First Fast

What catapulted me farther down the "rabbit food"(raw) rabbit trail?  My first fast.  My hubby was savvy about this practice long before he met me, and had even done it a couple times (without me) when we were first married.  I'd never thought about fasting as a health measure, since it seemed like erratic anorexic/bulimic behavior. Why would I deprive myself, lose some weight, only to (probably over)eat a few days later and gain it all back?

What I've learned now is that fasting has little to do with weight loss, even though that tends to happen (much to my appreciation). And, it has nothing to do with implementing poor eating habits, unless we mean to say it helps steer us away from them.  This is a tremendously helpful website that expounds on fasting's many beneficial aspects.

My first fast occurred last summer for a span of eight days.  All I consumed were fruit and vegetable smoothies. I was receiving all the essential nutrients that my body needed while eliminating the complex carbs, fats or animal proteins that I was accustomed to.

The first three days were hard.  Among the main symptoms were intense cravings, acne, irritability, and headaches.  After day three, those symptoms subsided.  I didn't feel desperately hungry and was better able to refocus my time and energy--oh, that's the other thing--energy! I had more of it. Also, I slept more soundly, and less. Toward the middle and end of the fast there were moments of euphoria, and a mental attunement I'd never before experienced.  Ever see the movie Limitless?  Yeah, that's an exaggeration of what this was like, but similar concept. And, good movie.

So, what did I get out of the first fast? I ...

... dropped 10lbs in 8 days.  (And have kept it-and more- off.)
... felt like I accomplished a great physical and mental challenge
... experienced eating well and liked it.

The fast reoriented my palate. I don't crave the sweet, salty and fatty foods like I used to. And, when I do give in to those temptations, my body very immediately tells me I shouldn't have with discomfort, bloating and sometimes general achey-ness. I'm actually glad for these reflexes, because before I would have kept eating, gained weight and felt horrible, arthritic pain after it all.

Also, the fast challenged me in a new way beyond what I was used to (like when I trained for half marathons or other fitness goals).  All in all, I really appreciate fasting for both its challenges and benefits.  I plan to keep up this practice at least twice a year, if not on a weekly basis. (Setting aside a day to cleanse.) In fact, my second fast had even more wild effects, and was longer, so I might update y'all on that.

Why Be Dense?

What do we actually mean by saying we eat "nutrient dense" foods? Well, simply put, nutrient dense foods are foods that give us the maximum health bang for our buck: meaning, all of the nutrients, vitamins and minerals necessary for our bodies to function, be nourished and energized, without all the added calories.

AND nutrient dense foods truly satisfy us ...but I'll get to the satisfaction part in a minute.

Specifically, we're talking about fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and sprouted grains.  

So take a cupcake, for instance. It has nutrients (carbohydrates, mostly), but is not as nutrient dense as it is calorie dense. Cupcakes cannot nourish us as well as a large, fresh salad. Makes sense, right?

Yet even cooking nutrient dense food above 118 degrees Fahrenheit destroys many important enzymes, and thus, many of the nutrients. (Though, I'd argue it's better to eat a plate full of roasted asparagus than a pizza.) You know what I mean.

Raw chocolate "cheese" cake

This is often why people overeat when they have a largely cooked and non-nutritious diet. Their bodies are craving the nutrients it needs, so paradoxically, they will overeat on foods they find psychologically comforting (french fries, burgers, etc) to achieve that full or satisfied feeling. But they are really denying their bodies true sustenance.  And we all know this invites health problems like obesity, diabetes,and  heart disease ...but even various degenerative diseases like osteoporosis, cancers, and chronic fatigue. You can visit our resources page to check out these references.

Also, something I learned that blew my mind is that being obese is actually the body's way of keeping itself alive! It's actually a survival mechanism. Meaning, when we eat poorly, our body needs to do something with the unusable junk, or toxins (not just an overabundance of indigestible saturated fats) we put in it. It simply can't eliminate them all, so it actually stores them in our fat cells. Of course, this catches up with us quickly if the diet doesn't change.  Exercise can certainly help with some of the detoxification, but exercise cannot put nutrients in us.  Nutrient density is essential. In fact, many people report almost an immediate positive response after having just ONE nutrient dense smoothie or raw meal!  It's as if the body is shouting, "THANK YOU!"

However, it's not all roses.  While there are positive responses to dietary changes, there can also be negative ones as well ...where people often feel worse before they feel better. These are detoxification symptoms resulting in a healing crisis, also called a Herxheimer reaction. The symptoms vary from headaches to irritability, acne, muscle aches, fever, chills, and so on.  I can attest that all of these have occurred and been an ongoing process for me personally over the last year as my weight steadily comes down. And it has, in a way I've never experienced before.

Now getting to the satisfaction issue--I've found that my palate has completely changed. Do I still have certain cravings, yes. But often those are satisfied by simply smelling that greasy fried chicken. I know what you're thinking, but I've found that I feel better in the long run by denying myself that one bite (because let's face it, it's never just one bite) and instead overeat on salad, greens and other beautiful new dishes that I make because I actually crave more fruits and veggies now.

Raw spring rolls

So am I Raw Food Vegan purist? In theory, yes. But in practice, not quite. The cravings come, and sometimes aren't denied. And I'm okay with that, as I hope you all are, too, in your own personal journeys. The last thing anyone needs to feel like is a failure after a meal. This is why "cold turkey" converts are very rare. Plus, Get Dense is not about "food religions," but trying new and better foods for the best health possible.

Success most often occurs as people are able to implement one or more good thing into their diets per day or week, and eliminate a "bad" thing slowly, too (the latter may take longer, who knows).  I still eat some food that I'd like to eventually eliminate (meat, dairy, wheat, canned and non organic produce) but there are certain budgetary constraints that I am working with, along with social pressures. I'm sure most of you can relate.

As Charissa and I carry on in this trek, our conversations are constantly ebbing and flowing from how much raw to cooked food we have, how we're exercising, how it makes us feel, what we'd like to try in the future, etc.  It's good that we have each other as support outside of our spouses ....even though our hubbies are on board, too.

If there's any advice that I can offer, it's that--find someone who supports and even shares your health and wellness goals.  Maybe it's an internet support network. Maybe it's Get Dense. Charissa and I appreciate the feedback, so we'd love to hear from you. Any questions, please contact us at getdense@gmail.com

All that's the dense response of what getting dense it all about. Probably stuff you're all doing without even realizing it. Meanwhile there are so many who are caught up in the pleasure trap, simultaneously overeating and staying malnourished. We've been there.  Join us as we learn our way to healthier habits, recipes and fitness.

I LOVE BEING DENSE! ...Nutrient dense!

That’s right folks! Nutrient dense is a new term introduced to me by my sister, Melissa. What started off as a mission to achieve my vain ideal soon turned me on to the world of health and nutrition. My whole life I strived to look as good as I possible. Despite being thin in high school, I was never healthy. My lunch consisted of potato puffs! But because I was so active, I was able to stay trim. In my twenties, I continued to eat poorly, did not work out nearly as much, and in turn, gained a whole bunch of weight. I practically invited health problems into my life. 

I was overweight when I got married. Then later during my pregnancy, I was diabetic and suffered from high blood pressure. My mood swings were inconsistent and I was always exhausted. In addition, I've struggled with eating disorders (both over eating and bulimia) since high school--which obviously did not achieve anything because I was still morbidly obese. What's even sadder, when I look back, is that I actually thought I was healthy. I would tell people… “I don’t know why I can’t lose weight, I am eating healthy!”

This may sound like I am just conscious of my weight. (Well, in the beginning I was, and I would be lying if I said I still didn’t care…I AM a woman!)  BUT, the concept of health has now been in the forefront of both mine and my sister’s mind. In order for my sister and I to have the “diet” that we have now was certainly not something achieved overnight. In fact, for me personally, it has taken 10 months of fine tuning to get where I am.  And I still have so much to learn.

As a result of having a nutrient dense lifestyle, I am “hungry” to gain more knowledge and continue on this path since I'm happier, in more control, energetic and healthy! I do not consider myself an expert, but as I slip up from time to time, I am starting to realize more and more how bad the food out there is that I was putting into my body. I also want to make sure that I help teach my family to obtain good habits.

I started my journey because I was inspired by others. I am so thankful for my husband to have supported and motivated me, as well as my sister who helped introduce me to an even healthier way to be. I would also have to thank so many of my friends and family for their support. My friend Danielle Maziarz made me realize that reaching my goals is possible through her own incredible journey. I have realized that there are no excuses and you have to believe in yourself. I never want to come across as pushy or a know-it-all…because I’m not. I have realized my potential and I see the potential in others. I hope that people enjoy the blog that we put together, and who knows, you may want to become dense too!

Inaugural Post

Eight months preggo

“Statistics show that in the course of a person's life, they tend to look and feel their best on their wedding day,” said a marriage counseling professor of mine. Given the context of the lecture, I understood what he meant. Though, with my own impending nuptials, I couldn't help but think that after our “I do's” Adam and I were on a path to a haggard, decrepit existence. I mean, I knew married life, pregnancy and parenthood would change our lives altogether, not just physically. But I was convinced that a certain sense of trying to “keep up” with our appearances throughout a lifetime was actually a good thing, and not just uber vain. And that's sorta what this blog is about.   

However, as our President likes to say, “Let me be clear:” This blog is not about vanity ... though vain anecdotes are sure to arise. In fact, this blog is not even about weight loss-- though dropping weight is certainly an added benefit. This blog is about getting on a road to better health, which encompasses all of the physical, mental and even spiritual benefits that have occurred in my sister's and my life because of it. There are a few philosophies that that we lean toward, but we fully acknowledge our limitations. So it is both ironic and poignant that we titled this blog, “Get Dense”, as it gives the broadest and narrowest perspective of what we are trying to accomplish in subscribing to a nutritionally and physically "dense" way of life.  And since food, time, health and money are important (to, I don't know, EVERYONE), we think others might like to hear what we have to say.  Especially since we have seen results in ours and our loved ones' lives.

77lbs lighter, 14 months after baby

Fast forward five years and one toddler later, and I am pleased to report to you that I am lighter than I was on my wedding day . . .and in college . . .and even parts of high school! Also, I feel great, have tons of energy (most days), and I can happily (and appropriately) wear skinny jeans.  Stay tuned, because Charissa's story is quite fascinating, too.

So, if you've made it this far, join us for what we anticipate will be a fun, funny (especially since Charissa's writing) and honest journey of how we are trudging through this life, we think, to better health. (And even some days, with a skip.) Remember, we're sisters, so the family dynamics just might emerge on screen.  Enjoy the ride.