Wow! Thanks for asking. I feel like such a novice sharing information with you.

My mindset was to find a way to eat healthy and lose weight. Since my college days, I’ve always thought of taking care of the body as similar to taking care of a vehicle. It will be in wonderful operating condition if you take care of it, on the inside and out. However, different from caring for a car–you only have one body for the rest of your life–take care of it!

A few tips that I’ve since thought of are as follows:

1) Educate yourself.
Read and research about eating raw, or becoming a raw vegan. The Internet is a wonderful vehicle to help you on your journey. Read about those that are or have become raw foodists. Here are some suggestions:
http://www.rawfoodnation.com
http://www.welikeitraw.com
http://www.healthforce.com

2) Plan ahead.
I find that when I plan my meals (for the day or the week), I feel I don’t get the notion to eat from the SAD (Standard American Diet). I think the first couple of weeks I let myself slip because I didn’t have enough information, and got hungry searching for raw food. Also, because I work in an office, I have to plan my meals away from home. I prepare a smoothie for breakfast every morning, pack salads or raw meals, raw organic trail mix (and food bars).

3) Enjoy the varieties out there.
I thought being a raw vegan was all about eating salads, which sounded boring and mundane. The body adjusts and welcomes the nutrition you are feeding it. There is a large array of exciting and delicious dishes to try, even the desserts. As I purchase pre-packaged items, I save the labels to re-create the recipe myself–it saves me time and money in the long run.

3) Accept the fact that not everyone eats raw.
My brother-in-law thinks I’m crazy because he’s a ‘meat and potatoes’ type of guy. My 7-year old son likes to eat healthy, but being a raw vegan is not his taste. I find a balance to make eating meals with others. I say “to each his own.”

I hope these tips help. In addition, I’ve found that I have so much natural energy that I’ve even given up coffee!

Best of luck on your journey!

Glenda

Please, oh please, oh please. I’m crossing my fingers and my toes!