I did it! I went 28 days without sugar, and perhaps more significantly, 73 days without a mighty-o donut. I feel really good. Now that my illness has run itself out, I'm back to the high energy sleeping great loving life vibe.
I'm going to get a donut (or maybe two!) tomorrow, and I have a free drink at starbucks (venti coconut milk tiramisu latte anyone?) that expires this week, but I do want to continue to minimize sugar beyond those things.
Tomorrow is also significant because it will be my first coffee since February 1st. Can't wait. Coconut oil coffee...mmmm
Oh! And I FINALLY fixed my bike. Elizabeth helped but only a little so I still feel accomplished there. Spring is practically already here so this bike has to be ready to move.
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Friday, February 27, 2015
Cakies for Katie
Today I made sugar/gluten/soy/dairy/egg free cakies! (This is what I call the baked good that happens when you substitute out the vegan butter and use applesauce instead). They were yummy! Totally hit the spot for a sweet chocolatey nutty treat. For the sugar, I just blended up some dates and hot water. Delicious!
Also delicious - Angela Liddon's creamy avocado pesto. Oh my head. It was sooooo good. I also haven't eaten pasta in so long, but ya know. Also, made a strawberry basil smoothie for tomorrow and I sampled it and let's just say breakfast is a winner tomorrow.
I have been absolutely loving further exploration with diet. Oh and tea! Yerba mate today was awesome.
On this 27th day without sugar, I feel amazing. I did the TRX/cyclefit back to back again and I just felt so strong. I remember when cyclefit felt like the hardest thing in the world and now it feels like it's just getting started when it's over. Really thankful for these positive changes right now.
Also delicious - Angela Liddon's creamy avocado pesto. Oh my head. It was sooooo good. I also haven't eaten pasta in so long, but ya know. Also, made a strawberry basil smoothie for tomorrow and I sampled it and let's just say breakfast is a winner tomorrow.
I have been absolutely loving further exploration with diet. Oh and tea! Yerba mate today was awesome.
On this 27th day without sugar, I feel amazing. I did the TRX/cyclefit back to back again and I just felt so strong. I remember when cyclefit felt like the hardest thing in the world and now it feels like it's just getting started when it's over. Really thankful for these positive changes right now.
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Sugar sugar
I tried a chocolate bar today made with malitol! It was actually really good. I could dig it.
Also, Jordan saved my life by changing my tire today when we were out and about and informed of a flat. So thankful for the guy who told us about it while we were driving, thankful for her skills, thankful that I did have a spare and everything we needed in my car. You can bless God or curse God, and gratitude always chooses the former. It's a slow process, but I feel the Lord softening my heart, and changing it, and helping me choose to be more in love with Him than I am with any food or with my schedule or with my grudges or my own plan.
I feel so blessed to have been able to clean out so much junk and see Jesus that much more clearly. I swear I should a Christian health and nutrition advisor or something. Is that a thing?
Day 26 of fruit-sugar only.
Also, Jordan saved my life by changing my tire today when we were out and about and informed of a flat. So thankful for the guy who told us about it while we were driving, thankful for her skills, thankful that I did have a spare and everything we needed in my car. You can bless God or curse God, and gratitude always chooses the former. It's a slow process, but I feel the Lord softening my heart, and changing it, and helping me choose to be more in love with Him than I am with any food or with my schedule or with my grudges or my own plan.
I feel so blessed to have been able to clean out so much junk and see Jesus that much more clearly. I swear I should a Christian health and nutrition advisor or something. Is that a thing?
Day 26 of fruit-sugar only.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
#pray703
If you've been following me on twitter, you've seen my use of the hashtag, pray703. This is an international commitment to pray 1 Samuel 7:3 every morning at 7:03 from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. It's a verse of repentance, and hope for revival. We are to remember the persecuted church, and to pray for restoration in our own hearts.
When I talk about praying for the persecuted church, I'm talking general, but also very specific: the martyrs beheaded by ISIS last week. Can you imagine what it's like to be one who was left behind? To be that guy's sibling, spouse, parent, cousin, uncle, aunt, neighbor, coworker or pastor? How many of them saw their loved one die for believing the same things they believe?
I've been immersed in Luke, and have been praying its promises for those people; I never noticed how often it talks about persecution.
Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. Luke 6:22-23
I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgive. And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.
When I talk about praying for the persecuted church, I'm talking general, but also very specific: the martyrs beheaded by ISIS last week. Can you imagine what it's like to be one who was left behind? To be that guy's sibling, spouse, parent, cousin, uncle, aunt, neighbor, coworker or pastor? How many of them saw their loved one die for believing the same things they believe?
I've been immersed in Luke, and have been praying its promises for those people; I never noticed how often it talks about persecution.
Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. Luke 6:22-23
I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgive. And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.
Luke 12:4-12
But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name's sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives. Luke 21:12-18
This morning, I prayed in remembrance of Malak Ibrahim Sinweet, leaning heavily on Hebrews 12:1-2 to guide my prayers.
Jesus, I can't imagine what it must be like for Malak's and other martyrs' families. They know for a fact that persecution is real, and that by trusting and worshiping You, they could be the next to lose their lives. They saw this man beheaded for his faith and now that faith is what they have to live by. Keep them, close, Jesus. Help them run this race with the endurance by which they will gain their lives.
And Lord, I pray that I would take this testimony by so great a cloud of witnesses seriously, and by Your grace and the power of the Holy Spirit, lay aside every weight and sin which clings and run with endurance the race You've set before me. Let me look to You, Jesus, as the founder and perfecter of my faith, who for the joy that was set before You endured the cross, despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the house of God. Rip me from my idols, Jesus and let me see You more clearly. Amen.
When you start your day with a prayer like that, you never know what might happen.
Today at work, while I was supervising our indoor playground, I started to think about the men in black behind the martyrs in orange. I started to think about what it's like to be those guys, to have killed men who would rather die for their God than live in opposition to Him. I think about the centurion from Mark 15:39 who assisted in Christ's death and as he watched Jesus died, proclaimed His deity. So church, yes, we need to pray for the martyrs' families, for their churches, for their communities, for our world. But we need to pray our guts our for their killers. They saw a fierce testimony that Jesus is better than anything this world has to offer. They can be saved to life as much as anyone else.
So, dear friends, if you would, think about it: be up and on your knees at 7:03 every morning until Easter. And pour out your soul like water before the Lord.
And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, "If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you" 1 Samuel 7:3
But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name's sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives. Luke 21:12-18
This morning, I prayed in remembrance of Malak Ibrahim Sinweet, leaning heavily on Hebrews 12:1-2 to guide my prayers.
Jesus, I can't imagine what it must be like for Malak's and other martyrs' families. They know for a fact that persecution is real, and that by trusting and worshiping You, they could be the next to lose their lives. They saw this man beheaded for his faith and now that faith is what they have to live by. Keep them, close, Jesus. Help them run this race with the endurance by which they will gain their lives.
And Lord, I pray that I would take this testimony by so great a cloud of witnesses seriously, and by Your grace and the power of the Holy Spirit, lay aside every weight and sin which clings and run with endurance the race You've set before me. Let me look to You, Jesus, as the founder and perfecter of my faith, who for the joy that was set before You endured the cross, despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the house of God. Rip me from my idols, Jesus and let me see You more clearly. Amen.
When you start your day with a prayer like that, you never know what might happen.
Today at work, while I was supervising our indoor playground, I started to think about the men in black behind the martyrs in orange. I started to think about what it's like to be those guys, to have killed men who would rather die for their God than live in opposition to Him. I think about the centurion from Mark 15:39 who assisted in Christ's death and as he watched Jesus died, proclaimed His deity. So church, yes, we need to pray for the martyrs' families, for their churches, for their communities, for our world. But we need to pray our guts our for their killers. They saw a fierce testimony that Jesus is better than anything this world has to offer. They can be saved to life as much as anyone else.
So, dear friends, if you would, think about it: be up and on your knees at 7:03 every morning until Easter. And pour out your soul like water before the Lord.
And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, "If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you" 1 Samuel 7:3
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
I can't remember
There was something about sugar that I thought I should post but I forgot it. Oops.
There was a delicious looking homemade gluten free cake tonight at community group just staring me in the face for a good two hours. That was a little tough. I wasn't going to eat it, but it looked so pretty!
Otherwise, I'm still kicking it. I realized it's no longer so painful to go by Mighty-O's and not drop in for a donut. I haven't had coffee yet. Or gluten. I did have unsweetened chocolate though (in a larabar). So a little caffeine.
There was a delicious looking homemade gluten free cake tonight at community group just staring me in the face for a good two hours. That was a little tough. I wasn't going to eat it, but it looked so pretty!
Otherwise, I'm still kicking it. I realized it's no longer so painful to go by Mighty-O's and not drop in for a donut. I haven't had coffee yet. Or gluten. I did have unsweetened chocolate though (in a larabar). So a little caffeine.
Monday, February 23, 2015
Sugar free fun
I don't have anything to say about sugar really, so here's a recipe for the best baked oatmeal I've ever had - and the sweetness comes exclusively from fruit.
I made a double batch so I used 1/4 each of dates and raisins. And the peanut butter on top is a must! Yum.
Sunday, February 22, 2015
In conclusion
The last supper: rawesome tacos
Tonight, the cleanse ends. I'm not sure if this post will really add anything new, but here it goes anyway.
Overall, I will say this cleanse has been a positive experience. I got an energy boost, slept better (besides the cold, and my skin looks nice. I discovered some new recipes and learned even more about food and my body. That middle part was rough but week 1 and a half and today and yesterday were so good that I think it's ok to call that part of the process, accept it and move on. I do feel refreshed and "rebooted" so to speak.
What am I taking with me? I've felt so good that I'd have to be silly not to keep some of these positive changes around. Here goes some goals.
Caffeine: I am going to stick with mostly herbal teas, however I do plan on enjoying a weekly cup of coffee with coconut oil and the occasional bit of dark chocolate. Dandelion root tea rocked my world.
Sugar: Donuts are going to be out during Lent, and then aiming to make them occasional treats. I like Elizabeth's idea of trying to stick to mainly unrefined sugars. It's so fun to see what you can do with sucanat/coconut sugar/maple syrup/molasses etc.
Gluten: I learned I can live without toast. I'm going to be experimenting more with gluten free baking and not defaulting to bread.
Herbs: I want to eat these more regularly! Basil, cilantro, parsley - so easy to add to smoothies and pretty much any kind of meal, and so delicious and beneficial
Citrus: I am still not completely sold out to citrus in everything, but I can see their point.
Smoothies: I made a smoothie for tomorrow! I'm going to get back on the smoothie train I think. I don't hate making them with water, and in a house with various schedules, it's convenient to make them the night before.
Meals: I can be more creative here. I'm definitely keeping some of the cleanse recipes close. I also learned it's not that hard to be consistent and just prep and get things ready. I was sort of already doing this with my greens book, but I like making a meal plan, a grocery list and knocking the prep work out.
Snacks: I'm probably going to do peanut butter again. I've loved making my own larabars. Can't wait to eat hummus again. Hooray for pumpkin seeds. Back on the avocado life. Green apples are not as good as honey crisp. Chia pudding is the bomb. Coconut is super useful to keep on hand. And berries. Yum yum. Granola tastes better with maple syrup (1 more week!) Basically, there are a lot of great snack options out there, even for low sugar vegans :)
Treats: Elizabeth had a good thought on treats - that they don't have to be sugar or dessert - they can be a nice larabar or a thrive smoothie or a jujubeet juice or a power yoga session or a walk in the sun or a sparkling/infused water or a bunch of rainbow carrots or a cookbook meal made just for fun.
Example: sliced apples with cinnamon and almond butter.
Rhythms: I liked the pattern to the day, of thinking about what I would eat when, based on my schedule for the day, how often/intensely I was exercising, what I was feeling. Mostly just listening to my body more and more.
Jesus: I love Him more. I love seeing Him more clearly. I love seeing how God has made me and has provided all I need to be happy, healthy, holy and fully His. I definitely think Christians should be good stewards of the bodies The Lord has given us, to make us more fit for His service and more ready to see Him and glorify Him in our lives and in our world.
So, I think that's it. I'm hoping I can stay more or less to the guidelines I've set out. Theoretically, it will mean I'm not going to want to do another cleanse. I've done the experiment, and I don't have a desire to compare and contrast. However, if I ever feel like I need another kick start, I'll know how to get there.
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