November 2011 - 30 day RAW challenge... join any time of the month!

[Aleesha Sattva]

Welcome welcome welcome!!! :excited:

Welcome to the 30 day challenge and welcome to our new monthly format.

This is our monthly challenge thread. We are choosing to do one (or perhaps split into two) continual threads so we can create a community of support within this challenge. You can join this thread at any time during the month. Don't be shy... we love new posters!!! So if you want to join us... please do!

I welcome people who are already 100% raw to join in the conversation - supporting our challengers in their quest! :cheer:

This thread is specifically for those of you who are eager to commit to 30 consecutive days of eating 100% raw foods and seeing miraculous results!

I will start a new challenge thread on the first of every month. If I forget... send me a quick email and remind me... I'll get the challenge thread online for you quickly.

The focus of the monthly challenge is on staying raw and accountability. Therefore, if you have eaten all raw and then slip up and have something cooked, don't beat yourself up over it or dwell on it - but this is not space to discuss it. You are more than welcome to document it in your journal/blog or ask for help in the discussion area, but it is not necessary (and not allowed) to discuss your slip-up here in the challenge threads, just get right back on track and keep going! This thread is about celebrating what you are eating that IS raw!

I welcome you all to share pics of your dishes, ask questions, share what you are consuming (as long as it's raw). We are here to listen to your emotional and physical challenges. So share share share!!! :hug

OH and the best part of this (not only the support but...) you can subscribe to this thread and get notified every time someone posts to it. This way you will be connected!

So let's get this party started!!!:throwhearts:

[Aleesha Sattva]

Please do not start posting in this thread until the 1st of November.

thanks,
Admin

[MysticTree]

Just finished working my second job and my first full day back on raw and it's just ticked over into November - let the month begin!

[yumm]

here we are on day one.
It seems like a long time,being raw for a month.but at the same time,I am very excited to be here commiting fully to eating natural foods.
its the only way I feel good when I eat.
I have my baby due this month and I know eating naturally will really help with birthing and having energy for my family.

good luck everyone :)
:throwhearts:

[loveleahannah]

I am in too! (first timer!):woohoo:

[ferb]

DD & I will be going raw today. we did 30 from aug-sept 2010.

[yumm]

good luck loveleahanna and ferb and everyone else.
really great to have this support thread,its my first full raw month.

I am really excited about the extra energy,health and radiance we are going to have.

:juicy:

[Mulliganal]

First timer here also. I received my VM yesterday and had my first smoothie for breakfast this morning. I don't know if I can make 30 days but I'm along for the ride. :eat

[Vegansara]

Hello everyone! I've had two green juices today for brekkies, just had a salad with mixed greens and avocado with some flax crackers also for lunch. I have jicima with me to munch on later in the day if I get hungry. Probably will do a delicious green smoothie with some frozen berries for dinner tonight. Hope you guys are having a great day 1!

[FabriCadabra]

Hi! Pretty new to this, too... I had chocolate/cherry energy balls for breakfast (I almost always want chocolate first thing) then a carrot juice. for "lunch" i had a couple of handfuls of nuts, seeds and dried fruit. A little pineapple before dinner then cabbage salad and Stacie's Samosas from Alissa's Living on Live Food. Weird combinations, I know, but that's what it was! I had raw butternut squash for the first time and what a surprise! sooo yummy. like a combination of carrot and honeydew flavors. I will be snacking on that from now on (tonight's went in the samosas).

[Vegansara]

Day 2! How are you all doing? I had a banana, apple and pear for breakfast. Delicious! Looking forward to a big salad for lunch today with some more fruit and maybe some flax crackers.

Hope everyone is feeling great!

[MysticTree]

so many new faces and it seems like I was only AWOL for a month or so!

Everything going great here.

Found some mammoth avos at the shop the other day. They were ripe but not very flavourful. The smaller ones are nicer and keep better cos you don't have half sitting around oxidising!

Made a nice grated veg salad today with carrot, courgette, onion, celery, fresh tomatoes and sundried toms. Sprinkled it over with hulled, raw hemp. So good I had it for lunch and my early evening meal.

Pink Grapefruits were a good price at the shop so have stocked up on those too.

[Mayaya]

So, here I am starting at the 1st of November. All I had done in the past was a 3-4 days detox with grapes the first day and fruits and salads the next days. But now I thought I'd start and do my best for just 30 days. My goal was to eat mostly fruits (that I prefer), some salads and a minimum of nuts (cause they have fat and I could use some weight loss for motivation).

All three days I started ok, with a fruit smoothie (except of the third cause I'd wake my dad) and then continued with apples, climentines, bananas and cucambers or some other salad. Then, I'd come home and had to eat sth with my dad cause I wouldn't stand listening to him all night long as what is the best nutrition (he already asked me why I don't have no cheese and started telling me how good it is). Imagine telling him what I mean when I say 'I am on diet'. Today again, in my job (I work in a house) they knew that I want to eat raw for 30 days, but still, like feeling sorry for me -that I am starving- they wouldn't let me go until I accepted to eat what they cooked.

Given that I feel satisfied when I eat a LOT of living food, but that I can't consume that large amount at work or out of home, the fact is that around 5 and after that, while returning home, I am really hungry, my NO's were never persistand (both from hunger and from 'can't make it a big deal and explain and say no'), so I ate. Also during noon (around 1-2) I am dying for a chocolate which I always ate -fortunately small ones).

So, maybe if there weren't those 'offers' I would stick to my raw diet without ruining it from the start, but they are and I can't resist. Both this and the fact that I am hungry, ruin it and I would love any comment on how to fix these problems (apart from 'you are not ready yet', please).

Thanks!

[MysticTree]

So, maybe if there weren't those 'offers' I would stick to my raw diet without ruining it from the start, but they are and I can't resist. Both this and the fact that I am hungry, ruin it and I would love any comment on how to fix these problems (apart from 'you are not ready yet', please).

Thanks! Learn to put yourself first. Learn to say no. Learn that you don't have to please others when it comes to food.

[Mayaya]

So how do you put it, so that you don't have to explain with details and open a conversation on 'who knows how to eat best'? You know, I want to avoid conversations of having to quarell if meat has got more iron than sesame. And of course I hate the attitude 'not only you are weird to believe it, but you also starve'. "I am on a diet" should work for the moment. However how long can you say that before you draw the attention on you?

[MysticTree]

You don't have to explain anything to anyone if you don't want to. If you are happy then they should be happy you are happy. If they aren't then maybe you don't need these people around you.

When it comes to arguments about iron. Just say you aren't going to waste energy arguing about it. They can look it up if they want. It doesn't in any case matter if one thing has more iron than another thing - as long as you are getting a sensible amount there is no problem.

I would avoid the diet comment because people automatically become defensive when you diet. Whether they are slim already or not, they often feel threatened by someone taking control of their life.

Finally RAW is a fairly "radical" way of life (by society's general standard). You are bound to get some detractors. Just don't join in when they want to argue about it.

[bonzer]

Just tell them you have food allergies. We are not lying about that. So many of us are allergic to wheat/ gluten/ sugar/ etc.

[FabriCadabra]

Also, find a way to not feel so hungry. Maybe keep fats (nuts, seeds, avocados...) in your diet while you are transitioning and figuring things out. Plan ahead and bring snacks ( Alissa's fudge balls might do the trick for your chocolate cravings... they work for mine...) that are filling and satisfying. The weight will come off by staying raw, so don't sabotage it early on by feeling starved.
It's not a "diet". This is how you eat now. no apologies. :cheer:

[Shel]

Hey all,

Looking forward to coming back to this board to post. Finishing up a two day juice fast now. Glad to read the posts here! I hope it's a bit more traffic this month! Have a fantastic weekend! :woohoo:

[Mayaya]

Thaks to each one of you, you are more than helpful, you are so so friendly! :heart I am glad I found this forum!

You are right MysticTree. Though they are fabulous people and they try to make me feel comfortable, since I told in the place I work that I won't eat what they cook this month, they conversation goes like this: -"Did you ate anything today?" -"Yep" -"What? Nothing?" -"I ate the nessesery stuff" -" I see, nothing". I think I am going to start telling that I stopped the 'diet' and I am brinking food from home. And with social cases like family gathering (since Christmas are on the way) maybe I'll have to pretend I am eating and make the salad dissapear. & if anyone notices, I'll just say that this is heavy food for me, I won't be able to digest it before sleaping (it goes with the allergie idea). Today I ate some chocolate and after a while I felt a bit like crap. I'm more sensitive now that I eat more light. So it won't be a lie. No apologies, FabriCadabra, you are right!

So continuing from here. I've never eaten so many fruits in one helping, day or week, as I am doing those days!!! I think most people believe that they should feel full with one orange just like they do with a chocolate bar, I was one of them. Now I realize I have to eat a LOT of them and I wonder if smoothies -that are easier to consume- will make you feel the same full as the whole fruit.

Anyway, good luck to all of you!! You are doing better than me -lol :)

Ps. To be honest I haven't got Alissa's book, but thanks for the try. I'm not that organized yet. If I get organized, I'll have to find a friend to order it from net cause I doubt if I'll find it in my country or in my language.

[MysticTree]

Ok so now I am confused.

It isn't about eating light. It's about eating raw.

[Mayaya]

Why confused? Climentins are raw & the same time lighter than fried potatoes.

FabriCadabra I got some nuts today, thank you :)

[MysticTree]

maybe I'll have to pretend I am eating

I'm confused because you are talking about lying about eating. If you lie then why should anyone believe you when you say you are eating a healthy diet?

You can be honest about what you eat without having to go into detail. Seriously, food should never take up this much of the conversation unless there is a problem. Sounds as though your friends and family need to be part of a drama and your behaviour is only going to feed that need.

Take some soaked nuts with you to stop yourself feeling so hungry you eat the wrong things. Dates and dried apricots make good raw snacks.

[Mayaya]

Friends are perfect. Family is a problem... They like to criticise anything just to prove themselves right. My nutrition was always a top discussion, hopefully I early understood that silence can help this 'discussion' keep not more than max 2' at a time. So I still think that my behaviour is the best I have found till now, and I don't feel that I feed that need. Of course if you could help me on how to be honest without feed that need, that would be welcomed. Cause eventually it will become obvious when someday I'm not eating meat, cheese, cooked food etc at all. See, in my country, eating with friends and family is a way of celebrating stuff, hunging out and generally there are many occasions where sb will invite you for dinner. Expressing your intention not to have your plate filled with meat but just with salad, will definately draw attention, but not the good one.

[MysticTree]

In my country, too, people eat socially. My mother is a terrific cook and she enjoys cooking for me and my sister and all her friends. She is happy that I choose to eat in a way that makes me happy. She doesn't want to eat this way herself and I don't chivy her about it and she doesn't criticise me either. She makes terrific salads and raw dishes without murmur.

You have a choice. Please others or put your health first. You get to choose which you do. Take a vitamin pill if it helps them feel you are getting nutrients and you want to show them that you care that they care. If people still critcise you then they are not really such friends as you think.

Lying about anything will not be a long term solution - short term it won't do you much good either. If you lie they will know you are lying. If you pretend to eat but don't then they will think you have an eating disorder. Have the confidence to be the you that doesn't eat animal derived foods and cooked foods.

Take a look at some of the gourmet raw recipes. It's not just salads that you can eat on raw.

Of course, if you actually DO have an eating disorder then all this has nothing to do with raw or non-raw and your friends and family are right to be concerned. If your primary reason for trying to follow a raw diet is not for your good health but is a justification for cutting out a very large section of food options then you will face a battle. Both with your family and friends and also with food.

Only you can be responsible for your good health.

[Mayaya]

I want to reply to this one and end it here cause I know we are out of the topic.
Firstly thank you for the advice. I believe that you can reconsider friends that are not friends but you can't do the same with family. I have the thought that after years of raw, I'll be the living proof of the healthy choice raw nutrition is, so obviously my concern was "what happens till then with family reactions". That was my mail concern.
I have no eating disorders and never had. I admit that I stepped on raw while searching for ways to lose weight (I am slightly overweight-you can't call me fat however) as doctors have told me to lose those extra pounds and I myself can see that it has caused me a lot of health problems. What attracted me to raw is all the benefits it provides and the fact that it is so natural, so it actually makes sence. Then, after reading a few things about animal cruelty I thought that that's getting even more better!! This is a decent way to live and also it suits with the holistic way of living that I believe in. Since I got convinced about how raw is the only food suitable for us people, I don't want to hear about any diets and stuff. It seems to me like more and more people are trying to make money writing a book with the same title "The altimate healthy nutrition" where each content is a different type of nutritional experiment (pardon my english!). I don't want to put my body in that, cause any harm and then struggle to get over it like so many people have done.
That's my way of thinking about raw. Thank you a lot for your support, I know that learning about raw is going to be a difficult path, for examble I sometimes wonder where I'll find some ingredients, but I suppose one step at the time will get me there ;)

[MysticTree]

So now you have written it all out, you know what to tell your family.

[Vegansara]

I'm glad you've gotten some support on here. Sounds like you've really gotten some answers from yourself too.

How is everyone doing on the challenge? So far so good for me - I'm already waking up in a better mood and feeling more energetic throughout the days. I decided to take the day off before Thanksgiving so I'd be able to prepare my raw foods - or at least go pick some up from a local raw restaurant :) That feels like some good self care for me, as I'll be at a Thanksgiving with tons and tons of meat eating family.

Hope everyone is well!

[MysticTree]

I decided to take the day off before Thanksgiving so I'd be able to prepare my raw foods - or at least go pick some up from a local raw restaurant :) That feels like some good self care for me, as I'll be at a Thanksgiving with tons and tons of meat eating family.

Hope everyone is well!

Definitely a good idea and being kind to yourself is the best place to start. We don't do Thanksgiving over here but I understand that it's quite the family meal/occasion. I hope you have a lovely time and with all your food taken care of you can really relax and enjoy the holiday.

[Mayaya]

I couldn't believe the amount of fruits and vegetables I bought today. Looking at them afterwards I was wondering when am I going to consume them, but then seeing my launch, I thought that maybe they won't get through the week. I don't mean that I was 100% 'good girl' :P today, but I was a very very good girl compared to the past. Oh, and I ate some nuts too!!

Vegansara did you mean that you are going to take the raw food with you on the Thanksgiving?

[Vegansara]

Vegansara did you mean that you are going to take the raw food with you on the Thanksgiving?

Yep - I'm planning on bringing some things to share with people but also just some things for myself to eat. I think I'll bring sunny pate with jicima for everyone to share, and just be a pig and bring a slice of raw pie and some other things for myself. I've been bringing my own food to Thanksgiving for almost 20 years now, so that part doesn't feel new.

[Bihaku]

I just joined the site today. So I will start my 100% today.

[Mayaya]

Vegansara that is helpful to know that people actually can do this. I hope you have a great time at Thanksgiving..gathering :)

Bihaku I am also new in here, but welcome and good luck with your 100%!

[bcoogs]

here we are on day one.
It seems like a long time,being raw for a month.but at the same time,I am very excited to be here commiting fully to eating natural foods.
its the only way I feel good when I eat.
I have my baby due this month and I know eating naturally will really help with birthing and having energy for my family.

good luck everyone :)
:throwhearts:

That's amazing that you are choosing to eat only raw at this time. Have you been raw through the majority of your pregnancy? My partner has recently given birth and she found that during her pregnancy she went from eating predominantly raw to eating a lot more cooked foods.

[EscapeArtist]

I'm in (again). Hi everybody! Good to see you all.
I try every month and usually fall off every month, but I'm just going to keep trying.
Usually when I "fall back" I at least stay away from grains, meat and white sugar but this time the fall back has been harder. There is a lot of stress and emotional eating.
Lately I've been so frustrated with how I feel that I keep trying to jump to juice fasting, but I am not a person that does extremes well. Better to go raw

(When did I become a sprout? Aw what a cute title!)

[Lucy76]

Hello! Day 15 for me!! Hopefully I can last at least until the end of the month!

Hang in there escapeartist. Even if you fall, at least you've made it for a few days, and that's definately better than nothing. Just keep trying. That's what I do.:cheer:

This is what I ate yesterday:
1L of carrot juice,
1L of spinach apple and ginger juice
1 big green salad with sprouts and kelp,
dry figs
raw crackers with tomatos and olives,
a smoothie with orange juice, bananas, raspberries and hemp protein
2 apples, 2 bananas

I don't feel hungry at all. But these cravings are so difficult!

[snowshoe]

Hi all! This is week 2 for me @ 100%. I did a 14 day water/juice fast leading into this and feel good about finally crossing over. Have an old school blender and just scored a Champion. Love growing sprouts and am growing my first wheatgrass now. For the time being am mostly salad, fruit, nuts & seeds. Trying to keep nut intake down as they are my weakness. I'm glad to be free of so many things now - I just need to work on staying WARM!

It will be nice to have some company here, esp as holidays are approaching. I'm IN!!!

--snowshoe

[Vegansara]

Hello everyone! I treated myself to a raw meal last night prepared at a restaurant (Chaco Canyon in West Seattle) and it was delicious. Raw enchiladas. Earlier in the day I had a bunch of fruit for breakfast - apple, pear, banana I think - and then sunny pate with jicima for lunch.

This morning has been the same - apple, pear, banana, and I've also got some teriyaki almonds to add to my lunch since I'll be going to yoga tonight and need more energy. Who knows what I'll have for dinner - it is so cold here (to me) it is hard to think of making anything that will take time - I'd rather just get under the heater blanket as soon as I get home.

Hope you all are well!

[Shel]

Hello all!

Well, it has been a little over a month..almost 5 weeks, since I've been raw and November is moving along quite nicely if I do say so myself. :) I feel good and firmly rooted in staying raw. I've been on a kale kick too. Kale is just so good! I also treated myself to a raw entree and also got a raw hemp burger for later, at this cafe in D.C. over the weekend, so that was a very nice change. I do wish Baltimore had more to offer in that regard, espsecially if I'm on the go and can't uncook like I'd like.

Anywho, today I have raw kale salad that I made a "cheesy" cashew spicy marinade for (YUM), an avocado just for satiation if needed, a green smoothie that has collards, baby bok choy, Brazil nut milk, water, bananas and pineapple, a Rawvolution bar and a Lara Bar (you never know right...juuuust in case, lol), some green grapes (they were worth paying $3.49 a lb, *GASP, at Pimp Foods...oh, *ahem *cough...I mean, Whole Foods...they're delish though).

So, today is already a good day, because I'm prepared. Tomorrow starts my two day juice fast, which I've been doing since I started raw and that's GREAT! It helps stop me from ever getting any cravings and my taste buds are always wanting to continue eating raw.

Have a GREAT day all! Woo hoooo! :excited:

[Basenjimamma]

Hi all...glad to be back...this is only me second solid 100% day since I've been falling and falling and falling..BUT I am not here to beat myself up so I won't

Today has been an easy day so far,

B-Green smoothie made with kale, grapes, banana and an orange...absolutely delish..so sweet..
L-Raw Cheese-Itz and some more fruit, lots of water too
S-banana and a HoneyCrisp apple...absolute divinety...
D-will be a big green salad with avicado and veggies..

I am so glad to be back..see you in the morning. :D

[EscapeArtist]

Snowshoe, congratulations with the 14 day water/juice fast. It sounds like you're on a really good roll.

Have fun with your two day juice fast Shel!


I started today versus when I posted. So day 1 today :). It's actually been kind of a struggle already, but the first 5 days are always the most difficult. At the same time, I feel excited to finally break binge eating and feel GOOD! Had a sleep attack 4 hours ago and just woke up. Also quite stressed over this raw trial because I only have 3 dollars a day to go on. Not going to stop me. Spending 40 so that I can use 10 on my first 4 days to get through, and then it's 1 meal a day for awhile. I guess you can call that intermittent fasting x) The only time I've made it 30 days raw I was in a similar money crunch, that's the only thing that get's me to stick to it is knowing that if I don't this time and I start buying cooked stuff for binges then I'll lose my chance to recontinue.

[Vegansara]

Good morning (or afternoon or evening!) I just had a banana and some delicious strawberries for breakfast. I've been craving them for a few days and made it to the store this morning.

I have some great news, I've been working on shedding some weight over the past 5 months and this morning have officially lost 25 pounds in 5 months! Of course raw foods helps melt the weight off, and I've found the combination of raw eating and Bikram yoga really kicks it into gear. I'm still making sure I'm eating enough - I don't want to lose unsustainably or too quickly. But anyway, I'm pretty happy about it! So here's to another raw day!

[Mayaya]

Bikram yoga? I have to search for it!

Well these last 2 days I totally messed it up (call it weakness) and the rest of the month doesn't seem to go better than this, cause my financial is... below zero :P That means I'll have to finish what fruits and veggies I've already bought and then continue with whatever non raw I already have, so... There is always next month's challenge, so sticking to 'every next month's challenge', even if not doing it so well, will help me to set up a good habit and that's a good start!

Stay strong everyone!

[EscapeArtist]

Congrats sara to your stable, consistent 25 pound weight loss! That's weight loss the right way, lifestyle change.


I messed it up today too Mayaya.

Stress got to me today. It was a really rough day. I failed to go to classes today, once again. It's been a real struggle, I find myself more and more housebound each week. Because I missed school today, I might be withdrawn from my classes, and that will conclude my 3rd attempt to finish highschool. It really crushed my mom and I feel heartbroken for disappointing her so often. I felt a lot of loneliness and shame, and so I stuffed my face with tons of non-raw, non health food. The problem here was how I talked to myself.

It must mean something that I can't even get past day 2. I am more connected to food as a comfort zone than I thought. At the same time, I realize today how closely connected my other out-of-comfort-zone stress is to my food comfort zone. My new plan of action is to focus on other goals that are not going raw (Although I am still going raw but I'm not putting focus on it). School and exercise.

[Vegansara]

Sorry you're having such a rough time EscapeArtist! Remember to have some compassion for yourself. You are doing the best you can, and, you will be able to do better.

I just ordered Alissa's book Raw Food For Everyone, I'm really excited! I'm looking forward to exploring some of the recipes for the holidays. And it looks like such a good guide, so much information to help me learn more about how to eat a balanced and full raw diet.

[Dagelinckx]

Hi all,

this will be my 11 month of raw I have started on Christmas last year I feel very confident I can finish my raw this year and do not have plan to ever change to sad again.

The longer you stay on raw the better you feel, you do not even know what happen inside your body when you eat all that raw, you can see and feel your skin, in most cases you skip any cold or flue the rest of people have because your imune system is so strong.

I wish everybody a healthy month.

[janderse]

Hi, I am into day 12, and am having tummy troubles; indigestion and gas. I have been eating raw meals based on the Rawvolution book. Any ideas?

[EscapeArtist]

Hey janderse, do the rawvolution recipes have nama shoyu? That's made of wheat and can give a lot of people problems. Or, it could be that they contain a lot of more-refined raw sugars (agave? honey?), also if the recipes are high in sugar and high in fat it can cause indigestion/gas because it can feed candida yeast. That's what first jumps to mind


Back on it, agaaaaain lol. I was going to do a 30 day juice fast but today is day 2 and I'm not sure whether or not it's too extreme at the moment, because although I was excited about it, I am stressed about tomorrow and my body is saying "eat something". It's hard to deal with stress when you don't have food to turn to... That was the point of my fast! lol. I'm not sure if I will continue or if I will eat a raw meal tonight but either way i'm raw so HI !

[Shel]

Hi all!

Well, I'm still raw. It has been a little over a month. I'm just moving along really nicely. I actually am super psyched after making raw bread (buckwheat ROCKS and sprouts so nicely!), raw burgers and raw "crab cakes." Man, it was totally worth the time and effort. I also am really loving kale right now. Kale in my green smoothies, juiced, kale chips and kale salad. I never thought cauliflower would go well in kale salad but it sure does along with a sesame marinade, herbs and spices...peppers. YUMMO!

I feel completely empowered to make it through the holidays too. None of that stuff appeals to me anyway, being a non meat eater as it stands.

Happy Rawking everybody! :)

[OCGirl]

Greetings! So I'm joining halfway through the month! Already feeling challenged by thinking about the upcoming holidays. How do you deal with family???? Add to this am meeting the soon-to-be inlaws, so hey, no pressure. Riiight.

Anyhoo. Today am at 100% raw (YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and not weighing (double Yeah!!). For breakfast I had cranberry relish I made from: raw cranberries, raw orange, and enough honey to make it sweet (it was pretty sweet). Experimenting with making a cranberry kombucha shake thing, too, but that still needs work! Anyway, also had 2 bananas and several bites of my raw phudge (mostly organic, all raw).

Drinking lime water, tastes weird, may switch to tea.

Planning on a big salad for dinner, and about to go make some bread in the dehydrator. Alissa's recipes are awesome!!!

[OCGirl]

Okay, not to overpost, but. The shake this morning didn't hold me for very long, and I don't want to eat too much fat too early in the day. So I worked on my cranberry relish, think I have it just about perfected. It is tart and nummy.
Recipe:
1 bag frozen cranberries (I buy them in the produce section, then freeze)
1 navel orange (yes, the whole thing)
raw honey to taste (I prefer to use local honey)
Mix it up in the food processor, and voila!
Confess I am sitting here right now wondering if I'll end up eating the whole thing . . .

[Dagelinckx]

Nice to hear that still more people are popping in during the month, hope you can all finish your 30 days but not let it stop you after that, I know you will feel so diffirent from before so you will not go back to the cooked food and meat anyway.

Take care and enjoy your new way of living.

[OCGirl]

Doing great, not sure what day I'm on, not really keeping track.

Thought I had posted this morning, but hit a button and it went away. No idea what happened.

Anyhoo, eating lots of cranberries, oranges and raw phudge. Bad food combining, but at least it's raw! Salad last night with an organic avo, which was pretty amazing. Was hungry this morning shortly after waking up, which is very unusual. Made a cranberry smoothie, but it took a few phudge balls before I felt even remotely full.

Lots of energy, made it 3 miles speedwalking on the treadmill yesterday, looking forward to hitting the gym again today!

[snowshoe]

Hello all

I'm enjoying my increased energy and focus since going raw. Tasks don't seem as daunting as before. In a moment of weakness the other day I made an expresso like I used to have daily. It messed me up for the entire day - not doing that again.

I ordered a rebounder yesterday and cannot wait to try it. Off to juice some
wheatgrass now!

[OCGirl]

This morning's smoothie was dates, water and cranberries. Cranberries were frozen, which was nice, but by the time I'd gotten half the smoothie down, date pieces had sunk to the bottom. Need to get a VitaMix (and start drinking green smoothies), but they are spendy little things.

In the meantime I am enjoying how my body feels on raw, and noticing huge differences the closer i get to 100%. Sprouts are getting close to being done, so soon I can make dehydrated bread and pizza!!

Also planning on hitting the gym today; 2-3 miles on the treadmill and a few free weights to work on the ole arms.

Happy raw day everyone!

[OCGirl]

Breakfast this morning was a fresh squeezed oj smoothie with frozen cranberries and a touch of honey, repeated at lunch with a very ripe banana. With the smoothie at breakfast I had a raw phudge concoction made from walnuts, raw cocoa powder, raw lucuna powder, raw/organic coconut cream, a touch of honey and almond butter. Very dense. Don't know if it's the cold weather or the minerals am craving, but have been going for dense food lately. With the smoothie at lunch I had a small salad w/guac and vinegar. Probably have another salad at dinner. We found an old juicer, still in wonderful shape, and have a lot of apples we need to use up, so likely to start making fresh apple juice w/celery & carrots over the next few days. Am really excited about this, because the whole house is on board, and the level of support for what I'm doing is wonderful. A blessed life!!!

[FabriCadabra]

your cranberry smoothie sounds great! I will have to try that...

[EscapeArtist]

I'm not in this anymore, I'm transitioning. Cheering all of you on!

[M3F]

i realise it is nearly the end of the month but im joining now anyway. i have been try and failing to go 100% for over a month and been falling off the wagon big time so i think this is a good idea. I am on day 2 of 100% raw which is a miracle. i have a fairly resonable amount of weight to lose and im a runner but not training at the mo cos my iron levels got so low (on a SAD diet) My kids eat largely raw because i have always bought them up on healthy food but i have many more food addictions. not bad ones like takeaways or anything but would previously do a choc bar and lots of cheese a day but have found alternatives now and am doing much better. i find raw crackers and peanut butter replace my cheese on toast craving and ive been making 'choc' with cacoa powder, agave, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and dried goji berries. im sleeping less on the days i eat mostly raw and feel heaps better all day so im determined to stick as high as poss for as long as poss. one day at a time :)

[RawDad]

On day 26.

My boy was on day 24...his aunt shoved some turkey in his mouth tonight and I got very upset. He's 22 months old and doesn't know what were trying to do so I don't blame him for opening wide for that delicious smelling bird. I made it very clear to the whole gathering that I did not want anyone else feeding him cooked food. They took it pretty bad, especially his great grandma, but we were still able to enjoy the rest of the evening.

My girlfriend was on day 24. She has shown a lot of will power. She did a great job passing up the wonderful cooked food on the table. However, she had some wine. I talked to her about how drinking alcoholic beverages isn't part of the raw diet on the way home after the meal.

My compliments to anyone who made it through Thanksgiving, a lot of powerful comfort foods are around on this day for us in the USA. Brought 2 raw lasagnas and a huge kale salad to dinner and made it through on that.

Shel - I just sprouted my first batch of buckwheat and I have just been eating the sprouts. Very nutritious and tasty snack that is very cheap! I look forward to making crackers and breads with it.

[Dagelinckx]

Hi Rawdad, I be very proud of you that you can bring up your baby with raw food I'm talking myself raw but rest of my family does eat anything else too, I wish I could bring my rest of family into raw too.

I have been trying a lot but seems does not help but I feel happy for you that your wife is doing it too, it makes it more easier to stay on this path.

I wish you all the best

[Revvell]

On day 26.

I made it very clear to the whole gathering that I did not want anyone else feeding him cooked food. They took it pretty bad, especially his great grandma,

Yay for you! Most here don't have the strength to stand up to relatives and friends. That's a biggie! And, bringing food to share is certainly a great way to introduce folk to your way of eating. Did they enjoy (or even eat) the lasagna and salad?

[RawDad]

Everyone tried the lasagna and most people tried the salad, the kale we bought was amazing quality, the best we've ever bought from a farm not far away (Nash's Farm in Sequim Washington). Hard to tell how many people liked it and who was just being polite, but everyone finished their servings. I want to get a champion or omega juicer to make cookies for the Christmas gatherings. All I've got now is a centrifugal, but I just got the net so I'll probably find some recipes that I can make with what I've got.

[rawalice]

hi everyone, just thought Id stop by to say hello! Im entering my 6th week back to RAW and m like Yay! Ive come along way since I entered the October challenge! Way to go!

The benefits Ive experenced are trully amazing! I feel lke a teenager agan (Im 39!) So no going back, and these challenges are great, and boy it really is a CHALLENGE to stay RAW...:)

LOVE...

[Vegansara]

Hey guys! I haven't been on here much but I wanted to share about my Thanksgiving - I made Alissa's raw stuffing, kale chips and sunny pate to share with family - everyone loved it! My dad thought the kale chips were too salty (more for me!) but all of the SAD eaters absolutely loved the raw stuffing - this will definitely be a staple for me! And so easy!

For my meal I got a plate made from a local raw restaurant and just brought that - as well as two raw desserts, a pumpkin pie basically and a strawberry cheesecake. My entree and sides were delicious, the desserts weren't that great. We have two major raw restaurants in Seattle and only one of them has delicious desserts (IMO). But it was delicious - I felt full but not mentally cloudy and sleepy like I normally would after a cooked vegan meal.

Anyway, hope you are all doing great!

[Traceyraw]

Today is day one for me. I am happy to be jumping right on the wagon. I brought plenty of h20 apples and banannas to work with me today. TOmorrow I will be doing a 24 hour juice fast so on my way home going to the farmers market.
I can't wait for that raw energy.

[Traceyraw]

Im on day two and feeling great. I ended my day with green juice. Today I started with cranberry apple juice. I am feeling good today. I going to continue with the juice fast until I feel hungry. I am not going to end it today. I am so excited this is my first fast.