Monday, June 21, 2010

Keyword: Challenge

Well, I have to say that the raw food challenge has been kind of tough lately. It takes some serious planning ahead and a strong will to stick to it completely. Last Sunday, I went to a raw food preparation class where raw foodie Christa Emrick hosted dinner and made delicious “fajitas”, sun “burgers”, kale chips, and a rich delicious blueberry “cheesecake.” It was all DELICIOUS! I loved it. I especially loved the part where I learned that if you are eating 80% raw, you are technically eating raw. I was thrilled… mostly relieved. But I also think this was part of my demise this past week. I will say, it was a busy week and I hardly had time to prepare anything. Not that eating raw takes a lot of time to prepare. It’s just that if you are going to eat anything interesting beyond fruits, veggies and salads in their simplest form, you have to take some time to soak, dehydrate or marinate. And by time, I mean hours, sometimes overnight. So you can’t always just decide to make an interesting dish at whim. Plus, the biggest challenge I have found about going raw is that it’s socially difficult. I love to eat out with friends and family and it’s really hard to find something on the menu that is completely raw. This is where the 80% rule really comes in handy.

So while I did pretty good the first 2 weeks on the raw diet and even lost a total of 6 pounds in those 2 weeks, the 3rd week went to hell in a hand basket thanks to client lunches, and running around like crazy preparing for baby E’s birthday bash. Not that I couldn’t have tried harder or ordered as close to raw as possible at lunch, but how can I not get something besides a salad at restaurants that aren’t really known for their salads and have so many other interesting and delicious things on the menu. So what I’ve learned so far is that while I think I’ve been able to benefit in so many ways from going raw the last few weeks, to take the plunge and actually go raw from here on out may not be for me. It’s not the same as going vegan or vegetarian; it’s a different commitment on a whole different level. I will definitely continue to try and eat raw when I have complete control but let’s face it, there are times when I need an out… especially for those times when I just want to indulge a little. So as go into my last week of my 30 day challenge, I’ve planned my meals and have done my shopping so back on the wagon I go.

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