losefatgainme

I had the best work out today!  My friend Chevy and I planned to go to the gym, and then our friend Jodi joined us.  We did weight training on the cybex and then went on elliptical/step mill.  Then we ran into another friend who was going to an aerobic interval training class, so we went to that too!  We ended up working out for 2 hours!  Then to the sauna.  Ahhhh.  I had a lot of fun, and we are planning on doing it again.  I know I’ll be sore tomorrow, but that’s ok, I earned it.

I went to the gym today, and though I avoided the cybex (lifting heavy stuff…I no likey)  I did 35 minutes on the treadclimber and 25 minutes on the stepmill.  Then I went into the sauna for a nice while.  It was wonderful.  I have to go back this week and hit the cybex again.  My friend, Chevy, joined the gym so I will have a workout buddy!  YAY!

I was raised on a Standard American Diet (SAD).  As I have said before…. I have been SAD, fad, boil in bag, freeze dried, vacuum sealed, pasteurized and homogenized, shaked-and-baked, deep fried and toasted. I have never felt better and I am raw!  :) 

Raw food is unprocessed, uncooked (not heated more than 115 degrees) ‘living’ food.  Some people are vegan (no animal product at all), some people allow raw cheese and raw fish, raw meat (like a tartare)  Some people are 100% raw, some are less.  Typically, people can consider themselves ‘raw’ if they eat more than 75% raw food.   The diet consists of nuts, seeds, sprouts, fruit, vegetables.  But, raw food isn’t just that, there are some great raw uncook books, and restaurants that serve only raw food.

Personally, I chose to be raw for many reasons.  I had tried a lot of diets and felt deprived, lacked energy, was cranky and hungry.   I started having digestive problems.  I had read about the raw diet years ago, and basically it was the only diet I hadn’t tried.  I am a carnivore by nature, I didn’t think the raw diet was for me.  But, I tried it.  And, not only did I lose weight but I looked and felt great.  The raw diet takes a lot of commitment, and I had a young son, so-I eventually was back on my SAD old diet.

 My son is grown now, and I was in the worst shape of my life (and the heaviest).  So, I have been working on being raw again.  Since I hate deprivation, my only rule is that if I’m hungry I eat, and if it’s raw I can eat it.  I’m making that bold, cause that’s what it all breaks down to!  Simple huh?  :) 

I have been 80-90% raw for less than a month now and haven’t lost that much weight by the scale.  I have had my slip ups (including having french fries three times a week every week-french fries and salad from the cafe at work!)  But, I feel so much better, and I noticed my skin is starting to glow.  I have had people at work stop me in the halls to tell me that I look great.  And, they look at me like they wonder what I’ve had done.  Well, this glow isn’t from a bottle or a chemical peel…it’s from the inside out!  It’s the result of eating whole, unprocessed foods!  If that isn’t motivation to stay raw, I don’t know what is.

I had a failed (terribly failed) attempt at dehydrating months ago and have been afraid to try again.   But, after looking at every page in Ravolution a dozen times I chose a recipe that is used in a lot of other dishes.  Rawvolutions Famous Onion Bread.  Of course, I won’t be able to try the bread for 36 hours after starting it (the joys of dehydrating).  But, it makes a thin (hopefully crispy) onion bread that you can have with salad or make a raw pizza or sandwich out of.   The whole house smells like onions, but yummy!  Here are a few photos of what I have so far.

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I have been ever so raw,  and, even though it’s 5 days early, I stepped on the scale.  I’m back in the 220’s.  I know it’s still majorly overweight, but I was over after Thanksgiving.  More inspiration to stay raw…and go to the gym.

After a long hiatus, and broken promises to go, I went back to the gym today.  (in new workout gear )  I did three of four rows of cybex machines (15-20 machines)  Then I went on the step-mill for 20 minutes and kicked my butt (if you don’t know what a step mill is google it-loads of fun!)  Then to the sauna for 10 minutes.  I won’t say it felt great, but I feel great now.  We’ll see how I feel tomorrow morning.

I weighed in this am instead of tomorrow since I won’t be able to log on tomorrow am.  I lost 2lbs, so I’m down to 231.  I was below 230 after the first week (then Thanksgiving etc happened )  I’m still  working on my wont power.  And, getting to the gym…  I have a plan for that though.  And, this afternoon I will be hitting the gym, and posting about it…it’s been a few months since I’ve been, but I think I remember how to get there!

I still haven’t made it to the gym.  I have lots of excuses; working overtime, working on the float for the Christmas Parade, just plain lazy…  Well, I bought a few new workout outfits and tomorrow I will be done with float stuff in the am so I am going to work out in the afternoon.  I just want a light workout, one set round the kaiser room just to wake up my dormant muscles then off to the cardio room.  And, I’m going to reward myself with a steam room or sauna..mmmm :)  I also want to look into getting a trainer, one of the girls I work with at the hospital teaches some aerobics classes at the gym, so I will ask her to recommend someone.  I have been 50%+ raw and the things I have eaten that are cooked are some good some bad (whole grain tortilla-french fries)  Still, I am confident I have lost this week!

And, it’s my own fault.  I ate off plan (pizza, ice cream and thanksgiving dinner) and I’m up 4lbs.  I’m not going to dwell too long on it…it’s done.  I am back on plan today and I have decided to hire a personal trainer at the gym to push me in the right direction. 

I just have to remember how bad it felt to get on the scale this morning, and how bad my gut trashed belly feels right now.  Well, off to work!

Yesterday I picked up my brother and his family at the airport.  I had been doing errands all day and hadn’t really had a meal.  (coffee, almonds, celery, trail mix)  So, when we went out to eat I chose my salad right away so I wouldn’t be tempted to order something else.  We wen’t to TGIF (they don’t have one where they live…)  I got the bbq chicken chop salad.  But, I also ate most of the sampler appetizer (I was hungry-I have to make sure I eat properly)  I still haven’t gotten to the gym.  It’s absolutely pouring out (sounds like a hurricane)  and I have to go grocery shopping.  I got a new raw uncook book so I want to choose a recipe and try it.  I guess that’s the good and bad of it.