Sunday, October 23, 2011

Let's talk about Raw food.


hi everyone, so much for being more consistent in blogging, lol! Not much has been going on here, I've fallen behind on my Halloween art, but this autumn witch above is the last one I did.  I'm not sure if I can fit another one in before Halloween, I've got a commission due by the end of the month, which is coming quickly! And then of course, my favorite season of all!! oh my, I'm already excited, lol! and don't laugh, but I start decorating the first week of November :-D

The last few months I've been trying to get a bit more healthy. I found the scale started to creep up, without me doing anything different. I ate the same and exercised the same, but all of the sudden my clothes were getting tighter. Does this sound familiar? It should for those of you that hit your 40's...seems like no matter how carefully I ate, my waist kept expanding, and the scale was heading towards a number I could never imagine reaching when I was younger....well I did something about it, but not intentionally.

Let me explain: I was searching for kale recipes on Youtube, came across some very interesting ones, and was surprised they were raw. And of course if you've ever been on Youtube you know how easy it is to get sidetracked. I ended up finding so many raw food recipes that actually sounded great, and easy, as well as some 'experts' which I watched, and found myself intrigued.  I won't bore you with all the details, but let's just say when I discover something different, I usually do lots of homework

So I joined a website called Raw food Rehab, which is free to join, and was so pleased with the incredible amounts of information, recipes, and support. No I am not a raw foodist, although I have incorporated more fruits and vegetables in my life, and I would highly recommend anyone who is interested in increasing their health, and dropping some weight to check it out. After many years of struggling with the excess pounds, I am now very close to my perfect weight. I can't tell you how great it feels to see your jeans almost falling off because they are now too big.

It's not as hard as I thought. I used to think people who ate only raw foods were crazy, but I do understand that once food is cooked, it loses many of it's nutrients. So why not eat more fresh, organic foods? I'd sure love to hear your stories or your thoughts, especially anyone who has tried this.

I will leave you with my favorite  green smoothie:

1 banana ripe - or frozen
big handful of greens (dandelion, spinach, romaine, your choice).
2 mejool dates
1 spoon of peanut butter
1 1/2 cups water (it's up to you how much you'd like)
I also add coconut water and coconut milk/almond milk for extra creaminess.
Blend and enjoy. I usually blend the greens in water before adding the rest slowly.
There are many green smoothie recipes out there, and they are delicious! A great way of adding healthy fruits and vegetables to your day without too much trouble.

I guess that's it for now, I could seriously talk for hours about this, as I have watched many videos, and have found so many people who have changed their life by changing their diet.  I sincerely want to help people get healthy and feel good about life, so sometimes my blog will go off course, and talk about things other than art.  Hopefully no one minds too much :-)
thanks for reading,
betty

14 comments:

Cameron said...

Your blog is all yours, no apologies necessary! I'm so thrilled for you! Feeling more energetic, healthier and lighter is such a good feeling!

I follow a no sugar low carb plan...which inadvertently ups your fruit and veggie intake, too... I do believe they are the key!

Talk about whatever is on your mind! I just like chatting with you :)

Annie Lightbulb said...

Oh wow, I like the idea of this new change of food! Yep, can share with you on the weight,lol!
Your art is forever beautiful :)

Sueann said...

Hmmm! Thanks for the info....I am going to check it out!!
Hugs
SueAnn

Rosemary said...

Love your witch Congrats on your weight loss, will check out raw food as I always need to watch my weight and need more energy.

Å olanje na domu-Waldorf said...

I have actually tried raw food for a month but couldn't keep up. I do still enjoy green smoothies. I use spinach, apples, bananas, celery and sometimes pineapples and carrots as well. Never forget to add cinnamon cause it makes everything special. :) Oh, the best thing ever banana ice cream. It's basically blended frozen banana to a smooth finish. An nothing else. Oh, yum! And once I made a chocolate puding out of avocado. Delish!

Theresa MacNaughton said...

It's good to hear from you! Your painting is just lovely. And I'm glad that you have continued along with your raw food/health quest. Thank you for sharing the recipe and your journey toward better health!

Geri said...

Love the artwork. Congrats on taking the bull by the horns so to speak and working on your health. Better to get control of your weight in your forties than wait until later as it only gets tougher when you hit menopause. I have my own lean for life journey on my blog and am happy to report success so far. Good luck!

Maggie said...

How can I put this delicately? Yuk!! LOL, I just can't get into the idea of romaine or spinach in a smoothie (and I like green veggies)! I'm sure it tastes better than it looks. I love your autumn witch.

Kim Vanlandingham said...

I know what you mean about the 40 thing. I eat less and excercise more just to stay the same size!!!!

Magic Love Crow said...

Hey Betty ;o) First, you know how much I love that witch painting of yours!! Great art you do! Wish I could buy them all! Very interesting about the raw food. I know about having a weight problem and I still have some to lose. When I reach my goal, I will let the entire world know ;o) Because, let's just say, right now, it's more than 50! Yeh! For me, I really found out the things that kept my weight on, like red meat, milk, milk products, like cheese, lemon, all different things. When I stick to not having none, or just a little of these things, it has helped a lot! Also counting calories, never eating past 6:00pm and having two very large green teas a day. Plain and as strong as you can take it! I think, whatever you find that works for you, stick with it! I am happy for you!!!! Hugs!

Magic Love Crow said...

Oh, in the morning, I have cinnamon on whatever I am eating. Not a little, but a lot! Like 3 shakes if it's out of a spice container, or 3 tablespoons and always, with a dash of cayenne pepper!!!! Every morning!

Magic Love Crow said...

Hey Betty ;o) Not cayenne on everything, but in the morning, with my cinnamon ;o) LOL! Crazy girl! I love my pastas and breads too! I forgot to mention those! But, if you eat non gluten, that will help you out majorly!! It's the gluten that puts on the pounds ;o)

Art by Darla Kay said...

What a cute little autumn girl! I'm so inspired by you and your plan to eat healthy. i've tried and I keep slipping! I bought the Eat Clean book and am planning on giving it a good try :)

Anonymous said...

Your Autumn witch is adorable and thank you so much for the link to the raw food site. Yes honey, I know all about the changes we need to make after 40. ;-)