Another mistake I made in going raw was trying to get my husband and kids to go raw too. When I first starting dabbling in raw, I was so gung ho that I wanted the whole family to be raw. I started making lots of raw gourmet foods and trying to serve raw breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Lilah, my youngest daughter, was the only one who was on board. Lilah has a very open pallet and much like myself, is very open to trying new foods. My husband and other daughter were much more resistant. I would get angry and frustrated with them. Changing my own lifestyle was hard enough, but trying to get a bunch of whinny assholes on board was extra challenging. I felt like their health was my responsibility as the wife and mom. Then I came to the realization: It's not.
Before you go getting all pissed off at me, hear me out: There is a saying I tell my kids all the time, "You do you." Which essentially means, worry about yourself, don't worry about what other people are doing. In order for me to be the healthiest me I can be, I want to be a raw vegan and have been working towards that goal. It is a big enough challenge and in order for me to make it happen for myself, I can't worry about getting the rest of my family on board. My husband is a grown ass man and can make his own food and health decisions. If he is ever ready to adopt this lifestyle, I will be completely supportive and give him every tool and resource I have available to me, but he has to come to it on their own. Until then, I have to raise our children in a dual household and lead by example.
My husband and daughters eat a fairly healthy version of the Standard American Diet and I try to incorporate as much raw into it as humanly possible. My daughters eat tons of fresh fruits and veggies, but they also eat meat, dairy, whole grains, nuts and seeds. One thing I started doing was giving them a plate of fresh fruit every morning and before they eat anything else, the fruit has to be gone. Usually they will then eat a Luna Bar or some type of cereal bar after they finish their fruit. At lunch, I started having them eat salad first and some carrots or cucumbers on the side before they eat anything else. These two meals are under my control so it makes me happy to know that they are getting plenty of fruits and veggies during these two meals. My husband usually does dinner, which is usually a grilled meat and salad.
So my children know that "mommy can't eat that," or "that's not raw" and they understand what is healthy and what isn't. They are constantly asking me, "Is that a healthy food?" and I give them honest answers. When they are bitching about their stomachs hurting after they just ate crap food, I just tell them that junk food makes you feel like junk. Health food makes you feel healthy and strong.
Here's what I ate today so far:
Breakfast- pre-crossfit workout
1 banana
1 cup of other fruits (nectarine, raspberries, a couple of strawberries, some melon)
20 oz water
Lunch
Smoothie consisting of:
1 young coconut, meat and water
1 sprig of mint leaves
2 scoops of Sunwarrior chocolate
a few drops of liquid stevia
1 tbsp Sunwarrior Activated Barley
1 tbsp Raw cacao
1 tsp Maca powder
some cacao nibs
10 baby carrots and a slice of cantaloupe
Dinner will be a smoothie tonight:
8oz coconut water
2 tbsp hemp seeds
1 frozen banana
1 scoop Sunwarrior Vanilla
1 handful of spinach
I'm doing a fat loss competition at my gym, so yesterday was a fun food day for me, today it's back to business.
Oh yeah, TRUE CONFESSIONS TIME- last night, I also ate an entire pint of coconut milk ice cream, finished the chips and salsa, finished the almonds, and had a cup of decaf coffee with my hubs at night. I don't normally drink coffee, but when the cool nights start coming, sometimes its a nice treat.
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