Picture Time.

Okay, some of you have been asking me about pictures. I thought I'd post a few today, with some disclaimers and notes:

1) I rarely have pics of myself taken in good light because when we go out, I'm always the camera holder. When I take pics of myself, typically it's with my webcam on my Macbook in my living room and while it's a great little webcam, the lighting is usually dark and messed up and I'm too lazy to set it up where there's better light.

2) I won't be posting any more full-body pics where I'm not wearing much clothing. This is my husband's request. I do have a clothed pic posted below though. I'm not where I want to be yet but I'm getting there physically. My several weeks of foray into high fat raw really did a number on me physically. I'm still around 95 lbs but am definitely flabbier than I was before I quit exercising and started eating high fat. From what I can tell looking at my nekkid body, I could stand to lose a good 10-15 more lbs off of my hips and belly. I will get there but I am learning to be patient. Where I'm at right now feels wonderful compared to where I was 7 months ago!

I AM becoming more muscular in certain places though, and this is honestly without much effort on my part. I've been reading a lot lately about the role of sunshine and fresh air on our systems - if you're interested click here.

Anyway, true to what that information has taught me, I have become naturally more muscular, esp in the parts where the sun has been hitting me a lot this summer. My skin also glows and is satiny smooth - again, where the sun has been hitting it a lot. It is just amazing to look at my arms and see muscle and tone when I'm not even trying to flex. And I haven't done any weight training recently. Just tons of running.

Those who are new to or interested in 811 - please know, it takes time. 811 is not a miracle "cure" or "weight-loss" program, it is simply reverting back to the way we were meant to live, and your body does the job of healing and reversing decades of damage. Experienced 811-ers tell me it takes several YEARS of 811 to get close to where you want to be. Yet when I was new to 811 I wanted to (and did see) external changes within days or weeks. If I have one piece of advice to people who are interested in raw right now - it is - be patient, be a quiet fly on the wall and watch yourself change, inside and out. But it won't be overnight.

Okay lets try this. You can click on the pic to see a bigger version:

















First, a Before pic I haven't posted before, I don't think. This was taken in 2005. Note that I tended to put on weight around my face (and everywhere else). Also, I looked and felt old.

Look what 7 months of 811 did for me...if I can do it, so can you!



Okay. Did I get you? Haha! I love my Macbook! Here's the real me yesterday in a dark-ish living room.


I have really shiny skin on my shoulders and arms now.



Here's an accidental (but great, if I may say so myself, hehehe) shot of my right arm, it shows definition where there was none before. :)


Here's a clothed body shot from last week. The angle was weird and I think it makes my hips look wider. Haha! Blame it on the camera! :)


Here's a pic with some light on my face. My skin has gotten better! Not perfect, but I no longer wear foundation even when I dress up. I do wear a bit of blush and eye makeup if I feel dressy. I used to be so conscious of my skin that I couldn't go out w/o foundation. :(


I feel dorky posting these pics, and I feel I still have a long way to go before I'm as fit and healthy as I desire to be, but I'm always inspired by others' before & after pics, so I hope this motivates someone out there to take one step toward 811 if you were already considering it before!