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Login Here Signup Here Signup using FacebookSo here's the thing : a friend of the family,shes 45,overweight,and a pack a day smoker. She is desperate to lose weight ,be healthy and happy again. Shes is kinda open minded. I want to introduce her to the raw lifestyle but do not want to freak her out. I told her I will spend a day with her and teach her all she needs to know. But I need guidelines. What NOT to say to scare her and what to tell her to encourage her. I know I will show her the many before and afters of people online and will bring my blender and make her delicious green smoothies. Any suggestions on other things not to forget when teaching someone for the first time on raw foods?
Comments
Everyone is different, but I'd suggest starting slow and showing her quick and easy recipes (smoothies, etc) that she can start making right away without purchasing new equipment like a dehydrator. Good luck - she's lucky to have a good friend like you!
Find out what kind of foods/fruits vegetables, or even dishes she likes. Find recipes involving those ingredients/or raw style versions. Show her that being raw is easy. explain how, that if she's in a crunch for time, you can grab some figs, nuts, and 2 pieces of fruit, and voila! there's lunch. I agree with kadance, i wouldn't even mention dehydrator, $500 blenders right away. That will scare her away, because she might think she NEEDS these things. when she doesn't. Make one TO DIE FOR recipe. it'll have her hooked, and curious to want more. This is what you want to start. If you can get her there, then by introducing easy raw food lifestyle choices, and flooring her with the raw food she's eating. You might just have yourself a convert. Let me know if you need help with those recipes. My fiancee and I have found some amazing meals to make over the last 3 months. And it definitely tastes as good as anything in the SAD world. good luck!
p.s. and yes, definitely smoothies.
and coconut water!
i love the book 'raw foods made easy for 1 or 2 people' by jenny cornbleet. its not preachy and has awesome easy recipes that just involve a blender or food processor.
I also say make lots of snacks to share- most people dont want to make something till theyve tried it once.
Maybe plan on once a week potluck dinner at each others houses. You can make themes of it too and it gives you license to put your chefs hat on and share what youre learning.
Oooh, golden opportunity!
What TO eat is probably less of a challenge than what NOT to eat. Does she understand no meat, no dairy, no processed foods, no junk foods, etc?
I would probably start her off with a palatable smoothie in the morning that is EZ - like romaine, spinach, and frozen pineapple or strawberries with a little flax seed. A basic blender can probably manage this.
Salad for lunch with dressing you've made for her in enough quantity to last a week or so. Fresh fruits and veggies and nuts/raisins/dried fruits for snacks.
Maybe a blended soup for dinner - tomatoes are lovely now, and even a cooked food eater usually understands gazpacho. Zucchini pasta with pesto would also be a winner.
She might benefit from the DVD "Raw for Life" and/or "Simply Raw" and/or "Food Matters" and I'm sure there are others. Sometimes people are more willing to accept information in the format of film.