Low-Glycemic Raw Treats & Trials

Well, as of the end of today I will have been eating a 100% raw and low-glycemic diet. I'm not going to lie...it hasn't been easy for me so far. I'm not really enticed by many of my food current food choices and it's making the sugar and cooked food cravings especially severe.

Last night I had such a strong craving for a Ben & Jerry's ice cream sundae that I practically had what can only equate to a raw food "crisis of faith". It only lasted about 10 minutes but it was intense and it is nothing short of a miracle that I didn't cave. "10 minutes?!" you may be thinking, "get the hell over it you big wimp!" but that sugar monkey is far from stupid and a lot more than just a nag. She started out saying things like:
"I want an ice cream sundae, I want and ice cream sundae, ben and jerry's, ben and jerry's, ben and jerry's!!!" like a 2 year old throwing a temper tantrum.
But she caught on quick that I wasn't going to give into that sort of banter and started using logic on me.
"You're skinny, you're healthy. Why are you torturing yourself like this? What's so bad about ONE ice cream sundae? Isn't this kind of messed up? Do you have an eating disorder or something? Why can't you just let yourself indulge every once in awhile and eat healthy most of the time when you actually want to? You clearly WANT a ben and jerry's ice cream sundae why not just HAVE one?" This continued for about 10 minutes.
A friend of mine, who eats an incredibly odd diet and has been primarily living off of Swedish Fish for the past 2 days, was with me during this craving and he only added fuel to the sugar monkey's fire. Of course afterward he informed me that he was only playing devil's advocate and wouldn't have allowed me to get a sundae even if I'd let myself cave to my cravings.
I made it through that one and I'm sure I'll be able to make it through other cravings but it can be challenging at times!

On another rather negative note I am still breaking out like a teenage boy hitting puberty. Acne is probably the number 1 eminent health reason for my being raw. I am incredibly self conscious about my acne and haven't been without at least one zit on my face since I hit puberty. I really want this to clear up and I am convinced by all the testimonials that raw food is the way to make this happen. I realize it's only day 7 of my most recent adventure in raw but I've made so many healthy changes in my diet and still nothing!! What the hell?! I'm starting to contemplate a colonic or enema as everyone who has ever had one seems to be singing their praises. It just seems so...fringe. But I imagine it would do wonders on the detox front and that's what I need! So for now I'm a pimply faced raw foodist...not exactly the picture of health.

Good news: (Cuz we all know I need it!) I am back below 130lb for the first time in quite a while!! Woohoo!! This is really exciting for me. This low-glycemic diet is just making the weight melt off.
I do want to be careful not to get too skinny though. A huge problem I have...that I'm sure many many many women have is what can be referred to as "body dysmorphia". Even when I was a size 1 last spring I looked at my thighs and thought they looked big and fat. Other people tell me I looked a little too thin. I was still well with in a healthy BMI range and certainly don't want to get excessively thin.
On the other hand, I know that when eating the proper foods our bodies naturally tend toward our ideal weight. So what if I'm eating a really super healthy, satisfying diet and I end up weighing 110lbs? I'll look like a twig! But I'd be perfectly healthy. And I'd probably be accused of being anorexic or something.
I know of quite a few raw food women who no longer get their periods due to a very low body fat percentage. Are they unhealthy? I don't really know. There's so much conflicting information around that subject.

Anyway...this 100 day raw challenge is sure to be an adventure with lots of ups and downs. If you don't already know about Raw Fu and are interested in learning all about it and seeing Bunny Berry's hilarious raw food vlog I encourage you to check it out!!