Almost a year now.

[robh]

I watched Fat Sick and Nearly Dead in January of last year. That's when I started fasting and learned about raw foods. My life will never be the same. I have adopted a raw food lifestyle and do my best to eat only raw food (but it's hard as we all know).

When I started, I was 310lbs. Before the holidays, I was down to 240lbs.

I used to wear pants with a 42 inch waste. I am currently wearing a 36 inch waste.

Prior to going raw I wore a XXL size shirt. I now wear a large.

Beyond changes in my physical appearance, I have noticed a host of improvements in my body. I require only 6-7 hours on sleep. I no longer snore. I have little or no body odor. I don't get sick any more. My hair and nails grow faster. Hair loss from male pattern baldness has stopped. My skin is clear. My endurance and stamina are greatly increased.

Mentally, I feel like a different person. I am now, more often then not, positive, upbeat and happy. I can think more clearly and I am more effective at work.

I will be posting before and after pictures. I don't have any recent pictures of myself.

I said before that being a raw fooder is hard. I had a bad week between the holidays. I put on 10 pounds, my skin is all broken out and I feel rather bad.

I will post some pics in a few weeks after I am back track. I wanted to post this anyway. This is my 1 year anniversary being raw. :)


Update:

Before
http://www.rghware.com/images/rawFood/beforeA.jpg

Before
http://www.rghware.com/images/rawFood/beforeB.jpg

After
http://www.rghware.com/images/rawFood/after.jpg

[Supa]

Congratulations, that is amazing progress!
Your not the only one that found the holidays hard and if anything a bit of a holiday backslide is a timely reminded of what has been working for us, and what doesn't work.

[laughalways]

Congrats Rob...You've done well.

My problem was that I was probably the only person I know who went hungry on Thanksgiving day despite a family celebration and an open house....I ate salad but other's idea of an adequate salad are far from what I eat daily.

[ReneeH]

Rob, did you not prepare any meals for your holiday time? What caused you to slip? If put under those circumstances again, what would you do differently that can help you next time.

I know eventually everyone will be eating simply, but I'm personally not ready for that stage of the raw lifestyle. I need my gourmet! It keeps me from slipping. Is eating simply really and truly workibg for you? You have Alissa's book...why not make some yummy meals next time? Sometimes I adjust the recipe, so I didn't need much.

Have you ever planned your meals? Try it during the next holiday time. It's only as hard as you make it to be. It really doesn't have to be....if you are prepared. The Holiday Dressing in RFFE is FANTASTIC!!! The Papaya Steak is DELICIOUS!!!! The Whipped Parsnips are TO LIVE FOR!!! Each of these dishes takes few ingredients and are easy to make. Why not give it a go the next time! Being around people enjoying SAD food when you have nothing beautifully raw to eat is setting youself up to slip.

I'm sure inside of a couple of days you'll be right back to where you want to be. I'm so glad you haven't given up!!!! :hug

[RedCedar]

Right n Rob! Can't wait to see the pics, but you were right to post this today.

[MysticTree]

Rob, you have had a wonderful journey so far. I don't beat myself up over holiday excesses. Enjoyed my holiday time and even those non raw days were only a small %age of the whole year. I find gourmet raw leads me astray - at times only perhaps but kale chips I can eat by the bucketful and once I get to an over eating thing then it triggers a continuing pattern. Fasts were keeping me on track for a good few months but I think it became too regular doing it every Monday. I hope to reinstate a weekly fast soon. Maybe on a different day :)

[ReneeH]

Just another note about gourmet raw... It DOES have its place. That's why Alissa wrote books about it, formed a 30 day plan around it, and recommends it. Holiday time (IMHO) is the perfect time for it. Maybe, for you, it's what will keep you eating more simply the rest of the year.

I'm not saying you have to eat like me...I eat gourmet almost daily because I love it and because I can. But, it may serve you to make delicious meals when your family is around eating your former favorite foods. Take maybe once a week and make something you can sink your teeth into. Something that makes SAD eating relatives drool over what you've fixed.

Alissa's recipes are there, so why not?

Off my soap box.... :)

[MysticTree]

I'm not anti gourmet raw but it doesn't suit me on the whole. Every now and then it's nice to have something other than simple raw but I need to be careful.

[MysticTree]

also, I don't have a kitchen like you do Renee. I don't have electricity either so even though I can make things at work I wouldn't have been able to keep them over the holiday. I don't berate myself for eating anything. I know I feel best when I eat raw and really that is all I need to know :)

[Aleesha Sattva]

Rob... congrats on a year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a super wonderfulicious gift you have given your Self. One year of health-focus instead of deterioration.

I'm dancing a dance for you, drinking a juice in your honour and wishing you continued success however you choose to eat raw. Whether it's a carrot dipped in raw humus or a beautiful calzone (honestly that was probably the best raw meal I've ever eaten... Alissa made it in our certification class)... you can do it and you are soooooooo worth it!!!

(((hugs)))

[robh]

Thanks everyone for the kind words.

ReneeH, that approach worked very well durring thanksgiving. Over Christmas, things broke down slowly. I had a nibble of this and byte of that. Pretty soon, I was having more and finally I just started eat with everyone else. I think a lot of it stemmed from thinking "I cannot have this or that." Thinking about the stuff you can't have and feeling deprived leads to obsession and that leads to the first nibble. I found a new way of thinking that hard to explain. I may start a thread on it. It is helping me tremendously with temptation. I'd like to share it with everyone. Thanks for all pointer on RFFE receipes. I'm gonna try some of those once I'm off the juice fast.


Aleesha, thank you so much for the beautiful sentiment.


When I get home, I'll look through pictures we have taken recently to see if there are any suitable after pics. There is one from a few months ago when my daughter was born, but that's awfully old now. I'm thinking I'll just have to wait a couple of weeks.

[LReid]

What a wonderful year of life that only you can give to yourself!

I've never felt better, and I'm wishing all of the "Robs" out there, a healthy raw year!

Aleesha, we did have the most amazing food at our class!

Lori

[Gianni]

That's a massive improvement. Congratulations Rob!:wow:

[robh]

Thanks for the warm wishes.

I couldn't find any suitable pictures. I'll have to take one once I have recovered.

[Aleesha Sattva]

we look forward to seeing them rob.

hey lori!!!

[EmeraldGlow]

Hey!

That is so great!!!!!! Keep it up :D

Looking forward to hearing what helps with your temptations. I know that same thing happened to me a few years ago when I'd been raw for about 2 years. Nibbling here and there and then it was everywhere!

PEACE

[robh]

Here are the pics:

Before
http://www.rghware.com/images/rawFood/beforeA.jpg

Before
http://www.rghware.com/images/rawFood/beforeB.jpg

After
http://www.rghware.com/images/rawFood/after.jpg

[MysticTree]

You are looking amazing Rob. Well done :)

[Gianni]

Great improvement. Keep up the good work!

[Jewels]

You look really good!

[Choose2BWell]

Looks good, keep it up! Get some!

[ReneeH]

You GO boy!!!!! :cheer:

What a cutie Pie!!!!!!!! ;)