Shocker: I’ve lost 19 pounds since Valentine’s Day by avoiding Industrial Food!

I want to share where I am at with my efforts to walk away from Industrial food.

An Inner Debate

On Feb 9 I listened in as Daniel Vitalis and David Wolfe participated in Kevin Gianni’s “Great Health Debate.”  Click to read my review of the event and see why it immediately motivated me to make some serious changes in my life.

That was only 3 1/2 weeks ago–just before Valentines Day.  Since then I have honored my commitment to avoid meat, dairy, GMOs, processed foods, refined sugar, coffee, and I’ve eliminated all gluten from my diet.  The result?

I Break the News

I FEEL GREAT and I HAVE LOST 19 LBS in just 25 DAYS!

I wasn’t expecting these kind of results.  When I went to weigh myself today I thought the scale would tell me I had  lost around 10-12 LBS.   The reason I am surprised is because I have been unable to exercise due to injury.

100% Raw VS My New Approach

This level of weight loss is almost identical to the results I had when I did my 100% raw food challenge.  Even the starting and ending weights are within a few pounds! Here you can see full body Before & After pics taken during my first 30 days raw. However, this time around I am only eating about 1/3  of my calories in raw form (uncooked fruits n’ veggies).

Cooked Carbs

I was concerned that my increased intake of cooked carbohydrate like potatoes, carrots, beans, brown rice pasta, and organic corn tortillas; might even result in weight gain.  When I did 100% raw I gave up ALL alcohol.  The past 3 1/2 weeks I have enjoyed red wine and even cocktails made with only fresh ingredients.

Fat Phobia

The other difference between how I eat now VS when I ate only raw food for 60 days–is my fat intake. While I have not been fat phobic in any way, I am eating way less fat than when I did 100% raw and was eating a ton of nuts, nut creams, nut butters, and 1-2 avocados a day. I don’t include nuts in my diet every day now.  I eat a half an avocado every other day or so.  I cook sparingly with olive oil and try to instead use it in it’s uncooked form in salads or pesto. I do eat a few eggs each week.

So What Exactly DO I Eat Now?

If you are curious to read more about what I HAVE been eating, and even see some pics, check out my daily food log called What I Ate Today.

The only current “Before & After” pics I have kinda suck, but I will include them here because I think you can see a dramatic difference in my fat face.  My apologies, the first pic is creepy.

 

Scary Valentine photo taken Feb 12 256 LBS

Same hat, looking a little more Grapes Of Wrath, less than 3 weeks later, Mar 7--237 LBS

Laugh your ass off while using two basic raw food kitchen tools…the ubiquitous Vitamix & a “spiralizer.”

As the effects of eating raw are changing how I look and act (I’m one happy hyper dude lately), more people are asking me about what I’m doing and how it all works.

The “what the hell do you EAT?” question is harder to answer than you might think. At least the first few times someone asks…

I try and answer by focusing on BASICS that anyone can do, whether they are a diabetic who is considering going 100% raw Dr. Gabriel Cousens style, or just someone that wants to replace some of their meals with raw nutritious foods.

All Hail The Vitamix

To me, SMOOTHIES are the most basic thing anyone who wants to eat more raw fruits, seeds, and vegetables (especially GREENS) can do.  Check out my Naked Smoothies page for dessert level raw “shakes” that are a great way for someone to transition over to raw…

What’s the single best tool for doing smoothies, green drinks, etc.?  The Vitamix.

That's why I don't have kids..

Sadly, I do not own one.  I am a broke ass right now and am making due with an eager but under powered (gasp) blender.  The blender and I have an abusive relationship, but we manage.

If you’ve got the money, do not pass go before buying yourself the Cadillac of “blenders”; which also acts as a juicer, dry flour grinder, nut butterer, and even ice cream maker!

Dare you to call it a blender!

I am very familiar with the Vitamix because I use them all the time.  Where?  EVERY bar/restaurant I’ve ever worked in has one.  The main reason being they can crush ice better than a gristle ice trucker, and they are REALLY REALLY reliable.  So, a Vitamix is an investment level appliance we’re talking about here people!

I start my day with a nice stiff (get your naughty minds out of the gutter…) green drink.  Here’s my favorite one right now…

“I am what I am” morning drink

Did you know canned spinach looks like that?

• Juice 2 sweet grapefruits by hand (I also don’t own a juicer).
• Pretty much fill the blender up with spinach.
• Blend.
• Drink down the crazy.

Now if I had a Vitamix, I’d probably juice one of the grapefruits, and put the other one in peeled.  The Vitamix can pulverize whole fruit (and the seeds) down to “juice.”  That has a bunch of advantages..

1. It’s WAY easier than juicing (which is a chore and a half).
2. Less waste (why throw the grapefruits fleshy wonders in the compost?)
3. More fiber…especially important for people with insulin issues.

Also, my blender can handle spinach, but it hates kale, beets and other hard core veggies.  The Vitamix and a good recipe can turn those ruffians into something you’ll actually WANT to drink.  When you start buying mostly raw food this is a huge advantage because a lot of the stuff you buy (beets/carrots/etc.) have greens ATTACHED to them.  They are like BONUS greens IF you have a way to make them appetizing…

Bonus Greens

My New Favorite Toy

shame shame

Wow! You all need to stop looking at so much porn!  I’m talking about my Spiralizer…

What’s a spiralizer?  It’s this little magic slicer dicer that turns zucchini and other unmentionables into PASTA!  I love this tool.  Think about it…once you have the canvas (zucchini noodles)…you are ready to enter into a realm of Bohemian enticements (raw sauces!).

And unlike Vitamix’s and Excalibur Food Dehydrators this little spiralizer is cheap!  Top the veggie noodles with my “meaty sauce” or some fresh walnut pesto and you are asking for savory overload.

MEATY sauce

Ignore the bread

• soak 12 sun dried tomatoes (real ones-not from a jar or in oil) and10 sun dried olives in hot tap water (set aside)
• roughly dice up 1 large fresh tomato, 1 large red pepper, 1 stalk of celery, and 1 clove of garlic.
• Put all the diced items in a blender/processor/or Vitamix
• Add a tbs or some really good cold-processed olive oil, a small handful of fresh basil leaves, and sea salt IF the tomatoes or olives aren’t salted already.
• Blend just until mixed.
• Now…drain the warm water from the sun dried ingredients and add them to the blender.
  

  ironic farm animal plates not included

• Blend to the consistency you like.  This last step is going to make the sauce really rich and “meaty.”  The sauce is also going to be nice and WARM–a real treat for people who eat 100% raw!
• Pour or Ladel over your awesome zucchini noodles!
• Top with Rawmesan to get really old school!

You can buy both of these kitchen equipment items and other “Raw Kitchen Essentials” from the beautiful Kristen Suzanne (click the link and scroll down) or do a quick Google/eBay search for deals.  I just did a quick search on the spiralizer I use (Saladacco Metro) and found a bunch of them on sale here.

I don’t make any money off these links.  So order a second Vitamix for me!  Or at least share your sauce and smoothie recipes with me…

Cheers!

60 days raw food log: Day 11 is a day full of cravings

Day 11

Yesterday sailed by, easy breezy. Wind in my sails like Captain Jack Sparrow.

Today…not so easy & nothing breezy about it.  I am craving  &%^$#  EVERYTHING! Here’s a partial list:

• Grilled ham & cheese sandwich from Olympic Diner in SF. The waitress would get pissed when I asked if they could throw a fried egg on it, I’d say “pretty please” and she’d bring it out w/ a smile and EXTRA home fries!
• ANY flavor of piping hot ooey gooey mozzarella topped perfection from Rocco’s Pizzeria in Walnut Creek. My creation usually was pancetta, sun-dried tomatoes, pesto, and feta…but sometimes I’d go for traditional red sauce w/ ground beef, garlic, and green peppers.
• A heaping plate of CARNITAS from my favorite authentic Mexican restaurant, Las Montanas in Concord.  Somehow their food isn’t “wet” like most mex places.  It floods your mouth with flavor, but as an example the rice is fluffy and dry and perfect.  The staff is the best I’ve ever encountered.  The drinks always sucked so i stuck with ice cold LAGUNITAS IPA from the tap.
• My own cooking, esp slow cooked homemade spicy tomato sauce w/ pasta…
• A perfect loaf of ciabatta from the BROOKLYN BREAD COMPANY in Carroll Gardens and salted butter!
• The #3 I think it was at the Thai restaurant my boss used to take me to on 23rd street in Chelsea when I worked in Manhattan.  Even when I asked for “not so spicy” I’d cry through every meal and savor every morsel.  I REALLY MISS NYC on many levels.
• Sweet & Tangy pulled pork BBQ  or Tri-Tip sandwich from Firestone Grille in my original hometown of San Luis Obispo CA. Their fries are the bomb, the patio is the place to be seen, and all kinds of micro brewskies. While in SLO why not hit up the Thurs night Farmer’s Market and stand in the ridiculous long line for McKlintocks beef ribs, camp beans, garlic bread & real lemonade… And one more spot in SLO you can’t skip is High Street Deli on, yup, High Street.  San Luis Sourdough piled with whatever you want in between…  
• Chilaquiles w/ chorizo & sour cream at the King’s Highway, the cool new diner at the chic new Ace Hotel in Palm Springs where a friend recently saw Drew Barrymore and company eating.  Wash it down with their house ale that’s only $3 a pint in an otherwise pricey enviro. Go on a Wed night & bring your swimsuit, grab a Tanqueray and Lime at the bar & go join the DJ’d pool party.
• Chili Fries with a mountain of melted cheddar! But the chili has got to be SPICY like Cool Cats in SLO!

Ok, sorry to put you through that if you came to this blog looking for encouragement with your raw endeavors.  But, this is part of it, right?  I’m trying to keep it real and not sugarcoat my experience going raw.

I’m NOT going to eat anything like that today!  And no cold beer! Raw food eating is worth it. I feel good and already look a lot better.  In about a week I’ll post the first before & after pics of my journey into better health. Each Tuesday I will also weigh myself.  My first week I lost 7lbs. So I’m curious to see what week two’s weight loss is.

I feel kinda bad (not really) for posting all those cooked food pics on a raw food blog–don’t judge. So to try and offset the greasy pics above I want to post the best looking raw food pic I have seen this week. They are “Red Pepper Poppers” and that is EGGPLANT BACON! I can’t wait to make them!  The recipe is at
http://www.rawmazing.com/recipes/red-pepper-poppers/

What I ate so far today:

• Watermelon Juice (I just found out it’s an APHRODISIAC! I don’t think chili fries make you a better lover..)
• Pear
• Blueberry Banana Smoothie w/ honey & green powder
• Salad: Leftover homemade pesto, spinach, olives, rawmesan
• Apple
• Vanilla-maca-date-banana-shake
  

***PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT ABOUT WHAT YOU CRAVE AND WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR DIET IS RAW! THANKS! I’m really curious to here from others about this.

60 Days raw food log: Day 9 Is raw food a religion?

Day 9

Is eating raw more like a religion than just a simple way of eating?  I hope not. Religion nauseates me.

It is interesting that RAW is talked about as a “lifestyle.” One where no matter how connected you are to other raw “fooders” {has it’s own lingo too…} you are still alienated from people in general.  And without question there’s a fair amount of elitism that enters into the picture, not altogether different from various religious groups who believe they are the “chosen.”

Even my girlfriend who is the healthiest person I know gets an inferiority complex every time I try to eat raw because she only eats “80% raw.”

But whose to really measure this health benefit against that social one?  Life’s short…then you die, right? And along the way the garnishment of pleasure is an A no. 1 priority. And that’s where it gets confusing.  It’s a genuine pleasurable thing to feel energy-charged and healthy and even to some extent sober.  But it’s also thrilling to get stoned and drunk and end up at some grease trap of a restaurant at 3am.

To each his own, ferschizzle, but still what fascinating choices present themselves in the raw, undercooked, cooked, and overcooked field of experiences we each translate as “Life.”

The only thing I really care about at this point in my existence is making sure that I don’t confuse being alive with living. In many ways I don’t feel like I’ve spent much of my time so far on earth really LIVING.  So if today raw foods tune me in, and tomorrow it’s psychedelics or a bridge to jump off–don’t judge.

What I ate today:

• cracked open a coconut and drank it before I spanked it, I mean before I spooned big hunks of it’s white luscious flesh into my veggie hole.
• wild blueberry and banana smoothie with barley grass powder and honey
• Asian cabbage slaw: today I mixed it up with pears instead of apples and hemp pistachio tahini instead of almond butter!
• Raw Pesto! I blended up basil, garlic, olive brine, olive oil, RAWMESAN, walnuts, and lemon juice.  Perfect beautiful pesto!  Used it as a dressing with a mix bowl full of spinach, baby tomatos, and kalamatas.