Hello to all of you beautiful beings out there.
I am so inspired by the space for sharing and support this community has created. Many stories of transformation and healing have really touched me, and it is this type of courageous exploration that has brought me back to the living and raw foods community after a few years absence.

Some stuff about me: I am a dancer and performance artist. I just finished my BFA degree (my final semester was abroad, where I studied writing as part of my interdisciplinary focus) and now am in incredible moments of transition: new home, new community, new job (??? he he, well- looking for one) new relationships, and letting go of old ones.

And creating both a positive body image, and the completely healthy and vibrant body I KNOW I can, have always been my challenges. My weight has fluctuated hugely through these past four college years, and now I am ready to get back to my ideal weight that I started with. I am ready to stop using eating as an addiction to get me through difficult times and I am ready to experience myself as the capable, beautiful, vibrant woman I know that I am, even if it means having all the scary feelings of doubt and singularity. I am excited (after a final semester, of well, sitting on my butt instead of working every day in the studio) to work myself back into my peak flexibility and energy and stamina.

As I mentioned, I was a 100% raw before going to university, and since walking into that studio on the first day of dance class, I have done just about any and everything other than that. And my body has felt the affects. Sure I have built muscle and skill, but also am carrying a lot of extra weight. (on my body, grains and sugar translate almost immediately to fat)
I get so excited to think of myself as a light being underneath all this weight that I am carrying for emotional protection. Yes. I am ready to let it go. 130 lbs. (my ideal weight) here I come!

So, today I embrace the high raw vegan way. I know that it will take practice and mindfulness, and resolve and patience, and I am ready.

I thank you all in advance for being part of this support community. Just having you here, sharing your amazing stories of growth and transformation, has really inspired me to be the sassy, sexy, slam-glam performance poet raw vegan I know I can be.
I'd love to be "raw buddies" with anyone who is looking for someone to check in with them. I am going to post and journal daily for a little while.
Know that you are all beautiful right now--and that you are absolutely capable of manifesting complete and perfect health. thanks and look foreward to hearing from you soon!
p.s. I made raw chef matt amsden's no-bean hummus last night. wow! my whole family LOVED it, and this morning my little sister and I had the leftovers spread over romain lettuce leaves with cubed avocado and tomatoes....YUM!!! Eating amazing food like this? How could I NOT love to be back?

hey there..well welcome to the diary section....and congrats on getting back to the road on your raw journey!! that is awesome....you seem to really be in it now!!! i know you can succeed and will!! keep up the good work and the amazing positivity...
take care
love earthangel
xoxoxoxoxxo

Much peace and love!!!
EarthAngel
Xoxo

Welcome back, green gal - Looking forward to your journey !!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Read the fre*e e-book :
101 Ways to Change the World for Animals
[www.mypowermall.com]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Own your own Power Mall, over 1000 stores - completely FRE*E
Receive rebates on items you already buy anyway....
[www.mypowermall.com]

Hi! Sounds like a stupendous time of transformation for you! Great time to get back to this way of eating. Love your positivity and enthusiasm!
Enjoy it all

Elakti

Um-

I observe you may be being hard on yourself for your "emotional eating" habits. Let me shed some light. You should try to get a lot of vitimins and minerals becuase that way you KNOW you are not binging due to deprivation of any kind. This does happen to women becuase they deprive and backlash- just stop it as much as possible. Also if you grew up poor (just a shot in the dark) you can remind yourself of what YOU WILL be eating, the next meal or whatever, just to let yourself know- yes you will be fed.

Hey- good luck. Hope to know how it goes.

Good morning everyone

thanks for the welcome and support!

Today is the "official" DAY 1 (there is something always so exciting and a little intimidating about that right? like walking into the classroom in first grade, or into a stuido for the first time!)

I feel great this morning. I woke up and body brushed-- If anyone out there has never tried this, give yourself a treat and try it...I love when my skin feels all tingly and ALIVE. Also, then I tend to break a much more even sweat. And then I did some yoga. Stretching is one of life's sweet sweet pleasures, right up there with a hot shower, and clean cotton sheets, and a ripe peach! mmmmm...

Thanks so much ranbowgrl for the reminders about being kind to myself, that no, I will not be deprived and yes- I will be fed. These are important things for me, and have been a challenge since growing up.

have a beautiful day ALL.

hey there hope all is going well on day 1!! take care
love earthangel
xoxoxoxox

Much peace and love!!!
EarthAngel
Xoxo

Good afternoon! Your inspiring all ready! I wish you well during this transformation! Embrace and love yourself its a new and beautiful day.

I will keep in touch, i am a newbie to the board also.

Take Care,

mamafrey

Hello Friends, thanks for the encouragement.
this is such a great time for all of us--tomorrow is the summer solstice! beautiful planetary time to renew and commit to transformations.
I had salad and some raw crackers this morning...unfortunately, i think the combos were a little rich for me, they're not settling quite right in my stomach. I need to remind myself that simple combinations are the best for my digestive system, especially in these first few days after weeks and months of eating all sorts of different (not raw, or even vegan for that matter) foods.
ok. hope to hear from you
take care--and welcome newbie mamafrey--let me know what you are creating in your life lately!

awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww....feelin' a bit bummed at the moment, after all this motivational self-hype up and then a "set back." Well, I suppose that is what the diary page is for, to explore all facets of this lifestyle.


started my period today...for me day one of the period is always a bummer super emotional hyper-active craving time (i know it gets better the more whole raw foods I have in my diet consistently)but as is....not such a good combo for day 1.5 of going completely raw....so fell off, had some comfort food with my little sis (really nice, we ate out on the ocean, but it wasn't raw food--she scoffed at me for offering the smoothie option, and I caved pretty easily)

So here I am. well, there's always the decision I can make now. and now. and now. (embracing this way of living really is about moment to moment)
I am still excited about this time--and there is tomorrow (SUMMER SOLSTICE!!! CELEBRATION!)
So I'll sit here and drink some water, and remind myself why I really want to do this for my body and being, and then DIVE RIGHT BACK IN. diving in.
one of my former partners (and most beautiful teachers) taught me a lot about "giving it up" and just committing. that means, drop the story (and stories) and DO IT! (mabye nike did have something when they came up with that slogan)

why do I want to do this?
I want to create my optimal health. I want to abound with energy and vibrancy. I want to clean my beautiuful body of the dis-ease-causing toxins. I want to experience pleasure with ALL of my senses. I want to experince myself as the youthful vibrant energetic georgous sexy pants I know I am EVERY DAY! I want to practice generosity to myself and my community and the Earth. I want to dance like a shooting star!
THESE are the stories worth creating. I am so greatful that I can!

blessings all.

hey again. you know, I felt so much better after I just blogged, I started thinking more about all the reasons WHY I want to eat well and exercise, and I explored some raw vegan sites for inspiration (what brought me here in the firstplace)
frederick patenaude gives some similar advice on his website to jumpstart a healthy lifestyle; he suggests listing 25 benefits to following healthy eating, and then...recommitting.

(He has some great suggestions on his website--check it out if you like.)

So I think I'll add to what I already began.
Benefits of following my 100% raw diet

1. releasing extra weight
2. increasing flexibility
3. increasing stamina
4. healing stretch marks
5. clear skin and nails and hair
6. comletely nourishing and healing my thyroid
7. wearing anything I want to
8. SHAKE MY MONEY MAKER!
9. clear eyes and good breath
10. meeting inspiring people and artists
11. supporting local and organic farmers
12. letting go of addictions
13. feeling sexy...and sharing it with the world!
14. abundant energy
15. joy
16. lightness in step and speech
17. ease of mind and heart
18. inspiration to friends and family and strangers, too.
19. emotionally healing
20. more available to listen and support
21. needing less sleep
22. quicker recovery time
23. releasing fear of trying new sports and games and adventures!
24. present moment practice
25. doing it for ME

and here and now I commit to achieving all of these benefits.
I'd love to support anyone else on the site in making a list of their 25 benefits and committing themselves to them. what inspires you? why do you want to follow this diet? what do you know you are moving towards? what do you hope to achieve?
blessings.

hey there how is the raw lifestyle going for you?? i hope all is well
take care
love earthangel
xoxoxoxo

Much peace and love!!!
EarthAngel
Xoxo

hi earthangel
you are so caring. it is wonderful to witness you always checking in on people. I am going well, though I've been out in the sun playing that I haven't posted in a couple days AND I am sunburned...ouch. I have fallen in love with the GREEN SMOOTHIE. I'd never tried one before and then it was recommended to me and now I'm hooked! (smoothies were always such a sweet and/or rich experience...now I know that they can be fresh and zingy too!)
how is raw going for you? (well perhaps I should find your diary and ask you that!0
best to all
gg

hello there!! aww thank you..how sweet of you.....wow yes i love green smoothies too..the taste is great!! i drank them for a while but gave them up after i really started to stick with the food combining rules cuz otherwise i get upset stomachs....
take care and keep up the awesome job
love earthangel
xoxoxo

Much peace and love!!!
EarthAngel
Xoxo