First day for me too...

[angelia]

Hi, I'm Angelia!
I live in TN... not exactly a 'healthy friendly" state but I'm hoping I can make it through the first 30!

I ate all raw today... and feel like surely I'm going to gain weight because of
all the nuts I've ate!:(

and I did have a coffee this morning though... and a green tea this afternoon.
Is coffee cheating? I guess its roasted so not raw...

[StarFire]

Aloha and Welcome to RFT!!! Don't worry about coffee or other small things... do the best you can....and be patient with yourself. You are changing a LIFETIME of habits and patterns... and if you are doing the best you can... and making wise choices... then you are giving yourself a wonderful gift!!! AND THAT'S WHAT MATTERS!!!

You will do just fine... Plus you have this fantastic forum to come to when you have questions or need some support....

my best bit of advice.... get Alissa's book and her DVD... it will be the two most important tools you could ever have on this journey!

I't great to have you on board... RAWK on... and... enjoy the adventure!

blessings on your journey!!

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

[Frugal Raw]

Hey Neighbor!!!!! Welcome!!! I wish you the best of rawesome health!! I'm down by Johnson City in the Tri-Cities area:) Nice to know you!!!

[StarFire]

oh... btw... when I first went raw -- I followed the 30 day plan in Alissa's book -- cuz well... frankly - I had no idea what I was doing!! I kept thinking -- there is no way I am losing ANY weight... no way.... (I did not weigh myself for my first month raw).... all I did was concentrate on eating raw... there was so much food I couldn't eat it all!!! yowza!!

I ate as much as I wanted, I followed alissa's plan, I enjoyed myself, and the adventure of all the new foods and tastes... and didn't worry about my weight....

this was about my health... so I made a pact and a promise to myself. I would give my first 30 days my best effort - and just learn to eat raw healthy foods ... and not be concerned about the weight....

at the end of my first 30 days... I had lost 30 pounds following the plan in Alissa's book....:D

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

[angelia]

Thanks for the welcome and encouragement!

And its nice to see someone from TN!!!:)

[spicyfull]

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

[Frugal Raw]

Thanks for the welcome and encouragement!

And its nice to see someone from TN!!!:)

Nice to see someone in TN with similar interests!! I checked out your bellydance link - and you're fantastic:D. I studied with Z-Helene for a while in Austin, TX years ago - never got really great at it tho, as I am very sensitive to motion sickness and I could never master the spins. Now-a-days when I am not gardening, I do bellydance workouts and also have a few tapes that teach the choreography, but I doubt I could ever get good enough to do it professionally. Just a couple of spins and I am off-kilter and nauseas. I've tried the picking a focal point thing, and even that doesn't work. So, I enjoy watching others who can do it, and I enjoy the parts I am able to do at home when I'm not gardening. Beledi teaches grace, poise, and beauty - in all body shapes...it's also great for heightening one's self-esteem. I love it for that among many more reasons.

Anywho - welcome:)

[angelia]

Mattye,
Z-Helene is great! You had a good teacher! Bellydancing is so fun! And you don't have to do spins to make it a beautiful dance.
I've recently got into hoop dancing too... very good core workout!!

Are there any raw restaurants in the tri-cities?

Also your book looks like its got alot of Indian style recipes in it... and the pics look great... are these pics of food you made??? If so... WOW! I need to get your book!
Do you teach raw food classes?

[Frugal Raw]

Hey Angelia!

Z-Helene was a wonderful teacher:) I really enjoyed my time with her. So, you can leave out the spinning parts??? I've always thought those were obligatory and I'd have to learn them or fail...I don't???? That's GREAT news!!! What is hoop dancing?

Yes, I created all of the recipes in my book, and those are actual pics of the dishes as I made them. I haven't started teaching classes yet - I want to take my book to hard copy first. I feel like I need to expand on it before I do...just my own sense of perfection speaking there. BUT - in the meantime, I am open to friendly sharing with a neighbor and like mind;)

Oh - I also have a vegan kitchen blog with some sampler recipes on it. The link is on my frugal raw site, and if you like dolmas, there's a recipe over there that I adored creating!!

Sadly, there are no raw restaurants down here. There is one restaurant in Asheville, NC that has one or two raw meals on their menu. I like Cootie Brown's in Kingsport and in Johnson City for raw-friendliness. They are very veg-minded, and follow direction on modifications VERY well. Lots of lovely salads that can be added to there. What about up your way? Any raw-friendly places up there?

[angelia]

Hoop dancing is hoola hooping with dance and other cool hoop tricks!

I took a workshop from this lady last month... she's awesome
http://www.myspace.com/julahoop
I was so sore!! It really is a great core workout!

You can also find more info on http://hooping.org/
like tricks and how to make your own hoop.

Downtown knoxville has an organic restaurant called Tomato Head that has
tons of veg/vegan choices and they are very nice about any menu requests you have... lots of great salads!!

I couldn't find your raw kitchen blog link....

btw... checked your before and after pics,,,, amazing!!! You go girl!:D :D

[Frugal Raw]

I have two other blogs - one is of my progression: http://mattyeleesrawprogression.blogspot.com/

and one is my kitchen blog:
http://mattyeleesvegankitchen.blogspot.com/

also, I got your message about the e-book and sent it to the addy you requested:)

I'll check out those vidoes in a bit - running off to Wallyworld from some last minute garden necessities:D.

Thanks for the kudos on my pics:) You look dynamite already!