Raw Food

The Journey to Vegetarianism

When I first began my weight loss journey a few years ago, I ate meat (I know–it’s so hard to believe!). I slowly began changing my eating habits, and gradually transitioned to being a vegetarian. What was my reason for cutting out meat? My younger brother sparked my interest about vegetarianism when he announced–at age 16!!–that he would no longer be eating meat, that he was now a vegetarian. I couldn’t believe it. The boy who had always enjoyed chicken, beef, turkey… was now saying goodbye to all those juicy dishes he loved through the years? Why? What put him on this path? What was he thinking? Why was he giving up meat? How could he give up meat? I had so many questions, so much to learn. The family respected his decision, and there began the journey to vegetarianism…

Learning, Growing, Becoming Vegetarian

I began studying for myself. I learned way more than I ever expected to learn and was disgusted, outraged, and absolutely just sick to find out how animals are treated, that they’re fed other diseased animals, and health-related issues from eating meat. (I won’t go into all that on this page right now–I might, however, come back and fill it in a little later.)

So, the more I studied, I found myself losing my appetite for meat. Each time I looked at a slice of turkey or a burger, visions of cruelty to animals, and the suffering they endured to get to the table, flashed through my mind. I found that it wasn’t hard after all my studies, and learning the things I learned, to give up meat entirely.

Now, I never really was the kind of person who had to have meat. I was more of a pasta and bread gal. I didn’t eat as many vegetables as I should have growing up, but I didn’t eat a lot of meat either.

The Weight Loss

When I first set out on my weight loss journey, I was still eating meat. The transition to vegetarianism happened after I had lost about 50-60 pounds, I believe (or somewhere in there!). I began noticing a HUGE transformation in my life when I cut the meat out. I was amazed at how different I felt, how much better my skin became, and how much better I rested. (Did you know if you eat meat after 2 pm, it doesn’t have time to digest before you go to sleep, and that while you’re trying to sleep, your body is trying to digest that meat, and that’s why you wake up feeling so unrested the next morning? Interesting, eh?)

I’ve now lost over 100 pounds (!!) and am going to make a Before/After page with photos so you can see what I looked like when I was so much heavier, and what I look like now. The reason I haven’t done that up to this point, is because 1) I was going to start a weight loss blog but I just don’t know how I’d have time to keep up with it, and 2) none of the before photos of me were taken on a digital camera, so I’ll have to dig through piles of old photos and find them and scan them. Life has been hectic and not exactly convenient (as I mentioned in a recent post: Confessions from an Amish Farm). But it’s coming, I promise!

UPDATE:

The Before and After page is live!!!

The Vegetarian I Am Today

I haven’t had meat in about 4 years (other than when I fell off the wagon) and I don’t miss it at all! It has been an amazing, fascinating journey. I don’t believe I’ll ever eat meat again as long as I live. I think the raw juice fasting I’ve done has helped my body move away from meat as well. I have filled my body with living enzymes and nutrients and lots of nutritious foods, so I didn’t (and don’t) crave meat at all.

Finally, the Raw Food

I enjoy a variety of wholesome foods: salads, raw nuts, seeds, steel cut oats, freshly ground flax seed, healthy oils, tons of veggies and a little fruit. I lean toward the raw foods because I feel that our bodies weren’t created to process the foods that are filled with chemicals, are heavily processed, have preservatives, additives, etc. Our bodies were created to absorb nutrition Mother Nature so willingly provides us. Whole, natural and/or organic foods are best received by our bodies as it’s just the way it was meant to be. Live, raw foods are full of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients…. By consuming raw foods, raw juices, raw smoothies, raw nuts and seeds, we are providing the best possible nutrition for our ultimate health.

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