The reality is there are just somethings I can't eat. I have for in the past three years cleared my kitchen of transfats, red meat, and most processed foods. I even exercise about an hour a day five days a week. Yet, at 5'5'' I still weighed nearly 260 lbs. I have a condition known as PCOS. Through my prior diet and exercise I have been able to "control" my symptoms, but the weight remained. Recently after a break-up I decided to do a physical and spiritual cleanse. In doing this, it seemed to make sense only to eat fresh raw foods. I hadn't really researched raw food as a "diet". Today I finished my 10 day cleanse. I hadn't planned on loosing 15 pounds. I didn't plan on eliminating my cravings for coffee (an addiction developed in high school) nor did I plan on seeing a noticeable difference in the size of my stomach. I never imagined that my bi-weekly headache would be absent or that I would have such a high energy level followed by a deep restful sleep. In ten days time (yes, I know there were be many temptations and challenges ahead) I have gone all raw except 2 eggs and mushu vegetables, yet I haven't missed the food I formally have eaten. I suppose I am lucky in that I naturally crave seaweed and kale. I think kale might be a challenge raw....only time will tell. I know the quick weight loss is likely water, but I think I have my answer on what lifestyle suits my body and my condition. Less weight...more energy.... It is up to me to make the choice.

Breakfast:Fruit/seaweed/carrot smoothie
Snack: Watermelon
Lunch: beet/carrot/cilantro salad
Dinner: Large salad with avacado (Braggs Amino Acids and Olive Oil)

I spent the day with family. I didn't really imagine there would be such difficulty and judgement on my choice to eat raw. I didn't proclaim it, and while they have been used to me not eating meat, the new lifestyle seemed too out there. At that point I really just wished to leave. Earlier in the day I had lunch out with a friend, the same general concern and judgement was apparent. I wonder if they are aware of their passive attempts to undermine the choice I have made.

Breakfast: Smoothie
Snack: Orange
Lunch: Salad
Dinner: Yet to be determined. Not really hungry tonight.

Sunday and Monday not so great on the eating. Sunday morning I went out to breakfast with a friend, but found myself tempted and I indulged. Monday was simply due to lack of planning. I decided to spend the evening with my grandmother. She had not one piece of fruit or a vegetable (other than iceberg lettuce) in the house! Oh, and today I went to lunch at work. I ended up with pinto beans, lettuce, and salsa. On the flip side, I did get some great exercise in this week.

Sunday:
Breakfast: pineapple/blueberries, 1/2 hashbrown, 2 poached eggs, 1 piece rye toast (what were you thinking! You felt so lethargic afterwards!)
Lunch:piece of fruit
Dinner: Salad

Monday:
Breakfast: Green Smoothie(1 banana, 1/4 cup blueberries, superfood, 1tsp flax oil, water)
Lunch: 1/4 cup almonds, apple
Dinner: seaweed salad, hamachi, mixed greens

Tuesday:
Breakfast: Smoothie
Snack: broccoli salad (broccoli, carrots, apple, walnut, olive oil, cider vinegar, poppy seeds, agave, a bit of garam masala)
lunch: pinto beans, iceberg salad with salsa
Snack: Lara Bar
Dinner: Not too hungary as yet. Maybe broccoli salad

Exercise:
Saturday: cleaned my house...does that count?
Sunday: 17 mile bike ride
Monday: 1 mile walking (at most)
Tuesday: 17 mile bike ride

Pounds lost since 2/22/08: 17

Amazng and inspiring,
you have a great attitude even with some adversity

17 lbs is - doesn't it feel great!

david

Thank you dvdai! It does feel great!

Today went well, however I need to figure out the right mix of foods for my bike rides. I have just returned to biking after winter (if you can call it winter in the central valley of California. I think one person wrote we have two seasons, the season with rain and the season without). I wasn't raw before and while I am overweight, I have always prided myself on having a great deal of stamina. I have done several 50 mile rides. Today, a formally easy ride really kicked my rear, granted there was a pretty strong headwind ( I ride in a riparian area). I think maybe I need to incorporate some sprouted grains of some sort. I haven't tried that-I have really been keeping it simple, but know I need to expand my repertoire, I made the ride (a great thing about riding 8.5 miles away from your home is that you must ride back...kind of forces you to get your exercise in ;o), but I was truly running on fumes. Any suggestions? Anyone?

Food:
Breakfast: Green smoothie
Snack 1tbsp raw almond butter 1 apple
Lunch: 3 pieces of dark chocolate (I know I know...I had a meeting and a student was still testing so I was running late)
Snack after meeting: Lara Bar/Banana
Dinner: Looks like a salad with some Braggs and olive oil.

Exercise:
17 mile bike ride.

Today was crazy busy and I didn't do so well at lunch. Dinner, however, was more interesting than usual. I had a chance to go to the grocer and time to be creative.

Breakfastmoothie
Snack: Apple with 1tsp Almond Butter
Lunch: Salad
Dinner: Salad, cucumber soup, sweet potato kheer
I also ate *gasp* ;o) a boiled egg today.

Excercise: Only a 30 minute walk (max)

Saturday and Sundays seem my most difficult days to stay raw. A friend and I have a tradition of eating breakfast out. There aren't many restaurants in my city that even offer fruit for breakfast. Growing up living with a grandmother from the south, I was practically fed gravy right out of the womb-potatoes are my weakness.

I had a great ride today after working! Going to do some planning and grocery shopping for this week. I need to plan what I eat as there are not many places around where I work where I can eat. I am training for a few events a short bike-a-thon in summer and a marathon (walking 26 miles) in October. Any suggestions on keeping stamina up? I am giving my body time to recover a 2 days on 1 day off, 3 days on 1 day off.

Breakfast:
1 piece of fruit 2 poached eggs, country potato and a piece of toast

Snack: Laura Bar

Lunch: Salad with olive oil and Braggs

Dinner will be: Left over cucumber soup and salad.

Exercise:
18 miles on the bike. Will go for a walk after dinner.

Tomorrow I am going on a 30 mile bike ride and will probably eat oatmeal to sustain me. I am having a difficult time keeping my energy level consistent as in the past. Today was fine, but I ate potato....I don't really want to do that. Maybe the energy thing is in my head.

So I drank a cup of coffee today and it was nice, but I don't think I will crave it. However, one thing I forgot to mention earlier was that before starting "raw" my blood pressure was prehypertensive to hypertensive on some days. After going "raw" for two weeks it dropped to 119/78. Well, I have eating a few non-raw meals this week. That coupled with the cup of joe and my reading was 131/79...still much better than in the past, but a discernable difference?

Bike ride: scratched due to insane winds. Will be working in my garden for about 4 hours instead. If I am going to be able to afford to eat raw I think I will need to grow more of my fruits and veggies this year ;o)

I did well this week with the exception of today. I realized that if I do not balance my work life, I truly do not do what is healthful for me. I worked insanely long hours this week, about 14 hours per day. Today, I had to be at work at 6:30, so I found it "okay" to eat an egg and toast accompanied with coffee. I felt horrible not psychologically, but physically. Once at work, things got worse. We had a senior project presentation, then a fight, and I found out my community garden is going to be developed. 5 years and now, I will not have the one place I found comfort for my spirit. Because of the fight, I couldn't leave campus for lunch and I ate cheese pizza with yet another cup of coffee. I know tomorrow is a new day, but I feel horrible and foggy. On the bright side, after a month or so of being raw, it is easy to forget why you had so much enthusiasm (all that new found energy) to begin with. I was definitely reminded. Tomorrow is back to the drawing board.

My nephew has come to stay with me for a few days. He is 13 and boy can can he eat. He has done well with my limited options-but seems to want a smoothie every few hours. He is looking forward to a family gathering we will be going to for dinner. I actually think he likes the access to so many fruits in my house. I think microwave and ramen noodles are his staples.

Not posting too much these days. I hope to be back on track soon. I am eating about 80% raw. I have a bug of sorts, so I haven't been eating too much the past two days. No appetite and nausea seem to keep the desire at bay.

Food:
bananna

Exercise:
Will ride again soon ;o)

I am feeling better tonight. I didn't do so well at eating raw. I did wake up ravenously hungry. I tried to drink my green drink but it tasted bitter. Tomorrow I am back on track...no excuses.

Breakfast: Two poached eggs...rye toast (ended up having breakfast with a friend)

Lunch: seaweed salad

Snack: Banana

Dinner: Greek yogurt, agave nectar, blueberries ( I LOVE greek yogurt..the only dairy I eat)

Hoping tomorrow I feel up to a long ride. Maybe not my normal distance, but if I am up to it, why not?

I am having a trouble with social occasions. I am having a difficult time planning and staying raw when I go out and about with friends.

Yesterday went well until the evening. I went raw all day until I had an unexpected family emergency when I ended up taking care of 3 kids while their mother was in the hospital. So, for dinner I ate a bean burrito and I had a scoop of real ice cream. Not going to beat myself up over it, but I did wake up with a wanging headache. (I am glad I can still clearly remember the feeling when I did my cleanse and was completely raw).
This morning I am back to the green smoothie without any ill effects. Today I begin my training for a marathon in the fall. It will be interesting.

Breakfast: Green Smoothie

Exercise:
Morning- Interval/Weight Training (Gym)

Evening- Bike ride (Distance remains to be seen

So I went to the gym and weighed. I don't weigh every week because that could become an session with me. I started my "cleanse" and eating mostly raw on February 22. I weighed 260. Today, March 28, I weigh 232. I have always been active, the only change has been my diet. I am not 100% raw, but the 75% or so has made a difference. I don't really want to give up 3 things: eggs, plain greek yogurt and beans. Decided to do a fast walk instead of the bike ride this evening. The weather has changed and I don't want to get caught on the trail.

Things have been quite taxing at work this week. I haven't had the urge to eat emotionally. I am glad that I haven't had cravings for too much. I find it strange that hasn't occurred. I don't eat 100% raw, but pretty close. The only problem I have had is not having enough produce in the house this week. I have eaten beans twice and tuna once due to poor planning (having to work exceptionally late when I thought I'd be off before dinner). I bought a sprouting and am going to explore this soon. I have been faithful to the gym as well thus far. I haven't, however, been keeping up on this journal as I promised myself, but something has to give uh?

Where to begin? I have maintained mostly raw this week. I did succumb and I ate a brownie. Funny thing is, it tasted good, but not as good as I remember. I have some interesting changes in my cycle this month as well. My menses was much shorter and much lighter than usual. I have been walking/gym a lot, but haven't been riding my bike as I just got it out of the shop. All in all I feel pretty positive about eating raw. I am not 100%, but for the most part, I am. I still haven't incorporated many grains into my diet. Maybe it isn't necessary. I think I only need to worry about that when I am going on my very long rides. Finally, my only concern is my addiction to eggs. Last week I think I ate about 6 eggs. I lost 3 more pounds last week.
It takes a great deal of planning to make sure I have enough food at work. I feel like I eat more and more often. We had an emergency at my school site which didn't allow me to eat until 2pm and I felt like I was going to bite someone's head off. I used to go hours without feeling hungry or irritable.

I need to do this log. It is so easy with senior projects (advisor) and multiple boards that I am to let doing what is good for me go. One can't be good for others if one isn't good to one's self. My diet hasn't been the worst every, but certainly not as focused as it was initially. Last weekend I wasn't able to do my shopping at the farmers market and last week, my diet was not as I would like. Maybe 50% raw at best. My menses was very heavy this month. Last month it was light and virtually non-existent and this month, it was as if my body was catching up for last month. The Farmer's market is open tomorrow, so I will be stocking up. I am lucky to live very close to my job, the Farmer's market and other shops/restaurants. I do not need a car really, other than for weekly meetings that are about 15 miles outside of the city proper. So, I have committed to walk or bike everywhere and only use my car for the meeting or a hiking trip on the weekend.

Today: Biscuit and milk gravey, eggs (UGHH...I haven't had that in years and am not sure why I succumbed. It was my favorite food as a child).

Lunch: (packed for a picnic but not yet consumed) Green salad, tangerine and a banana or apple if desired.

Snack: If hungry whatever fruit I have left on my bike/ possibly nuts)

Dinner: Looks like spinach salad or fruit as that is all I have left in the fridge.

I am looking forward to getting some fruit/veggies tomorrow. I haven't had my green drink in the morning for about a week and I miss it.

I am finding it easier to eat simply. I am quite satisfied with salads and fruit with a handful of nuts here and there. I used to feel like I had to be creative and make foods that resembled what I used to eat. The cold soups and desserts are nice now and again, but simple is wonderful. I am lucky to live in a place with decent vegetables and fruit most of the year. I have wanted to eat locally, but the one fruit I return to, if only for it's easy in packing is the banana.

Breakfast: Strawberries (Was in a rush for work)

Snack: Strawberries/banana/and walnuts.

Lunch: Spinach salad with tomato, raw blue cheese,pepper olive oil and vinegar.

Dinner: Yogurt (Not raw)

Tomorrow I am going to teach some of my high students how to make food using fresh produce from a local farm after studying a bit of agricultural sustainability.

The lesson and discussion with my high school students (as opposed to my "high students" as I accidentally typed last night) went splendidly. Most of them enjoyed their meal. They come from a background where "fresh" is unknown and frozen and prepackaged foods are the norm, rather than the exception.


Today:

Breakfast: 2 eggs and 1 banana

Snack: Strawberries

Lunch: A bag of sugar snap peas

Snack: Salad

Dinner??Remains to be seen. Looks like cucumber and tomato though. Maybe some cheese or nuts.

I am still vacillating with the 100% raw. I like quinoa,eggs and oatmeal a great deal, although I am eating them much more infrequently.

I had a great 100% raw day. I am also going to try sprouting my quinoa or mung beans. It will be my first attempt.

I read your diary and thought it interesting. I have been struggleing with eating raw lately. I have been fasting the last two days and hope I will get on track with eating healthy foods. I have gained back about about 37 pounds of the 100 pounds I lost last year when I was going gung ho with eating. I am discovering wild foods and trying to get my garden growing. I understand about eating simply it sure helps. I like carrots and walnuts mixed with some raisons. I also made some broccoli, green onion tomatoe salad with raisons and a sauce made with brown mustard and a touch of vineger. real yummey. Just what is pco's? I have high blood preasure and the coffee is real bad for me. I am fasting in order to help with the blood preasure problem. hope to read more of your story and best of luck on your journey

Hello,

Your meal sounds lovely. I understand about being gung-ho and then slipping a bit. I too am very interested in wild foods and gardening. The garden in my church in many ways. PCOS is the acronym for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. As a syndrome, it has many symptoms like cysts on the ovaries, irregular/painful periods, acne, obesity, hirsutism. There is also a relationship to hypertension, heart disease and infertility. It is believed to at it's root be due to insulin resistance, which in turn caused the ovaries to produce excess androgens (male hormones) which then wreck havoc as I said above. With a very strict diet, I have been able to have a monthly cycle that is not too painful and while my weight melts off more slowly than most, it is coming off bit by bit. The minute I loosen my reigns on my diet, the scale begins to creep up. I am down to a 14/16 now, at my heaviest I was a 24. Still more work to be done though! Thank you for your support.