoa in much the same way as I would rice, 1 part quinoa to two parts water, boil and then simmer until the water is gone and you can see the seeds start to open up. It has a little bit of a bitter flavor, though, when prepared this way but I do not mind this too much. Certain things you can add into it definitely negate that as well. I hear you can bake with it as well. One of my favorite quinoa sites is http://www.cookingquinoa.net/ and I highly suggest you check that out, but perhaps after you have finished your water fast.

I am glad that your fast is making you move towards more organic and whole foods. Like I have mentioned before, I am not planning on staying on a completely raw or vegan diet when I am done, but this is definitely helping me clean out the processed food I sometimes rely on. Hopefully you have a wonderful market somewhere near you as it makes eating healthier much more easy.

Post: #28

Today was the last day of fruit and vegetable cleanse and I will admit I cheated a little bit in there. I had quite a few bean burritos thrown in there because when I was just eating the raw fruits and vegetables getting enough calories made my stomach feel incredibly full while I was still hungry. I honestly think at this point a full on water fast is my only bet to get the kind of cleanse and detox I want. Eating massive tons of fruits and vegetables didn't really make me feel all that much better than if I were eating massive amounts of unhealthy food. Okay, well, maybe a little. It definitely wasn't the sickening feeling I got in the past when I had gorged on fast food or something of the same kind. But I didn't find it to be any more pleasant trying to eat enough to get enough calories to maintain my weight. Speaking of that, I did not maintain my weight during this even with the occasional cheating (though still completely vegetarian and mostly vegan foods). I still lost a bit of weight, but I did manage to keep it within range where I was not starting to look like a skeleton in the face.

I think, next time, I need a complete overhaul mentally with my relationship with food and I will not settle for something less than a full water fast to do so. However, I am still not at a point where I can do such a thing. I will look forward to it in the future, however.

I had some bean burritos for dinner this evening, which as I mentioned was something that I started including in my diet already so it was almost like I hadn't broken the cleanse at all, except that I had a dark beer with dinner in celebration of Cinco de Mayo.

Post: #29

Hi Moira,

Just stumbled upon your journey right at the end and wanted to say, CONGRATS! Sound like you learned a lot and already have some new goals in mind to continue growing. Thanks for sharing.

Post: #30

Thanks! Like I said, I don't think this managed to change my relationship with food too terribly much. I've always been a vegetable sort of person, just not a vegetarian or a LFRV sort. I think that to do that, I would have to do a proper water fast. But it was a nice change of pace because lately I had been so lazy with long hours at work that I hadn't been taking as much care with making sure I prepared home-made meals as much as I should. So it definitely helped clean that out of me.

I hope I have time to get to my new food goals eventually, but in the meantime I am going to try to keep as healthy as I can.

Post: #31

Great job Moira!!
Have you set a future date when you are planning to do your water fast or just going to dive right in whenever you have the time?

Post: #32

I honestly don't know when my schedule will be flexible enough to allow it. My work is enjoyable but mentally taxing even on the best days. So I do not think a water fast would be a good thing to do while I am trying to keep a normal schedule at work. That leaves my options a bit odd since my next holiday I am planning on spending with my boyfriend's family in Guatemala and that is also not conducive to doing a water fast either. So right now I am just taking it as it comes but hopefully when something does change and it becomes more of an option for me, I will have the time to plan it out.

Post: #33

Hey Moira. Congratulations on completing your 21days fruit and vegetable cleanse.