| For raw foodists not fortunate enough to make their | | | | - Big green veggie salad |
| living working from home, it becomes necessary to | | | | - Superfood smoothie |
| find ways to maintain the diet and lifestyle in the | | | | - Green soup with flax crackers |
| work environment. This means sticking to their raw | | | | - Raw entrée (perhaps leftovers from last |
| food intake percentage and doing it in a healthy and | | | | night's dinner) |
| balanced way. There are a couple challenges when | | | | Now you can create your own combination |
| working in the office on the plant-based diet: | | | | depending on the below considerations: |
| | | | |
| 1. You may be tempted by refined sugar and refined | | | | 1. Am I running on time this morning or running late? |
| carbohydrate "office-treats." | | | | 2. What does my body feel like today? Examples |
| 2. You have to plan ahead (meaning you have to | | | | would be: it feels like more liquids (smoothies and |
| create more time) to think about and make food. | | | | soups), it feels like more protein (hemp seeds, raw |
| 3. You have to have food and snacks in the office | | | | protein powder), or it feels like some extra |
| five days a week (i.e. you can't run out of food and | | | | superfoods. |
| you can't forget your food at home). | | | | 3. What do I have to eat in my refrigerator? |
| 4. You have to deal with various social aspects. | | | | All of this considered, if you are running late in the |
| There are many ways to successfully stay "raw" in | | | | morning and didn't have time to make anything the |
| the office. This is definitely a doable task. Tips and | | | | night before for lunch--no problem! Pack some clean |
| techniques will be given here, but the main idea is | | | | fruit in a bag, grab a container of leftover salad or |
| that in order to not go hungry in the office and | | | | green soup from last night, and be out the door. If |
| succumb to random office treats, you will need to | | | | you have more time, you can still grab the fruit for |
| plan ahead. Planning is key when nutrition becomes | | | | breakfast and then make a superfood smoothie in |
| such a high priority in your life. This isn't a bad thing--it | | | | the blender in 5-7 minutes throwing in fruit, greens, |
| ultimately means you won't be feeling bad about | | | | and a bunch of superfoods (some fat and protein of |
| what you ate when you get home. You'll have higher | | | | some kind should probably be in there as well to |
| self-esteem and this will lead to more loving actions | | | | sustain you for the rest of the afternoon). If you are |
| you will do for your being. | | | | not running late and have some time to spare in the |
| There are several different ways you can plan and | | | | morning, you can make a green smoothie for |
| prepare your at-work meals. The first, and most | | | | breakfast and a superfood smoothie for lunch. You |
| important, thing to do is to create a stash of dried | | | | get the idea here. You can use clean, old glass jars |
| foods and snacks in your desk, locker, car, or | | | | full to carry your smoothies, soups, and juices around |
| wherever you work. Some good ideas for this stash | | | | without fear of them leaking out. |
| are goji berries or some other dried fruit, dried nuts | | | | More tips to save you time making your work meals |
| and seeds, sea veggies, bee pollen, sea salt, and/or a | | | | are to: 1) Make everything in batches. It's best to |
| jar of green powder (and a glass shaker jar). This | | | | make more than enough food so you can eat the |
| food can be used as a mid-morning or mid-afternoon | | | | rest another day without having to go through all the |
| snack, or for supplementing a plain salad that you | | | | prep and cleanup time again. This can apply to |
| didn't have time to dress up. This stash will also come | | | | superfood smoothies, salads, green soups, and green |
| in handy on those days where you are hungrier than | | | | juices (if you have a high-quality juicer that makes |
| usual and have already eaten all the fresh food you | | | | juice that lasts up to 48 hours). And 2) Bring a bag |
| brought for the day. Last, you will save valuable time | | | | of organic fruit to the office on Monday's and store it |
| spent planning and packing into baggies daily | | | | on your desk or in the office fridge (if there's space). |
| quantities of nuts, seeds , dried fruits , and/or sea | | | | This way, if you're running super late, or if you |
| veggies. Now you will have a 3-4 week supply of | | | | completely forget to bring your food with you, you'll |
| snacks there for you at work! | | | | have some fruit to snack on when you get there. |
| As long as you have some delicious raw options with | | | | Social aspects in the office don't have to be a |
| you, you will be more immune to wanting to eat | | | | problem. Your boss and co-workers may tease you |
| those office treats loaded with refined sugars and | | | | at first (or always) but be aware that they probably |
| carbohydrates. Sure they smell great, but you know | | | | really respect and maybe even envy you on the |
| that what you have in your desk drawer, locker, or | | | | inside. Working breakfast or lunch meetings can be a |
| car will taste so much better! Even if it means having | | | | challenge-especially if you are drinking a jar-full of |
| some raw chocolate or raw cookies nearby, it's very | | | | green smoothie in front of everyone. Or if you take |
| important to have something with you that will | | | | 40 minutes to eat your salad while everyone else |
| satisfy you in the way cooked foods used to satisfy | | | | seems to be inhaling his or her sandwich and chips. |
| you when that craving hits. | | | | Your options are to either eat before or after the |
| Now, for the fresh food preparation. Although this | | | | meeting, or to just grin and bear it--the more |
| can take some mental time, physical time, and muscle | | | | sustainable raw foodist approach being the latter. You |
| to carry to work, you CAN do it and it's completely | | | | may as well enthusiastically tell everyone what |
| worth it. When you want to make the food will be | | | | exactly you are eating and drinking. They most likely |
| up to you and your work/sleep schedule. Some raw | | | | have never heard of a raw-vegan diet. Who knows, |
| foodists like to make the food in the morning | | | | maybe you'll convert someone into raw foods, or at |
| because it will be at its freshest. Others may not | | | | least green smoothies. You may even make yourself |
| have time in the morning and may prefer to make an | | | | a new raw food office-friend! |
| extra large salad, or soup for dinner for the next | | | | Yes, it is a challenge to be raw when you're away |
| day's lunch. Here are some ideas of what you can | | | | from your kitchen for 9-16 hours a day, but if you |
| make or bring for breakfast and lunch: | | | | can master this, nothing will stand in the way of your |
| Breakfast options: | | | | health and nutrition goals. And if eating more raw |
| - Fresh green juice | | | | foods means that you are more focused, energized, |
| - Green smoothie (60% fruit blended with 40% | | | | and creative at work, isn't it completely worth it? |
| green leafy vegetables) | | | | Just remember that planning, making food in batches, |
| - Superfood smoothie (with some fat and protein | | | | and adjusting according to your schedule and |
| added to it like flax seed oil and hemp seed protein) | | | | body-intuition will be key in your raw success--at |
| - Fresh organic fruit | | | | work and beyond. |
| Lunch options: | | | | |