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Today I’d like to wish a special best-day-ever-birthday to the man who’s responsible for getting so many of us hyped about raw food, Mr. David ‘Avocado Chocolate Pope’ Wolfe.

David’s work has been a huge inspiration for so many, including myself. He changed the game of health at a time when most people thought of “eating raw” as a chore – something you’d only do if you were sick.

David was not the first author to enter the raw scene, but very few could argue against the statement that he has brought the most attention to the movement through his books, lectures, health products and music.

So a toast to you Mr. Wolfe. We raise our green juice glasses high and say “Salud!”

Steve Pavalina has another great post up about raw food. This one is about measuring energy gains.

Recently on his blog Steve posted an update to his raw journey saying that he’s experienced vast energy gains on the raw food diet. Many of his readers wondered, “How are you measuring/comparing those gains? How can you be sure that they are not just mental?”

Steve replied by using an analogy of being under the influence of alcohol. I have to say this is right on the money:

Eating cooked foods every single day is a lot like drinking alcohol every single day. If you do it long enough, it will seem totally normal to you. The feeling that non-drinkers would describe as inebriated, you would define as normal because that’s the best condition you know. Until you drop the habit for an extended period of time, you’ll never know what the alternative feels like. You’ll never know what it feels like to be “sober.”

Steve continues by comparing his journey from veg to vegan and vegan to raw:

Going from vegetarian to vegan was like being under the influence of 8 ounces of beer at all times and then suddenly being alcohol-free. There was a short detox period, and then I felt significantly clearer. More of the fog had lifted. The positive change was more pronounced, and the benefits were greater compared to the first change.

Going from vegan to raw was like being under the influence of 12-24 ounces of beer at all times and then being suddenly alcohol-free. There was a longer, more severe detox period, but afterwards the gains in mental clarity were unmistakable. The ongoing degree of improvement was more variable, fluctuating from good to great. My body-mind seemed like it went through a major upgrade. So this is how my mind is supposed to work? Wow! What a fog I’ve been living under this whole time! I feel so awake and alert!

Amen to that brother!

You can read the full post and more at stevepavlina.com/blog

Speaking of ripped raw foodist… check out Anthony, the Raw Model, on Raw Vegan Radio.

Anthony talks about how he got started, what he eats in a day, cleansing and fitness.

This is Mr. Nature Love. For those of you that are new to the blog, Nature is my primary raw food mentor. I’ve done a few podcasts with Nature on this blog (part 1, part 2) and also referenced him in my last Get Fresh article.

Nature’s been eating a raw food diet for 8+ years and has been almost exclusively vegetarian since he was 15 years old. Even at 40+ years of age Nature is still the most fit and most ripped raw foodist I’ve ever met (check out these). Nature is also very grounded spiritually. His motivation doesn’t come from external factors, but rather a deep sense of presence inside. He does his own thing and isn’t driven by belief systems.

I’ve been very blessed for the last 7 years to have Nature as a friend and mentor on my journey. And still, there are so many more things I want to learn from him, especially in the area of fitness. I have a feeling that others also want to hear more from Nature on this topic and related ones.

So on Sunday, while we were having tea, I asked Nature if he’d be game to create a sort of “Getting Ripped on Raw Foods” guide that focused on 3 primary areas:

• Training: His workouts are simple, but intensity focused – he treats working out as a meditation not a chore. What exercises does he do and how often?
• Nutrition: Nature eats 1 main meal a day and drinks a large glass of green juice, most of his diet is greens. But what exactly does he eat and how much?
• Mentality: Nature says, and I agree, that this by far is the most important area of focus. What things has Nature experienced first hand that have shaped his mentality in the area of fitness? How does one stay motivated? What is his motivation? Etc..

I’ve benefited greatly from Nature’s mentorship within raw foods, now I want to take and apply his advice to the world of fitness. I’m creating this guide first and foremost for myself, but I have a feeling that others are going to want to hear how Nature get’s his results.

This guide will be a combination of audio, video and some written information. It will include interviews with Nature as well as footage of him training.

This post isn’t a plug though, I’m actually sharing all this information to ask you what questions or topics you’d like to see Nature address in this guide. What do you want to learn about? What areas would you like Nature to focus on?

Feel free to post your thoughts in the comments section. We can’t promise we’ll cover everything, but we’ll certainly consider it.

[Side Note] There have been a few books and ebooks published on the topic of raw foods and fitness, but Nature and I are hoping to bring something new to the table. We want to be 100% honest with all the information we share and focus helping people get real results instead of selling and idea.

Lastly, one of Nature’s conditions in agreeing to put this guide together was that I personally dedicate the time and energy necessary to build my own strength and fitness. Of course I couldn’t be more excited. This is just the accountability I needed. I’ll certainly keep WLIR readers updated on my progress.