Suncloud,
You've really inspired me by sharing your fasting expereinces! (Thanks.) I've struggled with various detox 'schemes' through the years (some of them pretty hare-brained)-- sometimes I can fast a long time, but other times I can hardly get started. Recently I juice fasted for a couple weeks and had to quit. My lifestyle suddenly changed awhile back (lots of rehearsals and less sleep, also less exercise time) and at first I found myself needing to eat throughout the day to compensate for all these changes in my schedule and activities.
Recently I found out that empaths tend to overeat in order to protect themselves from others' energies that they absorb like sponges, and sure enough, I've always known I'm an empath. The revelation gave me a new self-confidence (because my overeating is not just based on my own 'baggage' ;-p) as well as understanding of myself, and a renewed determination to solve my energy and eating problems. Sometimes just understanding the cause of something can change your beliefs about yourself enough to effect powerful change; I no longer feel like an out of control (i.e. 'bad') overeater, and that knowledge in itself helps me to be less stressed out and prone to overeat. (LOL!!! Life is complicated.)
Recently I've been able to just have one big healthy meal in the late afternoon, and drink only water (lots of it) during the day. After my meal I've been dry fasting till the morning, and I haven't been hungry at all. The big test will be the next time I have a really stressful event-- to see if I can avoid eating to avoid dealing with the stress. Somehow I have a feeling it's going to be easier now since I'm more keenly aware of what I'm up against.

Sharrhan:


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Hi Sharrhan, THANK YOU for your feedback, and for sharing your insights.

I really admire your honesty and your willingness to be continually open to new ideas.

It's amazing how there's always something new to learn - about our diet, and about ourselves. And how learning about one can help us learn about the other!

I still eat more than I probably should sometimes. Thank goodness my "overeating" on raw is NOTHING compared to what it used to be on cooked food!

I've learned so much about myself - as I know you have too. And each new bit of knowledge seems to require some small (or large) adjustment. That's why my diary is called "tuning in". I'm trying to further tune my diet, and myself!

I guess we're all searching for what works best for our bodies, and for our own unique psyches.

One thing I'm noticing about myself is that if I deny for too long what my raw food appetite says it wants, then I can ricochet into much worse overeating later. That's been an unhealthy pattern for me in the past. I'm trying to listen more closely, and respect the potentially "correct" messages of my appetite, rather than doing it all from my head and continually fighting against anything my appetite says it wants.

Except on my fasting days, my philosophy now is kind of like: If it's raw, if I know I can handle it, and if my appetite wants it, then I can eat it.

I'm looking for patterns, to hopefully establish a somewhat regular routine that's satisfactory for both me and my appetite.

Right now the pattern seems to be: fast one day, fruit and nuts/seeds the next 2 days, fast the next day, fruit and nuts/seeds the next 2 days, fruits, nuts/seeds, and salad the next day. Then repeat. Maybe an extra salad day thrown in there somewhere.

Besides helping me make up for previous mistakes, fasting seems to help normalize my appetite. My new theory is that some of appetite might come from an imbalance of nutrients, however slight - even otherwise healthy nutrients. Fasting cleans the slate. I used to overeat almost automatically the day after a fast. Over time, that seems to be diminishing.

Whatever, I believe we must never blame ourselves for anything we have yet to learn. Our own behavior presents us with some of our most valuable lessons!

What a long, strange trip! Yes?!





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/2009 12:56AM by suncloud.

>What a long, strange trip! Yes?!<

YES! Infinitely! (But well worth it.)

Sharrhan:


[www.facebook.com]

Fasted all day so far (Monday), and I feel like I'll make it til tomorrow.

Weighted 86 this morning. Did an hour of yoga.

Happy Day Everyone!

Completed yesterday's fast. Weighed 84.6 this morning.

Ate a couple of oranges, a papaya, and maybe 3 small bananas this morning.

Later, I'll have one of my favorite combos: chopped cucumber, chopped tomatoes, mashed eggplant, avocado, lemon juice, mixed with powdered raspberry seed and sprinkled with paprika.

Not quite ready for that yet this morning. (Hah, appetite, are we temporarily resting? Good.)

Happy Day Everyone!

Well, my appetite (that was temporarily resting) came ROARING back!

I ate a lot today. Actually, more than I've eaten in a while. I feel very full, but not bad at all.

I had 3 small bananas; 2 oranges; a papaya; combo with 2 small cucumbers, a small eggplant, 1/2 tomato, and 1 avocado (with raspberry seed powder and paprika); another 1/2 avocado; 3 handfuls jungle peanuts; a few rambutans; 4 mangosteins; a few surinam cherries; and THEN! a small salad with red and green leaf lettuce, a half tomato, alfalfa sprouts, raw wheat germ, olive oil, lemon juice; 2 more handfuls of jungle peanuts; and 2 more oranges!

I bet I'm a couple of pounds heavier tomorrow. It's OK.

The good part is I ran 2 miles today. Plus did 40 minutes heavyhands routine. Seems that whenever I've started running after not running for a while, I get a big appetite. Sure had one today.



Happy Day Everyone!

Wow suncloud. You ate like a champion today!!



Grace and Peace be multiplied unto you.


todd

Lol, Todd!

I did eat!

Actually that was yesterday (Tuesday). The time zone is so different here. To avoid confusion (even for me), I should be writing down what day it is.

Today is Wednesday. I weighed 86.6 this morning. Feeling good though, cheeks all rosy. I was looking a bit wan. But that could be because I was detoxing, and yesterday when I ate all that food, I stopped the process.

One thing I noticed yesterday was that I would rather not have eaten the eggplant combo, because I didn't get to taste the avocado. That was one factor that led me to eat the extra 1/2 avocado. Tastes do change for me as I go along.

Happy Day Everyone!

Yesterday (Wednesday) was back to normal. I ate oranges, bananas, a papaya, a small avocado, and some macadamia nuts.

Weighed 85.8 this morning (Thursday).

Couldn't run yesterday because of rain, but did one hour yoga, 40 minutes heavyhands routine, and jumped rope.

Happy Day Everyone!

The best part of the day today (Thursday) was harvesting some big heads of first-ever brocolli. I don't care for it raw, but my husband eats it steamed, and he really liked it. He's not raw, but he's a vegan. (both of us vegan, for almost 23 years). He's so sweet. He doesn't seem to mind at all that I don't usually cook for him. But when I do, he always loves it, and he says "This is the best I've ever tasted!"

Today I ate bananas, a half papaya, oranges, rambutan, an avocado, macadamia nuts, a salad of red lettuce, tomato, garlic, alfalfa sprouts, sprouted kamut, powdered kelp, olive oil and lemon juice.

1 hour yoga, 40 minutes heavyhands routine, ran 2 miles.

Tomorrow should be a fast day.

Happy Day Everyone!

Hi Suncloud. I really like your diary. I feel inspired when I read it. What is your heavy hands routine?

Love,

Mona
padremickey.blogspot.com

The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it.

Thank you Mona! Your diary is inspiring to me also. What a wonderful life you and your husband lead!

Heavyhands are adjustable hand weights that are like dumbbells, except for the addition of a handle that goes over the back of the hand. The handle helps keep the weights in place so you can grip them with less strain.

You can walk with the heavyhands, and/or you can do an aerobic routine from a video. I'm doing the video from memory now, but I believe it's the one called "Walk Plus DVD". If you check their website, you'll see a lady in the upper right corner doing a couple of the exercises.

[www.heavyhandsfitness.com]

Dr. Leonard Schwartz MD developed heavyhands when he was 47. He's now 82, and his picture's on the website (About Dr. Schwartz). I have a weak upper body, so the routine is helpful to me.

The same routine can be done using regular dumbbells (they're cheaper). The heavyhand weights cause a little less straining from the grip, but they're not essential. (They're helpful for a weakling like me though!).

Thanks Mona for stopping by. I haven't tried your wonderful-sounding recipes yet, but I want to in the near future. Hope you have a happy raw day!





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2009 08:01PM by suncloud.

Thanks, Suncloud. Dr. Schwarts looks great at 82. What muscles! I also have upper body weakness. Sometimes I get into weight lifting with my 10 lb ankle weights and at other times I just can't excite myself to exercise with them. I hold my ankle weights and use them like regular weights. I feel really motivated to start up again after reading your diary. I have a great routine when I actually follow it.

Also, thanks for you kind words about my diary. I'm happy to know that you are enjoying it and that you find inspiration in my experiences.

Take care.

Love,

Mona
padremickey.blogspot.com

We surrender to win;
we give away to keep; we suffer to get well;
we die to live.

Weighed 86.2 yesterday (Friday) morning. Did an hour of yoga, and water fasted all day.

Broke the fast this morning (Saturday) with a couple of oranges and a few small bananas. Later I had more oranges and bananas, an avocado and some macadamia nuts.

Weighed 84.8 this morning. Getting ready to take Red Dog for a walk (he just tore up my new pink hydrangea, but I forgive him - he's so loveable). Then hopefully I'll run and do my heavyhands routine.

I feel good!

Happy Day Everyone!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/01/2009 03:20AM by suncloud.

i like the heavy hands too specially when im walking i recently just purchased some strap on wrist and ankle weights really cheap at wall mart 5$ for 2 1-5lb weights it has little slots that you slide in 1lb sand bags so you can go from 1 to 5 lbs and anywhere in between and although they kinda look goofy and awkward they are actually working really well and free up my hands and relax my grip .. im having issues with carpal tunnel and a torn rotator cuff in my shoulder so grippin has been a bit of a bugger lately

these arent them but they look exactly like this [shopping.yahoo.com]

and i thought they were kinda a score at 5$ for 2 so i bought 2 sets

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

Hi Jodi,

Sorry to hear about the carpal tunnel and the shoulder. I had carpal tunnel in my foot some years ago just from pressing on the gas pedal when I had to drive a long way everyday. Eventually it went away. Hope yours will pass soon too.

HOW did you get that torn rotator cuff?

Thanks for the info about the wrist weights. I like the heavyhands, but they're a little large for my hands.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/02/2009 06:34AM by suncloud.

This morning (Sunday) I weighed 86.4.

My weight appears to be creeping upward, and it will probably be upward a little more tomorrow. I've been eating a lot the past few days, and I think it has something to do with having I bigger appetite since starting to run again. Also, I jumped into the fasting rather quickly. Last year when I was fasting twice a week, I built up to that over a longer period of time, and then more gradually started running again. This time, it's been everything at once.

Still though, I'm feeling good, and I love it that I'm exercising again after the distractions of these past few months. If the weight is muscle, bring it on!

This morning I did an hour of yoga, ran 2 miles, and did 40 minutes of heavyhands.

I ate oranges, bananas, rambutans, a cucumber, an avocado, maybe 1 T each of sesame seeds and sunflower seeds, 2 handfuls of jungle peanuts, a salad of red lettuce, a collard leaf, a purple mustard spinach leaf, chopped garlic, 2 roma tomatoes, cilantro, sprouted kamut, olive oil, and lemon juice.

Tomorrow is a scheduled fast day.

Happy Day Everyone!

>This morning I did an hour of yoga, ran 2 miles, and did 40 minutes of heavyhands.<

Very impressive, Suncloud! I know that I need to increase and expand my exercise routines too.

Sharrhan:


[www.facebook.com]

hun i did a stupid thing i slipped in the shower a couple of months back and well typically you reach out for the closest thing to steady yourself which happened to be the shower curtain which as we all know is not gonna stop you whatsoever and i basically cartwheeled out onto the floor

the dogs went nuts (yes they watch me in the tub lol) i was covered in curtain , i banged my head on the toilet, and mayhem insued lol .. arms and legs boobs and butt flying around everywhere lol

death by toilet is not my first choice of my final demise i tell ya

anyhow besides the bump on the head my arm at all 3 joints got strained and all was healing up nicely untill i decided to ramp things up in the gym one day and seriously overdid it .. thus the torn rotator

as i started .. it was a stupid thing to do lol

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/02/2009 05:12PM by Jgunn.

Jodi, that sounds awful!

That kind of stuff takes so much out of a person for a time. Try not to overdo it again, and maybe soon you will be like new! I hope so!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/03/2009 07:06AM by suncloud.

So many on the diary forum are cleaning, fasting, and glowing! It's great!

I fasted today too (Monday). Still on schedule for twice a week. I was gone all day, and usually if I fast when I'm not at home, I end up eating as soon as I walk through the door. Didn't happen. Felt pretty good all day.

I'll probably stick with fasting twice a week for another couple of weeks, and hopefully will try for a longer fast the last week of March or first week of April. Too busy for a longer fast until then.

But meanwhile, I intend to keep up the exercise as much as possible and try to build some muscle.

And of course, I will stay raw!

Happy Day Everyone!





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/03/2009 07:07AM by suncloud.

Hello Suncloud, thanks for stopping by my place.

What are jungle peanuts? Where do you live? Sounds good. In the jungle? Hawaii? Maybe I missed it, haven't read all. What kind of yoga do you do?

Kudos to you for fasting Twice a week...how long have you been doing that?

You're an inspiration, like so many here. I'm glad to have inspiration.

I should go back and read ALL of your journal before I ask more questions!

Super swirling twirling day to you in whatever whorl of the whorld you live in!

".. arms and legs boobs and butt flying around everywhere lol "
ROFLMAO!!! Sorry, Jodi, but that was too funny!!! Glad you're okay!

haha its all good im suprisingly feeling better today and the swelling is noticibly gone down problably 75% or more not sure if its all the added greens ive been having have helped or what .. strange coincidence or?

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

>I'll probably stick with fasting twice a week for another couple of weeks<

Sounds like a very good plan, Suncloud.

Sharrhan:


[www.facebook.com]

Hi Elakti,

Gosh, it's so late, I'm going to have to be short in my answers (which is probably a good thing!).

Jungle peanuts I think come from Ecuador. They were recently "discovered" by visitors and sold in the US. They're dark,striped, available raw. They've been tested for aflatoxins in labs approved by the USDA, and results were negative.

They're VERY filling. They're good soaked overnight, a little more stale-tasting without soaking, but I like them that way too. Most do sprout when they're soaked, and I have some growing in my garden. They're not ready to pull yet.

I live in Hawaii. I do Iyengar hatha yoga, the "beginners" program for about 22 years (oh well, it's still pretty hard. Requires standing on your head in lotus position and such). I'm self-taught from Iyengar's book, "Light On Yoga".

Thanks so much Elakti for your good wishes!

And thanks to you too Sharrhan, Jodi and Sundancer for your support and for your posts here and on the forum!

Jodi, glad the swelling has gone down! Sounds like you're much better if the swelling's gone down that much. In case you've never tried it, arnica is great for swelling. Helps heal too by bringing blood to the problem area.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/04/2009 09:20AM by suncloud.

This morning (Tuesday), weighed 85.4.

Ate bananas, oranges, rambutans, an avocado, and 2 handfuls jungle peanuts.

NO exercise (oops).

Happy Day Everyone!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/04/2009 09:23AM by suncloud.

This morning (Wednesday), weight is 86.

The rest of this week is going to be very hectic and possibly stressful. I was going schedule a fast for Thursday or Friday, but it's kind of impossible to plan ahead for that.

So, to try to stay on track, I'm going to try fasting today instead, and then again on Sunday. We'll see.

I think I might go for some smoothies tomorrow. They're sounding so good!

sending you love an good vibes to get you through the stress ! yea try the smoothies !

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

Thanks for the love and good vibes Jodi! Much of the stress is already resolved (yay)!



Well, I didn't make it fasting all day Wednesday, but it's OK because things have settled a bit since then. I should probably be able to fast tomorrow, and that will keep me right on schedule.

Haven't been able to exercise much these past three days though.

Yesterday (Wednesday), I ate oranges, bananas, rambutan, an avocado, 2 handfuls of peanuts, a salad with red lettuce, tomatoes, garlic, raw wheat germ, olive oil, lemon juice.

And I did an hour of yoga and 40 minutes of heavyhands routine (the most exercise in 3 days).

This morning (Thursday), I weighed 86.2.

I ate oranges, bananas, a jackfruit (it was great!), a cucumber, 3 roma tomatoes, an avocado, and a handful of peanuts.

No exercise again today

Oh well. Friday is fast day. Time to rewind the old springs and start again! And I'm going to order the 4 pound weights for my heavyhands. YES!

Happy Day Everyone!