Asked by
charcoalveins

Hi! Thank you for reaching out. This is a great question, that has many answers:

1. I love spending time in the kitchen, but I am only there for a longer perriod of time in the evening when I am making dinner.
2. I eat very, very simply during the day, so I am often just pulling things out that are ready to go, like: cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, carrots, bananas, green apples, a bowl of berries.. You get the idea. The most complex thing I make durring the day is a smoothie, and that doesn’t take more than 10 minutes, including clean-up. 
3. Most of the things I make, even for dinner, are quite basic! I rarely dabble in complex concoctions, especially now, durring the summer. Because, as you pointed out, I make a lot of fresh meals, they cary their own weight because of the fresh, quality, ingredients. When I do not want to make salad, or want something more interesting than just simple veggies, I make something like a cabbage roll of avocado/ sauerkraut/dijon/ sprouts/tomato or a slice of raw goat cheddar instead of the avocado. I mix it up by using romaine leaves, and eating my veggies taco style, or I roll them all up in a nori sheet, for sushi style. The quick, simple, possibilities are endless. 
4. On the rare occasion that I do not want to step into the kitchen, or haven’t gotten to the store, I have no problem eating out: double side salad with greens, goat cheese, sometimes beets, some fish with sautéed or steamed veggies. I rarely prepare fish at home because I save it for the occasions when I am dinning out. If I was to eat out durring the day, I would just stop at a large, simple salad, but it all depends on my appetite. 
5. I also come prepared! I am rarely caught without a bag of carrots in my purse, and a bar of dark chocolate. When I go do the movies, I bring romaine and sliced goat cheddar instead of nachos.. 
6. I am also super fortunate to be living in NYC, where juice bars are popping up like Starbucks, on every corner, so I do not have to make my own juice all the time any more. But I used to, and I loved it.

I never feel restricted by my way of eating. In fact, it is so liberating from so many aspects. Besides the health benefits, of not being dragged down by colds and chronic conditions, I have way more energy that isn’t being stollen from me by a bowl of gluey quick-oats, or cup-noodles. What’s easier to eat than an apple? Or a banana? Or even grabbing a handful of raw almonds to go with it (if you are thinking a banana won’t fill you up). It would be just as easy to make a avocado/sprouted grain bagel as it would be to throw on some cheddar and ham, but I am free of the energy, and health, leeching properties of ham & cheese. Plus I am not counting calories here, so I don’t have to stop at one banana. There is so much freedom there too.

It has also been a liberation for my taste buds! I can trully appreciate and whole heartedly enjoy clean, simple food, without the need of additives that are so commonly found in “convenience food”. Those additives make us numb to the pleasures of real food, on top of all the havoc they are wreaking in our bodies.

I also want to add, that treating my body in this way allows me to indulge in things I will truly enjoy. Not because they are convenient, but because they are delicious, decadent, and make life more enjoyable! Such things would be: dark chocolate, wine, creme brule, goat milk ice-cream, raw treats.. My body can handle the acidity of foods like that because I am keeping it alkaline with all the fresh veggies, and juices, I consume. 

All in all, I have to say, it’s not about mustering up the motivation. It’s about knowing how good I feel when I honor myself with fresh food, and trully doing it in a way that I wholeheartedly love. Nothing is healthy if you are doing it gritting your teeth, and holding your nose. The key to living this way, is really finding what and how it can work for you, in a way that you will truly enjoy. I hope this helps! 

I am so flattered that you enjoy my blog. Please let me know if I can be of any further service to you!

Love and support,

Ana