Get Real

Kale Love

Raw Retreat

This 4th of July weekend I was blessed to be part of a Raw Relaxation and Rejuvenation Retreat with members of the Baltimore Raw Food Tribe. What a wonderful experience, from the positive people to the delicious raw food served daily. Each day started with meditation and journaling. I was able to get in some outdoor yoga too, not to mention canoeing for the first time. Wow! We also had discussions of the practical aspects of being raw, especially dealing with temptation. We left vowing to support each other on our raw journeys. I'm so grateful to have discovered such wonderful new friends.

New Mantra

When Will I Be Raw?

Well, I've fallen off the wagon...AGAIN! I'm so tired to trying to eat right. It takes so much effort because the lure of SAD food is so strong. I feel like a junkie in need of a fix. I get really irritable if I don't have certain foods. Every morning I get up and say I'm going to eat such and such. I pack up a good lunch or have a green smoothie and it works for a while. Then things start to go downhill after lunch until, by the time I get home, I'm eating things I don't even want to mention here.

The wellness journal was going OK until I started to go off track. Then, of course, I couldn't bring myself to write it down. What's it going to take to get me to eat well consistently? When will I be raw? I'd be happy just to be vegan at this point.

I think my downfall is not having enough satisfying raw foods to snack on during the day. I'm a nibbler. I need little things to nibble on all day. I love the pates with crackers or veggies and I love smoothies. I'm going to make certain I have some of these things around all the time to help me overcome cravings.

Wellness Journal

In an effort to get back on track (again) I decided I'd start keeping a food journal. But then it occurred to me that there's more to being healthy than just food. That's when I decided to keep a what I'm calling a wellness journal instead. Besides keeping track of food I keep track of exercise and other good things I do for myself, like drinking a glass of water with lemon upon rising, dry skin brushing and hot/cold showers, the vitamins and supplements I take. I also note whether I take time for meditation and prayer. At the end, I write my reflections of the day. I think my wellness journal is going to be a very useful tool for helping me maintain balance and overall well being.

The Truth

This past month since I joined the Raw Fu challenge I've gone through a roller coaster of emotions. I've felt like I didn't know who I was anymore. You don't realize how much of your identity is tied to the food you eat until you make a drastic change in your diet. Without certain foods I actually felt disoriented and unable to concentrate. I felt on edge and unable to sleep. I found myself withdrawing from friends and family; I just wanted to be alone to process this new programming. When I got sick (detox probably) and began feeling afraid I ran as fast as my long legs could carry me back to the foods that gave me comfort and made me feel "grounded." You know...the bad stuff. Whew that was close!

I realize now what was happening and so feel better equipped to deal with it next time, but man was that scary. I could completely relate with the man in the Raw for 30 Days video who couldn't make it through. Imagine what it felt like to go through that at his age. Not that he couldn't have made it regardless of his age (I think it's more related to your personality and outlook on life) but it must have been tough for him. Anyway I have no intention of quitting. This is too important. Sure, it's about the food and about being healthy. But it's also about being someone I've never been before; it's about being the best that I can be. Rawsome!