hilarya_m
07-22-2009, 09:45 AM
Hi there,
I'm so glad to have found this forum! I was born in LA, raised in Mexico, educated and worked in Boston, MA and have since moved to and lived in France, Switzerland and presently, The Netherlands. I was introduced to raw vegan living by my mother, who god bless her for not sticking to anything, is aware of how to achieve optimum health and tried to give me the tools, if not always living by example.
In 2001 at 18, 5'9 and 180 lbs, Mom took me to a very spartan health center in San Diego, CA to raw food detox for two weeks, It was overwhelming to me and I just wanted to party and celebrate graduation, instead I was fasting and having colon irrigation. I did it all, lost inches, lbs, glowed, and felt great. After that, I went back to 30/70 SAD but kept a workout regime so I lost weight (155lbs) but the glow slowly faded and by the summer of 2003, I had gained more than what I lost and was at my heaviest, (~192lbs) after spending a summer in Chicago as a Nanny, eating my feelings on Midwestern SAD: mostly canned, frozen (if any) veg, meat/pots and POP.
Through exercise, juice fasting and cooked vegan diet, I lost most of that weight. By summer 2004, I was back down to a healthier 165lb. By the next Spring, back on SAD minus the workouts, plus depression and a new desk job, I balooned back to 189 and have vacillated within 10-17 lbs of that weight ever since.
My partner through all of this, now husband, and I moved to Switzerland together in 2007 where I adopted a healthier lifestyle, exercise, less processed foods, pasta and packaging but still cooked. From 18-26, I developed annual depression phases, horrible digestive problems (pain, bloating, lactose intolerance, TMJ, mood swings (not always PMS), anxiety, body tension and pains, and now, seasonal allergies! Something else that is strange but I will try to describe, an inability to access the creativity and focus I know is there but haven't felt in a long time.
Since being in Amsterdam, I have the urge to go raw again. I lost all the activity I was doing in Switz (hiking, running, swimming), which masked the food feedback somewhat. I want that amazing raw feeling back! I am biking 2 hours/36km per day and starting to be more active generally. I am also going raw preventatively considernig my genetic legacy (fat women with cancer) and to get back my life force.
I think it will be infinitely easier this time with a raw food cafe close by, the Net for motivation, forums like these and the general popularity of raw foodism now, something I don't think was there years ago. Since I travel often and have to function in the corporate world (Sustainable/Impact investments and Corporate Sustainability), I can't be discussing my bowel movements, 'purity levels', etc with really anyone.
I look forward to this raw journey with and thanks for creating such a wonderful forum!
Best,
Hilaria
I'm so glad to have found this forum! I was born in LA, raised in Mexico, educated and worked in Boston, MA and have since moved to and lived in France, Switzerland and presently, The Netherlands. I was introduced to raw vegan living by my mother, who god bless her for not sticking to anything, is aware of how to achieve optimum health and tried to give me the tools, if not always living by example.
In 2001 at 18, 5'9 and 180 lbs, Mom took me to a very spartan health center in San Diego, CA to raw food detox for two weeks, It was overwhelming to me and I just wanted to party and celebrate graduation, instead I was fasting and having colon irrigation. I did it all, lost inches, lbs, glowed, and felt great. After that, I went back to 30/70 SAD but kept a workout regime so I lost weight (155lbs) but the glow slowly faded and by the summer of 2003, I had gained more than what I lost and was at my heaviest, (~192lbs) after spending a summer in Chicago as a Nanny, eating my feelings on Midwestern SAD: mostly canned, frozen (if any) veg, meat/pots and POP.
Through exercise, juice fasting and cooked vegan diet, I lost most of that weight. By summer 2004, I was back down to a healthier 165lb. By the next Spring, back on SAD minus the workouts, plus depression and a new desk job, I balooned back to 189 and have vacillated within 10-17 lbs of that weight ever since.
My partner through all of this, now husband, and I moved to Switzerland together in 2007 where I adopted a healthier lifestyle, exercise, less processed foods, pasta and packaging but still cooked. From 18-26, I developed annual depression phases, horrible digestive problems (pain, bloating, lactose intolerance, TMJ, mood swings (not always PMS), anxiety, body tension and pains, and now, seasonal allergies! Something else that is strange but I will try to describe, an inability to access the creativity and focus I know is there but haven't felt in a long time.
Since being in Amsterdam, I have the urge to go raw again. I lost all the activity I was doing in Switz (hiking, running, swimming), which masked the food feedback somewhat. I want that amazing raw feeling back! I am biking 2 hours/36km per day and starting to be more active generally. I am also going raw preventatively considernig my genetic legacy (fat women with cancer) and to get back my life force.
I think it will be infinitely easier this time with a raw food cafe close by, the Net for motivation, forums like these and the general popularity of raw foodism now, something I don't think was there years ago. Since I travel often and have to function in the corporate world (Sustainable/Impact investments and Corporate Sustainability), I can't be discussing my bowel movements, 'purity levels', etc with really anyone.
I look forward to this raw journey with and thanks for creating such a wonderful forum!
Best,
Hilaria