The Rawtarian - 7 months 100% raw

[laura-jane]

Well, the time has come for me to share a quick before and after!

I've been 100% raw for over seven months now. Weight loss wasn't really much of a factor for my going raw. Mostly I was interested in improving my skin, my health and having more energy. But now that I look back at some photos from just before I went raw, we can all see that I look so much better now at a lighter weight, especially in my face. I don't have a scale and I don't know how much weight I've lost, but I seem to have reached my natural weight now. I've stayed pretty much the same for the past couple of months.

My facial skin has definitely improved in terms of breakouts, and the back of my thighs now look so much better. I'm not sure whether it was cellulite, but the backs of my thighs were really unattractive, but now my thighs look taught and smooth. My energy is way better, and all-round I just feel fabulous, more hopeful and way less moody.

Before (I apologize for the quality of the "before" photos. I lost almost all of my digital photos during two hard-drive crashes recently. I had to steal these from some facebook photos posted by friends and family.) :

http://therawtarian.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/fat.jpg
http://therawtarian.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/fat2.jpg

Now:
http://therawtarian.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/therawtarian.jpg

I don't particularly relish posting these before pictures on the internet, but I know how important these types of threads are for motivating others. Going raw has totally changed my life for the better. I can honestly say that I have completely, radically changed the way that I think about food and what I'm putting into my body. This is not a diet, it is a complete lifestyle change. As some of the Boutenkos have said of the years, I no longer even think of dead foods (for example, a bagel or a bag of chips or a gummy candy) as food. They don't even exist for me. I look at them and they seem alien to me. It's like, people eat that??

Thanks for letting me share my story and good luck to all of you on your raw journey... If you haven't gone raw yet, I challenge you to try it for 30 days. Go 100% raw for 30 days. Then on day 31, ask yourself whether you can do it for one more day. And then on day 32, ask yourself whether you can do it again. And again, and again. Your tastebuds will change, it gets easier and easier and easier. Trust me. Good luck!

[Mad Mex]

Congratulation for your success, I also add your success to my motivationlist.

I already see results, but I'm not 100% satisfied, but I like the view on the journey.

Saludos,

Marcel :cool:

[lovenlife]

AWESOME! Another amazing life transformed by the power of living foods! Hoooray!

[monkapotapus]

Thank you so much for sharing!

You looked healthy before & even healthier now! :D

[somelikeitraw]

Congratulations! As Monk says, you looked healthy before and even healthier now. Your story is very motivational and very encouraging, especially for those that don't need weight loss. Thank you so much for sharing! I'll be sharing your story with my 14 yo daughter who has, amazingly and on her own, undertaken a water fast for today only.

[Aleesha Sattva]

keep it up... you can tell by your glow that it's workin'!

[Katie P]

i don't have a scale and i don't know how much weight i've lost, but i seem to have reached my natural weight now.


that's awesome!!!!

[Basenjimamma]

wow, you look smashing, your skin is glowing..keep it up. Thanks for sharing.

[freelee]

Wow you look beauty-full girl! Well done, how are you going now?

[Lunar*Fey]

wow you're gorgeous! you look like a model :)

[lodestar]

thanks for sharing your testimony of raw and great success.

[ViolinCyndee]

You look great!

[A New Me]

Thanks for sharing. You look beautiful.

...And thanks for your recipes! I tried the Alfredo sauce from your site yesterday--wow! It was a big hit. ...And so easy to make.

[Emma Jane]

Wow! You were gorgeous and slim before, but now you're just GLOWING! :D

XxX

[raw runner]

can we say it
je suis amoureux
congrats girl

[CathyA.]

You look awsome. I think we have similar tastes. I have the same bedding. hehe

[laura-jane]

Thanks for all the positivity, raw folk...

Keep on spreading the word! At first I wanted to convert everyone to raw food, but I know it's best to stay quiet and let people ask me first. Rawvangelism doesn't seem to work... People just get irritated :)

All the best,
Laura-Jane

[Green_Woman]

Looking LOVELY and VIBRANT, Laura!!! Keep rawkin' it, girlie.

Blessings and bliss,
The Diva

[starck]

woow congrats
thanks for the idea for after a 30 day raw food journey , to see it day by day .

[amytug]

oh gosh how inspiring! I pray that I'll be that skinny and no longer crave cooked foods. today was pretty hard for me, but I love this lifestyle. you look so pretty!

[tito]

congratulations!! ive only been 100% for almost 12 days !
thanks for sharing ur success ! Godbless and keep it up !

[k8sl8]

am I the only one who can't see the photos??

[willimakeit]

oh my god that last picture. I could look at it forever. Stunning :)

[firefly]

Congratulations, Laura-Jane! You look lovely and your skin glows! :)

[Bananna]

unbelievable difference!!! VEEEEEEERY motivational. phew!

[Gooberdog69]

You look amazing! An inspiration! As others have said, you looked good before, but you look amazing now!

xxx

[Kilico]

You've always been beautiful but now you really sparkle. Inspirational.

[groberts1998]

You really do!

[blizzardfrisbee]

Thanks sooooo much for your post! I'm raw only 3 weeks now. It is good to read success stories.

[laura-jane]

Hi raw fooders!

Just wanted to let you know that I have passed my 1 year raw food mark and am still going strong. Here's a recent picture of me, enjoying a raw fruit breakfast at Cora's Restaurant (not a raw restaurant, but they serve lots of fruit), in Moncton, in Canada.
http://therawtarian.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/therawtarian400px.jpg

Remember, just keep going day by day and make sure your family and friends understand that raw food is an important part of your life. Just take it one day at a time. As I think I mentioned above, I started with challenging myself to go raw for 30 days and now it's been over 365 days and I am still very very committed. Good luck all!

[GlimR]

You look beautiful....and so does that fruit!!!:D

[DawnD]

Wow Laura-Jane you look fab. And I agree with GlimR that the fruit looks fab too. Also, congratulations on you 1 year milestone.

[bing]

That is so true Emma! Laura looked beautiful back then- but now is totally different! Glowing and gorgeous! :):):)

Thank you Laura for providing those photos and information. I have started raw food but lasted only a week. I'm going to try it again.

[laura-jane]

Thanks for all your positive and thoughtful comments, all!

I am still going strong and have been 100% raw now for almost one and a half years now. My friends and family think I'm a bit nuts, but they are coming around, eventually... especially since they see that I look better and feel wayyyyyyyyy better. :)

Good luck to you all in your raw journeys, wherever they may take you.

Warmth,
Laura-Jane

[AdrianaH]

COngratulations in your almost 1 1/2 Raw journey.... you look great!!!

[laura-jane]

Thanks Adriana :)

[RawHorizons]

Congratz on your year an then some Raw achievements.So cool,you look fantastic!!
Yea that fruit platter looks awesome,who says ya starve on raw :)

[RawGirl4Health]

Congratulations you are beautiful and radiant. You have re-inspired me today! After living w/ my inlaws and eating pretty badly after the holidays, I have not been feeling well. I really believe in this lifestyle. About 8 months ago i went apx 75% raw, and it really changed my life for the better. I liked how you dont bother with the scale, thats a good tip. Its about health and how we feel and how our clothes fit, rather then obsessing over a "number". We are more then that arent we? The last pic of you with the huge plate of fruit made me jealous! lol. Good luck :)

[Green_Woman]

YOU look awesome, girlie... and that fruit is making me feel crazy. :D

[Aleesha Sattva]

Hi raw fooders!

Just wanted to let you know that I have passed my 1 year raw food mark and am still going strong. Here's a recent picture of me, enjoying a raw fruit breakfast at Cora's Restaurant (not a raw restaurant, but they serve lots of fruit), in Moncton, in Canada.
http://therawtarian.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/therawtarian400px.jpg

Remember, just keep going day by day and make sure your family and friends understand that raw food is an important part of your life. Just take it one day at a time. As I think I mentioned above, I started with challenging myself to go raw for 30 days and now it's been over 365 days and I am still very very committed. Good luck all!

beeeeeeeeeeautiful!!! simply beautiful!

[raspberryswirl]

Your skin and hair look so healthy! That's so awesome!

[imaquillen]

It really is amazing to me the glow that raw foodists seem to get. Beautiful!

[Boogies]

you look stunning! glowing and vibrant!!! keep rocking =)

[Bananna]

I just realized your also Canadian! My cuz is moving to PEI shortly and actually just said she wants to go raw for a host of health issues :)

Anyways, you are very motivating. 30 days you say? lol...I have done a couple of months, done all kinds of varying percents and things since. I think it's high time I get back to all raw/30 day kick off. Thanks for the reminder and inspiration!

[rawalice]

hi laura jane, you look stunning, so healthy! :)
Thanks for your encouragement to go 100% raw! I would really like to do that soon. i know there is nothing better than the feeling you get from the raw diet! Its fabulous!
Hope to be joining you on 100% raw soon! :heart:

rawalice.xx

[rawalice]

Laura jayne, your pictures of the most amazing transformation!

They convinced me to do the 30 day challenge! So here I am on day uno....loving every minute of being back to the raw lifestyle!


LOVE

[TallTravel]

Bravo! I admire you....

[Panacea]

Brilliant, I love these stories. I'm about to give raw a go and this is all really motivational. I too love the fruit plate, yum!