I know you’ve all been dying to see more entries, I have been inundated, so apologies for the delay.

It always takes me forever to upload photos onto wordpress…anyone have any secrets as to how they do it quicker?

Anyway the giveaway closes in a few more hours (midnight GMT) but tomorrow I’ll be posting the last of the entries with the winner announced on Tuesday. Sound good?

I have loved seeing what you have to offer, and HELLO to all the new readers from this giveaway. I hope you’ll stick around for more giveaways and shenanigans coming up on the blog.

Dont forget to check out the blogs of those that have links attached as well for some more wonderful recipes.

See ya tomorrow with the last of the entries.

Raw Chocolates

Pear & Ginger Cheezecake adapted from Cafe Gratitude all by Martine

Cacao Fudge with Activated Almonds all from Alethea

Mooshymama’s Mexican Salad

Easy raw chocolate walnut clusters

Pre-dinner liquid gold green juice

Health-ified Cherry Ripe all by Grace of Goodness Gracious

Tessa’s first EVER green smoothie:”made with spinach, mango, banana, linseed and water…topped with a healthy serving of cinnamon!( I LOVE cinnamon) I think it’s all raw!! I had to take a deep breath to try it…but it was actually really yummy!”

Raw chard wraps – asian inspired, chard leaves with slices carrot, cucumber, avocado, sprouts and pepper, along with blended cashew cream with 5 spice and chilli oil, and all wrapped up tight so it doesn’t squeeze out when you munch! Both by Ros of Scotland

Stephanie’s Raw Mushroom Pilaf

Halona’s watermelon from it’s own bowl. Simple yet delicious.

Mango, Date, and Sunflower Tropical Energy Balls

Cookie Dough Truffles

Raw Nacho Cheeze

Raw Chocolate Brownies with Avocado Icing

All by the lovely Hannah

I’m a bit late in posting as last night we went to a beach party and although it was fun, it is really starting to heat up here, so I’ll be living indoors when that happens. We do live in the hottest part of the world!

So onto the entries…enjoy!

Tanya (my sister in law’s) post Zumba refuel Banana Berry Bang smoothie  - 1 cup almond milk (pic above), 1 frozen banana, handful of frozen berries & a tblsp chia seeds!

I Live in the Springtime Smoothie

Strawberry Fields Forever Smoothie

Cacao Truffles all from Marlie

Samantha’s cookies & smoothie

Carolyn’s carrot ginger pate stuffed in cucumbers.
She didn’t write down the recipe of this item, but did post about it her blog.

Alej’s Raw Yoga Motivation Chocolate and Coconut Orbs (longest name ever).
They contain raw nuts and seeds (cashew, almond, sunflower seeds, walnuts… anything I had in my cupboard), dates, raw cacao powder, and shredded coconut. Sometimes I add goji berries.
I usually make them when I lack motivation to get out of the house and go to Bikram practice but I know I really need to. Well, they always do the trick.

Junia’s Strawberry Watermelon Mint Green Juice

Same old same old here, dodging dust storms, getting back into the swing of things, planning my trip to Italy in June, maybe a trip home to Australia in July/August. Never a dull moment.

Remember last week, we had a trip to Riyadh, to get Manus’ passport? Well the train ride proved to be a wonderful chance for me to devour an ebook I received recently, by one of my online buddies, Emma MacDougall of Raw Food Scotland. Yay Scotland. I am so sad Emma and I only just met online in the last few months as I lived not too far away from her in 2006, when I was a nanny in Glasgow She is so much fun!

Back to the book however.

I LOVED IT! Seriously could not put it down. And to be honest, at times I thought I was reading a fictional romance novel, not a ‘how to’ book, even though it is most definitely a wonderful guide as well.

Emma (and her other half Rod) deliver an intimate look at how her going raw effected their relationship not only with each other, but with themselves.

I love how Emma speaks frankly about how finding the raw lifestyle not only led to her changing her horrible dietary habits, but also her life in totality, including cancelling her wedding, her mental outlook and what she began to crave for in her life, which began to drive a wedge between her and her partner. She moved into a new phase spiritually and even changed her desire to live in the city to a more peaceful country lifestyle.

I know when I first ‘went raw’, I began to take stock of other aspects of my life that were just as toxic as some of the food I was putting into my body, including my relationships, my household cleaning products, and even my recreational habits.

For those of you that question me often, “so is your husband raw?”, “how do you cope with social situations, especially with your other half?”, “how do you cook two different meals for two different tastes”, Me Raw: You Cooked is the first book of its kind, written for raw foodists and their non-raw partners providing valuable insight in to a raw-cooked relationship and it written with both partners perspectives in mind.

I find it amazing, how much big an emphasis is placed on what we eat, in the relationships we have, ie most first dates involve a meal, and if this is something you feel is having an impact on your life to the detriment of your relationship then this book is for you.

I completely related to this book, due to my own experiences with raw food and even told Emma that I felt I was intruding on her personal life as both her and Rod are very frank in their experience with each other throughout this adjustment.

Not only is it about the raw food, but I think it’s about finding your passion, and Emma found it, but also talks about how to do it in a way that still includes your partner, even if they are not in the same space as you. Plus you will find some delicious raw and cooked friendly recipes to test out.

Emma has also written a beginners ebook So You Want to Be a Raw Foodist (Price: £6.99) and is a gentle approach to beginning on a raw food diet (my style) and runs Raw Food Scotland who conduct raw food meet ups in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Stirling. You can find out more about those here.

Emma has kindly donated a copy of her ebook Me Raw: You Cooked to one of you guys and all you have to do to be in the running is one of the following:

• Subscribe to GirlonRaw email club updates here and come back and comment that you did (hint: only subscribers will be able to enter a BIG giveaway coming up in a few weeks, plus you’ll receive a free recipe ebook when you sign up)
• if you are already subscribed, comment here with why you want to win this ebook

Bonus Entry

• retweet this giveaway by selecting the twitter button at the bottom of this post and come back and leave a comment that you did!

This giveaway is open to anyone and everyone and will be close at midnight GMT Thursday 5th May, 2011 with the winner announced here on the blog the following day.

GOOD LUCK!

My thoughts on diet and nutrition are very non judgemental and non biased and I don’t believe the way one person eats, should necessarily be the way everyone should eat to obtain optimal health. I believe there are healthy vegetarians, vegans, and omnivores (meat eaters) just as there are unhealthy ones and the way each person approaches their own diet is very individualised.

I speak more about this in the video below, but I would love to hear your thoughts too on your food philosophy for great health.

Also, I made this video post before I had the chance to see Fran from High on Health’s video blog here on “Are You Putting Yourself in a Healthy Box?” which totally relates to what I am trying to communicate here. Also whist you are there, check out my guest post on How To Curb Food Cravings – just don’t forget to check out the video first below The best of a bad bunch of thumbnails were available….bit goofy!

For more info check these links out:

• Diet ‘Labels’ and Where Do You Fit In?
• The Great Health Debate Audio Event

1. I am now back in Saudi with my man and we’ve been getting to know one another again and getting ready for the new arrival which is soonish.
2. My bloggy has been a little ill, so I’ve been working with a fantastic web guy who has been moved me to a new host
3. It’s been holiday time!!!!!
4. And you have probably been pretty busy too, rightly so! Hope you all had a lovely holiday with family and friends wherever you were!

Tomorrow I’ll be back with that Lime Tart recipe I promised you before Christmas

Before I catch up all up on what’s been happening, I’d thought I’d repost one of my most popular posts on Where To Get Started, as yes it is that time of year again where resolutions are made (and broken), vision boards and goals revisited and general health an well being is more of  a focus.

Enjoy!

How To Get Started

This is for those of you  who have been writing to me asking me how is the best way for you to start on RAW food or even just get a little healthier, so here goes.

For me, starting to eat more RAW in my diet was a real gradual thing and something that I had to take a step at a time (you can read more about it here), ie I didn’t do anything overnight, as I upped the plant based products (fruit, vegetables, seeds & nuts) in the my diet over a year, then I ramped it up by going Vegan. I’m not suggesting that this is something you all would wish to do, as there are healthier ways to eat and NOT go Vegan however this was the natural progression for me and as with anything I do health related, I remain flexible as new research comes in.

For those of you just starting out, my first points would be to:

• Start adding more wholefoods to your diet (before you take anything away). This will reduce the feeling of deprivation and in turn enable you to stick to it and in no time you will begin to naturally reduce the processed foods as your tastebuds and your body start craving more life giving foods.

• Increase your greens! If you were like me in the beginning and had a love/hate relationship with salad, then get into green smoothies/monsters and DRINK your greens. I find my green smoothies take away cravings for fried and processed foods and are so filling they usually keep me going from breakfast to dinner. AND for those of you a little hesitant to try it, spinach and romaine (cos) lettuce don’t really have a taste and if you mix them them with fruits the only evidence you will see that they are in your drink are in the colour! Want to know more about it, check out my post on green smoothies here or this fabbo website on the Green Smoothie Challenge.

• Learn how to make some delicious salad dressings! This could be make or break for how many veggies you consume, but I find if I make a tasty dressing then I actually go back for seconds and thirds just so I can sample more of my dressing. Here is one I never tire of mixed with greens, sundried tomatoes and some toasted pine nuts, and marinated mushrooms. Also a great standby dressing is 2T olive oil 2T balsamic vinegar, 2T Nama Shoyu/Tamari/Soy Sauce with cracked black pepper and mixed herbs. You can also use salad dressings on steamed veggies. More recipes can be found here

• Try and eat raw til dinner. This sounds harder than it actually is, but if you don’t like the idea of eating fruits then blend them. Also you can have blended fruits and veggies for breakfast, a massive salad for lunch and then dinner can be your cooked meal. Nuts and seeds are a great snack to have on hand in your handbag or backpack to stave off the munchies in the meantime or if you are away from home.

• Be prepared! Being healthy doesn’t have to mean being boring and take yourself out of the social scene. If you are going out for a meal with friends to a restaurant, try and get a copy of the menu before hand so you can know exactly what you wish to order ahead of time and it will take the pressure off you to try and find a suitable meal whilst enjoying time with your friends. And don’t be afraid to ask for things that are not on the menu or add things in. Even if you tell the waiter what you can and cannot eat, they may be able to get the chef to make something special. Things I like to order in Indian restaurants are vegetable curry with Roti (usually it’s made with whole wheat flour rather than white). At Italian restaurants I usually alter a salad by adding avocados and nuts and usually ask for dressing on the side or use a squeeze of lemon. I don’t have rice, or I have been known to order two appetisers if there doesn’t appear to be any other suitable main meal choices. Don’t be afraid to ask your waiter questions and even them them you are allergic to certain things if need be. Worst case scenario you just get a plate of veggies with some cracked pepper. You can also take an avocado or salad dressing in your handbag to add to a salad or meal if you are really hardcore!

• Party time.If you are going to party where you just know you are going to be tempted by the food, FILL UP on good stuff before you go. I have been known to make a really hearty and heavy veggie soup and eat it up before heading out, and I also like to take my own drinks with me (blended frozen pineapple with coconut milk makes for a refreshing drink to have in your hand if you don’t want to drink and also keeps you from snacking on the not so healthy snacks. Also don’t be afraid to take some of your own snacks if you feel you will be tempted. Vegetable crudités and some delicious healthy dips are a great idea. People kinda expect me to BYO my own food and drinks. Oh and I do still indulge in some cocktails now and then, but my preference is red wine, a great quality vodka or champagne for special occasions. Also love what my buddy and raw food mentor and trainer, Russell James has to say about raw food fits into his social life here.

• Surround yourself with inspirational people. Even if you cannot do this in person, seek out books or websites or blogs of people that are living the life you want to live (this can extend to other areas of your life also). I started my blog mainly as a way to keep myself inspired and accountable, but I also love reading others blogs daily to keep my motivation at a high level.

• Read labels - and only eat things with ingredients you recognize. The closest to nature is the way mother earth intended. Look at our animal relatives. They don’t have to count calories or weigh their food, but they also don’t eat food out of packets. They have not junked up their bodies with processed foods and can intuitively eat which brings me to my next point:

• Listen to you body. Once you start making more conscious choices in your diet, and begin eating lesss processed and refined food, your body will tell you what it wants to eat. Sometimes after a hard workout I feel like a piece of toast, so I allow myself a decent, wholegrain or wholemeal slice then a plate of yummy salad. Or sometimes I just want a plate of oranges. This is my body telling me what I need not what I want.

• Have a treat day once a week! Still allow yourself some leeway to indulge in some of your favourite foods! Don’t go crazy, but if you stick to a healthier way of eating for the rest of the week, chances are you actually won’t feel like eating that burger and fries, but hey if you do, you probably won’t feel like eating it for a while after your body has been feeling so much better and efficient with your healthier way of eating. I find anytime I fall off the wagon, it makes me feel that terrible that I am craving the green smoothie in NO TIME. And a treat day doesn’t have to mean something decadent, it can still be vegan or at least a healthier version of a less desirable meal (ie like homemade pizzas). Get creative.

• Give yourself a break. Don’t go all out crazy if you fall off your plan, just get back on it as soon as you can, and be kind to yourself. It is a process as starting out can be tough, so give yourself some time to get used to it and within no time it will be less hard work and more gut instinct.

If you want more information on how to get more details on where to begin, drop me a line at contact@girlonraw.com

For the past couple of years Kristen (of Kristensraw.blogspot.com & Green Mommy Blog)  has been my biggest support with my transition to a raw diet firstly through her sassy and delicious recipe books, then secondly through her online friendship. We got to know each other personally through regular emails and facebook chatter (I’m even pals with her very funny and popular mother) then I kept threatening to come and visit her in Arizona.

Finally I did it!

And as expected we got on like a house on fire! (a saying both Kristen and her mum now know hehe among other Australianisms I unwittingly shared.)

Firstly Kristen and her ma picked me up from the airport then took me straight to lunch at Chakra 4 Herb & Tea House and demolished a lentil soup and veggie wrap and iced chai latte with almond milk. No photo as we were nattering away.

As most of you already know, I’m a big fan of Wholefoods so by special request, I got to stop by their local store to pick up supplies including some of this chocolate I’d been dying to sample since Kristen’s review. We don’t have a Wholefoods in Oklahoma city

Um yep, it pretty much rocked! When I could keep it away from Kristen!

Don’t you just love their number plates?

Then it was on to meet the furry family including the very popular Miso who Kristen rescued a few weeks back.

(Courtesy of Kristen’s Blog here as I was too busy playing with the puppies to get any photos)

Then I had the BEST vegan pizza in the world!! Homemade with love by Kristen’s mum herself! I’m going to be dreaming of this pizza all week! The vegan cheese was daiya. Kristen tells me apparently this stuff has revolutionized the vegan diet. I wish we could get it in Saudi.

Add a side of Food Inc watching and some of Kristen’s food made by her especially for my visit.

Her Ginger spice carrot cake. Are you jealous? Mmmmmmm. Pictured in the middle with small pieces of Earth Cafe’s cheesecake’s Coconut Carob & Cali Lemon Style.

This was the hit of the night. My Raw Food guru preparing food for me! This recipe will be upcoming in one of Kristen’s books. Keep an eye out for it!

Before I left for my flight home today, Kristen made me a beautiful salad with her famous Sweet Capri Dressing from her Easy Raw Salads & Dressings Book. Did I mention I felt spoilt?

It was such a lovely time (including Miso stealing my dirty knickers haha) and despite this I am counting on a return vist very soon (I’ve got to meet the bubby of course)

I’ve said it already but I’ll say it again, thank you so much for having me Kristen and co. It’s see ya later, not goodbye xx

Who’s your hero?

Here’s a beautiful shot I got just after take off out of Salt Lake City, homeward bound to Oklahoma City ready to embark on week 3 at 105degrees culinary school.

Don’t forget today is the last day to enter my latest giveaway here. Winner will be announced on my blog on Sunday

I have a treat for you all today! The first in an instalment of guest posts from some of my favourite blogs that KEEP me inspired. As I mentioned here, staying focused and surrounding yourself with inspiring people will help to keep your goal in mind and anytime you slip up, plugging into one of these blogs will encourage you back on track, especially if you don’t have likeminded people around you.

So with that I introduce you to Lori & Michelle!!

Hello Girl on Raw Readers,

We are the Pure2raw twins from pure2raw.com. First we would like to say THANK YOU to Robyn for inviting us to be a guest on her blog. We are honored and excited to share our tips on being raw with a busy schedule, a quick background of our company, and what it was like to go to the first raw foods culinary school at 105 Degrees Academy.

We have been living the raw foods lifestyle for over 2 years. It was a slow transition and we are not 100% but feel best when are diet is high raw. We suffered from a few different health issues, which we discuss on our blog, and raw foods has helped us heal. For us raw foods is not some phase or diet but an overall life change!!!

What is Twin Cakes?

Twin Cakes Bakery is our bakery where we create delicious gluten-free, vegan, peanut-free, casein-free, soy-free, corn-free and no refined sugar treats. We suffer from multiple food allergies and wanted to share our baked goods with others. We offer healthier alternatives to the sugary white flour dairy filled treats out on the market.   Soon we will be launching an online store dedicated more to the baked goods where we will sell our dry mixes.  Currently we sell at local farmers markets and working on a cookbook!

What is Pure2raw?

Pure2raw is our personal blog, we have a mini store where we sell mostly our Pure2raw products. As we enjoyed more of the benefits of eating raw and played around in the kitchen, we realized we wanted others to enjoy the same treats we were.  We aim to show others that raw vegan treats DO taste great. We believe in the power of raw foods…how it can heal your body, fuel your body, and nourish your body with all the nutrients needed to survive. It is our goal to help people eat more greens, so we have a ‘green line’, which we made products that contain our favorite greens, like kale, collards, etc. We have many clients who hate dark leafy greens but have been enjoying our flatbreads. ; ) Many have actually lost weight by replacing our wholesome treats and breads over their preservative filled counterparts.

We wanted to further our raw foods knowledge, so Michelle attended 105 Degrees, while Lori stayed and ran the bakery.  It was one of the hardest months but also one of the most rewarding. Michelle learned how to make some yummy things like these:

Red Pepper Wrappers

Walnut Fig Tart

Also we got to meet some of our favorite celebrities Raw Chefs

Lori, Ani Phyo, and Michelle

Attending 105 Degrees was one of the best career choices I made. If you are interested in learning more about creating raw living foods I recommend looking into 105 Degrees Culinary Academy. You do not need to be a chef to attend, just have a passion about learning…and be ready to open lots of coconuts!!

How do you maintain a busy schedule and stay raw?

Planning and flexibility!!  Our schedules are not always ideal (working till midnight or later and/or getting up at 3am to bake a cake) but we make it work because we love what we do, and that is key! We have one day a week where we sit down and plan out our “ideal” week but things happen all the time….it keeps life interesting ; )

One of the easiest and healthy meals is a green smoothie; we know Robyn is a fan of green smoothies. We enjoy a green smoothie every morning. We rotate our greens and fruit to make sure we are getting variety in our diets. We actually write out, kale on Mondays, collards on Tuesday, etc. Green smoothies are a great addition to your daily life mainly because it is easy to travel with and easy to digest! And they will keep you full for hours!

Great snacks that we enjoy: fresh fruit, plain avocado, (soaked) nuts and seeds, raw flatbreads and crackers (which we sell some on our own online store), and raw desserts or snack bites (a.k.a raw macaroons).  All these items are great for grabbing if you are in a hurry and just want something quick to snack on.

How we do it?

• every Sunday we plan out our week of meals and go to the store and/or farmers market to gather up our ingredients (stock up the fridge)
• once a week we make a lot of fermented veggies and sauerkraut so we have those ready to eat for the week ahead
• the night before we soak any nuts or seeds that we may need to eat the next day *or you can soak your nuts and seeds, dry them out in dehydrator and store in refrigerator or freezer so you always have some on hand ready to go
• make any sauces/dressings a few days out, measure out into servings, and freeze extra
• on real busy days we make green smoothies the night before so ready to go in the morning, just blend and pour into a quart sized mason jar : )

• remember simple the better (a little goes a long way) we have been realizing that our bodies like simplicity and a few ingredients is all you need to make a great dish
• dedicate once a month or every 2 weeks to make little snacks or goodies for you (or of course you could purchase from Twin Cakes Bakery) and leave in refrigerator or freezer till ready for consumption
• buy in bulk!!!

When eating raw foods you just have to be creative and plan out your meals. Raw foods can be a lot of fun and so rewarding to your body. We share lots of easy recipes on our blog to help those looking for fun and different things to try, as well as Robyn! Raw foods does not have to be scary & remember keep things simple. One of our favorite fast meals is avocado with lime juice and dash of sea salt. Quick, easy to digest, alkaline for the body and full of vitamins and healthy fats that nourish the body!

What about workouts?

Fitness is an important part of our lives and many people question how can we eat a high  raw diet and be athletes?  We aim to workout for at least an hour everyday. Some days we are extremely busy that we can only get in 20 minutes, but we always try to do at least something whether it be a quick run, walking, or light lifting. We just love to get the body moving. One of newest loves is yoga. Just doing a few Sun Salutations gets our hearts going.

This past January we ran in our 2nd marathon at Disney in Orlando, FL. And we documented our training and eats over the few months leading up to it. The more raw foods we ate, we noticed more and more improvements in our workouts. We were able to train less but with the same amount of intensity and had faster recovery. This is something most athletes strive for and we did it on a high raw no meat diet.  Two great resources that helps us for our training was Brendan from Thrive and Tim from Running Raw, who we got to meet!

Lori, Tim VanOrden, Michelle

The key is to eat foods that are easy to digest, nutrient dense, full of proper sugar and fat, and are alkaline. Hemp seeds, lemon, coconut oil, and dark leafy greens are great things to incorporate into your diet for energy.

We feel even if you can incorporate a few raw foods into your diet and exercise to your routine is very important. There are no rules that it has to be all or nothing. When you eat right and exercise, you will notice improvements in your body that you will want to continue reaping the benefits. We are not perfect with balancing it all, but when fuel our body right we have the energy to get it done.

Thank again to Robyn for letting us be a guest writer for her blog. And many thanks to all of the Girl on Raw readers.

Today I wanted to share with you something I have been wanting to write for sometime for those of you who have been writing to me asking me how is the best way for you to start on the RAW or even just get a little healthier, so here goes.

For me, starting to eat more RAW in my diet was a real gradual thing and something that I had to take a step at a time (you can read more about it here), ie I didn’t go VEGAN overnight, and I never gave up eating animal products because I never liked the taste, but rather it seemed the natural way to go, as I upped the plant based products in the my diet over a year, then I decided to go VEGAN. I’m not suggesting that this is something you all would wish to do, as there are healthier ways to eat and NOT go VEGAN however this was the natural progression for me.

For those of you just starting out, my first points would be to:

• Start adding more wholefoods to your diet (before you take anything away). This will reduce the feeling of deprivation and in turn enable you to stick to it and in no time you will begin to naturally reduce the processed foods as your tastebuds and your body start craving more life giving foods.

• Increase your greens! If you were like me in the beginning and had a love/hate relationship with salad, then get into green smoothies/monsters and DRINK your greens. I find my green smoothies take away cravings for fried and processed foods and are so filling they usually keep me going from breakfast to dinner. AND for those of you a little hesitant to try it, spinach and romaine (cos) lettuce don’t really have a taste and if you mix them them with fruits the only evidence you will see that they are in your drink are in the colour! Want to know more about it, check out this fabbo website on the Green Smoothie Challenge.

• Learn how to make some delicious salad dressings! This could be make or break for how many veggies you consume, but I find if I make a tasty dressing then I actually go back for seconds and thirds just so I can sample more of my dressing. Here is one I never tire of mixed with greens, sundried tomatoes and some toasted pine nuts, and marinated mushrooms. Also a great standby dressing is 2T olive oil 2T balsamic vinegar, 2T Nama Shoyu/Tamari/Soy Sauce with cracked black pepper and mixed herbs. You can also use salad dressings on steamed veggies.

• Try and eat raw til dinner. This sounds harder than it actually is, but if you don’t like the idea of eating fruits then blend them. Also you can have blended fruits and veggies for breakfast, a massive salad for lunch and then dinner can be your cooked meal. Nuts and seeds are a great snack to have on hand in your handbag or backpack to stave off the munchies in the meantime or if you are away from home.

• Be prepared! Being healthy doesn’t have to mean being boring and take yourself out of the social scene. If you are going out for a meal with friends to a restaurant, try and get a copy of the menu before hand so you can know exactly what you wish to order ahead of time and it will take the pressure off you to try and find a suitable meal whilst enjoying time with your friends. And don’t be afraid to ask for things that are not on the menu or add things in. Even if you tell the waiter what you can and cannot eat, they may be able to get the chef to make something special. Things I like to order in Indian restaurants are vegetable curry with Roti (usually it’s made with whole wheat flour rather than white). At Italian restaurants I usually alter a salad by adding avocados and nuts and usually ask for dressing on the side or use a squeeze of lemon. don’t have rice, or I have been known to order two appetisers if there doesn’t appear to be any other suitable main meal choices. Don’t be afraid to ask your waiter questions and even thell them you are allergic to certain things if need be. Worst case scenario you just get a plate of veggies with some cracked pepper. You can also take an avocado or salad dressing in your handbag to add to a salad or meal if you are really hardcore!

• Party time.If you are going to party where you just know you are going to be tempted by the food, FILL UP on good stuff before you go. I have been known to make a really hearty and heavy veggie soup and eat it up before heading out, and I also like to take my own drinks with me (blended frozen pineapple with coconut milk makes for a refreshing drink to have in your hand if you don’t want to drink and also keeps you from snacking on the not so healthy snacks. Also don’t be afraid to take some of your own snacks if you feel you will be tempted. Vegetable crudités and some delicious healthy dips are a great idea. People kinda expect me to BYO my own food and drinks. Oh and I do still indulge in some cocktails now and then, but my preference is red wine if I am going to overindulge (which isn’t often)

• Surround yourself with inspirational people. Even if you cannot do this in person, seek out books or websites or blogs of people that are living the life you want to live (this can extend to other areas of your life also). I started my blog mainly as a way to keep myself inspired and accountable, but I also love reading others blogs daily to keep my motivation at a high level.

• Read labels - and only eat things with ingredients you recognize. The closest to nature is the way mother earth intended. Look at our animal relatives. They don’t have to count calories or weigh their food, but they also don’t eat food out of packets. They have not junked up their bodies with processed foods and can intuitively eat which brings me to my next point:

• Listen to you body. Once you start making more conscious choices in your diet, and begin eating lesss processed and refined food, your body will tell you what it wants to eat. Sometimes after a hard workout I feel like a piece of toast, so I allow myself a decent, wholegrain or wholemeal slice then a plate of yummy salad. Or sometimes I just want a plate of oranges. This is my body telling me what I need not what I want.

• Have a treat day once a week! Still allow yourself some leeway to indulge in some of your favourite foods! Don’t go crazy, but if you stick to a healthier way of eating for the rest of the week, chances are you actually won’t feel like eating that burger and fries, but hey if you do, you probably won’t feel like eating it for a while after your body has been feeling so much better and efficient with your healthier way of eating. I find anytime I fall off the wagon, it makes me feel that terrible that I am craving the green smoothie in NO TIME. And a treat day doesn’t have to mean something decadent, it can still be vegan or at least a healthier version of a less desirable meal (ie like homemade pizzas). Get creative.

• Give yourself a break. Don’t go all out crazy if you fall off your plan, just get back on it as soon as you can, and be kind to yourself. It is a process as starting out can be tough, so give yourself some time to get used to it and within no time it will be less hard work and more gut instinct.

If you want more information on how to get more details on where to begin, I totally recommend my friend Casey Lorraine’s Ebook that I bought and read over Christmas called Get Vital here. I totally recommend this ebook for anyone who wants to improve their diet and life but doesn’t know where to begin. And don’t worry, she also allows for you meat eaters out there. Totally worth the $19.95AUS and she has a terrific blog here. Just tell Casey I sent ya!

Also if you REALLY think you need a little more of a helping hand, Casey and Marlena Torres are running a guided 3 week detox program from the 25^th of February and included phone support, recipes, grocery lists and more. They offer 2 Options and you can read more about it here. It looks like a fantastic way to kick start your detox and make your way to better health.

Well I think that is alot for you to take in for today, and I had better get some ZZZ’s, but don’t forget, I haven’t forgotten about the GIVEAWAY. I’ll give you details on the tomorrow! I promise!  Let me know what you thinks