(no subject)
in a seemingly random yet oddly painless fashion, i may have solved my food problem.
i don't eat enough. and when i do eat, it's usually the wrong thing. not enough food + bad food = really unhealthy. i'm sick of it, i've wanted to change it, but it's hard. i hate cooking food for breakfast/lunch on days when i work and i hate buying lunch every day.
then, this weekend, i recalled the raw lifestyle.
there are people out there who only eat raw food. they are usually vegetarian, and often vegan. they're devoted to the physical and spiritual aspects of their lifestyle, which they claim gives them excellent health and a connection to the planet that most westerners miss out on. these people are *devoted* and it's hard to achieve that level of dedication.
however, there are lots of everyday people who eat raw too. lots of athletes/dancers eat raw, and it sounds like it's popular in hollywood at the moment. big cities like SF and LA have raw restaurants and Borders has tons of raw cookbooks. you don't have to be über to eat raw. you just have to be mindful.
so over the weekend i read up on it as an option. my main concern was protein -- seems like the raw intake wouldn't give enough. but surprisingly, vegetables have a ton of protein, as do nuts. and there's always raw fish for the non-veggie types, and other meats/tofus for people who aren't 100% raw.
after that came the worry about just eating carrot sticks and apples all the time. but there are literally thousands upon thousands of recipes out there for raw food -- salad dressings, dips, entrees like lasagna and pizza, chips, breads, not to mention a staggering amount of desserts. so the only reason one would eat carrot sticks and apples 24/7 would be laziness.
i went to borders and picked up some books. the more i read, the more had divided feelings. on one hand, eating raw makes sense. food cooked above 130 degrees Fahrenheit loses half or more of its nutrients, enzymes and other essential components. eat raw, and you gain the total nutritional benefit. your body also works a lot less to digest said food, so you get the nutrients almost immediately. on the other hand, going raw takes dedication. it's not a fad diet, not if you want it to really make a difference. it's a lifestyle. it's always being aware of food; what's cooked and what's not; and if you're out'n'about, where you can eat besides the produce section. and that's a lot of hassle. also, as rin mentioned, some foods just don't work raw. it means sacrifice.
so i read, and i thought, and i examined; i read the facts, thought about my lifestyle, and examined my schedule. i came to some pretty amazing conclusions.
eating raw is actually a really good fit for me. there are two meals a day where i'm too lazy to cook; eating raw requires no cooking, just some prep work. therefore, eating raw at breakfast and lunch just makes sense. however, i'm not ready (and doubt i ever will be, but who knows) to go 100% raw. i love meat, and cheese, and thick doughy bread. <3 cheeseburgers. and i've experienced before the intense cravings that accompany abstaining from favorite foods. so, a compromise was born. i eat raw foods for breakfast and lunch, and then dinner is up to me. i can eat raw, or i can haz cheeseburgers. whatever works best.
and, if yogurt is the only thing in the fridge for breakfast, of course i'm going to eat yogurt. it's eating > eating healthy > eating raw > eating other things. just eating before 10 am will be a huge accomplishment.
i actually wrote all that a few days ago. today is my fourth day eating 2 raw meals a day. it's really working out well. i only seem to get cravings when i listen to the radio/watch tv, and hear/see food advertised -- otherwise, i don't think about it much. and last night, my body was not too happy with the cheeseburger i ate, meaning it's been very happy with everything else. eating less junk food will definitely be a bonus.
love kittie
i don't eat enough. and when i do eat, it's usually the wrong thing. not enough food + bad food = really unhealthy. i'm sick of it, i've wanted to change it, but it's hard. i hate cooking food for breakfast/lunch on days when i work and i hate buying lunch every day.
then, this weekend, i recalled the raw lifestyle.
there are people out there who only eat raw food. they are usually vegetarian, and often vegan. they're devoted to the physical and spiritual aspects of their lifestyle, which they claim gives them excellent health and a connection to the planet that most westerners miss out on. these people are *devoted* and it's hard to achieve that level of dedication.
however, there are lots of everyday people who eat raw too. lots of athletes/dancers eat raw, and it sounds like it's popular in hollywood at the moment. big cities like SF and LA have raw restaurants and Borders has tons of raw cookbooks. you don't have to be über to eat raw. you just have to be mindful.
so over the weekend i read up on it as an option. my main concern was protein -- seems like the raw intake wouldn't give enough. but surprisingly, vegetables have a ton of protein, as do nuts. and there's always raw fish for the non-veggie types, and other meats/tofus for people who aren't 100% raw.
after that came the worry about just eating carrot sticks and apples all the time. but there are literally thousands upon thousands of recipes out there for raw food -- salad dressings, dips, entrees like lasagna and pizza, chips, breads, not to mention a staggering amount of desserts. so the only reason one would eat carrot sticks and apples 24/7 would be laziness.
i went to borders and picked up some books. the more i read, the more had divided feelings. on one hand, eating raw makes sense. food cooked above 130 degrees Fahrenheit loses half or more of its nutrients, enzymes and other essential components. eat raw, and you gain the total nutritional benefit. your body also works a lot less to digest said food, so you get the nutrients almost immediately. on the other hand, going raw takes dedication. it's not a fad diet, not if you want it to really make a difference. it's a lifestyle. it's always being aware of food; what's cooked and what's not; and if you're out'n'about, where you can eat besides the produce section. and that's a lot of hassle. also, as rin mentioned, some foods just don't work raw. it means sacrifice.
so i read, and i thought, and i examined; i read the facts, thought about my lifestyle, and examined my schedule. i came to some pretty amazing conclusions.
eating raw is actually a really good fit for me. there are two meals a day where i'm too lazy to cook; eating raw requires no cooking, just some prep work. therefore, eating raw at breakfast and lunch just makes sense. however, i'm not ready (and doubt i ever will be, but who knows) to go 100% raw. i love meat, and cheese, and thick doughy bread. <3 cheeseburgers. and i've experienced before the intense cravings that accompany abstaining from favorite foods. so, a compromise was born. i eat raw foods for breakfast and lunch, and then dinner is up to me. i can eat raw, or i can haz cheeseburgers. whatever works best.
and, if yogurt is the only thing in the fridge for breakfast, of course i'm going to eat yogurt. it's eating > eating healthy > eating raw > eating other things. just eating before 10 am will be a huge accomplishment.
i actually wrote all that a few days ago. today is my fourth day eating 2 raw meals a day. it's really working out well. i only seem to get cravings when i listen to the radio/watch tv, and hear/see food advertised -- otherwise, i don't think about it much. and last night, my body was not too happy with the cheeseburger i ate, meaning it's been very happy with everything else. eating less junk food will definitely be a bonus.
love kittie