How to Prepare for the Raw Food Reboot

expectations

The most common expectation for the Reboot is weight loss although that’s not the greatest benefit of the Reboot.

During the first week, if you are not familiar with eating a raw, vegan diet, you can expect to struggle with what to eat.  I hope that the recipe section will help alleviate that. It’s not just a bunch of fruit bowls and salad plates.

If caffeine has been a part of your daily routine for some time, you will most likely go through withdrawals, experiencing headaches and fatigue (see Preparations below to help alleviate this).  Some stomach upset may occur. If it persists, you may want to check with your doctor. As the week progresses, you should start to feel a little more energetic and ‘in your body’ as you begin to make the connection with what REAL food can do for you.

During the second week, things begin to shift a little.  As you begin to flood your system with more nutrient-dense ‘meals’ you can expect hunger to subside more quickly and stay at bay longer.  You may even end up only taking in two smoothies a day (depending on your activity level). Energy levels may wax and wane until you’ve found the right variety of fruits and veggies to combine in your smoothies.  You should continue to feel more energetic, better able to focus, and an overall ‘lighter’ feeling.

During the third week is when the magic happens.  Our bodies are given a much-needed rest, and an opportunity to repair itself because we are removing hard-to-digest fibers.  People should start to notice a difference in their appearance. Hunger levels may be all over the place. You may require more than just three glasses of juice to get you through your day.  You should expect much clearer thinking.

 

Preparations

Before you begin the Reboot, always check with your physician/nutritionist/health care practitioner/naturopathic doctor to make sure this is right for you and your body.

  • The week before The Reboot, begin weaning yourself off of caffeine

    • Reduce your consumption by going 50/50 - caf/decaf.

    • Drink one less cup/mug/glass of caffeinated beverages a day.

  • If you do not already drink half your body weight in ounces of water, begin acclimating yourself to it.

    • Simply divide your weight by half and whatever that number is equals the ounces of water you should be drinking in a day. So for example, if someone weighs 185 pounds, divide that by 2, this person should drink 92.5 ounces of water. We can take it a bit further and divide 92.5 by 8 (average ounces in a glass), which means this person should be drinking 11.5 ‘glasses’ of water in a day (or 5.5 pints in the US, 4.6 pints in the UK😉)

    • Once you’ve found your amount, find a container large enough to hold the amount you need to drink in a day, filling and drinking from it each day so you can become familiar with how much that amount really is.

  • Review the recipe section to become familiar with the types of foods you will be enjoying during the next 21 days.

    • This is where you can create your menu, which in-turn will create your shopping list.

  • Get yourself a decent blender.  It does not have to be the most expensive, but a reliable blender will save you a lot of frustration.

  • You don’t need a juicer if you have a great blender, but you will need something to strain the pulp/fibers from the smoothies for week 3.  I suggest purchasing a few nut milk bags.

  • Other items to consider: a great chef’s knife, a mandolin, a spiralizer, a peeler, a julienne slicer, a citrus press/juicer.

  • Nothing can really top buying fresh, local, organic produce so find out where a local Farmer’s Market is in your area.

Mindset

Write yourself a letter with reasons WHY you want to do the Reboot and tape it to your bathroom mirror!  This will help keep you motivated and on track.

“Pictures are worth a thousand words”, so take a few photos of yourself before you begin the Reboot. Get some close-ups of your face and a few full-body shots.

Stay Positive!!  I know this is easier said then done at times.  It’s ok to feel frustrated, as long as you know that the feeling is fleeting. 

Participate by reaching out to me via email or other “Rebooters” in the group chat on Telegram.