Green Juice and more...

Ok so I finally bought a juicer. I got a cheap one at Target because I wasn't sure if I would even enjoy juicing and I'm a very very beginner. I hate to waste money so I think it was the best for me. I decided to make "Green Lemonade" by Natalia Rose's book. I like romaine lettuce, celery, apples, and lemons. I thought it would be great. Little did I realize-lack of research- that green juices would be sooooo disgusting!! So there I was..feeling like a raw failure. Big Big failure. I thought..I will never be able to drink this stuff..I can't even plug my nose and swallow. After wallowing in my sorrows of being a raw failure I decided I would wait a couple of days and try again.

So today I went to the grocery store and bought some more fresh veggies and fruits. I was completely out. I bought some greens for try #2. I just made my first green juice that I can stomach! Ok let me give details before I get too excited. Its not much green--but as much as I can currently stomach. I used two handfuls of spinach sludge (exactly what it looks like out of the juicer) and two stalks of celery. I thought that would be plenty of green sludge. Then I juiced two apples, one pear, and 2 carrots--just so I could get the green sludge down. So I do feel accomplished--but I have yet to conquer adding more green sludge. I will just keep adding a little more sludge and a little less fruit each time. Haha. Hopefully one day I will be more acclimated to drink it. Anyone have any not-so-disgusting beginner green juice recipes?? Feel free to share. I need the help.

My second accomplishment--nut butter and agave nectar on a sprouted grain bagel. Umm can you say delicious. I'm not so sure toasting a sprouted grain bagel= raw--actually I'm positive its not. But its better than a regular grocery store bagel covered in cream cheese. :-) And I am in love with them. I was really scared to try the almond butter. For one-Peter Pan and Jif's peanut butters lack the oily goop on top. I am a huge peanut butter fan. I used to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich every single day. Now that I am reformed from mediocre eating habits, I have found something I like better. So after tasting the nut butter-I realized it definitely wasn't peanut butter, but it was pretty tasty. I can fool my taste buds into "fake peanut butter" as I like to call it.

So after a week of getting used to new things--I feel pretty good. I am enjoying the new things. I never thought I was a picky eater, but there are some things I can't stomach. Mainly certain textures. Hopefully I will get used to all of these wonderful recipes that I keep finding.

Vegetarianism

So today I would consider myself 100% vegetarian, and 50% raw/vegan. I had my morning smoothie for breakfast..I have become addicted to that and the first thing I do when I wake up is bust out the blender. For lunch I wanted to try out an acorn squash. I couldn't figure out what to do with it. First I cut it in half...looked like a pumpkin to me. I dug out the seeds and then attempted to puree it raw. Well I ended up with this applesauce texture..which I can't stand. So I didn't want to waste the whole thing..oh what to do! Here's where I lost my vegan/rawness for the day. I added a tablespoon of milk, some nutmeg, cinnamon, and a tablespoon of brown sugar. Ugh. I was sad to lose it at lunch because I am generally stronger than that but I didn't know what else to do. Well anyway it made a good pumpkin pie like soup. I probably won't eat it again until I can find a better way to do it, but that was my experience. For dinner-wheat pasta, squash, and broccoli. So that is why today I am only 50% vegan/raw--but tomorrow will be better.

On a more positive note--I had an amazing workout today! I found a new setting on the elliptical that kind of coached you through a cardio workout by telling you to go a certain mph, or to use your arms more, or just use your legs..I stayed on for an hour just because I was having so much fun doing it. I didn't get in any weights but my cardio was great.

All in all good day. :-)

Raw-Tastrophe

Ok so my workout yesterday...killer. The workout itself was a normal, strenuous, workout. 45 minutes of intense cardio split between the elliptical and the rowing machine...followed by 20 minutes of light weights. Nothing crazy.

So after rowing, I noticed I was sweating much more than usual. I was also getting tired already. Then I got on the elliptical...I was pouring sweat and my muscles were aching. Weird. I cut it short by 5 minutes so that I could for sure get in my weights. I did make it through my weights, but I felt like death. I wanted food. BAD. Luckily my gym is located in the same parking lot as my favorite grocery store. I knew I needed bananas (3 bunches)-so I went. Mangoes were on sale because they weren't full ripe. $0.69 each--what a steal. I was craving green onions and fresh cilantro--delish. I forgot cucumbers the previous shopping day--and I really wanted some. And I also picked up some frozen fruit--because not much is actually in season.

As soon as I got home I ate my celery with avocado dip and a cucumber sandwich. Mmmm...I finally started feeling better...until insomnia kicked in. Wow. What a day!

Lesson learned--eat enough to sustain body for workout!

Raw/Vegan Journey

Well--so far, so good. I think I am at about 70-80% raw/vegan right now. Yesterday I made my morning smoothie, had an amazing salad with a sweet citrus dressing I made, and for dinner I had tostados (the tostado shell was my exception for the day). I found this amazing recipe for ice cream on Raw on $10 a day's blog. I love that blog! I made chocolate ice cream, and even attempted her fudge sauce. I either used the wrong type of olive oil, or haven't grown accustomed to new flavors--but I almost got sick just smelling it. I think I will try again with something in place of the olive oil. I can't even stand the smell of that stuff.Other than that--life is great. I had an AMAZING workout yesterday. Rowing, elliptical, and an ab workout from Shape magazine. I needed the escape and the major sweat session.

Today my mom and I are going to coffee with a friend who I grew close to because of our similar eating disorders. I emailed her back and forth while she was in the hospital. I was a total stranger to her, but we clicked really well and now at least once a year we have coffee. She's a beautiful young woman and I pray she is "healed".

I also finished my party postcards last night. I am really happy with how they turned out. We are having a big party in April to celebrate my graduation from college, my parent's 25th wedding anniversary, and my brothers graduation from high school. Its a big year for our family.

So I am going to make a big poster board of "What I Want" soon. I have a list of wants that range from material things to life things. (My #1 want right now is a juicer!!) I think it is good to make lists or posters of wants and needs--it gives you a sense of accomplishment when you attain some or all of these things.

<3