My before and afters

[zeros&ones]

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/lornac/2003.jpg
This is me before in 2005 around 260 pounds. bleh. Size 20.



This is me December 2008 in front of my favorite childhood beach hamburger stand in Pacific Grove.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/lornac/20083.jpg



I let go of 80 pounds and i weigh around 179 here. I have recently gained back 20 pounds, so I have some more letting go to do, but I will get there!

I was so happy and felt great. I was a size 10/11


this is the person formerly known as petals, so my future here at RFT, which is a great site... lurk lurk... is unknown, but that is ok.

"I'm happy I'm feeling glad, i got sunshine in a bag, I'm, useless, but not for long, the future is coming on~~~~ Gorillaz"

[Frugal Raw]

Look at you! How loverly:) Rawk on!

[siren]

You look fab!

[spicyfull]

You L@@k RAWvelous............I am So Happy you are doing well. Just take that Sunshine out of your Bag and let it shine on us all. Stay Well and in touch.

[spicyfull]

Wasn't your Mother here also?

[Pking]

You look fantastic! Keep up the good raw work.

[zeros&ones]

[QUOTE]Wasn't your Mother here also?/QUOTE] ha ha O no, that was Norman Bates disguised as my mom, petals. I wouldn't hurt a fly.


Thanks, I know the photos are not that great, and my weight is going back down again. I still have work to do, but I will get there this summer... wanna go boarding at stingray bay.

[RawHeaven]

[QUOTE]Wasn't your Mother here also?/QUOTE] ha ha O no, that was Norman Bates disguised as my mom, petals. I wouldn't hurt a fly.


Thanks, I know the photos are not that great, and my weight is going back down again. I still have work to do, but I will get there this summer... wanna go boarding at stingray bay.

Your photos are great...you're beautiful, raw & amazing. Love your body where it is Right Now and it will respond accordingly with lots of love & fantastic health in return. Can't wait to see your boarding pics. :)

[jacsam]

Your doing great......I'm so excited for you!

[Veganforlife]

Check you out! You RAWk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WAY TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BestofKiah]

[QUOTE=zeros&ones;498124]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/lornac/2003.jpg
This is me before in 2005 around 260 pounds. bleh. Size 20.


This is me December 2008 in front of my favorite childhood beach hamburger stand in Pacific Grove.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/lornac/20083.jpg


I let go of 80 pounds and i weigh around 179 here. I have recently gained back 20 pounds, so I have some more letting go to do, but I will get there!

I was so happy and felt great. I was a size 10/11



I have been raw off and on since 2002 and have been 100% raw since April 2008 but I let go of a few pounds to turn around and gain it right back. The only way I let go of weight on raw is to only eat green's, if I add too much fruit, dates and nut's I gain and then some.

How did you let your weight go and what caused you to gain some back? I'm at the point of getting off raw and going to a high protien diet. I stay raw becasue if FEEL soooo much better. My body has no pain and no mucus. I have been becoming more tired lately.

Any suggestions would be great from you or anyone else who see's this post.

[freshlight]

Cut down the dates, bananas,agave, nuts&salt and watch the beautiful results. The best thing to do would be a water fast before you start again. Take care, Eva

[BestofKiah]

Thank you Eva for the quick response. I thought about that and even tried, but what do you eat then? I drink a green smoothie with bananas once or twice a day. Most recipes you see and smoothies have agave and/or bananas. I can cut the nut's down which I have already done about 10 days ago and salt has never been an issue with me. I'm trying to add more variety becasue if I just eat salads and whole pieces of fruit I will not stick to this long enough to see good results.

Any suggestions for recipes or menues with your above suggestions? Thank you for helping and caring.

Ki

[zeros&ones]

Thanks eva :)

Yea as time goes by I realized I needed to cut back on the nuts, such in crusts and such.... and I have dramatically cut down the agave, I always tried to get away with as little as possible.

Lucky I have always loved fresh greens like kale, collard and others, so i make allot of smoothies.

I think a big factor that made me gain 20 pounds back was I slacked on exercise. Before I was doing something for at least an hour a day, and it went down to nothing.

I have moved back to my home state, and live almost on the sand. A dear friend who was a bike mechanic at Seal Beach bikes , before he bailed to New Hampshire, gave me a beautiful Fuji Newest 4.0 which is a good start.:)


I used to love to bike down san gab river to PCH to Huntington Beach on the weekends. Another good ride was Palos Verdes.

I have been jumping on my trampoline and walking for 1 to 2 hours.


I find myself wanting less food lately, but emotionaly I still struggle at times.


Thanks so much for the practical advice.

By this summer I will have new photos at the beach... ha ha

gee... I am awfully long winded.:eek:

[zeros&ones]

O I didn't see all the other posts at first! I was wondering why there was two posts of my before and "after" photos lol

THANks Lucy, your so fun, and RawHeaven that was so validating, and i WILL be posting boarding photos, that's my goal, even those new wind kite thingys look so fun.

BestofKiah: how I did it was back in October 2006 I went raw after reading up allot, and I just knew it was the answer, and was the right thing to do, NOT that it was easy. I had a few slip ups like Thanksgiving and Bamboo Garden Vegan eat outs.


I really dedicated myself, and I did eat basically anything deemed raw, even the nutty stuff in Alissa's book and desserts and lots of green smoothies, my staple.

I also exercised one hour a day running thru Point Defiance, rollerskating, walking, trampoline, gym.


Drank allot of water to flush out my system.

That is basically it. I did not deprive myself, if you browse thru the photo threads that was what I was eating ( not all at once!) along with boring stuff nobody really wants to see all the time like smoothies and chia and kale chips, yum! and 80 pounds came off in less than 7 months. I felt like I could fly! and you can too!:)




How I let my weight go: I was a very skinny child. I think my mom may have severely limited my portions as a young child ( i have photos) at age 10 my parents divorced and that was when i put on about 20 pounds.

Then My mother, who had a gorgeous figure in her youth, just packed on the pounds, even thou she had books like 'diet for a small Planet" in her bookcase, and she gave up and let me eat whatever I wanted. As did she at that time.

I was about 150 at age 15 thru 25 then i became pregnant, then lost then gained. But when I discovered raw foods it just clicked and made sense... as a life style. I will dump this weight. I am not gonna gain back 60 more pounds! I wanna go surfing and biking! and buy clothes!

How I let myself gain 20 pounds back: I moved back to L.A area ( home town) and it had changed so much I let my self become depressed and wouldn't go out. I stayed at home and pretended I was still in Washington. but i am over that now after 14 months.

[BestofKiah]

Thank you zeros&ones,

You still look great! Thank you for the information. I did the same thing but I left my home state of Cali and came back to Texas (I do not like). I love living by the water and outdoors (not much of that here in Dallas). I think that has a lot to do with my eating habits right now and the craving of the comfort foods and sweets.

Did you give up the agave, nuts and bananas to loose the weight at first? Do you feel you need to do that this time? I love bananas and use the agave in several of the recipes. I just feel like what will I eat without theses two main ingredients even dates are used in a lot of recipes.

Well keep at it and we will meet on the other-side of the scale (the lower side).

Smiles,
Kiah

[oai]

holy! what a difference! i just love that second outfit. you have to give me styling tips. ;)

[shashibala]

You look terrific! Don't worry about gaining a bit back, you look wonderful AND you know how to lose it again. I'm also hoping for a slimmer me for summertime!

[zeros&ones]

thanks Oai, I just love knit scarves and hats, that was my 1969 Rolling Stones inspired look for the day... ha ha


Well keep at it and we will meet on the other-side of the scale (the lower side).

Smiles,
Kiah


Very true, indeed.


as for now, I still eat agave, but much less, much less dates, unless I make something special to last a while. I see no harm in that for now.

I mainly love blueberry hemp smoothies, green juice, Chia pudding, Kumbocha, kale chips, this yummy bread recipe i found on gone raw:

2 or 3 cups sprouted overnight wheatberries ( put in a bowl don't drown em and cover over night ez) and 1/4 tp 1/2 cup dates a;; homonigized thru a juicer and dehydrated over night at 115. OMG it is sooo good warm/

and I am exercising/ playing more~ that makes a big difference.



Thank you to everybody who replied to my thread btw.......

[freshlight]

((((Kiah)))):Eat all the things you like as long as they are raw. I did never use agave. Try to eat more greens, find what you like best,-baby spinach, kale, celery etc. and try to slowly but surely replace the sweet things I mentioned in my last post with rich juicy fruit and greens.
You'll be fine. Just relax and tell yourself that you'll manage. Keep saying this as often as you can, especially when you feel a bit down. You'll see what a huge power you have over your own life,-you're the only one who can make things better and you are doing it NOW.
Be proud of yourself. Play with your food. I like zucchini pasta with tomato sauce. There are SO many possibilities to eat rawnderful juicy food. If I can do it,-so can you!

Raw hugs :D

Eva :)

[BestofKiah]

Z&O: Thank you for responding. I like you love the mock breads and sweets but as Eva suggested, I also will start replacing them with more greens (which I did today) yeah!!!

I fought the hunger pangs a little still wanted to eat every hour to two hours so I let my self eat if I kept each meal under 400 calories (this might be the only way I can Begin to reduce my food intake). I volunteered at the "Tree of Life" in Arizona and Dr. Gabriel Cousens and his staff are big on teaching us not to over eat. He feels that is one of the biggest things that contribute to obesity and ill health. Even if I start eating at 8 AM and eat every 2 hours until around 6 PM'ish, but keep each meal under 300 calories this would add up to 1,800 calories a day give or take. I think if I do 1 hour of some type of cardio this may help me to loose, if not then I know I will need to still reduce my calories.

One thing I know from my studies Calories are calories when it comes to losing weight so even if I eat all raw if I consume too many calories a day and not expend them I'm going to be just where I am right now. I'm praying eating more greens and cutting out the agave, switching this for Stivia. Cutting down the dates and banana's as Eva suggested will help my cravings and balance my blood sugar levels which can make your cravings go hay wire.

I will keep you guys posted. Eva and Z&O YOU RAWK!

[Pitaya]

wow! way to go : )

[zeros&ones]

UMMM well gee.... I am getting the impression here slowly that I am being held up to some strange standard of what not to do, and think I eat raw sweets all day? Or a whole loaf of raw bread?! made from wheatberries and 1/4 dates?:confused: I guess i am feeling a tad defensive, and I will look into that feeling of always feeling not good enough.



I like to make them and share and post and yes I do eat them , one serving, because they are fun to look at. I am actually losing my taste for them now too Bok.

If I had not of had my slip up I would have been at my goal long before now! It can take time to become fully raw. All my blood work is great excellent levels of everything, nothing being leeched out. I have fully recovered from a potentially fatal illness ,and couldn't be more happy about that !!!!:D 5 years in August both 15/17 genes returned to normal.


Yesterday I drank a large straight kale juice with a lemon swirled in.

I am eat allot of greens, prolly 11 cups fresh a day but I did go off raw and stop exercising.


What I need to do now is step up my exercise. :) I found a col yogi I take a class with once a week too!


I lost 80 pounds before eating basically the Alissa way and my way ( have her book as well of all of Cousen's) and moving.

I am aware of the sugar connection as well as fat on both DR.s parts. I agree with the sugar for sure.


The bottom line, I believe, is one must find what works for them in the long run. It doesn't happen overnight. If I eat more then I burn then I gain weight. ha ha no brainer right?!


I didn't feel I looked bad before and I have lost a bit again allready.


I will be at the beach this summer! I'll be in the water playing!

......and I am refering to just my experience here, everyone has their own; if eating agave and sweets disagree with you, then by all means cut down or stop, so you feel better. I wish you the best health and succuss :) and I agree 100% as well over eating even raw is not healthy, but the basal metabolism needs to have energy, and say if one just burned 60 to 80 calories an hour maintaining body functions, such as resperation, temp, heart ,digstion ect in a 24 hour period one may need 1,400 to 1,900 calories just for that,not to mention any exercise one adds.



thanks

[BestofKiah]

Good Morning Z&O: I hope I did not offend you by no means was this my intent. No need to be defensive. I'm in the same boat as you and I identified with your huge weight loss to gain some back and now trying to release it again. This is the road I have traveled for some time now. I wanted to know for myself what you are doing so I might mimic it and your success.

This is why I do not like posting on forums and email chat's sometime your words are not translated in to the love that you send them out in. Again Zero&Ones, please for give me if I offended you in any way I thought I was send kudos and support.

May God Bless you in ALL that you do,
Kiah,
Meaning: African - "A New Season"

[freshlight]

This is why I do not like posting on forums and email chat's sometime your words are not translated in to the love that you send them out in.

ah but we need ya here :) post away!

[winsomehill]

The bottom line, I believe, is one must find what works for them in the long run. It doesn't happen overnight. If I eat more then I burn then I gain weight. ha ha no brainer right?!


Well put. I have struggled with my weight since I was a teenager and my relationship with my body/food is one that changes and has a rhythm that follows me through my life. Sometimes I'm doing really well, sometimes I have set backs and fall into negative patterns. I'm good with that. My life has stressful times and easy times (as we all do), of course those things are going to effect how I'm doing on this journey with my body. Some people smoke cigarettes or workout too much or don't sleep enough or whatever. My life is not about what I eat or how much I weigh, it's simply a component. I strive to find the most healthy me possible and that has led me here. You look great and you are an inspiration. Thanks for posting your story and photos....I just love photos!
~Heather

[Cheremoya]

You look beautiful here baby, and you have gotten back on track, and I know you will stay there because that is wot makes you happy and you want to stay healthy. But I like the blonde.;);););)

love, joe blow