Taking care... of your life.

One thing that I hear much too often from people is that they don't have the time.

...

How can anyone not have time for their health?

I admit I was one of these people at one time. I simply didn't care. But at least I could admit that. Denial is the worst possible place you can be. When in denial, you are taking away any possibility of improvement. 

My message to people in denial? Get over yourself, and get it done. Stop complaining and use that energy to get healthy instead. Stop making it a chore and make it fun! If any kind of victim attitude comes up, I walk away, or tell the person straight up if I think they can handle it. Harsh? Maybe.

 Making changes is EASY when you stop thinking that its SO difficult! The key to it all? Baby steps aka transitioning. Make small changes for the long run instead of drastic ones for the short term.  AND don't be afraid to ask for help!

Over the past 2 years I have made the baby steps to where I am today. With 50lbs of weight gone and 20 lbs to go I have discovered the path to ultimate health and I am getting there at my own pace. My health has steadily got better and better, although I can't say I never hit a wall. Just keep going!!!

OK, so todayyyy.

Exercise:

23 intense mins on bike (did 8k in 19mins!!)

8 mins vigorous training on Concept Rower.

Food:

750ml Banana-Rasp Smoothie

1 cup Raisins

1L mango smoothie

Homemade sushi

I keep forgetting to track my water intake, today was 2.5 liters :)

See ya tomorrow!!

Transitioning and what it means to me :)

One of the biggest questions in the high carb raw world is what is the best way to transition to this new lifestyle and diet. I absolutely believe in a take it day by day pace. I first began experimenting in the whole raw foodist world just over a year ago and I have had a few frustrating moments caused by detox, impatience and a misunderstanding of my body and certain of it's functions.

Detox can be an enemy to anyone going trough a diet change, be it from SAD(standard american diet) to any level of veg or even just including more whole foods to daily meals. This is your body getting rid of toxins that are usually stored in fat or other tissues. And to get rid of them they have to go through your blood system again to get to your eliminating organs and out of your system. This causes symptoms that can be unpleasant and so make the process difficult, more for some then others. If you look at your past lifestyle, most of us have abused our bodies with processed foods, alcohol, drugs and other habits. This takes time to heal and its the main reason why I absolutely believe in transitioning from one step to another at your own pace.  I'd rather someone making small changes and succeeding than have someone try to change it all overnight and fail and thus lose faith in the the process.

My diet at the moment consists of fruit for most of the day and a cooked meal for supper. I also have better and worse days. I also love to cook and experiment in the kitchen and introduce people to the vegan lifestyle, which is one thing that slows my transition to 100% raw as well. But it is a goal of mine, but if it takes me 3 years to get there, then I'm absolutely fine with that because I will get there one day as I believe it to be the healthiest and most ethical lifestyle and its definitely for me. And so, from now on I will be including low fat cooked recipes and things in this blog to basically help spread the word on veganism as well as fruitarianism. They are both part of my life and both very worthy of my attention. Besides since they are both part of my life at the moment, I like to write about them.

So if you are a meat-eater, and you just decide to eat more whole foods and less meat, then you've definitely made a step in the right direction! One step at a time works as long as you have your steps and final goal in mind and you're always progressing then in my opinion you are on the right path. My transition from SAD to veg was easy, it was an informed decision. Besides, there's tons of alternative out there that make the transition easy if you want to keep "meat" in your taste palette for the first while. The best way to do it? Educate yourself! Read books or browse the net for reason the be veg, for scientific research or even just for forums to ask questions and gain knowledge. Also, there are plenty of documentaries and interviews to watch for free on the net. Go at your own pace, for some people the overnight thing works, others it takes longer.

Start now :) Go check out Earthlings for an ethical reason documentary or read The China Study for a scientific take on it.

Eating and Travelling: The Mysterious Ways to Get What you Want.

So I've been out of Canada for the past 2 months and want to share my experiences travelling as a vegan/fruitarian. Most people think that being veg is a disadvantage whilst exploring the globe and I really have to disagree, it certainly has its advantages and everyone will cater to your specific dietary needs as long as you have the right attitude about it.

Why most people worry about transitioning to a veg diet today is beyond me because I've never experienced a situation where there truly was nothing I could eat. Restaurants and other establishments will cater to anyone's  dietary needs because they want you as repeat customers, its really that simple. If you ask nicely and inform yourself properly you will get what you want.

1. Plane food: This is actually quite an advantage to the veg people. All you have to do now to eat a veg/vegan/fruit meal is choose is choose whichever you want when you are booking your ticket online or with your travel agent and yes most airlines have a fruit meal option, just bring extra (just not any more than you can eat because although its more than ok to bring fruit into the aiplane, customs at the other end wont let you go through with it) . Another bonus is that you usually get served first and the quality of the food is generally better than the omnivore stuff from my experience.
2. Restaurants: Here is where attitude is everything! Any restaurant will be more than happy to cater to you, besides they want you and your party to come back to eat there. Just be specific and above all polite about what it is exactly that you want and don't be afraid to ask questions! If your not sure about a menu item, ask whether there is this or that ingredient in it and if so, ask if they can accommodate you and make it without animal products or a salad with items of your choice. If you're travelling to a country that you arent fluent in their language write down a list of either things you don't ant in your meals or things that you do want while precising that you don't eat animal products. And a trick is if they seem to be giving you a hard time, just say you are allergic, their attitude with change quickly and adjustments will be made :)
3. Airport food: This one can sometimes be tricky, especially if your at an airport late at night waiting for a delayed flight. There are a few things you can do. One is to bring along some snacks just in case, which in the end will also save you money. If you forget this, then you can basically make due, they'll usually have  some sort of veggie or fruit plate and possibly a granola bar or something that while not ideal will get you feeling not so hungry until the on-board meal.
4. Hotel accommodations (B&B, all-inclusive…): The best thing for this one is to prepare in advance and do you research.  Most B&B's have no issues accommodating special diets and will do so with pleasure, but you may want to check into some of them that have experience in the matter and you have to be prepared to specifically explain to them what your diet entails, especially being a fruitarian and detailing what a ripe fruit is and how much you really eat. There are websites that detail which all inclusive resorts are best for veg food and fresh fruit, but I would say that the higher the rating, the better your chance of having great food. Again just give them a call in advance and before booking to ensure that you'll be comfortable on your vacation.
5. Vacationning over at friends and family: This a a great chance to showcase how great vegan food is. If your friends and family aren't familiar with veganism or fruitarianism offer to bring along a dish or to prepare one in their home before the meal. If they are familiar with it just double check with them that there will be food that you can eat there.If you are staying for an extended period of time consider just buying your own food, especially if you are eating mostly raw :)
6. Self-catering; One of the best options when travelling is booking a room with a fridge or a small kitchen. This enables you to have the majority of your meals your way and it's always fun (imo) to explore the markets and fruit shops in different countries to see whats available and to explore different ingredients and if you travel to an exotic destination, some great local fresh fruit!
All in all, the chances of having issues with veganism or fruitarianism and travelling lie with how prepared you are. If you make the right moves and take it all with a relaxed and friendly attitude people will serve you what you want and do their best to make it a great experience. The whole point of travelling is to explore new cultures and landscapes, so concentrate on your adventure and have fun! A positive outlook will attract to you what you need :)