1 year raw anniversary!

[rubyhair]

Sorry the pictures are kind of choppy. The original size was huge!
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m98/rubyisapunk/1yearrawcomparison.jpg
I have to say, I don't recognize the person in the before pictures. I feel sick looking at them. I do not relate to that person at all. So much has changed for me in this one year. I can't see living any other way now. Being a raw vegan is a complete lifestyle for me, and I am happy to see that I have inspired others around me. I haven't been on this board in a while as I haven't spent much time on the computer in the past few months. I absolutly had to share my photos though. I am amazed by the transformation I've seen in myself, and as I said, I don't even recognize the person in the befores. I have had a complete spirtual, emotional and physical transformation, my vibrations are higher than they have ever been. I have found joy in my life and am finally following it. It's a beautiful thing.
And as far as the physical transformation, I shed 43 pounds and 52 1/2 inches off of my body. I would like to shed another 30 pounds, but I am very happy to see how far I've gotten in one year.

[ArcturusXIV]

Whoa, BIG difference. Nice!

[Aleesha Sattva]

what a gorgeous transformation you've been through. i celebrated my one year raw anniversary in august and i too cannot even resonate with the person i was before. congrats to you!!!

[Pking]

Way to go! You have an awesome glow about you also. Beautiful!

[Lady Green Jeans]

Thank you for posting these. You look like a glowing picture of health! What a wonderful transformtion. You look even more beautiful now.

[Raw Angel Mom]

Congratulations!

Way to go and you do look so beautiful and healthy.

[Jenifae]

WOW! Congratulations!

That is so Amazing and you Look Amazing!

You Rawk!

[Elena Ruj]

You look amazing. I'm so happy for you and I don't even know you.
It's not just about loosing weight, it's also about gaining a new life, right? Although, being skinny helps a LOT. Congratulations!
If you will post more details (height, weight -before, menu, a list of changes, skin tone improving, plateaus,...), please let us know - it is always welcome to know what others were going through the first year.

[spicyfull]

WOW.....You Look RAWmazing. CONGRATULATIONS on such a RAW Success. And the Story Continues.........

[shashibala]

Congratulations! What a beautiful transformation! I will celebrate one year raw in December. I look at my old photos and wonder how I could have looked like that. It's so nice to have the outside reflect our true selves instead of being hidden behind a disguise. You have done so well! Keep on rawkin'!!!!!

[ViolinCyndee]

AMAZING transformation!!!! But.. don't think you really need to lose 30 more. You look great!

[Aasyah]

That is so awesome, the results are sooooooooooo amazing. You look fantastic!!!:D

[trinity082482]

wow great job!!

[rawstrength]

Hurray! You look terrific! And more importantly, you feel really good, too.

[rubyhair]

thanks so much everyone! :D


You look amazing. I'm so happy for you and I don't even know you.
It's not just about loosing weight, it's also about gaining a new life, right? Although, being skinny helps a LOT. Congratulations!
If you will post more details (height, weight -before, menu, a list of changes, skin tone improving, plateaus,...), please let us know - it is always welcome to know what others were going through the first year.


I'm 5'8", I started at 223 and I'm down to 180. In the first 3 months without working out, so just changing my diet I lost 30 pounds right away. I was at a plateau then for, I think it was 7 months or so, then I finally broke through that and lost the other 13 pounds. I started exercising pretty regulary. So I am at 180 currently, and my goal is 150. I am at my lowest weight i've ever been that I can remember so I don't know if 150 is reasonable for me or not. It is in my healthy weight range for my height though.

As far as other changes, my skin cleared up and seems to "glow", it's so soft, my eyes are so white and clear! I'm a natural redhead and before raw my hair had gotten really ashy colored and it wasn't shiny, but now my red color is back and it's very shiny and has grown very fast! Something funny that I noticed, I have cuticles now! That sounds crazy, but for years I didnt have cuticles, and if I did, you couldn't see them, now I can see them. My digestion improved dramatically, as I had always had problems with that. My mind cleared within the week of going raw. I had been having so much trouble concentrating and just have clear thoughts in general. Also I had lost my train of thought quite frequently. It was almost like a veil was lifted off of me and I could think clearly, my energy level was way up, and my spirtuality blossomed very rapidly.

As far as what I ate, I ate whatever I was craving, and I still do. I find my body knows what it needs and now I actually listen to it. I never got into the complex foods/meals and dehydrated foods. Although I enjoy them every once in a while, they tend to feel like bricks sitting in my stomach. I seem to switch between lots and lots of greens to lots and lots of sweet fruits. So whatever I'm craving. I have noticed that my portion sizes changed dramatically. I eat probably 1/4 or 1/3 of what I was eating.

Also, I have experienced a huge shift in consciousness. I am way more conscious of how I treat others and the enviroment. As well as what products I use in my house, on my body, in my garden, etc.

That's all I can think of right now. Anything else you'd like to know, please don't be afraid to ask.

[rubyhair]

AMAZING transformation!!!! But.. don't think you really need to lose 30 more. You look great!

Thanks so much. I am at 180 though and would like to get down to 150. I feel that is reasonble, however I don't know what that would look like on someone with my frame.

[curlygirl82]

Wow, thanks so much for posting this!!! I was feeling kinda down today, 'cos the weight I'd lost on raw is starting to come back a bit this week. It's just what I need to see a great transformation like yours to get me inspired anew, to reaffirm that I really am doing the best thing for my body. Plus, I'm 5'8" like you, and so it's cool to see a similar frame as mine.

I'd love to hear more about your emotional/lifestyle transformation, as this is what's been the biggest change for me so far (I'm at 3 months raw). Did you change jobs? Did you find that you went through ups and downs, still, or were just "high" all the time on raw? Did you change your friends/hobbies/music/etc? 'cos I"m finding I want to change all those things since going raw. It's not just me, is it?

Nice work, lady!! You're an inspiration, and I hope you're very pleased with yourself!

[Figgy]

You look WONDERFUL!

Figgy

[rubyhair]

Wow, thanks so much for posting this!!! I was feeling kinda down today, 'cos the weight I'd lost on raw is starting to come back a bit this week. It's just what I need to see a great transformation like yours to get me inspired anew, to reaffirm that I really am doing the best thing for my body. Plus, I'm 5'8" like you, and so it's cool to see a similar frame as mine.

I'd love to hear more about your emotional/lifestyle transformation, as this is what's been the biggest change for me so far (I'm at 3 months raw). Did you change jobs? Did you find that you went through ups and downs, still, or were just "high" all the time on raw? Did you change your friends/hobbies/music/etc? 'cos I"m finding I want to change all those things since going raw. It's not just me, is it?

Nice work, lady!! You're an inspiration, and I hope you're very pleased with yourself!

My emotional and lifestyle changes were/are huge. I did change jobs. I am a hairstylist and am still doing hair however I found a small salon near my house. I can walk there everyday (instead of driving 30 mins one way) and it's very laid back instead of cutthroat.
I definatly went through ups and downs. As I released the weight, I released old stored emotions. It was definatly a rollercoaster. Your body stores emotions/intentions, and different areas of your life relate to different parts of your body. I learned so much on this by studying the chakras and energy centers in the body. Of course this opened up even more curiosity in me and I had reiki done for healing and balancing. (It's amazing!!) I eventually took the classes to learn it myself. I am a level II reiki practitioner. I found great joy in this and it's something I didn't know I had in me. I feel it is a huge part of my life's purpose, to send love and healing to others.
When I went raw, my old friends seemed to dissapear, we saw less and less of each other. It was hugely in part that I had stopped drinking as well. I found people didn't invite me out to eat as well. It seemed they felt guilty, either about what they were eating or eating in front of me, or that I wouldn't find something to eat. However, this is not the truth. I am happy just spending time with those people and have no problem just having water or just raw veggies when I go with them. People around me (except my fiance) don't seem to get that I do get satisfaction and fullness from eating just raw veggies/fruit. They seem to feel that I am going to be so hungry and that i'm starving or something. It's an odd perception. Also, my life is not centered around food anymore as it use to be. Growing up my family always celebrated with food. I think it's the whole pleasure thing. Food brings temporary pleasure, however I have found it does not bring joy. I have found joy in my life in many different areas and found and refound things that bring me tremendous joy and happiness. I have never felt so much overwhelming happiness in my life as I have in the past few months. It's a beautiful thing, it spills out of me and people look at me like i'm crazy because I get a huge smile on my face for nothing, and it's just not possible to get mad or angry or frustrated when you have so much joy/love spilling forth from you. No, I am not perfect, yes I still get mad, but I have been able to calm myself and release those emotions pretty immediatly and look at why I got mad and what I can do differently next time or what I didn't do. I work a lot with my angels, archangels, spirit guides, and ascended masters day to day to help me keep my thoughts positive and filled with love.
As far as hobbies goes, I really didn't have much of a life before I went raw, I would shop, eat, sleep, and that's about it, oh and watch tv. It was a sad state of life, not really living. Now I remember how much joy I got/get from being outside and being active. When I was so overweight it took so much effort to be active, and it made me very tired very quickly. Needless to say, I was very grumpy. I remembered how much I love to learn as well, and then teach others what I learned. I took up reading again, as much as possible!, and taking classes, I learned reiki, I meditate now as well. I actually started running! I hadn't run since school because they made me do it! And I had the thought that I was overweight and running was something that skinny/fit people did. But I bought a pair of great shoes at a running shoe store, I found a great plan online (couch to 5k program) and I took it up. It is a great meditation time, it really clears my head and it's so great to be outside.
I also found a huge shift in music/media that I take in. I am way more sensitive now to violence and gore and things like that. I cannot watch it, and really, I dont want to. Why take in that negative energy? I use to listen to punk/hard rock music, now I find myself listening to (hmm...how do i describe this?) new age/meditation type music. I really enjoy music that doesn't have vocals, and is very calming. Of course when i'm running/working out hard I still listen to rock/faster music. But I like music that is more uplifting now, without the negative lyrics. The power of words/thought are huge, and if you're singing along with a song thats negative, even if you don't mean those negative words to yourself or others, I find it still brings you down.
I've been working really hard lately about keeping the things I say/think very positive and uplifting, because what you think/say manifests into reality. You really do have a hand at creating your reality. Perception of things change very easily with words that you use to describe them. Even if you don't believe positive things about yourself/body, think them and say them daily. Practice affirmations, create a positive mantra and repeat them daily and throughout the day. It makes a huge impact and eventualy, if not immediatly, you'll see those things start to come true. I created a mantra for myself to repeat maybe 6 months ago, I say it throughout the day, especially if i'm not feeling good about myself. "Happy, Healthy, Strong" It helps me keep in the right frame of mind.

ok sorry that was a reeeeaalllllly long post/reply, but hopefully that helps you catch a glimpse of how I have transformed

[RawHeaven]

Thank you for sharing your beautiful transformation. One thing you said has resonated with me about not even recognizing the person you were in the before photos. I felt the same way. It is a bit surreal isn't it? You are gorgeous and glowing. Thank you again for sharing your raw success. :)

[rubyhair]

Thank you for sharing your beautiful transformation. One thing you said has resonated with me about not even recognizing the person you were in the before photos. I felt the same way. It is a bit surreal isn't it? You are gorgeous and glowing. Thank you again for sharing your raw success. :)

thank you. it is very sureal and very hard to believe that that was really me at one point in time. i think it's because i always felt better about myself inside and what i saw outside didnt match. now im starting to match my outside with how i feel about myself inside. although my perception of myself inside has been boosted way way up since i went raw.

[RawHeaven]

thank you. it is very sureal and very hard to believe that that was really me at one point in time. i think it's because i always felt better about myself inside and what i saw outside didnt match. now im starting to match my outside with how i feel about myself inside. although my perception of myself inside has been boosted way way up since i went raw.

This is a wonderful way of putting it. I had a very similar experience in terms of blending my perceptions of myself with reality. I think I've surpassed what I even thought was possible. I know exactly what you mean. I hope you continue to feel great!

[curlygirl82]

Ruby, this is just so inspiring to me!! Thanks for sharing so much about your personal transformation. I didn't find it too long, at all! It's just really cool because I'm feeling the inklings or at the beginning stages of almost everything you've mentioned! I know it's been triggered by raw. Really fascinating to me how that's happening - how our very tastes, interests are shaped by what we eat. Amazing. Really cool and fascinating to hear this validated by someone who's been through it.

Keep up the great work!! And you'll have to post your 2-year raw -- wow, just imagine where you'll be by then! You'll be a superhero!

[jacsam]

Thanks for sharing your wonderful success with us.....raw has definately been good to you.

[Morn]

Congratulations! You look awesome! I am so happy for you!

[Eva]

What a wonderful testimony!!!! Thanks so much for sharing! You look like a totally new person!

[MelissaO]

Wow big difference. Your after pictures look so alive, you look very healthy and very happy.

Great job - true inspiration to see what a year can do.

[Moretta]

You look great and thanks for sharing your story.

[HolyGuacamole]

You were already beautiful. Now you're RAW beautiful; it's a whole different thing.
Sweet.

[100percent]

You look FABULOUS!!!!! RAWK ON!!!!!

[gritsnla]

What a great transformation!! Not just physically, but of your whole person. Loved reading about all your "growth". Along time ago my kids went to VBS and learned "bad things in, bad things out". It really is true. Keep on growing in your "new" self.

[LivingRawGirl]

Wow! You look great. I am so very happy for you.

[bsqmurphy]

Thank you so much for sharing your story. I really appreciate all of the details you shared. I am feeling very inspired & motivated reading your posts.

I have a few questions if it's OK. I'm really interested in the energy/chakra/reiki learning you have done. Any suggested reading for a newbie on the topic?

Also I'm curious if you did any specific juice feasting, cleansing, etc. during the year, or just whatever RAW you felt like?

Thank you!
Bri.

[NocturnalJourney]

Sorry the pictures are kind of choppy. The original size was huge!
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m98/rubyisapunk/1yearrawcomparison.jpg
I have to say, I don't recognize the person in the before pictures. I feel sick looking at them. I do not relate to that person at all. So much has changed for me in this one year. I can't see living any other way now. Being a raw vegan is a complete lifestyle for me, and I am happy to see that I have inspired others around me. I haven't been on this board in a while as I haven't spent much time on the computer in the past few months. I absolutly had to share my photos though. I am amazed by the transformation I've seen in myself, and as I said, I don't even recognize the person in the befores. I have had a complete spirtual, emotional and physical transformation, my vibrations are higher than they have ever been. I have found joy in my life and am finally following it. It's a beautiful thing.
And as far as the physical transformation, I shed 43 pounds and 52 1/2 inches off of my body. I would like to shed another 30 pounds, but I am very happy to see how far I've gotten in one year.


WOWOWOWOW!!!!!!! :eek: You look fabulous!!! Way to go!

[rubyhair]

thanks everyone :)


Thank you so much for sharing your story. I really appreciate all of the details you shared. I am feeling very inspired & motivated reading your posts.

I have a few questions if it's OK. I'm really interested in the energy/chakra/reiki learning you have done. Any suggested reading for a newbie on the topic?

Also I'm curious if you did any specific juice feasting, cleansing, etc. during the year, or just whatever RAW you felt like?

Thank you!
Bri.

A good book on the chakras and other energy centers that I read is called "New Chakra Healing" by Cyndi Dale. It is very loaded with information about each main chakra as well as other energy centers in the body, the aura, rays, and numerous other things. I read it probably 6 months ago and some of the things were still over my head. I'm going to re-read it now! I'm glad you brought this subject up. :) Anyway, it is a great informative book and a great resource to come back to. I highly recommend it.
Here is a link to the book on amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1567182003?ie=UTF8&tag=cyndalessene-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1567182003).
The photo they have on amazon is not updated though. The cover of the book is very colorful.
And as far as reiki, I went to classes to learn it. I had been having reiki done on me once a week and it's amazing, so I wanted to learn it for myself. I am now a level II reiki practioner. I love it! So now I can do it on myself, others, and do distance reiki! It's really neat, it brings me great joy. I have found this is part of my life purpose, helping heal people. I just had to help heal myself first!
As far as cleansing, I did the master cleanse after I first went raw, I think it was maybe two weeks into being raw. (I went 100% right away) I was having major detox and wanted to speed it up so I did the mc for 9 days. I was having heart palpitations towards the end though. That was scary, so I ended that. It really helped me detox a lot and helped me rid myself of cravings for cooked junk food. I did little fasts throughout the year, frequent one day liquid (tea, water, juice, mc lemonade) fasts, a few 3 day fasts and one 14 day fast. I want to say that was a water fast but I might've had juice as well, I dont remember. That 14 day fast was a truely spiritual journey. When I did that, it really made me realize how much I had centered myself around food. I realized how much time I spent thinking about food, shopping for food, preparing food, eating food. Needless to say, I had much more time on my hand for other things then. I started meditating at that time and immersed myself in daily prayer. It was very moving. It definatly helped clear my body and mind out and open myself up to Divine guidance and love.

Great questions! I love sharing about my journey, and especially about energy work! I find great joy in it and I am very focused on reiki and working with the universe and such right now.

Sorry it took me so long to respond, I haven't been online much lately.

[misslinda]

Beautiful for sure! LIke nite and day.....all your hard work is admirable :)

[freshlight]

hey Rubyhair, you look splendid!

What do you think about Jasmuheen? Have you read her books? Thanks for sharing:I love reading about the energy work. Tell us more about it if you like :)

Take care
Eva

[rubyhair]

hey Rubyhair, you look splendid!

What do you think about Jasmuheen? Have you read her books? Thanks for sharing:I love reading about the energy work. Tell us more about it if you like :)

Take care
Eva



I haven't heard of her, would you care to share anything about her/her books?

[freshlight]

She is a breatharian.......hmmmmmm....I'm not sure what I think about it but her books are quite interesting. And the idea itself is so fascinating! She writes a lot about meditation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbGaN02yNV0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIaxWs4iTHo&feature=related

What do you think about prana?

[ViolinCyndee]

WOW.. you totally do NOT look 180!

[KombuchaCHIC]

Wow! You look amazing! Those photos are very inspiring!

[Bela]

Try not to be too hard on that girl in the before shot; she needs your love too, and without having been there you may have never made it here:) And we are all glad that you are here since you are such an awesome inspiration. Keep it up, you look amazing!

[Pug Ugly]

You are a definite inspiration, especially for someone like myself starting out.. Looking great!

[Nayeli_Raw]

I just can't get over how great you look! :D

[rubyhair]

thanks everyone! :)


She is a breatharian.......hmmmmmm....I'm not sure what I think about it but her books are quite interesting. And the idea itself is so fascinating! She writes a lot about meditation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbGaN02yNV0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIaxWs4iTHo&feature=related

What do you think about prana?



i havent studied prana. although since your post i have heard about it 2 or 3 more times. so i take that as i sign i need to check it out.



WOW.. you totally do NOT look 180!

thanks!!

[RawMommy08]

Wow you look amazing! Congrats!

[potteryroe]

Oh my gosh! You look great!
Roe

[RawLibrarian]

Thank you for your eloquent posts. Your transformation is amazing. I'm very happy for you.

[rubyhair]

thank you!