Day Four and Five - I'm Still Alive!

So my time on this raw diet is drawing to a close, sob sob!! I can't say I'll miss Mr Tomato, Mr Cucumber or Miss Lettuce. There is such a thing as overkill on a diet. I don't know how anyone lasts on salads day in...day out!

I am actually quite proud of myself.. I was never one to give up chocolate for lent, or make new years resolutions. It was setting myself up for failure. Quite honestly, I still don't know how / why I stuck to this diet. I think because it was part of an assignment - sort of - or perhaps because I had to document it.

I did "cheat" by eating some yogurt and that tuna. But, I challenge all of you commentators to do this diet, and then we can talk.

I am finishing up after 5 days due to the fact that it's been painful, and I want to go out for the long weekend. It's better to finish on a high note than to sneak off and have some drinkies, pretending I didn't.

I lost a grand total of 1.5 kilos - which is about 3 pounds I think. It's not a whole lot, but it's better than nothing. I am defiantly going to keep up some aspects of this diet, like the yummy smoothies, more fruit in my diet and maybe even some salad (just not for a few days).

I don't reccomend this diet as long term, even though some people do it. The main reason being the lack of energy. I was sleeping late, going to bed early and still had no energy. I couldn't concentrate on my college work because my focus just wasn't there.

I wasn't always starving, but I wasn't getting the nutrients I needed. I wasn't getting the energy from carbs, the protein from meat, or the sugar (which I admit,isn't really a nutrient, but we still need a portion of it!)

One of my finds from this experience was this yogurt, Rachel's which is organic, bio live... and yummy!! I tried the strawberry, the raspberry and the mango, pineapple and passionfruit flavours. They are only €1.29 for a large tub in Dunnes Stores too... absolute gem of a find!

I also learned that eating healthy really helps your sleep patterns. You don't wake up as much or at all because you have no toxins in your body to keep you awake. All the tea, coffee and e numbers can really effect your sleep so I slept like a log for the whole week!

It was an interesting and fun experience at times, but I'm off to the comfort of my chocolate house!

Day Two & Three.... I Gotta Pee

I must apologise to my avid readership as I did not blog yesterday. Fear not, I recorded ALL my food intake and took some pictures too. I do not however, wish to tell you every single thing I ate, because that would be boring. It would almost be as tiresome as having to eat the same things day in... day out.

There isn't much variety to this raw food only thing. I should have realised this when watching the super smiley woman on rawradianthealth.com. She did a full ten minute v-blog on the different options one 'raw' eater has when going to restaurants... "for example, spinach salad...green salad.... you know, there are lots of salad options"

After my supermarket sweep I have a few more options, such as the nut mix that I've been snacking on or the juicey strawberries that make my smoothies that bit more exotic!But there is only so much fruit and veg I can eat. The recommended daily amount is five pieces... well I think I've had an average of 7 pieces a day, between the various smoothies, the salad for lunch, the salad for dinner... I'll turn into salad fingers (I dare you to look that up on Youtube)

I must take a mo mo to talk about the side effects. I'm sure you're all wondering, since your deeply engrossed in my blog - if I have lost weight. Well according to mister weighing scales I lost a kilo in two days. I think that works out as just over 2 pounds. I'm not too sure if that's good or bad.... in case you haven't noticed, I'm not a diet tourist. I'm only here for a short stay and then I'm off home to the comfort of my chocolate home.

Apart from weight loss there have been two other significant effects. Firstly, I have been weeing non stop since I have started. Not that we want to talk about toilet time, but it is a significant part to every diet. I wee all day, all night... I can't even go out without thinking, will I make it before I need to pee!?! Last night for example, I went to the pee pot before I went asleep around 12/12:30 am... I woke to go again at 2am and once more at 7am. When I got up at 9:30 am I went again too. I suppose it's a good thing!

The other effect is fatigue and I especially noticed it today. I went to college after having some strawberries and melon and didn't think I'd need lunch. I brought an apple, banana and some nuts. I thought this would keep me going. Alas it did not and I was like a zombie walking to the bus stop, I couldn't wait for my bed. After having a prawn salad for dinner I feel slightly better but I think the lack of carbs and sugar is bringing me down.

Today my classmates gave me some guff about not eating completely raw. Apparently I cheated with the yogurt, and there was some debate about the tuna. I would just like to say - yes I had yogurt and tuna (once) but this shows that it isn't easy, but it's feasible. I mean, if someone really wanted to go raw raw.. they could! This diet isn't that whacky or weird... it's doable!! and I think if my worst vice of the week was tuna, I'm doing good ;)

Yum Yum Day One

Well hello fellow blog pervs! So today was the first day of my RAW diet. Last night I stuffed myself with all my favourite treats in a sort of farewell moment... I didn't manage to scoff ALL the doritos, ice cream, jellies and chocolate so when I woke this morning they were sitting there...and then it hit me - I can't touch these for another week. It was emotional. I'm pretty sure this ceremony of self indulgence isn't common for people starting diets. But I'm not people.

I started off my day with a nice glass of water with lemon extract for flavour. I had read somewhere that half a lemon in a pint of water would suffice and by god, it sufficed. The water was bloody bitter and I kept swallowing lemon bits that would send my face into convulsions. It wasn't pretty. Never fear, I downed it... well, it took about half an hour.



Around 12pm I decided to make a smoothie, I was getting hungry at this stage and thought it time enough for some real food. When I threw the various fruit in to the bowl, about to mash it beyond belief with my favourite utensil, I realised - I might just eat this without cremating it... it might be nicer - and it was!! I mixed yogurt with it, I'm not sure if that's 'allowed' but it is 100% natural so there's no bad stuff. So there!! Anyway, it turned out yummy, as you can see <-------- I began watching a DVD for my French memoire which is basically like a mini dissertation - but en francais! The film wasn't great, but it made me miss food even more. I know I'll sound like a fat couch potato kid but I can't watch TV without eating food! So I peeled and chopped a carrot which kept me going until lunch time. Around half 2 I made a salad for lunch, with tuna too. Is eating tuna cheating? I'm not sure but I ate it...
It was magnificently filling to say the least. I had been getting hunger pangs at that stage so it filled me right up up up! I had to go out at that stage and visit someone in the hospital, where tea was offered but I valiantly declined. I didn't get home until around 8pm but managed to do a quick shop on my way home.. I picked up some messages for the week - and took a photo of course!Marvelous Maeve made me a dinner of prawns and salad which was also quite nice. It was very very filling too.
I know it might seem like this diet isn't very gruelling or testing. Perhaps it isn't. Definitely not as bad as maple syrup and lemon juice that's fo sho! BUT it is still challenging, not having anything warm, no tea..no chocolate, no steak pie for dinner like everyone else :(

Aaron however, was very kind and joined me in the super healthy dinner! He had brown bread though, I didn't. I was a good girl :D I treated myself to a melon,strawberry,juice and yogurt smoothie tonight though. God, I think I'm eating MORE than ever!!

Raw Adventure

Welcome to RAW AND READY - my new blog that will document my experience of the raw food only! diet. This diet is part of an experiment of sorts by my 4th year journalism class. A few of us have committed to some pretty weird and wacky diets over the course of the next few weeks and will blog and vlog about it.

Some people have already started (and finished!) like Diana - who did Beyonce's maple syrup and lemon juice diet for a week. I have no idea how she lasted. I felt so so bad for her when we were scoffing yummy sandwiches last week at the launch of our French magazine and she - as dedicated as she was - sipped on her water.

Or Joey, who took on the apple only diet. I am sure she is sick of the sight (and taste) of apples by now.

I, however chose a less adventurous one and perhaps less extreme. The reason being, I know myself and I would NOT be able to last a full week on one food item. I would be setting myself up for failure - and that's not fun. So I am doing the raw food only diet. This will consist of fruit, vegetables, nuts, prawns (raw of course) and I might even try sushi etc etc...

I officially start tomorrow but since I didn't know how to use the juicer I did an experiment today - which my mam kindly helped me with. I made a smoothie, consisting of 3 kiwis, 1 banana, natural yogurt and crushed ice.



It only took 5 minutes to make. Firstly I peeled the three kiwis and cut them into small pieces. I then did the same for the banana. I threw them into a big bowl where I had emptied the small tub of natural yogurt. I then unleashed the hand held blender on it - which was lots of fun. Afterwards I crushed the ice and popped it in. And there you go! EASY!

It didn't taste amazing. It didn't taste rank. It was ok, quite bitter but I suppose that is the mixture of kiwi and natural yogurt.

Tomorrow I plan to go to the local Get Fresh where my friend conveniently works to stock up on some fresh produce. I may also call on my good friend Frankie to use her 20% discount in M&S for some nice prawn salad treats ;)

For now, I will eat my Sunday roast and devour some of the choco-delights my parents bought in the weekly shopping - forgetting that I was embarking on this adventure!!!