January

In January I was on a trip in China and Korea, with my boyfriend Robin. The idea for The Raw Foods Witch web site was still marinating in my mind. I was blogging as The Billionaire Woman.

February

The Raw Food Switch web site was created. Note that the site was actually called Raw Food Switch and not Raw Foods Witch. That little witchy switch took place later on.

In February I shared the story of how I went from junk foodist to raw foodist, and how I stopped taking birth control pills.

March

I filmed a video about Eating Raw Food in the Winter. I also shared some of my first few simple raw food recipes like my quick video on how to make beet juice.

April

In April I started a series on the benefits of eating raw food. Some of the articles were about using raw food for weight loss, and how more college students are turning to raw food to increase their performance.

May

In May my boyfriend Robin showed you how to make a Chinese inspired Raw Ragu recipe to trump all salads. I also shared my views about eating 100% raw vs. eating a high raw diet.

I maintain that it’s not necessary to eat 100% raw to enjoy the benefits of raw food.

June

In June I shared the 9 ways that raw food changed my life. Then I uploaded a video of my garden, and a video of my speech about the beautiful tropical fruit called durian.

Then I wrote a cheeky article that hypothesized that it is easier to become raw than to become vegan.

June was also the month that Raw Food Switch became the Raw Foods Witch. :)

July

In July I went back to basics and explained what is the raw food diet.

In one of my most popular articles to date, I shared the 13 Witchy Ways Green Smoothies Make You Feel Good in 13 Minutes or Less. Yum, yum.

I also weighed in on the debate over organic food, and shared in the advantages and disadvantages of organic food.

August

August saw the harvest from the garden and so I explained what a raw food dehydrator is. I also shared 21 Ways to Sneak More Vegetables Into Your Day, because we all know that eating more veggies is good for us but putting it into practice isn’t always so easy.

I also answered 2 of the most commonly asked questions: Is it better to blend or to juice? And whether a certain symptom is just detox or not, in my article on Raw Food Detox: The Myth, The Madness… The Magick?!.

September

In September I opened up more and shared the story behind why I started eating raw food and what has happened since then.

I posted my video on how to grow sprouts, with some written guidelines as well. Then I shared some of my insights on food cravings, why we have them, and what to do about them.

October

October was a busy month for The Raw Foods Witch. First, I wrote about the difference between healthy food and unhealthy food.

Then I released my shiny “28 Desserts You Can Eat Every Day” ebook. Grab yourself a copy if you haven’t already.

October was also the month I posted my Raw Pumpkin Pie recipe with a quick video to show you how to make it.

November

In November I undertook the master cleanse. I talked about a lot of detoxing techniques like the salt water flush, dry skin brushing, and how much water to drink per day.

I shared the results from my master cleanse. Then I posted happy photos and talked about eating out at restaurants while staying raw.

December

December was all about celebrating the season. I posted the raw food gift guide to help people shop for the raw foodies in their circle.

I explained the benefits of goji berries, and gave away my secret to buying them for a good price.

December seemed like a good time to answer another question I get asked a lot: what is a raw food coach?

And finally, I posted a super fun raw christmas recipe – the raw snowman!

What’s in Store for 2010?

I hope you had a great 2009, and are looking forward to a fantastic 2010. I’m wishing you nothing but the best in health, joy, and prosperity.

Love,

This is a question I get asked whenever I explain what it is that I do. What do you do when you coach people who want to eat more raw food, and not necessarily 100% raw? What is a raw food coach exactly?

Let me illustrate this with…

The Unavoidable Sports Metaphor

Look, I hate sports metaphors as much as the next gal. But here’s the deal: all of us can use a coach at one point or another in our lives.

A teacher. A mentor. An adviser. A consultant. A coach.

You might not know this, but I’m a black belt in the martial art of Tae Kwon Do. As a youngster I used to compete in tournaments, and even went as far as the United States Nationals.

My favorite part of competing was the patterns competition. Though I did enjoy my share of sparring.

Until quite recently, I don’t think I ever really appreciated the importance of having a coach. In the ring, when you’re fighting and just trying to catch your breath you really don’t think about your coach much.

When you win, you don’t attribute it to your coach. If you lose, you don’t blame your coach. You know you’re the one doing the butt kicking (and receiving it!).

But it sure feels good to know that there’s someone on your side. Someone watching your back. Someone who is keeping her eyes on your strengths and weaknesses, and telling you about it.

Your coach has a higher vantage point than you do. Instead of being caught up in all the action, your coach can see what’s coming. She knows what you need and she can guide you to excel.

On top of all that, your coach is experienced. More insights, a sharper eye, and targeted advice just for you.

Who Needs a Coach, Anyway?

We’ve all become accustomed to the idea of athletes getting coached. Tiger Woods, one of the best golf players of all time still has a coach.

Do you think that Tiger Woods could do alright without coaching? Sure he could. But he doesn’t, because he is committed to being his best and he knows a coach is the way to keep him accountable and continuously growing.

Actors get acting coaches, business owners get business consultants, and yes if you want to eat healthy high-raw meals you get a raw food coach.

When Things are Humming Along

I remember after I first went raw as an experiment for 30 days, I felt incredible! I was practically floating. I was getting better grades, losing that excess weight… and just feeling good in general.

That’s when I decided to “indulge”. While in New York City, my mom and I decided to visit The Magnolia Bakery. I hadn’t had anything super sugary (other than my beloved raw treats and desserts) for at least two months by then.

I ate three bites of a chocolate cupcake. It was the cutest cupcake I’d ever seen. But my body had such a violent reaction, I instantly regretted it.

I got the worse rash I had ever seen. My stomach got completely red, full of little bumps. I didn’t feel so hot myself, and I just put the rest of it back in the box.

Honestly, I realized it wasn’t worth hurting myself over a cupcake. Not when there were plenty of delicious and healthy raw alternatives. The type that didn’t give me major rashes or cause me to breakout like nobody’s business.

Woops, There Goes the Wagon – and You’re Not On It Anymore

Photo by Renee

I’ve fallen off the wagon many times. I’ve had those days (or weeks!) when I thought maybe this whole raw food thing wasn’t for me.

Then there were times when I just wished I could get back into eating more raw foods. I literally stayed awake in bed imagining eating sweet and savory foods.

I didn’t have anyone to keep me accountable or keep me on track when I was going raw. I had never even heard of coaching at the time, well except for sports coaches.

A Raw Food Coach Can Keep You Accountable

Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables has been the biggest turning point in my life. There were times I wish I had someone to keep me accountable, to listen to my binging horror stories, and to steer me in the right direction.

Luckily, I learned from my mistakes along the way. Now I can help others who may be struggling with their direction and old habits.

If you’d be interested in learning more about raw food coaching, leave a comment below or email me and we’ll go from there.