Raw Bed and Breakfast, Here We Come!

I've always wanted to own, manage and work in a bed and breakfast. I liked the idea of welcoming people, and meeting interesting guests. As I got older, I liked the idea of making food for people, of hosting fun events, of making people feel at home. Now, I am firmly in my adulthood, and I realize that, for me, home is truly where my heart is. I love having family over, watching movies in groups, playing board games, and having dinner parties. Our house is emptying out of long-term housemates and making room for short-term, temporary guests. We've decided to transition our house into a B&B, with a focus on raw vegan food (but we welcome everyone!) as well as local, seasonal food. We hope to host classes, retreats, and food tours and provide full-service accommodations to guests.
So far, we've been in trial mode, opening our home to guests who aren't specifically geared toward vegetarian or vegan accommodations and it's been GREAT!
Stay tuned for more about that. I've also started a blog, about our experiences, and you can find that here.

It Just Takes One Bite

One bite of cooked food and I believe my clever brain will find any and all excuses to eat another. And another. And on it goes.

So it's best not to take the FIRST bite. That probably won't give me a reaction (which leads to the justification of another bite, of course), but it DOES start to give my body information about what's coming.

If I start eating sugar, which has no nutritional value, then my body wants more and more, looking for the value it craves. When I drink a green juice, or have a filling and nutritious smoothie, I only want the one helping, because that is enough for me. I get what I need.

Recently, my husband and I did a raw food week, smoothie fast, then a water fast for one day. As we were introducing more solid food back into our diet, our cravings for it were really low. Hubby even said, "So, that's it? We just don't need to eat anymore?" I laughed, because I felt the same. It was ENJOYABLE to refrain from eating solid food for a week. We simply blended everything. Way filling, way nutritious, and way easier.

But as we were introducing more solid food back into our diet, I found that when I ate more cooked food, I wanted more cooked food. I'm only allowing vegan soup into my afternoon meals now, but still, I can hear the mental gears churning about how I should eat more of this or that. Actually, I just need to keep up the nutrients, blended goodness, and green juice. Can never have enough of those.

I'd say that if I consume 1500 calories a day, 400 calories might be cooked. So I'm operating on about 70% raw food. That's not too bad, but I want to eat primarily raw (except for commerical almond milk, almond butter, oats, and maybe a few other things). Soup in the fall and winter is tough. Miso broth, here I come!

Anyway, just some thoughts...:)

Compulsively Eating Cooked Food

I'm struggling with a bit of a sore throat. Not suprisingly. I ate a lot of cooked food this past weekend. Ugh.

I have no problem when I bring my lunch to work. Or when I'm at home (sort of). But when I'm in a group, a lot of people pleasing goes on and I eat what's there, even if I KNOW it's not good for me.

Cheese has been eliminated from my diet. Eggs too, mostly. I think next is sugar. I believe that's what's giving me the sore throat. I ate too much of the processed sugar. I have been really lax on the sugar and the wheat, but I need to get back to it. Maybe if I am less stressed, I will eat less processed food? I don't know.

I am running into a rut of eating the same old boring food day after day, so I slip into cooked food habits when I get bored.

But I know the consequences...so why do I do it?

I found a woman nearby my work who does energy work AND nutrition and I think that might be a good angle for me. I need to figure out why I eat poorly when I am stressed, knowing full well it won't be good for me. Boo.

I'll update after an appointment.

Raw Food Plan

I'm in a 12 step program that works with plans. Spending plans. Action plans. Record keeping. I keep tabs on my life this way.
I had a thought that that kind of planning would help me with my raw food life.
In my spending plan, I look at what income I have to work with (so that I don't spend impulsively). For food, I can do something similar. I know what foods are safe for me. I can even include the cooked versions in case I am feeling like I need cooked food (there are times).

So for instance, I do okay with cooked yams. That's on my "Safe Food" list.
There are several foods that are not safe, in any form. I learn these one at a time and usually I need to try it three times to make sure. Beans, sprouted or otherwise, don't work for me, so they are "not safe" and I plan my food and meals around that.

There is a lot of variety in what I CAN eat and by making a plan of meals and safe food, I can usually make good meals or at least have the right ingredients on hand. This is also important too.

In another 12 step program there is weighing, measuring, having a food sponsor, an abstinent list, etc. I find that if I am able to surround myself with good food, people who know my food habits, and basic "fixes" for common/recurring situations, then I can keep raw food primary in my life.

There are other components to eating raw successfully and having a good community and a supportive environment is a big one. Not just other raw foodists, but supportive friends and family who can and will accommodate your food needs.

I've found that the vegan/vegetarian friends I have are very helpful (I just have to make sure cheese is left on the side) and supportive. And several friends actually know about eating raw (even though they aren't 100%) and that really helps too.

It's also important for me not to "fall off the wagon" and then give up all hope after that and go back to eating cooked food. That takes me days to get back and meanwhile, I usually suffer congestion, foggy brain, weight gain, and bloating. Yuck!

So when I eat cooked food that doesn't work for me (usually happens when I don't plan or have no options while eating out) I start back raw as soon as I can. I plan my next raw meal (Berries and almond milk or a large kale salad make me salivate!).

I also am learning that spending more money on the right food for me is really important. I need to take care of myself regarding food and not skimp on food just because it's expensive. What ends up costing me more is the slipperly slope of cooked/prepared food, and the resulting ill health and stress I feel afterward. Raw food only *seems* to cost more. Health is priceless.

No need for rockstar status

It helps me to remember that being raw doesn't *mean* anything. It doesn't mean I'm perfect, dogmatic, religiously zealous, 100%, etc. It just means that I tend toward raw food. I eat dairy sometimes and french fries and pie. But I love raw food, I eat mostly raw food, and raw food suits me. That's all.

I'm always trying to be the "good girl" in all I do...and honestly, it's not good for me. I just try to eat better for my own benefit, not for others.

I always get curious folks, questioning my methods, but I can't take it personally. They just want to know. But I don't need to bash myself just because I'm not perfect ALL THE TIME.

At the moment, I'm trying to stay raw until 3pm. No hard and fast restrictions, I just try, every day, to wait til 3pm to eat cooked food or not so raw foods. So far, it makes me feel better...which is plenty for me.

Progress not Perfection

That's a 12 step saying...but entirely appropriate for my situation.

A few days ago I ate three cooked meals, and barely any raw food. Big mistake. Huge. I then got a 6 day (might be 7, 8) sinus infection/allergic reaction to contend with. Super ugh. Headache, poor sleep, and a runny nose that puts most colds I've had to shame. 6 days now!

When I see food that beckons me to ignore my allergy, I am aware that it would be a bad idea. I am still tempted. Raw food in the beginning was simply a healthy, good idea for me. Now it's becoming a necessity. I don't need 100% or fancy supplements, but I do need to make sure that I have 1-2 raw meals a day, hopefully with an okay combination.

I have gained weight back to 153 lbs., which I don't like, but more importantly, I just want to *feel* better.

When we move our office, I will go back to the trampoline, which I have sadly been neglecting.

I'm going to get back into Overeater's Anonymous, because I need to give myself some structure. Sure, sometimes it can be so depressing, I can barely take it, but my program doesn't have to be depressing. And I don't need to compare. I know I just need some abstinence from harmful foods, and a daily plan of what I can/will eat.

I'm making progress, in any case. Awareness is good stuff.