With my recent posts to twitter, instagram, and facebook I’ve had lots o’ questions about the lifestyle I lead.  I figured a blog post was the best way to address the questions everyone has asked.

First things first: This is how I live my life.  I will not ever say that everyone should eat and live the way I do. This post is not about stating a case for the lifestyle. I often feel like a broken record when I say, “What works for me, won’t necessarily work for you.” Not to mention, I’m still trying to figure out my way through life.

My lifestyle can be best summed up as a low fat raw vegan (LFRV), high carb raw vegan (HCRV,) or 80/10/10 (80% carbs, 10% fat, 10% protein)…all the same.

-LFRV is not the same as a traditional “high raw” lifestyle, which averages 60% fat.

-I eat as much raw fruit as I want. I eat veggies too but most of my intake comes from fruits. The perfect breakdown would look something like this:

  • 90-97% sweet and nonsweet fruits
  • 2-6% tender, leafy greens and celery,
  • 0-8% from other vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, plus fatty fruits, nuts, and seed

-I follow the ratio of 80% carbohydrates, 10% protein, and 10% fats.  A traditional “healthy” diet is composed of 40% carbohydrates, 40% protein, and 20% fats (40/40/20)

Why raw? 
Heat changes the chemical makeup of foods. Period.  Eating foods in their fresh whole forms is the way to go.  So often we cook foods to make them edible when in reality these foods aren’t the best fuel for our bodies. Our bodies have to work twice as hard to digest these foods that 1) we shouldn’t have eaten in the first place and 2) are now even hard to digest given their chemical makeup is now compromised with cooking. If the food item is not edible without heat/cooking then chances are it’s best not to put it in your body.  Fresh, whole foods allow for our body’s energy to be focused on processes other than digesting food.

Why such the high quantity of fruit? 
This lifestyle is different than any other lifestyle I’ve seen as it calls for eating as much fruit as you’d like, standing against calorie restriction. Raw fruits and vegetables yield far fewer calories per bite than cooked or fatty foods.  In order to consume sufficient calories we need to eat more bites of fruits/vegetables.  In addition, due to the active lifestyle I lead, it calls for that much more fruit for me to consume, hence why I eat such large quantities of fruits/vegetables.

Why bananas? 
With such a high quantity of fruit to consume in order to meet my needs, I need fruits that are calorie dense.  Bananas and dates pack a punch in calories versus other water dense fruits. Could you imagine the quantity of watermelon I would have to consume in order to meet my caloric needs?! I do not survive solely on bananas but will admit they make up the majority of my intake. Not everyone who lives this lifestyle consumes this many bananas but dates and/or bananas are often recommended for those just starting the lifestyle.  I’ve been doing this for well over 2 years and still love bananas which is why so much of my diet consists of them.

Why banana bread ripe bananas?
Unripe bananas, or any other fruit for that matter, consist of complex sugars that are difficult for the body to break down. As fruits ripen these transform into simple sugars which are easier for the body to digest.  Once again, by doing so less energy has to go into digestion and can be used by the body in other ways.

You may be asking, aren’t you blocked up from all of those bananas?  
You know that I’ll answer any question and this one is no different. Can you believe that I’ve already blogged about this topic? If you really want to know about my poo feel free to read on about my scoop on poop.

Why have I chosen this lifestyle?
Within the past few years I was diagnosed and treated for both endometriosis and kidney stones.  It was a reminder that I only have one body in this lifetime so I need to take care of it to the best of my ability.  I also attempted this lifestyle in hopes of alleviating symptoms and must say have been quite successful.  That alone makes it worth it for me.Am I 100% raw? If you couldn’t already tell from my vegan adventures, no. Would I like to be? Yes. I’ve dabbled in doing 1-2 months 100% raw at a time. I honestly feel like I thrive on the lifestyle and would ultimately love to be 100%.  With that being said I understand that this is a journey and considering I’m well over 95% raw I’m taking steps in the right direction.

I’m sure this blog post will lead to more questions, which I would love to answer.  I’m also sure it will lead to criticism. To each their own. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

For the first 2 months of venturing into LFRV I weighed all of my food and logged my intake on the Cron-O-Meter software program.  The program graphs my ratios and shows me where I stand in regards to my vitamins and nutrients. I also kept a journal on how I was feeling, what I ate, and my workouts Trust me when I say I am healthier now than I have ever been in my life.  I’m listening to my body and how it reacts to food and the environment. For the first time in my life I am fueling my body appropriately instead of counting calories and starving myself.

I’m also diligent in keeping up with my health.  I visit the dentist at least twice a year to have my teeth cleaned (no cavities or gum issues noted since starting this lifestyle). In addition, at least once a year I have full blood work and urine panels performed to make sure that I am receiving appropriate nutrients needed for my body to thrive. (Which reminds me, I need to post my most recent results!) Lastly, my doctors who are non-vegan not only respect but applaud my lifestyle.  I’ve even been asked on numerous occasions, “Will you go stand in my waiting area and tell/show people how being healthy is done?”

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to discussing my lifestyle. I hope to share more with you in the future!

Keep Smiling and Be Grateful =)