Today is my first ever day of eating only raw food! Which will hopefully last longer than some other resolutions I have made. This one clicks though, as a vegetarian and as someone who is ecologically-minded, it makes a lot of sense. So this is something else to add to my arsenal of eccentricities and characteristics that make me up - like my eternal impatience and notorious difficulty with fighting the urge to grab a box of Triscuits when I'm hungry, instead of making something. But this is my first day into changing that! With a crutch of scanning the internet for snacks and meals I can make in advance to prepare for my lack of self-control.
I am not going to lie, although I have a fundamental basis of interest in things like overgrazing, free trade, organics, antioxidants, and five years of vegetarianism under my belt, my motives for taking this course of action were not as pure. I am undeniably subject to the aesthetic pressures of my university-age group, and actually only came across it as an alternative to the measly salad I was consuming once a day. This healthy interpretation of eating clicked well with the perspective I have developed towards nutrition and the environment by this time, which far superceded my sadistic attempts to have more control over my life and to look like Kelly Ripa, while also maintaining those benefits. So, with a considerably lessened amount of hunger pains, I am starting this blog on the first day of my life as a raw foodie. So I'm going to be honest again, this is more like a half-day because before coming back to school my dad made me salmon for dinner and I felt obliged to eat it... I'm just trying to keep things simple here. I am going to try to keep myself going at 100% raw. If I slip up unintentionally with ingredients, feel free to let me know. If I slip up intentionally, don't.
As of now, I am 5'3, 128 lbs. Last week I was 132, a gain which was a little too quick for comfort and spurred me off on this tirade. After two days of bottled water and avoiding food, I am 4 pounds lighter and a lot smarter. I have a horrible memory, bad joints, low energy and motivation and a lot of fat around my middle. I am curious to see how some of these things will change, sooner the latter than the former, of course. I have to be granted some ignorance as a 20 year old. That's my story for now anyway, and I'm sticking to it. Before this, I got really into a book I read called Superfoods and added a lot of healthier elements into my diet, like oats, tomatoes, fish with Omega-3's, flax, etc. What is the deal with fish, anyway, and why can't I eat it if I want to go raw? Even sushi... last time I checked, sushi = raw fish? But I am a confessed addict to processed, easily accessible foods that I can shove into my mouth when i come home from class, and I think that will be my main obstacle to surmount. I also try to work out a fair bit, and do a lot of weight training but I think for now will focus on cardio. I am not sure how raw fooding changes when you throw moderate exercise into the mix. That would be nice to know too.
So, to get gritty, today .. and I am going to skip the shameful non-raw things I already confessed .. I had green tea and a smoothie, with frozen berries, honeydew, peach, grape, honey, cinnamon, almonds, water (my attempt at almond milk) and honey. This genuinely filled me up a lot, and I didn't eat until later when I had... salmon. But I really and truly felt like I noticed a change immediately after consuming that. I felt overall more alert, and had a burst of energy, which also felt more sustainable than my usual sugar rushes. I want to be in this for the long haul, so tomorrow I am getting up bright and early to walk to the grocery store and find some good organic raw chow. Okay, confession # 3, I also had some vodka and cranberry juice a little earlier, like 2 am earlier... does that count? How does alcohol fit into this? To give myself some credit, I hadn't discovered you guys at this point. I don't think it would have been a very productive meeting.
Anyway, so tomorrow I am committing myself to waking up and weighing myself to maintain an accurate journal that will tell me where I have been and where I am going now as a raw foodie. If anyone knows other variables of which I am unaware that I can also use to keep myself and whoever is interested on my progress, let me know. I already mentioned my trouble spots, so I am going to write if I notice changes on those in here, but anything tangible is always practical, like a number. I have always weighed around 128 for the last couple of years, and have also usually had low motivation to get up and do things. Then I am walking 20 minutes in the -7 degrees celsius weather to the grocery store, because the Farmer's Market doesn't open until Saturday and I want to start out with a bang. That says something guys, I am a lot more devoted than I have made myself out to be. I am also going to try and make atleast one snack that I can prepare in advance for when I come home and am impatient enough to ruin everything. Anyway, I am glad to have found myself in this position, and we'll see how things roll from here.

Hi there.......i want to welcome you into the raw food community and congratulate you on choosing the raw journey...so far it has been an amazing one with lots of ups and downs along the way for me in the past 6 weeks....and i am sure that you will find amazing results and start to feel so much better as well.....hmm tea's aren't raw....so before you start off with that hahah i just thought i would let you know so it is easier then finding out after a few months of it.....coffee and tea were really hard for me...especially coffee i was an everyday coffee drinker...loved my espresso haha...so that is a tough one for me...hmm we don't eat meat because we beleive in a raw vegan lifestyle...although some people people it is okay to eat raw meat....which in that case if it helps you then eat it raw...but most follow the raw vegan lifestyle....i think that if it helps you then eat it carol alt eats raw meat and dairy as well...her boook is out in the bookstore it is called carol alt eating raw or going raw something...i have it somewhere around here...but it is a good book and it will help you if you are wanting to stick with raw meat!!! that is the only book i have that actually mentions meat or dairy in it....so good luck with that.....
hmm well girl good luck with everything and keep us updated...this forum is a wonderful tool in your raw journey....we are all very close and are like a family...always offering support and advise on one another's page...so feel free to read our journals and comment too!!! good luck
love sachelle
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

05.03.07
128.5 lbs.

• 1 ½ cups strawberries
• Green smoothie –
o 1 cup frozen fruit – strawberries, peaches, grapes, pineapple, honeydew
o 1 1/2 cups spinach
o 2 tsp. raw honey
o 1 ½ cup water
o 2 tbsp. vanilla
o 1 scoop soy protein
• 1 banana
• ½ cup broccoli and cauliflower
• Zucchini Pasta with tomato sauce - ****
o 2 zucchinis, shredded with a peeler
o Blend:
- Half a can crushed tomatoes
- 1 ½ tbsp. organic, cold pressed olive oil
- ½ yellow onion
- 1 tsp. organic garlic
- ½ carrot, sliced
- ½ red pepper, chopped
- ½ green pepper, chopped
- Chopped leftover zucchini cores
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Basil to taste
• Fridge cookies - *****
• c/o Jordana from www.rawfoods.com
o 3 cups rolled oats
o 2 cups almond butter
o 3/4 cup honey
- Mix almond butter and honey together then add oats. Form into balls and set aside. Pulverize more oats in a food processor until powdery. (You can add carob powder and cinnamon to the oat powder, but I don't.) Roll balls in powder. Refrigerate for a while before eating.



Okay, so... I love this! I think I just had one of the best meals I have had in a very long time. I read somewhere that processed and other foods we are used to eating, although tasty, are 'dead' = full of empty calories, and that living food was so much more satisfying because the nutrients are what your body needs, and this is what is actually delicious to our bodies. So true! The Fridge Cookies are the epitome of that. I feel satiated, full, and SATISFIED after I eat my food now, which is a new feeling for me. I also feel I have a lot more energy over extended periods of time, and don't crave foods like I used to. Or feel like snacking! That is huge because I have always been compulsive with things like that.

So I got up early this morning like I promised I would and, unfortunately, there is a limited amount of organic produce in my town. I scrounged up what I could and then made do with what they had. Hopefully I am scoping out the right things at the grocery store.. I am a first time at this. Just because I am really interested to see the results of this lifestyle makeover, especially after how changed I feel today, I am documenting my stats, meals, etc. along with this journal to track my progress both physically and as a raw foodist, so I have included my very first shopping list at the top of this entry along with my weight from this morning. I am not sure how trustworthy my scale is though, it is digital and sometimes changes its mind pretty quickly about how much I weigh. Does anyone else have this problem?

This is my first day as a raw foodie... and I loved it! But of course I have some questions. Some things in my meal plan I wasn’t sure of today:
Tomatoes – I thought the pasta sauce would be too runny if I used fresh tomatoes instead of the crushed ones I had available in the can, which seemed to me to be more like tomato paste. I am not sure about what the policy is with canned foods?
Sun-dried tomatoes: Is it okay to eat the pre-packaged ones that come with olive oil? Today I bought new ones in a bag, but then when I got home I realized it says to boil them for a couple minutes, and then preserve oil. What are my options here?
Soy protein: I have this vanilla soy protein powder, which packs in a good amount of protein for the day in a tablespoon or so and I think gave me a lot of energy today. A) is this raw? what is the beef with soy, in a nutshell?

I was also wondering how I can keep green tea in my diet. Apparently it isn’t raw, but can be if you make sun tea? I have also heard of something called matcha, which is ground green tea leaves, does anyone else know about this? I had a drink by Odwalla the other day made from soy milk and this matcha stuff, and it was pretty good but I want to know if this is a viable raw food option? And where can I get it/make it?

Does anyone know about Superfoods and how the Raw Diet corresponds with that way of eating? I am also wondering if there is a raw food substitute for something like coffee to keep me going on 12-5 pm class days. And what does everyone do for sweet/salty cravings? I have a really bad sweet tooth. My lovely meals and proof of my first day as a raw foodie after the jump.

[www.flickr.com]

HI there hun...well you had an overall good day....and that is awesome you met your goals got up early and made it to the grocery store........hmm to answer some of your questions....well canned food is a no no it is processed and has preservatives added to it and it is cooked....so canned things are a don't on raw it is cooked and sometimes the worst with the added yuckies haha....hmmm soy is a no no too it causes mucus and isn't raw......soy isn't looked on as something good here in the raw world but if you feel it is right for you then keep it....some people only do 80% raw 20% cooked....that could be your cooked....hmm sun dried tomatoes are okay on the raw...as long as they are truly sun dried...if they are packed in oil you have to be really careful because most companies cook and add preserves...so you would need to get the oil ones from a raw company for your safest bet...if you buy the bagged dried kind as long as they are not cooked to be dried they are legal int he raw world....you don't cook them though...to use them soak them in pure water for about 30 minutes before using them!!!!
hmm odwalla drinks are not raw either they are juices from concentrate then cooked at high temps to keep them from spoiling...otherwise known as pasteurized fruit juice.....hmm green tea i know is not raw...but i am sure if you cook it via the sun it is okay.....because it won't get too warm and it should be good...but as i said like with the soy...if you need your green tea then keep it until you are comfortable to throw it out.....although the longer you eat cooked the longer your body will crave these things.....hmm go to the main forum type in coffee and you should pull up an old thread of coffee sub someone posted...i am not sure on how they work or if they are good but they are helpful i am sure...
superfoods are an iffy thing....some people believe that some of it helps and others think you get everything you need with the veggies and fruits daily...so i am not that smart in that subject as i don't do superfoods really
well good luck and take care .....let us know how day 2 goes
love sachelle
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

030607
125.5

• Soaked oatmeal

• 1 tsp. vanilla

• 1 tbsp wheat bran

• 1 large navel orange

• 1 tsbp wheat germ

• 1 tsbp. Flax seed

• 2 cups berry blend

• 1 banana

• 1 tsp honey

• Handful brazil nuts

• 2 cups strawberries


• SNACKS

• ¼ cup almonds with 1 ½ tsp honey and ½ tsp salt

• 1 cup strawberries

• 2 1/2 fridge cookies

• SALAD

• 0.5 pineapple

• .15 cranberries

• .25 corn

• .5 mandarin oranges

• 1 tbsp. balsamic vinaigrette

• 1 stalk celery

• ¼ red pepper

• ½ plum tomato

• ¼ cucumber

• 1 cup strawberries

• ¼ cup nuts with honey/salt

• 2 fridge cookies

I am changing my sleep schedule around. A couple weeks ago, since early January, I have been sleeping in pretty late a couple days a week, and not being very productive, so now I am getting up between 8:30-9:30. Although I still feel groggy when I wake up, I am also more alert. I notice too like even when I do things – not a huge change, but I feel like my brain is like… pushed forward or something.

Big question – I am not sure if my scale is broken or something, but I weigh myself when I wake up in the morning, and if that is maintained – is that a safe amount of weight to lose? I have included my link to this free nutrition planner I found on the internet called FitDay, if anyone wants to use it it’s awesome and just follow the link at the bottom. But is 3 pounds in one day normal for a 20 year old starting the raw food diet? I even ate like two of those fridge cookies with all of the almond butter and honey, some banana and olive oil, and some people say to leave the fattier things til the later part of the diet. I consumed about 1800 calories, and they were all from the right places. I haven’t weighed 125 lbs in about 6 months, since I cared about my weight in the summer before I started working/going to school! Anyway, so if this is safe, exciting! If not, please tell me what I am doing wrong.

Nutrients I am lacking (FitDay):
• Vitamin D – 0% - sun 
• Vitamin B-12 – 28.08% - supplement
• Zinc – 81% - lentils, oatmeal, potato, beans, spinach
• Selenium – 81% - asparagus, garlic, mushrooms, parsley, wheat germ, whole grains
• Calcium – 74% - QUINOA, collards, spinach, brazil nuts, almonds, tahini, turnip greens, kale, oranges

Calorie Intake
Recommended:
Whatever the calorie level, DRVs for the energy-producing nutrients are always calculated as follows:
• fat based on 30 percent of calories
• saturated fat based on 10 percent of calories
• carbohydrate based on 60 percent of calories
• protein based on 10 percent of calories. (The DRV for protein applies only to adults and children over 4. RDIs for protein for special groups have been established.)
• fiber based on 11.5 g of fiber per 1,000 calories.
My average calories
grams cals %total
Total: 1813
Fat: 61 549 31%
Sat: 7 63 4%
Poly: 13 116 6%
Mono: 37 330 18%
Carbs: 291 996 56%
Fiber: 42 0 0%
Protein: 46 185 10%
Alcohol: 9 63 4%
• PERFECT!

Hey there...it is normal don't worry you will lose weight on this lifestyle...because your body is ridding itself of the toxins and what not...so you are safe haha...isn't it awesome...keep up the good work...i know fitday is a big site here for the raw fooders...i love it..again congrats on the weight loss and keep it up take care
love sachelle
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

07.03.07
124.5

• 1 cup berries
• 2 navel oranges
• 1 tbsp. flax
• 1 tbsp. wheat bran
• 1 tbsp. wheat germ
• 1 cup water

Smoothie
1 cup berries
¼ banana
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tbsp honey

Truffles
1 tsp walnuts
1 tbsp almond butter
1.2 tbsp carob powder
2 tsp coconut

1 cup spinach
1 navel orange
1 ¼ roma tomato
¼ cup pineapple
¼ cup hot peppers
1 stem cilantro
1 bunch parsley
3 tbsp. zucchini
¼ carrot
¼ each red, green pepper
½ tsp organic garlic
½ tbsp. organic cold-pressed olive oil
¼ yellow onion


...5 fridge cookies ahhh. My sweet tooth went on the attack like whoa. That explains the huge displacement from yesterday's proportional eating. I really need to get some ready-made meals down pat, because the only problem is the insulin and my cravings for sugar that make me grab the first thing I see instead of taking the time to prepare something that will be nutritious and satisfying. A lot of the time, especially when I met my friend at a cafe for tea today, I find myself craving things like bread, cake, etc. Does anyone else do this too? I got some carob powder today, which helps but I think I am just kind of feeding the fire too and instead need to find other ways of preparing healthy meals so I can start getting into that instead of having a crutch.

Ready-made things are a biggie right now because I'm also going away this weekend with family, don't want to make a big deal out of what I'm eating, and don't want to be in the way. Instead of explaining what I am doing I kind of just wish I had said that I enjoy eating more fruits and vegetables... now everyone will be looking for explanations, etc etc over an otherwise insignificant issue.

[www.fitday.com]

Wow you are doing great! Hooray. I so know what you mean about digital scales doing that. It's like make up your mind. I have lost 3 lbs over night before don't worry about it it happens when you first go raw. You said you used frozen fruit. Do you freeze the fruit yourself or buy packaged? Packaged is ofetn not raw beucase they boil the fruit before they freeze it. I was addicted to coffee starting at age 12 but once i went raw i had so much energy from the food i didn't feel like i needed it. I havne't had any since last june and i have a 36 hour school week and survive it. I always crave breads and sweets and when i get off track that is what i turn too so yes i feel ya. Social situations are hard but if you just explain that you've you taken your health seriously or something like that i don't see how they can't be supportive good luck! Oh and btw I'm 18 and in school so yay for young raw foodies. Where are you studying. Keep it up and keep posting.

xoxo,
Starfruit

Hey there...i see you lost more weight awesome awesome for you!!! keep it up..you are doing marvelous...and of course like starfruit said yay for young raw foodies!!! there are a limited amount of us...we have to stick together
well keep us posted on your progress....take care
love sachelle
xoxoxoxoxoxox

03.08.07
125.0 lbs

[www.fitday.com]

whoaa, definitely fell off the wagon. i did really good with going to the gym and trying to stay healthy, but i had nooo idea alcohol had that many calories. i also didn't really check to see if it was raw.

what does everyone else do about missing out on calcium?

hahaha yeah alcohol isn't raw and has soooo many calories....i used to not eat at all so i could drink with friends..but since going raw i am doing better....hmm it is cool we fell off the other day as well but 2 days ago we were right back at it....hmm sesame seeds have the highest amount of calcium of anything you can eat raw i have read...so make some sesame milk or something like that...good luck
love sachelle
xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

hey guys, still right at 124.6
i am getting tired of pasting everything I eat into here but it will still be on my fitday journal, for now anyway! has my weight started to even out? how does this work?

this weekend was hell because we went to my grandmother's in a remote town, and everything she eats is baked. but now i am back in my house, and i have already made fresh almond milk which is sooo good.. does anyone have any good granola or cereal recipes that don't need to go in the dehydrator? what do you guys use to sweeten your almond milk, and does anyone make it yummier, like chocolate milk or something?

also.. has anyone heard of matcha? it is ground green tea leaves and I had it mixed with soy milk once and think it would be just as good or better with almond milk.

how do things go with warming things up, i.e. warming butternut squash under hot tap water (give or take, because I don't have a thermometer) or for example warming almond milk in a double boiler on the stove? i also find cold soups not very appetizing and like to make mine a little warm. another example is blanching almonds, putting them under hot water and then cold to make the shells come off.

how do you also tell when chickpeas are sprouted, and how do you store almond meal? how much do you squeeze the almonds in the cheesecloth when making almond milk, like how dry should the leftover almond meal be?

next projects: apple cookies, cinnamon rolls with almond meal
spinach wraps with hummus, roasted red pepper for dad, Pakistani spicy chickpeas
granola

goneraw.com has amazing recipes. mmm and everyone should try hummus spread on spinach leaves and rolled up.. soo good. i am also going to make veggie sushi as soon as i get some parsnips. mmmm.

I just made almond milk last night too. I sweetened it with honey and vanilla. So good.To warm soup up if you blend it long enough it will get a little warm. Also dehydrater. Spinach wraps w/hummus sounds so yummy. Take care.

xoxo,
Starfruit

when you make the soups instead of using cold water use warm water...it will instantly add some warmth...also if you know what things you will be using to make the soup let them sit till room temp and then use them...this will make the soup warm and yummy....almond milk can be sweetned with honey, agave, vanilla, raw chocolate powder or cacao ......matcha saw it at my health food store the other day......thought of you since you had asked before...i am sure it would be just as good....the pulp leftover from the milk should be dry pretty dry....to make warm almond milk use warm water to start with instead of using the double boiler that is what moist suggest....especially if no thermometer...since easily you could cook it without knowing it since it wouldn't have to be that hot to be cooked...
good luck with the new receipes..
love sachelle
xoxoxoxoxoxox

Sounds like you are doing great. and kudos for asking so many questions! how else can we learn??
You probably figures out soymilk isn't really raw. If you do more research on soy and it's ecological impact you might move away from it ... or not.
Also, I get what you mean about worrying about snacking. I am a total grazer! The good thing about raw is that pretty much everything is ready for face-stuffing... I mean, fruit is the ultimate fast food they say. But again, sounds like your doing great.
I also like to eat dates to satisfy my sweet tootch they are really sweet!! Raw cocoa beans are yummy too and give you a head rush.
PEACE!

k8lyno7-how did u get your zucchini noodles so long and broad?? is it from the madolin slicer or the spiral??or??that looks so good.you do really good. hugs taylor

[img10.mytextgraphics.com]

hey there you are doing great keep up the good work!!
hey taylor...i am not sure what you mean by her noodles cuz i wasn't sure if you saw a pic or somethng...but i get long broad noodles from using a regular peeler and peeling the zucchini...so you might want to try that!! l
love sachelle
xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

sachelle:
thank you so much for all your help! and everyone else, thank you for your support
i have been doing only raw food since i last posted, and i have noticed huge changes in my body. i have lost a lot of fat and also lost skin problems i had on my upper back, i also had bumps called cilia under my eyes, which my doctor said was from too much oil, and i have had them my whole life and they are almost gone now!
i am down to about 125 now and have stuck there for almost 2 weeks, despite going to the gym every day and doing at least 30 mins of cardio. i think part of it is because i am building muscle, but has anyone else experienced this plateau? mine took place after i lost about 8 lb.s, from 132 to 124. and how can i keep slimming down?
also... ok i love the taste of raw food.. but what do you guys typically eat on a day to day basis? are there any staples i am missing out on? i eat a lot of smoothies, salads, etc. but am wondering what you guys typically eat? i dont want to get bored, i want practical yummy meals
oh and yes by the way, like someone mentioned i did only use a vegetable peeler with my zucchini
does anyone know how to make almond butter? i love it so much but for me it is ten dollars a jar here. ok i think thats it for now! <3

Yeah i totaly know what you mean about the plateau. That is what Sachelle and i are dealing with. I don't know how to break it so don't have an answer for you but i feel for ya.

xoxo,
Starfruit

Haha yeah i have no tips for this one lol....i am stuck in the situation as well and have been thinking it is the building of muscle too...just keep on being raw and keep on working out you are doing amazing...haha i knew you had to use a peeler lol that is what i did too
well girl keep up the amazing job...take care and know i am thinking of you glad youare back i was worried about you.......
love sachelle
xoxoxoxooxox

awww you dont have to be worried!! that's so sweet. i am just busy with school and other stuff, you know, and the novelty of being raw has worn off a little bit... ok i lied its absolutely fun and obsessive, i spend a lot of time looking up recipes and i'm pretty sure going to the grocery store today made me ecstatic.. i am just lazy haha.
i have someee questions.. has anyone heard of the thrive diet? its this book that has gotten really good reviews, and some is cooked but its similar to the raw food diet because it is based on whole foods.. anyway he lists these obscure things i haven't heard of.. can anyone allude to why these are important, or if you use them or whatever?
* Whole Grains: High quality carbohydrates. Best choices are amaranth, quinoa, millet, wild rice, brown rice, and buckwheat (all are alkaline and gluten-free).
* Dark leafy green vegetables: Alkalizing, reduce lactic acid buildup (and just generally good for you)
* Legumes (especially yellow split peas): Rich source of protein, fibre, B vitamins
* Soy & Tofu: High quality, digestible protein
* Hemp foods: "Finest source of raw protein in nature."
* Raw nuts and seeds: Especially flax, best plant source of anti-inflammatory Omega-3 fatty acids; Sesame seeds, rich source of absorbable calcium (for muscle health); Pumpkin seeds, rich source of iron.
* Berries (especially blueberries): Antioxidants.
* Chlorella: Complete, digestible protein, detoxifier, rich source of vitamins (including B12) and minerals, almost a complete diet in itself (according to NASA).
* Maca: Adrenal adaptogen (nourishes and balances adrenal glands, whether under- or over-active).
* Ginger: Anti-inflammatory, digestive aid.
* Enzymes & Probiotics (intestinal bacteria): Improve digestion and absorption of nutrients.
* Stevia: Non-glycemic sweetener, blood sugar regulator.
I know some of them of course.. but do you guys use there or are there some things here that aren't mentioned? There's some other things I see a lot of on the raw sites.. garam masala, hemp, psyllium, goji berries... what do you guys think?
also.. ok i bought matcha today in the organic section.. which is a carton of like pureed green tea leaves (i am hoping, not 'cooked' tea) in a kind of syrupy form.. and mixed with almond milk u can make a latte but i am looking everywhere and i can't find out if it is raw!!!! does anyone know?
hmm also does anyone know any good recipes involving pumpkin? mmm pumpkin.
do you guys order food off the internet? i was wondering, especially in the case of nuts, if its cheaper to buy them organic, bulk, wholesale off the net than locally.. also does anyone make their own almond butter or nut butter and does it come out ok?? does anyone make hummus and does yours come out chunky like mine and somewhat bitter tasting?? i leave my chickpeas in a tupperware of water for like 4 days, with little sprouts coming out of a couple of them... not sure if this is the right way to go about it.
OKAY and beyond my millions and millions of questions..... in 10 days I will have been raw for a month!!!!!! yayyyyyyyyyyy i am so happy for myself, not proud because it wasn't a feat, but just happy for myself like when you go somewhere that scares you but you know once you get there you realize you're meant to be there, or when you break up with a guy who didn't deserve you and your life is better... i am really happy. my mood is so much better now.. i am always in a STABLE, connected, calm and pleasant mood.... my alertness and attention levels.. like focusing in and studying are so much DEEPENED... all my skin problems on my upper back and cilia, oily bumps under my eyes which i have had my whole life, are gone.. my scale broke but i have lost about 10 pounds, my skin looks really healthy, I HAVE NO CELLULITE ANYMORE (i am also working out.. but still.. so firm and healthy), i used to have bad breath probably from acid reflux and now i dont... i wake up every morning on my own now around 6 or 7 and i feel energized... i love life. <3 and you guys, thank you so much for your support, i love reading your notes hope your journeys are going just as awesome

oh ps. does anyone use organic/homemade whatever hygiene, makeup, cleaning, household products??

pps. does anyone eat vegan products from the grocery store, like vegan cheese?

omg.. i am a nut... one last thing haha is rice cheese raw?

Hey there wow you had sooomany question i don't know most of them haha....

i have used hemp powder in a smoothie before and sprinkled hemp seeds on my food once or twice...they are yummy i really like them....but i don't do seedsor nuts anymore haha but they are good and very good for yoU!!!!

hmm yes i do use organic natural houshold products and soaps, toothpaste ect.....i also use crystal instead of deodorants......

hmm oh and i don't do vegan cheese i didn't ever hear of really but it is cooked so i don't do it...or any vegan products for that matter...unless they are raw products they are still cooked vegan...so i try to stick away from them...but they are better then other things you could be eating....

hmm don't know any pumpkin receipes i like it with cinnamon grated onto it and sometimes nutmeg and cloves grated on it as well...it is yummy!!!


hmm what else pysllium husk is used a lot for thickening things...like in puddings and such...it is very good for the colon it is a great cleanser...

stevia is a good sweetner...a few years back i grew the plant and just used the leaves from the plant it was good....

probiotics are supposed to be really good i bought a bottle of them the other day and i am going to start taking them soon hha...i have heard so many good things about them in the colon cleansing and also candida

soy is not used in the raw diet...it causes a lot of mucus production in similar ways as dairy products....and tofu is a soy product so the same for it

i have heard goji berries aren't really raw or the products they are used in...the owner of my local raw/vegan organic store told me...he sells them but he found it out so i am passing it on

i don't order off the internet i am sure nuts are fine...but unless ordering locally for your fruits and veggies they tend to be older...because they are shipped from somehwere then packaged and shipped around the country or world...so stick with a co op from your neighborhood and a farmer that you knows boxes and ships right to you...like one organic farm here in san diego grows the things but they are then sent to some southern state and then sent back here to sell so even though they are local they are older....so you have to be careful......

now good luck and i hope i have answered some of your questions hun!!
take care love ya
glad you are feeling so awesome on the raw journey keep up the amazing work
love sachelle
xoxoxoxoxoxox

hey sachelle thats awesome that you grew stevia on your own.. how did that work out? i am really into the organics and sustainability, and this summer i am going to make an attempt to grow a lot of my own fresh produce. in canada it gets pretty cold, but i have this awesome product on my wishlist[cgi.ebay.ca]
soo awesome!
anyway.. does anyone eat goji berries? do you know if its better to eat the berries or buy the juice, and get your recommended daily amount from smaller quantities? I heard the recommended daily amount was 20-40 berries, just got a 1 lb. package for about 12 dollars.. I hope that was a good deal! I can't get them around here

I think I found out how to breach my plateau.. I think as I was losing weight I was still eating what I was accustomed to when I was 130, but thats for 5 pounds extra of me that wasn't there anymore! So now I am thinking mind over matter, and realizing my actual hunger distinguished from habit, trying to limit my calorie intake to about 1200 a day. I started going to the gym again and feel really good, and I weigh about 124 lbs now. Hopefully with note taking of my calorie intake, cardio every day and a little less weight lifting (I want to focus on slimming down before bulking up) I can be below 120 before Easter weekend when I see my family for the first time after starting my raw food diet! Mom noticed after only a week so I am hoping for a big reaction! I will post about how it goes.

Hopefully my gojis get here soon I am excited cause I've heard so much about them, plus it's my first time ordering something off ebay.. yay! I am really excited I found you guys and actually got really into this.. still needing a lot less sleep, only aruond 6 hours and I don't feel tired, plus I am noticing a lot less fat on my face and in my legs, and my skin is firming up. I think my skin tone is better too but maybe I am just getting too excited haha. Now for trying to decide what to order next, maca, chlorella, spirulina, or organic bee pollen. Suggestions?

Does anyone use hemp protein? I know in a diet you're supposed to increase Protein relative to Carbs and Fat intake, with Fat being at around 20%... but how do you do this when most vegan sources of protein I can think of are high in fat, like nuts and seeds? I have been avoiding these, but if there is a better solution please let me know!! Does anyone have special meals or smoothies they make when watching their weight that still taste good? I've been experimenting haha. Not so good.

I think I'm going to try and get some wheat berries soon too to try to grow my own wheatgrass. Hmm.. thats it for now I think.. peace

Hey girlie...OMG i saw that aero thing on infomercial the other day AMAZING i want to order one soooo bad....they look great haha...that is soo funnY!!
goji berries are expensive so you gota good deal yay you!!!! hmm your weight loss should continue....weight training helps so much though because the muscle you make helps burn the fat it speeds up your metabolism...so it is really helpful and although you think you won't lose asm uch...you will appear smaller cuz the muscle takes up a smaller part of you!!! so good luck...hmm i didn't know wheatberries grow wheatgrass lol...well i have the organic ones from the store...i don't htink they will...but i have so many of them i don't like them sprouted either too mushy and sweet haha
well girl keep up your awesome awesome work!! you are doing amazing
love sachelle
xoxoxoxoxoxo

yay thank you
how encouraging
does anyone else dream about raw food because im pretty sure i do every night!!!!! haha its strange
and also.. now weight training for me, but no coconut.. i think as a topping it had more calories than my breakfast today .. not cool

also some advice from me, i recommend eating kasha or soaked buckwheat groats to anyone who is looking to lose weight, as well as spiruline which is an appetite suppressant .. 1/2 cup with 1/2 cup nut milk has about 500 calories, but this one bowl has kept me full and active, writing a ten page term paper and now paying attention in class at 3 pm, since 8 am this morning.

Hey there....good job finding what works for you and what doesn't!!!! keep up the good work.....i have to not eat anything if i want to go for a whlie without eating and pay attention...if i eat something for breakfast then i end up getting hungry a few hours later...so if i skip it i am good for the day!!!
well awesome tip though...keep up the good work
love sachelle
xoxoxoxoxoxox