The Portion Plan: How To Eat The Foods You Love And Still Lose Weight

This isn’t any ground-breaking nutritional news, especially for those of you who regularly read Fit Fare. On any visit to your neighborhood pasta joint, you can get a real sense of America’s portion distortion. Yet most people have lost a sense of what is a “reasonable” serving size. This book aims to visually convey what a true serving size is, and present a reasonably healthy way of eating which anyone can adopt. 

The Portion Plan makes its argument with beautiful and life-sized photos. These photos convey what a reasonable serving size is for an array of foods, from steak to French fries. What these photos are also able to show is how beautiful and appetizing healthy food can be. 

The Portion Plan also contains a 7-day eating plan, flexible from 1400-1800 calories per day.  This eating plan consists of dishes and ingredients that appeal to the average person – breakfast containing eggs, sandwich for lunch, and steak for dinner. Yet these dishes are prepared healthfully, so there are less calories which can be satisfying to anyone. Gassenheimer also makes a point of stating that any food you might want is not out of reach. If you have a craving for something – have it; but just in a smaller serving size. 

While The Portion Plan isn’t breaking nutritional ground, it does show that healthy food can be delicious and satisfying, a point we try to make on Fit Fare regularly. The eating plan it presents doesn’t ask you to eat sprouts, diet shakes, or combine proteins, fats, and carbs in exact amounts.  It is a guide for what anyone trying to get to or maintain a healthy weight should eat every single day; this presents a way of eating for life, not a diet. This part of the book I was both impressed and surprised with, despite the endorsement on the front cover from the author of The South Beach Diet.  Sometimes we get caught up in diets such as Atkins or South Beach, believing that it will be the magic bullet, but this 7-day eating plan presents that healthy and gratifying portions of food can be had every single day.    

As someone who already espouses a healthy diet, I do not believe I am part of the target audience for this book; this is directed at the average American who may eat a copious amount of fast food, and who struggles with eating healthfully.  Yet I was pleased to see rational ideas and habits presented.  If I knew someone who was trying to turn over a new leaf by eating healthfully, yet had no idea where to start, I would certainly hand them this book. 

I know what you’re thinking – just bag working out and cooking each night, and you’ll be fine.   Yet those are the two things which have been giving me the energy and stamina to get through this rough patch.  Here are some tips that I can pass on to others who may be going through a similar situation, to help maintain your sanity and your waistline during this hectic holiday time. 

First and foremost:  Exercise.  The only time I have to exercise is first thing in the morning.  If I go to work and think about squeezing in a workout after work, inevitably it doesn’t happen.   Getting 45 minutes to 1 hour of exercise each morning helps me start each day off with an accomplishment which gives me sustained energy throughout the day.  I am not fond of getting up at the crack of dawn, especially during these cold dark nights, but I try to make it to the gym by 7 am, I can still make it to work by 9 am, full of energy. 

Second, I have been doing most of my cooking on the weekend.  Usually it is a big pot of soup, which becomes my lunch each day during the week, or chicken breasts which make quick meals each night in many incarnations – either in sandwiches, salads, or pasta dishes. 

Lastly, I have been trying to fill my day with fruit.  I bring along two to three pieces of fruit each day to help me avoid poor food choices due to stress.  So long as I have these nearby, it helps when I’m thinking about grabbing a Snickers bar or the holiday cookies someone brought in.  It’s not 100% fool-proof, but it certainly helps. 

While I would love to be spending more time enjoying the build up to the holidays, I am just not so lucky this year.  I am trying to just keep my head above water, and not arrive at the New Year with an extra 5 to 10 pounds.  Hopefully the things I have been doing will help me through this rough time, and come out the other side healthy and happy.

Happy Holidays to Everyone!

Most soups I make start with beans.  If I could convince any reader to make one healthy change, it would be to incorporate beans into their diet.  They are wonderful sources of protein and fiber, and they give you that wonderful feeling of fullness.  They are the staple which I believe is the cornerstone of healthy diet.  Not to mention their nutty and creamy flavor, they are the perfect backbone for a hearty, tummy-warming soup.   Some of my favorite healthy and hearty soups that start with beans include:

• White Chili This recipe uses a small amount of Monterey jack cheese for a nice sharp flavor.  This recipe also uses cooked chicken, which I usually find leftover in my kitchen.
• Pasta e Fagiole – This recipe is a little non-traditional, using rosemary as the main spice component.  I add a little extra crushed red pepper than the recipe calls for to give it some heat, and my husband always goes back for seconds. 
• Soup au Pistou-  This French vegetable stew with white beans takes a little longer to make, but it’s worth it.  Pairs wonderfully with some crusty French bread.

If I still haven’t convinced you to embrace beans into your life, there are some other options.  All hope is not lost.

Trader Joe’s sells packs of udon noodles in their refrigerated section.  These packages make the wonderful basis for a meal for two people.  I have also seen these packages in the refrigerated section of my local Asian market.  We cook the soup as directed, and add fresh broccoli, snow peas, red peppers, and shrimp.  This is an excellent “kitchen sink” soup, because we usually find any extra vegetables laying in the crisper which are about to go bad.

Winter vegetables are also perfect as the basis for a hearty winter soup.  Sweet potatoes, squash, and other root vegetables are common ingredients this time of year.  Tread carefully though; I find that most soups using these ingredients can go heavy on the butter and cream.  I occasionally make the full fat versions, but have not found a low-fat recipe that I like just yet.  I am still on the hunt though. 

You can also make use of frozen vegetables for those summer favorites which aren’t available anymore.   I recently made corn chowder using 1 ½ tbsp of butter in place of 1 tbsp and bacon fat.  I also substituted frozen corn for the fresh ears, and low-fat milk for the whole milk. 

If these aren’t enough good ideas, Soupsong.com is a wonderful website which is a tribute to the joy of soup.  Many low-fat options can found there. 

Many people who have struggled with their weight feel as though food is the enemy.  Having a healthy relationship with food allows you to begin some wonderful culinary traditions with the ones you love.  Sunday soup days during football season is a tradition I have cultivated with my husband, and it’s a tradition I hope to continue when I have children. 

Enjoy the season!

My favorite lunch meal consists of pasta, beans, and vegetables.  I will usually make a recipe for dinner one evening, but make it for 4 or 6 servings.  This gives me at least two lunches during the week, which I package in a disposable container.  Great recipes can be found on Epicurious, and can be thrown together in less than 30 minutes, such as:

Ditalini with pasta, bean, and pesto sauce

Pasta salad with garbanzo beans, tomato, and feta cheese

Cavatappi with White Beans and Golden Onions

The beans make each of these recipes satisfying, offering plenty of fiber and protein.  

Other wonderful resources for meals like this are cookbooks from the Moosewood Restaurant.  Moosewood specializes in vegetarian cooking, and focuses on healthy cooking and eating.  Their daily special cookbook specializes in soups and salads, which all make perfect lunches.

If pasta is not your thing, a hearty soup can also make a fast and satisfying lunch.  I tend to make large pots of soup on the weekend while watching football and the extra lasts me through the first half of the week. 

If you didn’t prepare some leftovers and you left your house empty handed, it’s very difficult to go wrong at a neighborhood deli or sandwich shop.  Sandwiches with low fat turkey or ham and a slice of cheese paired with a piece of fruit make a quick and healthy lunch.  As long as you stay away from the oil or mayo, it’s very difficult to go wrong. 

A little bit of planning can be the key to insuring healthy eating during the day which will carry you through the evening, allowing you to come home and make good food decisions for dinner.    

Photo courtesy of Photodisc Royalty Free Photography.

I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before, but I’ve gotten married recently. Newlyweds like to mention this ad nauseam, and I am no exception. My wedded bliss is still in high gear, and I’m enjoying creating a home with my new husband. Sometimes, I admit, my mind wanders to when we are going to start a family. Although I don’t have an exact timeframe in mind right now, I have been thinking quite a bit about my health, and not in the “will I fit into those size 6 jeans” way.

I’ve discovered that if you finally decide to have kids and you are over 30 (like me), it’s not quite as easy to get pregnant as you may have thought it was when you were sitting in health class in high school. Being over 30, along with being underweight or overweight are two factors which decrease your chances of getting pregnant. Although you can’t change your age, getting within a target weight range can increase your chances of conceiving. Starting with eating healthy and exercising to get within a BMI range of 20-30 is the first step for most women when they are trying to conceive.

Lucky for me, I’m already within my target weight range. However, I have quite a few nasty habits and some nutritional sins that I’m going to try to kick in the next year to prepare for motherhood. First, let’s start with nutrition. One of the most well known nutrients essential for child development is folic acid. Most nutritionists will recommend a vitamin supplement, and their advice should be heeded. However, folic acid is found in good quantities in leafy green vegetables, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, as well as whole grain cereals and breads. Getting enough folic acid lowers your chances of birth defects. So increasing your fruit and vegetable intake, along with taking a pre-natal vitamin or folic acid supplement is step one.

Step two would be to wean me from my caffeine addiction. Right now, I probably take in about 32 oz. of coffee in a day, which I know is WAY too much. I?ve gotten this bad habit from going to night school, but it has gotten out of control. I’ve read in several places that one cup of coffee (about 8 oz.) is okay. Obviously four cups is not. Caffeine can impede the absorption of iron also, and this is another essential nutrient you need in your body if you are thinking of getting pregnant.

Step three might be to step away from the sushi bar. Though recent studies such as this one have stated that the benefits of fish greatly outweigh the risks, watching for fish high in mercury is another important pre-pregnancy consideration. It can take many months for mercury toxins to make their way out of your body. Not eating fish which can be high in mercury is another important step to consider before you get pregnant.

If there was ever a time to treat your body like a temple, its right before getting pregnant. Doing so will make getting pregnant and being pregnant just a little bit easier - and if you take care of yourself, maybe you’ll be lucky enough to have the energy it will take to handle all the joys of motherhood!

What you should eat before you workout varies for each person. Are you planning on going for a 3 to 5 mile jog? Are you lifting weights? Will your workout last an hour, or two? Will you exercise in the morning before work, or after work? The answers to these questions can be your guide.

When I first started working, trying to get on a regular exercise schedule was difficult. At that time, I found that evening workouts worked best for me. Breakfast and lunch were my most substantial meals, and I supplemented those meals with a mid-morning snack, and a mid-afternoon snack that I usually ate around 4. For me, the snack was either some animal crackers or a banana. My workouts were made up of 30 minutes of lifting, 3 times a week, and 30-45 minutes of cardiovascular work, usually elliptical trainer or stair master.

(Photo courtesy of the California Department of Health)

As I got a little older, running became the focus of my workouts. Running is one of the most efficient exercises you can do. It gives you great calorie burn for your time. I still supplemented with lifting, but running became the focus. This brought about my dilemma. How do I eat something so I don�t feel like fainting on my run, but then I don�t feel like I have a brick in my stomach? Finding the answer was harder than I thought.

First, I decided when I was going to schedule my workout into my life. For years it was between 5:30 and 7. At that time, my way of handling my stomach problems were to eat a large breakfast and lunch, have fruit at about 10 in the morning, and then have either a granola bar or some other carbohydrate based snack like a Clif bar. The latest that I could have this snack was at 4 p.m.; if I chose to have it any later, I paid for it. Sometimes I alleviated that issue by doing some weightlifting first, to spurn digestion, but I really tried to watch to make sure I didn�t miss my 4 p.m. cutoff. The snack gave me enough satiety to make it through not just my workout, but also the 30 minutes after my workout when I was trying to come up with a healthy meal for dinner. For some people, this might not be enough, or they may have different goals than I do. I was not looking to add muscle mass, I was simply looking for a way to not get stomach cramps. Let your workout�s focus be your guide, but watch to make sure you are eating your snack at least 60 and preferably 90 minutes before your workout.

Things have changed for me recently, and with a demanding work schedule I�ve found that the only way I can guarantee to get my workout in is to do it in the morning. This has changed my eating approach quite a bit. I am completely unable to get up 60-90 minutes before my workout; that would have me waking up at 5 a.m. just to eat! It�s just not practical. My current schedule has me at the gym from about 6:45 until 8 a.m, and I am out of bed at about 6:25. I need to insure that I have enough energy to get through to 8 a.m., when I can get home and eat a proper breakfast. My pre-workout snack on these days is usually VERY small. You would be surprised that something as small as half of a banana, sliced, or a small 4 oz. glass of orange juice can get you through that time. Most times when I get up, I am not famished. I simply have half the banana, and I am out the door. I eat the other half when I get home in a smoothie with some yogurt, berries and juice, and then have a bowl of cereal. Yet sometimes, just the banana is not enough. Sometimes I need something such as a protein bar, or a slice of bread with peanut butter. I do some lifting in order to give myself some time to digest the food, and then I am on my way.

Pre-workout foods can be tricky to find, and you have to let your body and your workout be your guide. The best options are usually the most digestible, something without spice or too much water content. Fruits such as bananas or apples, bland crackers or breads, a small spread of a nut butter; these are good places to start experimenting. The closer you are to your workout time, the more in danger you are of having a sour stomach, but if you plan well and resist the urge to eat too much, you can reward yourself with a great workout, and a great post-workout meal.

In the last two years, my life has changed quite a bit. Two years ago I was living by myself and cooking a very meager dinner for myself. Sometimes I would have cereal, sometimes just pasta with tomato sauce. It�s hard to get inspired to cook when it�s just for you; no one knows that better than me. Things changed when I moved in with my fianc�, who is now my husband. Together, eating and cooking is a shared passion, and we view cooking and dining together as an integral part of our relationship. It�s the time during the day that we actually spend some quality time together. However, my husband tends to work more than normal people, and I have varied hobbies outside of work that occupy my time. It�s not difficult to get very busy, and sometimes we get home at 8pm in a ravenous state. Although I cannot imagine how my life will change even more when I have children, I have at least figured out how to get a meal on the table for me and my husband in less than 30 minutes. I also only shop once a week, and that is mostly for meats, fish and produce, and shop monthly for staples.

First and foremost, you will have to adjust these recommendations to your family�s likes and dislikes; this approach is simply what works best for me.

Next, think about what kind of meals you would like to prepare. All of my meals have a fairly even mix of a starch, a protein, and mixed vegetables. I also grow some fresh herbs in some pots out back, but dried spices will work just as well. In my house, we do not purchase much pork or red meat, which is simply my choice that I inflict on my husband. Any protein and vegetable combination would work with the basics I am outlining here, although most of my experience involves using frozen bags of shrimp or chicken breasts as the main protein component. Also, I am not fond of using canned or frozen vegetables; I just like fresh vegetables better. However, I realize how lucky I am that I live close to a major metropolitan area, and have no less than two farmers markets and three supermarkets within three miles of my home. If frozen or canned vegetables work for you, go for it.

Here is a brief rundown of things I keep in my pantry.

Starches
� assorted pastas. Usually I have on hand penne, rigatoni, orrichette, and ditalini (for soups)
� Udon
� Soba
� Rice � yellow, Spanish, jasmine, and basmati.
� Orzo
� Lo-Mein Noodles
� Corn or Flour tortillas

Other assorted staples
� canned beans � Mostly cannelli, black, pinto and garbanzo.
� dried lentils
� canned tomatoes
� canned chicken broth
� bottled noodle soup base � available in an Asian Market
� soy sauce
� salsa
� black bean sauce
� oyster sauce
� hot sauce
� canned curry paste
� canned coconut milk
� pizza sauce
� tapenade
� bottled sun dried tomatoes in water
� bottled roasted peppers in water
� bottled olives
� bottled capers
� canned tuna
� prepared pesto sauce
� olive oil � both extra virgin and regular
� peanut oil
� sesame oil
� vegetable oil
� balsamic vinegar
� red wine vinegar
� rice wine vinegar
� bread crumbs
� flour

Now that I have made this long list of ingredients, how do I make a meal from them? Here are some combinations I make using frozen shrimp. These are not recipes per se, just ideas of how you can throw some items together and improvise. I have been able to put most of these together in under 30 minutes.

1. Shrimp and pasta with a sauce made from 2 cloves of garlic, 1 can of diced tomatoes, and some red peppers and onions roasted on the grill.
2. Shrimp and pasta with any or all of grilled peppers, tomatoes, asparagus, and onions with a light dollop of pesto sauce.
3. Shrimp and lo-mein noodles with assorted stir-fried vegetables in a black bean sauce
4. shrimp and udon noodles and steamed vegetables served in a soup made from noodle soup base diluted with water.
5. Shrimp and orzo with canned tomatoes, herbs, garlic and feta cheese.
6. Thai shrimp curry with red curry paste, coconut milk and basil served over rice.
7. Grilled shrimp served over yellow rice with some fresh or frozen corn, roasted cherry tomatoes, peppers, onions, and cilantro.
8. Grilled shrimp served with Spanish rice and grilled peppers and onions.

For every combination above with the exception of the udon noodle soup, I have used boneless chicken in place of shrimp. That is 15 quick and easy meal combinations.

If you happen to be a vegetarian, there is nothing better to have in your pantry than canned beans. Yes, some people say dried are better; I�m not one of those people. Even if you aren�t a vegetarian, beans are a cornerstone to a healthy diet.

Here are some ways to use basics from you pantry while incorporating beans. Admittedly, my favorite beans are cannelli, and most of my meals with beans use them.

1. Pasta e Fagiole: Saute garlic and onions in some olive oil. Add a can of diced tomatoes and four cups of chicken broth. Let simmer for 10 minutes, and add some ditalini until cooked through.

2. Take some cooked pasta and mix with a can of tomatoes, some red pepper flakes, basil, and cannelli beans. Add a green vegetable of your choice: broccoli, zucchini, asparagus or spinach would work. Mix together and serve with some parmesan.

3. Mix cannelli beans with pasta, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and a mix of oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh basil and salt and pepper.

4. Mix cannelli beans with red wine vinegar, olive oil, red onions, black olives, salt, pepper, parsley and canned tuna.

5. Mix a can of garbanzo beans or cannelli beans with 1/2 a box of hot pasta. Add two cloves of minced garlic, oil, and two tbsp. of olive oil and 1/2 c. of feta cheese and four cups of baby spinach. Stir and Serve for 2.

The combinations of beans and pasta are endless. Black beans or pintos are also perfect as a side dish with yellow rice or Spanish rice and some chicken topped with salsa and cheese.

Pintos and black beans are also great on a corn or flour tortilla with some shredded cheese and salsa for homemade burritos; and of course beans are perfect for soups. When fall and winter roll around, the number of soups, stews and chilies that you can make are endless.

Don�t all of these options sound better than Hamburger Helper, a TV dinner, or greasy Chinese takeout?

The process of making Soba noodles in Japan is steeped in tradition and ceremony. The process is very labor intensive as well, and it takes years to learn the proper technique. One book called, �The Book of Soba� is a complete guide to making soba noodles. It was written by a man who studied the art of soba noodle making in Japan for three years. Most of us can finish a Masters degree in less than two years, so that should give you an indication as to the intensity of the process.

Here in America, we should look to the Japanese traditional dish as a healthy snack or the basis of a healthy meal. Soba can be served hot in the winter or cold in the summer. The noodles are high in protein and low in calories. I use these noodles all year round as a base for stir fries and soups. However, one of my favorite ways to have soba is cold. Seeing as though we are bidding the summer farewell, here is a great way to experience the traditional Japanese noodle in a refreshing way for summer. I cannot say that the way my husband and I prepare this is a traditional Japanese dish, but the flavors meld nicely together, and it�s a good way to use up your bumper crop of summer basil.

Cold Soba Noodle with Saut�ed Basil

Ingredients:

6 oz. soba noodles
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup fresh basil, torn
2 scallions, chopped
soba-tsuyu dipping sauce, served on the side

Cook soba noodles according to directions, drain and rinse. Place soba noodles in a bowl and put them in the refrigerator to cool.

Heat sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic. Add leaves of torn basil and saut� until wilted. Set aside to cool.

Remove soba noodles from refrigerator, mix sesame oil, garlic and basil with noodles. Spoon servings into dishes, and sprinkle chopped scallion and sesame seeds on top of each serving. Serve noodles on bamboo mat or dish with a side serving of soba-tsuyu.

This recipe technically makes 3 1-cup servings; However, I serve this dish to my husband with a generous serving for him, and a normal sized serving for me.

I purchase the soba-tsuyu dipping sauce from my local Asian ethnic market. However, you can usually find soba-tsuyu at a Whole Foods Market, if there is one in your area. There are also a few recipes online to make your own soba-tsuyu:

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All About Sushi

As mentioned in previous posts, following the Raw Food Diet entails eating nothing which is heated over 116 degrees, with the premise being that essential enzymes are lost though heating. When you sit down to think about it, many conventionally healthy foods are excluded from this diet, including whole grain breads, lean meats and fish. This fact has always made me hesitate to try this way of eating. I always thought, �I�ll be too hungry�, or �I won�t get enough protein�. In retrospect, I believe that those assumptions were false. I now think that if you follow a 75% raw food diet, you can stay healthy. I also believe that if you go 100% raw, you can stay healthy with some supplements. I even believe that you can be satisfied; but there were some pitfalls that I didn�t expect.

First, the raw food diet was expensive to follow. Produce is expensive, and so are seeds and nuts. These prices go up even more if you try to buy organic or local produce, or raw nuts and seeds. Prepared raw foods can be very costly, because the nutritional quality of the ingredients is quite high. If you want to prepare your own foods and have a wide variety, it�s also best to purchase a dehydrator and a juicer, which adds more expense.

Eating raw is time consuming as well. This is not necessarily because of the food preparation time, but because of planning. You really cannot leave your house without insuring that you have everything you might need to eat for the rest of the day, because the chances of finding a convenient �raw� food are slim. I don�t normally plan out everything I am going to eat during the day, but trying to follow the raw food diet forced me to do so.

Now to the good points; eating raw made me feel lighter, healthier, and boy, did my skin look GREAT. I didn�t feel a great surge of energy, but I didn�t feel like I was starving either. There are many techniques which I followed during this last week which I am going to continue after this experiment is over.

While eating raw, my breakfast consisted of a fruit smoothie. One concoction I made was with half a cup of orange juice, half a cup of fresh pineapple and half a banana with ice. Another concoction I had was half a banana, a quarter cup of light coconut milk, a half a cup of pineapple juice, and a handful of strawberries with ice. This ended up being one of my pitfalls; I found out after some more reading that coconut milk does not qualify as a raw food.

I ate two snacks each day, and the snacks were always fresh fruits and vegetables. I did pair broccoli, peppers, baby carrots, and cherry tomatoes with hummus. Again, I hit another pitfall here, because unless hummus is prepared in a particular way with sprouted beans then it is also not a raw food. Lunches were almost always a salad or flax crackers and peanut butter (or both). Dinners had some raw vegetables, but I found it very difficult to stay on the program after work. I mentioned in my introduction piece that staying on such a strict program like eating raw would be especially difficult in social settings, and dinner with my husband was no exception. When left to my own devices during the day, I was ok; but when someone else was involved I caved. Out of the seven days I ate raw, I only made it through the whole day once.

Most of the information I got about eating raw came from browsing the web. There are some highly recommended books out there about eating raw, and I plan on picking a few of those up to learn more. Some good websites for learning about eating raw include:

Living and Raw Foods
Raw Food Diet
Shirley�s Wellness Cafe

I thought this experiment would be something I would try and then go back to eating normal as soon as it was over; I was wrong. This way of eating has made me look at my current diet in a new way, and I have decided to make some changes.

First, I am going to only eat fruit before noon. The fruit and fruit smoothies were incredibly satisfying, and I believe they resulted in improved digestion and contributed to my skin glow. Second, my in-between �snacks� will be raw; either fruits or vegetables. I plan on trying to make the other two meals I eat during the day about 50% raw. I was happy enough with my results that I am going to continue to read about eating raw and attempt some raw recipes. I would encourage anyone to try eating this way for a time if they can; it is not easy, but you may rethink how healthy you currently eat. Good luck!

The store had a lot of raw foods: nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and juices. The store also had a refrigerated case with ready-made raw food meals and treats. The options were very intriguing, and I ended up selecting a GRAWnola bar with fudge which is a product of Awesome Foods. I also purchased some raw almond butter, some flax seed crackers, and a bottle of organic pineapple juice. While I was excited for my purchases, the items were quite pricey. This was a factor that I did not really take into account when I planned to do this diet.

Day one of the diet started on Monday August 13. I started the day with a smoothie that consisted of half a banana, half a cup of orange juice, fresh pineapple, and ice. This smoothie was refreshing and surprisingly satisfying. I also ate the other half of the banana with the smoothie. Things got a little dicey when I reached for my coffee cup. Was coffee part of the raw food diet? Gosh, I just didn�t know. I doubt it, but I don�t know that giving up coffee was what I signed up for. I had my cup; but I couldn�t help but feel that by 9am on the first day that I had already cheated.

I felt good through to lunchtime, at which point I pulled out my flax seed crackers and nut butter. This was a quite satisfying snack and the flax seed crackers were quite good. The afternoon snacks consisted of an apple and some cherry tomatoes. I got through my afternoon workout ok, but when my husband came home, everything went to pot. I hadn�t really shared my raw-food quest with him, figuring I could push some salads on him and he wouldn�t notice. After my workout though, the stomach was grumbling loudly, and when he suggested cooking I muttered �uh-huh�, and there were no more raw foods consumed for the rest of the day. I had pasta, roasted tomatoes and peppers on the grill, and a 4oz. chicken breast sprinkled with fresh parmesan. Boy, it was good. Summing up the first day, I would say I ate about 70% raw. Not too bad, but I was really hoping to do better.

The second day I started with the same smoothie as on Monday, and I ate my grawnola bar for lunch, along with some flax-seed crackers and almond butter. The grawnola bar was absolutely delicious, almost worth the $5 cost. I had some raw vegetables and hummus later in the afternoon, and in the evening I had a salad with oil and vinegar, followed by some fresh strawberries for an evening dessert. The second day I ate almost completely raw, with the exception of my cup of coffee, and as an after thought I realized that the hummus was probably not raw.

This happened with many everyday foods that I considered eating. Salad dressings, regular peanut butter, regular nuts, hummus � these are all foods which I initially thought were raw, but after some thought I realized that they weren�t. Eating raw requires a lot of planning, and I found myself getting caught unprepared.

A disclaimer: I have never been very good with diets of exclusion. I do not eat beef or pork, and have not done so for over 15 years, but any other exclusion can make me obsess on the product I am excluding and I break fairly easily. I had hoped to be able to eat 100% raw during this time, but after doing a fair amount of reading, I�ve reassured myself that by eating a majority, I was doing ok, but should really try to do 100%.

There were some positives through the first two days though. I never thought I could be full throughout the morning with a breakfast consisting solely of fruit, but I was; this may be a change in my morning habit that I stick with � only fruit before lunch. My skin looked brighter, and I definitely felt good. Not a drastic change, but I certainly felt lighter and happier.

I�m sure I will have more to say on this experience when it is over, and I will be finishing up my report on the Raw Food Diet next week.