Hello from Los Angeles

[Randa]

Hello everyone! I'm really excited about this.
I've been vegan for about 16 years or so (lost count, i'm 28 now).
When I first transitioned from being a meat eater to a vegan, I lost so much weight. But after doing research about my diet and lifestlye, i was able to slim down while get my daibetes in control and just feeling a lot better.
But as i graduated college and joined the stress of being an adult and dealing w/ the corporate world that does not allow you to take lunch breaks, I ended up eating very bad vegan food (yes, there is such thing).
My problem is I never say no to carbs.... bread, potatoes, pastas are my life. Chocolate is the love of my life :-). I tend to skip meals in the morning (because of hectic work schedule), and then i overeat at night (late night).

I'm 5'5", about 135. I know it's not that much, but I really want to go back to the healthy me at 125 lbs.

I exercise as much as I can, but who am I kidding, my work is my life and after a long day at work, the last thing I want to do is workout at 10 o'clock at night.

anyway, I'm really excited about doing the raw food challenge.
I love it raw food, the problem is i always end up giving up by the next day.
How do you guys do it?
I know i'm going to fail here and there, i just hope there will be people to support me here.

much love,
Randa

[karenisraw]

Randa,

I guess I just felt so great and got a high and euphoria (previously I had depression) that I just thought it was so great I don't even think anyother way because I am so gratefull to finally be happy.

k
:p :p

[Rawmney]

Hi Randa!

I'm also fairly new to this, so offering thoughts not as an expert, but as a fellow traveler, so to speak. I can completely identify with being a "white carb vegan!" :) I honestly think the processed carbs are addictive and that raw offers the only way for me to let go of that, plus other junk and sweets. Victoria Butenko has a great book on 12 Steps to Raw that likens cooked food to an addiction and talks about how to overcome it. I recommend it.

As someone who'd thought about this awhile, tried for not very long, now having some success but not 1005, etc., I don't think there's any one path and that it's important to be patient with yourself. Some things that are helping me -
* Coming to this board often and seeing how many folsk are already doing it. If you have questions, use the banana icon to search. There's a good chance you'll find helpful information on what's on your mind or you can post a new thread. In fact, you might want to search on "motivation."
* I found Alissa's video very helpful in taking the fear factor out of a lot of the prep. Seeing her make things quickly and easily was more motivating than just reading about them.
* Do some food prep on the weekend as she suggests so you have stuff handy for much of the week when you're super busy.
* Look for simple options - smoothies for breakfast, salads and simple things for lunch so you don't start to feel like kitchen slave ( get too ambitious and then burn out).
* Look online to see if there are groups in your area with potlucks or meet-up. Here I have Vegetarian Society of D.C. and the Northern Virginia raw meet-up group (at least in L.A., you will not be worrying whether to go to the meet-up because it might snow). Meeting different raw foods people is a great change to ask questions and be inspired. Don't get hung up if some of them are much furrher down the path and far more "strict" about it than you.
* You are so lucky to be in L.A.! If dining out is an option for you, maybe try some of the places for a great meal and inspiration. I'm comng out for a meeting next month for an animal proteciton group and we're going to Real Foods Daily which has some exciting looking raw options. I'm also going to Cafe Gratitude when I'm in San Francisco if all goes well.

Just one person's opinion. Good luck and I hope to see you on the main boards.

Best,
Rawmney

[kiwilime]

Welcome Randa,
This is a wonderful site and you will find much support here. I PM'd you.

[RawTruth]

Welcome Randa!!

You are in a perfect location to be raw. There are so many raw restaurants, raw support groups, potlucks, raw stores, and raw people in the LA area, I practically stumble over something or someone raw everytime I leave my house! :p

Alissa's book provides a great way to go and stay raw. And -- her positive attitude will help you with that belief that you will inevitably "fail" -- I and many other people have gone raw and stayed all raw using her method. The reason why some of us are here on this board after such a long time is that we want to encourage others and support them in doing this the way Alissa recommends.

Have you considered taking a raw food prep class? I just happen to know two great teachers in the LA area (Ha!! This is a joke since I'm one of them!) that offer Living on Live Food courses.

If you're not on any local mailing lists, send me an email and I'll forward a few to you that pretty much cover all the events happening in LA and OC.

Again, welcome!!

Rawmney -- if you can squeeze it in, try to get to one of the raw restaurants while you're here. Real Food Daily is okay if you're with cooked food eaters that won't go to raw, but there are some fantastic places whose food you'll swoon over!!

[Rawmney]

Thanks RawTruth! Real Food Daily is scheduled as the evening activity for thee meeting I'm part of. Not sure how much free time I'll have, but would love your recommendation for first choice if I do. I'll be staying in West Hollywood without car (San Vicente between Santa Monica and Sunset).

[Revvell]

Welcome Randa. East Valley here.

Revvell