Detox wrap-up and Since...

Where do I go? Why do I go?

I don't know. Perhaps because no one is paying me to blog - if they were, I'd have it done on deadline...alas.

Still, I did want to write a bit about life post-detox and whatnot. The detox 30-days itself finished up swimmingly. Both Jill and I liked it and still like it! We bought Natalia's other book, her more generalized "Raw Food Detox Diet" - which effectively lays out 5 levels of eating to get oneself to being 100% raw (it took Natalia 10 years to work through the phases). Turns out, the "Detox for Women" book we used for our detox is about her Level 3 in the other book, with a few adjustments to address yeast and bacteria in women. For example, DFW was strict about sugar and grains; whereas the RFDD allows for maple syrup, raw honey, agave, as well as sprouted wheat breads and other goodies like that. It also allows for a wider range of fruits, and adds nuts as a 4th 'food category' alongside startch, flesh, and fruit (raw veggies being the unspoken 5th).

Since our detox ended, we've still had "green lemonade" daily each morning, and, with the exception of out-of-town guests, haven't eaten breakfast since late June. We know, we know...everything tells you breakfast is the most important meal of the day, etc. but honestly - we feel better, skinnier, lighter and more energetic without it. While it took the 30-day detox to shift gears and have that fact become true, it is. We eat raw salad for lunch and sometimes add a piece of spelt toast with avocado, or a sweet potato. Dinner is more or less "normal" food but again, preceeded by a raw salad (really, a 'normal' salad) that properly combines with the cooked food we are about to eat.

To that point, we are still being mindful and careful about food combinding never mixing (save again for the out-of-town guest) the groupings - starch, flesh, fruit and now nuts/dried fruit. We still limit the sugar intake as it seems to trigger cravings for me especially, and Jill is still having 1 coffee a day and I've added a few more back into my week (split shot) because, well, I like it. Red wine remains pretty much our sole alcohol intake, and desserts stay to goat milk ice cream (Laloo's), Coconut Bliss (so good!) 'ice cream', or dark chocolate. All of these permissable "cheats" do seem to serve their intended purpose: Keeping us on track while allowing for a reasonable amount of freedom and ability for general participation in society.

We've had a bevy of houseguests this week, so we are both anxious to get back to a more hardcore detoxing lifestyle as of Monday - we have tomatoes ripening faster than we can eat them (though we give it the college try!) and are excited to just feel that super clean feeling we found so inspiring. But even my trip to PA for my high school reunion went well, I aimed to keep 'detox kosher' until dinner each night, and then graciously ate what was given to me by my various hosts. I didn't miscombine much at all, and asked for some simple adjustments ("no need to cook my corn on the cob, I'd love it alongside my salad!) etc.

I'm still doing lots of yoga and Jill is doing Crossfit. We are both happy with our exercising and are each now down about 12-14 pounds from our start in late June. We feel better, more energetic, less gassy/bloated, never feel a yucky kind of full but do typically feel satiated. Also, we went a couple weeks back and once since for colon hydrotherapy. Not being to sure about it, we thought it could be our 'prize' (some prize, eh?) for detoxing. It's a process and many believe you need to go hardcore to get full benefits, but we can't really afford to do it more than maybe 1-2x/month, and we're kind of interested to see how we feel and if anything changes as a result. Frankly, so far, we've not seen any impact that's felt profound, but it does leave you feeling very light and super-hydrated! So, we'll see how that goes.

Hopefully, some new foods will emerge on my blog soon as I'm working to expand out repertoire now that we're more or less mixing the guiding principles of DFW with the RFDD. :)

Detox & Yoga Day 26

It's been hard to stay focused and not anticipate the detox coming to a close. We're bought in though, and generally plan to keep eating this way until we both lose a bit more weight. Today we went to a movie - and took a little container of cherries to snack on - and then hit Whole Foods' salad bar/food bar for dinner. We did great there, for about $20 got a good dinner that we didn't have to make! :)

Still we find it hard to operate seemlessly in a society that does not at all map to raw foods, food combining, etc. - but there are options. We are starting to read Natalia Rose's other book, the Raw Food Detox Diet - it is interesting as its focus is different that Detox for Women. It is still focused on alkalizing the body, but does not hold back on sugar (unrefined of course, maple syrup, raw honey...) or oil (cold-pressed olive oil, for example). While being "allowed" to eat these two food groups is appealing, they're also both super calorie laden. If I didn't have more weight to lose, I'd be 100% on board! But the idea of being able to use a little of these items sure does spice up. I'm not figuring on ending the eating of cooked food here at our house, but I do like how I feel, look and I love the energy I have! It's killer!

Yoga Day 26: Ok, Jenny was UNFOCUSED and did not wanna be there, but still banged out a resonably good class with Kim in Fremont. It is winding down, this 30-day challenge (in which I will only achieve 28, but I'm ok with that). I'm looking to the finish line and not necessarily focusing as I ought to.

Detox Day 26: Proud of bringing cherries to the movie! Otherwise, more of the same.

Weight: Down around 13 pounds total, and feeling really good about that!

Yoga & Detox Day 23/24/25

Things keep moving along. We seem to be less freaky about eating and food - doesn't seem like we're uber-focused on it all the time, having to run to the grocery or farmer's market every 8 seconds, etc. That is to say - we are better organized and planning better, and also it seems not as hungry or anxious about being filled up or full. Seems we are simply realizing how much less one needs to eat to be satiated, and also how much room salad takes up! Often after the lunch salad I'm pretty much feeling good to go - but sometimes eat sweet potato or quinoa to keep me from being hungry 10 minutes later.

Yoga is going really well - it's so great to feel focused and for my body to be cooperating for the most part. I had two killer hot crazy soakers in a row (Lucy CH, Frani Fremont) - but then a nice solid good'ole Bikram class yesterday (also Frani in Fremont...what a difference a day makes!).

Eating...
We are eating lots repeating items and not worth listing at the moment. Once we finish, we plan to continue eating this way. I want to read Natalia's other book - her Raw Food Detox - not that we plan to do that! Rather, I want to understand where she takes people next so we can continue to assimilate her method into our eating *most* of the time. That said, Jill is planning a giant burger with an onion ring atop it with a nice double Maker's Mark next week when we finish. That sounds frightening to me! Though, a plate of Thai food or maybe a fish taco...that sounds pretty good. So we'll see!

Weight:
Doing great here! Jill has lost 9 pounds - she is quite pleased with this! I am at about 13 pounds. We intend to keep going as ultimately, Jill would like to lose around 15-20 total, and I would love to lose 25 total - so it seems another month or two and we'd be where we wanted and could work some 'regular' foods in a little more without consequence. 80/20 :)

Detox & Yoga Day 22

Wow! Day 22 - only 8 days to go and really, at this point, it's become rather...easy. Seriously. Shocking.

While there is still an element of being quite limited in what you "can" eat, the overall habits have been formed. The Green Lemonade in the morning is tasty and we both can make it quite fast now, where in the beginning it felt like an ordeal. Snacking on a little fruit before lunch if needed works great, and doesn't take much to satiate me. Lunch - salads are great, I've gotten good at whipping up a salad now in no time, with or without equipment depending on what I'm making. And dinners are settling it. Not a whole lot of variety there, but at the same time, nothing feels bad or awful - just sometimes a little boring...but the meal itself is never boring. Just the idea of being so limited feels a little dull at times.

Yoga Day 22: A super soaker at CH Sweatbox with Lucy. HUMID! Phew! I had a pretty good class though, despite feeling quite debilitated by the humidity around triangle/separate leg head to knee. Revived nicely on the floor and finished with a bang. Good one!

Detox Day 22: Pluggin' away... here's what I ate:

Breakfast:
Green Lemonade

Snack:
1 c. Rainier Cherries

Lunch:
Salad of 1/2 avocado, 1/2 c. raw corn, 1/2 c. cherry tomatoes, couple cups of spinach dressed with lemon juice/stevia/salt & pepper.
6 oz. baked sweet potato with a little butter, salt and pepper.

Dinner:
Salad (Pictured above) - Erika's creation above - Spinach, raw beets, cucumbers, caramelized onions, raw goat cheese. It was so nice to eat a salad I didn't (or wouldn't) have ever thought to make!
Spaghetti squash with sauteed mushrooms and onions, Rising Moon Organic Port & Asiago sauce, (which we're in love with, btw), topped with raw sharp cheddar. (Still not a fan of the goat cheese melted, sorry)....

Dessert:
Goat Milk Ice Cream with Strawberries

Calories: ~1200
Weight: Looking good - down 12.2 - and happy with that!

Detox & Yoga Day 19/20/21

It's going well in Detox land. Been a busy couple days and rather than writing a zillion detailed posts, I'll call out the highlights here:

- Weight is moving again a little bit! Down almost 12 now, and that's just fine. I feel and look way, way better.
- I missed yoga yesterday. For shame. I was just...exhausted by the hot room. I did walk the lake however, so it wasn't like I was a slug.
- Food is going good. More of the same...however...

We have been social a few times lately. We went to a gathering and ended up eating...lettuce, raw carrots, a little cheese I brought in my purse and dark chocolate. They all ate giant plates of delicious-looking Mexican food.

What was interesting, however, was at the end, everyone there complained of being stuffed, too full, feeling like they needed a bucket, etc. And Jill and I both felt great. Not too full - and believe me, before, we would've been right on board with the group (this is not a diss of them!). But it's cool to see the benefits of just feeling better *all the time* - in so many ways, this being one of them.

Food intake has been around 1200 calories.

Tonight was my biggest 'cheat' yet - I had 3 bites of cupcake. Sinner. But you know, in the scheme of my day - whatever. I realize one cannot be perfect all the time. :) More soon!

Yoga & Detox Day 18

Today one of my students said, "Wow, you look amazing! Have you lost some weight?" and then two other people said things to the effect of how I looked great, etc. - detox is good!! I have to say I'm feeling pretty good inside, but it's nice to know the effects are showing on the outside, too!

In a very exciting event, we ventured out to lunch today! It was my mom's birthday and my sister Julie met up with mom, Jill and I at Seattle's very hip/trendy/fitting Homegrown, an organic-locally-sourced-sustainable salad and sandwich shop located in Fremont where we live. While we did "cheat" in that we got the dressing- olive oil and a little vinegar/mustard seeds - otherwise, it was a successful detox-friendly outing. We ate organic chicken, which is permitted, rarely - but it worked and was delicious. I lamely forgot to photograph it!

For dinner, we'd prepared to have two friends over who just started the detox - but unfortunately, they canceled a couple hours before dinner. My sister Julie & her husband John kindly offered to pinch-hit and came over to enjoy what is becoming a 'regular' dinner for us of raw salad, Opah, cauliflower puree and yellow beans.
Yoga Day 18: Whoa! Holy crap. I've been practicing in the mornings just due to my schedule lately - but today warranted a 4 p.m. class as I taught 9;30, had birthday lunch with Mom and expected dinner guests at 6:30. OMG. I forgot how amazingly open one is later in the day! How delicious to just feel so powerful and strong - open and flexible. I was trying to keep track of my favorite posture but couldn't keep track because so many were so yummy today. My Rabbit pose was my favorite - I always feel so bunched up and tight in that one, today I felt like I had the biggest roundest spine ever!

Detox Day 18:

Breakfast:
Green Lemonade

Lunch:
OUT! at Homegrown - Arugula, chicken thigh (2-3 oz.) with 1 tbsp. dried cranberries, and vinegarette.

Dinner:
Salad with spinach, raw corn/peas, cherry tomatoes, 1 oz raw goat cheese, lime juice.
Opah, pureed Cauliflower and yellow beans.
Red Wine - 4 oz. or so

Dessert:
1 oz. Dark Chocolate
Strawberries

Calories: 1100ish
Weight: Still hanging in there...the same...

Yoga & Detox Day 17

Another routine day in the detox and yoga world for Jenn. Sometimes the logistics are hard, like today for example. I got up and wasn't hungry so I had some water, puttered around a little and then at 9:20, got wildly inspired to go to 9:30 yoga. Having made green lemonade for Jill earlier, I grabbed mine and headed to yoga.

I had a great practice and raced to Capitol Hill to teach my noon class, drinking my green lemonade on the way. Checked in the class, taught it - feeling a bit hungry during it, ok, more than a bit - and then finished up and ended up home by 2 p.m. to eat my first food of the day. I've gotten away from snacking, so no fruit on the way home or anything like that.

Once home, then had to prepare lunch - another avocado salad with raw corn and cherry tomatoes - which I devoured along with Jill. Having waited so long to eat, the salad was plenty and I was FULL - no sweet potato, grain or anything as a follow-up.

Dinner was a little early since I taught again at 8 p.m., so again no need to snack. Comfort food tonight - simple salad with goat cheese followed up with spaghetti squash topped with mushrooms, onions and marinara...plus more raw cheese (I have raw cow when it's hot, I just don't dig the goat cheese melted - a little too goaty for me). No wine when I'm headed to the hot room! Little bite or two of chocolate though. :)

Yoga Day 17: Impromptu 9:30 with Kim in Fremont, got there with 3 minutes to spare and set up next to my pal Virgil, then had to jet right away and didn't even get to say much more than "hi" - though, it's amazing how connected you can feel to a friend just practicing next to them and sharing a mirror :) Nice class!

Detox Day 17:

Breakfast:
Green Lemonade

Lunch:
Avocado/Corn/Spinach/Cherry Tomato Salad.
Yes, again.

Dinner:
Spinach with tomatoes and raw goat cheese.
"Not Lasagna" (photo above) - Spaghetti Squash topped with a heap of mushrooms and onions, marinara and raw cow cheese.

A dollop of dark chocolate.

Calories: 1100 (that's better!)
Weight: Still down about 11, no real movement but that's to be expected with a big fast loss like I had at the beginning...