Thursday, April 23, 2009

Calorie Restriction and Eating Raw

I have been eating about 80% raw for several weeks now. I have found that I tend to not use the cronOmeter as I should with my juices. This has got to stop. Those fabulous juices, while loaded with great nutrition and enzymes, are still loaded with calories, about 250 calories. So, I need to get back to using the CoM everyday like I used to. Man, I love that cronOmeter.
Today I made my Green Juice with a head of romaine, one organic lemon, 2 organic apples, and a bunch of kale. It is so green and full of yummy goodness. I drink it on an empty stomach, it fills me up for about an hour. I then have a piece of fruit that takes me until lunch time. So for breakfast I have about 350 calories of greatness.
My concerns are protein. If I don't eat a pure protein like egg whites or cottage cheese am I doing CR right? My protein has gone down since I started eating raw during the day. I still have a cooked protein for dinner. I just don't know if this is enough. I was getting about 65g. of protein a day, now it less. I haven't tracked enough to get the full picture but I know it is less. I do get protein from all the veg, just not as much.
I also messed up pretty bad in the overeating. I have come to be addicted to dried fruit and I can really put it away. Wow, are the calories high in those tiny shriveled up pieces of goodness. I have come to realize I have been making videos about this stupid addiction for too long.
I have got to stop doing this to myself. I still eat what I deem to be healthy, no grains, no milk, no sugar, no starches, and I count my calories for all meals, then I grab those darn morsels of dried fruit. I become a sticky mess and must look like a pig devouring every last one. So, I have to leave the darn things at the store until I can control myself around them. My favorite are the organic ones, they are huge raisins. I love them not only for their taste but because there is less of them in the container. Only 7 servings of 120 calories each, so much better than a huge bag of the darn things. I am so bad.
Of course, because of the dried fruit binges, I have not lost any weight. I am going to track my calories with the CoM regularly and still eat raw during the day. My days are so simple eating like this. I have the green juice for breakfast followed by a banana or an apple. Lunch is another piece of fruit then about an hour later I have a huge green salad. Maybe 4 to 6 cups of it, maybe more. The salad has flax oil dressing which I love. When dinner comes around I am not hungry.
I cook a protein for dinner, chicken, fish or red meat. Usually a 5 oz portion with a lightly steamed veg. That is it.
The way I want to eat raw is with food combining. What that is supposed to do is get the food through my system fast and not leave behind waste or too much waste. So therefore I am to not eat meat with a grain, no sandwichs. I don't eat bread, this is just an example.
No cheese on bread either, so no pizza. I might have to break this rule for my goat cheese pizza.
I am so conflicted. Eating raw is more complicated than just doing CR. But, if I can learn it and do it right I am expecting great results. So, to me it is worth it.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Calorie Restriction diet evolves

I glanced through this blog and noticed that back in January I was drinking a green smoothie made with Cottage Cheese. Well since January I have changed my entire way of eating CR. I no longer eat Cottage Cheese, which was the only milk product I did eat. I now eat fruit and veggies during the day making sure they are properly combined for fast exit from the stomach.

So far I am enjoying the fruit and the green juice drinks. My only concern so far is that I still have not lost any weight and actually think I am eating more calories. This is not good. The whole purpose of CR is to have optimal health eating less.
I will continue experimenting with the fruit and raw veg for another month and if I don't drop a few pounds and inches I will go back to the original way of eating CR.
Of course I will still drink the green juice in the AM.
I do believe in eating food in proper combination so I will need to figure out how to eat eggs and or Cottage Cheese. Timing it just right will be harder than eating fruit until 3PM each day.
I know I have not been getting as much protein as before. I know this because I have been thinking about food again. Something I hadn't done in 19 months. I have also been eating far to much dried fruit. I even bought some Lara bars, I wouldn't have even thought of buying them a few months ago.
You see, dried fruit is part of eating raw and I am totally addicted to them and know I shouldn't be eating them. It is crazy how I found a way of eating that fits perfectly into my stupid food addiction.

Weird, after typing this I can see just what I need to do. I am going back to my original way of doing CR, eating more protein and less fruit. The only thing I will keep doing is drinking the green juice on an empty stomach first thing in the morning.
I am so glad I typed this out, it made me see what I have been doing wrong. What an idiot I am. I have been reading a book about raw food and I believed every word of it. I am convinced it is not entirely working for me. It sure is easy to do, that is what enticed me.
So for tomorrow I will be having fruit for breakfast and some Cottage Cheese for lunch. Hopefully I will stop these uncontrollable cravings for dried fruit and get me back to losing weight. I still have 20 pounds to lose to have optimal health.

Today I am having brunch with my family. Of course I will have a few glasses of wine and a salad. It is very easy to order proper food at the restaurant we are going to. That is why I picked it. I might even have a sandwich. Bread, see how I am thinking here. I haven't wanted bread for 19 months. I sure hope I get myself back thinking better in a few days. I sure don't want these size 6 jeans to not fit. Rats, what have I done to myself.
Of course thinking about bread and other poison foods is not eating them, I hate even thinking about them, it seems obsessive to me.
I like that superior feeling that I had. I was confident and actually felt giddy happy. I will be there again.
To much dried fruit and fruit in general must be my downfall.
Oh this is going to be hard on me. Another change!! Oh well that is what life is, it would be boring without change.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Calorie Restriction with 70% Raw Food

I have been really enjoying eat raw during the day along with Calorie Restriction. It has made food choices so easy. I love how easy it is to grab a piece of fruit for breakfast. Talk about fast food.
My juicer came yesterday. I made my first green juice and loved it. I was very surprised how tasty romaine, kale, an apple, and a lemon can taste juiced. I drank 2 full heads of romaine. Amazing.
I found it filling too.
The way I am eating raw is from the Raw Food Detox Diet book. I eat fruit and drink the green juice on a empty stomach. I am never hungry. I love it. I am going to be buying lots more organic green veggies now.
My weight has been stable at 139 for about a week now. I am still wanting to lose another 15 to 20 pounds but with CR and eating raw I know the weight will come off in time. There is no need to eat less for now. My size 6 jeans are loser than they were a week ago. So I know something is changing.
It is really great to be working again. I got a phone call 2 weeks ago to help a fellow tech out in his lab. I wasn't planning on working again and almost said no. I am happy I didn't, I am enjoying myself. It is weird working for somebody else after being my own boss for over 26 years.
I just don't want working to interfere with my eating plan. So far I am doing OK. Packing a lunch sure is simple. 2 pieces of fruit. As soon as I get home I fix the only cooked food I have for the day. Today is was Salmon with Broccoli. Very tasty.
So, my life is changing again in a very good way.