Living Rawesome

I Won!!! The Raw Food Muscle Challenge

I was officially one of the winners of the Raw Food Muscle Challenge. Santiago picked 2 people instead of just one and I was one of them. I just talked to him on the phone on October 12. He gave me a workout and some tips for success. These include deep breathing exercises and some tips for eating. I definitely eat too many nuts and I am working on trying to find low fat raw recipes. I know for so long I have turned to food for comfort and Santiago addressed the issues. I am supposed to walk away from food and go outside if I feel like I am getting a craving. I am supposed to visualize myself as I want to look and feel in my body. Believe it or not it is working. I feel like when I do this, it gets me away from eating too much. I need to keep up with the consistency and keep visualizing.

As for the workout, well I have to say it was hard, and I still feel sore in my upper body even though I did the workout 4 days ago!!! Maybe I over did it. Circuit training really works for me, it keeps things fun and my muscles guessing. I was supposed to go to the gym yesterday, but we had the football game and had to leave at 6:30 am then I went to Marsha’s house for the Raw Ladies Party. I have to say that I didn’t over indulge like I have in the past. My goals were definitely in my mind. Today I went biking and I still need to do my upper body workout. I may just start tomorrow because the gym is almost closed and I went for a longer bike ride then I planned. I do have weights here at my house, so I may pick those up and do the workout at home.

I have this entire month to challenge myself and stick to what he tells me and I am hoping that the Visualizing will really help!

“Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.”~Arnold Schwarzenegger

Before and After (Yes, they are)

October 1, 2010

After viewing both of my photos, I am rather disappointed that I didn’t see more change. The numbers said it on the scale and on my inches, but I really don’t see an outer change.
I feel inner change in my body. I have been so up and down with my eating these last few months. I even went so far to start eating more fish and eggs. I realized that I not only felt bad in my body (constipation, cramps before menstruation, ovary pain, anger) eating it too often, but I also felt it in my head (sadness, depression, lonliness). After learning so much over all of my years searching for the right “diet” I know that “killing” isn’t my forte. I enjoy eating the plants. I feel a sense of belonging to nature that way. Even though the fish were wild caught and the eggs were organic, I felt like I was contradicting myself and what I have been teaching, but I am MY OWN GURU. I know my body best and my body knows what it needs.
I feel that many of my eating problems come from Emotional Eating. This is the area that I will be working on next. I feel that over the last 6-7 years I have been learning more and more about what works for me and what doesn’t. About 7 years ago, I really became a gym rat and learned as much as a could about Fitness. I spent countless hours in the gym, and had so much fun transforming my body. This lasted for about 3 years. I took about a 2 1/2 year hiatus from the gym. I decided that I was spending too much time in the gym and just quit! Yes, that is right, I quit! Which I don’t recommend anyone doing. So became my Journey to Raw.
I spent about 3 years learning about Raw and how important it is FOR ME. To clean out my system and eat God’s food. I didn’t incorporate much exercise but I learned all about the nutrition of raw and how it changes LIVES. And it changed mine.
I realized that I turn to food for comfort. My body is nourished and fed and I continue to eat even though I am highly mineralized and nourished. I realize that I do have a problem numbing my emotions with food. I know that many people struggle with these issues and I am no exception. Thank God that I eat organic, living food, but too much of any food is not good.
My journey, I feel is taking me on this path to explore more of who I am without turning to food for comfort. I am scared to where it may lead, but I know that the God will only bring me to my inner calling and my divine genius!
I am grateful for this challenge and I will continue on my path to Enlightenment in Every Area of My Life!