simply_michelle
06-08-2007, 09:31 AM
Good morning everyone.
I have been reading around this forum this morning and, seeing that it is very active, decided to join.
I have been doing extensive research on raw eating for several months now. I turned 36 this year and am just so tired of the ups and downs, of being unhealthy, of feeling out of control. I am tired of watching my 9 year old son eating out of boredom and making the wrong food choices to boot. Doing this from watching me of course. My daughter is not so bad, but my son I worry about. (they are twins).
I have struggled with weight issues my whole life. My family all the way back has been overweight. During my teens and early 20's I struggled with Bulimia very badly. So bad in fact that I finally had myself hospitalized for several months just to save myself. I do from time to time still purge, but usually only if i am so stuffed I cannot take it. I do still have issues with bingeing.
My weight fluctuates like CRAZY because of this. My normal range is 140-160 which I am happy with. Although lower would be nice. But for my height and build I am good there. Well, the last 4 years of my marriage (which ended 2 years ago thank GOD) were very depressing. My ex completely abandoned me emotionally, physically, sexually, you name it. He slept on the couch the last 2 years and had affair after affair. On top of that, the company I worked for closed and my future retirement, etc, went along with it. I fell into a deep depression made worse by my ex sucking the last ounce of self esteem out of me. my weight ballooned to a crazy 290!! I could not believe it. I still cannot. I have lost over 50 pounds of that since he left. But am still far from my goal .I had actually gotten down to 199 by restricting too much (old habits) but gained some back.
My boyfriend of the last year is wonderful. He loves me as I am and says my curves are beautiful. BUT, I know I want to be healthier and back to my goal weight. And he too wants to eat healthier and we want to have a healthy family, our children included.
So, I began researching raw because I am tired of my weight going up and down, I am tired of how awful I feel, so tired all the time, my body aches, etc... and I still struggle with depression very badly sometimes. (even though my life could not be going better! what is up with that?) Everything else in my life is going as it should be. I have a wonderful boyfriend, I have great kids, I am finishing my degree in education and love working with children. I am very active in my church, something I have always wanted to be, I am singing again, teach Sunday School, teach children's church. My boyfriend supports my goals 150%. I am starting to get back on my feet financially after ending my marriage. I am finally putting God first. I feel this eating is one of the last things I need to get right here to have everything be in line.
I don't want to count calories anymore, I don't want to be a slave to food anymore. I love to exercise and want to do it on a daily basis again. I want to cleanse my body of YEARS of abuse and have a clean slate. I don't really take any medications ex birth control and a fluid pill because the birth control causes me major water retention. I want to get off of the fluid pill because I hate taking it and really, I am not a big fan of taking the birth control either. I never took it until last year. But, having children right now is not the right thing so I take it. I am hoping once my boyfriend and I are married (hopefully next year) that I can come off of the birth control for good.
I want to set a good example for my children. I want them to be their best and not eat mindlessly. I know with them it has to be slow changes, and I am currently reading up on how I can move them into a raw lifestyle. I will probably pop over to that forum as well with questions about them.
Anyway, after my research my plan is this. I want to do a one week juice cleansing detox followed by one week of incorporating in fruits and vegetables and lastly beginning in week 3 start adding in the whole grains, nuts, and other organic raw foods out there that are available. During the detox,and maybe beyond, I also have a tea I want to use. I have tried it and it tastes really good either hot or cold. It is called herbal slimming tea, a detox tea. The ingredients are as follows: senna leaves, malva leaves, panax ginseng, stevia leaves, natural orange flavoring, benzyl benzoate. You have one cup of tea with breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I am so new to this I am not sure what these ingredients are. I plan to look them up, but any experts can chime in too.
I am hoping to use this forum as my daily journal. I hope that is ok. I look forward to the daily support because i SOOOOO desperately need that. I hope you guys you will stick with me on my journey to a raw diet and healthier me. And my journey to bring my family with me.
Thanks for reading.
I have been reading around this forum this morning and, seeing that it is very active, decided to join.
I have been doing extensive research on raw eating for several months now. I turned 36 this year and am just so tired of the ups and downs, of being unhealthy, of feeling out of control. I am tired of watching my 9 year old son eating out of boredom and making the wrong food choices to boot. Doing this from watching me of course. My daughter is not so bad, but my son I worry about. (they are twins).
I have struggled with weight issues my whole life. My family all the way back has been overweight. During my teens and early 20's I struggled with Bulimia very badly. So bad in fact that I finally had myself hospitalized for several months just to save myself. I do from time to time still purge, but usually only if i am so stuffed I cannot take it. I do still have issues with bingeing.
My weight fluctuates like CRAZY because of this. My normal range is 140-160 which I am happy with. Although lower would be nice. But for my height and build I am good there. Well, the last 4 years of my marriage (which ended 2 years ago thank GOD) were very depressing. My ex completely abandoned me emotionally, physically, sexually, you name it. He slept on the couch the last 2 years and had affair after affair. On top of that, the company I worked for closed and my future retirement, etc, went along with it. I fell into a deep depression made worse by my ex sucking the last ounce of self esteem out of me. my weight ballooned to a crazy 290!! I could not believe it. I still cannot. I have lost over 50 pounds of that since he left. But am still far from my goal .I had actually gotten down to 199 by restricting too much (old habits) but gained some back.
My boyfriend of the last year is wonderful. He loves me as I am and says my curves are beautiful. BUT, I know I want to be healthier and back to my goal weight. And he too wants to eat healthier and we want to have a healthy family, our children included.
So, I began researching raw because I am tired of my weight going up and down, I am tired of how awful I feel, so tired all the time, my body aches, etc... and I still struggle with depression very badly sometimes. (even though my life could not be going better! what is up with that?) Everything else in my life is going as it should be. I have a wonderful boyfriend, I have great kids, I am finishing my degree in education and love working with children. I am very active in my church, something I have always wanted to be, I am singing again, teach Sunday School, teach children's church. My boyfriend supports my goals 150%. I am starting to get back on my feet financially after ending my marriage. I am finally putting God first. I feel this eating is one of the last things I need to get right here to have everything be in line.
I don't want to count calories anymore, I don't want to be a slave to food anymore. I love to exercise and want to do it on a daily basis again. I want to cleanse my body of YEARS of abuse and have a clean slate. I don't really take any medications ex birth control and a fluid pill because the birth control causes me major water retention. I want to get off of the fluid pill because I hate taking it and really, I am not a big fan of taking the birth control either. I never took it until last year. But, having children right now is not the right thing so I take it. I am hoping once my boyfriend and I are married (hopefully next year) that I can come off of the birth control for good.
I want to set a good example for my children. I want them to be their best and not eat mindlessly. I know with them it has to be slow changes, and I am currently reading up on how I can move them into a raw lifestyle. I will probably pop over to that forum as well with questions about them.
Anyway, after my research my plan is this. I want to do a one week juice cleansing detox followed by one week of incorporating in fruits and vegetables and lastly beginning in week 3 start adding in the whole grains, nuts, and other organic raw foods out there that are available. During the detox,and maybe beyond, I also have a tea I want to use. I have tried it and it tastes really good either hot or cold. It is called herbal slimming tea, a detox tea. The ingredients are as follows: senna leaves, malva leaves, panax ginseng, stevia leaves, natural orange flavoring, benzyl benzoate. You have one cup of tea with breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I am so new to this I am not sure what these ingredients are. I plan to look them up, but any experts can chime in too.
I am hoping to use this forum as my daily journal. I hope that is ok. I look forward to the daily support because i SOOOOO desperately need that. I hope you guys you will stick with me on my journey to a raw diet and healthier me. And my journey to bring my family with me.
Thanks for reading.