Florence
05-04-2008, 07:17 PM
Hello everyone ~ I'm a relative newbie and so excited to have found this board! In my quest for raw info, Alissa's site was one of the most inspiring I found. Her spirit and passion seemed to shine through, and I really resonated with her philosophy after reading the book and watching the DVD. I usually avoid boards and blogs as they are generally confusing and overwhelming, but this feels so right...kind of like home. :D
And I realize how important support is in this, especially when no one in your world seems to be doing it or understands what you're doing!
As for my basic info...I'm 47, mom of two children, grandma of four, divorced for almost two years, working away in corporate america doing corporate communications, and searching for my purpose. This is primarily a spiritual journey for me. The one thing Alissa said that struck me more than anything was, "Raw food will change your life!" That's what I'm shooting for--shedding the old me on all levels and finding my path. It's a work in progress right now.
I've been primarily vegetarian for years and became vegan after a spiritual seminar last October (Doreen Virtue workshop). I felt such a shift while l ate raw/vegan that week. I felt like I was alive. I heard Doreen had "become raw" (whatever that meant) and had lost weight. But it was more than that. I had seen her several times in the past, but this time, she just seemed to radiate. While not forcing us to eat that way, she encouraged us to try it for the week of our seminar, that it would help us be a bit more in tune with our spiritual selves. I did, and I felt it.
When I came home, I wanted to continue that feeling. I turned to vegan and lived on tofu this and that. I had a history of hypoglycemia and Type II diabetes, and wanted to make sure I had my protein. Truth is, I felt blah, didn't lose any weight, and didn't feel that alive-ness. What was the difference?
I started researching raw and couldn't get it out of my head that it was the way to go for me; it was what I needed to do. It seemed so 'out there' at the time. How could I live on bean sprouts, fruits and veggies?! What about protein? What about all my business meals? What about fun times with friends? But it kept calling me. Thus began my search.
I went to Maui in February with friends and while there, alone on a rock with the ocean surf pounding against it, had what can only be termed a God-moment, when I tearfully begged for guidance to lose this 100 pounds or so of weight once and for all, so I could begin living life. Suddenly, I had a vision of me standing before an audience, a picture of radiant health, talking about the raw food lifestyle, with a poster-sized before and after photo of me. Crazy? Maybe. But it fueled my passion.
So, I returned home with something I didn't have before--hope. I researched like mad, met with a well-known raw/living food nutritionist in Boulder and was completely inspired. I ordered books, checked out websites, spent a small fortune on every raw appliance, ordered products, and completely restocked my kitchen with multiple trips to Whole Foods. Alissa's book was so wonderful and easy to understand and follow and, being a visual person, watching her DVD sold me completely.
I started last month, April 1, committing to 100% raw lifestyle. I did it for the entire month. I was amazed at the lack of cravings and how delicious the food is, but I was down about the weakness, exhaustion, week-long diarrea, muscle soreness and the fact that I slept through two alarm clocks blasting in my ear for 1-2 hours each morning. I was sleeping that hard. I ordered Alissa's green powder and that made a huge difference in energy levels during the day. I was still exhausted at night. I got my period three times in four weeks (how is that even possible?), with this last one being a doozie, physically and emotionally. Thirty-year old emotional baggage, that I'd long forgotten about, came up for me to deal with. Wow!
I weighed and measured at the end of the month and was quasi-depressed because I had only lost 8 pounds, after hearing about people that had weight melt off them, losing 20-25 pounds the first month. I was (temporarily) down because I didn't. However, I did lose 7.2% body fat and 12.4 total overall inches! I wore a suit on Thursday that's been in my closet for over 2 years, with the tags still hanging on it! Everything feels looser on me. The energy is finally starting to kick in. I had one slip-up the night I weighed myself, in the throes of my third bout of PMS. But I'm picking myself up by my bootstraps, a little more humbled that it can happen. I guess everyone detoxes at different rates, but I know this is the way to go for me.
I've been keeping a daily journal, which I'd like to eventually turn into a blog...once I figure out how to create one. :p I think there's a lot to be said for accountability. And, one day, I'd like to be an inspiration to others like the ones who have helped inspire me.
Well, I'm sure this is way too long for an introduction! Did I mention I'm a writer in communications? ;)
I'm bummed that I just missed the May Challenge, but I'll be doing it alongside you all. And, count me in for June, now that I know it exists! I'm planning on taking Alissa's certification class with a friend in the fall; I know it's for me.
Wishing each of you great success on your journey.
With great-ful gratitude,
Florence
And I realize how important support is in this, especially when no one in your world seems to be doing it or understands what you're doing!
As for my basic info...I'm 47, mom of two children, grandma of four, divorced for almost two years, working away in corporate america doing corporate communications, and searching for my purpose. This is primarily a spiritual journey for me. The one thing Alissa said that struck me more than anything was, "Raw food will change your life!" That's what I'm shooting for--shedding the old me on all levels and finding my path. It's a work in progress right now.
I've been primarily vegetarian for years and became vegan after a spiritual seminar last October (Doreen Virtue workshop). I felt such a shift while l ate raw/vegan that week. I felt like I was alive. I heard Doreen had "become raw" (whatever that meant) and had lost weight. But it was more than that. I had seen her several times in the past, but this time, she just seemed to radiate. While not forcing us to eat that way, she encouraged us to try it for the week of our seminar, that it would help us be a bit more in tune with our spiritual selves. I did, and I felt it.
When I came home, I wanted to continue that feeling. I turned to vegan and lived on tofu this and that. I had a history of hypoglycemia and Type II diabetes, and wanted to make sure I had my protein. Truth is, I felt blah, didn't lose any weight, and didn't feel that alive-ness. What was the difference?
I started researching raw and couldn't get it out of my head that it was the way to go for me; it was what I needed to do. It seemed so 'out there' at the time. How could I live on bean sprouts, fruits and veggies?! What about protein? What about all my business meals? What about fun times with friends? But it kept calling me. Thus began my search.
I went to Maui in February with friends and while there, alone on a rock with the ocean surf pounding against it, had what can only be termed a God-moment, when I tearfully begged for guidance to lose this 100 pounds or so of weight once and for all, so I could begin living life. Suddenly, I had a vision of me standing before an audience, a picture of radiant health, talking about the raw food lifestyle, with a poster-sized before and after photo of me. Crazy? Maybe. But it fueled my passion.
So, I returned home with something I didn't have before--hope. I researched like mad, met with a well-known raw/living food nutritionist in Boulder and was completely inspired. I ordered books, checked out websites, spent a small fortune on every raw appliance, ordered products, and completely restocked my kitchen with multiple trips to Whole Foods. Alissa's book was so wonderful and easy to understand and follow and, being a visual person, watching her DVD sold me completely.
I started last month, April 1, committing to 100% raw lifestyle. I did it for the entire month. I was amazed at the lack of cravings and how delicious the food is, but I was down about the weakness, exhaustion, week-long diarrea, muscle soreness and the fact that I slept through two alarm clocks blasting in my ear for 1-2 hours each morning. I was sleeping that hard. I ordered Alissa's green powder and that made a huge difference in energy levels during the day. I was still exhausted at night. I got my period three times in four weeks (how is that even possible?), with this last one being a doozie, physically and emotionally. Thirty-year old emotional baggage, that I'd long forgotten about, came up for me to deal with. Wow!
I weighed and measured at the end of the month and was quasi-depressed because I had only lost 8 pounds, after hearing about people that had weight melt off them, losing 20-25 pounds the first month. I was (temporarily) down because I didn't. However, I did lose 7.2% body fat and 12.4 total overall inches! I wore a suit on Thursday that's been in my closet for over 2 years, with the tags still hanging on it! Everything feels looser on me. The energy is finally starting to kick in. I had one slip-up the night I weighed myself, in the throes of my third bout of PMS. But I'm picking myself up by my bootstraps, a little more humbled that it can happen. I guess everyone detoxes at different rates, but I know this is the way to go for me.
I've been keeping a daily journal, which I'd like to eventually turn into a blog...once I figure out how to create one. :p I think there's a lot to be said for accountability. And, one day, I'd like to be an inspiration to others like the ones who have helped inspire me.
Well, I'm sure this is way too long for an introduction! Did I mention I'm a writer in communications? ;)
I'm bummed that I just missed the May Challenge, but I'll be doing it alongside you all. And, count me in for June, now that I know it exists! I'm planning on taking Alissa's certification class with a friend in the fall; I know it's for me.
Wishing each of you great success on your journey.
With great-ful gratitude,
Florence