I do not eat veggies.
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| (from Google images) |
You read that right. Ever since I was a kid I despised vegetables and their presence on my plate. I think most kids start that way, though. However, in my case, someone attempted to shove vegetables into my mouth out of frustration and I think that’s where my war with vegetables began (FYI, it wasn’t my parents). So I got away with not eating vegetables when they gave up on me. At first I felt that I wouldn’t need to eat them for the rest of my life and that it was a sweet triumph. Eventually, though, I started to see the disadvantages. I was always sick, my skin was a mess and I constantly gained weight. For some reason I still managed to convince myself that I did not need vegetables in my life and that carried on for a few years more.
I actually tried to eat vegetables a few times, however, I never liked the leafy and earthy taste, nor the crunch on some. Is “earthy” even a word? I’m not sure but I can’t find any other way to explain it. I guess that during those times my body was begging me to try to make a change. But I simply played deaf and here I am now, the fat, sickly, unhealthy me.
A few months ago, however, I found my motivation and my reason to change my lifestyle and start eating healthier – a toothless, diaper wearing, nine kilo (to date) motivation.
My son.
He was my motivation for two reasons.
1. I wanted to give him healthy breastmilk.
2. My husband always argued that I have to set a good example to our son when he grows up. If he notices how I avoid vegetables, then he might make that a reason not to eat them.
One of my first attempts to appreciating vegetable was celery sticks and I have no idea why I thought it would turn out well. I researched online and a lot of people were saying that celery sticks with peanut butter were “delicious”. Cue the “wrong answer” buzzer. One bite and I hated it! Out of frustration I threw the celery stick out the window, that was how upset I was.
Then I remembered how one of my bosses from Canada told me before that making green smoothies was a good way to start. Around this time I also came across the Detoxify Bar on Instagram and found how celebrities were into their healthy juices made from fruits and vegetables. I was still unsure if I wanted to make juices or smoothies, but I thought that “drinking vegetables” would be my square one. Coincidentally, my father bought a brand new juicer, so I decided to start there.
I originally planned to order from the Detoxify Bar and have the juices delivered to my office in Makati. Unfortunately, they only deliver at night and I was on the morning shift that time so it wouldn’t work. Since we now had a juicer I decided to make my own. The Detoxify Bar has an array of juices which consist of different fruits and vegetables.
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| Screenshot from Detoxify Bar’s website |
I was really dying to try these! Anyway, I decided to make my own juices from the fruits and vegetables listed on each of their juices.
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| My first juice |
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| Screenshot from the Superfood Grocer website |
The Superfood Grocer sells a variety of superfoods that you can add to a smoothie for added benefits. Maca powder, spirulina, chia seeds are a few to be named. I was so curious about this so I decided to check their site and found that they offered a free Starter Guide. They do not only focus on selling these Superfoods but they also advocate raw vegan diets and hold workshops. I was not ready for that though so I stuck with the smoothies.
