Catching Up: What I eat

Where do you start, when you have so much that you want to share?  In my last post, I shared a little bit about what I have been doing to be active and get exercise.  Nothing in detail, but just a taste.

So, for my diet.  Some of you might be totally surprised, or even think it is extreme.  Others might already know from my facebook posts on my personal profile.

I have been juicing.  What does that mean?  Juicing?  That means, I buy a ton of produce, and run them through my Breville Juicer, then drink it for all of my meals (You don't have to have it for every meal, you can supplement one or two meals a day with juice and eat a lean healthy dinner--preferably with as little meat and dairy as possibly).  It has become quite the trend I suppose.  I learned about it about 4 months ago.  We had netflix, and a friend suggested that I watch a movie called Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead (watch the full movie on youtube or find it on netflix).  So I did.  After that, I was suggested the movie Hungry for Change (you can find the full movie on Netflix, or you can watch it here). 

Full Movie

Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead is about an Australian man named Joe Cross who had a chronic skin condition that he was taking high doses of steroids to treat each day.  He had been doing some juicing here and there, and he would lose weight.  However, he would just return to old habits and gain weight back.  So he decided, with the help of his doctor, to start a more rigorous juice fast.  He committed to 60 days of consuming only fresh juice made from vegetables and fruits.  Over the course of the documentary, it shows his progress, how he coped, and how much weight he lost.  By the end of the documentary, he was able to get off of his prescriptions and was free of his condition.  His body healed itself, because that it was it can do, when we give it the right nutrition.  Watch it if you haven't.  It is very inspiring.

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Hungry for Change is also very inspiring, AND informative!  It talks about how our body digests food, and what happens to the nutrients in our food.  It goes further into depth with how our body can heal itself if we give it the right fuel.  God designed our bodies to fight off diseases... but it can't if it isn't healthy to start with.  One reason our body stores fat is because of toxins.  When we ingest something that the body doesn't know what to do with it, meaning it is toxic or not natural, the body covers it with fat... to protect the body and keep it from making you sick.  So, part of losing weight is letting your body burn that fat and release the toxins.  Having a juice diet is a great way to flush those toxins out of your body as you lose weight.  This documentary is a great follow up to Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead.  (UPDATE:  The link above allows you to see only 20 minutes of the movie free.  Find it free on Netflix).

I originally started out doing a 3 day juice fast.  I actually did 3 of those.  It wasn't easy at the start, but once my body went through the detox process, I started to feel so much better.  However, I just kept going back to same old habits with the same old cravings.  Those cravings can be hard to master... but not impossible.  My body was happy with the nutrients I was giving it during those juice fasts... but wondered what happened after the 3 days.

At that same time, I was working out daily, and my body was getting stronger.  My endurance was increasing, and I was feeling good.  But then my knee started to swell up, and it was painful and difficult to do my more rigorous exercises.  This was very frustrating, and in the past it would have defeated me.  But you see, this time around, before I started my weight loss program, I emailed my family and told them of my desire to lose weight for good this time... lose the weight and never find it again. :)  I had a few of them jump in as a support system, to which I was grateful for.  I knew they wouldn't let me slip off the radar without really getting after me.  So I started thinking about what else I could do.  It was the first time that my knee really swelled after starting my workouts, and I wasn't sure if it would go down.  I decided that if I couldn't workout how I wanted to, then I needed to get more extreme with my diet.  I decided to commit myself to a 60 day juice fast, just like Joe.  I am currently on day 33.  I haven't been perfect.  I have eaten foods. I have tried eating meats and dairies... all ended in me getting sick.  I have learned that if I am not able to have juice, but I am starving, I should eat raw fruits and vegetables.  Ultimately, if you want to do an extended reboot, you can choose to eat the fruits and vegetables.  I was just faced with the daunting prospect of what I would do to make it not get boring very fast.  The only thing I could see myself doing was eating celery, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, and fruits.  How boring.  It would be hard to do.. but by juicing, I have so many options and recipes to try.  Now that I have been juicing for over a month and educating myself on different ways to eat vegan and vegetarian, I am learning delicious new recipes!  I'm excited to share them with you!  Once you start on an all veggie and fruit diet, you start really craving more fruits and veggies!  It sure helps the process!

Now I am breaking into eating more foods, but I'm trying to keep it vegan for now.  I have a lot of weight to lose yet, but it is coming off.

My mistakes:  I already mentioned my mistakes of eating meats and dairies occasionally.  It can be hard to resist when you are cooking for a family of 4 others who will be eating.  I have a habit of tasting as I cook and prepare food, and there have been times when that taste turned into me having a small serving.  One thing I did right, is that whenever I did eat, I did not over eat.

My other really huge mistake I made was, that for the first 25 days of my juice fast, I did not drink enough calories.  So, after I lost about 11 pounds, I started to maintain my weight.  It was kind of frustrating.  But along the way, I started watching videos and following the advice given by vegans.  I was drastically under my calorie count!  So for the past week, I have been striving to drink more juice, and even eat more produce.  I have started losing weight once again, and I look forward to losing more!  It is totally contagious!  One vegan that I have begun looking to for guidance eats about 3,000 calories a day!  I was floored to learn that!  That is a lot, but she is tiny and looks very healthy.  You can find her videos and recipes here.

I know, my shirt is an oxymoron, but I have
what I have to wear. :)
BTW I have not had any soda in over 1 month!
I do not even crave it anymore.
In fact, upon one sip, I determined that it was
DISGUSTING!
THANK YOU JUICE!
This picture was taken on April 20, 2013
at the beginning of my 60 day juice fast.

A question that I ask myself a lot:  Am I going to become vegan?  I used to make fun of vegans and vegetarians (Yes, I am sorry--I have changed my tune).

The answer to that is complicated.  I can definitely see the benefits of being vegan.  I feel good when I consume only fresh produce.  My body is responding well to it.  My body is healing the womanly problems that I have been experiencing.  Ultimately it has been a good thing.... On the other hand, I definitely see a place for grains (especially), meat, eggs, and dairy.  Those things are good for you.  However, I do believe that I tend to eat too much of those, and not enough of the vegetables and fruits.  We have put so much money and time into finding good organic meat and eggs.  It sure helps to have good clean meat.  Anyway, my goal is to get my whole family down to eating meat once a week, and one serving of dairy a day.  That will be a hard thing to achieve.  Everyone of my kids, and my husband love their dairy and meat.  So my answer for now is that for the next 3-4 months, I will do my best to be a fully raw vegan... then after that, I plan on being a part raw vegetarian that occasionally eats meat!  Lol... sounds complicated, I know.

Ultimately, it is no longer just about losing weight.  It is about my body being healthy all of the time, so that it can more easily fight off disease and infection.  I would much rather my body be naturally fortified, rather than be pumped full of man made infection fighters and such (I do believe those have a place--but in my opinion, they should not be the staple).

Do you think you eat enough vegetables, fruits, and nuts?

Love,

Evelyn

Enduring: Even When It is Hard

I am very proud of my man!
Hoss has lost over 60 pounds

Sometimes it is hard to change habits, and for a long time, I would do well for a while, then I would stop exercising and eating right.  This time, is the real deal.  I have been working very hard to instill better habits.  I have been exercising regularly for the past 3 months.  I have even lost 40 pounds!  In the past, I have never lost more than 20, so this is exciting and contagious.  My endurance has increased, and I am feeling better.  I have had many troubles with my knee, but since receiving some treatment from my orthopedic specialist, the swelling in my knee goes down on its own now.

What really irritates my knee the most you might ask?  Running more than 1 time a week (closer than 4 days apart), playing volleyball, jumping rope, and other exercises that are high impact.

I am learning, that when something gets so difficult I am unsure I can continue, I adjust and do something different in order to stay active.

In the past month, I have been organizing a gathering of volleyball players to play each Monday.  They have loved it so much that they requested that we play on Wednesday too!  We meet at my church, (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Hobbs, NM), I set up, and we play!  It has been great fun.  However, I learned that I can only handle playing 1 day a week, so I am choosing Mondays.  My new volleyball friends were even requesting yet another day to play!  I told them that I could not commit to another day right now.  I feel bad, but sometimes we just have to say no.

Here is my week of workouts (they vary some weeks--of course due to my knee):
*Monday: Volleyball 2-2 1/2 hours
*Tuesday: Yoga
*Wednesday: Bike ride about 3-5 miles
*Thursday: Bodyrock.tv, which is now called the Daily Hiit
*Friday: walking/light jogging and housework
*Saturday: Is open.  We go to the park sometimes, swim sometimes, Its family fun day.
*Sunday: It is good to rest your body at least one day. What better day than the day God commands us to rest?

Some weeks, I do more yoga than anything.  The stretching really helps my sore muscles and my sore knee.

One very important thing that I have learned is that

Photo via

 it is not a good idea for me to jump in and work out in a way that I would have back 10/11 years ago, when I was in great shape (This is the style of workout that I started out with about 2 years ago, when I started this blog.  That is what got me discouraged.  This time around in January, I started out just increasing my activity levels just a bit.  I started walking every day or doing yoga.  Then I added in biking, and light jogging.  After that, I started doing bodyrock.tv again, and then I started up volleyball.  Like I mentioned, I really had to dial back how much volleyball I played, otherwise I would be down and out for a few days, while the swelling went down in my knee, getting no extra activity in.  Good times.  I know.  But it is what I have to deal with.  Ultimately, I am learning through trial and error how to listen to my body.

There is a saying I heard on a movie Little Cowboy (Baby K) likes loves.  It is called, The Little Engine that Could.  One of the bigger engines tells Little Engine the following:

"If you think you can, you can.  If you think you can't, you can't.  Either way, you are right."

So simple, yet profound truth.  This is something I have to remind myself of.  Last week, after volleyball, I started talking about how I want to be a runner... like, long distance 1/2 marathon type of runner.  This was at the height of my knee swelling and pain, and I was feeling very down, depressed and frustrated.  I caught myself saying.  "I really want to be a runner, but I can't.  I probably never will be."

If I keep that attitude up, I'll prove myself right.  So, I had to give myself an attitude adjustment.  I had to really think about what I want (which is many things), and I had to prioritize them into goals.  Short term, longer term, longer term, and longerer er term if needed.

Photo via

1. I want to make better food choices.  Well, this really isn't a want...although, I do want it.  It is a need.
2. I want to lose weight.
3. I want to be able to enter a bike race.  I want to be able to bike to a nearby town (20-30 miles).
4. I want to be able to run 1 mile.

I think that is enough for me to start with.  You know the great thing?  I am already in the process of accomplishing numbers 1 and 2.... and I feel so great!

There is an older woman that we buy our farm fresh eggs from (for $2 a dozen I might add).  She was telling me that she hurt her knee and needed to go and see a doctor that same day about it.  She was worried that she would need a knee replacement.  A viable option, especially since she has severe arthritis and has already had a shoulder replacement.  She has to be somewhere in her 60's or 70's.  I asked her a few questions about what her knee does.  She says it feels like it will give out on her (most likely due to the swelling--funny thing, swelling...making things feel unstable).  I asked her if it popped when she bent it.  She said yes.  I asked her if she did anything that she knows was the cause of her knee pain.  She couldn't remember.  A meniscus tear can be very subtle.  You could tear it and a few weeks later, you begin feeling the pain.  Or you could have a more severe tear and feel it immediately.  I mentioned it to her with the idea to look into it.  I told her if that was the case, orthoscopic surgery would be an easy fix... age not taken into account.  I was thinking about it, but I didn't want to say, "Someone your age might.... blah blah blah."

Anyway, what she said to me really pulled at my heart.  She said, "You know, I have been feeling so good.  I've been losing weight, working out in the garden and with the chickens.... and to have this happen to me now!"  She explained to me that she has had health problems off an on, and I just about cried for her, because I get it!  I might be a lot younger than her, but I get it!  And I told her that.  I told her that I couldn't count how many times I started feeling good and losing weight, when I was kicked back remarkably.  I could tell she was close to tears, and I told her the only thing that I know to be true:

God would see her through it.  It isn't easy, and our trials only make us more humble and better people, but He will see us through them.  If the only thread of faith that we have to hold onto is that God loves us, then so be it.  That thread will withstand anything, and it will be enough to pull us through our trial.

I so needed to see her last Friday.  I was feeling very miserable with my swollen knee.  My motivation was beginning to flicker.  I was contemplating just giving up.  Just giving in to the few food cravings that I still have.  But I went home and juiced some fresh vegetables and fruits, and I am so glad.

My goal this week?  Persevere!  I'm going to stick to my eating plan, even if it is so much harder than fixing with a lot less nutrition in it.

Photo via

What is your goal this week?  No excuses!  You can do something!

Love,

Evelyn Campbell Curtis

Happy Mother's Day

I'm supposed to be napping right now, but I just have to write this post first.

I want to shout out a very Happy Mother's Day to my wonderful mother, mother-in-law, and my grandmothers aunts and sisters, and all of you other mothers, or women who are mothers to other people's children!

This will be a fairly short post.

We made a gift for Grandma Kathy and Grandma Dixie, but it turned out to be a very time consuming project.  We finished making them last night!  There was no way to get to out in time for today (obviously).  So, I decided that we would take pictures of them and post them here, that way you can get a "feel" for the gift before it actually arrives later this week.  Please forgive us... we started on making these last week!

We went to a class with the homeschooler's association here in Hobbs, and the girls learned about making books.  It was fun for them, and they jumped right in and wrote their story.  I knew that Mother's Day was coming up, so I thought that maybe it would be a good idea to finish their books and make a few copies and send them to the girl's grandmas!  I think they turned out kind of cute!  I had a vision about how they would turn out, and they are pretty close to it!

The whole process was a lot of fun, and I think that the girls will most likely be making more books in the future!

Enjoy!

We made 3 of each book, that way we have one of our own!

Bunny wrote and organized the illustrations for her book.  I did the photography,

the graphics, and Hoss funded the project.

Here is Bunny reading her book for you!


Bug wrote her book pretty quickly at the homeschool activity.  She seemed to really enjoy the activity and set right to it.  She even drew illustrations for each page, but in the end, she wanted me to take pictures.

Bug wrote and organized the following publication.  I did the photography and graphics.

Hailee will read it for you.

Kenson likes reading them too!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

Holiday Overload!

I don't really have time for this, but I'm about to make time. I should be doing dishes, baking a cake, making the rest of the bows and some arrows....and some homework. :-/

This is the last day of our holiday break.  I decided that with Bunny's birthday, we have to extend our vacation from school another week.  Besides, after being sick the whole week before, we really needed that extra time to get our house back in order (its a progress that is always moving forward for me).  Did I mention that we were sick?  Huggles got the flu,... the full blown flu, and I got it too.  Hoss got a case of cold sores (I think that is his version of being sick.  I'm not sure if that is a good thing, or a bad thing).  Bunny had a fever for one day, and Bug had a cough.  I'm so glad the rest of them didn't catch the flu!  It was horrible!  I can't remember the last time I was that sick!

Bunny woke up to a waterfall of balloons in her doorway!

A sneak peak at the bows... this was the first one I made.  The girls are very excited about it!

Bunny's birthday was this past Tuesday.  She turned the big 9er!  We weren't quite ready to have her party on her big day, but she opened a gift her Grandma Curtis sent her, and a card that was sent by her Grandma Campbell.  We had a fun day, and did most everything that she wanted to do.  I think we watch Brave (the movie).

Tomorrow is the official celebration!  I am very excited for it!  I took an idea off of pinterest to do a Brave themed party.  I made quivers to hold the arrows, and bows and arrows.  They were very easy to make...just time consuming!  We will be celebrating in style with cake and ice cream and homemade pizza for lunch!  Yum!  I'll post pictures of the party after.

Last week was my birthday.  I was sick that day, but it was nice to relax and sleep.  Hoss surprised me with a spa gift certificate, where I'll be getting a pedicure and a manicure.  It will be my second "pedi" and my second "mani"... all in all a pleasant experience!  If only I had someone to go with!  I will most likely be cashing that in tomorrow afternoon.  All in all it was a great birthday, and I'm not yet 30, so we are doing good.

Christmas was great fun!  Bunny was SO excited that I don't think Santa could come until around 3 in the morning!  Sheesh!  But they were so filled with magic!  It was a great Christmas year to celebrate Christ's birth... like every year, but especially this past year!

Bunny and her favorite Christmas toy.

Bug and her favorite Christmas toy.

Huggles and his favorite Christmas toys.

Sorry for the blur, but Huggles doesn't like Santa much.

Huggles being sick... he was so miserable. :(

Also over the Christmas break, Hoss and I celebrated 10 years of being married!  Time has gone by so fast!  He is such an amazing person, I'm lucky to have him as my husband... and even luckier that I get to be with him for all eternity!

Hoss ordered this crystal cube with an etched picture
of the Idaho Falls Idaho temple, where we were married!
This took at least 1.5 weeks of planning!  I was SO surprised!

I hope that your Christmas break was as amazing as mine (other than being sick of course)!

Sincerely,

Evelyn Curtis