I have been phasing out foods over the past week in preparation for... yep, a modified juice feast. You may just have said to yourself, what the hec is that?? I'll tell you. But first I have been saying goodbye to yummy little cookies ----------------------------->>>>>These were a tasty little batch of Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies that I whipped up. I have discovered that my skills definitely reside in baking; it runs in my family. I have been playing around with making things a bit healthier by doing these things;
- Replacing White Flour with Whole Wheat Flour, Oats, or Gluten-Free options like Almond and Coconut flour(more of the latter to come)
- Replacing Butter and Oil with Applesauce or Banana
- Replacing Sugar with Honey, Maple Syrup, and more recently Dates.
My typical breakfast has consisted of something like this --------------------->>>>>>>>>>> along side a lovely soy latte. And honestly, that is when I've chosen well - so that's saying something. BTW, this little number was better than ANY candy bar any day. They are a great alternative for a sweet-tooth as a treat; dairy free and Vegan options. I have been phasing out my lattes for two reasons; - I want to choose to drink coffee, in moderation, rather than feel as if I can't function without it.
- I am spending an average of $100.00 per month on my latte addiction. I can't afford that, at all.
~I have weaned myself off of coffee/caffeine many times at this point. I always feel better at first, and then I miss the flavor, and the ritual. My ultimate goal is to choose green tea(I love Matcha lattes!!) when I return to caffeine, and decaf coffee - with regular espresso being a rare choice. I think it's okay to choose things in moderation. The M-word is VERY challenging for
~Sugar, need I say more? It's a drug! Recently, studies are showing how truly horrible it is. Watch this video on 60 minutes to hear more. The Food Industry sneaks it in where ever they can for one reason; to keep you addicted and coming back for more so they can make money on your need to buy it, and your body that they can drug - and cut up to battle the disease it's caused.(yes I realize that is a drastic statement) but we saw how ignorant we were with Big Tobacco - I believe that sugar is our second wake up call; we've been duped!
~I have also been saying goodbye to dairy. I always drink soy or almond milk, but that cheese is a tough one to say no to! The problem is this; it's really hard for me to have a serving of cheese! Who has 2 "dice-size" chunks(a serving) and says, "Wow, that hit the spot!"?? Not this girl. And excessive dairy(aka cheese in all it's processed loveliness) makes me feel sluggish, phelgmy, achy, and wreaks havoc on my skin!!!(Can we say rosacea??? I look like a pimply 15-year old)
~Last but not least, I am waving goodbye to my beloved Carbs; Whole Grains, Corn, Rice - etc. I am still in the weaning process on this one. Today is my last day with grains and I will be enjoying rice or potatoes through the weekend. Come Monday, my option in this category will be Yams. I believe this will be the most challenging category for me as I have always allowed rice when I've gone off of flour. In order to not make myself too crazy - I will allow for some wiggle room for yams and rice over the course and make the best effort to allow my body to tell me what I need.
The 12 Week Plan: April 9 2012 - June 1 2012
- Breakfast = Green Juice, Green Tea
- Lunch = Green Juice and/or Salad
- Dinner = Protein(Legumes,Nuts, Fish, Free-Range Poultry) and Cooked Vegetables
- Snacks = Fruit or Vegetables, Herbal Tea
- Drink Water, as much as possible - at least 64 oz. daily
*Please note that this NOT set in stone! The most important thing is to listen to my body and what it is trying to tell me. Learning to listen to my physical, and not my mental hunger is key.
This was my first green juice this morning. It consisted of;- 1 cup spinach
- 1/2 cucumber
- 1 pear
- 1 scoop green powder
- 1 cup water
I have been nervous most times I have cleansed in the past; this time feels different. I am looking forward to it - I am ready. I quit smoking MANY times before I quit for good. Why should this be any different? I have made many attempts to see a big shift in my health, and relationship with food - and though I may not have had the miracle weight loss, I have learned valuable lessons - and gained good habits and information along the way. For more information on my decision to "cleanse" you can read more here.
Thank goodness I've got support! He's been cheering me on while I write today---------------->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>I hope you'll sign up to follow my journey, share it with a friend who might be interested too! Maybe you'll decide to jump on the Green Machine with me? Or, you'll be inspired to do whatever it is you've been wanting to try, but have stopped because of everybody else's opinions of what's best for you. Today is the day you start believing that YOU know best what YOU need to do to achieve the health you desire!
