New To Raw But Determined!

[Horselady73]

Hello, I was introduced to raw food a few months ago by actually just researshing a better way to eat and live. I was 360 pounds at the time and my weight coupled with my improper eating habits were causing a plethora of health issues that I had been trying my whole life to avoid! We had gone organic a few years back, but that obviously was not the answer in and of itself. One day while cruising the web I chanced upon a raw food site. I don't remember which one it was, but as odd as it may seem, it felt like my whole being was saying,"This is what I've been looking for. This is right for me."
I immediately began to change my eating habits, but living in Wichita, Ks, I found no support for what I was doing except for the internet. My kids complained and with running a home daycare, preparing eight different meals a day began to take it's toll. Soon it became easier just to eat whatever I had prepared for the kids. (I should mention that by this time I had already lost 50 Lbs. on the raw lifestyle. )
Slowly unhealthy heated food began working it's way back into my life and with it the weight and health problems. I talked with my husband and told him how upset I was about this and he took over. He went to the cabinets and literally threw out everything cooked and unhealthy. He built a separate cabinet for daycare food only and told our three kids that if thay wanted anything that did not comply with the raw lifestyle they could keep it in a container in their room, but there would be no more cooked food in our kitchen. We then went on a raw shopping spree and he ordered me the book, Living On Live Food. I haven't recieved it yet, but I am looking forward to it very much! I think it will really help with the lifestyle as a whole and not just the diet.
I wanted to join this group for much-needed support, so here I am!
Hope someone can identify.

[ab_raw]

Wow, first of all your husband is an amazing man for supporting you like this. I can so relate to eating what the kids eat and I used to finish all the food off their plates too! Yech!
I'm only on my 3rd day raw here, and feel like I have a permanent headache but I know that my body is detoxing and that better days are ahead. I have gone long periods of time with no refined or processed foods, but this is the first time I have also given up meat, dairy and cooked foods.
And yeah, my highest weight was over 300 lbs so I know what that is like.
Look forward to taking this journey with you!
Anita

[shashibala]

Hi and welcome!!! I have no one near me living raw.
I do have the support of my 21 year old daughter at home, but that' it.
Basically this forum is my support and kind of my new family. Everyone here has been so kind and supportive. I hope you will find it helpful, too!!!
Congratulations on your committment to living RAW!!!!

[Horselady73]

Wow! Thanks. It is so great to know I'm not alone in this. Support means a lot to me and it's great to find such a positive forum!
Thanks again!

[pamparred]

Welcome Horselady 73!

We are happy to have you join us. There are many on this list who have little or no support. Like you, my husband is supporting me in this lifestyle choice and it does make it easier. There is a thread under Raw and Living Food Discussions about morbidly obese raw foodists where we discuss some of the special issues concerning our particular problems. Feel free to join in and if there is anything we can do to help you on your journey, just ask. Everyone here is family and we will help if we can.

Happy journey! :)

[RawDrop]

I think your husband needs to have a chat with my partner. Mine isn't the issue of having to prepare foods for other people, it is the fact that I have horrible will power, and having cooked foods in the house are too much of a temptation for me. Saying that, I have been managing to be about 60-70% raw. Good smoothies in the morning, nice salads at lunch, and then another salad at dinner, with the occasional cooked item, SADly.

Wanted to say congrats on the weight you have released so far! And good luck on further success.

[spicyfull]

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

[lori ann]

Wow! Two things the support of your husband and your determination! You can and will do this! Welcome and good luck :)

[GlimR]

Welcome!!!:) I run a daycare too. It is a challenge dealing with "their" food and mine. You are very, very lucky to have such a supportive partner and congrats on the weight loss.....you know it can be done now! Wishing you the very best success~

[Horselady73]

You guys are so great! Your positive feedback and comments have helped me more than you know! I never expected this much support.

My detox is better today. Not so achy and a little less stuffy. I made a raw Carob Mousse yesterday out of avacdos(which my kids hate), and they loved it! I told them after they had tasted it what it was made from and they couldn't believe it! My husband and I had a good laugh and the kids begged me to make more. Looking forward to day five of my re-commitment to raw.

Again, thank you guys soooo much!

[aliciamatheson]

wow - give yourself a huge pat on the back for your weightloss - what an accomplishment in and of itself!

my experience with kids and raw food (even kids who are not mine), the more they are exposed to it, the more "normal" it becomes - if you don't make a big deal, they just accept. if they are older kids, they can understand your reasons for going raw for your health and your future.

anyway, happy to have you here!
alicia

[Radiantly Raw]

Wow, you have one awesome hubby!!!!:D Amazing!!!!

The book & dvd will truly help a lot. And you've got a handle on the kitchen now! Sounds like you are ready to go!!!

Best wishes!

[elikat37]

You are fortunate to have the support you do! I'm finding a lot of my family and friends think its "weird."

Anyway, I am slowly introducing my 10-year-old by offering her the "sweets" and "shakes" I've made...

Keep up the good work!


You guys are so great! Your positive feedback and comments have helped me more than you know! I never expected this much support.

My detox is better today. Not so achy and a little less stuffy. I made a raw Carob Mousse yesterday out of avacdos(which my kids hate), and they loved it! I told them after they had tasted it what it was made from and they couldn't believe it! My husband and I had a good laugh and the kids begged me to make more. Looking forward to day five of my re-commitment to raw.

Again, thank you guys soooo much!

[Aleesha Sattva]

wow, give your hubby a huge kiss from me!

i was 265 pounds (i think, never actually weighed myself to be honest) and now, 7 months later i'm 197! trust me, you'll get there... just stick with your raw-self and you'll be feeling fabulous in no time!!!!

i'm so darned proud of you!!!!!

[EZ rider]

running a home daycare, preparing eight different meals a day began to take it's toll. Soon it became easier just to eat whatever I had prepared for the kids. As an experiment sometime when you don't feel like cooking and want something easy just put out a variety of fresh fruits for the kids and yourself. Kids love fresh fruit. Most of my meals anymore are fresh fruits and I just love em. The raw food life style is as easy or as hard as you make it. Good luck.

[Radiantly Raw]

EZ Rider's post reminded of something I did before we went all raw. I have my 2 daughters, and I also watched 2 additional children in my home full time!

It's called a nibble tray! You take a muffin tin and fill each compartment with a different goodie! I used blueberries, raspberries, sunflower seeds, raisins, walnuts, "popcorn" celery- which just means it's chopped, clementine or orange segments, grapes, baby carrots, etc.

My girls loved it! The other two kiddies were a little too young to partake, it would have been a choking hazard for them, so be careful of course. But that's how I started getting these super healthy foods into my girls!

They were always good about foods though, preferring fruit to candy! EZ Rider's right, kids LOVE fruit. My nephew goes crazy when he comes over because there are so many fruit options to choose from, he loves it!!! They cannot get enough pineapple, nectarines, plums, grapes, and of course strawberries!

[StarFire]

Aloha and Welcome to RFT!! wow! what an amazing story! Your husband is a wonderful and caring man!

it will be great following your journey!!


blessings!!

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

[Aleesha Sattva]

so... how ya doin?

[Frugal Raw]

Welcome!!! I wish you the best of Rawesome health!!

[Horselady73]

I'm doing pretty good. Large family gatherings seem to be the most difficult for me. I don't want their food, but I feel alone even in a crowd.
Also, I have never experienced this before and to be honest I feel a little weird about it, but last night we had some friends over for dinner. They respect my new lifestyle, so they brought their own meat to cook. I made raw tacos so they brought ground turkey. As it was cooking, I thought I would help them out a little, but when I lifted the lid I started to gag! I was so embarrassed! I have been off meat for only two weeks now. Has anyone else had this happen to them? Why would the smell of meat cooking make me sick?

[jacsam]

I loved reading your introduction and have to applaud both you and your husband. Who knows that dear husband of yours may have even saved your life....you mentioned the weight and health problems. Oh, the carob mousse is really incredible. Another recipe that I've made lately is Ani Phyo's doughnut holes, they really are yummy......I wouldn't really say they taste like doughnut holes but they are round like them. I have found that most raw food that is called something after a cooked food really doesn't really taste like the cooked version and yet it is still really good. You just can't have in your mind that raw burgers are going to taste like cooked beef burgers. I can tell that your going to do great and what a wonderful thing for the health of your entire family....even if thy chose to eat other things on the side or outside the home, they will still be getting sooo much more fresh, healthy food than they would have before. I can't see you doing anything but succeed!!!!

[Horselady73]

Hey! Thanks guys for all your great ideas. The nibble tray works great! If anyone has insights on how to handle large family SAD gatherings, I would love to hear it.

[Radiantly Raw]

Glad the nibble tray is working well! We love it!!!

The only thing that has worked for our large family gatherings is bringing a tray or two of our own foods. I'm usually worn out from preparing them though. But we have to make sure we have some variety & there's enough for others to taste as well. That works for stand around type gatherings, where folks are doing dips & finger foods. It's tougher with sit down dinners. We haven't figured out how to navigate that as well. A large salad on a plate while everyone else has rich cooked foods makes my group feel a little sad & left out, missing the days of eating those foods. I want those dinners to be happy & joyful, focusing on the extended family, and less sadness about the food. But after 7 months, it still happens. I hope you get some great suggestions though.