3 MONTHS!!! here is my comparison photo....

[catherinethegreat]

Today is my 3 month anniversary of 100% raw diet.

YAY!!!

I'm feeling great.

Today I weigh in at 136

My ideal would be another 10 pounds but I'm not going to worry about that.

Thanks to all of the people on this forum who have supported me on this journey. I could not have done this without you!!!!!!

I'm on a 6 month challenge so I'm half way there. I consider this a life change but love the forum and how the challenge keeps me motivated.

I feel 110% better then I did 3 short months ago. It's amazing. I wake up early without the alarm clock and get right out of bed and start my days alert and more alive then ever.
The changes since last monht or more spiritual in nature:
I'm feeling more grounded and less stressed out by things that used to just have me fly off the handle.
I'm taking things less personally
I'm feeling more responsibility for my own raw food life and lifestyle instead of believing whomever has longer time then I do on this path. Believing in my own intuition about what I may need to change.

I'm still 100% medication free and I have a hunch that my ulcer is 100% healed.

I'm still dealing with walking pnuemonia and some candida and the stiffness in the joints is still an issue. Feeling I'm on the right path to relieve all of these things. I have no idea if my hypo thyroid is still an issue - but my hunch is that it is all back to normal since my energy level seems to be so much better.

One of the biggest lessons I have learned is to have a cooler with me at all times no matter if I'm hungry or not - and have it stocked with avocados, bananas, lemons, walnuts, and any other goodies - plus silverware and a good knife - so that no matter where I am I can either add these things to a salad from a restaurant - or grab a snack if I feel hungry - or get triggered by the smell of cooked foods.

love
xoxox
*catherine

[Zuzu]

You look wonderful and truly an inspiration to us all.!

GOOD JOB. ;)

[Sweet lips]

Whew!!!!!, what a testament to raw - I just finish writing a comment to an article that wasn't so complimentary to raw and thank God, your post was just posted and what a positive testament.

I am very blessed by your progress and your discipline. You have dealt well with the things in life that used to throttle you. You have learned to Celebrate The beauty that you are inside out. You have stayed the course and I am proud for you!

You have learn to love without boasting and learned to love you so you could continue to love others.

Be blessed and thank you for your living message

Jacki

[Raw Jewelrylady]

:) Wow !!! Great job. You should be sooooo proud of yourself. :p You are an inspiration to all of us beginners. Thanks for posting !!!
Lana Q. :)

[Pailani]

Thanks for keeping us updated with the photos, you are an inspiration!

Why the lemon in your cooler? For instant salad dressing? You don't eat lemons, do you?

[sweetgoddess]

You look gorgeous Catherine and have done wonderfully on this path you chose for yourself. I am so happy for you about the results you have had.
Way to go!
xo
Carmel.

[DennisMB]

Go Girl! You look awesome!

[Rawkinlocs]

Beautiful Catherine and very inspiring! Keep up the great work!

[Punky]

You look fabulous, beautiful raw girl!
Way to go Catherine.
I will have to do the cooler idea; I think that will help me from
stumbling so much. Great tip!

[angelandarose]

Catherine Dear, you have the raw beauty glow! Congrats on your journey keep up the great work!!

Love,
Angie

[flutterfly]

Beautiful, just plain beautiful. Great job done.

[VeganVixen]

you go cali girl !!!!!!!!!!WOW too cool!!!!!!!

[Fuzzball]

Wow Catherine, I so want to be posting the same kind of photos of myself.

It's happening for me and you are just one of the inspirations I can point too.

Thanks for sharing!

[Cinnamon]

You look just wonderful Catherine, congratulations on your success! Keep on going, you are on the right path!

[catherinethegreat]

I just got home after a very wonderful day of photographing a wedding...and found all of your sweet responses to my photos and to my rawness.
THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

( and yes - the lemon is for instant dressing)

You are all inspiring to me as well! I am so glad you are all here - being honest and open with your lives and your journey

you are a blessing to me!

*c

[EmmaBlue]

hi Catherine,

Congrats on your accomplishment and wonderful health. You look so pretty, and what a great figure you have! Thanks for inspiring us all.

blessings,
emma

[rootstotoot]

Catherine You Look Great! Keep up the good work! You are an encouragement to all of us who want a healthier life style.
Rootstotoot :) :) :) :) :)

[rawpriestess]

Oh Catherine,

You look so radiant, inside and out.

What a wonderful glow there is about you.

Your aura is now a beautiful pinkish color, which is healing especially in the heart chakra.

blessings,
Christine/Rawpriestess

[RawTruth]

I love the progression that's so apparent in your photos! Your face started glowing in the second one and has just kept on getting clearer and brighter. Good work, Catherine. As I'm closing in on 3 months myself, you continue to be inspiring. I remember so clearly how you struggled at the beginning. What a difference now!

Yay!!

[fruitbat]

Hello wow you look so good your pictures are really encouraging me to eat cause you look great and really pretty and guess what when you told me your skin and nails are doing better since being raw i thought right im going to try and do it cause i hate the way my nails are and skin looks and i kept thinking of you and already my nails are long and strong and my acne is clearing a little and my skin feels softer too so thankyou youve inspired me alot im fighting the fat thoughts that i get and thinking well cathrines not fat she looks beautiful and im eating more now
well done and keep going i bet you get loadsa guys looking at you dont you :D
love Daniellexx

[rawruh]

Great pictures, great inspiration - you just keep getting more beautiful inside and out!!

i bet everyone must be asking your secret!

Good idea bout the cooler.

Look forward to seeing your progress after 6 months!

[Carolyn]

You look great, Catherine! Truly an inspiration to all of us! :)

[catherinethegreat]

woke up to find more amazing feedback this morning! You are all so nice!!!! :D

Thank you for the glowing reports. I often can't tell the difference once day to the next.

Rawpriestess: A pink Aura? That feels so soft. I love that you told me that. Must be why all of the changes I feel are more spiritual and around relationship right now.
Starting to feel more connected to everything and everyone again. It's been a long time since I really felt that and it feels incredible when I actually move into that space. The best is when I'm on a busy freeway and all of a sudden it's af if we are all linked and moving together in a huge ballet on the freeway....no I'm not on drugs! Just can sense the connection more. I would love for that experience to expand and become clearer in every moment.
I'm also seeing how my words hurt people and feeling how they actually hurt me when I am not loving.

Last night while I was reading all of your comments - Jerry was eating a marinated steak that he BBQ'd out back. And believe you me - I enjoyed the smell of it VERY much. I actually went over to the plate - picked it up - and smelled it close up. And my body said - yes - that smells like it would taste very very good. Then I put it down and made my favorite kale salad instead and enjoyed that and forgot about the steak. I have been noticing more feelings that I am deprived - so I think it may be time to read 12 steps to raw again to remind myself that cravings are normal because I'm addicted to cooked foods.

I hope you all have a wonderful raw day - without any food obsessions.

xo
*c

[kiwilime]

Wow Catherine, you look so awesome and I am so proud of you! Thanks for posting...it really helps me stay on track and believe in the benefits of raw living.

[jmo]

Yeah Catherine!! : )
You are truley an inspiration.

I can totally relate about the steak thing, but then I remember this quote on someones posts ( sorry I can't remember who's it is) but it say's:
"Nothing tastes as good as being raw feels" and even though I'm still at about 80-90% I truly beleive those words, and it keeps me motivated to keep going until I can get to 100.

great Job!!! : )

[VegGirl]

Catherine,

You look great. I've been adding raw and thought I had an ulcer. Lab tests came back negative for H. pylori bacterium, but there were problems with the tests (i had been on an acid reducer and antibiotics beforehand, yet my doc didn't know those could skew the results, DUH).

Anyhow, something that helped me is a natural product called Bye-Lori. It gets rid of the h.pylori. Within one day I was feeling better.

In case you ever feel the pain again, it's something you might try.

[kiwikid78]

WOW Catherine, You look phenomonal. Geeez, I can't believe the difference!

We've been doing this the same time, and I'm almost at the same weight as you now. i weighed in at 139 today from 160 lbs 3 months ago(can you believe that?! 21 lbs!!).

I have to post a before and after too.

Well done, you!! You must be absolutely stoked with yourself.

- M

[Pailani]

I have to post a before and after too.
- M

Well done on the 21 pounds! I'd love to see the before and after!

[Doe]

i weighed in at 139 today from 160 lbs 3 months ago(can you believe that?! 21 lbs!!).Way to go Kiwikid! Glad to see your posts today.

[catherinethegreat]

Kiwikid that's great!

You should post your own thread with photos so we can see!!!!

I only lost 5 pounds in 3 months.
But the change is pretty amazing.
I lost a lot of inches.
Went down 2-3 sizes
*c

[misslinda]

Cath and Kiwi !!!!!!!!

Both of you have inspiring journals and journeys that have kept me raw.

Just seemed like yesterday Cath that you threw up in the car--remember that???

Kiwi, 21 POUNDS????? WOW, CONGRATS AND YES --AFTER PICS!!! BTw, I got your pm months ago?? I will pm back--I go into hiding sometimes, from the world.


Luv ya two,
Linda :p :)

[catherinethegreat]

hi Misslinda - I miss you on the boards. You were the backbone here when I first started.

Thanks for the feedback!!!

xoxox
*catherine

[Helen Of Tennessee]

Hi Catherine,

I'm so happy for you that you are feeling sooooo much better!!!!! That's wonderful about your stomach ulcer. Also that you are medicine free!!!!

You look radiant!

May you see just as much improvement on your next 3 months!!!

<>< Helen of Tennessee

[blue_sky]

Wow Catherine, the change really is incredible!

You have turned back the clock so many years!

Reading your journal has been a big inspiration. It's so funny how much we have in common. I will have to PM you one of these days :D

Keep up the RAWsome work :)