All Raw Vegan all the Time!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.  I’m back on my raw vegan diet.  I started a six week trial over a year ago and it was the first time in my life I didn’t suffer from stomach aches, fatigue, constipation (TMI?) etc.  There really is something to a plant based diet.  In addition to adding living foods I’ve also cut out lactose and gluten.  I always suspected that lactose played a role in my extreme discomfort and now I know it’s true.  Especially after reading about what our cow’s milk really is.  After my mom had similar severe issues she was told to go off lactose and gluten.  She’s been thriving ever since.  I figured it was worth a try for me too.  It definitely made an improvement, but for me it was hard to break 28 years of SAD (Standard American Diet) habits.

Enter Elizabeth Fraser of Girl Gone Raw.  A co-worker recommended her to me and though I was skeptical I was also intrigued.  Elizabeth’s knowledge and personal dedication to the raw vegan diet was inspirational and I looked forward to each week when we’d prepare meals together.

After the six weeks I was going strong until my husband and I got our first home and shared most of our meals together.  I gotta say it’s hard to eat a salad when someone is downing a burger next to you.  Alex was very supportive in my raw food journey he just wasn’t ready to hop on board.  The beer festivals didn’t help much either.  About a year later and 20 pounds heavier, I cannot sit back and let myself slide anymore.

This week I started working with Elizabeth and Maggie part time in their Kids Gone Raw kitchen and adopting the raw vegan lifestyle once again.

Here are just a few of the snacks they have to offer.  See more of their treats here.

I’ve already lost four pounds since Monday.  I like to keep track of the pounds I lose with this common items list.  Here’s another one.  I’m hoping to lose the average number of pounds of cheese Americans eat in a year (it’s 30).  Right now I’ve lost between a box of wine and a bag of sugar.

Sound intriguing? Here are some baby steps you can take:

1. Take 2 weeks each to eliminate meat, dairy, and wheat/gluten.

2.  What’s left you say?  Plenty!  The raw vegan diet is made up of plants, nuts, nut milks, nut cheeses, and coconut oil.

(These are just suggestions from my experience and are not meant to be thought of ask medical advice.)

3.  Use these resources to learn fun new recipes and faux versions of your favorites.

Girl Gone Raw

Alissa Cohen

Rawmazing

I’ll keep you posted- let me know if you’d like to try!

Lauren Lear

About Lauren Lear

Virginian to Mainiac, I moved to Maine for a photo internship with Aurora Photos and stayed because I met the man I would marry after winking at him on Match.com. My photo business, Lola Studios, is where I pursue my love of fantasy photography using makeup and props to create alternate realities for my clients. I started this blog a little over a year ago to share the wedding prep, diy, food, and family experiences that I had. To bring you up to speed, my husband Alex and I bought a home, got married, went on our honeymoon, hosted Thanksgiving and Christmas back to back (never again ;) ), I turned 30 (never again :( ), we went to London to celebrate our first married year, and we got a puppy, Walter! That’s about it! I hope you’ll join me to see what unfolds next. Enjoy!