New Cali girl in need of some support

[wadawson]

Hello guys, my name is wanda and my boyfriend and I are about to start this raw food challenge tomorrow. I have read almost this entire board and you guys have a wealth of knowledge on raw foods. My boyfriend and I both need to lose about 120lbs each. I just ordered Boutenko's book as well as Alissa Cohen's on Amazon.com. I also purchased a book titled "The Top 100 Juices." I have gained over 60 pounds in two years and my health is starting to fail. I want to stop it before it turns into a disease. I will purchase some more fruits and vegetables in the morning but I will first start with smoothies. Any help you can give me would be appreciated.


Thanks,


Wanda

[EZ rider]

Hello wadawson, I have found that the way to make this raw journey happen is first to relax and enjoy it. Second keep it simple and easy and last just do it bite by bite, put one foot in front of the other and walk your journey one step at a time. If you fall get up and keep going because persistence wins.

[alicia_2007]

hello:) what I found really helped me when I first started raw was someone (not sure who or where I got this from) said that when starting raw just eat whatever raw food you want and in whatever quantity don't worry about counting calories or fat. I'm not sure if everyone will argree with that theory but when I first started I ate a lot of nut dishes and juices.. I think I ate a lot of chopped vegies with raw hummus... raw bread with almond butter and banana... anything goes. Slowly though I came to want more fruit and vegies. All the nuts made me feel a bit ill in the stomach at times. Now I drink green smoothies and don't eat so many nuts just because I feel better without them. When I do eat heavier foods like dehydrated foods or nuts I take enzymes to help me digest them. But I say anything that helps you transition and is raw go for it. In saying that I still don't worry about fat and calories and I've lost quite a good chunk of weight off my frame. I hope this helped in some way.. I think it's all about what works for you really. Good luck with your journey! Looking forward to seeing your posts in the forum!

[tonyacole]

Hi Wanda-

I lost 30 pounds going raw in 3 months, that was 2 years ago. I went from 155 lbs to now a maintained 110 lbs, a total of 45 lbs. I smoked for 18 years and was in terrible health. I made a decision that my health was more important than anything else. I still feel that way today. I have met many people transitioning and partly raw but never getting the full effects of the diet becasue they do not do it 100%.

Believe me when I say, there is HUGE freedoms in just doing it. Go 100% and stay at it. You will be happy in the long run if you do. I have travelled all over the USA and other countries and have stayed 100% raw. There is a freedom when your life no longer is foused on food.

A great book to also include in your library is Gabriel Cousens' book, Rainbown Green Live Food Cuisine. To better help maintain your diet is not to understand about losing weight but to understand more about food and how it effects your body. This is a really great book and I recommend it in my raw classes.

Good luck.

Tonya

[crystalmoon]

Hi there Wanda & a big welcome to you & your BF
I guess for me it is important to be kind to myself & not to get into the self hate self talk when Im not 100% raw ;)

[Weezo]

Welcome to the board! Best of luck in the raw journey to health!

[MrMike]

Hi, I'm new here as well, from cali too (bay area). Let me tell you that you will definately lose weight. I was already pretty skinny starting out at 5'7 145 lbs so I had no intentions of losing weight but I've still lost a lot and now I'm at 128lbs, after going about 50% in the last few months and 100% in the last two weeks. It's kind of scaring my family more then myself, because I feel good and eat whenever I feel hungry. I think once I start eating fruit again, I will start to gain some of it back.

best of luck to you and your boyfriend.

[aliciamatheson]

Welcome to raw food.

My advice is to make sure you eat alot (whatever it is!) We are all so used to food deprivation in relation to the word "diet" - if you are in the mood for bananas, eat 3! If you crave salad, make one for yourself in a bowl you would normally serve to a group. Eat until you feel satisfied. Never feel hungry!

Looking forward to hearing about your journey together (and how cool you are in it together)

Alicia

[lily]

Welcome to the board! Good to have you with us. Good luck with your raw journey.

lily

[GoingtoRAW]

WADAWSON,

I agree wholeheartedely with those who say EAT WHATEVER YOUR WANT AS LONG AS IT'S RAW!!:p When I first started out raw, because I didn't know any better, I left my home the first day with some fruits, veggies and nuts and some other raw foods as well. I thought I had a reasonable amount of food - it looked like more than I would have eaten on my old SAD diets. Well - I didn't bring enough food and I started feeling really sick BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT!!! That was something I wasn't used to. I e-mailed my friend who had turned me on to the raw lifestyle and I told her what was going on - she said "NEVER, EVER leave the house without food - and make sure you have enough food"! I took her advice and I always carry a bag with raw foods that I can eat anywhere with no fuss. It feels scary when I leave the house unprepared because when that hunger hits it hits hard. Now anytime I feel hungry, even if it's just a little pang, I will pop a few raw nuts, or a piece of fruit, or a small piece of a raw cracker or raw whatever into my mouth and I'm satisfied. I never, ever count anything, calories, grams, fats, carbs - nothing. If I'm hungry I eat until I'm satisfied. Some days I only feel like eating simple fruits and veggies and nuts. Other days I want more of the "processed" raw foods, like raw cakes or lasagna or ravioli. And I have that whenever I want. It all evens out for me and I still lose weight. If I had to count everything it would remind me too much of a SAD diet and all of the work that involves.:D

[wadawson]

Ok you guys I started off this morning with some cashews. Then I had a smoothie with bananas and strawberries. I just had a small salad and a banana. I am stuffed. Did I over do it since it is only 2:00pm? I will make a green smoothie tonight for dinner and add a green apple for some more flavor. You guys are so helpful. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH:D

[alicia_2007]

overdo it? no way! I don't believe in that word if i'm hungry I will eat till I feel satisfied which sometimes turns out to be when i'm really stuffed :D keep up the good work!

[maui_butterfly]

i gotta agree with everyone else. when i first went raw i just ate raw foods like a maniac. i think i actually ate FIVE avocados in one day, smothered in a tahini dressing! and i still lost weight.

the cool thing is now, about 3.5 months in, i no longer feel like eating so many fats/nuts/seeds, etc. or the huge quantities. it hasn't been conscious, i think i'm just more and more tapped in to what my body wants/needs.

have a love affair with food! don't limit yourself. i live in Hawaii, where organic produce can sometimes be ridiculously expensive. but i told myself "if i feel like eating raspberries and they are $9 a 1/2 pint, by god, i'm buying it". before i would never have allowed myself that kind of luxury, buying only what is on sale, etc. this helped me feel totally spoiled, instead of deprived.

now it seems i don't have to "spoil" myself, i can eat (and shop) more sensibly. but i did trade my 6x/week starbucks latte habit for a (similarly priced) 4x/week young coconut water habit. all to the good!

good luck to you guys, and welcome to the journey!

[spicyfull]

I wish you everything you need to Stay RAW........Welcome to MY World.

[StarFire]

Aloha and Welcome to RFT!!! I'm so glad you have joined us!

How wonderful that you are embarking on this journey with your sweetie! that's great -- you'll go on this adventure together - and be able to support each other! You'll have alot of fun trying out all the wonderful recipes in Alissas book!

and ... excellent that you are setting up a great foundation for yourselves by studying and reading some excellent books!

rawk on and enjoy the ride...

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s43/FireStar_830/welcome.gif