Any RAW/VEGAN, plant-based, whole-food lovers out there?

jackiejax1981
jackiejax1981 Posts: 80 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm not vegan in the whole sense of the word. I just don't eat meat and try to avoid animal products as much as possible. I focus on a plant-based, whole foods lifestyle, buying organic and local as much as possible.

I've only transitioned over the past 9 months so I am still looking for advice and information.....recipes, lifestyle habits etc.

My husband and I recently moved to Fort Irwin, CA and there are no Whole Foods Markets out here. HAHA!

So if we have anything in common, please feel free to add me ;-)

Thanks,
Jaclyn

Replies

  • doreedawn
    doreedawn Posts: 11 Member
    HI!
    I try my best to lean more and more towards Raw/Vegan(ish)/"Nutritarian" eating. I still indulge in cheese now and then but otherwise feel much better with mostly plant-based and whole food recipes. I'm having a blast trying out new raw recipes lately! It is nice to know there are others on here who dig the taste of natural food. Smoothies, blender soups and salads are super additions to a busy, healthy lifestyle!

    I used this summertime and its wealth of Farmers' markets to really indulge but the experience that gave me has allowed me to be a lot more creative in my regular grocery store. No need for Whole Foods ;)

    I'm adding you now, I hope you accept.
    Dorée
  • jackiejax1981
    jackiejax1981 Posts: 80 Member
    Oh yea girl, I totally had a cheese roll up from taco bell last night. LOL. I'm like 95% plant-based. I cook food, I try raw recipes, I ALWAYS make a smoothie or a juice, and I can't always get organic, certified vegan bread and things like that. I'm happy with the new lifestyle but I won't shoot myself if i feel like eating a danish from starbucks or a cheese-roll up from taco bell.

    I was in AZ for the last year and while I had 3 Whole Food's, I also had a bunch of farmer's markets and I learned there are even a lot of organic options in the supermarkets. Problem where I am at now is that Fort Irwin, CA is in the middle of the Mojave Desert so all we have is a commissary on post (which does not offer much). The nearest town is 35 miles away with a Vons (Safeway) that I frequent when we have time to go into town. Then there is a BJ's health food store in Victorville which is 70 miles away....HAHA, then there is always amazon.com and greenpolkadotbox.com.

    Going on three months here, I've pretty much got the hang of it. When I first arrived, I was in SHOCK! LOL

    I did purchase the Forks Over Knives cookbook and it is VERY simple and uses a lot of the same ingredients in most of the recipes, and it's very simple....which makes my life easier. ;-)

    Some of my fav websites:

    www.rawmazing.com

    www.therawchef.com

    www.vegnews.com
  • emtb319
    emtb319 Posts: 87
    I just got done reading Fit for Life Not Fat For Life and I'm making the transition to a mostly raw diet. I'm probably nearing 50/50 now. Night time seems to be a weakness of mine, but I'm sure it'll get better in time. I've already noticed a big difference in my sleep quality and my energy.
  • lisao62
    lisao62 Posts: 80 Member
    bump
  • Nerdy_Rose
    Nerdy_Rose Posts: 1,277 Member
    I'm not vegan. I am gluten-free for medical reasons, and I love meat.

    That said, I also really love vegan foods and raw foods. There's a vegan cafe in my neighborhood that does GF stuff, so I get piles of awesome vegan food, frequently. So I'm also a Whole Foods junkie. I recently tried a vegan raw food bar that was coconut chocolate and I loved it. Raw cacao- coconut butter is amazing.

    Edit: Even though Whole Food isn't offering it *currently* they used to, and should offer in the future, online orders and home delivery!
  • karenwill2
    karenwill2 Posts: 604 Member
    I just gave up all dairy 4 days ago. (For me, that is a long time to go without cheese or dairy products) I have a problem. But as I grow older I seem to be in LOVE with vegetables. I dream about them. Weird? Yes it is. At this point in time I consume a little whey in my lunch shake and I do have 1 egg and 2 egg whited for breakfast and 3-4 oz of lean meat for dinner. Pretty soon, I will cut those out as well and only have 1 or 2 times a week. As for my destructive relationship with dairy, I cannot go back. I may at some point have the self control to have some every now and again but at this time, not likely. I have lost 9 lbs in 4 days with this diet from getting rid of sodium and diary and not overeating meat.

    Pretty soon, I will be juicing as well. I want 95% of my future diet to be plant based. Not always raw but definitely as natural as possible.

    I am gluten free for medical reasons and that also has steered me away from processed foods for sure.
  • jackiejax1981
    jackiejax1981 Posts: 80 Member
    How exciting to ALL! It motivates me when I read about how people care about themselves and make changes to suit their personal needs because they themselves are motivated. We are all different. I never thought I'd end up vegan when I started adding green smoothies to my diet!!!

    I did lots of research while trying to help my mom with her ailments and came across a plethera of great information.

    My recommendations to all just wanting to know more:

    Fav Book:

    "Crazy, Sexy, Diet" by Kris Carr I never liked to read much until I read her book, not a diet book at all, but a goldmine of information!

    Documentaries:

    Food Inc
    Food Matters
    Hungry For Change
    Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead
    Forks Over Knives

    Websites:

    www.rawmazing.com
    www.therawchef.com

    www.vegnews.com


    The best part of this whole experience is that my husband would just listen to me talk about whatever I was learning and he started transitioning too, all on his own. I never expected that!

    Now our fav thing to do when we visit a new city is look up organic, vegan and/or raw restaurants. It's such a fun experience.

    Don't get me wrong though....I totally went to Taco Bell for a black bean burrito and a cheese roll-up last night, and I don't feel bad about it. Sometimes I need a mental break from the kitchen because eating healthy is a lot of preparation.

    I just want to live and love!

    I made a joke when we were at a Whole Foods in San Diego a couple of weeks ago that I never thought I'd be giving up shots of tequila for shots of wheatgrass! HAHAHAHA! It's so cool...mentally and physically I just don't want certain things anymore (that are toxic) and I feel so much better as a result.

    Thank you green smoothie ;-)

    Please add me if you would like to keep in touch and motivate one another. I would love to continue learning!
  • RawTriGal
    RawTriGal Posts: 190 Member
    Hey friendly veg/fruit/plant lovers. I've been vegan for 12 years and do eat a pretty high raw diet although not exclusively. For those of you who find you are a ways away from farmer's markets or fresh produce, etc., you might also research and see if there are any CSAs (Community Sponsored Agriculture) in your area... they delivery weekly boxes of produce to a pick up site. You get in the groove of eating what's in season and it is quite fun to see what new produce might make its way onto my plate each week.

    There are also some really great sites online to help you find what you need. therawfoodworld.com and naturalzing.com are a couple that have a great selection of raw foods and items, as is livingnutz.com and veganessentials.com
    (I'm not affilitated with any of these sites, they are simply sites I use and have had great success with them.)

    I'm very committed to regaining my health and fitness through making smart choices and getting my movement in... I'm always looking for like-minded people to share motivation and support with... feel free to add me! I'm very active and log daily. ; )

    -lindy
  • Mikaylarae27
    Mikaylarae27 Posts: 175 Member
    Working on transitioning...though I lapse to processed food once in a while
  • craftybirdy
    craftybirdy Posts: 53
    I'm a new vegan and would love to transition to a mostly raw diet/unprocessed diet. I'm reading Crazy Sexy Diet right now and hopefully that will give me a good basis. Feel free to add me and we can support each other!

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