Kris Carr's Crazy Sexy Blog!

Hello Salad Warriors!

How many of us have "been there, done that" with the food journal scribble? Have you started one, made it 3 days, whizzed through the burger hut and then quit? For me (I'm vegan) the burger hut is the morgue so that's not my vice. My vices come in liquid form and that's all I'll say about that. DOH!

However, since I'm all about NEW beginnings and turning over a NEW leaf these days (preferable kale), I recently saddled up with a NEW nutrition coach. I love him. I am so inspired by him. For now I will keep him a mystery but know that you will hear a lot about him very soon. Anyway, my mystery guru man and I are tweaking my diet in order to take me to a level of cleansing and repair that I have touched but never maintained. Yes I have fasted, been 100% raw, vegan etc. But I can honestly say that I have never been totally consistent with ANY protocol. I am human and I am PASSIONATE. Too much at times.

In preparation of (OK, anxiety over) writing my third book I've thought long and hard about what to say that hasn't already been said. Why bother (other than the pay check that I need), seems like it's all been said and done. However, the truth is that I haven't connected all the dots for myself yet. When I do, THAT'S the time to write the book. Obviously since I love writing, studying and EATING, why not become the curious, sparkly guinea pig once again? DIVE!

Here's the new nugget (from my guru mystery man). Are you ready? AM I!?!

Drum roll.....

"What you leave out of your diet completely WITHOUT exception is what can take you through the healing crisis so that your body will regenerate. BUT, you must leave it out forever."

COMPLETELY? FOREVER? Hmmmm. Forever seems so permanent. What about balance, moderation? What about all the go-to words in every self help magazine EVERY month. PS. Has anyone had a new idea lately? If so, I haven't read it.

This theory isn't new to me (what you leave out completely), in fact I wrote about it in my first book and learned a heck of a lot about it during my Health Educator training at Hippocrates. HOWEVER, it's the "without exception" part that I struggle with. What about special occasions? Birthdays, Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Presidents Day, Secretaries Day, MLK Day, etc? Whoa, when you list them you realize that our society has created A LOT of days to stir up our devil dog demons! How rude.

In order to track my success my mystery man guru has asked me to give him a food journal EVERY DAY. I'm not new to this either, in fact I help lots of folks with their food journals. Food journals are a great tracking/knowledge-is-power tool. Let's be real, if we want to make changes we need to know what the heck we are doing in the first place. We need a base line to measure our success. We also need to turn the frown upside down and become curious scientists who look at the food-as-medicine- journey as an adventure full of useful information. Instead, most of us DECIDE that the food-as-medicine-journey is the new slave trade burdened with deprivation, dullness, and chains. Wow are our minds powerful! Nothing good will come from that attitude, including healing. No DUH, right?

Anyway, I myself haven't done a food journal in quite a while.
Yesterday I handed in (how school girlish of me) two days worth of journals.
WOW, was I surprised at what I learned while tracking.
Let's see what guru says (more to come on that).

Food Journal Template:

Here's how I structured my journal, perhaps it might help you and/or you can make a suggestion to help me take it up a notch.

1. Write down everything you eat for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. EVERYTHING.

2. Write down your purified water intake. My Suggestion: anywhere bet 4-8 8 oz glasses per day depending on how raw/high water content foods your diet includes.

3. Did you abstain from Caffeine? (Ouch)

4. Did you abstain from alcohol? (OUCH)

5. What supplements did you take? (I have been working to redefine this essential list for myself).

6. How was your elimination?

7. Did you exercise? If so for how long and what type?

8. Did you meditate? (Start small - 15-30 mins per day AS SOON as you wake up)

9. What time did you stop eating? (Best to stop 3 hours before bed)

10.What time did you go to sleep and for how long?

11.How did you feel emotionally and physically?

Note: I may start tracking my urine pH 3 times per day. Although the blood pH is the real snap shot. Nevertheless, urine is a loose gauge worth exploring. But remember, the first reading will always be acidic due to the metabolic process of over night repair. Therefore, start with the second reading and take the others BEFORE eating meals.


What kind of food journal have you tried?


Peace and chow scribbles!

K