Grr I wrote out most of a post, then went to get my laundry, and when I got back my comp had turned off. I hate $400 laptops..

Becky, sorry about the yeast infection. I've read on this site that it's good to eat veggies & greens, which you already do eat a lot of, and to cut down on sweet fruit/sugar b/c that feeds the candida. I hope the good bacteria in the yogurt/soy yogurt helps til you get back home and can get meds for it. I've never had a yeast infection so I can't really offer much advice...Oh I did hear that it's bad to wear thongs though b/c they can cause them, but I don't blame you if you don't want to give those up

I think your New Year's Resolutions are great! I especially like the last one- life is all about your outlook. I'm really thinking it's not the hands we're dealt, but how we play them, that determines everything. It's great that you're already so positive!!

Also, you may be right about Nate. I can especially see why you'd think I should lose him based on the stuff I say on here. It's so complicated though. He's got issues that he's only recently opened up to me about and we're both trying to work through them (if I said what they are it'd probably make more sense but I just don't feel right talking about it, I hope that's ok!). Anyway, just the fact that he showed me how great and affectionate and more or less perfect he can be makes it so much harder to stay away from him! My feelings for him are not going away- when I'm with him it's just absolute bliss, I can't even explain it but if you've felt it then you know. There's no one on earth I'd rather be with, nowhere else I'd rather be, it just feels so right. I'm trying to keep thinking positively and it's weird how he just changed so much out of nowhere...maybe that positive energy actually made its way to him? I don't know. I just know that being with him is so much better than not being with him! So even if it's not how it should be, it's better than giving it up, at least right now.

Brrrr I am completely frozen! It's been rainy and cold all day here. I went out for my 4-mile run in the rain, it was actually pretty fun and calming, but I had to put my ipod in a ziploc bag and then attach it to my armband, which got me some weird looks! My run was great, I keep waiting to have a really crappy run or something, but they've just been so nice!

Today:
-4 bananas
*4 mile run, abs, squats & lunges*
-cashew cookie lara bar
-smoothie w/ 2 bananas, frozen mango, strawberries & blueberries, splash of OJ; another banana by itself (was starving!)
-brazil nut...hehe yeah just one
-a giant tomato that was delicious, some cauliflower, sliced cucs, red pepper & yellow pepper, and carrots, some w/ raw zucchini hummus, some plain
-probably an apple later

I've been eating more like 15-20% fat lately and I actually feel really great, I think I'll just listen to my body and if it wants to keep eating this much fat, then that's ok with me. I don't want to have more than 20% fat, but if my body's asking for more than 8-1-1 allows, that's ok for now.

Do you girls use organic skincare products? Ever since I got my facial and the woman there told me not to use parabens, I've been using only organic moisturizing face soap, organic raw apple cider vinegar as a toner, and organic moisturizer. Nothing harsh on my face. It's been 6 days and the difference in my skin is already noticeable! It's much smoother and even though I'm due to get my period this week and my skin is usually a mess at this time, I haven't gotten a single pimple and my skin is more even than usual. I'm pretty happy about this! It feels almost too easy...No more benzol peroxide creams, no more exfoliating in the morning, no more face cloths...but it's working!

Have a good Monday! Amy, I can't wait to hear about Thailand!

Oh and my New Year's Res are:

-Have a raw year, of course
-Run a half-marathon
-Wear my "sexy" bras & undies just for the hell of it. This is weird but it just makes me feel happier and more confident, plus they're cute!
-Achieve a vibrant & joyful state of living. I'm getting there, and I really feel like 2008 will be the year of positivity!

I want to gravitate more towards 8-1-1 as well but I think it'll take a while and I feel good where I am now so...that's something to throw in there as well I guess.

Hey Becky & Amy, hope your weeks are off to a good start! I started mine off with a 6-mile run this morning in DAYLIGHT! I had a DMV appointment to replace my license (I lost it on NYE), but over the weekend my friend found it in his car, so I decided to just use the free time to go for a run instead of going to work on time! Evil, I know, but running is SO much better than working, especially on a Monday.

I was so hungry all morning! And craving chocolate. Definitely PMS…grrr. I also officially have ONE pair of pants that fit me correctly. Everything else is too big. I put on a pair of corduroys this morning that I guess I haven’t worn in 2-3 weeks, and they were so big I couldn’t wear them! It sucks b/c I have no money to buy new pants, especially after my car troubles last week! My work pants are all falling off of me. Don’t get me wrong, I like the weight my body is at right now. I just wish my clothes would shrink as I shrink! Haha.

Sooo…today was/will be:

-banana
*6 mile run, stretching*
-4 bananas, 2 c. OJ during the morning
-3 small pink lady apples & 2 bananas for lunch
-banana & another apple for snack (lunch is keeping me full for a while though- yay!)
*push-ups & tricep dips*
-salad w/ mixed baby greens, romaine, red & yellow peppers, carrots, cucs, tomatoes, cauliflower, half an avocado, raw ACV

I can’t wait for that salad! I am craving dark greens & purples today (along with chocolate, haha). And I haven’t had an avocado in a looong time so it should be good!

So my parents officially think I’m crazy. My mom called last night to make sure I wasn’t “too thin” - she had watched Practical Magic and kept talking about how you could see Sandra Bullock & Nicole Kidman’s bones and she doesn’t want me to look like that and blah blah blah…and then she lost reception- thank god- and I didn’t call back. Lol. She also thinks my cats are going to get salmonella or give it to me. *Sigh* I strongly believe that I’m doing the right thing, but it’s hard to not let it get to me when everyone else says it’s wrong. I love my parents and I respect their opinions, but I admit I get annoyed when they’re trying to give me health advice as they eat buttered baguettes, pop pills for every little ailment and feed their dogs bagged junk with animal byproducts that’s been sitting on a shelf for 2 months.

Sorry for the rant. I am so grateful that we have this thread b/c it’s nearly impossible to find other people who not only don’t pass judgment, but actually understand why I’m doing this!

Amy, if you see this, how many miles/week do you typically run? I've been doing 20-25ish, and am aiming to increase it to around 30-35. Just curious!

Hi ladies!

Well, I finally made it to Thailand! The flight was amazing. My mom was super nice and let me use her frequent flyer miles, which means I got to fly first class. The service was unbelievable - they had a menu you could order from at any time of the day and I had 3 fresh fruit plates! And they were seriously GOOD! I am so spoiled now I don't know how I can do another 13 hour flight if I'm not in first class.

So for my first few days here I am staying with the head swim coach until I find a place to live. Unfortunately this really limits my raw eating. Luckily, this morning they had fresh squeezed OJ and a little bit of pineapple so I ate that. I passed on the Thai soup that they had (a traditional breakfast dish) and the coach made me feel so guilty about it! I just couldn't tell him that I'm raw. I don't know why; I just hate discussing my food choices with strangers, especially someone that I just met and am going to be working for. I felt like an asshole for not eating that soup. I brought some lara bars with me to snack on, so at

least I can eat less of the cooked food and rely on those, but still...I want my own place so I can eat my own food!

Anyway, for me right now it is easier to just eat what is offered to me for the next few days and not stress about it. I want to enjoy Thailand and not have food guilt ruin my first week here, but once I get my own place...Thai fruits here I come!

Danielle, to answer your question, I am still battling a nagging hip injury so I don't run over 20 miles/week right now. It seems that I can do this and feel generally okay, but any more might make my injury worse. When I could run all I wanted I did anywhere from 35-50 miles a week, but when I got up to 50 thats when the injuries started. I think you'll probably be fine if you build up into the mid-30s.

Sorry girls but I have to run now...I couldn't quite read over all the posts and respond to them, but I will try to be on more consistently now that I'm here!

That’s awesome Amy! How do you like Thailand so far? What’s it like? What job do you have there? I bet once you’re able to get out and go to the local markets, you’ll be able to eat raw much more easily. It’s hard having to depend on someone else and eat with others who you don’t want to offend! Just do what you can and enjoy your experiences in another country, most people never get to do something like that!

As for me, I’m doing ok today. Today is a day off from running or working out- I’ll do some abs/arms later though. I always feel weird/lazy/fat on rest days. However my butt is officially disappearing so I need to stop thinking I’m fat! But in other news, I’m really pleased with how my abs are looking lately! I’ve been working on them a lot and it seems to be paying off.

I am also PMSing and craving almond butter like mad. I have to get some more this weekend.

Food! I have been STARVING lately…like all the time.
-3 bananas, 2 raw brazil nuts
-another banana, 2 c. OJ, and half a not-ripe banana b/c I had nothing else in the car (running errands for work) and was so hungry I could barely drive!
-chocolate coconut lara bar, gala apple, banana (starving
-banana
-dinner will most likely be carrots, cauliflower & either a tomato or cuc slices w/ raw zucchini hummus. Can’t seem to get enough cauliflower lately, I crave it. Oh and maybe a glass of organic red wine. Gotta use it up before it gets stale, right?

Oh and my salad w/ half an avo last night was the. best. meal. ever. OMG. I’m excited to have it again tomorrow! I’ve been calculating my fat % daily and it’s typically right around 15-17% which is fine with me for now.

Hey ladies! Things are going well in Thailand. I ate a lot of raw foods today, including fresh squeezed OJ, pineapples, and watermelon. Oh, and also one of the raw food bars I brought with me. The fruit is sooooooooo good here...I just cannot wait until I'm more settled and have my own place to live so that I can quadruple my intake of it!

The only thing that I am really frustrated about right now is this hip pain I keep having while I run. I can only run a very small amount these days...and I just miss my 6 mile days so much! My injury had gotten better for about a month but then it returned. I am trying to keep a positive attitude but it is really hard. Any suggestions???

Danielle, I don't know you but I am positive that you are the furthest thing from fat that there is! Just keep focusing on how great you feel and the parts of your body that you really like (abs!) because I am sure that you look fantastic.

My abs have been looking pretty good lately too. They are definitely the first part of my body that seems to store fat so they are not completely flat, but pilates and raw definitely helps!!

Ok well I wont post my meals until I get into a better schedule, and then you are going to be SO jealous of my raw fruits, lol.

Have a great day ladies! It is 6pm here, meaning it's 3am in California, and I dont know what time in Israel

Amy, thank you for saying that about me (that I’m the farthest thing from fat there is!). I KNOW this stuff, but sometimes my brain refuses to believe it. Hearing it helps. I’m so glad Thailand is going so well for you! I bet the fruit there is absolutely divine! I’m sorry to hear about your hip pain. What kind of injury did/do you have? I tore my hip flexor muscle (overuse injury) about 2 years ago and had to go to PT for it. I had to do a lot of hip & leg muscle strengthening exercises and it never hurts now. I would suggest taking a week or so off (plus or minus a few days, depending on how much it hurts), stretching a lot, and eating as much raw food as you possibly can b/c the live enzymes will help repair it! Raw foods are very anti-inflammatory as well, which will also help. Maybe do a search on anti-inflammatory foods- I think walnuts & almonds are right up there, as is flax and other omega-3 sources. My Achilles tendonitis hasn’t flared up at all since going 100% raw, which is amazing b/c I used to struggle with it when I ran more than 3-4 times per week while eating cooked! Raw is so healing!

I have been absolutely starving lately so I’ve been eating like a horse! It actually feels ok though, I know my body must need it. Today was/will be:

*20 mins. abs pilates and push-ups/tricep dips* (didn’t have time for this last night)
-smoothie w/ 2 bananas, frozen mango, strawberries & blueberries, splash of OJ
-cashew cookie lara bar, 1 c. fresh-squeezed OJ
-3 bananas, 2 small pink lady apples
-another apple & banana
*4 mile run, hopefully squats & lunges as well*
-salad w/ baby greens, romaine, red & yellow peppers, carrots, cucs, tomatoes, cauliflower, half an avo, raw ACV

Yum. Hope you both have a good day... I’m so jealous of your travels! Although sometimes I feel like LA is a whole different country (or planet, lol).

Danielle...I'm not exactly sure what kind of injury I have. Towards the end of October after a long run I suddenly had extreme pain/soreness in my lower back and butt muscle (sounds weird I know!). This was the most intense injury I've ever had and I really could not even walk normally for two weeks. Because of my abnormal walking my hip started to hurt during that time as well. I took four full weeks off (the entire month of November) from running. I was sooooooooooo happy when I could finally run again, and I took it very slowly. At first I just did a couple miles, then worked up to four, and then six, but if I did six I was careful to not do that two days in a row. I was able run perfectly fine for basically all of December, and then a couple weeks ago my hip started feeling funny again. It's not so much pain as it is uncomfortable tightness but I know it is not at its best. So I have been running at most every other day and never going above 4ish miles when I do.

I think your idea of taking a week off is good. It is just so frustrating because I already took four weeks off before! Also, I totally agree that raw foods are healing. Perhaps the fact that I've been more lenient with raw lately has contributed to this hip flare up! The thought of that is actually exciting, because it is even more motivation to get back to 100 percent ASAP. Today I told my host that I dont need his maid (everyone has a maid here) to bring me lunch, and that I'll just pick up something from the market. That means breakfast and lunch will be completely raw today and she always serves fruit with dinner so I can focus mostly on that while taking a few bites of cooked food.

Ok, sorry for writing so much girls...I hope you are both doing well and really look forward to hearing from you! I'll post what I know of my meals:

B: Cashew Spirulina Living Food Bar that I brought from home, fresh squeezed OJ, 3 mini bananas, pineapple chunks
Workout: 1.3 mile swim
Lunch: I am about to go to the market right now....a LOT of fruit and maybe some fresh squeezed OJ from the school...yum!
Dinner: Fruit and I dont know what else.

Hey girls - hope you are both doing well. I've been 100 percent raw today (minus iced green tea, lol).

B: fresh cut papaya and mango, two mini bananas, fresh squeezed OJ
W/O: 1.3 mile swim (taking Danielle's advice and laying off the running for a week, even though I so want to run every morning!)
Snack: a few too many raw nuts
L: Watermelon and iced green tea
D: TBA - last night I had some Thai vegetable dishes, hopefully I can do a little better/more raw tonight.

OH and I have a housing offer! Hopefully this means I can move out and have no eating pressures on me soon!

Hi Ladies:
Just wanted to send you a quick note to let you know that I am thinking of you :-).
Sounds like you are both doing great!

Danielle: I know that body issues will continue to be a struggle for you. However, it does seem as though you are developing a healthy understanding for what your issues are. Objectively, at least, you can say that you are quite thin (not even close to being fat!). Amy, I agree with your suggestion! Try to focus on positives.

Amy: have a great time in Thailand. I am so happy for you! Looking forward to living vicariously through you in eating all of those great fruits!!

I have been eating a lot of cooked food lately (much more than I want), because I stay with a different friend or family member each day, and they all want to give me special food. I decided to not worry too much about it this week in order to be respectful and not hurt anyone's feelings. I eat raw whenever I have the option, but the last few days it has been a lot of cooked food.

I managed to go to spinning twice in Tel Aviv, which was fantastic and tomorrow I will be going on an all day hike with my old hiking group (some of my best friends in Israel).

I am looking forward to getting back into my usual raw routine with lots of exercise (although I will miss Israel, I need a routine!!). I'll go back to the daily food and exercise entries starting Monday, upon my return. It has been a fantastic visit seeing so many family and friends, and going through a great spritual journey. I am a bit disappointed that the past week or so hasn't been very raw, but I am trying not to be too hard on myself since I know I will go right back to it as soon as I return.

Keep up the great work, and thanks for being there, girls. I think about you even though I haven't been writing much the past few days.

Have a great weekend!!

Hey girls. I’m at work so I have to comment later…Yesterday was pretty awful, I always get really tired, bloated and craving all sorts of bad things 1-2 days before my period so I felt horrible all day! All I wanted was to go get bagels and raw almond butter and have a feast! I didn’t though- I knew it wouldn’t be worth it. I did have 2 lara bars to ward off the cravings but I don’t really care about that, I just wanted to stay raw! Lol. I wonder why I only ever crave bagels as far as cooked food goes? I guess those sprouted wheat bagels w/ raw almond butter & strawberry jam were my favorite food when I was cooked. I was sooo tired by the time I finally got home, but I made myself go out and do my planned 3 mile run. 25 mins. out of my life isn’t that much and I knew I’d feel better afterwards. I’m glad I still did it. Feeling better today!

Fooood-
-3 bananas
-another banana & lara bar
-3 bananas & 2 small apples
-banana & apple
*3-4 mile run, abs*
-salad w/ the usual veggies (no avo today though) and raw ACV- I am so craving greens right now!
-1-2 bananas w/ 1 Tbsp. raw almond butter (fueling up for 7-8 miler tomorrow morning)

That’s all I’ve got…can’t wait to go home! 4 more hours to go…

Great to hear from you, Becky! I have been doing the exact same thing in terms of eating cooked food in order to not hurt people's feelings. Lately I have been around 75% raw, which is still pretty good for me. I did get a place to live with a Thai roommate though, so there will be many more 100% days in my future!

Danielle, you are inspiring...wanting to eat cooked but resisting...AND going on your run. I was able to run this morning without pain (just a little tightness) and I am happy about that. I feel like if I continue with raw and run on EVEN surfaces I can very slowly increase my mileage. I think I got hurt when I went back to NY b/c one road that I ran on was very uneven. Anyway, I hope you are feeling better today!

Here was/is my day:

W/O: 4 mile run
B: fresh squeezed OJ, 1.5 lara bars, papaya chunks
L: Went to the store and had a fruit feast! Honeydew chunks, papaya chunks, and four bananas, and iced green tea
D; I know there will be ripe mango...not sure what else

Hi Amy: Wow, exciting that you are seeing such positive changes in your body! Are you going to continue to do Pilates in Thailand? Maybe some Yoga?
I hope your injury is healing!

Danielle: I really admire your ability to stick with the raw program with such discipline! You truly inspire me.

Well, I am back in DC after a month of being away -- great week in Chicago and amazing 3 weeks in Israel.
I managed to stay mostly raw, however the last week was quite a challenge due to the fact that I was visiting (and being fed by) various friends and family members. I think my next goal in the raw program is to not be ashamed to voice my needs a bit stronger. It was weird, I felt fine with the group and eating raw. However, I simply didn't have energy to explain myself over and over again to people. Is that weird?

Anyway, I am back to being 100% raw and feeling great!
Yesterday I went on a beautiful all-day hike with my old hiking group (great friends), and had such a wonderful time. So weird that now I am back in DC!!

I slept the entire plane ride and didn't eat anything at all -- I wasn't really in the mood and didn't know if they would have raw food.

At the airport I ate
b: banana, green tea
at the train station i ate
l: big salad: spinach, cucumbers, asparagus, carrots, sprouts, raw sunflower seeds, green peppers, broccoli, olives (with olive oil and vinegar)
at home i ate
s: apple, orange, 30 almonds

I am off to spinning at 6pm and then will probably eat another big salad for dinner.

Looking forward to going back to daily catch ups! I sure missed them :-).

I hope you are both well, and look forward to hearing your daily check ins as well.

Hi girls! Becky, welcome back to the USA! I bet it's good to be home. I don't think it's weird at all that you don't feel like you have the energy to explain your raw foodism to people over & over. Everyone is so judgemental and has a million questions. I honestly really dislike telling people I'm a raw foodist. I don't usually tell people- everyone at work just thinks I'm a vegan who eats tons of fruit I've been able to get away w/ the vegan excuse most of the time b/c almost everything includes animal products, so I don't have to explain that I'm even WEIRDER than being just a normal vegan...hahaha.

Well yesterday I slipped up. I had 2 sprouted wheat bagels w/ raw almond butter & jam throughout the day. It was horrible. I got a killer headache that lasted all day, and I ended up passing out at 9:40 PM b/c I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore. Cooked food & me just don't agree any longer. The bagels w/ almond butter were GOOD though. Grrr. I just need to tell myself that cooked grains are poison to my body. They are the only things I crave- everything else I could have in front of me and not eat it even if I was starving. So I need to be careful and not let myself go to the store when I feel like I might cave!

I had a nice 7.6 mile run yesterday- was hoping to make it 8 miles but the loop ended up being 7.6, and that's cool with me. Then I went shopping w/ a friend all day and that's when I got the insane headache that would not go away (I still have it). I think it's b/c cooked foods are so dehydrating compared to raw foods, which have such a high water content. Anyway I'm back to raw today but I feel really sleepy and spaced out. I slept for 11 hours last night! I haven't done that in months or longer... Trying to decide whether I want to go for a run today- I should but I feel so blah.

Food:

-3 bananas, 1 T raw almond butter
-smoothie w/ 2 bananas, frozen mango, strawberries, blueberries, splash of OJ
-will have 1-2 bananas pre-run if I do run
*maybe 3-4 mile run?*
-1-2 pink lady apples
-carrots, cauliflower, cucs and a HUGE tomato w/ raw zucchini hummus
-another apple or banana

I really can't believe how much of an effect cooked food had on me! I feel like crap today- can't wait to be feeling better :-/

Hi ladies - great to hear from both of you!

Becky, I agree with Danielle - it is not at all weird to not want to explain yourself to people. I actually detest talking about my eating habits with others. People are very ignorant and judgmental, and I happen to be a very sensitive person who always wants to please others. This is not a good combination when you are eating at someone else's house! Today I was sitting at Starbucks (there is one right next to my school, hence the iced green teas I've been drinking) eating my fruit from the local market, and I just kept thinking how much I really do enjoy eating alone. It sounds sad, but eating alone allows me to be completely at peace with my fruit without having to hear it from others. I wish the three of us could get together for a meal!

Danielle, that is crazy that cooked food had such an effect on you. Don't worry about the slip up, obviously...you almost always do so well with raw! And great job on the almost 8 mile run!

Here was today for me (it's night in Thailand)
Workout: 3.5 mile run (I am swimming tomorrow to avoid running 4 days in a row!)
B: Fresh squeezed OJ, papaya, strawberries...and I have to admit this...a little PB
L: All fruit! 4 bananas, 1/2 pineapple, and some cantaloupe...plus my green tea
D: Steamed Thai vegetables (I still have not moved out yet), papaya, strawberries, and I have to admit this again...some BEER...in fact I am a little buzzed as I write this...oh well...I rarely drink and besides the PB and vegs today was pretty raw for me!

Danielle: That's a good idea -- to just tell people you are vegan. Although people still view that as somewhat extreme, it seems as though society has learned to accept veganism (at least more than raw veganism). Isn't it ironic that WE feel the need to defend our lifestyle choices, even though we eat more healthfully than 99% of the population? I guess people are jut programmed to think they need dairy calcium and beef for protein. Maybe some day the agricultural market will win out and people will finally understand that most of their diet should consist of raw fruits and vegetables. Sigh...

Don't worry about "slipping up," it sounds like you are doing amazingly well. Just think of your "slip up" as a reminder how you really want to be eating.

Wow, 7.6 miles! That is fantastic! It seems like you are just getting stronger and stronger.

Well, I am back at school. I wanted to get ahead on my reading, but my friend has my books in his locker and I couldn't get it open. Oh well, guess I will just catch up on email. I HATE going to class without having done the reading, but I still have 2 hours so hopefully he will get to school soon!

Anyway, my knee is kinda still hurting from that hike I went on Saturday. I have noticed that my right knee really hurts when I walk down mountains. I bought Glucosamine with Condroitin because joint problems run in my family, and my mother swears by them. I didn't go to spinning last night because I wanted to be kind to my knee. I'll probably swim a mile later today to compensate.

Well, I am back onto my regular food program. I can tell my digestive system is re-adjusting. However, I am still feeling great!

Yesterday was as follows:

b: banana, green tea
l: big salad: spinach, cucumbers, asparagus, carrots, sprouts, raw sunflower seeds, green peppers, broccoli, olives (with olive oil and vinegar)
s: apple, orange, 30 almonds
d: big salad: chard, cucumbers, 1/2 red and 1/2 yellow pepper, cherry tomatoes, flax seeds, celery, tahina, zaatar (this delicious Israeli spice!), lemon juice, olive oil.
I felt very full and satisfied after eating this DELICIOUS dinner

this morning I was v. hungry when I woke up at 5:30am (jet lagged, in a good way)
-2 honey crisp apples (amazing!!), box of blueberries, 20 almonds
-green tea

I brought a big salad (the exact one I ate for dinner last night because I made them at the same time), orange, banana, and avocado. I'll probably just eat all of that throughout the day and then go swimming later. Maybe I'll stop by Whole foods and pick up a Lara bar. It is great to be back!

I downloaded all of my photos from my trip. I really did have a FANTASTIC time, and miss Israel already. However, I am also happy to be back at school and getting back into a normal routine.

Have a good day, ladies!

Well, I definitely feel like a gained weight. Hopefully I'll feel better after eating raw and exercising more consistently now that I am back.

Lunch was: big salad: chard, cucumbers, 1/2 red and 1/2 yellow pepper, cherry tomatoes, flax seeds, celery, one avocado, vinegar, olive oil.
Now I am having green tea.

I plan to go swimming about 6pm, and then am having a friend over for dinner. I will make a big salad, my roommate is making soup, and my friend is bringing wine. I'll just eat the salad and maybe have some wine.

My knee is feeling better, so I am going to try to do spinning and swimming tomorrow. Will do another check in this evening.

Hey girls. Amy, I’m already jealous of your fresh fruit! The strawberries here in Cali are gross this time of year, and things like papaya & pineapple are so expensive! Enjoy!

Becky, I’m glad you’re getting back into your routine! Cooked foods make me gain weight pretty fast too, but I’m sure the weight will come off after a week or 2 of raw.

I feel so much better today! It’s also a much-needed rest day from running. My run yesterday was pretty tough to make it through (probably yet another side effect of the cooked food…grrr). I’ll do some abs pilates & arm exercises tonight though.

I’m still feeling bloated & not very comfortable in my body…period is late this month, which is kind of concerning me but I’m going to give it a few more days before I freak out.

Food today is:

B: 2 bananas
S: 2 c. OJ, a banana
L: 3 sm. Pink lady apples, baggie of some raisins & 7 almonds
S: pink lady apple, banana
w/o: just pilates/arms
D: salad w/ the usual veggies & raw ACV

Not very hungry today…will add more if needed, but probably won’t need to.

Danielle: I am sure you will feel better soon -- once your period is over and you get the cooked food out of your system.
Any Nate updates?

Grand total for me today:

b: 2 honey crisp apples (amazing!!), box of blueberries, 20 almonds
l: big salad: chard, cucumbers, 1/2 red and 1/2 yellow pepper, cherry tomatoes, flax seeds, celery, one avocado, vinegar, olive oil.
s: orange, banana, a few cashews
*swam a mile -- felt great!!!*
d: big salad: mixed greens, celery, carrots, orange pepper, asparagus, flax seeds, parsley, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, bok choy, olives, olive oil, lemon juice, zaatar
red wine, lara bar

feeling good and back into the raw routine. I plan to go to bed now. Although it is only 10:30, I am going to take advantage of my jet lag and start going to bed earlier so that I can get to spinning every morning. Tomorrow the class starts at 5:30!! I plan to go to spinning tomorrow am, eat raw all day, and maybe swim a mile at night.

Good morning, ladies! I just got back from a 1.5 hour spinning class, and feel great!! Looking forward to another raw and active day.

so far:

*1.5 hour spinning class
-b: 2 honey crisp apples, box of blueberries, 30 almonds, green tea

I plan to eat leftover salad from last night for lunch, and another big salad for dinner. I'll probably also have a banana and an orange at some point during the day. I also plan to swim a mile this evening before I come from school

Have a good day, ladies!

Hey Ladies:
well here is my evening check in. I managed to stay raw, but ate too much raw almond butter. I am not going to buy it anymore -- too addictive.

Grand total for the day:

*1.5 hour spinning class
-b: 2 honey crisp apples, 2 boxes of blueberries, 30 almonds, green tea
-s: banana
-l: mixed greens, celery, carrots, orange pepper, asparagus, flax seeds, parsley, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, bok choy, olives, purple cabbage, olive oil, lemon juice
carrots w/ raw almond butter
-d: apple, box of blueberries, orange
*swam 1/2 mile
-s: banana, carrots & raw almond butter

Feeling good about getting back into the raw food & exercise plan. The only thing I will change for tomorrow is not eating almond butter. Other than that, I am happy with how the day went.

Looking forward to hearing your updates!

Hey ladies.

Becky, I agree that raw almond butter is addictive! I used to eat TONS of peanut butter (seriously I would regularly go through a jar in 3-4 days) so I have to be careful w/ nut butters, too.

I am wiped out tonight! Today was pretty stressful and I can't wait for the weekend to get here. Here's my day:

-banana
*3 mile run*
-3 bananas, 1/2 T raw almond butter
-big pink lady apple (mmmm), green tea (I have green tea every weekday but always forget to add it! I love tea!)
-lara bar & banana
-another pink lady apple
-big romaine salad w/ half each of a red & yellow pepper, carrots, cucs, tomat and raw ACV; a piece of cauliflower & 4 baby carrots w/ raw zucchini hummus (needed a handful of something to munch before I made dinner!)
-banana

Half of my futon came today! Just the frame...better than nothing though. It's currently in the hall outside of my door b/c there's no room in my tiny apartment to put it til the mattress arrives! LOL. Gotta love living in a studio...

I have noticed that in the past 2 weeks, with all the stress I've felt, I just want to get drunk. I haven't b/c I know how crappy I'll feel and b/c that's not a constructive stress reliever...but it's interesting to see that I still have those tendencies even though I haven't lived that partying lifestyle for a few months now.

Hi ladies!

Sounds like you're both doing great! I am thrilled because I just moved out of the house I was staying in and into my own place. I have a roommate but I'm not going to feel pressure to eat with her or anything...consequently I've been 100 percent raw today!

Oh and I agree with both of you that raw almond butter (and all nut butters for me) are completely addicting. They have to be one of my favorite foods.

B: handful of raw nuts, banana, orange
Workout; 1.3 mile swim
L: Small salad from my schools salad bar (lettuce, tomato, carrot, cukes, onion with a little oil and vinegar), fruit plate with pommelo and pineapple, and 2 bananas
D: I will be riding my bike home to my new house, and passing a great outdoor market area on the way...will pick up whatever fruit looks good and have a feast

I feel like I'm starting to get settled here! It feels good. Look forward to hearing from both of you!

Hi Ladies:

Danielle, why are you stressed out? Feeling the need to get drunk is definitely an indication of unnecessary stress. Is exercise helping at all? Maybe you could consider doing yoga as well to reduce stress.

Amy, that is so exciting! It sounds like you are really getting into a life in Thailand. How long do you plan to stay there? I can't wait to hear about your adventures.

Well, I finally bit the bullet and weighed myself -- 166. Back to where I started. I guess 166 is my default weight if I don't do anything about it (i.e. eat regular cooked meals and only exercise a small amount). I know I can get it off again though, now that I am back into my raw and exercise routine.
This morning I was kind of tired. Missed the spinning class, but managed to get to the gym by about 6:45 (an hour after I intended to). I did the elliptical machine for 40 minutes, lifted wights and stretched for about 20. Kind of a wimpy work out, but I guess I needed the rest. I'll get back to spinning and swimming every day in no time, I am sure. I ate 3 honey crisp apples, 20 almonds, and had green tea for breakfast. I could have probably done with just 2 apples, but I think my body is now used to more calories after eating cooked food for the past week. It will just take some effort and willpower to get back down to 1-2 servings of fruit in the morning. I plan to eat 1/2 of a big salad for lunch and dinner, as well as 2-3 small bananas throughout the day.

Do you take supplements? I do -- women's 1 a day, calcium, iron, B-12. I am a bit worried about not getting everything that I need, so I take them. Just curious to know if you do as well.

Also, I need some advice about this -- hair loss. It's really bad. I have very curly hair, which I have grown to love. I hated it in high school, and used to straighten it every day. The problem is, starting about 7-8 years ago it began to fall out. At the time it was okay because it was really thick. However, it is getting thinner and thinner each year. People can't really tell because it is curly and probably a normal thickness at this point (because it used to be really, really thick) and I have it cut in layers. When it is dry, it actually looks like I have a lot of hair. However, I can really see the difference when I see old photos of myself. I got this herbal remedy in Tel Aviv (which I mentioned in a previous post) that is only available in Europe (Israel likes to think it is in Europe, even though it is actually in Asia), and I plan to take that religiously (I was taking it before, but not very consistently). I also got these hair, skin, and nails supplements, as well as a mix of topical oils (recommended online as herbal treatment for hair loss). I try not to wash my hair every day. However, because I go swimming so much I feel the need to get the chlorine out. Anyway, I will probably see an herbal specialist about it soon since I am really, really worried.
Now, I am trying to figure out why this is happening. I used to straighten my hair a lot, but I haven't done it in years. I am worried that maybe I damaged the follicles by pulling on my hair too much in the straightening process. However, my dad's sister also has hair loss, so I am thinking it might be genetic. Also, my mother tells me that all of the women in my family have hypothyroidism. It's pretty common among Jewish women, as far as I know. I have an appointment with an endocrinologist next month and I'll check that out as well.
Finally, I have been a vegetarian for 16 years. I was reading in my uncle's natural healing book that iron deficiency is the most common cause of hair loss in women. I am thinking this might be the cause as well (hence, iron supplements).
Anyway, do you ladies have any ideas? I think I'll probably post this on the advice forum list as well. I am getting more and more worried about it as my hair gets thinner and thinner. I could live with it if my hair stays as is because at this point it doesn't look bad to others (only me because I know the difference). However, if it continues at this rate, I think my thinning hair will start becoming more noticeable to others.
Thanks for listening!

Hey Ladies:
Well, I am done eating for the day so I figured I would do my evening check in early today. I am going to include times too.

7am: *40 min elliptical machine, 20 min weights and stretching
8:30am: 3 apples, 20 soaked almonds, green tea
1:30pm: salad: mixed greens, red pepper, carrots, asparagus, purple cabbage, cherry tomatoes, sprouted chick peas, olives, olive oil & vinegar
6pm: small salad (lettuce, carrots, cabbage) with tahina & 3 small bananas
mint tea

I am v. tired. Maybe I am still jet lagged, or maybe I should sleep some more. Feeling good and clean though. I am happy to be raw again!

Hey Becky, how long have you been taking iron supplements for? And how many/how much iron do you take per day? It could be low iron for sure, but maybe you need to give the supplements time to kick in? Are you experiencing any other symptoms of anemia at this time? Hair is made of protein, so I would think adding more protein to your diet would help. Veggies, sprouted nuts, seeds & lentils, and raw hemp protein are good sources of raw protein.

To answer your question, I also supplement with iron and b-12. I take iron every day (don’t remember how much though! Just one capsule) and a b-12 sublingual every other day or third day. I definitely feel the difference now that I’m supplementing with iron. It would be nice to think we could get everything we need eating raw, but unless we’re growing our own food in nutrient-rich soil I don’t think it’s practical to try to fool ourselves into thinking we don’t need supplements. Our ancestors also ate some soil on their food and insects that were on the leaves & whatnot, which provided them with some of the vitamins/minerals we lack on our 100% raw diets. As far as I’ve heard, B-12 is the only vitamin we absolutely cannot get on a raw diet and must supplement with. I don’t take a multi or calcium anymore…I just don’t feel the need to, if that makes sense. If I start to “feel” deficient in anything I think my body will help me figure out what it is I’m lacking and I can do something about it.

I got up early again to work out. It was nice, and I like getting it out of the way early so I can relax later on. My body doesn’t seem to want much food lately, I don’t ever get that hungry. I’m going with it. Still no period either…not stressing about it though.

Today:

Pre-run: banana, 1 raw energy bite
*4 miles*
B: 2 bananas, 1 brazil nut, 2 almonds (raw of course)
S: 2 c. oj, apple
L: lara bar
S: banana and later some fruit leftover from a lunch meeting my bosses had…sure they ate the cookies but left the fruit! I had some watermelon & cantaloupe slices
*pilates/arms for 15 mins*
D: maybe bananas? I’m craving carrots too, so maybe the remainder of the bag of carrots in my fridge

Hi ladies,

Becky, I really dont know what to say about hair loss. I am not very knowledgeable on the subject, but I think it's a good idea to post your question in the general forum.

Also, thanks for raising the question of supplements. I do not take anything but I think I should start with B-12. I can go raw for a few weeks but the find myself craving non-vegan things, and I think it really might be a B-12 deficiency. Supplementing might help me stay raw more easily. It is definitely worth a try at least!

So last night I hate 1/2 a watermelon and a few raw nuts. It was absolutely delicious. Tonight my new Thai roommate wants to take me to dinner. I found the phrase "I'm a vegan" in my Thai book so I can just point to that and hopefully she'll understand! Her English is not great and I really dont feel like explaining to her why I only eat fruit...hardly any Thai people are vegetarians or vegans.

Today was/is:

Workout: 45 minute run (really slow!)
B: 3 bananas, a few raw nuts, and one orange
L: Probably pineapple and iced green tea. I'll see what other fruit looks good. And if I'm really craving greens maybe something from my school salad bar.
D: More fruit - most likely either pineapple, papaya, or watermelon.

Hope you both have a fantastic day!

Well, I got home and had 2 apples. Was hungry!!!

so, my new grand total for the day is:

7am: *40 min elliptical machine, 20 min weights and stretching
8:30am: 3 apples, 20 soaked almonds, green tea
1:30pm: salad: mixed greens, red pepper, carrots, asparagus, purple cabbage, cherry tomatoes, sprouted chick peas, olives, olive oil & vinegar
6pm: small salad (lettuce, carrots, cabbage) with tahina & 3 small bananas
mint tea
9:30pm: 2 apples (is that bad?)

Hi Ladies!

Danielle, glad to hear you are enjoying early morning work outs! Sometimes it can be tough to get up in the am, but increased energy all day makes it worth it, no?

Amy: Wow! that is so cool you have a Thai roommate! Great way to really immerse yourself in the culture! It might take awhile for her to get used to your "weird" eating habits :-). Why don't you make her a big salad or cut up a lovely plate of fruit? She'll be on board in no time!

I went to spinning this morning at 6am. LOVE IT! Ate 2 bananas and 2 oranges + 30 almonds when I got home. I kinda like eating bigger, less frequent meals. I know they tell you that you are supposed to eat less food more often. However, with my schedule I prefer having breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with maybe a snack at night if I eat dinner too early. Last night since I ate dinner at 6pm I was hungry by the time I got home. Later dinner is better for me, so I am going to shoot for 7-8 to eat dinner so I don't feel the need to eat later in the evening.

I plan to eat a big salad for lunch and either another salad for dinner or lots of fruit.

I don't think I will have time to go swimming today. It's okay though since I already did an hour-long spinning class.

The scale said 165 today -- 1lb down from yesterday. Just gotta stick with the plan and I know the weight will come off!

This weekend I will be going on an alumni retreat for a volunteer service program that I did a couple of years ago. Last time the food was ridiculous! Incredibly unhealthy and so much of it! For example, late at night after a full dinner dinner they gave us pizza. Then after that we made smores over the fire. Quite unnecessary. Everyone left saying "now I need to fast for 3 days."

I'll probably bring a big bag of fruit and eat that if I don't find food that I can eat on the retreat. Otherwise I am really looking forward to seeing people.

Well, have a good day ladies!

Hey ladies!

Amy, I am impressed with how you jumped right into a totally new culture and lifestyle! You are very brave to be able to do that! You’re going to learn so much- not only about Thailand, but about yourself as well. And you know what? I bet they’re going to learn from you, too! You have so much to offer them!

Becky, I agree with Amy, it’s a good idea to ask your questions about hair loss in the general forum. A few of the people on here have been raw for 10+ years and are so knowledgeable! That will be us one day! Hehe. Also, I really think eating when you are hungry, no matter what time of day it is, is the way to go. I used to try not to eat late at night, too, or to eat only 3-4 times a day. It just didn’t work for me. I had no problem losing weight eating 6-7 times a day, and I almost always eat something light around 9-9:30 PM b/c I’m hungry at that time!

Woohoo it’s Thursday! I am in need of some serious stress relief this weekend- a nice long run, half a bottle of wine…or both! Becky, you asked yesterday what’s making me so stressed lately- it’s mostly work unfortunately! The Sundance Film Festival started today and I had to deal with travel reservations, meetings, parties & events that my bosses were invited to, plus wrap up everything here at the office. They are in Utah now (thank god!) so I get to breathe a little! I’m also a little stressed about Nate b/c I realized I DO want a relationship, and dammit, I think I deserve one after five years! I need to talk to him about it…and also bribe him to put my futon together b/c I tried to do it last night and it did not work! My mattress came yesterday though so I got to sleep on a mattress in my own apartment for the first time in a year! It was great!

Here’s my day today:

B: 2 bananas
S: banana, huge apple (mmm)
L: 3 bananas
S: lara bar, apple
*abs pilates, arm exercises, short walk*
D: WF salad bar!! I need a treat tonight and I’m craving veggies but have none at home. Also probably some baby carrots & salsa on the side

I decided against running today. I’d rather get some stuff done around the apartment- cleaning, cutting up more meat for the cats (it takes a good hour!), and finally relaxing with a book on my new mattress!

There is this other guy who I’m friends with who has been wanting to date for months now…I gave it a try maybe 3 mos. ago but I wasn’t sure how I felt, and then things got better with Nate. I am still not sure of where to go from here with this other guy (Adam). It’s unfair to him if I keep stringing him along, and I’ve told him we’re just friends, but every time I see him he talks about how he really wants to try dating again, etc. He’s such a nice, good guy and he’d be a great boyfriend…maybe that’s why I’m not that into him! I’m seeing him next week so I’ll see how it goes and take it from there. I guess I just don’t want to get locked into anything or hurt him if I decide it’s not going to work. Any suggestions? I KNOW I am in love with Nate but at the same time, he doesn’t seem willing to give me what I want/need and that’s not fair to me at all. I don’t want to be wasting the best years of my life waiting around for him…

I thought of all this last night when I was trying to put the damn futon together…I was thinking if I called Nate to help me, he’d probably get freaked out over it, but if I called Adam, he’d be over in a second and help me without expecting anything in return. That says a lot. Nate has issues, yeah, but maybe I’m using them as an excuse to keep letting him off easy.

Sorry to clog our thread with this stuff. It’s been weighing heavily on my mind lately and my friends are tired of hearing about my on-again, off-again thing with Nate so it’s good to get it out! Feel free to completely ignore it, it was therapeutic just to write it!