Dieting, Fully Raw, and Being Happy

This is not a recipe post.

Having a healthy mind, body, and heart entails more than just yummy eats. It is, however, a little about food, and a whole lot about knowing yourself.

(But if you keep reading, you just might find a new recipe, because I find it hard to control myself.)

As many of you know, my journey towards health lead me down the road to veganism - and I love it! Being vegan is beneficial to the environment, cute furry animals, and most importantly to my body. Giving up animal products has given me clearer skin, healthier nails and hair, and makes me happy. Something about it just makes me feel good. But just because vegan works for me, doesn't mean it works for everyone. You can be perfectly healthy and eat meat, cheese, and eggs. I am not here to tell you what you need to do to be healthy; I'm just sharing what works for me.

Because here's the really big secret that the diet and fitness industries don't want you to know:

THERE IS NO ONE WAY TO GET SLIM, FIT, AND HEALTHY.

Everyone is unique, and a different diet/exercise plan is needed for every person. It sounds cliche, but it's true. We can't keep looking to our friends or celebrities who are having weight loss success or have smoking hot bods for the answers. It truly is a journey we must embark on to discover what works for us.

I know, I know.
Easier said than done, right?
Of course.

If being fit and healthy was easy, everyone would be.

Everyone is swayed by "quick fixes.'
Last week, I was.

Kristina Carrillo-Bucaram is a YouTube personality who promotes eating fully raw on the 801010 vegan diet. For those of you who don't know, 801010 stands for the percentages of carbohydrates, fat, and protein in your diet. The Standard American Diet suggests 50% carbs, 30% fat, and 20% protein. 801010 is 80% carb, 10% fat, and 10% protein. For some of you this may sound extreme or crazy, but the majority of individuals who are 801010 are perfectly healthy, extremely fit, and irritatingly beautiful.

I love watching Kristina's videos. She is bright, happy, and has a beautiful soul. She is inspiring and has a great message to encourage people to get healthy. Although she is fully raw and believes that's the best way to live, she does encourage people just try eating one raw meal a week or a day: do what works best for you. Just add more fruit and veg to your diet.

On June 1st, she started a 14 day challenge called the 14 Day Bikini Body Challenge, stating it's not just about getting healthy but learning to have confidence in your body. A typical day in the fully raw 801010 diet (you can be 801010 without being fully raw) lifestyle looks like the following:

Breakfast: 32-64 ounces of fresh homemade fruit and/or veg juice

Lunch: 32-64 ounces of a homemade fruit and veg smoothie

           or: A huge platter of fruit like 10-12 oranges or 8-10 bananas

Dinner: A small platter of fruit, like 4 mangos
           AND a massive salad or 2 POUNDS of leafy greens

The initial reaction to this diet is how the hell do you eat that much food!

That was my first problem. I spent two hours the first night and I still couldn't finish my salad.

My second problem: I looked at it like a diet.

Here's a secret that's not really a secret:

DIET'S DON'T WORK.

PERIOD.

END OF STORY.

I never had any intentions of going fully raw forever. I write a cooking blog for goodness sake!
But raw for two weeks sounded like a good detox program. Intensified workouts? Sounds like I'll finally lose that tummy fat.

It sounded great......

It took me until after dinner on Day 2 to realize what I was doing. I was dieting.
Being vegan is my lifestyle, being raw was a diet.
Most days I'm raw until almost dinner anyway. I agree that juices and smoothies are a great way to start the day and easily get in good nutrition. But cooking makes me happy.

The path to getting healthy is hard but it is also an eye opener. You have to embrace your diet as your life. And I mean diet as in what you eat, not how you restrict yourself. Your diet should never feel like a restriction, or you won't stick to it.

I'm happy for Kristina and that eating a fully raw vegan diet works for her. And she continues to be an inspiration to be a happy healthier me. But fully raw is not my lifestyle.

Lesson learned.

But look what I've done, even though I'm not raw.

One year ago today, I graduated from college and I weighed 20 pounds more than I do now. Back then I could barely finish a mile run. This morning, I ran 6 miles. You don't need a diet or a pill or surgery to get healthy. All you need is to learn to love yourself. Because when you love yourself, you will know what's best for your body.

And even though I said that this wasn't a recipe post, here's a simple delicious Raw Ice Cream recipe to thank you for reading this post all the way through.

Strawberry Banana Ice Cream
I swear this has the texture of soft serve ice cream. It is incredible for breakfast, lunch, or dessert!

Ingredients
3 frozen bananas
1/2 cup of frozen strawberries
1/4 cup of non-dairy milk (I like almond milk)

Directions
Using either a high speed blender or a food processor, add all ingredients and process until perfectly smooth. Then enjoy!    

Good luck to everyone on their own journeys!