It’s been exactly seven days since Chef James and I embarked on our raw experiment. What an interesting journey! We’ve experienced lots of unexpected surprises and only a couple of hurdles.
Here’s what’s been going on behind the scenes:
I’m finally satiated!
Anyone who’s spent any time with me in person knows I have a voracious appetite. It has abated somewhat since I started eating meat (when I was a vegetarian I was completely insatiable), and when I’m eating mostly starch-free it gets even better, but I can still put down a surprising amount of food. One of the most noticeable things I’ve found eating raw is that I feel satiated much sooner. This has been a delightful surprise, and my theory is that my body has full access to everything I’m giving it, and thus doesn’t need as much volume to be nourished.
Cravings be gone
I thought I’d be craving things left and right, but for the most part I haven’t missed cooked food one bit. So far I’ve only had one major craving, and that was for my Saturday morning latte. I love a steaming hot creamy latte, and there’s just no way to reproduce that raw.
Raw meat is tasty!
I thought that I’d have an emotional hurdle to overcome when eating raw meat. With the one exception of feeling a little nervous that first time I just sliced up a piece of steak, my taste buds feel like they’ve arrived home. As a child I never liked cooked meat, and I’m remembering why.
Raw meat just melts in your mouth, and it feels amazing in the body. I had an emotional day on the weekend, and with just a few bites of raw ground bison I was feeling better on every level – emotionally, mentally, and physically. It was quite an immediate and significant effect without the mania or subsequent downer I would’ve had if I’d indulged in something super sweet or starchy to fill the void.
Even Chef James, who was initially leery of this whole adventure, is coming around and enjoying the raw meat.
Our bodies love it
Emotions and taste aside, our bodies are thriving on this form of eating. Already within a week digestive issues that have plagued me since getting pregnant have abated. Any bloat from our month-long travel debauchery has completely disappeared. We both have more energy and are sleeping better. I’ve noticed that my sinuses, which were never stuffy but always very tender to the touch even when I ate strict sugar control, feel completely normal.
Dinner to go
We had an unusually high number of social engagements this week and learned quickly that it’s best to bring your own food, unless you’re going somewhere that specializes in raw food, like a fully raw or sushi restaurant. This was probably the biggest challenge of the week, as it requires a new level of advanced planning we’re simply not used to.
Baby raw?
The most surprising challenge of the experience is around our daughter, Sia. She is an avid and adventurous eater, but she also likes to do whatever mom and dad are doing. For some meals, she’s noticed that we’re eating different food than she is, and suddenly her meal isn’t so appealing any more and all she wants is some raw bison, or whatever it is we’re eating. Hmmm…. like mother, like daughter?!
I’m actually along for the “viewing ride” since I have not prepared for this and especially not knowing too much about the ins and outs of Raw Food eating. I love that you’re keeping us abreast of your experience and I’m so grateful I get to plan for it perhaps next month after gaining significantly from your round at it.