Articles archived for May 2009

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Picture me sitting in that chair… I’m fessin’ up!

NOTE: For health reasons, I don’t recommend that anyone who is 100% raw start eating cooked foods out of the blue. It isn’t healthy at all and I’m only sharing my experience of falling off the wagon to show you that a) I’m not perfect (I know at least some of you can relate. ) and b) to help you know you’re not alone in your health journey “mishaps”. We’re all in this together, ya know?

So, last week I confessed to falling off the 100% raw food wagon. I admitted to giving in to some of my old (cooked) favorite comfort foods during the recent tragedies my family faced. Some of you have asked what exactly it is that I’ve eaten. It’s your curiosity that inspired this post!

The following is a list of what I’ve gobbled up over the last few weeks—not all in one day, or even one week. (Sorry there aren’t any pics! What? I was a little–okay a lot!–depressed and I just chowed down on the stuff. LOL) I’m sharing to the best of my memory and in no particular order, so here goes!

• Half of a biscuit with gravy, no meat
• Chicken (GASP! This one really, really surprised me—I haven’t eaten meat in YEARS! I honestly don’t know what came over me!)
• Stir-fried veggies
• Tuna sub (Just to clarify, it was not a foot long sub! LOL)
• Zero candy bar
• Chocolate cake
• Ice cream (chocolate and nuts were involved–eeeek!)
• Omelet with veggies and cheese
• Boca (processed veggie burger)
• Cappuccino pops (these are Heavenly and evil at the same time!)
• Pizza with olives and mushrooms
• Steel cut oats
• Baked potato
• Vegetarian chili with Mexican cornbread

And there  you have it: some of my yummy not-so-raw moments. I never said I was perfect, y’all. And you better believe I’ve consumed lots of raw veggies and fruit in the midst of all that cooked chaos. I’m STILL high-raw, really.

Now it’s your turn. What are your favorite comfort foods? Do you treat yourself occasionally or have them whenever you want? Are you a Raw Foodie? If so, have you ever fallen off the wagon during stressful times? What did you eat if you did? How long did it take you to get back to 100% raw? Come on, it’s your turn to sit in the chair. Get on up there. It isn’t that bad! I can’t wait to read your comments!

Coming Soon

• more contests and reviews
• photos and details about a pioneer festival I recently attended (including getting to meet an Editor and an Editor-In-Chief) Eeek!
• and updates from the Amish farm

So…. be sure to subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll also receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and juice fasting tips and encouragement to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health–and more personal posts about stuff that’s going on in my life.

Photo Credit: TouTouke

Looking in the Mirror

I’ve always tried to encourage you all to not feel like you have to give up on reaching your goals when you “mess up” on your journey to better health. Whether it’s missing a workout (or several) or giving in to your favorite junk food(s), I’ve told you to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get back in the game, right? Each new day is a fresh start, a clean slate, and you can start over, right? Right. Well, now it’s time for me to practice what I preach. Oh yeah, that’s the hard part! <Insert nervous laughter here>

On Again, Off Again

Here’s what happened: I was moseying right along, 100% raw, and loving every single moment of it–every raw nut, seed, veggie, fruit, smoothie, juice, sprout… I was at a place in my raw food journey where I wasn’t craving processed junk  (or even organic eggs or Greek yogurt–and those are two of my favorites!). I wasn’t feeling upset in any way that I wasn’t eating the same stuff those around me were gobbling up. I was at peace with my Raw Foodist lifestyle–and then it happened…. Tragedy after tragedy after tragedy hit my family (you can read all about it on my other blog).

Accepting and Loving

At first I was really, really upset with myself. Raw food is so important to me. Some of you have been telling me to stop being so hard on myself because I have eaten really healthfully for years now and have maintained a 100+ pound weight loss and a 75-100% Raw Food Lifestyle. And… you are right. Sometimes (okay, a lot of the time) I am too hard on myself.  Why? Because 1) I don’t want to gain back the weight I worked so hard to lose, 2) I don’t want to slide back down the unhealthy ladder, and 3) because I really am passionate about a 100% Raw Food Lifestyle and all it has to offer in terms of health, the environment, and sparing animals from being eaten.

Climbing Back On

I am taking your advice, though, and my own. It hasn’t been easy, but I’ve had to realize that I’m only human and I’m far from perfect. And sometimes in the midst of the storm, we end up comforting ourselves with food. Simple as that. It happens to the best of us. Why? I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I grew up in the South, where comfort food rules: creamy mashed potatoes, fried chicken, biscuits and gravy, macaroni and cheese, moist cakes, decadent pies… Shall I go on?

Enjoying the Journey

I’m focusing on trying to find a “normal place” in life after all the recent family tragedy and am not going to be too hard on myself, or even set a date, about the 100% Raw Food. Right now, I just need to be. And sometimes that’s enough….

Have you fallen off the wagon? It doesn’t have to be the Raw Food wagon. Whatever you’re trying to achieve, it can be very difficult to stay on the straight and narrow 100% of the time so you can reach your goals. We can do this. Yes, we can. How? By taking one day–and one step–at a time. Come on, I’ll hold your hand and we’ll travel this rocky path together.

Coming Soon

• more contests and reviews
• photos and details about a pioneer festival I recently attended (including getting to meet an Editor and an Editor-In-Chief) Eeek!
• and updates from the Amish farm

So…. be sure to subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll also receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and juice fasting tips and encouragement to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health–and more personal posts about stuff that’s going on in my life.

Photo Credit: Andreas Solberg

Here’s a big thank you to TropicalTraditions.com (and Dawn Campbell, Marketing Manager), for being so kind as to sponsor this contest and allow you (my fantabulous readers!!!) the opportunity to win a giant jar of their amazing virgin coconut oil and a book so you can learn all about it!

What a great contest!! I absolutely loved reading each and every comment and was so honored by your compliments, touched by your desire to try out Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil, and felt so much compassion as I read your reasons for wanting to win. I’m so glad that each of you are thinking of your health and are wanting to try new things. I wish I had a giant jar of this coconut oil to send all of you but I can’t do that. There’s only one jar. And that jar goes to….. George (aka Tumblemoose)!!

These are all yours, George!!!

When I went to Random.org, it chose comment #24. This was George’s second comment in the contest (you were allowed four):

24 Tumblemoose { 04.29.09 at 9:08 am }

Hi Michele,

I tweeted this, too (from @tumblemoose)!

Tumblemooses last blog post..Tumblemoose Times – A writer’s newsletter

I thought you’d love to know what George said in his first comment, which was answering the question of why he wanted to win:

7 Tumblemoose { 04.28.09 at 8:34 am }

Michele,

This Alaskan boy dreams of darn near anything tropical at the end of a harsh Alaskan winter. Mmmmm coconut, mmmm.

I’d use it as a soothing after shave balm for me head and face. I also like the idea of salad dressing with a squeeze of lime!

Cheers!

George

Tumblemooses last blog post..Tumblemoose Times – A writer’s newsletter

I love it that George says he’ll use the coconut oil for his face as after shave and for his bald head (Guys, did you hear that? Try it out!). It’s something I didn’t mention in the list of possible uses–very clever, George! And I can’t wait for you to try it on your salad–it’s delish! I’ll be in contact with you to get your mailing address. Congrats–now we can glow together!!!

UPDATED TO ADD:

I forgot to say that those of you who didn’t win should truly invest in Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil (and the book) as soon as you can fit it into your budget. This is a worthwhile investment, you all!! And if you missed the contest, or if you’re new to Healing with (Raw) Juices, please take a moment to read the review I wrote about Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil and the book.

In future contests, you’ll be competing for raw nuts, goji berries, raw nut butters, and more–so don’t miss out on upcoming posts!