A Way Out...

[Rawzula]

I recently received Alissa Cohen's book in the mail, and was absolutely blown away by what I read. I realize that eating raw and living foods is the ONLY way to save myself from an early grave. My grandmother died due to obesity-related complications. She was morbidly obese and I swore never to become so large. Well, that didn't happen. I weight 271 lbs and I'm only 5'2". I am so ashamed and hurt, especially by remarks from people who "think" they mean well.

I read the testimonials section over and over again. I am further convinced that going 100% raw COLD TURKEY is the way to go. Every diet I've tried has failed. My best friend turned on me, saying bad things about my weight, and how I'll stay fat for the rest of my life.

I feel awful being so big. Swollen feet and ankles, being made fun of...no more. I've considered going raw in the past, but never had the money to do so. I am on a limited budget of $40-50 a week. Where I live at on Long Island (Brentwood), the produce is expensive:eek:. There are no farmer's markets or Whole Foods near town.

Once I get paid next Thursday, no more cooked food. I've had enough of being sick and unhealthy:eek:!

[Graciebeliever]

I recently received Alissa Cohen's book in the mail, and was absolutely blown away by what I read. I realize that eating raw and living foods is the ONLY way to save myself from an early grave. My grandmother died due to obesity-related complications. She was morbidly obese and I swore never to become so large. Well, that didn't happen. I weight 271 lbs and I'm only 5'2". I am so ashamed and hurt, especially by remarks from people who "think" they mean well.

I read the testimonials section over and over again. I am further convinced that going 100% raw COLD TURKEY is the way to go. Every diet I've tried has failed. My best friend turned on me, saying bad things about my weight, and how I'll stay fat for the rest of my life.

I feel awful being so big. Swollen feet and ankles, being made fun of...no more. I've considered going raw in the past, but never had the money to do so. I am on a limited budget of $40-50 a week. Where I live at on Long Island (Brentwood), the produce is expensive:eek:. There are no farmer's markets or Whole Foods near town.

Once I get paid next Thursday, no more cooked food. I've had enough of being sick and unhealthy:eek:!


Welcome to the Raw journey :)

I have much the same story and it is hurtful that your friend would say that but you know what? sometimes we need a wakeup call and even something as painful as that can be a catalist for change. Don't get me wrong, I don't think you should change for anyone!! Do this for YOU and YOU alone..

I looked to raw to solve my weight problems and what I found was VASTLY more than that. My weightloss took a total second seat to my health!!

The weight is like a prison... I TOTALLY understand that! YOu need to open yourself to much more than that, I have found that changing to raw has opened up a whole new positive world and when I say that this was my last ditch effort, it REALLY was. I was concidering Gastric bypass even though I knew it was the wrong thing.

I took a quote from David Zane Mason here that has been a mantra for me every day. A DEEP motivation wins over a shakey disipline.
I am and stay DEEPLY motivated and everyday whether good or bad, I hold the raw corse because I will NOT give up and go back to what I was before NO NO NO!! I'll take the physical, emotional, and spiritual detox, I will take eating less if I don't have the money, I will be thankful everyday for the things I do have and the things that I am gaining from eating and staying raw..

Expect bad days. embrace them, face them! Stay raw and build your energy and power to battle and win.. I know you can do it!

Read bunches about everything. See how others deal and face the same things you do. You won't be and aren't alone!

You've opened the door and now you are walking the raw journey with us!
HURRAH!

[jaurequi]

Fabulous, Killik. Turn that mean spiritedness into POWER. That is the only thing to do. You have made an incredible step just by doing that. Don't feel pain when that negativity is spewed your way; feel strong and resolve.

You can do it. So many testimonies here prove it.

Just a caution: Do not, by any means, consider a setback a "failure" - EVER. Any setbacks are merely tools for learning what doesn't work; that is purely valuable information you need - in short: That is life.

Best,

[rawpriestess]

YOU GO GURLLLL!!!


I was 288 pounds at 5 3" and that was only 5 short months ago, I am now at 218, still 5 3" and feeling great,

People tell me how young I look now, and how thin I am, well, obviously at 218, I'm not THIN, but I look so much thinner that I weigh, and I feel so much better.

I am not into this for weight loss, although I must admit it is a great plus, I am into this because it resonates with my soul, and I KNOW it is right for me.

This is the place to be for support.

There was a time, I read those testimonies in her book, just a year or so ago, and I wanted that so badly for myself, and yet, I didn't really believe that ANYONE could lose that much weight in such a short amount of time, and yet, here I am to prove it, just like many others.

The weight litterally melts off your body when you eat raw.


congratulations on taking charge of your life.

[Naiad]

Sending lots of support your way!

My best friend is older and keeps herself in phenomenal shape. We'd go out for sushi and she'd get one roll, ask for no rice and constantly make comments about how I ate too much. Too much sushi?!?! If I had a bagel at work, she'd grab it out of my hands and throw it in the trash, saying "That dough is going to sit and rot in your stomach!" I wasn't even overweight and I'd get very annoyed at her. But, looking back... she meant well and in the case of my eating too many carbs - she was right. Some people just aren't that great at getting their better intentions across.

On another note, Costco is a surprisingly decent place to find produce. I saw someone mention that here on the boards and went with my mom this weekend to the one near Huntington. We got bags of avocados, lemons, herbicide free heirloom tomatoes (3x as many for the same price of a tiny box at Whole Foods - same company too!) Giant bags of organic salad greens and organic baby carrots. Talk about looking weird when we went to the checkout with only produce in our carts!

Another trick for saving some money is to buy in bulk at Whole Foods. Meaning, if you like something, say Lara bars, get a case and you get 3 or 5% off (I can't remember which.) Sure, it's not THAT much, but, it does add up.

Hope that helps and welcome!!!

[Coriander74]

How far away are you from Jericho? There's a Whole Foods at..
Whole Foods Market
429 North Broadway
Jericho, NY 11753
516.932.1733

also, here's a place that I googled "farmer's market"..

Yellow Top Farms Produce
3180 Express Dr S, Islandia, NY
(631) 234-9882

GOOD FOR YOU for rawking on!!!!!!!

[Naiad]

How far away are you from Jericho? There's a Whole Foods at..
Whole Foods Market
429 North Broadway
Jericho, NY 11753
516.932.1733

also, here's a place that I googled "farmer's market"..

Yellow Top Farms Produce
3180 Express Dr S, Islandia, NY
(631) 234-9882

GOOD FOR YOU for rawking on!!!!!!!

This is a great Whole Foods and many on the staff have tried/been/are raw.

I especially suggest you call the store and get the schedule for the lady who does the E3 demos. She is a raw foodist, amazingly sweet and knowledgeable and carries her sisters(?) raw food book along with her for people to buy.

[Rawzula]

The Whole Foods in Jericho is nearly 17 miles away from my house. Since I don't drive, it would be very expensive for me to get out there by cab. I know there's A Trader Joe's in Commack. Yellow Top Farms Produce is in Islandia, which isn't too far away from Brentwood, only a ten minute cab ride.

I can shop at Whole Foods Market once a month or shop locally. I can shop at WFM as a treat. I heard they're expensive, but worth going to!

[rawbeliever]

Killik,

Best wishes to you. We're all rooting for you!

--Robbie

[Coriander74]

The Whole Foods in Jericho is nearly 17 miles away from my house. Since I don't drive, it would be very expensive for me to get out there by cab. I know there's A Trader Joe's in Commack. Yellow Top Farms Produce is in Islandia, which isn't too far away from Brentwood, only a ten minute cab ride.

I can shop at Whole Foods Market once a month or shop locally. I can shop at WFM as a treat. I heard they're expensive, but worth going to!


I love love love Trader Joes. However the one that we have here doesn't have a huge selection of produce. Give them a call and see what they have before you make the trek out there.
I think it rawks that you're so willing to make these journeys for health :D

[Rawzula]

On Thursday, I'll throw out anything that isn't raw. It will not be easy for me to stay raw. Temptation to cheat is all around me. My roommate buys things that aren't raw and trys to get me into eating them. That's the reason why I couldn't stick to vegetarianism. I could NOT resist meat temptations. Now, I am at a point where I have to say to myself, "No, you can't have it." I'll drink freshly juiced juice as I work. I'd rather do that than to eat a nasty donut or drinking cow puke :eek:

[PDMagnusen]

That's great news, Killik. Welcome to the site!! :D

[Tirza]

Graciebeliever,
That was a fabulous post! Moving and encouraging! Thank you from me too!

Killik,
We're doing this together. I love what Graciebeliever said,

"I am and stay DEEPLY motivated and everyday whether good or bad, I hold the raw corse because I will NOT give up and go back to what I was before NO NO NO!! I'll take the physical, emotional, and spiritual detox, I will take eating less if I don't have the money, I will be thankful everyday for the things I do have and the things that I am gaining from eating and staying raw..

Expect bad days. embrace them, face them! Stay raw and build your energy and power to battle and win.. I know you can do it!"

The nice thing about having a budget is that you are forced into eating less calories, which we now know, is so much better for us as well as great for weight reduction!

Keep us up to date. You can be our newest inspiration! DON"T FORGET to take before and after pics! We'll be looking for them! We're counting on you now!

[swingbolder]

Hey Killik, welcome.

You might want to start a journal on this site. I found it to be a really great way to keep focused and motivated.

[MendhiGrl]

I have found that the longer I am focusing on raw, the less appealing cooked is. (I've had 100% weeks, I've had 50% weeks, but in my head, I'm raw.)

It sounds like your best friend isn't much of a friend if he/she doesn't support you and tells you that you'll always be fat as you try a new diet. Please don't turn to this person for support, find others who can truly support you. (Sometimes there are people in our life that need us to be and stay unhealthy for them to feel good (or better) about themselves.)

[Rawzula]

I'll put up my journal first thing Friday. I had one, but took it down twice because I felt that I couldn't commit to being 100% raw:eek:. But after reading Storm Talifero's The Garden Diet, I was hooked to raw and couldn't get it out of my mind.

I'm trying to put together a weekly shopping list that won't bust my budget. I can only spend $40 this week, so I can't go overboard. Any suggestions? :confused:

[English Tracy]

Well done Killik for making the decision that willl change your life!

I can't comment on what food to buy as I'm assuming you are in the US and I'm in England. I do know that you will get things cheaper than we can here.

I will probably feel confident enough to post my before and after photos in about 3 months. You should check out the pics of people on this site - there are some truly wonderful transformations.

Good Luck!

Tracy

[swingbolder]

I can only spend $40 this week, so I can't go overboard. Any suggestions?

Bananas, they're inexpensive and filling. If they're really ripe (lots of brown spots) their price is often reduced.

Make your own seed milks. Seeds are cheap and very nutrient-rich (including protein).

Greens.

You're on a budget, don't worry about organic for now unless you see a good deal. When I first went raw I never ate organic and still got great results.

Also, sprouting seeds are very cheap.

Buy fruit that's in season in bulk and then freeze it for smoothies.

Drink tons of water.

Have fun. :)

[Sharon in Colorado]

I'll put up my journal first thing Friday. I had one, but took it down twice because I felt that I couldn't commit to being 100% raw:eek:. But after reading Storm Talifero's The Garden Diet, I was hooked to raw and couldn't get it out of my mind.

I'm trying to put together a weekly shopping list that won't bust my budget. I can only spend $40 this week, so I can't go overboard. Any suggestions? :confused:

Killik you will want to buy filling food - bananas are very filling, very cheap and they are extremely nutritious. Look at other sweet fruits to fill you up.

vegetables, greens and nuts are also great. Nuts are more expensive though, so you might want to wait until you have more to spend.

Just eat until you are satisfied.

And do not worry about having to go to specialty stores or get organic produce right now. Look at what you were eating last week and compare that to a conventional fruit or vegetable, which do you think your body wants more?

Later on, you may want to make the extra treck or investment to "go organic" but don't let it impede or be an excuse to start your journey this very moment.

[Rawzula]

My supermarket's produce is expensive. I might try going to King Kullen (In Bay Shore, NY) or Trader Joe's.

I need to drink more water. I hardly drink any because I don't like the taste. It smells and tastes chlorinated. I might buy bottled water instead or buy a Brita water filter.

[codajess]

You have a child, too, don't you? A son, I think (forgive me if I'm wrong.) Think about your child, too, when you feel weak. You want to be healthy and make sure you're here for a LONG time. Good luck!

[Lay-Lay]

Howdy and welcome! Most people in my family are obese too. I am 5'3" and when I started 100% raw in late April I weighed 203 and now I am in the 160's. Raw is the way to go. It is not a diet, but a lifestyle. Some people lose right away while others take a while while their bodies heal from more important things. Don't be dishearten is you don't lose instantly, but you may. Do it for your health and overall well being! I look forward to your future post!

By the way I have a $40 grocery budget and I stay under that. It can be done. Here is my weekly grocery list:


(it varies week to week but its pretty much the same)
3 bundles of bananas
20 peaches (if on sale)
10 lb apples
10 lbs oranges
3 heads of romaine
3 avocados
1 pack of berries (if on sale)
Other fruit (if on sale)
2 celery
1 jalepeno
1 pack of limes or lemons
3 cucumbers

These are things I don't have to buy weekly but I keep in stock:
Flax seeds
sunflower seeds
almonds
tahinni
Olive oil
Chick peas
garlic
cayenne
Dates

[spicyfull]

Seeds are cheap and can be sprouted you can eat for as little as 55 cent a day. And have plenty to buy fruit...........

[Rawzula]

I've put up my journal AND took a before pic. I had to copy it from my own blog because I lost the installation CD for my dual-mode webcam:eek:. The only thing I've eaten so far today were two navel oranges. I have to wait until I get paid to do my food shopping.

I threw out all my cooked foods earlier today. The only cooked food in the house is what my SAD-eating roommate has. He's a hardcore meat-and-potatoes person. He will never go raw. He's not even interested in hearing about it. That's OK because I know that I'm doing my body a good service by not eating junk.

When I look at SAD foods, I wonder what I ever saw in eating them. Waaaaay too much sugar, hydrogenated oils, and names I can't even pronounce:eek:. Glad I got rid of them. Who wants to die an early SAD death? Not me!