Regaining control... back to raw foods and health!

I recommitted to raw foods yesterday, May 1, 2009. I am tired of struggling with my weight. I have tried Weight Watchers, but it's just not working for me this time. I was 100% raw a couple of years ago for about 3 months straight, and I felt so great! I lost 30 pounds during that time as well.

Why back to raw foods? Earlier this week, I happened upon a YouTube video by a young man named Philip McCluskey www.youtube.com/watch. He also has a website: www.lovingraw.com. He has not only achieved a dramatic weight loss through raw foods, but if you listen to him, he just seems so peaceful as well. I wrote to him and this was his replied with very kind words of encouragement, which I appreciate very much.

Dear Mary,

Thank you for writing, and thank you for your kind words. Sounds wonderful, I say go for it. I didn't have anyone to support me in the beginning either.... I didnt even know anyone that was vegetarian. lol

Sometimes putting yourself out there and blogging can help keep you accountable, and really encourage you to press on when you might have quit before. You can even email it to friends (brave move) if you want to really put the pressure on. What I found that is that it can be a wonderful cascading effect as you start to lose more weight, it encourages you, then you want to keep going by sheer motivation.

I believe in you. Go for it!

With Purpose,

Philip McCluskey
www.lovingraw.com

I am also inspired by the success of an amazing lady whom I first "met" through Raw Food Talk, Morn Cremeens - www.mornc.com/index.html. Her website/blog detailing her journey with raw foods and weight loss has made me realize that making a chronicle of my experience will not only help to keep me on track, but to perhaps give someone else hope.

And finally, there is Angela Stokes from the UK, who literally transformed herself through weight loss with raw foods www.rawreform.com/content/view/17/30/.

There are others who inspire me as well, but these three exceptional souls are the spark behind my quest for health and wholeness with raw foods. When I think of how we were created, to me, eating foods in their purest state seems to me to be what was part of the divine design.

So, Philip, Morn, and others... I'm going for it. I'm making myself vulnerable by posting pictures of myself that make me uncomfortable. I will be challenged daily by having to still cook food for my family, who do not want to join me at this time, and a very busy lifestyle with two children with autism (one high-functioning, one severely affected), so time for exercise and self-nurturing is hard to come by, but I will continue striving toward my goal.

Not to be morbid, but I'm turning 50 this year. My youngest son has severe autism and will require lifetime care. I want to be the one to care for him, as long as I can. I pray that by turning to a healthy lifestyle, I can return my body to vibrant health and be able to enjoy my next 50 years on this earth, God-willing. I know that I have to make positive changes to my lifestyle now.

They say that midlife is a new beginning. I pray that this is my second chance, to recreate my life to what I want it to look like for Part 2 of my existance.


Starting weight on May 1, 2009: 212 lbs.
Height: 5'2"

Starting measurements:

Bust: 45"
Under bust: 39.5"
Waist: 41"
Hips: 50"
Butt: 54"
Right thigh: 30"
Left thigh: 30"
Right upper arm: 14.5"
Left upper arm: 14.5"
Right calf: 16.25"
Left calf: 16.25"
Right wrist: 6"

Goals for this month:

• eat 100% raw every day
• start exercising, either walking or exercise video
• meditate 10 minutes per day

Current health challenges:

• osteoarthritis in right thumb and wrist
• fibromyalgia
• mild Crohn's Disease
• overall joint pain and muscle achiness
• large vision-obscuring "floater" in left eye
• low energy
• frequent headaches

I'm mentioning all the challenges so that I can monitor progress and improvement in my physical condition by changing my diet to whole, raw foods.

I will update with a new photo and measurements at the start of each month, as well as chronicle my daily food intake, and experiences associated on my journey.

Wish me luck! Any supportive messages and comments are very much appreciated! :)