She's gone raw!

I like to listen to stuff when I run on the treadmill, and there is a Canadian guy whom I listen to to help coach me through some interval runs. His name is Yuri Elkhaim. Cool guy- good workouts.

One day about 4-5 weeks ago now I was reading his website about how he sees nutrition and he mentioned that he likes to eat a raw diet. Now, I am a Nutritional Educator form Bauman College, and remember discussing raw vegetarian, but not in any great depth, so I started to read more.

and more

and more

I bought cookbooks, watched YouTube videos, testimonials, and blog after blog about eating a raw vegan diet. I tried it for about a week.
Wow! this food is so good!
I was feeling healthier mentally just knowing I was putting good, real, whole food into my body. I think I spent a small fortune on nuts and seeds.

Then ..ok grossout part... it hit me.

I spent on and off 4 days in the bathroom with the "trots" if you catch my drift!
What was going on??
Back to the research!

So last week I read and read more and find that there are 2 versions of eating a raw vegan diet. I picked the one that most people like but it is super high in fat. Way too high! All that fat was shocking my system and I couldn't digest properly. I was also gaining weight like crazy.
NO NO NO!!!! Not that!! My pants are already too tight!

So i find out about the 80-10-10 version of raw vegan. It is low fat, fruits and veg. No added fats, nuts seeds, etc. No crazy puddings and mixtures, no superfoods or powders, just real whole food.
Phew!
Fruit though! Crap! I have diabetes and haven't eaten a banana in a decade from eating low carb for so long. To me, low carb meant good blood sugars, until now.

I want to scream from mountaintops how awesome I feel. After doing this now in just 4 full days, I have dropped my insulin basal rates from 12.5 units a day to 9. I only need about half of what I would typically use to 'cover' the carbs in the fruit I am eating. - and it's a LOT of fruit!

My day right now- and I graze...

• wake up, pre-workout a banana
• post workout banana with blueberries and a nectarine, 1-2 cups chard as a smoothie
• lunch is 1-2 pieces of fruit and a salad of spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, mushrooms and lemon juice. No dressing.
  
• snack on 3-4 pieces of fruit
• dinner of smoothie with chard again or big fruit salad, or big salad
  
• snack of 1-2 pieces of fruit and 1 or 2 tsp almond butter (raw).

It's a LOT of food and LOT of fruit! BUT- my digestion is terrific, I am losing the weight, my skin is totally clear, I am needing way less sleep and not waking up 3 times a night like I was. The best part is my blood sugars are so great. I have been used to seeing 200's for the last 2 years thinking that was doing my best. And believe me, I work very hard every day to be the fittest, healthiest I can be, but felt I was failing. Now I am seeing the 100's and even 90's. NORMAL!

Now what about Minerals? Protein? Calcium? - read about it. Look it up. In a nutshell. It's all there in whole foods like this and you don't need the extra. As long as I get my tender greens in I am fine.

So, I won't plug anyone really here, although if you do a search for 80-10-10 you will find plenty of resources like I did. This is truly going to change my life.

morning thoughts from the treadmill

I run in the mornings. At about mile 2 I usually have some point that I get to in my mind. I think it takes 2 miles for all the jibberish to go away so I can think clearly. I love it.

Today I am thinking 2 things:

1. How far can I run after eating 1/2 cup oatmeal today and .6 units of novolog insulin "on board" before I have to stop? - answer was 43 minutes.

2. As much as I enjoy and encourage my daughter in her activities outside of school- hula, gymnastics, ballet, track etc... How much of this is ME living vicariously through her? I had my clarity moment when I realized this morning how much I want to do ballet. I want to swing on the bars. I have never pushed her to do these things, and only try to be supportive, but I also do get some sort of satisfaction being there as a witness because I am the mom. I am part of it in a way.

I will vow to try and be aware of this as she grows and does more and more. I will not be the 'stage mom" and put her in things I want her to do. I will ask her how she feels about her activities and not ever force her to do things. I have seen too much of that in other families. It is so hard on the kids.

If she likes it and wants to do it. Great. Enough said.