It’s a funny thing – when you tell people you don’t want donuts because it makes you feel way worse than the 29 seconds of deliciousness that you encounter, they get… sad.  I mean, not like the kind of sad that they missed their preferred showtime for a movie, but like the kind of sad that they just lost a dear dear friend.  Pure sadness…

I tend not to talk about my lifestyle with someone I just met, or even someone that I have known for a long time, unless I know they aren’t going to get that look.  If you’re vegetarian, I know you’ve received that look from meat eaters.  If you’re vegan you’ve definitely received that look from cheese lovers.  If you’re just health conscious then you’ve probably received that look from many many people.  They think that by changing you lifestyle – whether that be vegetarian, vegan, healthy, ‘flexitarian’ ‘oportunivore’ – that you are missing out on the happiness of life.  But what they don’t know is that in fact they are the ones missing out.

When I cut drastically back on sugar, refined flour, cheese, dairy and totally cut out meat I became this deeply happy person.  I enjoy food now – I don’t just devour it.  I don’t think about food all the time and my cravings are distant shadows of the past.  I understand how food can positively effect me instead of be a quick high that leads to disappointment.

Now I’m not saying that I don’t ever have cravings, or that I have given up all foods of my ‘past.’  Donuts – yes they are my downfall – and I give into my craving every time.  The funny thing though is that the more I give into my craving the less frequent my cravings are.

My boyfriend (who is on this clean lifestyle journey with me) and I truly believe in order to be successful in a true lifestyle change you can’t deprive yourself of the foods you love.  We do focus on the foods that we want to be nourishing our bodies, but we get cravings from time to time and we NEVER say no.  Some people may not like this approach but it totally works for B and I.  I can honestly say I never want traditional brownies again – and I’m a chocolate FIEND.  The pain that ensues when I eat the gooey chocolatey bliss however is a major disappointment.  And because I made brownies whenever I craved them now I never have a craving for them.  French toast is out (clean pancakes are in…), brownies are out (a piece of pure silky dark chocolate is in), donuts…? still in, but quickly waning.

B and I gave in to our craving and bought donuts this weekend – and you know what?  We were cranky, exhausted and unproductive all weekend.  It will probably be a while before I crave donuts again.

What gave me honest happiness?  My green fruit smoothie with ground flax seeds, spinach and kale, coconut water, peanut butter and frozen fruit on Monday morning.  My body had energy again, I had a much better outlook on life, and I got sooo much shit done!

People who think donuts are better than green smoothies – well you haven’t felt the power of green smoothies.

To everyone who mourns the loss of my sugar baked goods – you can enjoy them for me…:)

~The (wheat) grass really is greener on the other side~ [when you make it into a delicious smoothie…]