I'm not 100% Vegan (for Now)

(decided 2 Nov 09)

Why ?

Most of the time I enjoy my Vegan food,
(both cooked and Raw/Living Foods)
BUT
- While I certainly don't miss the "full" feeling after eating non-Vegan food, I do miss sharing and "fighting over" for food with my families and friends who are non-Vegan.
This is what I wrote in a previous post :
Entering month 7 of being a Vegan, I probably started to lose motivation
I was alone during my Vegan months, I enjoy my Vegan meals, but no one to share it with, except at my blog :) and nobody support my being a Vegan. oohh poor me :) but I'm a tough one :D
and I sometimes feel kinda annoyed of the limited food choice I have when eating out and feel like I'm missing out, not on the food, but on spending time together sharing food at dinner tables.
You know how sometimes the best food is the one you have to fight over with your families/friends, when there's only one thing left on the plate with 5 hungry people staring at it. :)

- sometimes my lack of kitchen skill makes my Vegan food taste quite bland and I get bored.
I know I can add healthy tasty raw dressings to my salad, but sometimes I have no time, no knowledge of it yet nor the ingredients and I lack patience in the kitchen, even just for washing vegetables ;p
So I'm allowing more stuff for when I'm bored with my Vegan food and for when I really really want the other food so I can really really enjoy it so eating is not a chore and I can be happy.

I need that happy satisfied feeling at each meal.
thus THE HEALTHY LIFE DIET
www.TheHealthyLifeDiet.com

I'll still eat healthily, mostly Vegan with more raw/Living Foods,
but I'm at this point right now where I'm a Vegan and I totally feel good about it, but I sometimes secretly want some non-Vegan food, (due to numerous reasons) so I'm allowing small portions of good quality fish, prawns, etc if I feel that my body needs it and if I really really want to (and not on a daily basis)
and I'm not going to feel guilty about it and I'm going to enjoy my healthy food, share good times with families and friends and be thankful about it, add some happiness, exercise, morning sun, etc and Life's good, which is what the essence of The Healthy Life Diet is.
I'll definitely listen to my body and be in control of what I eat and importantly, I want to truly enjoy all my meals, Vegan or non Vegan.
Even if one day I went overboard eating a non-Vegan food, I know my body will let me know that I need more healthy vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds.
Hey.... I might not even want to eat a non Vegan food ever again after I wrote this, but at least the option is open for me.
This is my journey and this is where I am right now, and in the future I want to finally be able to go 100% Raw, maybe 95% ;) and totally feel satisfied with eating just Living Foods.

For now
I will try to eat more raw living foods and I don't know when I'll be back to being 100% Vegan again, maybe next week, maybe next month, maybe tomorrow... who knows :)
(At this point, still No refined carbs, refined sugar, Fried Food.)

- Vegetables - as much as possible is okay, more Raw please

I'll slowly incorporate these below in my diet only If I feel I need to, I'll listen to my body.
- Fruits - I'm not going to over indulge, I used to eat lots and lots of fruits in 1 day until my tummy goes big ;p but I know better now. I'll eat in smaller portions. Less sweet ones first.

- Complex Carbs & grains - maybe sweet potato, brown rice etc only in small portions, I'm starting gym and I'm scared of passing out during workout, although I've never passed out before.
(Update. I now bring coconut water to the gym instead of water, and I feel great at the gym :D)

- Soy - Tofu & Tempe - Also small portion and not daily
Soy may not be all that good for you but Tofu and Tempe is a staple food here since forever and I love them and I don't eat them everyday anyway.
- No dairy (not interested at this moment)
- Meat
Fish & Prawns - fresh good quality ones are allowed.
I'll be aware of the mercury level though, read here :
http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm110591.htm
Lamb, Duck, Pork - maybe, we'll see if I really really want it.
Beef, chicken - not really interested

Chickens - we have available here chicken with no hormones, so it's much smaller in size, called ayam kampung (it literally means : village chicken)
some are free range and eat natural food, but you don't really know.
So I'll probably allow myself some of this chicken and eggs, but I don't really feel like it at the moment.

I might eat fish one day and stay Vegan for the next 5 days.
or I might eat not even want to eat fish and sweet potato and just eat vegs.
You know how your eyes get "hungry" ? ;p and your nose as well.
You see food and you smell food and you want it, even though you know it's bad for you.... So you eat and you feel bad afterwards (and oh the guilt).
I've been on that cycle before but I want to always be in control now. I'll listen to my body and not my eyes :) nor my nose (sense of smell) ;p
We all know what we need to eat but we tend to get tempted and eat "junk" instead. So we all need to really listen to our body, listen to what we really want to eat. Feel it, feel the vibration :) and you'll also feel good about it.
I'll always eat lots of vegs and choose what I eat healthily.
I might go back to being 100% Vegan, or I might not. I don't know.
but I'll still be "candida aware"
which means I'll restrict my sugar consumption (fruits, carbs)
and I'll still have my garlic, ginger tea, Probiotics, and other supplements.

--------------

and Maybe after a few weeks from now,
I'll allow myself to eat some of the "junk",
(occasionally or rarely ;p)
such as :
- Fried Food
Why ?
Reason no.1
Because I love Fried Tempeh so much !!! :)
but I'll be in control !!!
1 bite = 1 bite
2 bite = 2 bite
1 Fried Tempe makes me happy.
5 Fried Tempe makes my throat hurts, and my tummy all greasy and uncomfortable.

Reason no.2
Raw salad can sometimes be bland and boring.
Raw salad + crunchy Onion Rings bits is too die for :D
See... it makes me happy and I totally enjoy my food, which is a big factor.
If I had a dehydrator I might be able to make healthy raw chips from vegs, but I don't have a dehydrator right now, so.

- Sugar
Yupp... after all this time, I'm still tempted by Desserts
I'll still opt for the Traditional Vegan desserts for now though, non dairy and using palm sugar instead of refined sugar.
but I'll try to eat them rarely and in small portions !!!!
besides, if everyone else is enjoying a glass of cendol, instead of just staring at them, I can at least take 2 big spoonful of it :)
But if I can find a guy selling fruit salad nearby, I think I'm good :)

- Refined carbs
white rice, bread
maybe... not interested now
but in the future, also rarely and in small portions

- Cheese
I don't know at this point.
I love cheese in general, fresh mozzarella slices, manchego cheese, parmegiano, etc. Not those commercial cheese with preservatives and artificial colors and colorings.
But I don't think I'll be eating cheese anytime soon.

---------------

Now what I'm gonna eat is gonna be
Not too strict
Not too much Fuss.
but still healthy, I'm going to be picky and choose the best quality possible.
It actually feels kinda liberating, it's exciting ;)

I don't want to think about Food Food Food all the time.
My Life is going to be much more exciting than just day dreaming of what to eat for lunch, for dinner, etc.
and If I can prepare my food, I'll try to always prepare it whole heartedly and happily, even though I don't like being in the kitchen ;)
If I can't prepare my food (No time to prepare) and I have to eat what's available, which is just vegetable that's too soft or too salty, instead of sulking and eating with a bad mood, I'll just eat it & be thankful for the food that is served on my table and I'll try to enjoy it and cherish that meal time spent with friends and families, with a big sincere smile.

Can I be a NEW BREED OF FOODIE ??
Someone that's not entirely Vegan, but not eating animal products on a daily basis either. (only good quality ones)
Someone who's on a journey to maybe become a Vegan Raw Foodist but allowing guilt-free food temptations along the way.
Someone who listens to her body and who's in control of what she really needs to eat instead of "lusting" for unhealthy food.
Someone who's aware that it's not just about the food but it's about everything because everything is connected. (World, Environment, Life, Happiness, Exercise, Lifestyle, Grateful, Spirituality, Love, Friends, Families, Loving your Job, etc)
I'm ready for that interview, Oprah !! :)
Okay... one can always dream ;D
I know others are probably already doing this diet/lifestyle..... but it's just good to realize this on my own :) realizing my mistakes, what I'm missing, weighing the options, learning how to stay healthy but still enjoy Life and the company of Loved ones.
And how did I get here ?
I'm lucky that during my being a Vegan and my reading other people's websites and blogs, I've encountered a lot of good useful sites that are filled with ever-blooming information. So a Big Thankx to all of you out there :)
See... we're all connected.

And the most important thing is I
Enjoy the Food
Enjoy Dining with Families and Friends
Laugh out Loud
Exercise + Morning Sun
Purely Happy
stay "Awake" in Life, Positive Energy, Lot's of Love,
and Prayers in everything :)

I'll listen to my body, I'll be in control
and I'll keep on learning and open to new ideas.
It's THE HEALTHY LIFE DIET
www.TheHealthyLifeDiet.com