We MUST have a WHY...What's yours?

[ReneeH]

I just LOVE Alissa's book!!! She just makes SOOO much sense!!! :)


On page 127 she says: "Knowing how to eat a raw and living food diet isn't enough. If you don't know WHY you're doing it - if you don't have a dream you will fail."


My "WHY" is: I truly love life--it is a precious gift. I want to be healthier, feel better, lose 60 lbs! I suffer from Migraines from time to time, and I would love for them to be a thing of the past! I know that this is the best way for my body to heal itself of all of the "trauma" that I've put it through and that this is the way that we are intended ;) to feed our mind, body and spirit.


I want to continue to focus on "LIFE" and "LIVING"...Forever!!! ;)

[jurence]

Its healthy, makes me feel good, gives me energy and is letting me melt fat off my body.

[contessa20]

I feel so good, so alive when I eat Raw Vegan. I want to continue to feel alive, joyful, healthy and beautiful. I want to release about 50 more lbs., not be embarrassed to put on a bathing suit, live without migraines, asthma and carpal tunnel (all of which have been healed since going raw). I want to run in the yard with my 9 yr. old son AND his children. I want to be healthy and do my part in order to be here to see my great grand children. I want to do all the things that I've always wanted to do but never felt confident enough to because I was self-conscious of my body. And finally, I want to eat delicious and healthy food because, seriously, this food is da bomb! :D

[EZ rider]

The carrot for me has been the amazing changes for the better I have seen in myself since Aug 1, 07. I feel like the clock has been backing up at double time. I keep feeling better and better as the months roll on.
The stick is not wanting to go back to wearing my old "tent" pants ever again or feeling like a wilted flower with no energy.

[Veganforlife]

Mine is "WHY NOT"???

[ReneeH]

Reading your "WHY"'s are SOOO inspiring to me!!! Thank you so much for sharing your WHY's!!!! :)

[LotsaRaw]

I do not have health problems, nor am overweight, but my overall healthy feeling well being is important to me. I am not 100% RAW (more like 80%) and feel fantastic! Plus, the food is YUMMY!! (and I'm all about the food!)
I now feel the effects of certain cooked foods, so the consuption of that stuff is naturally decreasing effortlessly. :D

Why not eat great tasting foods that make you feel fantastic?

[mattshor]

I want to do all the things that I want to do. Raw gives me the energy and health to do it.

[blaque]

My why...MY SON. He has Cerebral Palsy and I want to be the healthiest I can be so that I will have the energy and the strength I need to take care of him. Since he was born 8 years ago he has been through so much. At times, taking care of him, running back and forth to specialists, hospital stays and working full time has been stressful at different times. And when I stress out, I eat...mostly junk.
But I have decided that I am doing this for him just as much as I am doing it for me. I feel great and come to think of it, I haven't had a "down" moment since going raw again.
Already lifting him is easier and I have more energy after I get home in the evenings to have our special "mom and son" time whereas before when I got home I was so exhausted.
I love the way eating raw and living foods make me feel.
There is nothing like it.

[commoncents]

My Why is because my skin glows again like I was a teenager. I am so bright and my skin is beautiful when I am Raw. Additionally, Raw has allowed me to escape my family illnesses which there are a number of them. I do not have to be sick and die early like my mother, her mother and her mother.

Another thing is that I do not have to worry (too much) about what I eat and I still lose weight and my energy level is through the roof. Also, I have found something that I am passionate about and can teach people and help them. It also has helped me be a vegan and help the poor animals and this planet.

Lastly, Raw gave me an out of the American nightmare of fast foods, low energy, chronic bad health and early death. That does not have to be my future and since I do not have children, I need to be strong and healthly in my senior years.

[kiropa]

my why is because i believe that logically raw, vegan is the healthiest way to live. i feel fabulous when i eat raw foods. why wouldn't i opt to put nutritious, clean, wholesome foods into my body? i often tell myself that i only get one body, i should treat it with the respect it deserves. also, raw food heals the digestion issues that have plagued me since childhood and when i eat cooked/processed foods.

[Veronica01]

Why: to have beautiful skin so i can use less products and enjoy my life instead of worrying if i will develop a lifethreatening disease. That is worth changing for and it's so much easier than i thought

[JennaBoBenna]

WHY...hm... Let's do that math ;)

Eating a SAD diet all my life, I was severely overweight as a child(which led to friends turning on me and making fun of my body, insecure feelings about myself[which leads to more bad food??], boys not liking me) and as a teen AND as an adult(ages 18-19). I was always at least 60 pounds overweight, and 189.5 pounds at my heaviest, age 18 1/2.

NOW, as a person who is aware of and follows the raw food principals and other healthy eating habits, I am 21 1/2 and I weight 134 pounds!

I am not 100% raw, but I'm getting there my own way. I still feel like poop when I eat bad food, and then feel great when I eat raw.

So...WHY?

IT JUST MAKES SENSE!! :D

[SweetTangerine]

All my life I have been overweight. I suffered from serious depression for about ten years, most of it having to do with my self image. At my very heaviest I was 230 pounds on a 5'3" body. I ate to numb the pain, which led to self mutilation and multiple suicide attempts. I felt disgusting and was convinced that no one could see who I was on the inside, they just saw who I was on the outside. For some reason I always felt like I was so limited by being overweight, and not for the typical reasons. It made me very shy and withdrawn and it wasn't until just recently that I have been able to get over that.

I never want to feel like that again. I went raw for five months and lost fifty pounds. I fell off for a while and was shocked to see how horrible I felt when going back to cooked vegan (and how quickly the weight piled on!) Now, I love having control over my binge eating. I love the healthy glow and the sixty five pounds I have released since I was at my heaviest. I love feeling like life is worth living and being grateful everyday that I am still here. I love the influence that I have on others around me to live a healthier life. I want to continue to release and continue on my raw food path.

I am raw because after being introduced to it, there really is no other way for me to live.:D

[Katie P]

Why? Because I want to be my healthies t& know that whatever I put in my mouth will make a better difference in my body....B/c I don't want to struggle with weight. I want to get where I'm supposed to be & stay there....B/c I've had alot of health issues in my.....& last b/c it just makes sense to eat food that is good for you! I can't look at eating dead food the same nor can I make sense of splurging every now & then with high fructose corn syrup desserts.

[MrsJ]

I hate cellulite?

Oh, is that not deep enough? (=

J/k. Kinda.

I want to treat my body as a temple and give it the best nutrition I can...that tastes good and I enjoy preparing. I want to protect my body from the toxic world.

[Veronica01]

here here!

[xPIXIEx]

Several reasons. I'm still carrying around pregnancy weight....which actually, can no longer be called that since my youngest is almost 4. :rolleyes: The last couple of years my weight has been an issue. Up 15 lbs when I first went vegetarian. Then, down 30. Back up 30. Now, I'm down 13. Just frustrating. I've had problems losing it and keeping it off since having children.

That, and I'm sick of being so tired all the time! I'm young. I shouldn't feel like crap everyday. I'm also ready to see a change in my skin. I had acne when I was a teen. I served my time, so I'm hoping for a change with that!

Why? I want to be all around healthy. I want to feel good, and look good!

[ReneeH]

You all totally inspire me! Thank you for your heartfelt "WHY's"!!! :) I read every word, every post and I am really inspired!

Let's all remember our "Why's" and may it help us to stay as RAWas we can !!! :)

[Colorawdo girl]

Renee, I once read that if you have a "powerful why"=a reason for doing what you are doing, you will have motivation that never ends.

My powerful why. Why I started? Sickness n sick of it.

IT WORKS
I FEEL AND LOOK MY BEST
ENERGY TO BE WHAT LIFE ASKS
LOVING ENERGY GIVING FOODS
WEIGHT NO PROBLEM NOR THOUGHT(no calorie count
or limitations)
I LOVE LIFE AND WANT IT TO BE THE BEST IT CAN BE
(until the dawn of a new day!!!)
thank you for asking..........hoooooray love you Renee sweet

[Sarain]

I turned to the raw food diet because I was desperate. Over the years my health was getting worse and worse. I wasn't getting any help or answers from the medical system, and my life was falling apart. Most of the time my three year old son spent his days sitting alone in the living room watching one DVD after another, because I was too sick and exhusted to get out of bed. So after lots of crying and praying my mom found the raw food diet, and because she found this way of life at the hight of my desperation I saw this as a sign. Now after 2 months or so of being mostly raw I can say...EATING A LIVING FOOD IS THE BEST MEDICINE!

I'll be going to school full time for a year to become a Wellness Counsellor, and I have the energy to play with my son and take him out for walks to the beach!

[Tango6]

is the desire to wake up without back and neck pain and remain that way throughout the day. My other why is the realization that if I feel this bad at 30 y/o and 177 lbs; I would most likely be bedridden and medicated at 40 y/o. I don't want that for myself. Feeling good and looking gooder:D are great reasons for me!

[ReneeH]

bumping...this is so inspiring!

[bsqmurphy]

Thank You Thank You Thank You for this thread... I sooooo needed this inspiration.

-Bri.

[Aileen]

I want my daughter to see the strong, beautiful healthy woman that she can become. I need to set the example and break free from the standards that my morbidly obese family has set for me.

[circle]

cuz i believe in circles, and life is a circle, and i am circle.

[RawKnitster]

I'd like to answer that with a visual aide. These are NOT current pictures. They are from my first raw venture over 5 years ago. Sadly, I did not stay raw then, and eventually gained back all the weight and health problems. This is why I have dedicated myself to raw again, and this time I am committed for life.

:( The first picture sums up my S.A.D. lifestyle. I was 50 years old, obese, slumped over, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, wearing black, hiding from the camera. (I couldn't find a pic facing the camera.)

:) The second picture is after being raw for about 10 months. I was 51 years old, 50 lbs lighter, optimal blood pressure and cholesterol, wearing light colors, standing out front, smiling.

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn214/RawKnitster/Before1sttimeraw.jpghttp://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn214/RawKnitster/After1sttimeraw.jpgThis Before and After is from my first RAW venture in 2004/5. That's my WHY!

[JCB44]

My whole life of being overwieght, the weight has already cost me a career. Current blood pressure is EXTREMELY HIGH!!! but is coming down, because of raw food. I very much needed to see these posts today when thoughts of SAD are running rampent in my mind. The posted comments have grounded me back to where I need to be now.

[magglepie]

Why.... Because I know that there is more life in each bite of healthy food that I put in my mouth than in a million bites of cooked food. Because when I am raw I have more energy and vibrancy throughout my entire body than when I eat cooked food. Because the aches and pains that even a young body can feel but shouldn't disappear with raw. And because I know that raw will give me a more fulfilling, healthier life that all people deserve to have!

[lodestar]

why?....

sanity--and that word is not too strong
peace
energy
health--effortless weight loss
freedom
lightness
knees need a break
i am nicer
it just feels right

[DeborahB]

Great thread!

My original WHY was because it felt right, my gut feeling told me it was the right thing so I went for it.

My WHY now is still the same as it was, but with some added extras...
I've never felt more alive and more joy. I feel amazing and I want to stay this way.

[artgirly4]

My why....is to honor the wonderfully made body I have been given. To be a faithful steward of it and to cleanse myself of defiling foods.

To be able to present my body to Him as a sacrifice, living, holy and acceptable to Him.

To have energy to do all He asks me to.

A very very powerful WHY indeed.

[LilacLavender]

It was the natural progression of things. I became vegetarian a long time ago for ethical reasons and shortly thereafter learned of the health benefits. Then I eliminated sugar which cut down on the anxiety I used to struggle with, and then became vegan, and at the same time as going vegan I had heard about raw and became mostly raw.

[Ilse W.]

Because I want to be healthy. Because it is natural for the human animal to eat this way. Because I don't want to let "free will" override "natural instinct" any more. Because being sick sucks, having cancer sucks, taking prescription drugs that destroy your body while claiming to get rid of disease sucks.

I'm sitting here today reaping what I have sowed. I'm visiting my daughter in Germany and decided before getting here that I will allow myself to eat anything and everything. After 1-1/2 weeks of eating SAD plus all the chocolate I can stuff, I have a sore throat, a cough, congested sinuses, and feel sluggish and out of it. So I'll have to kick the "free will" in the butt and welcome "instinct" back into my life.

Thanks for bumping up this thread that gave me my light bulb moment!

[ReneeH]

I'm so glad that I started this thread!!! I really need to review my "WHY" today!!! Reading all of your "Why's" so much to me! It's inspiring and encouraging me to continue on my RAW journey.

[Aleesha Sattva]

Why???

First and foremost I want to be healthy and truly live my life. I wasn't doing that on a SAD diet.

Second I want to grow the healthiest babe I can and I believe that feeding my body raw while it creates a new body inside me... well that body will be much healthier when it takes it's first breath.

Third, I loooooove the way I feel. I love the way I look. I love my g-l-o-w-ing Self!!!

[RaeVynn]

Because anything worth doing, is worth being OBSESSIVE and EXTREME about! :p

When I became a vegetarian, some called me weird and obsessive.
When I became vegan, more called me obsessive and radical.
I became Raw, and now I'm looking for the next cutting edge...

Okay, that was all in fun.

What really happened, is I became a vegetarian, and my health got a little better. But I was still fat. So, I decided to cut out all the dairy, and see if that helped. Well, my blood tests got better, but when you replace dairy with sugar, flour, and cooked fats, you don't lose any weight -- in fact, I gained weight.

Vegans aren't supposed to be fat, right? *sigh*

Well, as a Vegan, I've been dancing along the edge of Raw for awhile. The two camps have some flow between them, and some of the authors/speakers go back and forth, so I'd heard of Raw... and tried a few Raw things here and there.

I thought I'd give it a try. My Why is my health... blood pressure, weight, pain in my knees, pain in my hips, chronic tiredness... these things aren't all fixed yet, but I'm hopeful that as I lose weight, as the toxins leave my system, and as my body becomes more nourished, that I'll experience the best health ever.

I'm a work in progress.

[gritsnla]

Honestly, I'm still looking for my WHY that will be the one true reason I stay raw. I've done it off and on for 1-1/2 yrs. I'm struggling with staying in that raw zone. So, Im still looking for it. I've said most of the reasons here, but haven't found the one that says "yeah, that's why I do it"; and at that point there will be no return to SAD. That's the one Why that I'm looking for.

[EZ rider]

The almost two years that I have been raw have proved to me that I can be healthy, well, and feel radiantly alive by living the raw food lifestyle. Eating raw I feel optimistic about the future and the ability of my body and mind to meet and overcome the challenges ahead confident that the raw foods will supply me with the undamaged nutrients I need.

I bookmarked this thread because it is really good support that I can click on anytime I need some inspiration by re-reading all of the WHY's of you great people here on RFT. :)

[LilacLavender]

I like that idea.

[margoss]

These are so great!! Mine..I felt lead by God to do it. I was a tired, depressed veggie widow who just wanted to look and feel like I did b4 I became pregnant 8 YRs ago, yes 8 yrs. I've tried for 8 yrs & nothing. I'm not where I want to be but I see the change weekly. I feel the change daily. I want to be able to do things with my fun/active/always on the go DD. I may not want to do them but I will & I want to be able to. I feel so much better & look better. Coconut oil for the skin is the best. I feel, if you feel good inside..you'll look good outside.

[kidkid]

I have so many WHYs:

Because ever since we were kids, my beloved brother got to be 'the pretty one'. He still is, and I love that he is so beautiful and goodhearted and energetic -- Now I'd like to come into my own, in both superficial and unsuperficial ways. I want to be the pretty one also.

Because I spent my teenage years being depressed, dim, tired and self-depricating -- I wasted so much time!

Because I have these images in my mind of women I've known with energy, intelligence and confidence, creativity and power, sparkling eyes and radiant charisma -- and i think raw might help me embody that reality.

Because I don't want my body's cells to be made of SADness

Because IT'S HEALTHY!

Because I want my hormones to finally for once be balanced.

Because I wish I were an antelope

Because I think the idea of eating only raw food is kind of sexy, and indicative of someone who understands the sensual.

[boocake]

because i wanted to overcome eczema; something my doctors said i would have forever.

because i want to set a healthy example for my loved ones

because i truly believe 'you are what you eat', and 'fatty', 'greasy', and 'cakey' are not how i want to end up!

[lucky lemons]

This is such a great thread, thanks for posting this, ReneeH. :)

My WHYs:
Hoping to cure gum disease, depression, anxiety, mood disorder, joint problems, general social withdrawal, food addiction, major skin issues, also just turned 31 and want to continue to look and feel healthy beautiful and vibrant as I mature.

And to eat closer to the planet, as well as support local farmers and say no to the corporate fast food American life style. And I love animals.

So far I have been near 100% raw for three days (before that about 80% raw for two months). The weight is beginning to come off and I feel so happy and energized. Why wouldn't I want to eat this way? ;)

[Veganforlife]

My why? Is that Alissa is truly an Angel that has come into my life and taught me to live simply by eating...

[a1icia]

I'm constantly reminding myself "why" every time someone makes me question my raw decision and I always come back to my reasons why.

It allows my body to function optimally.
It makes me feel great.
My digestion finally works.
I don't want to experience migraines again.
My cycles are a breeze to get through.
There's no way to achieve a spiritual connection like this on SAD.
I'm saving the life of an animal or two every day I'm vegan.
It drastically reduces my carbon footprint on this beautiful planet.
I'm setting a wonderful example and others are following with hope and joy.
Best of all, because I CAN! :)

[RawHeaven]

I love reading everyone's responses...so beautiful and uplifting!

The raw food lifestyle chose me. Simple as that. I stay raw because I feel wonderful, have a greater appreciation for life, MY LIFE, nature, my loved ones, family, the earth, my local community, the global community, where we're headed on our evolutionary path and how I can contribute to spreading more light, kindness, love and peace. Being raw has changed my life in so many ways I wouldn't be able to list them here, but at the core is good health!!! YAY! And health is worth more than it's weight in gold for sure. I love my life. It is amazing and so is Raw. oh YEAHhhhhh. :D

[katchmoleen]

Because it got rid of my migraines when NOTHING else did, that's why! :D:):D:)

[juliew]

[QUOTE=MrsJ;508234]I hate cellulite?

Oh, is that not deep enough? (=

J/k. Kinda.

QUOTE]

I hate it too!!!!!:mad:

That's actually the initial reason I went raw...I was frantically searching for a way (which I KNEW had to exist) to get rid of it. Now I eat raw because it's fun, it makes me stand out (which is sometimes really annoying), it has changed my body for the better, and it inspires me to accomplish so many goals. On raw I can't believe how close I can get to the universe and powers of manifestation!