7 months, 1 week Pure Vegan

So I haven't posted here for a while as I've been slightly addicted to Instagram (follow me @sweetsugarcrumb) but I'm back with an update. So it's winter here in the uk so fresh sweet fruit is limited. I've been following the rawtill4 lifestyle more, some days eating cooked food for lunch and dinner but always a raw breakfast. I have experienced quite a bit of weight gain since September, slowly adding on the pounds. I went from 7st12 to 8st7. However from what I have researched the cause of this is that my body is healing from my calorie restricting past. I am trusting in freelee that I will eventually plateau and begin to lean out. I will keep you updated. Generally I'm feel great as long as I get 8hrs plus sleep each night or I really feel it. My nails grow strong and long really fast, my hair feels strong and is growing long too. Mental clarity is good (as long as I sleep enough). Yes I have realized that sleep is so important to how I feel the next day. Put early nights really high on your list of health actions. 

On average I eat 3000 calories a day. I've been eating a lot of bananas, frozen berries, potatoes, white rice, peas, sweetcorn and a few raw veggies. Today was an unusual day I ate 14 cherry tomatoes, 10 clementines, 2 apples, 600g cooked rice with 2 cups of peas. I usually like to have banana and frozen berry smoothies for breakfast or lunch. 3 litres of water consistently daily. 

Since it's been winter I've been getting a lot less sunlight - decreasing my vitamin D stores. I also haven't been taking a vitamin B12 supplement recently. I went for a blood test to test my levels so I will get back to you with the results in due course. I have been considering B12 shots. 

I have been enjoying my spin classes as usual, aiming for twice a week and weight training twice a week too focusing on my arm strength. I try to run up to 10k a week in short sessions of 3k throughout the week. At least 25 squats a day aiming for 100. 

Here's a photo:

On another note my lovely friend brought me back a cherimoya from Madeira! I haven't tasted it yet as it's not quite ripe but am so excited :) 

10 Weeks, 3 days Pure Vegan

I recently got back from Mallorca which was lovely. The variety of fruits was wonderful and allowed my mum and I to be 100% raw for 2 weeks. I read 80/10/10 by Douglas Graham in the first week and was greatly informed about the real hazards meat, dairy, gain and fat have on the body as well as all the recipe ideas and inspirational stories.

I now bulk buy my bananas by the box from Lidl, only £12 per 18kg box. It's not at all embarrassing and the staff there know other people who have bought boxes of bananas. This made me think that there must be some more fruity people in my area :) which is encouraging. I have also found a local grocery shop which is relatively small but I can bulk by my tomatoes there and they also sell cheap awesome Piel de Sapo melons (See picture 1) for 89p. 

Today I went to my local Arab high street where I bought a 15 inch long watermelon (see picture 2), a young coconut and a 12 inch papaya (Cost £14). Pretty pricy but well worth it, check out Robyn's Recipes soon for new recipes. 

I'm also enjoying running every evening for 10-20 minutes around my area and loving spin classes at the gym 2-3 hours per week. Since being HCRV I have noticed the spin classes getting easier each time so have been able to turn up the tension more frequently, keeping in pace with the instructor and pushing myself harder. I have also been enjoying doing my 100 squats a day. 

Today I have eaten purely watermelon (that I bought today) until dinner when I had 10 bananas.

  

Picture 1:

Picture 2:

3 Weeks in, Pure Vegan

It has been 3 weeks today that I have been following the high carb raw till 4 vegan lifestyle. I have to say it has been amazing. Freelea's YouTube channel and Durianrider's channel have been so helpful and informative, I have learnt so much, everything they say makes so much sense to me. Today I went to my local thai shop and bought some young coconut juice. This was the first time I tried it and wow gorgeous. I also bought 2 segments of frozen durian which I'm excited to try.
For breakfast I made a delicious 3 banana smoothie with ice, then I had a handful of dates. Snack was 2 bananas and then lunch was a large bowl of lazy leaf lettuce, strawberries as their in season and red grapes. Then for another snack I had blueberries and another 2 bananas. Dinner was delicious, I made Thai fragrant rice (which I also bought from my local Thai shop) with steamed leak, carrot and broccoli.
I have enjoyed eating so much fruit since becoming vegan, I have discovered my love for bananas and medjool dates. My only issue is that I haven't found a local grocer who I could bulk by bananas from. At the moment i'm relying on asda's stock, but it can get slightly embarrassing ordering so many bananas at once.
I have also been running for 10 minutes around the block every other day, it has been very invigorating. Im also making sure I do 100 squats a day, following Freelee's 30 day challenge.