Looking for Raw Food Friends and Support

digitalchique
digitalchique Posts: 24 Member
edited October 1 in Motivation and Support
Hi Everyone,

I've been a chunk my entire life, which is no surprise. I was raised on processed bologna, pasta, and just about any other preservative laden food that comes in a box. About 6 years ago, I recognized this and started to try and break the cycle by learning about my food. I started looking up ingredients and and facts about food, researching everything I had time to get my hands on. My plan started to work and I've spent the last 6 years slowly making modifications to my diet to be just a little bit healthier.

I've read countless books on the subject of nutrition, watched lots of documentaries, checked out lots of blogs and forums, and my path has lead me to believe that a raw food diet will be the best diet for me. I believe that going back to the foods naturally provided to us by the Earth, is the only way I'm going to get healthy for good. I'm hoping to meet some new friends in the community that are also seeking this type of lifestyle so that we can work toward it together.

I know I need help sticking to it. I have a face paced lifestyle where I work full time, go to school full time, and on top of that, I have a family. I am constantly trying to take shortcuts in the way I eat in order to shave time off of my overall to-do list. Sometimes, the simple act of chopping fruits and veggies is a deterrent for me because it takes me so long. Sometimes it's easier to grab a poor quality convenience food. I'm working on ways to get around these types of obstacles and I figure one of the best ways to learn is by finding new people who are part of this lifestyle too.

Replies

  • RTricia
    RTricia Posts: 720
    Best of luck - I hope you find what works for you.

    Raw vegetables tears me up! I'm going high-fat to see if that works.
  • themixxxologist
    themixxxologist Posts: 1
    I feel your pain. Here's what I do. On my days off I chop up my fruits and veggies. That way I don't run late to work. If you have other plans, grab a fruit salad and a reg salad at the store! :) Right now I'm doing the green smoothies diet. It's helping so much!! I have way more energy, I'm happier and the weight keeps coming off. The book I'm using is "Green Smoothie Revolution: The Radical Leap Towards Natural Health". I drink my smoothies throughout the day, and for dinner I have a soup or salad. If I'm hungry enough which is rare, I'll have soup and salad. Another book I recommend checking out if you haven't already is the "Raw Food Detox Diet". It lets you enter into a raw food diet in stages so it's not overwhelming. :) Feel free to add me on here if you want.
  • digitalchique
    digitalchique Posts: 24 Member
    I feel your pain. Here's what I do. On my days off I chop up my fruits and veggies. That way I don't run late to work. If you have other plans, grab a fruit salad and a reg salad at the store! :) Right now I'm doing the green smoothies diet. It's helping so much!! I have way more energy, I'm happier and the weight keeps coming off. The book I'm using is "Green Smoothie Revolution: The Radical Leap Towards Natural Health". I drink my smoothies throughout the day, and for dinner I have a soup or salad. If I'm hungry enough which is rare, I'll have soup and salad. Another book I recommend checking out if you haven't already is the "Raw Food Detox Diet". It lets you enter into a raw food diet in stages so it's not overwhelming. :) Feel free to add me on here if you want.

    I started with one of Ani Phyo's Books that I saw at Whole Foods almost a year ago and I just picked it up. I ended up buying a Vitamix and Green Smoothie Revolution came with it. I try to drink green smoothies every day, unless I run out of fruit. I order a box of food from a co-op every week and sometimes my family goes through it too quickly, and other times not so much. I also have Green for Life and I'm reading 12 Steps to Raw, both by the same author. I'll most definitely check out Raw Food Detox Diet too. How long have you been into raw foods?
  • Leslye125
    Leslye125 Posts: 242 Member
    Digitalchique,

    Hi fellow "greener". Wow, to find another person that knows anything about Green Smoothies is a blessing!. I started the Green smoothie program back in November when I bought my Vitamix. I haven't lost a great deal of weight yet, but truth be told, I haven't really been "trying" to either. Hence why I came to this site. I found it on my phone, was looking for a food log. I've read/own the Green Smoothie Revolution, Green for Life and the 12 Steps book as well. One of my favorite websites is http://www.incrediblesmoothies.com/. I receive a weekly newsletter with countless information.

    My lifestyle change all started because I have IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). I was looking for a way to minimize or eliminate my flare ups. Most research kept taking me back to green smoothies and a raw food diet. I am not 100% there yet, but as I am going more and more vegan/raw, my tummy issues are definitely getting better. When I touch my tummy and colon area, it doesn't feel like its full of concrete anymore, its actually soft and not tender. My diarrhea issues have stopped completely. :) I feel so much better, not as heavy and/or cloudy. More focused. Its not an easy lifestyle, especially given, I have a husband that is your typical meat and potato kind of guy and 3 daughters that are still into junk/fast food. But, I am finally finding my foot and "putting it down" when I need to. Also, its amazing the power the word No has, even to oneself! Just because "its" there does not mean "I" HAVE to eat it!

    Wishing you the best, stay in touch if anything I said interested you.

    Leslye
  • digitalchique
    digitalchique Posts: 24 Member
    Digitalchique,

    Hi fellow "greener". Wow, to find another person that knows anything about Green Smoothies is a blessing!. I started the Green smoothie program back in November when I bought my Vitamix. I haven't lost a great deal of weight yet, but truth be told, I haven't really been "trying" to either. Hence why I came to this site. I found it on my phone, was looking for a food log. I've read/own the Green Smoothie Revolution, Green for Life and the 12 Steps book as well. One of my favorite websites is http://www.incrediblesmoothies.com/. I receive a weekly newsletter with countless information.

    My lifestyle change all started because I have IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). I was looking for a way to minimize or eliminate my flare ups. Most research kept taking me back to green smoothies and a raw food diet. I am not 100% there yet, but as I am going more and more vegan/raw, my tummy issues are definitely getting better. When I touch my tummy and colon area, it doesn't feel like its full of concrete anymore, its actually soft and not tender. My diarrhea issues have stopped completely. :) I feel so much better, not as heavy and/or cloudy. More focused. Its not an easy lifestyle, especially given, I have a husband that is your typical meat and potato kind of guy and 3 daughters that are still into junk/fast food. But, I am finally finding my foot and "putting it down" when I need to. Also, its amazing the power the word No has, even to oneself! Just because "its" there does not mean "I" HAVE to eat it!

    Wishing you the best, stay in touch if anything I said interested you.

    Leslye

    Leslye!

    Let's stay in touch for sure! It sounds like you and I are in a similar boat. I've done my research and have my beliefs about my diet, but I also have trouble sticking to them because I let social pressures get in the way, and I don't feel other people are supportive of me. "If it's so good, then why isn't it working already?" "maybe because I don't stick to it?" I also have friends or coworkers that actually encourage me to eat bad stuff. "You gotta live a little" or "This one time won't hurt" is the kind of stuff they say to me. And when I'm struggling already, it's hard for me to resist.

    I have lost about 13 pounds total since I started eating more raw/vegan but it's been a slow process because I slip off too often. I've been reading through 12 Steps to Raw and it's inspiring me to also find my foot, and stop caring what other people think! And like you, I have experienced a lot of health benefits, and I can only imagine how much better things can still be if I just keep up with it! I'm glad I found some people on here that are taking the same path as me.
  • sanura
    sanura Posts: 459 Member
    I've read Victoria Boutenko's book 12 Steps to Raw a couple times now. I'm also looking at the book store library for more information. It makes sense to me to eat raw, nothing else on this planet cooks food, but it's rather daunting to completely change how I eat. Food is so social, not sure how to handle that, and I still cook for my family. Trying not to push my kids because I really think it'll just backfire and they'll want more junk, I just try to include lots of fresh food, and encourage them to try my food too. They certainly love all the raw desserts we've made!
    I would love to hear from anyone else transitioning to a more raw diet.
  • digitalchique
    digitalchique Posts: 24 Member
    I've read Victoria Boutenko's book 12 Steps to Raw a couple times now. I'm also looking at the book store library for more information. It makes sense to me to eat raw, nothing else on this planet cooks food, but it's rather daunting to completely change how I eat. Food is so social, not sure how to handle that, and I still cook for my family. Trying not to push my kids because I really think it'll just backfire and they'll want more junk, I just try to include lots of fresh food, and encourage them to try my food too. They certainly love all the raw desserts we've made!
    I would love to hear from anyone else transitioning to a more raw diet.

    I am battling those same situations. But I also know that it's what I WANT to do. So I'm doing it anyway, and just trying to be a role model. I hope some day my daughter will catch on. Like your kids, she also really likes the raw desserts I make. And i make a lot of them because everyone in my house likes sweets. My husband is pretty supportive of the idea, but he unconsciously still makes un-supportive moves. Like if he wants junk food he'll buy it and hide it from me. But just the fact that I know he has it makes me want it too, you know? So I'm definitely working through those issues. I know my friends will rag on me too. But I'm tired of being unhealthy, and I'm scared for my future because I look at the health of my family members and I was headed in the same direction as many of them. I don't want that for me, and I don't want my kids to accept that it's normal to be so ill all the time. This is why I so desperately seek the support of other people interested in the same life style, because I know I really need help to keep on this path, and hopefully, I can help someone else that wants this path too!
  • YourCatalyst429
    YourCatalyst429 Posts: 96 Member
    oOo!!! Another raw foodie!! How exciting!! I was raw until I got pregnant last summer around this time and was a bit nervous I wouldn't get enough protein for my baby so I started to eat meat as well. He is now 3 months old and healthy and thriving so I am going back to bring raw! It is the greatest thing I have ever done for myself. I had more energy, I looked better, I was just a better person in general. I can give you lots of links and info if your interested!
  • nannatron
    nannatron Posts: 7
    bonjour, lovellies! i am slowly transitioning to a mostly raw diet, and while i don't intend to be 100% i do feel much more vibrant when my diet is mostly raw fruits and veggies. as it is, my diet is 70-80% fruit and veg already - raw fruit, and a combination of raw and cooked vegetables. thank-you for starting this thread xx
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