It has occurred to me that I have not posted about something very near and dear to my heart in a very long time. The name of my blog being Raw Cool. Some of my old time readers know where that came from but for my newer readers, I think it's about time I told my story.
So, does anybody know what raw foodists eat? Who they are and what they stand for??? Do they eat raw chickens? Raw meat?? Absolutely not. Raw foodies eat raw food. Period. Food that is not cooked.
Here is a quick definition via wikpedia:
Raw foodism (or rawism) is a lifestyle promoting the consumption of un-cooked, un-processed, and often organic foods as a large percentage of the diet. If 60-100% of a person's total food consumption is raw food, he/she is considered a raw foodist or living foodist. Raw foodists typically believe that the greater the percentage of raw food in the diet, the greater the health benefits.
Pretty easy peasy so far right?? Read more about it right here LIVINGFOODS.
Ok, let me back up to November of 2007. I was 30lbs heavier than I am right now. I did not like how i felt or looked. I certainly was not stunning like I am now. So, the internets beckoned to me and I started researching like crazy. And somehow I came across this crazy ass raw diet. It spoke to me. Called to me actually.
I received a beautiful juicer for my birthday and green juiced EVERY SINGLE DAY!!! I never missed a day of juicing. What is green juicing you ask? Well, simple really. Juice green stuff. Cukes/kale/spinach/broccoli anything green. Then of course you add in some sweets - apples/pears/lemons/limes also ginger and lots of it. It took me a while to get my green juice recipe down but once I did, I truly enjoyed drinking that sucker down every day!!!
Then I started making raw friends. I wrote about him before on my blog but I want to point you to RAWMODEL Anthony.
The dude took me to my first raw restaurant and answered all my silly questions. He rocks and he is such a wonderful human being. I took that video up there from his blog so thanks Anthony!!!
I was pretty hardcore for a while. I ran and ate really healthy and started shedding my weight. Not fast but steady.
Now I'd like to talk about some raw stuff. All of this great info is taken from this amazing blog KRISTENSRAW. Kristen is a good friend of mine and a gorgeous soul of a person.
She calls it Five ways For Living and Loving Raw:
A Great First Step!
Stay focused on an objective to incorporate more fresh whole fruits and vegetables into your diet every day. Once you start doing this, you automatically reduce some of the not-so-healthy foods. This could mean having two green smoothies every day, or eating a salad before every lunch and dinner, or eating Raw breakfasts and Raw desserts (instead of cooked breakfasts and desserts), or all of the above.
Be Flexible!
I'm not a purist when it comes to my diet, and I find that most people succeed with this lifestyle when they take it easy, have fun and remain flexible. This can be very important during those first months of transition (and forever for that matter!). For some, eating 100% Raw is the only way to go, and that's great. But, for many, to easily succeed with a predominantly Raw vegan lifestyle, it can mean being flexible (yet still super healthy) and that can mean living a High Raw lifestyle (in the beginning, at different times during the journey, or all the time).
Don't Stress and Don't Give Up!
Don't freak out if you have a bad day of eating, and certainly don't give up. I'm fond of saying, "Every meal is another chance to turn it around." Over time, as you eat more and more fresh Raw vegan foods, you'll naturally find yourself avoiding unhealthy foods anyway, so just let it happen naturally and enjoy the journey.
Got Greens?!
When I first went Raw, I found that the more greens I added to my lifestyle, the less I craved unhealthy foods. Now, my attention is naturally focused on great and healthy choices all the time. A super way to get more greens is with green smoothies, salads, plant blood (a.k.a. green juice) and adding green powder to your life (one of my favorites is Vitamineral Green Powder).
Fresh Fruit Does Wonders!
Keeping fresh organic fruit around all the time is a great way to avoid unhealthy cravings (And! It's soooo good!). The next time your sweet tooth comes a knockin', eat a banana or drink a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice or eat a date (or 2 or 3!) or enjoy some berries. The craving will disappear as you gently nourish your body with nutrient dense food that is loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
I highly recommend you take a look at Kristen's blog. She posts great recipes and tips and just glows and is always willing to help. A great gal.
As the months went on my raw ways started teetering. Badly. I wanted it, but I wasn't surrounding myself with the rawness. Sure, I made zucchini pasta and raw icecreams and had lots of raw dinners, but I never really lived the raw lifestyle. Then, I started missing sushi and real pasta and shrimp and italian food and well, I started eating cooked food. A lot. All the time.
And thats OK. In the process of learning about and eating lots of raw, I lost 30lbs. That coupled with running really allowed me to keep the weight at bay. I would love to lose another 10-15lbs but I am finding it difficult. I like to eat. In fact, I love to eat.
Raw foodies are into all sorts of interesting things. Spring water, colonics, juice fasting, coffee enemas. Then there are those that only eat greens or only eat salads. It really runs the gammit and its so interesting to learn and incorporate and make it your own. It really is folks.
There's great raw restaurants too. This one in particular is amazing. PUREFOODANDWINE. Great food, great atmosphere and great people. I had a wonderful dinner there. Raw sushi, raw lasagna and their icecream is just as good as any Ben and Jerry's I've had.
So, thats my story. I was once raw and now I'm not. I now eat lots of pasta, fish and veggies....and yes i admit i am in love with this PEANUTBUTTERANDCOMPANY. The white chocolate wonderful is to die for and I simply refuse to give it up. My breakfast every single day is oatmeal.
I admit, I've let myself eat way too much. I need to find a way to curb my appetite and I am sure that once I start running again, I will lose the extra weight I am carrying around.
So, that great video up there. What do you guys think??? A White House Garden??? Wow, just think of the implications. You know Anthony has done this amazing permaculture project in his hometown of Minnesota. You can read all about it on his blog. When he lived in Manhattan he actually went foraging in Central Park. He told me once that I should find some grass and plant. Yo, not in Brooklyn. It just wouldn't grow. But, hey you never know right??
So, I still consider myself Raw Cool. Just a different kind of raw and always the same kind of cool.
My Universe told me today:
Until the really "great" stuff comes along, Michelle, do the not-so-great stuff.
The not-so-great stuff always leads to the great stuff. Whereas doing nothing pretty much leads to nowhere.
And do it with a passion -
The Universe
"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."
-- Seneca
Please folks, send me some good vibes for tomorrows X-Ray of my TOE!!! It will be exactly 4 weeks since it was rudely broken. I would really appreciate it and I hope to be back to running sometime next week!!!! *Fingers and TOE crossed*
Posts
