Lately I have been meeting a lot of awesome people and making some cool new friends though potlucks, parties, festivals, workshops, what have you. And I would be filthy rich by now if I got a penny for every time someone asked:
‘So, do you eat 100% raw?‘
I don’t know if it’s because I profile myself as a health coach specialized in raw foods and having a raw food oriented website or what, but for some reason people seem quite startled when I answer with: ‘nope’! Though I am getting used to the question and the utter shock, I still oftentimes wonder why people are so gung ho on the whole all/nothing approach and I hope I can clarify some things with this post.
Between Black and White There Is a Whole Spectrum of Colors Available <3
I call myself a raw foodie. I love fresh, whole, raw plant foods above anything else, and I love love love inspiring others to eat more raw and plant based foods to feel and look their absolute best. This way of eating works for me and many others I know personally or virtually. The raw food lifestyle has helped me greatly to improve the overall quality of my life and that is why I feel so dedicated spreading the message of real food, made easy. I have eaten a 100% raw for some time. I ate 100% vegan for over a year. I eat all organic for long periods of time.
But. I am here to enjoy life, be happy, gain knowledge and experience, not to fit any kind of label or be perfect (yawn). I have found, over time, I (personally) don’t need to 100% raw, or be 100% of anything, to be happy, healthy and thrive. I do (and eat) what comes naturally. I don’t feel the need to compete with myself or others, be dogmatic, or judge myself or others for their decisions.
Actually, to not eat all raw anymore was not a conscious decision I made. I organically developed my current way of eating and I know it will always be changing and evolving. I overload myself with smoothies, juices, salads, fruits and tonics, simply because I have grown accustomed to them, feel they work for me, give me energy and make me happy. I also eat fries (gasp) or cookies when I feel like it. This is not often, and I usually feel the ramifications (= not feeling my absolute best, mentally and physically) shortly after, but I am ok with that. Choosing to indulge is also part of life, as are ups and downs.
Life and health are about so much more than just food. I think the moment you start to focus on doing anything perfect, a 100%, your ego takes over and you are losing the plot. I know this from experience. I know this after years and years of rigidity and trying to be ‘perfect’. I can now whole-heartedly say I am healthier and happier than I ever have been. Most days, I am having the best day ever (lol) without conforming to any dietary label.
Perspective, People.
I am noticing a pattern when it comes to the 100% raw debate; people take life, and themselves, too seriously. I am not sure this is the best way to go either but I find it better to lighten up a little (ok, a lot). Every aspect of my life has become more joyful since I stopped taking everything so seriously. With everything I do, say, believe in, I know; this is just me. When I coach people, write, do workshops, I make a point of pointing this out as well. ‘I whole-heartedly believe this is how stuff works and it works for me and loads of others, but never blindly believe what I (or anyone else) says….’.
/Rant
All right that’s enough ranting for one day. Time to have some fun again. Here are two video’s that proof my point for me….
Great post! I sometimes feel like it has to be all or nothing, but I know from experience it’s really not that rigid. Thank you for pointing that out once more!
Hi Sabine,
This post could not have made me more happy to hear, I am a very healthy eater and many people think I’m a vegan or vegetarian. When I tell them I’m not or they see my kids with an unhealthy treat they are shocked and make me feel like a bad person, even though they are sipping on diet cokes all day. My family and I are typically healthy eaters and since I’m in the IIN program I’m learning all different methods, but sometimes we just have to be human and indulge and no I don’t feel good after but that’s life! Thank you so much for writing, I must keep this post in my back pocket:))
Well said! And I couldn’t agree more.
Couldn’t have said it any better myself. I just, you know, eat. Mostly plants. But I also know how and when to indulge. And I love that about me
as long as you incorporate healthy foods your ok, I dont eat meat for my own reasons, and eats tons of veggies and fruits but i am also 100 J/k
Yeah, meat is the only thing where I really draw the line. I don’t do eggs or dairy inside the house either but I don’t look out for anymore either when someone else cooks for me (which is not often anyway)
Sabine recently posted..(Why) I Don’t Eat 100% Raw
Totally agree! Great post…My thang is just go with the flow,,,whateva ect. ect…Most meals and days are raw for me too, it just makes me feel at my best(diet wise),,,but if I want a cooked meal,,,,what eva I say
Go with da flow! Enjoy your day
Great post – it’s good to be in the spectrum of colors between black&white.
The Self Help Hipster recently posted..My (Almost) Daily Foods.
Hey! I realize this is sort of off-topic but I needed to ask. Does managing a well-established website like yours take a massive amount work? I am completely new to running a blog but I do write in my journal every day. I’d like to start a blog so I will be able to share my personal experience and views online. Please let me know if you have any ideas or tips for new aspiring blog owners. Thankyou!
Allie recently posted..how to hypnotize someone many different
Not eating raw 100% doesn’t make you less of a person, right? I’m not vegan but I do know how to balance a healthy meal and junk foods. It’s all about discipline and choice.
Julianna recently posted..user reviews of jamplay
so true! It’s so easy to get lost in the feeling of ‘I shouldn’t be eating this’ or – even if in mainstream terms you eat really really REALLY healthy – worries like ‘am I eating to many nuts? Should I be a fruitarian? Is that healthier? Or am I overdoing the amount banana’s I’m eathing’ and stuff like that. It’s so nice and refreshing to see someone being more relaxed about this stuff. Thank you for your post!
sonja recently posted..What pictures cannot say
We all hear that everything excessive is bad. Don’t get me wrong, what I want to say that we should not just go for the extremes. After all, there is a lot good when we try to balance things and our perspectives.
Andy recently posted..guitar scales software
I only just discovered your blog and I love it =) I eat a mainly plant-based diet too with lots of raw veggies. I don’t really like to label myself though, I guess I could and that would make it easier for others (who often try to find faults at what I do), but I’m doing this for me so I decided to not ‘be’ anything 100%. Well except for being a vegetarian, I won’t go back to eating meat. But occasionally I will have an egg or get some yummy organic cookies made with some milk or egg. Life should be fun and be enjoyed, I find that too many restrictions limit me enjoying my life. Anyway I’m going to bookmark your site as inspiration now, looking forward to your new posts!
Sophie recently posted..Budget tip: Alverde cosmetica
Hello my beautiful Sabine, you rock. I LOVED this post so much. It is a topic I have been thinking about more and more recently.
I absolutely agree with you and love the sentiment that there is a whole spectrum of colours out there. It’s refreshing to hear this outlook, because there seems to be a lot of dogma inherent in raw communities. At one point, I myself was in danger of heading down that path, but thankfully I was in touch enough with my physical and mental bodies to realise that this is not the path for me. I think we eat very similarly – I love raw and wholeheartedly am passionate about its positive benefits for health on a holistic scale, yet I also don’t think we need to be 100% of anything to be healthy and happy. In fact, as you point out, fitting into labels or rules often produces the opposite results.
I eat a huge amount of raw, but I also love to incorporate a range of other foods into my diet. Some of them are daily additions, such as cooked quinoa and sweet potato, whilst others are the less healthful foods that I enjoy on occasion.
Thank you for always being so honest and inspiring babe xx
Lolita @ Peace, Love & Greens recently posted..Short & Sweet Update with an Exciting Announcement
[...] month I also wrote two posts that received a lot of feedback and appreciation; Why I Don’t Eat 100% Raw, and Get Your Tan On – Raw Sun [...]