The story begins with a couple weeks of unexplained bloating and weight gain. I was feeling tired, not as mentally clear and just kind of off. I had just stepped up my workouts, so I thought that may be it, but these feeling did not subside. I’ve always recommended a raw diet to my clients for cleansing and thought it was time to heed my own good advice.
1. It helped me to finally meal plan. I knew without a solid plan I would fail. And you know what, but planning and doing a bit of prep work and anxiety I would’ve given food just slipped away. No thinking wondering or worrying about food?? Talk about a relief!!
2. You’re REALLY busy. Well, one of my favorite things about being raw is that it literally takes 5-10 minutes to prepare a fabulous meal full of nourishment. It’s really easy to prep raw meals ahead of time so you can just grab and eat. Many of them travel really well, so they’re easy to pack for lunch or when you need to eat on the run. (Side note- I had much better energy on these scenarios as well!)
3. Within a day my digestion was on point, my mood lifted, my tummy was flatter and after just a couple days, the scale was down a couple of pounds. This alone made me feel better and more confident.
4. I was feeling light and clear minded in just a day or two as well. Even though I eat pretty healthy (I’m sure you do too) my new raw plan had me incorporating even more veggies and fruit than normal and it energized me! I was able to focus with no slumps in my day and was actually becoming a morning person, which I’ve always wanted to be!
5. My appetite was suppressed. Now I am a big eater. I work out and am a medium curvy frame with muscle. I am not about to skip a meal. I did not start skipping meals, but I was being satisfied with less food. My blood sugar had really leveled out and all of the fruits and veggies filled my body with what it was really craving, water, vitamins, minerals, complex carbs.
6. The color on my plate made me more positive and energized about my whole life. This was a fun change. My plate looked different, and you know what? So did my outlook.
7. It finally helped me nix the meat. Now I am a flexitarian who mostly only eats a bit of fish or pastured egg here and there. This has bothered me for so long (morally, environmentally and even from a health standpoint), but my system has always felt like it needed small amounts of animal protein. I cannot say this will last forever, but I am very encouraged by this change. If I did stray away from raw, it was only vegan food and I felt so accomplished to not crave animal foods!
8. Lastly, I was bright eyed and felt beautiful. My skin is now glowing with no dryness or itching, my eyes are clear and I feel fabulous.
If you are looking to start a raw diet, my biggest advice is plan your meals and be gentle with yourself. I took my raw journey one day at a time with no pressure. I gave myself permission to quit when I wanted to and I haven’t. I also encourage simple eating. Do smoothies, salads, and juices. Experiment within your won comfort level from there. Most importantly, enjoy your journey!!
This article was originally published here!
Melissa Schollaert is a Holistic Health & Nutrition Counselor and founder of Real Nutritious Living. Helping others achieve their health goals to attain their healthiest, happiest life is her greatest ambition.
