Allow me to re-intorduce myself :)

[pinenut]

Hi,
I'm not new here, but have been a very long time lurker and occasional poster from a few years back. I've rounded yet another corner in life and decided to have another go at raw foods. I have always believed that a raw/vegan diet is and always will be the very best and healiest way to eat, but pressure, money, time and reality didn't always allow me to stick to my guns. Also I'm usually pretty low key and easy going and tend to take the path of least resistance when available. This being said, I'm hoping that my new go at an all raw diet will be done with fresh eyes and a new approach. I know right now that eating 100% raw all the time is not always an option for me, but I have decided that, for me, the best way to approach raw foods is this: If there is a raw choice when I go to eat something I will always choose the raw food. My dear b/f is about as far away from eating raw as you can get, but that's not to say he's unhealthy. We have an agreement though, I don't tell him how to eat and he doesn't tell me how to eat. That means if we go to a steak restraunt and I order the garden salad he won't roll his eyes or make any negative comments. He's not like that anyway. Like me he's pretty laid back and easy going, so it doesn't bother him in the least they way I choose to eat. If anything I think he kind of gets kick out of watching me make a meal out of raw green beans and hummus. He will jokingly make a face and gagging sound when he sees the food, but he in no way would ever tell me I shouldn't eat the way I do. He know how good it makes me feel and he's happy for me in my decisions.

That being said, I'm truely hoping that I can stick with this wonderful way of eating. When I do slip up and eat cooked food, I'm not even going to think twice about it, I'm just going to move on and make the raw choice the next time I eat something. Now I realize there will be cravings and times when I'm at odds with myself about what I should and shouldn't eat. That's where this wonderful board comes in. I'm hoping to utilize the wonderful advice and stories of the good people here to inspire me and keep me on track. Today is day one all over again for me. I've started a blog in the blog sections here. I hope to have time to try to keep up with it. I plan on using it to keep track of my workouts and food. I'm trying to loose about 40lbs. I run, do triathlons, open water swimming and weightlifting....when I'm healthy. Right now I have a neuroma in my right foot that I'm going to be having surgery for in the next few weeks. I broke my back and messed up my neck pretty badly when a 260lb weight set collapsed ontop of my when I racked my weights, crushing me in half. This was about 8 years ago. I had reconstructive surgery on my back to repair the T11 & T12 vertebrea. I had surgery on my neck to repair a dislocated disk and will probably need more surgery on my neck for more issues. Overall though I try to stay active. I hope to get back into competing in open water swimming and triathlon next year. I run and lift weights 5 days a week, but will have to re-evaluate my activities after my surgery on my foot.

Anyway so that's me. I hope to be here alot looking for advice and inspiration and hopefully to meet some new friends.

[Dagelinckx]

Thanks for sharing the story with us, ones you be on raw you will find that your recovery will be more faster things heal faster then is used to be.

I have diabetes and ones I have hurt myself it takes longer time to heal but ones I used raw my wounds are very fast cured, I hope it will does the same thing for you.