My Fully Raw Challenge

So lately on instagram there have been numerous raw challenges being orgainsed by many inspiring IG accounts so I thought that I would join the bandwagon. I have liked the idea of being fullyraw since reading Douglas Graham's 801010 book which really educated me on the importance of ensuring you fuel your body with as many natural, unprocessed nutrients as possible, and after many years of in some sense abusing my body I am now in persuit to do what is best! However, in the climate and area that I live in (it is very cold and there is not an abundance of cheap, organic fruit and veg), being fully raw is not achievable so I do have to resort to the back up plan of a high carb low fat vegan cooked meal. So, because a month challenge would be too long I did a personal 7 day fully raw challenge.

How did I prepare?

The most important thing I recommend with being fully raw is to ensure that you have an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables available so that whenever you are hungry you can easily make nutritious meals without temptation for other foods. This was great fun for me as I love grocery shopping (healthy girl weirdo aha), but it wasn't fun for my bank account aha! I ended up spending nearly twice the amount I usually did on my weeks produce, so make sure if you choose this lifestyle you can get cheap produce or have a lot of money!

I also made my meals in the day simple and easy to prepare so that I could carry on with my daily activities without having to stress over preparing meals. Monomeals worked the best for me as these were both satisfying and better on my digestion (which isn't the best unfortunately), whilst allowing me to truly appreciate the taste of fruits and vegetables. I then allocated myself more time for evening meals  because I still wanted the enjoyment of food preparationa and creating raw recipes was a fun, exciting thing to do because it was completely new and intriguing to experiment with flavours.

Another good tip is to get inspiration! Google raw food recipes, follow your favourite raw foodies on instagram and ask questions! People who are passionate about their lifestyle are always willing to help, and might even have an ebook for you to purchase if you decide to fully transition! 

Detox

I never thought I would experience detox symptoms as I was only attempting this somewhat 'cleanse' for one week, however I was surprised to discover how quickly my body wanted to remove the toxins of my 18 years previous lifestyle. The first symptoms I received were the typical bloating and discomfort after eating such large quantites of water dense foods, but this did become more manageable a lot quicker than if you transitioned straight from a 'generic animal based lifestyle' as I had already been rawtill4 for quite a while so I had begun to adapt to fully raw foods. Nonetheless, the beloved 'Barry' the food baby always liked to show his face after meals. 

The next beautiful symptoms I received were the dreaded pimples!!! I hate spots! And this was particularly hard for me to deal with as I have always cared for my skin and rarely get spots, so to come out in a lot was devastating! I also have the awful habit of having to pop them which just makes them more red and noticeable! But I knew it was just my bodies way of releasing the toxins of my past and recovering itself so it was worth it! And there is nothing a bit of magic 'Sudocrem' cream cannot resolve!

Verdict

I definitely enjoyed being experimental with raw foods in the kitchen (although some recipe ideas were a major disaster) which increased my intuitiveness with food and formed a deeper connection with the produce I bought and consumed. Also, it bought me closer to a brand new community of inspiring individuals on instagram who offered a lot of advice and encouragement along the way which helped me remain motivated when I found things challenging. I became more aware of how much food my body actually needed to consume (I have discovered my appetite has no ending) and rather than feeling temporarily satisfied I genuinely enjoyed and appreciated the food I had.

BUT...

I live in wet, cold, gloomy England and sometimes a warming meal is just what your heart desires and provides a great comfort. Also, I missed out on opportunites to socialise with friends going to my favourite restaurants as it was not possible for me to eat fully raw and be satisfied. I felt too restricted at times and that wasn't good for me mentally as this was something I wanted to escape, and I don't want to verge onto the habit of labelling foods 'bad' or 'to avoid' again, life should be about being free and enjoying what the world has to offer! But the biggest factor was COST! Say no more.

Overall, I am definitely going to make a conscious effort to eat more raw foods which I have alrady begun to do my certifying my rawtill4 lifetsyle as this is what makes me feel at my best both physically and mentally. However, if I desire a cooked meal I will not penalise myself for it and just ensure that I keep it vegan and high carb (a bit of fat doesn't hurt either) because as long as it is  from mother earth and makes me feel good I do not see a problem.

Keep following your journies to happiness and health everyone and good luck to all persuing any of their own personal challenges! Please comment below I would love to hear your thoughts.