Weekends make me feel like this:
(Eloise, Saturday, on our way to go hiking)
And Mondays make me feel like this:
(Baxter, Monday, 10 am—dog tired already)
At least I know I’m not the only one!
Lunch today was simple: an ezekial wrap, filled with fresh avocado, cheddar cheese, lettuce and tomato:
Though August is not officially over until Wednesday, I’m officially wrapping up Raw-gust and getting started on my September challenge. It just feels right to start a challenge on a Monday!
Rawgust Thoughts
So, for the last month, I’ve been loosely focusing on incorporating more raw meals into my diet. I didn’t make plans to go 100% raw (which is good, because that definitely did not happen!), but rather tried to have at least a raw breakfast, as well as a mainly raw lunch or dinner.
I think I took the raw challenge the most seriously during the first week, and, not surprisingly, this is also when I felt the most impact from the changes in my diet. I began drinking green juice every morning instead of coffee; I’d have a raw smoothie for breakfast; and I’d eat either a raw lunch or raw dinner (occasionally both). The first few days were rough, but after about three days, I actually really did notice a difference in the way I felt. I had a lot of energy in the morning, even without coffee. I was very *regular*—’nuf said. I felt, for lack of a better word, lighter.
Then, we had guests come into town.
And there’s the rub for me. Back in January, when I did my vegan challenge, I basically reached the conclusion that if we only ate at home, as opposed to at others’ houses and restaurants, being vegan would be very simple. I kind of came to the same conclusion with this raw challenge. Fixing my own raw meals was a cinch, but eating out wasn’t always easy (or fun), and eating with others made it difficult for me to really commit to raw foods. Sure, I could always find a raw salad on the menu, but, to be honest, who wants to eat salad after salad when others are ordering mouth-watering veggie burgers, wraps, and pasta dishes? So, yes, dining out and with others was a major issue I had during this challenge.
Another issue I faced was dealing with cravings for cooked foods. I think that doing this challenge in August was key, because on a hot, sunny day, I loved nothing better than slurping down a green smoothie for lunch, or eating some raw pasta for dinner. However—the minute the temps dropped down to about 70, I was craving cooked foods! I definitely wouldn’t be able to keep this up year-round—I think our bodies are made to crave warm foods in the winter, and I’m all about giving my body what it wants.
On the positive side, I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to “cook” raw meals—I think the raw foods diet gets a bad rap for being really complicated or difficult, and from what I experienced during this challenge, I will say that eating raw, much like following many other food plans, is as difficult or easy as you choose to make it. Sure, you can make complicated raw lasagnas and dehydrated breads and raw desserts, but you can also slice an avocado, sprinkle it with a little sea salt and some sunflower seeds, plop it on some greens, and call it a meal. Which I did, many times. Raw salads, slaws, and soups were easy, and delicious. Raw pesto? A cinch! This challenge opened up my eyes to the fact that eating raw doesn’t have to be difficult—in fact, it’s the simplest way of eating there is!
All in all, I really enjoyed this challenge. I won’t be transitioning to a raw diet, especially with the colder temperatures of fall right around the corner, but I really could feel a difference, and I think incorporating raw foods into your diet in some way is very beneficial to your health. While I might not “go raw,” I’ll certainly still be enjoying several raw meals a week! Until winter comes, that is. 
The September Challenge
Looking ahead to the upcoming month, my next challenge isn’t about what I’ll be eating, but rather, how I’ll be eating it. Ryan and I have become, for lack of a better word, total couch-eaters. We’ve gotten into the habit of eating almost every single dinner plopped down on the couch, watching reruns of The Office. Yuck!
Many studies show that eating in front of the television tends to make people tune out hunger cues and ignore satiety. People who eat at a table tend to eat slower and more consciously, and often eat less. I’ve certainly had the experience of serving myself a full plate of food and sitting down in front of the tv, only to look down five minutes later and realize that my entire meal is gone. Couples who eat meals together also tend to have better communication skills and stronger marriages/relationships.
I’ve always excused the fact that we eat dinner in front of the television by saying that we see each other so much during the day that we don’t have a need to sit down and eat our meal together, but you know—I just don’t think that’s true! I think it will be better for our health and our marriage if we really make an effort to eat dinner at the table.
So—for the September challenge, we will be eating ALL of our dinners that we eat at home at the table. In addition, we’ve agreed to walk every night after dinner, weather permitting.
I’m excited to embark on this challenge!
Are you a couch eater? Where do you tend to eat your meals?
Have a great Monday!
