How I lost 30lbs in 2 Months

I lost 30 lbs with no intention of doing so. Caroline, my partner, is a certified Raw Food Chef, and she went on a crusade in late April to have our family eating at least 80% raw and 20% cooked food.

I resisted at first. Actually, I was more than resistant. My addiction to cooked foods and refined carbs brought on tremors of imagined withdrawal. Knowing that Caroline was right and justified in her stand for better health for the family, I raised half-hearted protests and used words and phrases like ‘fanatic’, ‘death’, ‘too far’, and ‘killing me’. Pretty pathetic (or ‘patetic’ as Caroline would say in her French accent).

She said, ‘we’re doing it’. I said, ‘no, we’re not’.

So we did. Of course.

Then, with the energy and force of Martha Stewart and Mother Theresa combined, Caroline pursued her mission. She cut, sliced, stirred, mixed and measured with precision and vigor as I peeked in every now and then in the hope that she would give up. She didn’t. And I quit peeking.

Then she began serving the dishes and desserts in late April.

The bases were vegetables, seeds and nuts dehydrated and combined in in endless variations and combinations. Added to that were the smoothies and raw juices we always enjoyed daily. Tasty, fresh, delicious, AND good for me! Damn! And I knew all along that it would be!

Next thing I know, I had no stomach to rest my arms on. The fat accumulating under my chin like an inverted landfill was disappearing. Pants that used to close around my waist and hung in my closet, as neglected and forgotten as a politician’s promises, were taken out, tried on……and they fit again!

I looked for a scale. We don’t have one at home (no way to keep score, but no reason to when you’re losing every game of every season). I found one in a bathroom somewhere – 240! From 270 lbs to 240 lbs! (I’m 6’3”). Awesome! And this with NO EXERCISE!

Eating a mostly raw diet I enjoy delicious foods that are nutritionally complete – so I eat less in quantity but feel more satisfied; I have no cravings for refined carbs like breads, sweets, pasta and the like; I have more energy and no side effects from eating –  side effects like ‘carb comas’ aka, the ‘itis’ (some of y’all know what I’m talkin’ about!); I am much more regular with bowel movements – they match the number of meals I eat (in other words, if I eat 3 raw meals a day I have 3 eliminations a day).

Then, my desire to work out came back. I started going to the local park – I prefer parks with grass, trees, and a combination of flat and hilly ground over gyms – to jog, run hills, shoot basketball, do push-ups and situps. I love to sweat by exercising vigorously – it speeds up detoxing; prevents sweating and fatigue from the slightest exertion like vacuuming or walking down the street; inspires vivid and daring imaginings of committing to and achieving specific dreams and desires; revs up my sexual energy; improves my mental acuity; and the energy I build up from exercising is energy I can put into achieving in other areas of my life that matter to me.

If you get anything from reading this post that inspires you to go after it (whatever ‘it’ is for you) then go after it. You deserve it, and to get it you’ve got to earn it.

Life calls you and the world needs you to be your best.