I've been raw now for about 7 and a half weeks. This past week brought some unique challenges, and a couple wins. There is one thing in this world that I would be willing to throw everything away for. That one thing is Pad Thai from this wonderful Thai restaurant down the road. That is the only craving that has literally brought me to tears during this whole journey.
Last night, I went to that Thai place and sat next to my husband as he ate that very dish. We went with family, and I was actually the one that chose the restaurant because I wanted to share the amazing discovery of this place. This was one of my most difficult moments thus far. Perhaps we should have gone for seafood instead, since I hate that anyway.
But I did survive! I ordered a Thai coconut and a huge side salad, and an hour later, the temptation was gone. As we drove home afterwards, it struck me how temporary food is. It doesn't matter what I'm eating or not eating - the whole meal experience is so short that it barely matters at all.
The Win!
We were down in San Diego earlier this week, and we found a fabulous little raw cafe called Peace Pies. This was by far my most favorite raw food experience thus far. I was feeling a little panicky that day (I sometimes still feel like I'm going crazy doing this - or that I already am!), and when I opened up that menu, I just unraveled. The whole menu looked amazing.
I order the zucchini noodles with cashew Alfredo and my husband ordered the nachos. I'd never really had zucchini noodles before, except for one disastrous experiment about two days into the raw food diet that ended up going in the trash. But I've been wanting to try again - especially since I didn't have the right tools to make the noodles right (you really need a spiralizer).
When I took that first bite, I literally sighed and could have just cried right there in the middle of the restaurant. And my husband's nachos were just as delicious - it even had raw chips. In fact, I ate all of mine, and about half of his (he says he gets full really fast when eating raw - I was happy to help!). And we STILL had desert - some strawberry cashew cheesecake. (Hmmm - maybe that's why I'm losing weight so slow.)
Yes - by far my best experience yet. Now, I just need to get a spiralizer!
Showing posts with label raw food recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label raw food recipes. Show all posts
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
6 Things To Combat Cravings
I know I've been talking a lot about temptations and challenges, but I want to also say that my moments of shock don't last that long, and it's comforting to know that they will pass. Here are some of the things that I've found really help me stick to my guns:
1) Education. I watch a lot of YouTube videos about this life style. One of my most favorite channels I've discovered during this process is Fully Raw Kristina. A couple nights ago, after finishing my last blog post, I found the following video of hers, which helped me enormously. Among other things, she said that the gut-wrenching cravings usually just last about 10 minutes, so it's just a matter of getting through that short window of time. She's been inspiring, educational, and a downright pleasure to watch.
2) Good Food. I try to keep foods around that I sincerely enjoy eating. The more I have, the less likely a craving will cripple me. If things get REALLY tough, I'll go to a raw food restaurant. This is a sure way to put me in a state of bliss, and always gives me new food ideas.
3) Finding New Recipes. Looking up raw food recipes on Pinterest and the Internet helps me realize that there is a world of possibilities that I just haven't explored yet. This gets me excited about trying these new foods, and really helps to scratch my creativity. You can find links to my Pinterest boards for these different raw recipes over on the right side of this blog. These recipes really encourage me, because I'm often surprised by how easy and delicious they are.
4) Vision Board. I haven't done this yet, but a friend suggested I create a vision board. This would give me something to look at when things feel rough, and remind me of all the reasons I'm doing this. I'm going to do this for sure, because when my cravings are really bad, I am so stuck in my own brain that I totally forget why I'm doing this. I just feel trapped, like I have to do this, and forget that I'm making a choice for very specific - and very important - reasons.
5) Herbal Teas. I've already mentioned this, but I like to have a cup of herbal tea when I'm feeling overwhelmed. It's something that I enjoy so much, and it really helps me relax and feel more in control of my situation. If I'm starting to freak out over what I'm going to eat (or what I can't eat), I'll have a cup of tea while I make a plan. It instantly changes my state.
6) Journaling. Writing in my journal has always been an effective way for me to process what I'm going through, cravings or otherwise. It's just a natural way for me to unravel the things that overwhelm me so that I can look at the parts of my situation. That always changes my perspective, and helps me be more in tune to what is, instead of what things seem like.
That's all I can think of at the moment, but I'm sure I'll think of more. Feel free to add to this list by commenting below.
1) Education. I watch a lot of YouTube videos about this life style. One of my most favorite channels I've discovered during this process is Fully Raw Kristina. A couple nights ago, after finishing my last blog post, I found the following video of hers, which helped me enormously. Among other things, she said that the gut-wrenching cravings usually just last about 10 minutes, so it's just a matter of getting through that short window of time. She's been inspiring, educational, and a downright pleasure to watch.
2) Good Food. I try to keep foods around that I sincerely enjoy eating. The more I have, the less likely a craving will cripple me. If things get REALLY tough, I'll go to a raw food restaurant. This is a sure way to put me in a state of bliss, and always gives me new food ideas.
3) Finding New Recipes. Looking up raw food recipes on Pinterest and the Internet helps me realize that there is a world of possibilities that I just haven't explored yet. This gets me excited about trying these new foods, and really helps to scratch my creativity. You can find links to my Pinterest boards for these different raw recipes over on the right side of this blog. These recipes really encourage me, because I'm often surprised by how easy and delicious they are.
4) Vision Board. I haven't done this yet, but a friend suggested I create a vision board. This would give me something to look at when things feel rough, and remind me of all the reasons I'm doing this. I'm going to do this for sure, because when my cravings are really bad, I am so stuck in my own brain that I totally forget why I'm doing this. I just feel trapped, like I have to do this, and forget that I'm making a choice for very specific - and very important - reasons.
5) Herbal Teas. I've already mentioned this, but I like to have a cup of herbal tea when I'm feeling overwhelmed. It's something that I enjoy so much, and it really helps me relax and feel more in control of my situation. If I'm starting to freak out over what I'm going to eat (or what I can't eat), I'll have a cup of tea while I make a plan. It instantly changes my state.
6) Journaling. Writing in my journal has always been an effective way for me to process what I'm going through, cravings or otherwise. It's just a natural way for me to unravel the things that overwhelm me so that I can look at the parts of my situation. That always changes my perspective, and helps me be more in tune to what is, instead of what things seem like.
That's all I can think of at the moment, but I'm sure I'll think of more. Feel free to add to this list by commenting below.
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