When I started this, the first thing I wanted to do was get my BMI under 40. It's funny how what you read stays with you in unexpected ways. I read that the Chinese will not let anyone with a BMI over 40 adopt an infant.
Then I wanted to get to be less than 50% body fat.
Both these goals sound a little gross, I know, to someone who is in the normal weight range. But I gave up on normal long ago. I am just trying to do the best I can.
I started with a BMI close to 45. And fat far over 50%. I know this because my scale tracks it. You just stand on it in bare feet and it magically knows these numbers.
I got under 40 BMI weeks ago. But just this morning I noticed I was 47.8% fat! (Not counting the fat between my ears, of course.)
This is a big deal to me. I am doing the happy dance.
This is where I stand right now: BMI 38.5, Fat 47.8%, Water 38.1%.
I mistakenly thought that BMI under 40 meant that a person was no longer obese. Just checked, though, and it has to be under 30 to get out of the obesity zone. Rats. Oh well. Maybe I am no longer morbidly obese?
Also, I am doing research on the water percentage number. Chinese medicine thinks that fat is just water gone wrong. Maybe they are on to something.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Saturday, August 6, 2011
My basic food group is green
Hanging in there. Mantra "My basic food group is green." Most noticible difference: this year I had NO summer yeast infection on my skin. In previous years, I had to dose every night with tea tree oil to keep the redness and soreness down. This year, despite the heat (holy moly has it been hot!), no problem.
I give the credit entirely to the low gluten, low sugar diet I am pursuing.
From WebMD
"Yeast infections of the skin are called cutaneous candidiasis and are caused by yeast-like fungi called candida. They occur when yeast on the skin grows more actively and causes a red, scaling, itchy rash on the skin. Yeast infections are not contagious.
"Yeast infections may affect nearly any skin surface on the body, but are most likely to occur in warm, moist, creased areas including the armpits and the groin. Candida infection is especially common among people who are obese or who have diabetes."
A side note: people who eat a low-gluten, low-sugar, plant-based diet are not only likely to be free from cutaneous candidiasis, they are likely to be free of diabetes and obesity. Just saying.
I give the credit entirely to the low gluten, low sugar diet I am pursuing.
From WebMD
"Yeast infections of the skin are called cutaneous candidiasis and are caused by yeast-like fungi called candida. They occur when yeast on the skin grows more actively and causes a red, scaling, itchy rash on the skin. Yeast infections are not contagious.
"Yeast infections may affect nearly any skin surface on the body, but are most likely to occur in warm, moist, creased areas including the armpits and the groin. Candida infection is especially common among people who are obese or who have diabetes."
A side note: people who eat a low-gluten, low-sugar, plant-based diet are not only likely to be free from cutaneous candidiasis, they are likely to be free of diabetes and obesity. Just saying.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Major new study - Not all foods are equal
Isocaloric does not equal isometabolic. Those are the big words for the day.
Not all calories are equal. There are now officially good foods and bad foods. "Eat less, exercise more" is officially disproven as the key to weight loss. Exercise matters, of course, but what you eat matters more.
A major study following upwards of 100,000 well-educated Americans for more than a decade was just released by Harvard University. The study did not stop with diet alone but also focused on exercise and other daily habits.
The abstract from the New England Journal of Medicine is dense with statistics but the plain words speak very plainly. Eating potato chips, potatoes, sugar sweetened beverages, unprocessed red meats and processed meats will make you gain weight over the years. Eating vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts, and yogurt will not.
From the NY Times article by Jane Brody:
The new research, by five nutrition and public health experts at Harvard University, is by far the most detailed long-term analysis of the factors that influence weight gain, involving 120,877 well-educated men and women who were healthy and not obese at the start of the study. In addition to diet, it has important things to say about exercise, sleep, television watching, smoking and alcohol intake.
The study participants — nurses, doctors, dentists and veterinarians in the Nurses’ Health Study, Nurses’ Health Study II and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study — were followed for 12 to 20 years. Every two years, they completed very detailed questionnaires about their eating and other habits and current weight. The fascinating results were published in June in The New England Journal of Medicine.
The analysis examined how an array of factors influenced weight gain or loss during each four-year period of the study. The average participant gained 3.35 pounds every four years, for a total weight gain of 16.8 pounds in 20 years.
“This study shows that conventional wisdom — to eat everything in moderation, eat fewer calories and avoid fatty foods — isn’t the best approach,” Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist and epidemiologist at the Harvard School of Public Health and lead author of the study, said in an interview. “What you eat makes quite a difference. Just counting calories won’t matter much unless you look at the kinds of calories you’re eating.”
Dr. Frank B. Hu, a nutrition expert at the Harvard School of Public Health and a co-author of the new analysis, said: “In the past, too much emphasis has been put on single factors in the diet. But looking for a magic bullet hasn’t solved the problem of obesity.”
Also untrue, Dr. Mozaffarian said, is the food industry’s claim that there’s no such thing as a bad food.
“There are good foods and bad foods, and the advice should be to eat the good foods more and the bad foods less,” he said. “The notion that it’s O.K. to eat everything in moderation is just an excuse to eat whatever you want.”
The study showed that physical activity had the expected benefits for weight control. Those who exercised less over the course of the study tended to gain weight, while those who increased their activity didn’t. Those with the greatest increase in physical activity gained 1.76 fewer pounds than the rest of the participants within each four-year period.
But the researchers found that the kinds of foods people ate had a larger effect over all than changes in physical activity.
“Both physical activity and diet are important to weight control, but if you are fairly active and ignore diet, you can still gain weight,” said Dr. Walter Willett, chairman of the nutrition department at the Harvard School of Public Health and a co-author of the study.
As Dr. Mozaffarian observed, “Physical activity in the United States is poor, but diet is even worse.”
New England Journal of Medicine abstract:
Within each 4-year period, participants gained an average of 3.35 lb (5th to 95th percentile, −4.1 to 12.4). On the basis of increased daily servings of individual dietary components, 4-year weight change was most strongly associated with the intake of potato chips (1.69 lb), potatoes (1.28 lb), sugar-sweetened beverages (1.00 lb), unprocessed red meats (0.95 lb), and processed meats (0.93 lb) and was inversely associated with the intake of vegetables (−0.22 lb), whole grains (−0.37 lb), fruits (−0.49 lb), nuts (−0.57 lb), and yogurt (−0.82 lb) (P≤0.005 for each comparison). Aggregate dietary changes were associated with substantial differences in weight change (3.93 lb across quintiles of dietary change). Other lifestyle factors were also independently associated with weight change (P<0.001), including physical activity (−1.76 lb across quintiles); alcohol use (0.41 lb per drink per day), smoking (new quitters, 5.17 lb; former smokers, 0.14 lb), sleep (more weight gain with <6 or >8 hours of sleep), and television watching (0.31 lb per hour per day).
Not all calories are equal. There are now officially good foods and bad foods. "Eat less, exercise more" is officially disproven as the key to weight loss. Exercise matters, of course, but what you eat matters more.
A major study following upwards of 100,000 well-educated Americans for more than a decade was just released by Harvard University. The study did not stop with diet alone but also focused on exercise and other daily habits.
The abstract from the New England Journal of Medicine is dense with statistics but the plain words speak very plainly. Eating potato chips, potatoes, sugar sweetened beverages, unprocessed red meats and processed meats will make you gain weight over the years. Eating vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts, and yogurt will not.
From the NY Times article by Jane Brody:
The new research, by five nutrition and public health experts at Harvard University, is by far the most detailed long-term analysis of the factors that influence weight gain, involving 120,877 well-educated men and women who were healthy and not obese at the start of the study. In addition to diet, it has important things to say about exercise, sleep, television watching, smoking and alcohol intake.
The study participants — nurses, doctors, dentists and veterinarians in the Nurses’ Health Study, Nurses’ Health Study II and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study — were followed for 12 to 20 years. Every two years, they completed very detailed questionnaires about their eating and other habits and current weight. The fascinating results were published in June in The New England Journal of Medicine.
The analysis examined how an array of factors influenced weight gain or loss during each four-year period of the study. The average participant gained 3.35 pounds every four years, for a total weight gain of 16.8 pounds in 20 years.
“This study shows that conventional wisdom — to eat everything in moderation, eat fewer calories and avoid fatty foods — isn’t the best approach,” Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist and epidemiologist at the Harvard School of Public Health and lead author of the study, said in an interview. “What you eat makes quite a difference. Just counting calories won’t matter much unless you look at the kinds of calories you’re eating.”
Dr. Frank B. Hu, a nutrition expert at the Harvard School of Public Health and a co-author of the new analysis, said: “In the past, too much emphasis has been put on single factors in the diet. But looking for a magic bullet hasn’t solved the problem of obesity.”
Also untrue, Dr. Mozaffarian said, is the food industry’s claim that there’s no such thing as a bad food.
“There are good foods and bad foods, and the advice should be to eat the good foods more and the bad foods less,” he said. “The notion that it’s O.K. to eat everything in moderation is just an excuse to eat whatever you want.”
The study showed that physical activity had the expected benefits for weight control. Those who exercised less over the course of the study tended to gain weight, while those who increased their activity didn’t. Those with the greatest increase in physical activity gained 1.76 fewer pounds than the rest of the participants within each four-year period.
But the researchers found that the kinds of foods people ate had a larger effect over all than changes in physical activity.
“Both physical activity and diet are important to weight control, but if you are fairly active and ignore diet, you can still gain weight,” said Dr. Walter Willett, chairman of the nutrition department at the Harvard School of Public Health and a co-author of the study.
As Dr. Mozaffarian observed, “Physical activity in the United States is poor, but diet is even worse.”
New England Journal of Medicine abstract:
Within each 4-year period, participants gained an average of 3.35 lb (5th to 95th percentile, −4.1 to 12.4). On the basis of increased daily servings of individual dietary components, 4-year weight change was most strongly associated with the intake of potato chips (1.69 lb), potatoes (1.28 lb), sugar-sweetened beverages (1.00 lb), unprocessed red meats (0.95 lb), and processed meats (0.93 lb) and was inversely associated with the intake of vegetables (−0.22 lb), whole grains (−0.37 lb), fruits (−0.49 lb), nuts (−0.57 lb), and yogurt (−0.82 lb) (P≤0.005 for each comparison). Aggregate dietary changes were associated with substantial differences in weight change (3.93 lb across quintiles of dietary change). Other lifestyle factors were also independently associated with weight change (P<0.001), including physical activity (−1.76 lb across quintiles); alcohol use (0.41 lb per drink per day), smoking (new quitters, 5.17 lb; former smokers, 0.14 lb), sleep (more weight gain with <6 or >8 hours of sleep), and television watching (0.31 lb per hour per day).
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Amy Winehouse - another victim
I am strangely moved by the death of Amy Winehouse. It brings to mind the 27-year-olds that my generation lost: Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison.
But, more than that, it highlights something Freud talked about, an idea I find incomprehensible but intermittently sense as true. There is some dark link between certain pleasures and love of death.
Addiction kills. There comes a time when when what started out as "fun" slides into self-destruction. Any addiction is a progressive, deadly disease. And, frankly, that includes food addiction.
Amy herself seemed to glimpse the idea that health is the antidote to addiction. But she rejected it, still hoping that "fun" would become fun again.
From journalist Chris Wilman's interview with Winehouse.
I no longer believe that being healthy means you are not having fun.
But then I am no longer 27 either.
But, more than that, it highlights something Freud talked about, an idea I find incomprehensible but intermittently sense as true. There is some dark link between certain pleasures and love of death.
Addiction kills. There comes a time when when what started out as "fun" slides into self-destruction. Any addiction is a progressive, deadly disease. And, frankly, that includes food addiction.
Amy herself seemed to glimpse the idea that health is the antidote to addiction. But she rejected it, still hoping that "fun" would become fun again.
From journalist Chris Wilman's interview with Winehouse.
Q: The label went with another single before "Rehab," and I wondered if it's because they were nervous because Americans are conflicted with our attitudes about consumption.
A: "I don't know. Everyone knows that there's certain things that aren't good for you, but there's a fine line between enjoying yourself and being completely healthy. Or do you know what I mean? You can only be healthy to a point, where you're not having fun anymore. Does that make sense?"
I no longer believe that being healthy means you are not having fun.
But then I am no longer 27 either.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Progress, not perfection
Looking forward very much to tonight's first class with Jane Van Benthsen. We are starting a 12 week series of education and motivation.
I am a total believer in the power of supporting groups to accelerate and solidify any change a person is trying to make. Together we can do far more than we can alone.
Meanwhile, I found these pictures on Facebook that let me judge how far I have come. I was disappointed with how I looked in June -- until I compared it with how I looked last Christmas.
God is good.
I am a total believer in the power of supporting groups to accelerate and solidify any change a person is trying to make. Together we can do far more than we can alone.
Meanwhile, I found these pictures on Facebook that let me judge how far I have come. I was disappointed with how I looked in June -- until I compared it with how I looked last Christmas.
God is good.
 |
| The June picture was taken in Atchinson by the Missouri River. The very next day this spot was under water. And not by just a little. |
Monday, July 11, 2011
Exercise plays a role
In addition to changing the kind of food I am putting into my body, I trying to change the way I move my body as well. One of the promises of the program is that you will feel more energetic and that exercise will be something that you want to do, not something that you are forced to do.
I am waiting for that magic moment.
But I will say that this evening I actually exercised on my own. No class. No teacher. No schedule. Just because I wanted to.
This is the first time in a long time. Once in a row.
I moved along with the Dragon's Way Qigong DVD. The Dragon's Way is a stress reduction and weight loss program by Dr. Nan Lu, founder of the Traditional Chinese Medicine World Foundation. The idea is to open up the various joints in the body and to allow energy to flow. It promotes flexibility in the hips, knees, ankles, waist, arms and neck.
Dr. Lu makes it look easy - but I have sweat running down my back by the time the 20 minute exercise cycle is finished.
I can't balance on one leg for the life of me. I suppose that will come. In time. If I keep after it.
Just for full disclosure: in addition to want-to exercises, I go to two Pilates classes a week. This is for core strength and flexibility.
I find I need a scheduled class to make me show up at the gym. The gym at work offers Pilates classes and I take them so I will actually walk through the door of the gym. Other than that, I buy memberships and do not go.
And I kind of like Pilates because, in my experience, nothing targets core musculature as well as Pilates does.
I sure am the worst one in the class, though. Maybe I can be in the running for Most Improved. Or Most Humbled.
I follow up Pilates with a 40 minute routine on the weight machines. No one makes me do this either. It is kind of a dessert for me. I like working with weights.
Right now, then, I have two structured exercise days a week. This is not enough. I am looking for something else to work in.
I am hoping that somehow someday I will find an exercise program or sport to fall in love with.
I am waiting for that magic moment.
But I will say that this evening I actually exercised on my own. No class. No teacher. No schedule. Just because I wanted to.
This is the first time in a long time. Once in a row.
I moved along with the Dragon's Way Qigong DVD. The Dragon's Way is a stress reduction and weight loss program by Dr. Nan Lu, founder of the Traditional Chinese Medicine World Foundation. The idea is to open up the various joints in the body and to allow energy to flow. It promotes flexibility in the hips, knees, ankles, waist, arms and neck.
Dr. Lu makes it look easy - but I have sweat running down my back by the time the 20 minute exercise cycle is finished.
I can't balance on one leg for the life of me. I suppose that will come. In time. If I keep after it.
Just for full disclosure: in addition to want-to exercises, I go to two Pilates classes a week. This is for core strength and flexibility.
I find I need a scheduled class to make me show up at the gym. The gym at work offers Pilates classes and I take them so I will actually walk through the door of the gym. Other than that, I buy memberships and do not go.
And I kind of like Pilates because, in my experience, nothing targets core musculature as well as Pilates does.
I sure am the worst one in the class, though. Maybe I can be in the running for Most Improved. Or Most Humbled.
 |
| This is NOT me. It is a pretty good picture of The Hundreds, though. Ask me about The Hundreds. Whew. |
Right now, then, I have two structured exercise days a week. This is not enough. I am looking for something else to work in.
I am hoping that somehow someday I will find an exercise program or sport to fall in love with.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Our story so far
It's about two months into this journey. Where am I exactly?
Food: I am sticking to Dr. Joel Fuhrman's basic plan of gluten-free, sugar-free(ish), animal-free, low salt, low oil, high veggie eating. I am more or less doing OK on it. I am not doing too well on the four fruits per day or on the pound of cooked vegetables per day. I am probably over-eating on grains and beans - chiefly lentils. But I am not giving it up.
Weight-loss: Down about 20 pounds. Have been at the same weight for almost two weeks - due, I think, to under-eating vegetables and over-eating grains and beans.
Arthritis: It was arthritis pain that got me in to all this. During my late-April, early-May trip to Wales, I was less able than anyone on the trip, even an 80-year-old woman with a hip replacement -- and two canes. Man. This led to considerable emotional pain in addition to the physical pain. And we all know that pain drives change.
The desire to change led me to this plan of eating. It is supposed to reduce all sorts of inflammation - including arthritis.
The verdict? I wish there was such a thing as a painOmeter. If I had one, I could say, for example, that I was a 47 in early May and am a 34 now.
But I can only report anecdotally.
I feel somewhat more pain-free.
(It is my understanding that human beings are incapable of fully remembering pain. We can remember that we felt pain. But cannot re-experience it. Good thing, too. But it makes even my subjective evaluation a little imprecise.)
I seem to be able to walk better. At least I do not stop to contemplate and evaluate before attempting to walk. I just set out walking, much as I imagine "normal" people do. I seem to experience less pain trying to sleep. I have not had to take Advil in order to sleep in weeks.
As an example of the improvement, the other day while having a shiatsu massage I was able to lie on my back without putting a pillow under my knees. That is a Big Deal to me. It has been a very long time since I was able to do that.
In general, I am encouraged.
Blood Pressure: Another claim of the diet is that it will reduce high blood pressure. I had mine taken the other day and was disappointed in the result.
I ran out of blood pressure meds while on vacation and did not refill the prescription, hoping for a change brought on by diet and exercise. No such luck. At least so far.
I had my prescription refilled on Sunday.
I will report more as I know more.
Support System: I am convinced that people need a support group in order to be successful in making any significant change. So I am seeking one out. Or perhaps it is seeking me?
I saw the movie Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead before heading out on vacation. There I met Jane Van Benthusen of the Kansas City Raw Foods Union and Green St. Goods who was speaking at the screening. She told her story of losing 80 pounds and curing her cervical cancer through an earth-based diet, using raw foods and juice.
That movie was the beginning of my mental change. So Jane has been a distant presence and Facebook acquaintance throughout this journey.
On July 12 she is starting up a weekly Health and Happiness support and motivation group at the Westside Temple. (She is doing a Sunday night group in Lee's Summit as well. I just live closer to the Westside than to Lee's Summit.)
She promised to share recipes, motivation and little treats. I could use some recipes, motivation and little treats. I plan to be there. It is only a 12 week commitment so it is not too scary.
Oh, and I am going to start up juicing again in a few days, I think. Maybe a three or four day juice fast to get back on track? Stay tuned.
Food: I am sticking to Dr. Joel Fuhrman's basic plan of gluten-free, sugar-free(ish), animal-free, low salt, low oil, high veggie eating. I am more or less doing OK on it. I am not doing too well on the four fruits per day or on the pound of cooked vegetables per day. I am probably over-eating on grains and beans - chiefly lentils. But I am not giving it up.
Weight-loss: Down about 20 pounds. Have been at the same weight for almost two weeks - due, I think, to under-eating vegetables and over-eating grains and beans.
Arthritis: It was arthritis pain that got me in to all this. During my late-April, early-May trip to Wales, I was less able than anyone on the trip, even an 80-year-old woman with a hip replacement -- and two canes. Man. This led to considerable emotional pain in addition to the physical pain. And we all know that pain drives change.
The desire to change led me to this plan of eating. It is supposed to reduce all sorts of inflammation - including arthritis.
The verdict? I wish there was such a thing as a painOmeter. If I had one, I could say, for example, that I was a 47 in early May and am a 34 now.
But I can only report anecdotally.
I feel somewhat more pain-free.
(It is my understanding that human beings are incapable of fully remembering pain. We can remember that we felt pain. But cannot re-experience it. Good thing, too. But it makes even my subjective evaluation a little imprecise.)
I seem to be able to walk better. At least I do not stop to contemplate and evaluate before attempting to walk. I just set out walking, much as I imagine "normal" people do. I seem to experience less pain trying to sleep. I have not had to take Advil in order to sleep in weeks.
As an example of the improvement, the other day while having a shiatsu massage I was able to lie on my back without putting a pillow under my knees. That is a Big Deal to me. It has been a very long time since I was able to do that.
In general, I am encouraged.
Blood Pressure: Another claim of the diet is that it will reduce high blood pressure. I had mine taken the other day and was disappointed in the result.
I ran out of blood pressure meds while on vacation and did not refill the prescription, hoping for a change brought on by diet and exercise. No such luck. At least so far.
I had my prescription refilled on Sunday.
I will report more as I know more.
Support System: I am convinced that people need a support group in order to be successful in making any significant change. So I am seeking one out. Or perhaps it is seeking me?
I saw the movie Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead before heading out on vacation. There I met Jane Van Benthusen of the Kansas City Raw Foods Union and Green St. Goods who was speaking at the screening. She told her story of losing 80 pounds and curing her cervical cancer through an earth-based diet, using raw foods and juice.
That movie was the beginning of my mental change. So Jane has been a distant presence and Facebook acquaintance throughout this journey.
On July 12 she is starting up a weekly Health and Happiness support and motivation group at the Westside Temple. (She is doing a Sunday night group in Lee's Summit as well. I just live closer to the Westside than to Lee's Summit.)
She promised to share recipes, motivation and little treats. I could use some recipes, motivation and little treats. I plan to be there. It is only a 12 week commitment so it is not too scary.
Oh, and I am going to start up juicing again in a few days, I think. Maybe a three or four day juice fast to get back on track? Stay tuned.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Spiritual Dieting
Thinking about impulse control and the Day of Bad Eating - one of the things that Buddhists talk about is "sitting with" a feeling. Don't do anything about it. Just sit and examine it. Treat it as an object of intense curiousity.
What is this? Where did it come from? Where am I feeling it? Is something physical? If so, where is it located? Is it emotional? What are the connenctions? What thoughts led to it? What other ideas is it related to? Is it based in love? What would happen if I did act on it? What would happen if I did not?
My personal orientation is Christian, of course, and there is plenty of Christian wisdom on the topic. I am reminded of Paul's admonition to "take every thought captive" or the idea of being transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Both Jesus and Paul and James all let us know that the things that are seen proceed from the things that are not seen. Simply put, our actions come out of our thoughts.
So I am resolved that the next time I heading off the food rails, I will take a moment to look at my thoughts.
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:4 - 6
What is this? Where did it come from? Where am I feeling it? Is something physical? If so, where is it located? Is it emotional? What are the connenctions? What thoughts led to it? What other ideas is it related to? Is it based in love? What would happen if I did act on it? What would happen if I did not?
My personal orientation is Christian, of course, and there is plenty of Christian wisdom on the topic. I am reminded of Paul's admonition to "take every thought captive" or the idea of being transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Both Jesus and Paul and James all let us know that the things that are seen proceed from the things that are not seen. Simply put, our actions come out of our thoughts.
So I am resolved that the next time I heading off the food rails, I will take a moment to look at my thoughts.
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:4 - 6
Monday, June 20, 2011
Wheels fall off
Today has been my worst eating day in two months. I am doing crazy eating and wondering why. I can only hope that tomorrow will be better.
Being honest, I think several things came into play.
One is the "might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb" syndrome. For those whose parents didn't come from the south, that means if you are in the red zone, might as well be really red -- and not just a little pink. So once I fell off the diet, I figured I might as well eat anything I wanted.
I am not claiming this is logical. Or even sensible.
Another contributing factor that I cannot deny (even if I try with both hands) is emotional eating. I know I do not feel 100% emotionally and I am sure I am turning to food as my drug of choice.
Is there a lurking feeling of deprivation? Am I thinking that I am missing something by sticking to my diet plan? If so, I am wrong. The junk I ate today was not nearly as good as the food I have been eating.
I'll tell you, the mind is a strange place.
Maybe I need a sponsor.
Being honest, I think several things came into play.
One is the "might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb" syndrome. For those whose parents didn't come from the south, that means if you are in the red zone, might as well be really red -- and not just a little pink. So once I fell off the diet, I figured I might as well eat anything I wanted.
I am not claiming this is logical. Or even sensible.
Another contributing factor that I cannot deny (even if I try with both hands) is emotional eating. I know I do not feel 100% emotionally and I am sure I am turning to food as my drug of choice.
Is there a lurking feeling of deprivation? Am I thinking that I am missing something by sticking to my diet plan? If so, I am wrong. The junk I ate today was not nearly as good as the food I have been eating.
I'll tell you, the mind is a strange place.
Maybe I need a sponsor.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Meet Up at the Conveniently Natural Restaurant
The folks behind the movie Forks Over Knives are committed to sponsoring meet ups on the local level for those interested in following up on the eating changes that the movie embraces. The Kansas City group had their first event last night at the Conveniently Natural restaurant, 3711 Southwest Trafficway, KCMO.
We had 1) wonderful food and 2) a wonderful time.
The restaurant serves vegan food and provides home delivery of prepared vegan meals. The idea is to order a weeks' worth at a time.
This is a very intriguing to me. The food plan I am now following has me spending more at the grocery store and more time in the kitchen than I was really ready for. The idea that someone would do the shopping, menu planning and preparation is very attractive to me.
I will tell you right now that the food they serve is better than anything you will get in my kitchen. They are trying to make the vegan option attractive to people by proving that you do not need to give up your favorite foods when you decide to forgo animal products. You can have anything you crave - including brownies.
As I try to describe the food, you will see that I am not much of a gourmet. I have the same problem with paint colors. I still don't know what color "ecru" is.
We had a super tasty gluten-free pasta with tomato sauce and also a rice and quinoa casserole. The hit for me was a sea vegetable salad that seemed a lot like cole slaw. I was so impressed with it because it is high in vitamin B12. I saw an article on food sources for various vitamins & was alarmed to see the B12 seemed to exist only in meat. Finding out that you can get it from sea vegetable is great news.
And the blondies and brownies they served for dessert were far too good. Apparently you can overeat on food that is good for you. Who knew?
I do not know why I did not take pictures of the meal. Duh. But now, I have been inside the restaurant and know where I can find a guilt-free meal.
There are, of course, other vegan restaurants in KC. I will try to track them down and write them up.
For those not familiar with the "meet up" idea, it is kind of like a Craigslist for groups. (They would probably hate to hear me say that.) If you have any interests at all, you can probably find a like-minded group on the site -- and also find out when and where they are meeting.
We had 1) wonderful food and 2) a wonderful time.
The restaurant serves vegan food and provides home delivery of prepared vegan meals. The idea is to order a weeks' worth at a time.
This is a very intriguing to me. The food plan I am now following has me spending more at the grocery store and more time in the kitchen than I was really ready for. The idea that someone would do the shopping, menu planning and preparation is very attractive to me.
I will tell you right now that the food they serve is better than anything you will get in my kitchen. They are trying to make the vegan option attractive to people by proving that you do not need to give up your favorite foods when you decide to forgo animal products. You can have anything you crave - including brownies.
As I try to describe the food, you will see that I am not much of a gourmet. I have the same problem with paint colors. I still don't know what color "ecru" is.
We had a super tasty gluten-free pasta with tomato sauce and also a rice and quinoa casserole. The hit for me was a sea vegetable salad that seemed a lot like cole slaw. I was so impressed with it because it is high in vitamin B12. I saw an article on food sources for various vitamins & was alarmed to see the B12 seemed to exist only in meat. Finding out that you can get it from sea vegetable is great news.
And the blondies and brownies they served for dessert were far too good. Apparently you can overeat on food that is good for you. Who knew?
I do not know why I did not take pictures of the meal. Duh. But now, I have been inside the restaurant and know where I can find a guilt-free meal.
There are, of course, other vegan restaurants in KC. I will try to track them down and write them up.
For those not familiar with the "meet up" idea, it is kind of like a Craigslist for groups. (They would probably hate to hear me say that.) If you have any interests at all, you can probably find a like-minded group on the site -- and also find out when and where they are meeting.
Monday, June 13, 2011
FYI: Dirty Dozen
The new "dirty dozen" list of produce
By Sarah B. WeirMore from Green Picks blog
A new report published by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) might make you re-think that "apple a day" -- if it's conventionally grown using pesticides.
(Photo: Getty Images)
According to the group's annual "dirty dozen" list of fruits and vegetables with the highest pesticide residues, apples ranked number one as the most-contaminated item, up from number four last year.
Other changes from the 2010 findings: this year, cherries dropped off the list, and lettuce, previously absent, now appears at number 11. The EWG uses data compiled by the USDA to produce these findings.
Dirty Dozen 2011
- Apples
- Celery
- Strawberries
- Peaches
- Spinach
- Nectarines (imported)
- Grapes (imported)
- Sweet bell peppers
- Potatoes
- Blueberries (domestic)
- Lettuce
- Kale/collard greens
The "clean fifteen" are also included in the report - these are fruits and veggies with the lowest levels of pesticides so there's no need to waste your money on organic versions. Some popular items include watermelon and avocado.
The EWG points out that if consumers simply chose their daily recommended five servings of fruit and vegetables from the least contaminated list over five from the dirty dozen, they would reduce the amount of pesticides ingested by 92% - without having to shell out extra money for organics.
Clean Fifteen 2011
- Onions
- Sweet corn
- Pineapples
- Avocado
- Asparagus
- Sweet peas
- Mangoes
- Eggplants
- Cantaloupe (domestic)
- Kiwi
- Cabbage
- Watermelon
- Sweet potatoes
- Grapefruit
- Mushrooms
Pesticides on produce
Conventional farmers use an arsenal of pesticides to protect their crops from insects, bacteria, rodents, molds, and fungi. These substances can end up in the food supply. Washing and peeling fruit and vegetables can lower pesticide residues, but not necessarily. When the USDA tests for pesticides, they wash and peel fruit the same way a typical consumer would.
The National Institute of Environmental Health Services acknowledges that scientists do not have a full understanding of the health risks associated with exposure to agricultural pesticide residues through food, soil, water, or air. They also report that farmers who use pesticides experience an increase in neurological symptoms and that the harmful effects on children are greater than on adults.
Recent studies indicate that pregnant women should also be careful of their exposure to pesticides. Three studies published in 2011 in the Journal of Environmental Health Perspectives suggest pesticide exposure can harm the developing fetal brain.
Organic vs. conventional produce
Organic produce is grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. However, organics can be harder to find and prohibitively expensive. If you are concerned about consuming pesticides, the EWG's dirty dozen and clean fifteen lists can help you make the safest and most affordable choices.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Foods that can be eaten in unlimited quantities
LEAFY GREEN VEGETABLES
romaine lettuce, leaf lettuces, kale, collards, Swiss chard, cabbage, spinach, bok choy
SOLID GREEN VEGETABLES
artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, celery, cucumber, peas, green peppers, string beans, zucchini
NON-GREEN, HIGH NUTRIENT VEGETABLES
beets, eggplant, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, peppers, water chestnuts, cauliflower, squash, carrots
BEANS AND LEGUMES
red kidney beans, pinto beans, soybeans, lentils, black-eyed peas, black beans
FRESH FRUITS
apples, apricots, blackberries, blueberries, grapefruit, grapes, kiwis, mangoes, nectarines, all melons, oranges, peaches, pears, pineapples, plums, strawberries, tangerines
romaine lettuce, leaf lettuces, kale, collards, Swiss chard, cabbage, spinach, bok choy
SOLID GREEN VEGETABLES
artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, celery, cucumber, peas, green peppers, string beans, zucchini
NON-GREEN, HIGH NUTRIENT VEGETABLES
beets, eggplant, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, peppers, water chestnuts, cauliflower, squash, carrots
BEANS AND LEGUMES
red kidney beans, pinto beans, soybeans, lentils, black-eyed peas, black beans
FRESH FRUITS
apples, apricots, blackberries, blueberries, grapefruit, grapes, kiwis, mangoes, nectarines, all melons, oranges, peaches, pears, pineapples, plums, strawberries, tangerines
A little slip up
I confess. This week for the first time since I started this eating plan, I have been hungry. And my weight loss seems to have hit a plateau. So it was back to the books for a diet review.
Aha and eureka! Who would have thought it? I am hungry because I am not eating enough!
As I understand it, there are macro-nutrients and micro-nutrients. The macro-nutrients are protein, carbohydrates and fat. They have calories. And consequences. They should be eaten moderately.
The micro-nutrients are things like vitamins and minerals. They are found in colorful vegetables. They are nothing but good for you. And they can be eaten with abandon. As much as you want.
The problem with my diet for the past week was that I had been eating the macro-nutrients but had not chowed down on the veggies. I was eating far less than the pound of raw vegetables and the pound of cooked vegetables that I am supposed to eat.
There is no reason to be hungry. Just gotta chop and cook a little more.
Aha and eureka! Who would have thought it? I am hungry because I am not eating enough!
As I understand it, there are macro-nutrients and micro-nutrients. The macro-nutrients are protein, carbohydrates and fat. They have calories. And consequences. They should be eaten moderately.
The micro-nutrients are things like vitamins and minerals. They are found in colorful vegetables. They are nothing but good for you. And they can be eaten with abandon. As much as you want.
The problem with my diet for the past week was that I had been eating the macro-nutrients but had not chowed down on the veggies. I was eating far less than the pound of raw vegetables and the pound of cooked vegetables that I am supposed to eat.
There is no reason to be hungry. Just gotta chop and cook a little more.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
The Sugar Debate
"Is Sugar Toxic?" asks journalist and author Gary Taubes in a recent article in the New York Times magazine.
Usually the problem with sugar is thought of simply as one of over-consumption of "empty" calories. Source of problem: personal discipline. Solution: Cut back.
However, Taubes' reading of the medical research suggests much more than that. The problem, he argues, is with sugar itself, not our personal will power. In fact, there are those suggesting that sugar should be thought of like tobacco, as something that is actively toxic.
The issue is the way in which sugar is metabolized by the body. Sugar (really no different than high fructrose corn syrup) is chemically half glucose and half fructose. The glucose part is a normal byproduct of carbohydrate digestion. That is the part to be handled with moderation.
The piece that concerns him -- and many researchers -- is the fructose. It is digested primarily in the liver, where it rapidly deposits fat.
"In animals, or at least in laboratory rats and mice, it’s clear that if the fructose hits the liver in sufficient quantity and with sufficient speed, the liver will convert much of it to fat. This apparently induces a condition known as insulin resistance, which is now considered the fundamental problem in obesity, and the underlying defect in heart disease and in the type of diabetes, type 2, that is common to obese and overweight individuals. It might also be the underlying defect in many cancers."
Excessive fat in the liver has been linked to metabolic syndrome (also know as insulin resistance), a condition in which your body ignores the action of the hormone insulin. In response, your pancreas produces more and more insulin - until it reaches a state of exhaustion.
There are two results from this. One is either a pre-diabetic condition or full blown type II diabetes. The other is a state of chronic insulin elevation. This second condition may be as dangerous as diabetes, perhaps more so.
"The connection between obesity, diabetes and cancer was first reported in 2004 in large population studies by researchers from the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer. It is not controversial. What it means is that you are more likely to get cancer if you’re obese or diabetic than if you’re not, and you’re more likely to get cancer if you have metabolic syndrome than if you don’t.
So how does it work? Cancer researchers now consider that the problem with insulin resistance is that it leads us to secrete more insulin, and insulin (as well as a related hormone known as insulin-like growth factor) actually promotes tumor growth."
In other words, chronic over-supply of insulin may foster the growth of cancerous cells.
This is a short version of a very long article. You can read more yourself.
For an expert, but admittedly negative, look at the sugar, take a look at the YouTube lecture by Dr. Robert H. Lustig, UCSF Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology. An hour and a half long, this video has been viewed more than 1.4 million times. A great many people must think it is important.
Usually the problem with sugar is thought of simply as one of over-consumption of "empty" calories. Source of problem: personal discipline. Solution: Cut back.
However, Taubes' reading of the medical research suggests much more than that. The problem, he argues, is with sugar itself, not our personal will power. In fact, there are those suggesting that sugar should be thought of like tobacco, as something that is actively toxic.
The issue is the way in which sugar is metabolized by the body. Sugar (really no different than high fructrose corn syrup) is chemically half glucose and half fructose. The glucose part is a normal byproduct of carbohydrate digestion. That is the part to be handled with moderation.
The piece that concerns him -- and many researchers -- is the fructose. It is digested primarily in the liver, where it rapidly deposits fat.
"In animals, or at least in laboratory rats and mice, it’s clear that if the fructose hits the liver in sufficient quantity and with sufficient speed, the liver will convert much of it to fat. This apparently induces a condition known as insulin resistance, which is now considered the fundamental problem in obesity, and the underlying defect in heart disease and in the type of diabetes, type 2, that is common to obese and overweight individuals. It might also be the underlying defect in many cancers."
Excessive fat in the liver has been linked to metabolic syndrome (also know as insulin resistance), a condition in which your body ignores the action of the hormone insulin. In response, your pancreas produces more and more insulin - until it reaches a state of exhaustion.
There are two results from this. One is either a pre-diabetic condition or full blown type II diabetes. The other is a state of chronic insulin elevation. This second condition may be as dangerous as diabetes, perhaps more so.
"The connection between obesity, diabetes and cancer was first reported in 2004 in large population studies by researchers from the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer. It is not controversial. What it means is that you are more likely to get cancer if you’re obese or diabetic than if you’re not, and you’re more likely to get cancer if you have metabolic syndrome than if you don’t.
So how does it work? Cancer researchers now consider that the problem with insulin resistance is that it leads us to secrete more insulin, and insulin (as well as a related hormone known as insulin-like growth factor) actually promotes tumor growth."
In other words, chronic over-supply of insulin may foster the growth of cancerous cells.
This is a short version of a very long article. You can read more yourself.
For an expert, but admittedly negative, look at the sugar, take a look at the YouTube lecture by Dr. Robert H. Lustig, UCSF Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology. An hour and a half long, this video has been viewed more than 1.4 million times. A great many people must think it is important.
Different than it seems
In some ways, juicing was easier than eating real food. One of my chief problems with food has been figuring out -- meal by meal -- what to eat. When I was juicing, it was simple: eat the green juice in the fridge. It is not nearly so simple now.
The basics are simple enough. Eat a pound of raw vegetables. Eat a pound of cooked vegetables. Don't eat too many grains or beans. Avoid oil, salt, sugar, animal products and gluten. Eat four fruits a day.
Five simple sentences.
One would think that "avoid oil, salt, sugar, animal products and gluten" would be the sticking point. It is not so much. I am stuck on how to eat the pound of cooked vegetables. I guess I need to spend more time reading recipes.
I sort of miss the simplicity of juice. But not the clean up time.
The basics are simple enough. Eat a pound of raw vegetables. Eat a pound of cooked vegetables. Don't eat too many grains or beans. Avoid oil, salt, sugar, animal products and gluten. Eat four fruits a day.
Five simple sentences.
One would think that "avoid oil, salt, sugar, animal products and gluten" would be the sticking point. It is not so much. I am stuck on how to eat the pound of cooked vegetables. I guess I need to spend more time reading recipes.
I sort of miss the simplicity of juice. But not the clean up time.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Have I Joined a Cult?
Have I joined some kind of foodist cult? No.
Do I think Joel Fuhrman is the Source of All Truth? No.
Was I brainwashed into trying some kind of harebrained eating scheme. Um, I don't think so.
Here's the deal. Years ago when I used to grow bonsai, the club leaders said, "If you are going to buy a book, only buy one book. If you get more than one, they will contradict each other and you will get confused."
For right now, Eat to Live is my one book. It may not be any better than any other book. But for a little while, it is my book. So that I do not become confused.
Actually, on a personal level, my friend Jamie Rich had amazing -- and long-lived -- weight loss results with the Fuhrman method. (See below.) So I didn't just pick it out of a hat.
I am not afraid that I will become malnourished and die during this trial period. If anything, I was more malnourished during the years when I was gaining this weight. Pizza, beer, diet coke and popcorn don't strike me as a spectacularly well-balanced diet. If I did not die then, I probably will not keel over in the next few weeks.
(Just for the record, the pizza etc. diet was more than 10 years ago. I was in a blue funk and gained 80 pounds in a year. Interestingly, it is far easier to gain weight than it is to lose it.)
What I keep in front of me is the reason that I am doing this. My knees are full of arthritis and my primary medical remedy is surgical. I want to try everything in my power to avoid that. If it takes losing weight, I am finally completely serious about it.
And, honestly, even if I were to undergo surgery, my rehab and recovery would much easier if I were much smaller.
Little changes don't seem to work for me. I have been trying to tweak my diet and exercise for years with not much to show for it. Apparently, I need a radical shift my eating patterns for the time being while I determine what my new direction will be.
Remember, there are two phases to change. First, stop. Stop what you are doing. Second, do something different. This is my stop phase.
Right now, nutrient density makes sense to me. Sugar-free and gluten-free also recommends itself to my intelligence.
I cannot see anything wrong with eating highly nutritious foods exclusively for a while.
Do I think Joel Fuhrman is the Source of All Truth? No.
Was I brainwashed into trying some kind of harebrained eating scheme. Um, I don't think so.
Here's the deal. Years ago when I used to grow bonsai, the club leaders said, "If you are going to buy a book, only buy one book. If you get more than one, they will contradict each other and you will get confused."
For right now, Eat to Live is my one book. It may not be any better than any other book. But for a little while, it is my book. So that I do not become confused.
Actually, on a personal level, my friend Jamie Rich had amazing -- and long-lived -- weight loss results with the Fuhrman method. (See below.) So I didn't just pick it out of a hat.
I am not afraid that I will become malnourished and die during this trial period. If anything, I was more malnourished during the years when I was gaining this weight. Pizza, beer, diet coke and popcorn don't strike me as a spectacularly well-balanced diet. If I did not die then, I probably will not keel over in the next few weeks.
(Just for the record, the pizza etc. diet was more than 10 years ago. I was in a blue funk and gained 80 pounds in a year. Interestingly, it is far easier to gain weight than it is to lose it.)
What I keep in front of me is the reason that I am doing this. My knees are full of arthritis and my primary medical remedy is surgical. I want to try everything in my power to avoid that. If it takes losing weight, I am finally completely serious about it.
And, honestly, even if I were to undergo surgery, my rehab and recovery would much easier if I were much smaller.
Little changes don't seem to work for me. I have been trying to tweak my diet and exercise for years with not much to show for it. Apparently, I need a radical shift my eating patterns for the time being while I determine what my new direction will be.
Remember, there are two phases to change. First, stop. Stop what you are doing. Second, do something different. This is my stop phase.
Right now, nutrient density makes sense to me. Sugar-free and gluten-free also recommends itself to my intelligence.
I cannot see anything wrong with eating highly nutritious foods exclusively for a while.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Back in love with Ethiopian Food
I do not know exactly what Dr. Joel Fuhrman would think but today I went to lunch with my co-workers at the Blue Nile Ethiopian Cafe in, shh, Johnson County. First, I love Ethiopian food. Second, I love Daniel and Selam who own it - have know them since 1995 or so. Third, it is practically guilt-free!
For those who do not know about Ethiopian food, it is mostly vegetarian and you eat it by tearing off little pieces of bread & scooping up the food with it.
The good news is that injera, the bread with which you eat, is gluten-free. It is not made with wheat but with a grain called teff, grown in Ethiopia. It is made with a starter, like sourdough, and is spongy & stretchy. Great for those of us who like to play with our food.
I found a very complete recipe for injera that includes the starter process.
http://chefinyou.com/2010/02/ethiopian-injera-recipe/
More good news is that I ate all the right cooked vegetables: spinach, beets, squash, lentils, mushrooms.
I confess I do not know about the oil and salt content.
And I probably ate more than I should have.
But I am mostly joyful.
For those who do not know about Ethiopian food, it is mostly vegetarian and you eat it by tearing off little pieces of bread & scooping up the food with it.
The good news is that injera, the bread with which you eat, is gluten-free. It is not made with wheat but with a grain called teff, grown in Ethiopia. It is made with a starter, like sourdough, and is spongy & stretchy. Great for those of us who like to play with our food.
I found a very complete recipe for injera that includes the starter process.
http://chefinyou.com/2010/02/ethiopian-injera-recipe/
More good news is that I ate all the right cooked vegetables: spinach, beets, squash, lentils, mushrooms.
I confess I do not know about the oil and salt content.
And I probably ate more than I should have.
But I am mostly joyful.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Next Steps
For the next six weeks or so I am planning to follow the eating plan outlined in Dr. Joel Fuhrman's book Eat to Live. I am still imperfect in my understanding of it but I will share what I grasp.
The purpose is to wean a person away from food-like substances and move them towards real foods that are high in nutrition.
His formula (he has to make it simple so we can remember it) is H = N/C. It means that the way to pick healthy foods is to look at their nutritional density - the nutritional content divided by the calories. Pick the foods packing the most nutritional punch per calorie consumed.
He plans to shock your system during the first few weeks. No sugar. Very, very little salt. No gluten. Very, very little meat - if at all. Easy on the beans and grains. Basically, you can eat all the vegetables you want.
In my case, it is more vegetables than I want.
He wants you to eat a pound of raw vegetables and a pound of cooked vegetables every day. And at least four fresh fruits.
This is quite a turn-around for someone who lived on juice for more than two weeks. I do not think my stomach will hold a pound of anything.
So I am chipping away at it. Eating little bits when I am hungry, trying to get over the fact that everything seems like it is missing a little something. Like right now, I am eating about a half a cup of real oatmeal with four or five strawberries cut up in it. I can tell you straight up that I miss the sugar. But, oh well. After a while, they say, I will not.
I've gone from spending hours juicing to spending hours chopping. I spent a good portion of Sunday afternoon chopping vegetables to go on my spinach & romaine salad. Turns out that spinach and romaine are veritable super foods. Who knew? Good thing I like them.
Also cooked up a pot of lentils, another super food. I like it, too.
But I am going to have to come up with some more and better recipes. There are several in his book. I just need to digest them.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Transitioning
Thursday, May 26, after 18 days of mostly juice, I ate dinner with Sandra and our friend, Jan Kross, at Cafe Trio. Sandae got a coupon for a free meal in honor of her birthday & the coupon was going to expire at the end of the month. She loves Cafe Trio. What else was there to do? Relationships require give and take. It was time for me to give.
I struggled with the menu. I think I am going to find that most restaurants can accommodate a vegetarian. But it is going to be considerably harder to find restaurant food for someone who wishes to be gluten-free and to eat only foods from the earth - in other words, no cheese, no milk.
This may not be my diet mode forever. But right now I need to make some radical changes just to turn my health around.
At the restaurant, I blew up my diet in some respects.
Here's what I ate: I got a house salad with dressing when everyone else was having salad. I had tomato soup and hummus for my entree.
The good: no meat, no excessive calories, pretty easy to digest. The bad: gluten in the bread I ate while waiting to order (no one made me do it) and in the pita that came with the hummus; milk in the soup.
What did I notice most after the first meal? I felt SO full it was uncomfortable. I could hardly go to sleep because my guts were rumbling around. I woke up with a rumbly stomach. I had not had a stomach rumble in days and days. My insides had been pretty happy with the period of rest.
FAQ: No. I was not hungry all the time during my juice fast. I was rarely uncomfortable. And I got used to being a little hungry some of the time. I don't think it is wise to walk around full 24 hours a day.
I struggled with the menu. I think I am going to find that most restaurants can accommodate a vegetarian. But it is going to be considerably harder to find restaurant food for someone who wishes to be gluten-free and to eat only foods from the earth - in other words, no cheese, no milk.
This may not be my diet mode forever. But right now I need to make some radical changes just to turn my health around.
At the restaurant, I blew up my diet in some respects.
Here's what I ate: I got a house salad with dressing when everyone else was having salad. I had tomato soup and hummus for my entree.
The good: no meat, no excessive calories, pretty easy to digest. The bad: gluten in the bread I ate while waiting to order (no one made me do it) and in the pita that came with the hummus; milk in the soup.
What did I notice most after the first meal? I felt SO full it was uncomfortable. I could hardly go to sleep because my guts were rumbling around. I woke up with a rumbly stomach. I had not had a stomach rumble in days and days. My insides had been pretty happy with the period of rest.
FAQ: No. I was not hungry all the time during my juice fast. I was rarely uncomfortable. And I got used to being a little hungry some of the time. I don't think it is wise to walk around full 24 hours a day.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Small Observations
I am back on the juice. :-)
Two good things:
This news article talks about what I am trying to avoid. I do not want to add to this statistic. Or, if I have to do it, I want to do it when I am not obese.:
Baby boomers fueling boom in knee, hip surgeries:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/23/joint-replacement-knee-hip-surgery-baby-boomers_n_865368.html
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110523/ap_on_he_me/us_med_boomer_bones
Two good things:
- I noticed that my cravings seem to have changed a bit. When I started, I wanted pizza. But this past Saturday I was craving soup. This must be a Good Thing.
- I am in negotiations with Robin at the Filling Station to see how much she would charge for a day's juicing. This would help on the days when I don't have (or haven't taken) the time to juice. It would also save on cleanup and eliminate the pulp disposal problem.
This news article talks about what I am trying to avoid. I do not want to add to this statistic. Or, if I have to do it, I want to do it when I am not obese.:
Baby boomers fueling boom in knee, hip surgeries:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/23/joint-replacement-knee-hip-surgery-baby-boomers_n_865368.html
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110523/ap_on_he_me/us_med_boomer_bones
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Weekly Wrap Up - Random Notes
Working sure does cut into your free time. This week I barely had time to juice. I certainly had no time to blog. Or if I did, I couldn't find it.
The results this week are mixed, for sure. I have not abandoned the juicing but I have eaten other things. I keep snacking on pistachio nuts. I ate dinner last night at the convent at Mount St. Scholasta and had soup and salad. (I successfully avoided eating the cookies, rumored to be extremely good.)
I am not sure what to think about this. I am tempted to be discouraged. But last Sunday I bumped into Bob Brotowski, a practicing psychologist and killer mandolin player. He told me that if I fell off the diet and jumped back on, I was 50% more likely to stick with it than someone who had not had a lapse.
I do not know if I have had a lapse or if I am moving on to the next phase.
I need to do a lot more reading to be clear on what the next phase is. A lot of vegetables and fruits, I know. That's fine by me. I have been craving soup.
The scale shows me down 6 pounds. That is not earthshaking but it is encouraging. I haven't seen the numbers on the scale go down for a long time.
One more small thing: today I went to a sale at a clothing store owned by a friend of mine. They had what looked to be a fruit punch on the serving table. Lots of lemons, limes and peaches floating on top. I was thirsty and got a cup. Took a big drink & freaked. It was white wine sangria.
It was the first alcoholic drink I have had in over 15 years. I did not know what to do.
I think that was one of the reasons for my crazy eating today. I decided the alcohol should hit a full stomach, not an empty one. So I came home and ate nuts. And ate. And ate.
The results this week are mixed, for sure. I have not abandoned the juicing but I have eaten other things. I keep snacking on pistachio nuts. I ate dinner last night at the convent at Mount St. Scholasta and had soup and salad. (I successfully avoided eating the cookies, rumored to be extremely good.)
I am not sure what to think about this. I am tempted to be discouraged. But last Sunday I bumped into Bob Brotowski, a practicing psychologist and killer mandolin player. He told me that if I fell off the diet and jumped back on, I was 50% more likely to stick with it than someone who had not had a lapse.
I do not know if I have had a lapse or if I am moving on to the next phase.
I need to do a lot more reading to be clear on what the next phase is. A lot of vegetables and fruits, I know. That's fine by me. I have been craving soup.
The scale shows me down 6 pounds. That is not earthshaking but it is encouraging. I haven't seen the numbers on the scale go down for a long time.
One more small thing: today I went to a sale at a clothing store owned by a friend of mine. They had what looked to be a fruit punch on the serving table. Lots of lemons, limes and peaches floating on top. I was thirsty and got a cup. Took a big drink & freaked. It was white wine sangria.
It was the first alcoholic drink I have had in over 15 years. I did not know what to do.
I think that was one of the reasons for my crazy eating today. I decided the alcohol should hit a full stomach, not an empty one. So I came home and ate nuts. And ate. And ate.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Day 8
Today was my first day back to work after a three-week vacation. Although I work from home on Mondays and Fridays, it is still a very different schedule. Let me tell you, a person has considerably less time to write when they are working full-time.
Today was the pits. I did not juice on Sunday. I thought I would do it during lunch time today. Boy, was I wrong. So I went out to The Filling Station Coffee Shop and got a juice for breakfast. (Thank you, Filling Station.)
But I skipped lunch and by mid-afternoon I did not have the time or patience to juice. I ate a bunch of pistachio nuts. Because they were there. And fell into the pit of despair.
I did juice in the evening, although picking up my car from the shop kept me from starting until 8 PM or so. And I was still cleaning the kitchen -- and kind of grumpy -- at 9:30 PM.
On Sunday, my friend Mary from Function Junction tried to counsel me. She says to juice more when I juice so I can juice less frequently. She says she has three different types of juice in her fridge at any given time. In hermetically sealed glass containers to preserve freshness. (Of course, I ran right out to Function Junction and got those.) She says she only juices three times a week.
But when it is after 9 PM and you have just finished your usual juicing, it is hard to want to forge ahead.
One of the ads I am now getting regularly on Facebook is for a New York company that will juice for you & deliver the juice (in the New York area) for $65 a day. I can see why people are willing to spend the money.
Today was the pits. I did not juice on Sunday. I thought I would do it during lunch time today. Boy, was I wrong. So I went out to The Filling Station Coffee Shop and got a juice for breakfast. (Thank you, Filling Station.)
But I skipped lunch and by mid-afternoon I did not have the time or patience to juice. I ate a bunch of pistachio nuts. Because they were there. And fell into the pit of despair.
I did juice in the evening, although picking up my car from the shop kept me from starting until 8 PM or so. And I was still cleaning the kitchen -- and kind of grumpy -- at 9:30 PM.
On Sunday, my friend Mary from Function Junction tried to counsel me. She says to juice more when I juice so I can juice less frequently. She says she has three different types of juice in her fridge at any given time. In hermetically sealed glass containers to preserve freshness. (Of course, I ran right out to Function Junction and got those.) She says she only juices three times a week.
But when it is after 9 PM and you have just finished your usual juicing, it is hard to want to forge ahead.
One of the ads I am now getting regularly on Facebook is for a New York company that will juice for you & deliver the juice (in the New York area) for $65 a day. I can see why people are willing to spend the money.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Juice Fast Day 7 - Morning Thoughts
Confession
Yesterday the wheels almost fell off. I spent the day longing for pizza. I didn't have one. But the TV ads for Minsky's gluten-free pizza were almost porno.
In addition, several of my friends read the blog and now I am embarassed somehow & don't want to see them in real life. I can't explain it but I know it is true.
The "Fast" Concept - Why am I doing this?
There are two idea behind the fast. The first - and maybe simpliest - is that I am trying to do something radical to change the way I eat and to recalibrate my food preferences.
The second idea, which I will address in a later post, is that jucing is giving my body a rest from the work of digestion. By removing most of the bulk from foods by juicing, while at the same time loading up on easily-assimilated nutrients, I am enabling my body to concentrate more on internal healing.
The catalyst was my recent Pilgrimage to Wales. I knew that I had serious arthritis in my knees. Every doctor who looked at them said I was heading for knee replacement. But deep in my heart, I had not appreciated how serious it was. Wales changed that. For sure.
The more I walked, the less I could walk. I was slower than people 20 years older than me. I could not sleep for the pain. I was, as they say, freaked.
Part of me wanted to run, not walk, to the surgeon and have them both done. Immediately. At once - while I still have good insurance from work.
Another, perhaps more sensible, part said, "Why are you always looking to someone else to fix you? Why are you always looking for the softer, easier way? Honestly, you haven't tried very hard to manage this condition yourself. Have you done all you can to see if diet can affect the pain level? Every doctor who talks to you says 'Lose weight'. Have you made a real effort to do so?"
When you are seriously walking down the wrong path, there are two steps to change. First, stop. Don't go any further. Second, turn around.
The fast is the first step. Stop. I am going to spend maybe two weeks NOT eating the way I was.
Perhaps it is the preparation for the second step as well. Turn around. Head in a new direction. If the way I was is not serving me, I have to learn a new way to be.
Yesterday the wheels almost fell off. I spent the day longing for pizza. I didn't have one. But the TV ads for Minsky's gluten-free pizza were almost porno.
In addition, several of my friends read the blog and now I am embarassed somehow & don't want to see them in real life. I can't explain it but I know it is true.
The "Fast" Concept - Why am I doing this?
There are two idea behind the fast. The first - and maybe simpliest - is that I am trying to do something radical to change the way I eat and to recalibrate my food preferences.
The second idea, which I will address in a later post, is that jucing is giving my body a rest from the work of digestion. By removing most of the bulk from foods by juicing, while at the same time loading up on easily-assimilated nutrients, I am enabling my body to concentrate more on internal healing.
The catalyst was my recent Pilgrimage to Wales. I knew that I had serious arthritis in my knees. Every doctor who looked at them said I was heading for knee replacement. But deep in my heart, I had not appreciated how serious it was. Wales changed that. For sure.
The more I walked, the less I could walk. I was slower than people 20 years older than me. I could not sleep for the pain. I was, as they say, freaked.
Part of me wanted to run, not walk, to the surgeon and have them both done. Immediately. At once - while I still have good insurance from work.
Another, perhaps more sensible, part said, "Why are you always looking to someone else to fix you? Why are you always looking for the softer, easier way? Honestly, you haven't tried very hard to manage this condition yourself. Have you done all you can to see if diet can affect the pain level? Every doctor who talks to you says 'Lose weight'. Have you made a real effort to do so?"
When you are seriously walking down the wrong path, there are two steps to change. First, stop. Don't go any further. Second, turn around.
The fast is the first step. Stop. I am going to spend maybe two weeks NOT eating the way I was.
Perhaps it is the preparation for the second step as well. Turn around. Head in a new direction. If the way I was is not serving me, I have to learn a new way to be.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Juice Fast Day 6
Intro to Joel Fuhrman
Joe Cross, from whom I got the juice fast idea, worked closely with Dr. Joel Fuhrman. From the movie you gather that Cross spent the first 30 days of his 60-day fast in New York as Dr. Fuhrman's patient.
Closer to my life, my friend Jamie Rich lost very many pounds using the ideas in Eat to Live, Dr. Fuhrman's well-regarded handbook for seriously overweight people. Fuhrman aims to change your thinking about how you eat. For example, he pays attention to nutrient density rather than calories.
When it comes to food, taste is learned. The juice fast is an attempt to redirect my tastes to foods that are better for me than what Fuhrman calls SAD - Standard American Diet.
Since I have untaken the fast, I thought I should at least look at his books. You know how Amazon is. I wound up with the three-pack: Eat to Live, The Nutritarian Handbook, and Fasting and Eating for Health.
I got them yesterday and peeked in them last night. Because I am dealing with arthritis as well as obesity, I read a few pages about rheumatoid arthritis. (This is not my kind of arthritis but that of a friend.) I can now see where this diet is heading.
From Fasting & Eating:
"In the first three to five months after the fast the patients were asked not to eat food that contained gluten, meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, refined sugar, citrus fruits, salt, strong spices, preservatives, alcohol, tea, and coffee."
Although this list seems somewhat overwhelming, I have to remember that it is not intended as a life-long diet - just a few months. Also, he is not talking about coming off my juice fast, but a complete water fast. (Maybe I need wiggle room.)
I have friends who are living gluten-free and it is truly a hassle. But maybe this little time period is teaching me that it is OK to spend time and trouble on what you eat.
The movie contrasted the $53,000 cost of a heart attack with the daily cost of a juice fast.
I am heading toward double knee replacement. Isn't forestalling that costly outcome worth a little time and effort in the kitchen?
Joe Cross, from whom I got the juice fast idea, worked closely with Dr. Joel Fuhrman. From the movie you gather that Cross spent the first 30 days of his 60-day fast in New York as Dr. Fuhrman's patient.
Closer to my life, my friend Jamie Rich lost very many pounds using the ideas in Eat to Live, Dr. Fuhrman's well-regarded handbook for seriously overweight people. Fuhrman aims to change your thinking about how you eat. For example, he pays attention to nutrient density rather than calories.
When it comes to food, taste is learned. The juice fast is an attempt to redirect my tastes to foods that are better for me than what Fuhrman calls SAD - Standard American Diet.
Since I have untaken the fast, I thought I should at least look at his books. You know how Amazon is. I wound up with the three-pack: Eat to Live, The Nutritarian Handbook, and Fasting and Eating for Health.
I got them yesterday and peeked in them last night. Because I am dealing with arthritis as well as obesity, I read a few pages about rheumatoid arthritis. (This is not my kind of arthritis but that of a friend.) I can now see where this diet is heading.
From Fasting & Eating:
"In the first three to five months after the fast the patients were asked not to eat food that contained gluten, meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, refined sugar, citrus fruits, salt, strong spices, preservatives, alcohol, tea, and coffee."
Although this list seems somewhat overwhelming, I have to remember that it is not intended as a life-long diet - just a few months. Also, he is not talking about coming off my juice fast, but a complete water fast. (Maybe I need wiggle room.)
I have friends who are living gluten-free and it is truly a hassle. But maybe this little time period is teaching me that it is OK to spend time and trouble on what you eat.
The movie contrasted the $53,000 cost of a heart attack with the daily cost of a juice fast.
I am heading toward double knee replacement. Isn't forestalling that costly outcome worth a little time and effort in the kitchen?
Friday, May 13, 2011
Juice Fast Day 3
Please read this BEFORE reading days 4 and 5.
I did not spend Day 3 in bed with covers over my head like Joe Cross did. But I was a little grumpy - mostly about how long it takes to prepare a day's juice. I secretly wonder if Joe had a chef do it for him. He has money. It's a possibility.
Me, without a chef, it took 50 minutes to juice and 20 minutes to clean up. That is quite a chunk of time to build into a work day.
Also I was a little grumpy because I am spending all this time with no results, as yet, to provide positive reinforcement. If I had already lost, say, 15 pounds, I would be eager to juice up a storm. But just a few days in, I have lost only maybe a pound.
Nor am I feeling a whole new energy or purity or happiness or any other emotional lift attributable to the new regime. I am, however, wise enough to know that it takes more than three or four days for your body to assimilate a change. I am still running on the old way of eating and the old me.
But I am not in bed with the covers over my head. And I am not ravinously hungry. This is good news.
And I feel a little virtuous thinking of all the vitamins and antioxidents and other good things that I am consuming.
This is my day to quantify.
In addition to measuring the time commitment, I measured the amount of juice needed to keep me going. It takes 24 ounces for me to drink for a full day AND have enough left over for a quick breakfast. I do wake up hungry. I don't want to juice for 50 minutes before I can put some food in my stomach.
I also made a stab at counting the calories. This is not as easy as it seems because the juicing process kicks out a great deal of pulp. How do you figure that into the calorie mix? I finally decided to ignore it and tally the calories just as if I had eaten the whole fruits and vegetables.
According to Fat Secret, my favorite calorie counting site, I ate (um, drank) somewhere in the neighborhood of 870 calories in my 24 ounces of juice. Here is the breakdown (ignore fiber):
Remember that the count above says nothing about vitamins and minerals.
Here is the list of what I put in my juice:
A few notes on the process. I was surprised at how much pulp is expelled. The juice pitcher holds 11+ ounces. I had to empty the pulp container twice during the first pitcher filled. And I had to stop and clean the juice filter during the second pitcher.
I am lucky enough to know a gardner who wants the pulp for compost. There is a lot of pulp produced.
You have to pay attention to the juicer while you juice. If the pulp container gets full or if the passage to the pulp container gets clogged or if the filter cannot express the juice into the pitcher, you can hear a change in the the motor noise. And the whole thing quits expelling juice. You have to stop and correct the problem.
Here are some pictures that I took.
Now, jump down to Day 4.
I did not spend Day 3 in bed with covers over my head like Joe Cross did. But I was a little grumpy - mostly about how long it takes to prepare a day's juice. I secretly wonder if Joe had a chef do it for him. He has money. It's a possibility.
Me, without a chef, it took 50 minutes to juice and 20 minutes to clean up. That is quite a chunk of time to build into a work day.
Also I was a little grumpy because I am spending all this time with no results, as yet, to provide positive reinforcement. If I had already lost, say, 15 pounds, I would be eager to juice up a storm. But just a few days in, I have lost only maybe a pound.
Nor am I feeling a whole new energy or purity or happiness or any other emotional lift attributable to the new regime. I am, however, wise enough to know that it takes more than three or four days for your body to assimilate a change. I am still running on the old way of eating and the old me.
But I am not in bed with the covers over my head. And I am not ravinously hungry. This is good news.
And I feel a little virtuous thinking of all the vitamins and antioxidents and other good things that I am consuming.
This is my day to quantify.
In addition to measuring the time commitment, I measured the amount of juice needed to keep me going. It takes 24 ounces for me to drink for a full day AND have enough left over for a quick breakfast. I do wake up hungry. I don't want to juice for 50 minutes before I can put some food in my stomach.
I also made a stab at counting the calories. This is not as easy as it seems because the juicing process kicks out a great deal of pulp. How do you figure that into the calorie mix? I finally decided to ignore it and tally the calories just as if I had eaten the whole fruits and vegetables.
According to Fat Secret, my favorite calorie counting site, I ate (um, drank) somewhere in the neighborhood of 870 calories in my 24 ounces of juice. Here is the breakdown (ignore fiber):
| Fat(g) | Carbs(g) | Fiber(g) | Sugar(g) | Prot(g) | KCals |
| 8.26 | 193.90 | 55.3 | 88.08 | 34.62 | 870 |
Remember that the count above says nothing about vitamins and minerals.
Here is the list of what I put in my juice:
- 2 granny smith apples
- 4 kiwi fruits
- 3 drainers' full of spinach (15 - 20 ounces)
- 1 bunch kale
- 1 bunch parsley
- 10 carrots
- 10 stalks of celery
- 1 lemon
- an ounce or more ginger (I like ginger)
A few notes on the process. I was surprised at how much pulp is expelled. The juice pitcher holds 11+ ounces. I had to empty the pulp container twice during the first pitcher filled. And I had to stop and clean the juice filter during the second pitcher.
I am lucky enough to know a gardner who wants the pulp for compost. There is a lot of pulp produced.
You have to pay attention to the juicer while you juice. If the pulp container gets full or if the passage to the pulp container gets clogged or if the filter cannot express the juice into the pitcher, you can hear a change in the the motor noise. And the whole thing quits expelling juice. You have to stop and correct the problem.
Here are some pictures that I took.
The amount of spinach on the right yields the amount of juice on the left.
Now you can see why it takes 50 minutes to juice 24 ounces.
 |
| This illustrates the pulp-to-juice ratio. The amount of juice on right yields the amount of pulp on left. |
 |
| This is what I mean about the amount of space required for clean up. I am getting more efficient about placement but it still fills up the dish drainer. Yes, it is dishwasher safe. I just don't have a dishwasher. |
 |
| Finished product. |
Now, jump down to Day 4.
Juice Fast Day 5 (Friday the 13th)
I was so burnt out by yesterday's mix that I put off drinking anything until almost noon today. Finally hunger got the better of me and I tried the small batch I prepared last night. It is good. That is good.
Blogger was messed up for nearly a day. I wrote a long (and, of course, brilliant) post for day 3 that may or may not be recovered. We shall see.
The post did come back. Hooray.
It is out of order. Boo.
Blogger was messed up for nearly a day. I wrote a long (and, of course, brilliant) post for day 3 that may or may not be recovered. We shall see.
The post did come back. Hooray.
It is out of order. Boo.
Juice Fast Day 4
Please read Day 3 first.
An observation:
"Are you sure that's good for you?"
"Don't you need more protein than that?"
How come your friends are all obsessed with your nutritional health when you tell them you are doing something short-term and healthy but they are completely comfortable with your standard non-healthy diet?
No one ever said to me, "Are you sure that hamburgers and fries offer enough micro-nutrients?" or "Do you really think that pizza and beer are providing all the vitamins you need?"
Back to the juice fast ....
Today I added collard greens and a beet to my usual mix. Two things:
Did you know that in order to drink something you have to put it in your mouth & that your mouth is right under your nose?
I thought about holding my nose and drinking it but, really, that is going a little far, don't you think?
I pondered on it and finally decided it was a choice between giving up the juice fast or getting rid of this particular batch of juice.
I dumped it down the drain.
Then I juiced up enough to get me through breakfast. And washed the juicer. Again.
Went to bed pretty discouraged.
An observation:
"Are you sure that's good for you?"
"Don't you need more protein than that?"
How come your friends are all obsessed with your nutritional health when you tell them you are doing something short-term and healthy but they are completely comfortable with your standard non-healthy diet?
No one ever said to me, "Are you sure that hamburgers and fries offer enough micro-nutrients?" or "Do you really think that pizza and beer are providing all the vitamins you need?"
Back to the juice fast ....
Today I added collard greens and a beet to my usual mix. Two things:
- Boy howdy, beets are a mess! The red is really red and any spill is going to stain. No question. Handle with fear. And know that, no matter what else you add to the mix, the drink will be red, red, red.
- I hated it.
Did you know that in order to drink something you have to put it in your mouth & that your mouth is right under your nose?
I thought about holding my nose and drinking it but, really, that is going a little far, don't you think?
I pondered on it and finally decided it was a choice between giving up the juice fast or getting rid of this particular batch of juice.
I dumped it down the drain.
Then I juiced up enough to get me through breakfast. And washed the juicer. Again.
Went to bed pretty discouraged.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Juice Fast Day 2
How did it come to this? Right before I went on vacation I saw the movie "Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead." In the movie, Joe Cross, an Australian who is indeed fat and sick goes on a 60 day juice fast to, as he puts it, reboot his life.
In the course of this documentary, Joe drives across the United States talking to people about their eating habits, spreading the word on raw food juicing and losing a lot of weight. Plus he changes the life of a truck driver that he meets who is also fat and sick.
The kicker is that he uses the same Breville juicer that I have in the privacy of my own home. Neglected but present. Coincidence? I think not.
Realizing that I too am suffering from health conditions caused by my weight, I seized on the juice fast as something that might help me.
For one thing, the drinks seemed pretty green -- as in full of green vegetables. I heard that green vegetables can help arthritis. I have arthritis in my knees. I did not know how bad it was until I spent two weeks travelling. Oy vey.
For another, I needed a little bit of hope that change is possible. I have been about twice my optimal weight for way too long and was flirting with despair.
Nobody can go on a diet during vacation, especially one with breakfasts and dinners provided, so I resolved to start the juice fast when I returned.
And I did.
Yesterday was my first day back and my first day on the juice fast.
It took visits to two grocery stores and more than $50 (spent all on vegetables and fruits!) to set me up to begin.
My short recipe list required the following:
I didn't even know what kale looked like. I had to get the produce guy to find it for me.
One thing the movie did not show was how long it takes to fill up the juicing pitcher. It is a real time commitment. Because the juicer extracts the fiber, it takes a lot of fruits and vegetables to yield a quart of juice. A lot.
Another thing the movie did not show is how long it takes to clean up the juicer. There are very many parts to clean. And the pieces overflow my dish drainer. I contemplated adding on a second kitchen just for this apparatus and its clean-up requirements.
But it was fun to play with the machine, the juice was great and I was happy.
This morning I decided to do enough juice to get me through the day. Again, it took a long time. Today I made a double batch, two pitchers' worth.
In the past two days, I have gone through 40 ounces of spinach and three bunches of kale. Upwards of five apples. Many bunches of celery. A lot of ginger.
I generated a bucket full of pulp. I am going to have to find someone to compost it because our compost pile is full.
And how do I feel? Well, right now frankly I am hungry. But it has been five or six hours since I last ate. Or, more precisely, since I last drank. I am going to drink my dinner now.
I added a few days of vacation to my trip so I could start the juice fast without having to work around a work schedule. This is good. It is going to take some planning to build juicing time into my normal work week.
Also in the movie, Joe bottomed out on the third day of the fast and spent it in bed with the covers over his head. I wanted to have the luxury of doing that, just in case.
Tomorrow is the dreaded day 3. Stay tuned.
In the course of this documentary, Joe drives across the United States talking to people about their eating habits, spreading the word on raw food juicing and losing a lot of weight. Plus he changes the life of a truck driver that he meets who is also fat and sick.
The kicker is that he uses the same Breville juicer that I have in the privacy of my own home. Neglected but present. Coincidence? I think not.
Realizing that I too am suffering from health conditions caused by my weight, I seized on the juice fast as something that might help me.
For one thing, the drinks seemed pretty green -- as in full of green vegetables. I heard that green vegetables can help arthritis. I have arthritis in my knees. I did not know how bad it was until I spent two weeks travelling. Oy vey.
For another, I needed a little bit of hope that change is possible. I have been about twice my optimal weight for way too long and was flirting with despair.
Nobody can go on a diet during vacation, especially one with breakfasts and dinners provided, so I resolved to start the juice fast when I returned.
And I did.
Yesterday was my first day back and my first day on the juice fast.
It took visits to two grocery stores and more than $50 (spent all on vegetables and fruits!) to set me up to begin.
My short recipe list required the following:
- spinach
- kale
- collard greens
- romaine lettuce
- parsley
- pears
- celery
- granny smith apples
- carrots
- beets
- (and I added kiwi fruit)
I didn't even know what kale looked like. I had to get the produce guy to find it for me.
One thing the movie did not show was how long it takes to fill up the juicing pitcher. It is a real time commitment. Because the juicer extracts the fiber, it takes a lot of fruits and vegetables to yield a quart of juice. A lot.
Another thing the movie did not show is how long it takes to clean up the juicer. There are very many parts to clean. And the pieces overflow my dish drainer. I contemplated adding on a second kitchen just for this apparatus and its clean-up requirements.
But it was fun to play with the machine, the juice was great and I was happy.
This morning I decided to do enough juice to get me through the day. Again, it took a long time. Today I made a double batch, two pitchers' worth.
In the past two days, I have gone through 40 ounces of spinach and three bunches of kale. Upwards of five apples. Many bunches of celery. A lot of ginger.
I generated a bucket full of pulp. I am going to have to find someone to compost it because our compost pile is full.
And how do I feel? Well, right now frankly I am hungry. But it has been five or six hours since I last ate. Or, more precisely, since I last drank. I am going to drink my dinner now.
I added a few days of vacation to my trip so I could start the juice fast without having to work around a work schedule. This is good. It is going to take some planning to build juicing time into my normal work week.
Also in the movie, Joe bottomed out on the third day of the fast and spent it in bed with the covers over his head. I wanted to have the luxury of doing that, just in case.
Tomorrow is the dreaded day 3. Stay tuned.
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