Final Results

If the challenge was still going, today would be day 35. Remember when I wrote that I didn't know what would happen when it was over, well, I'm sticking to it. I am a Vegan. I don't want to eat anything from an animal...no meat, no dairy, no egg. I will include a cooked meal in my life and when I am out and about at other's homes or restaurants, I will make a conscious effort to choose the healthiest option and eat what friends have prepared(as long as it doesn't contain animal products). I feel great! I don't want to go back to what I was doing before. And it's not from a weight loss perspective, it's from a nourishment perspective. Not only am I physically nourished, but my emotions, my mind and my soul are nourished.

Today, we all gathered to celebrate our triumph of making it through the 30 days, to talk about what we learned, what we will continue to do in the future. We had a potluck and I can honestly say it is the very first time I have been able to eat every single thing at a potluck.

We also weighed in and measured ourselves to compare and contrast.
My results:
I lost a total of 21.5 pounds and 4% body fat.
I lost 1/4 inch around my neck, 1 inch around my bicep, 1/2 inch around my forearm, 2 inches around my chest, 4 1/2 inches around my waist, 2 1/2 inches around my hips, 2 inches around my thigh, 2 inches around my calf and 1/4 inch around my ankles.

Peace :)

The Final Day #30

Today is the day...my final day. I finished the challenge. All thirty days have been completed and it feels weird, it feels great, it feels like a relief, it feels satisfying.

When I heard about the challenge originally, I had a lot of doubts. Doubts about being sustained on just raw fruits and vegetables and doubts with myself. Would I be able to last? Would I feel hungry? How would it work when I traveled? How would I be able to eat when Josh was eating something else? These along with many more thoughts popped up a lot before I started and it was four words that made them all go away "Life is always happening". That was the moment that I knew I could do this, that I could exist in my everyday life on whole, nourishing, raw food. I had no doubt and for all the joking of wanting to eat the crusts I cut off when making finger sandwichs or smelling Josh's food or Angie's chocolate, I was really never tempted, never felt deprived or left out. I have a wonderful network of friends that support me so much and I thank all of them for their encouragement and their self-less acts of accommodating me and my wild and crazy projects.

Through this process, I have learned to appreciate and enjoy Mother nature's bounty. I have grown to appreciate the complexity and wonderfulness that is a piece of fruit or vegetable. I have learned what it feels like to be different, to make different choices, to adapt without imposing. I have felt my body respond to physical movement in a way I have never felt before. I have reconnected to wholeness and rid my self of addiction. Before this challenge, I was in denial, I was a procrastinator, I was kidding my self daily, but after 30 days of cleansing mind, body and soul, I have lost the ego that is addicted to self-destruction. And I have learned that I don't have to be perfect. That I will make mistakes and make choices that don't always agree with my body, but I have skills and I have wisdom that will guide me to be kinder and gentler to myself on the days I take a detour.

"Life is always happening". It doesn't stop and wait for us. It moves...continuously. Sometimes fast and sometimes slow, but its moving and I feel, right now in this very moment(because that's all I have) that I am moving right along with it. I am in harmony with life.

Peace :)

Fri, Sat, Sun and Mon aka Days 26, 27, 28 and 29

My last official weekend of being on the 30 day cleanse. I seem to have conquered whatever was dragging me down because I am feeling great again, just like at the very beginning. Not to reveal to much information, I'm going to say it was all probably hormone related.

I know I have learned a lot of lessons over the past 29 days and what stands out the most is "be prepared"...those boy scouts are definitely on to something with that one. Drinking enough water, carrying enough snacks, providing variety among my food have all helped me to feel satisfied, physically and emotionally.

My favorite part of these last few days was being fed by an Italian Grandmother...she had some cherries and apricots. I think it was killing her not to make me a sandwich so I promised her I would come back soon.

Watch out day 30, here I come!

Peace :)

Days 19-25

This week, I think, was harder than the first. I don't know if it's because I'm not eating enough different types of fruits and veggies, or if I am really ready to feel something different on my palate. I feel bored and very unexcited when it comes time to eat. So I put off eating until I'm famished then I chew and chew and chew and although I am nourished and full and I am not feeling satisfied. Maybe it's the anticipation of the end. Knowing that I will have many more options when this is over.

I don't want you to read this as though I have given up or that I am not enjoying the cleanse because I haven't given up and I do enjoy eating raw food. My body really likes it. I am not sure where the lethargy is coming from except perhaps mostly my inability to get creative...so during these last few days I will try something different, something new...for me. For example, I have been thinking about making lettuce wraps instead of salad and using chard or collard leaves instead of lettuce. I will keep you posted.

My menu: Lots of fruit, lots of veggies

Peace :)

Day Eighteen

I know I've said it before, but it must be said again...my yoga is amazing. I am thrilled with how my body feels from the inside out. And as I grow closer to the end of my thirty days, I can see myself continuing with this lifestyle. In my opinion, it makes such great sense for me.

I attempted to make a green smoothie tonight. It was too thick, so next time I will add more water. Other than that it was pretty tasty. But my one question is "Why do those healthy green drinks always smell like freshly cut grass?"

My menu
Breakfast-one apple, one nectarine
Snack-one apple, one pint raspberries
Lunch-Large salad
Dinner-Green smoothie

Peace :)

One Ten + 7 Ones = Day 17

Another fine day on the raw food cleanse. Although I feel great, i.e., satisfied and not deprived, I was tired today. I'm chalking it up to that time of the month. It's the day when, even if I sleep for a solid 8 hours, I don't want to get out of bed. So I felt like I didn't wake up fully today. I accomplished all of my work goals, all of my food goals and now I am going to accomplish my sleep goal.

My menu
Breakfast-1/2 honey dew melon
Lunch-other half of the honey dew melon and some grapes
Dinner-large salad
Snack-one orange

Peace :)

The Day After or Day 16

It's amazing what I crave when I am hungry :) I think I may have been uninspired after my yoga class today or maybe I filled up on my half a watermelon, but I just wasn't in the mood for a salad at lunch time...so I didn't do it. I ate a pint of raspberries and some blueberries and called it good. Then, the most horrific thing happened, I forgot to pack snacks to bring with me to work. I was with out food from 2:30 to 7pm. Sure, that doesn't seem like a long time. Well, you haven't been eating raw, because from my experience, raw food digests very quickly(which is a plus and a minus). So when I got home, starving and ready to eat anything, I kept my cool, drank some water, and began dinner preparations by making my homemade salsa. Once the smell of the cilantro and onions were in the air, I could concentrate on making a very large salad for myself as well as prepare a pizza bagel for Josh. Cravings squelched and satiation achieved!

My Menu
Pre-yoga snack-one apple, one nectarine
After yoga-one half of a personal sized watermelon
Lunch-pint of raspberries and some blueberries
Dinner-Very, very large salad

Peace :)

Half Way to the Finish Line

OMG...I am still in awe that 15 days have passed and all I've eaten are raw veggies and fruits. I feel like I am standing on the top of a hill looking out at the world. It's not a down hill slope to the finish but a straight line. I think I was honestly waiting for something huge to happen...like maybe the sky would open up and confetti would rain down on me...but that didn't happen. I worked, I ate, I walked and I felt good, really good through it all.

I had a disagreement of information today, when asked what I was doing to lose weight. I told them and the first thing I got asked was..."what do you do for protein?" I am getting tired of this question...what is the obsession? Anyway, some words exchanged, but I kept coming back to the word cleanse, because to me it felt like a bit of an attack and I wanted to be clear that this was a cleanse, for 30 days. So when I got home, I looked up the meaning of cleanse in our dictionary. It states two definitions: 1) make clean, 2) purify from sin or guilt. I am definitely doing the first. I am making my body clean, which is making my whole self clean. I think I have some frustration with the whole concept of "raw food" and how it seems to offend many other people. It's like a them vs. us thing. Having to prove what I am doing is healthy and not wacko, to explain where I am getting my nourishment, how can I live on such little protein. I don't expect others to stop eating what they want to and just go cold turkey to a raw food way of living. This challenge was a choice I made. I had a year to decide to do it. I practiced for a month before taking it on. I made a conscious effort to "make clean", to purify my systems, to create health within my body. For me, the important thing is that I don't feel deprived and I don't, I feel nourished. I feel that I am being loving and compassionate to myself and that also nourishes me.

My menu
Breakfast-1/2 personal sized watermelon
Lunch-blueberries and grapes
Dinner-salad
snack 2 apricots

Peace :)

Fourteenth Day

Today was another fun day! This whole weekend has been jammed packed with "party" after "party". Today was a party for my brother's wife. All guests were asked to bring a side dish. The theme was Mexican. My side dish of choice...my homemade two bean enchiladas...mmmmmm, they smelled tasty.

As I sit and reflect on this awesome weekend of friends and family, my original hesitation for not doing this challenge popped up. There is soooo much happening for me in June, so many food oriented events, that it would be easier to not participate. But I am really happy that I am participating. It feels good to be "challenged", to try something "out of the ordinary" and still be a part of the greater good. I managed to stay satisfied at this party by bringing my own large salad and fruit, although I didn't even need it as there was a fruit salad and watermelon as side dishes. I have also realized that I really do like a routine. Before this started, I thought my work schedule would be the challenging part, but I see now that it's the weekend, the no-schedule-do-whatever-you-want part of the week, that leaves me at a loss sometimes. I'm not comparing the work week with the weekend week as one being good and the other bad, it's just the observation that one provides a little more stability to my day then the other. And I like stability. I like the sensation of being grounded, rooted. And I am realizing that this whole challenge is a stable root for my well being, for my health, for my soul and I can't help but smile :)

My menu
Breakfast-hodgepodge of fruits, watermelon, blueberries, grapes, nectarines
Lunch-salad and fruit salad
Dinner-blueberries and raspberries

Peace :)

Days 12 and 13

My biggest lesson over the past two days...DRINK MORE WATER.

Friday was a fabulous day. I started the day with yoga sculpt, then on to some errands which landed me at home at about 2pm. I was starving because I did not plan very well. Second lesson...just go to a restaurant and eat a salad! I easily got re-hydrated and fed during dinner time. I have some really great friends that provided delicious fruits and veggies for me on top of all the delicious cooked food for others.

My Menu(it's pretty sad and I wouldn't recommend repeating what I did)
Breakfast-orange
Snack-two apricots and an apple
Lunch-a large salad
Dinner-watermelon, grapes and more salad and finally a lot of water.

Saturday was the dandiest day of all because it was the day of the 3rd annual Dandy cup. My friends and I dress in all white, gather at balboa park for a day for croquet, badminton, finger sandwiches and mint juleps. It's high society at it's finest! This was the day I had my first craving. When making sandwiches in the morning, I found the smell of the bread so tempting...oh how I wanted to eat it all up, but I didn't. It's fun to be in the moment. To allow ourselves the enjoyment of wanting something, but being unattached to the outcome. It really was ok that I didn't get to eat the bread. I wasn't sad. I didn't feel deprived. When it was over, I went on with my morning, enjoying the next task.

Learning my lesson from Friday. I made a beautiful bowl of fruit to share as well as a large salad for myself and drank plenty of water. It was an awesome day. Everyone brought creative, yummy looking sandwiches and played fun games all day.

My Menu
Breakfast-didn't really have anything official as I was preparing the fruit salad, I nibbled
Lunch-I pretty much ate the entire fruit salad I brought and some veggies another person brought.
Dinner-the large salad I had made for the daytime
Snack-two apricots

Peace :)

Day 11...I Think I'm in Heaven

It had to be done!

Meditation then yoga then off to work. Life is great on Thursdays, but then again, life is great everyday!

I have really been enjoying watching others reactions when they find out I am eating only raw food. There seem to be a lot of but what about... and the proverbial protein question. I remind them that this is a cleanse, for 30 days, I don't plan to sustain on this diet for the rest of my life...although I probably very easily could. And when I talk about the benefits and the whys and the ease of doing the cleanse, I, too, wonder what will happen on day 31...when this is over. I'm not letting myself get attached to that thought, but it has popped up a few times and it's interesting to see where my mind goes when it arrives in my head. As of this moment, I am unable to answer the question. I am practicing living in the present moment and enjoying what is unfolding for me right now. I won't know about day 31 until day 31 arrives.

Today's menu
Breakfast-two oranges
Lunch- medium sized salad
Snack-pint of raspberries and some cherries
Dinner-Large salad
Snack-rest of the cherries

Peace :)

Day 10 June 1, 2011

Day ten came and went just like any other day. I was actually worried that I wouldn't have enough food, because I had just returned from Connecticut late the night before, but I pulled it off...and I stopped by Fresh and Easy for a few backup fruit options.

What I have realized so far is that I sleep even more soundly than prior to this cleanse and my dreams have been fantastical fantasy dreams instead of crappy work out the real life issues stuff while I sleep dreams. Perhaps that is why I am sleeping better and more soundly.

It always takes me a day to adjust back to my ol' self and yesterday was that day. I keep plugging along and find myself satisfied and happy. Cleansing is good for the body and good for the soul. And it seems to be one of the easiest things I have done in a long time.

Peace :)

Tuesday, May 31st...last day of the month, ninth day of the cleanse

Flying home from Connecticut, I was ready, beyond ready really. I had cherries, grapes, blueberries, lemons, lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, carrots, sugar snap peas, honey dew melon and tons of oranges. I could hardly lift my carry on.

The drive from hotel to airport is one hour and a couple of minutes. I ate honeydew the whole way, and then ate some more when we made it to the gate...and went to the bathroom about 10 times before boarding. The flight from Connecticut to JFK-New York was quick, we were landing before we knew it. We arrived about 3.5 hours before our San Diego flight, so we hunkered down in the seating area behind burger king. It was time for salad. I added cucumbers, peppers, carrots, and sugar snap peas and requested a small amount of olive oil from a near by restaurant, squeezed a little lemon and viola...DELICIOUSNESS! Let me tell you about eating a LARGE salad...it takes time, A LOT of time. Chewing and chewing and chewing...I get tired of chewing. I take breaks between bites, and when I am finished, I am happy that I don't have to look at the salad anymore...until the next one, the next day.

I washed by berries and cherries in the ladies room and put them in my rinsed out honey dew ziploc so I could have some food to eat on the plane. I snacked on these yummy fruits while watching the in flight movie. I can honestly say that I have never felt so hydrated for a flight in all my 30 years of flying nor have I had to use the restroom as much as I did. It may have been one of the best flights I have ever had. We arrived home safely and I drank more water and went straight to sleep as I had an early day Wednesday.

I am proud of myself for this past weekend and being able to keep up with my challenge. A big thank you to Angie for letting me invade her kitchen, use her knife and cutting board and chop to my heart's content. I honestly think I would not have survived if I could not do all that I did in your kitchen.
I will post some pics of some of the obstacles I was "confronted" with this weekend. Although, I never really felt confronted, it was always an easy choice to stay with my raw food!

Peace :)

Memorial Day #8

I made it through the party, but I was feeling that craving gnawing on my brain like a carpenter bee (Google it, too long to explain here :)). I think I was lacking in food stuff from the get go and that put me in a bad mood. All I could think about was eating a giant watermelon, or salad, or a whole pint of blueberries, but I had none. Brunch was great. Big salad from the Diner. I ordered the Taco salad minus the cheese, sour cream, grilled chicken and dressing. I did get the proverbial..."no chicken?" from the waitress, but the cooks handled my requests and no I didn't feel bad...after all I was a paying customer.

But here's the thing, salad satisfies, but doesn't last long and a few hours later, I was hungry and without snacks (a bad combination for me). Our next meal was at another diner a few hours later and I will just say this...it was awful. The salad was fine, but the fruit was rotten and surrounded by cottage cheese, which I did not know about. Off to the store we went for food, food and more food. I was in heaven in the produce section and purchased $62 worth of fruits and veggies. Luckily, we were on our way to Angie's (Josh's sister) and I proceeded to dice, chop, slice and cube my way to a large, satisfying salad, with spare food for the flight home.

All in all, a day of mixed emotions and cravings, but I stuck with my plan and saw it through to the end. Success!

Peace,
Alene :)

Days 4,5,6 and 7 Traveling in Connecticut

It's Sunday, May 29th, 8:33pm, Eastern time. I have been in Connecticut for three days, and I have not been tempted to stray.


The story begins on Thursday, May 26th. Just a typical day of yoga, work and packing for a weekend getaway. My yoga practice on Thursday morning was once again blissful. I love how my body feels before, during and after. I have noticed that my lower back does not ache as often in Svasana(final resting pose) as it has in the past. I loved teaching my students and I felt a clarity in my teaching that I haven't experienced before. Thursday's stress came from my "to-do" list. I spent all day watching my mind and as soon as I noticed it focusing on the "to-do" list, I came back to what was happening in my present. Once I was finished with work, I had to come home and finish packing. This mainly consisted of prepping my dinner(a large salad) and preparing extra fruits for nourishment. I'm glad we chose the red-eye, so I could spend the most of my time sleeping. I was surprised how much a bunch of grapes kept me satisfied between flights.

Friday, we spent the first half of the day sleeping...it was soooooo goooood! For the evening, we went to Josh's sister's house for apps...none for me because they were pretzels and chips. Then we headed off to a diner for dinner. I enjoyed a house salad with lemon as the dressing and a bowl of fruit. It was all delicious. The others enjoyed hamburgers, omellettes and pizza...I'm thankful that I was past the hump of craving, because to looked like it would be tasty, however, I didn't even want a fry!

Saturday, I enjoyed a tasty watermelon and Angie(Josh's sister) took us to a fabulous market, think Henry's or Whole Foods, and I purchased many delicious fruits for my own consumption and plenty of veggies for a large, communal salad and one for myself. I am thankful that I find the cutting of veggies enjoyable and creating works of edible art for others.

And finally, today. Today was the big party with the Big Green Pizza truck. Wow! This was awesome and a little part of me did wish I hadn't made the choice to partake in this challenge, but then I feel that my pants are fitting, even becoming a little big and I like what I see in the mirror and I remember how my yoga practice has been feeling and I am reminded of the importance of this cleanse for me and my health. The party was from 11:00-5:00 and as I watched everyone become lethargic, I was graciously complimented on my energy and light as though I had just arrived.

I am beginning to believe that the "raw foodies" may be on to something with all their enzyme talk and increased energy. And I have noticed that my my ego may still want or crave, the rest of my mind and body have lost the craving.

Peace :)

They say, "Third Times the Charm"!

As day three comes to a close, I feel vibrant! I feel that I can sustain this way of life for the next 27 days. What lingers in the back of my mind, however, is my pending trip. I leave tomorrow (5/26) on a red eye flight to Connecticut. It is a trip I have known about for two years. Why, do you ask, would I do this cleanse now? Well, when it happened last year at around the same time, I made the excuses that June is a busy birthday month for my family and I didn't want to get mocked and ridiculed about eating raw foods. But when the challenge came around this year, I decided to do it regardless of what others may think. I had well over a month to think about doing it or not. I knew I would be leaving town to celebrate a graduation...with a pizza truck that makes made to order pizzas, no less.

So why now?, why not wait until I get back?
As my teacher reminded me, life is always happening. And as my other teacher has taught me, there is no later, only now, the present moment. So I did it.

Is it selfish? Well, a friend reminded me that it is none of my business what others think of me. Some may think that I am being selfish, some may even laugh behind my back, but I am stronger this year and I know deep inside that I am the only one responsible for me. So I take this challenge as a challenge of Self Love, as a challenge of bettering my health and my life.


Peace :)

Today's Menu
Breakfast- Some honeydew melon, an apple and an orange
Snack- some pineapple, blueberries and an apricot
Lunch-Salad and the rest of my pineapple, blueberries and the other apricot
Snack-an orange
dinner- the rest of my salad I couldn't finish at lunch(it was huge) and some watermelon

Day Two

Day two is coming to a close and as I sit back and reflect, I can't help but smile. The food I prepared was yummy and satisfying but what has stayed with me, all day, is my yoga practice. I practice every Tuesday and Thursday morning and I can honestly say in the last 10+ years, my practice has never felt the way it did today. I felt light, strong, energized. My fellow yogi's may have a sense of what I am trying to describe. And the best part, is that I still feel amazing...twelve hours later.

I will share that I did battle with my mind a lot more today than yesterday, but then again I had to go to the grocery store and pick up a few baking items for a gift I am making. So I eased the ego by first picking up some apricots, then some apples, then some delicious looking yellow cherry tomatoes...this seemed to help and I made sure I ate right when I got home. It's amazing how loud the ego voice can be and how coercive it can be. I am thankful for my mindfulness training and using the breath to come back to the present and to my body and to take time to remember how I felt today during and after practice. Self love is really what this detox is all about.

A dear friend of mine requested I post my menu each day...what a great idea!

I started the day with a fuji apple.
After yoga, I had some watermelon, a few strawberries, and an orange.
Lunch consisted of a large salad, with homemade salsa for dressing. (remember this is a raw thing, so nothing from a can or jar allowed)
I had an orange as a snack between teaching my two classes.
Dinner was a bunch of grapes, an apple and some pineapple.

Peace :)

Warning...

what you are about to read will challenge every fiber of your being. The content in this link goes against everything we have ever learned from our parents, teachers and mass media...but as with every story, don't we need to hear both sides first then decide for ourselves what's best?

Click here for the other side of the story.
raw food talk


Peace :)

Elephants, Apes and Giraffes...Oh My!

What do these animals and me have in common? Well, for the next 30 days, we are all vegan raw food-ists. Since deciding to do this challenge, I have been most interested in other people's response to my wanting to take it on. Why are we so fascinated by consuming tons of protein from animal products? I did a miniscule amount of research last night and found out that for my age, the US RDA (http://www.dietaryfiberfood.com/protein-requirement.php) of protein is 46 grams...that seems like A LOT. I was also informed by the creator of the challenge that when a person eats a chicken breast that has 7 grams of protein, the body will only absorb about 2-3 grams. But if a person consumes 7 grams of protein from fruits and vegetables, the body will absorb all the protein(note: I have not actually done this research yet to verify, but I plan to within the week). So which sounds more logical as a way to get protein? When I think about an ape, I think strength, not weakness. And sure, you could mention that lions eat meat, but it is a fact that they eat the intestines of their kill first and then move on to muscle. I guess even mother nature knows the importance of protein from plants.





I have completed day one and I feel fantastic. I had a lot of energy during my fitness class today and I have already noticed that my forward bend has deepened. I am motivated by how I feel inside to continue this challenge, and I can already feel my mind letting go of the challenge and embracing the lifestyle.

Peace :)

Cleansing the Body with Raw Food

For the next 30 days, I will immerse myself into the world of Raw Food. Not gourmet raw food, but good ol' wholesome whole foods...like carrots and apples and watermelon. I have joined in with many others from my yoga studio to cleanse my body of gross, putrid food stuffs and toxins from my cells and intestines. I will admit that the idea of not being able to eat a sandwhich for lunch or my yummy egg scramble in a whole wheat tortilla for breakfast was a bit frightening. So, I practiced. I actually started to eat fruit for breakfast, giant salads for lunch and more fruit for snacks, with the occasional processed food on the weekends. So, I'm ready. Ready to detox. Ready to cleanse. Ready to be rid of the stuff that is clogging me up and holding me back from a deeper forward fold and a "lighter" look at life. Follow me, if you will, as I share what is happening to me physically, emotionally and even spiritually.

Peace