My Changes

[AdrienneD]

Hello all!

I posted in my fasting thread that I have fallen off the RAW mentality wagon, so this afternoon I went on a little inspiration and motivation quest!

And by the gods am I ever glad I did! I've realized so much in just a few short hours that I feel so empowered! I even sang and danced in my shower a few minutes ago I felt so happy lol!!

I went back through everything I've written, drawn, posted, and pictures I've taken since going raw.

The difference is indisputable! I encourage EVERYONE to take photos when they simply start to research the raw lifestyle. Even if when you look at them they seem so unflattering and it hurts just to THINK of looking at them , just DO IT.

Even in my writing. All my short stories or journal entries before raw were all about how depressed I felt and what I was going to do about it in the future. Everything after going raw was/is full of empowerment, things I noticed on my walks, how I felt so close to nature, etc. My vocabulary was even improved haha .

Never ignore the tiny things either. They can be so tiny you wouldn't even notice them if you didn't make a point to stop and look back with a magnifying glass!

When I went raw I stopped using pretty much all chemicals. I have rid myself of foundations/ cover up on my skin. I DO use shadows and mascara, but am hoping that I can find the strength to give them up eventually. What I am happy about make-up wise, is that I can leave the house now without it if I'm just doing errands or going out to play haha. before raw I would make my hubby wait for me to straighten my hair, pour make-up on, and go through my whole closet to find something "flattering". He loves that I can get out of a shower and be out the door in 5 minutes now with him.

In three months I have used shampoo ONCE, and my hair just recovered today from that one time. Yes, a few times I had to rinse my hair three times a day, but those times only last a few days at most! My hair is healthy and growing incredibly fast now. I had two inches of new beautiful growth already!

I don't use soap at ALL on my body. I rinse and I am careful of what I touch. My skin is beautiful and soft. I've had customers at work brush against me and they seemed so shocked and ask what I do for my skin! haha I have even found that dirt doesn't "cling" to me anymore. I can walk barefoot for an entire day and my feet look pristine! I love that my natural oils are now doing what they were intended to do.

I feel strong and I am aware of every muscle with each movement. It feels beautiful...


It seems so silly that a few days of "slipping up" and feeling down can erase how we feel and what we know is working for us. Yes, I ate some SAD food yesterday, yes my face is puffy today and I have a little headache. But that does not mean I can't be raw TODAY, that my body is going to not be soft and fit tomorrow.

The pictures below speak for themselves! I hope no one minds the topless-ness. But we're all adults here, and you can't exactly see anything. This was how I did my "before" shots, so I thought that doing the "during" shots were the best way to show the progress. No face shots for today, as I said it IS quite puffy from last night, at the end of my fast I WILL post some though as it has changed a LOT since I went RAW.

One of the last mental challenges I am struggling with is the "fat mentality". Two years ago I started my health journey, at 210 lbs. I went down 160 in that first year, and stayed there until going raw. I am now at 140 pounds, but I still feel like I weigh 210. It's so strange to look in the mirror and so, "I'm not actually FAT am I?".

[sport]

Whatever about showing us your body you have showed us your soul and we love it.

[Moretta]

You look rawsome, keep it up.

[AdrienneD]

Thanks to both of you!

[solarliving]

I enjoyed reading your story. That is neat that you noticed how your vocabulary changed. I also feel more connected to the earth and nature and my mood is much more positive.

[Hina]

I like reading inspiring stories like yours, it also adds to your "database of people succeeding" on raw food when you are asked to tell some ;)

I don't use soap for over 2 months now and I agree, its so much better. People tell me my skin has a sweet fig odor lol.

Keep doing it, and looking good!

[spicyfull]

Keep up the Good Works.........

[AdrienneD]

thanks everyone!

[laura-jane]

Good for you. It's so true that it's definitely to compare how we FELT before and also how we LOOKED before, because the changes happen so gradually.

I always keep journals or blogs about what's going on in my life so that I can go back and revisit how I felt during that time. Good for you for going back to your source material (photos/journals) and reminding yourself of how you felt.

Keep it up and keep us posted!

[AdrienneD]

I finally found the very first photo I took the night I decided to take charge of my health, it is MY body afterall right!?? I deleted them from this computer, but they were still on some old pages I had.

I still cannot recognize my face from this old photo...

the other photo is from a week or two ago.

[rawrawks]

woweeeee
Yes it is important to journal all the beginnings of raw and as you progress. Lest you forget all the things tha have disappeared or gotten better.

You reminded me of some things that have transformed for me. Inspring. Thankx.

Hey people are less covered on the beach than you in pix.

Thankx for sharing that inspiring thread.

[Rachiel]

Wow, you look amazing.

[RawHeaven]

Thank you for sharing your journey.

You look amazing!

Just a reminder to be thankful we have found raw foods.

I think this is what's most important.

Everything we experience along the way serves a purpose.

[IamLoved]

I am so glad that you posted this because you are so right. Once we have been raw for awhile and we start to feel really good it is so easy to forget how crappy we felt before. That same thing happened to me. I forgot just how awful I felt when SAD. It is so important not to forget. Not to dwell on it, but just to let it empower us and motivate us and encourage us to keep on this awesome path to health. Thanks again for the reminder! :)

[somelikeitraw]

Thank you for sharing your story. You look great and I bet you feel better than you ever have in your life!