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Hi Everyone, rather than blather on about myself twice I'm just going to re-post what I had posted in the "Introduce Yourself" part of the forum. For those that have already read it, just skip ahead :)

First some essential details:
Male, Age 34
Vancouver, BC
5ft11, large frame/body type
No body building muscle (just good old fashioned hiking/backpacking muscle)
Current weight: 220lbs.
Goal: 185lbs (with little muscle), 200lbs (with some body building)

Sorry this is probably going to be long-winded... hang in there!

Phase 1: The Vegan Years
I went straight from meat-eater to Vegan about nine years ago. However, I started eating the "bad" Vegan junk food, over-ate, stopped exercising, etc. As a result I shot up from 165lbs to 220+. People found it hard to beleive I was Vegan because of my over-weightness. But hey, it's possible to abuse any way of eating! I should point out that 165lbs is not my ideal weight. I am really large framed (read: husky) and 165 was way below what my ideal weight should have been. Anyway, I held steady and fast to my beliefs and way of eating for eight years and then completely fell off the wagon hard. I mean, I hit my head and Veganism was nowhere in sight.

Phase 2: Experiment #1 with Raw
Before we get on to what happened after falling off the Vegan wagon, I should point out that in my last year of Veganism I experimented with Raw. For three months I was hardcore 100% raw. In that time I lost 25lbs (with no exercise) and my body felt amazing. I had energy, new positive attitude in life, etc. But then winter hit. It's not like Vancouver is the "frozen north" but Raw does become far more challenging here during winter. I'd get back from cross country skiing or snowshoeing and crave warm soups, etc. Raw just wasn't going to cut it for me in the mental state I was in. So, I fell off Raw, back to Veganism and then onto...

Phase 3: The Cooked Vegetarian Year
I'm not sure what really prompted my falling off Veganism. I'll have to go back and look at that sometime. Anyway, I didn't go back to eating meat (ethical reasons - but that's another conversation), I did however start "pigging-out" on dairy like there was going to be no more cheese left in the universe. So for the past year I've been cooked Vegetarian. Oddly enough my weight hasn't changed... I would have figured I'd gain. However, I have been stepping up my exercise level. Lots more hiking, backpacking, snowshoeing, etc. Yet still not on a "daily" exercise routine of any sort.

Phase 4: Raw???
So here I am. Current day. I'm overweight, I feel crappy about myself all the time. I want to be back to what I had when I was Raw the first time around. It was amazing, life-changing really. But I need to make it "stick" this time. I'm going to do things a little different. Let's break it down:

1. Realistic Goals. Let's not be too ambitious and set myself up for failure.
2. Support Network. Here I am. I need you people!!! Really. I can't do this alone.
3. Minimalize. My first time around I created complex complicated meals all the time. Sprouting, etc. This time I'm going to take a simpler more natural? approach to Raw. More mono-eating. Eat simple things like just fruit or veggies or shakes.
4. Exercise. I'm going to start a daily exercise routine and stick to it. I've already made moves in this regard on exercise specific forums, etc.
5. I'm not a bad person if I'm not 100% raw on any given day. I must not "beat myself up" if I decide to have some Tea or something else that may not be 100% Raw. It's more important to do as much as possible without self-loathing or sense of failure.

Anyway, congratulations for making it this far in the "novel" I wrote :P Thanks for letting me share my story. I look forward to getting to know you all better.