Greetings from SEATTLE!

[LaurLaur]

Hi all! Well, we've had a super slow start to spring this year in the northwest. It's been rainy and in the low 50's for the most part. Last weekend I was outside sunbathing and finally had to give up, because I was getting goosebumps on my arms! But mark my words... SUMMER.... WILL... COME!

Hopefully it feels more like spring/summer for the rest of you... wherever you are!

I am not a newbie to raw food eating, but tomorrow is the first day where I am going to commit to it fully for the next 30 days. I plan to post up BEFORE/AFTER pictures in that section of the forum 30 days from now.
(I'll post the link in this thread too at that time!)

Every time I eat raw I feel better. Right now I feel as if my life has hit rock bottom (no boyfriend [which if you're 23 is pretty devastating], no real job [currently working in self-employment], no real life to speak of, atm [I find myself at a crossroads]) so I figure the only way from here is UP!

I had been dealing with some "guy issues" this past month and I was feeling super depressed, I made a raw green smoothie one day and after sipping it, I couldn't help but smile! Even in the midst of my depression.

I've stopped talking to my friends about these guy issues, because they admitted to me they're getting tired of hearing about it. That, and it kills me to think of myself as "that girl". The one who won't stop blabbering about guys, what guys think of her, blah, blah, blah.

To tie in with that, I would like to share a motivational paragraph I read recently:
"Seek to find a little empathy and even some sympathy every now and then. FOR YOURSELF. Not from other people -you may never get that! Can you imagine being able to truly comfort yourself any time you wanted to? Wouldn't that be outrageous? The important thing is not giving up, and realizing that eventually, you will succeed. Every time that you fail, you learn how to succeed. It's through our mistakes you will realize how to complete a goal. And it's through gratitude for all the things you have already overcome you'll find the space inside to face and embrace your fear NOW."

So that's what I'm doing. I'm embracing my fear of being alone and fighting the good fight by being good to my body.
Eating raw makes me feel good. It makes my skin glow, I lose weight immediately when I eat raw. Right now I'm at about my highest weight (174 lbs). I wouldn't say I'm overweight, because I'm 5'11". I'm a tall girl.

But by committing to eating raw for the next month, I'm hoping to drop a few pant sizes and tone up just in time for summer! Get a sexy bikini body, you knowww what I mean

But beyond that, I have read from multiple sources that eating RAW puts your body in an alkalizing state (ensuring cancer and other degenerative illnesses don't creep up), it forces your body to shed skin cells faster and as Ann Wigmore says "Live food, Live bodies. Dead food, Dead bodies."

I recieved Alissa's book: Living on Live Food for my birthday last summer and attempted a RAW diet then and felt really good when I could commit to it.

This spring, I'm promising myself to fully commit to a RAW food lifestyle for 30 days (it takes 28 days to form a habit), because I owe it to myself to stop berating myself, to own up to my life and embrace the fact that I am BLESSED with the knowledge I already have about eating raw, and fin-ally, once and for all, apply those prinicples HARDCORE.

Like I said, from here, the only way is UP!

Yes, I will admit it's a little embarrassing to be sharing all of this with perfect strangers, but I've been poking around on these forums and everyone seems so motivating and encouraging of each other. Plus it feels good to get all this out.

HATS OFF TO THE REST OF YOU! Eating RAW in a SAD fueled society is not always easy, but by encouraging each other, every step of the way, WE CAN DO IT!

This is my first post and my FIRST STEP

~Laur

[Steven]

Hey, its great to see another person from Washignton on this board! I actually managed to get a slight burn from the sun today as it was pretty nice out, so summer is definitely coming slowly but surely!


I wish you the best on committing to raw for 30 days, you wont be disappointed after that month!

[sergey-uliba]

One of my favorite inspirational phrases is
"Humans are capable of absolutely everything, it's just sometimes they forget to believe in it"

Let's go on the 30 days together? When do we start? Now?

[LaurLaur]

Let's go on the 30 days together? When do we start? Now?

Yuss! Nowww! Annnd Begin :)

[DawnD]

Yea LaurLaur! Take the plunge...accept the challenge. I did the 30 Day Raw Challenge and was very successful. I have been raw for almost 2 years but there are a few things that I needed to eliminate. I realized they don't call it a challenge for nothing but you will have lots of support here. Its do-able!

I have started reading the book called The Secret about the Law of Attraction. Check it out. It may be something that can help you keep a positive focus with the challenges you are currently facing.

I have a neice named Lauren and we call her LaurLaur. Sweet.

Wish you the best. We are here for you!