Wow! I can’t believe I am writing my week 4 of 4 recap of being a raw vegan. Yes, there were a few cooked meals (sweet potatoes after a morning of SUP was critical!) but all of my meals this month focused on one key attribute: eating for energy.
I won’t be leaving and entering a food bubble. With all of the travel I do, I will need to be able to make the best decisions I can about my food choices. Reintegration is going to be a key in getting ready to leave the fellowship in a short 48 hours. But here is what I am going to take with me:
1.Superfoods
I have learned so much more about super foods and I am loving this new knowledge. Adding even more super foods into my diet is going to key, and maybe the easiest thing to do. So many of these foods – spirulina, chia, maca, vegan protein powder, turmeric, cacao – are all powders meaning they can easily be bagged and packed up. This will be so easy for me to make a bag pre-mixed and through into a carry on for a way to boost my energy and supplement my diet while traveling.
2. Experimenting
As much as I would love to live in a world where mac and cheese and chocolate chip cookies were the healthiest super foods on the planet, the reality is that that is just not so. But that doesn’t mean I can’t ever eat these foods again. By playing around with new recipes, I will be able to recreate the creaminess of a cheese sauce and the gooey deliciousness of a warm cookie. This diet does not prevent you from eating the foods you love. Rather, it empowers you to make the best decisions about the foods you want to eat.
3.Educating others
The joy of food is in the sharing of food and the joy of my new knowledge will be sharing my knowledge. I know I am not a nutritionist and I don’t desire to be one. But talking about my experience, cooking and sharing recipes with friends, and making sure my home is stocked with super foods is a way I can continue this journey and empower others.
4.Movement
While not a part of the food diet, moving every day is key to this lifestyle. Making the time to move at least 30 minutes a day no matter will be integrated into my life. I always though exercise had to be this high intensity, drawn out activity. But when you make movement a key value in your life, it just comes naturally. It can be anything from a hike, to Pilates, to a myo-fascial release session. Movement is such a broad range of activities that this one will be easy to integrate into my life.
5. Being empowered
This is the ultimate goal of reintegrating after any transformative experience: to be empowered. I am now empowered to make better food choices, to choose to eat for fuel vs boredom, to be healthier, to be more confident in my skin. This is what I am taking home and this is what I will come back to day after day. I can’t wait!
My food journey is constantly revolving and in a year, my food story will look different than today, and that is ok. I encourage each of you to continue seeking out new knowledge, trying new foods, and talking about the experience.
May you each continue to find the joy and health in each of your meals.
