So this past month I have been trying to eat mostly raw.  Eating raw  started with wanting to detox for health, but I have been loving it.  With life being so busy, it is hard to always be intentional about what I am eating and making sure it is not only organic, but right for my body.  I have a sweet tooth and love bread, but my down fall is drinking black tea with milk and honey ALL day.  I have been amazed at how the things that had the strongest hold on me have been easier to let go then I thought.  With tea, it was only the first week that I really missed my morning cup.  After that, I did still struggle with a caffeine headache but not the longing.

With eating raw, the first week was definitely the hardest.  I was prepared for it though.  I bought 4 cookbooks and looked up tons of recipes online.  I knew that I needed a plan to follow and go to recipes right there when I needed them.  Plus, I did stock up on some of my favorite raw treats (Sacred Chocolate being one of them).  Now that I have over 3 weeks of eating raw complete, I feel so much more confident in my ability to stick with it.  However, I do have a confession…the first two weeks I allowed myself to cheat…dates with girl friends for coffee, etc.  Plus, I have used some of the wrong ingredients in preparations – I am learning still.  All in all, I would say I have eaten almost raw.  This is not a life change.  I am thoroughly enjoying it, but I know in the end, I would never want to live the rest of my life eating raw.  Originally my plan was to eat raw for a month to detox my body and try to see if I noticed changes in my health.  Now that I am in love, I think I might go a bit longer.

What made me fall in love with eating raw?….My New Roots….Even with 4 cookbooks and tons of recipes, I was not loving the food I was making.  I did not want left overs, let alone a large helping.  (It might have been a good thing because my stomach shrunk a ton the first week and definitely helped lose some weight.)  Even my uncle who is known for eating anything, was good just tasting my food.  I knew that there had to be a way to make raw food that I would enjoy.  I just was not comfortable experimenting on my own yet and knowing what ingredients were truly raw (ex. which vinegars or oils to use).  The first recipe I tried from My New Roots, the Raw Tacos, was delicious!  I was excited.  Thrilled even.  And totally in love.  Finally, I had made something delicious other than a salad or smoothie.   I made my own guacamole instead of using avocado slices.  I also did not have any cashews on hand, so I totally omitted the “sour cream”, but I honestly think it was not needed.  I made it two times in a row it was so good!  The recipe made tons and fed me for days literally.  I used whatever greens I had in the fridge…spinach and kale.  This week I tried the Raw Pad Thai.  It says it makes for 6-8, but it makes TONS.  Maybe my stomach has shrunk but I still have left overs and have been eating it for days.  Good thing it is so good.  Next up from the blog, Ecstatic Raw Chocolate.

So, the benefits I have noticed:

• lost weight effortlessly (totally am eating whatever I want whenever I am hungry and have not increased my exercise routine until this week)
• better skin
• improved digestion
• need less sleep at night (I wake up naturally 1-2 hours earlier and feel ready to get up but man am I tired by 9pm!)
• exercise is easier

I have not noticed the health result I was hoping for, but with all the other results I have seen, I am definitely going to keep eating raw for a bit longer (with exceptions – my sister’s birthday is coming up).  We shall see…

*With any diet change, consulting a physician or dietitian is recommended.  This post is chronicling my own experience.