Mary M.'s Blog (14)

A month or so back, I mentioned in a passing comment that I was being interviewed for a local newspaper.  Penni, proving that she really does read our comments, jumped on it and asked me to share the article with folks at the Hab.  Well, the article was never posted on the web, so I couldn't do that, but I can tell you a bit about what I said and tell you my story.

 

When I was 41 (I'm now 61), I was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease -- systemic lupus erythematosus -- a…

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This is one of my all-time favorite quotes.  I'm sure it's familiar to many of you.  I think it's very appropriate as we begin a new year and a new initiative.

 

Happy New Year all my dear fellow rehabbers.  Let's all RESOLVE TO EVOLVE.

 

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of…

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I've been attempting high raw for about three years. At some times I'm higher raw than at other times. I think I'm now into my fourth Vault. And yesterday, I felt the shift! It proved to me that the saying, "don't quit before the magic happens" really is true.



Yesterday, I served a traditional holiday meal to my in-laws and step son and his family. For my husband I made a vegan but cooked meal.



And for me, I made a dinner that was all raw (thanks to Penni and the other… Continue

Penni suggests we make a vision board and has directions for one in Healthy Raw Solutions.



I'm having a quiet fourth of July at home and decided today was the perfect day to make one. What's been most interesting is what I'm learning about myself through the process. The pictures and phrases I'm finding in old magazines are inspiring thoughts and memories and realizations. I highly recommend taking the time to do this before the beginning of the next initiative.



I found the… Continue

A few days ago I watched Dr. Brian Clement's live talk in Austin, Texas. Cari blogged about it, too. I found myself having an adverse reaction to it. Dr. Clement was talking about the dangers of fruit as we now get it in the U.S. (unripe, old, etc.) and of eating much (or any) of it.



I've looked back on my reaction and realized I was getting really whiny. I don't wanna give up fruit. Poor me. I've had to… Continue

This morning I got up early to watch approximately 1,000 runners pass my house at about the five mile mark of an annual marathon. This is a big one, a qualifier for the Boston Marathon, and it is through the beautiful mountain canyon in which I live.



I watched the first few pass by at a steady clip, each one hoping for a record or a win. They were slim, strong, young ... professional athletes. There were only a few of them. Then there were the ones right behind. More of them, still… Continue

I see a new vision for myself. I see myself at my perfect weight. I see myself wearing nice clothes, my style, my colors. I see myself involved in the raw food/vegan/animal rights community. I see myself supporting local organic vegetable farms and organizations having to do with animal rights, especially the rights of animals farmed for food.



I see myself with lots and lots of energy. I am passionate about the work I do. I am on fire with the calling I have to let people know how good… Continue

Well, I guess this isn't actually the beginning of a new week at the 11 Week Initiative. That would be last Saturday. This feels like a new week to me, because I'm once again committing. I am looking back over the first week, celebrating what I did right and attempting to learn from what I did "not so right."



I slipped and slid a little into cooked food and when I do this, I find myself eating such things as bread. For me steamed veggies are not bad. A baked sweet potato is okay, too.… Continue

I'm happy with my 1.5 lb. weight loss, but know that if I'd stuck as well to the plan at the end of the week as I did at the first of the week, I probably would have lost a bit more.



What I see happening is what can happen to me all the time. That is I make a strong commitment, get off to a great start, stay connected, and then start to fall behind. I "cheat" a little here and I "cheat" a little there. Yesterday was my day to do that. I went to a quilt show with a friend and even… Continue

My motto for this 77 Day Initiative is Commit, Focus, Act, Celebrate. Yesterday I didn't do very well. Now, I'm looking at what I did wrong. First thing in the morning I have to focus on my 77 day commitment to eat high raw and low fat meals. I need to make sure I don't go too long without food and that I hydrate myself upon awakening and all through the day with clean, fresh water. I need to keep in the back of my mind always that this is my number one focus right now. There may come a time… Continue

I had a really good day today, but it was not without it's temptations.



My husband and I spent the day going from one doctor to another because of his cancer. In between we went to Panera's where we had to spend about two hours. I ordered a salad with no meat and no cheese and no croutons with dressing on the side. Water to drink. I did great, but I was very tempted by the breads and pastries. My husband had a couple of those, still I did not give in.



It helps me so much to… Continue

Today was a pretty good day. I had a good workout at the gym after another one of the delicious smoothies from Penni's book. I had a salad at Whole Foods with just a bit of their vegan, oil free salad dressing. The strawberry one is great.



I struggled with some emotions and know that the reason for this is I'm not stuffing my feelings with food. My husband has cancer and today we received a bit of bad news in blood tests. He's doing great: downing every green smoothie I push his way,… Continue

Well, the second day is almost over and it's been good. I had two smoothies, one green and the other one made from a recipe of Penni's with homemade almond milk. So good. Another reminder of how good this food is. The food itself, this way of eating, is a celebration. I am grateful.



I went to a dinner tonight with some friends. The woman who put it on at her house knows how I eat so she had an abundance of salad ingredients and fruit. She also had two big loaves of bread that had… Continue

I've decided that if I want to succeed at losing the weight this time around, I need to commit, focus, act, celebrate. Penni is making it so easy for me to do that with this wonderful site and the 77 day initiative. As she is committed to spread the word of what a raw food lifestyle can do to improve our health and well-being, I am committed to giving it everything I've got to follow through these next 11 weeks.



Instead of coffee this morning, I'm beginning my day with 2 glasses of… Continue