Rawk Village Interview with Frecs

Aerobics. Walked. Walked. Walked. Some balance ball. Some rebounder. For awhile, strength training. Mostly, religiously, I walked. At first I could only walk 5 minutes at a shoot so I walked multiple times a day. Within 3 months I walked a 5K. Now, I'm jogging....and hiking. I do Praise Moves (a Christian alternative to yoga) and strength training.

It can be frustrating, no doubt about it. I would assess the week before and see if I needed to make adjustments. If the weight gain was clearly not of my doing or out of my control (as when I had edema issues) then there was no need to get depressed. I just kept my eyes on the prize. If I could identify where I had gone off track, then a swift kick in the backside was in order and I'd make the adjustments. What I learned was to stop beating myself up or thinking in all-or-nothing global disaster kind of terms.

Well, fortunately, by the time the job crisis occurred we already saw what the diet was doing to my health and there was no way my mother was going to let me go backward in that regard. It wasn't easy but we managed. There were some compromises -- "regular" produce rather than organic, sale items rather than what I necessarily wanted. And, it was a time when my family and I had to stand on our faith -- believing that God had lead me to a healing diet and that He would provide. And He did through a variety of avenues including leading people to help me financially -- specifically saying they were sending the money to buy produce.

There were times when I was afraid I would wake up and it would all be a dream. I guess since I started out only looking for weight loss (and not really believing too much for that) it wasn't about thinking it was an unattainable dream so much as slowly waking up to the fact that a miracle was happening to me. Sometimes, I still have to pinch myself and make sure it really is real.

Hey, girlfriend! I'm doing great! Well, at this very moment I'm exhausted from working overtime and studying my brains out but even that is good. There's a song I love that talks about the miracle of the moment. It's so true -- we don't want to miss the miracle of the moment...it's all we really can deal with....

I am taking college courses in biochemistry and anatomy/physiology. Both are very intensive but I'm learning so much and I love it. I am heading into a masters program in nutrition at the University of Bridgeport (CT) which is very exciting for me. I had thought about, if finances worked out, going to the Hippocrates Institute next summer and getting certified as a HI Health Educator. That's not looking promising at this point so plan B is the Creative Health Institute in Michigan. One way or another I want to get certified in the Ann Wigmore way of raw. I had thought at first of becoming a Registered Dietitian but that just didn't set well with me after a closer look at what the ADA position is and what I'd be doing. My current path seems much more suited and "right" to me.

I had so much fun on those hikes...even going up Pinnacle Mountain when it was so steep I just wanted to sit down and cry...I just refused to let that mountain beat me ...and it didn't! I just love being out there. If I can arrange the time, I'm thinking of doing a week next year doing a "thru-hike" of the Foothills Trail in SC/NC. It would be my first thru-hike and one of many to come I hope. I thought being raw would be hard out on the trail but actually it is much easier...while everyone else is trying to start their stoves, I'm eating my food!

I am humbled that so many are finding inspiration in my story. Thank you.

Your question/concern is not invasive and is very common among obese women -- what about the excess skin. My skin is not as loose as I was afraid it might be, but not as firm as I'd like it to be. I have batwings that swoosh when I jog, my tummy hangs a bit, and there is every so slight bit of sag on the thighs. There are so many theories about getting skin to firm up. The jury is still out on whether any of them work. I think the most reasonable is to lose all the excess adipose tissue under the skin and it will tighten...but then again that may not work either. I'd rather have my batwings than be morbidly obese again!

I exercise between 1-2 hours a day 6-7 days a week. I jog or do Praise Moves in the morning, and do strength training in the evening four nights a week.

My life has changed in so many ways! No pain. No brain fog, Overall, I'm in the best health I've ever been. No depression or panic attacks. I am able to work and drive a car. I'm able to not just walk but jog and hike. I'm looking forward to a great future!

We crave what we eat. Stop eating something long enough (21 days seems to be the magic number) and you stop craving it. Well, physically, anyway. The mental cravings are about refocusing your attention -- again, focus on your life goals rather than on food.

I am 90-95% raw. Unfortunately, my weight has been plateau'ed since February -- jumps up of like 10lbs over night and then a gradual return to the starting point but mostly just steady eddie. It's been an exercise in perseverance and in proving to myself that this is a lifestyle and not just about losing weight.

I didn't. I was desperate and willing to try anything short of going back to binging and purging. I tried every diet known to woman-kind including starving/binging/purging. You name it, I did it. Some were mildly successful. Others, that were "doctor recommended" or even nutritionist supervised failed miserably....even when I was doing them exactly as prescribed.

This worked. Why? My theory:

a) removal of toxins allowed my body to cleanse and heal.
b)probiotics and prebiotics which abound in the raw food diet interact with our immune system and our metabolism.
c) a focus on goals and not just the scale.

I ate a lot of fruits and a lot of veggies. I kept the avocados and nuts to a minimum to keep my fat below 20%. I did try 10% or less in fat for awhile but preferred the extra bit of fat.

I don't worry about rotation or food combining or any of that. I ate and eat what is available and what I desire to eat. I don't have cravings like I used to -- like for ice cream or chocolate -- but I do tend have have cravings for stuff like broccoli or grapefruit and for those I say "Let's eat!".

Family mealtime isn't usually a problem because I'm single, no kids, and my family (mom, step-father, sister) eat at different times typically. Sometimes they would want to eat together but they got used to either making a salad for me or accepting that I would be eating something different than them. Once they saw how I was getting so much better they were very supportive of the diet.

Holidays....oh, the holidays. I don't have to worry about parties very much. My employer last year had our holiday party catered and asked the caterer to prepare a special fruit plate for me (they asked if there was something else they could do but I didn't figure they could handle a gourmet raw dish....they made up a very nice fruit plate that was the envy of everyone). For the holiday meal I made a few special dishes to try to "make it special" and you know what? The fruit salad was still the best part. I think this year, I'm foregoing any attempt at "faux turkey" and just making a fruit salad and a raw pie or raw ice cream. I figure it this way -- the desserts are the best part of the holiday meal anyway so why not make it THE MEAL?

My family and friends and coworkers are the best! Everyone is very supportive. I am very blessed.

Detox? Can I be totally honest? I don't remember! Perhaps I did and it was mixed in with the Fibro and Chronic fatigue symptoms or perhaps I was lucky and didn't...or perhaps like birth-pangs it's something one forgets afterward....or.... anyway, I can't honestly comment on detox symptoms I experienced. I know most people do experience some form of detox or another. Best advice? Drink lots of water! Water flushes out the toxins. Also, if available try a sauna or just make yourself sweat with some good exercise. Epsom salts baths are good for drawing out toxins as well. And, just know that this too shall pass.

You are welcome. This is why we come together, to encourage each other. No lone wolves..


Frecs 100+ Pounds Gone while at RFBC And a life changed!


Frecs had never tried raw food before coming to RFBC and kept that all or nothing attitude throughout her weight loss. It is she and Miracle Jan who became the cornerstones of RFBC. It was their success that proved to me that what we do here can change lives and kept me from giving up through the tough times of keeping this program running. This is an interview she did with the women in the 90 days of Raw Program. Even though I was there with Frecs while she lost the weight, I found this interview very touching as it reminded me of the power of raw foods and sheer determination. Frecs went from chronic fatigue syndrome to hiking the Appalachian Mountains in one year of her life. Now that is inspiring!~Carlene
Frecs	Thanks for the welcome! I'm very glad to be here and hardly know where to begin. I suppose I should give a bit of an introduction for those who don't know me -- although Carlene did a great job of it, even remembering things I had forgotten! Funny, that, because I do have to remind myself of the journey I've been on...who I was before RFBC was such a completely different person. The before and after feels like two different people. The shy almost agoraphobic before has become the outgoing trail-hiking after. The pain ridden sufferer of fibromyalgia of before has become the pain free jogging I-wanna-finish-a-half-marathon after. The clinically depressed suicidial before is the clear-headed I-want-to-LIVE after. The brain-fogged I-can-not-think-clearly sufferer of Chronic Fatigue before is the back to school working on a Masters in Nutrition after. I hear it all the time: "Raw food did all that?" Yes, it did. Plus it broke a life-long food addiction. The food heals. The journey changes us in ways we never expect. We get beyond the food and begin to discover a life worth living -- and thanks to the energy raw and living foods gives us, we have the energy to live that life! Is it easy? It has been easier than I ever imaged it would be. Honest. I made the decision, I did the interspection that Carlene's questionaire demanded and I never looked back. Well, okay, that's not completely true. Let me go fix my breakfast smoothie and I'll finish that thought.... Okay, I'm back... For over a year, I never even entertained the thought of quitting. Then, this past February I hit a plateau that just wouldn't quit. After several months of not losing an ounce...trying different things to break it...I toyed with the idea of going back to cooked. I even sold my "un-cookbooks" on Amazon. But, it didn't last. I didn't like the way I felt eating meat and I found that I didn't like the taste of foods that I used to love. So, I returned...to very high raw ovo-lacto (I do consume some raw, cultured cheese and kefir). This has become my lifestyle. It didn't start out as a lifestyle choice -- I just wanted to lose weight -- but it became a lifestyle choice that I'm so happy with I want to make a career out of it. Well, there's allot more I could say but I'll go and see about answering some of ya'lls questions. Oh, my avatar was taken this summer at Table Rock State Park South Carolina while I was conquering Pinnacle Mountain -- a hike rightly labeled "very strenuous". As you can see, I still have weight to lose -- about 35-40 pounds worth. Below is a picture of me on the AT this summer -- those ponies are feral ponies that live on Grayson Highlands and you can see behind me the hammock I sleep in instead of a tent.
Carlene	Frecs, what made you think you could do such a drastic diet without ever having tried raw?
Tina	I had already been thinking of doing something very drastic -- GB surgery -- so going 100% raw actually seemed slightly less drastic (at least it didn't involve knives!). And, I figured, what the heck, I'm only committing to a month...I can do it for one month. Then, I was just committing to another 60 days...and then 90 days. Those little goals seemed much less difficult to deal with than making some once-and-for-all commitment.
Carlene	Frecs, how did you make it through the cold months?
Tina	Layers! There were times...many times...when I ran round the house in a double layer of sweats. Here at work, I have an afghan and a sweater so I can cover up when my co-workers are running the A/C (yes, summer in the South and I get cold indoors where the A/C is running). The upside is that I don't suffer from the heat like other Southern Belles do. I've actually enjoyed the summer warmth.
Carlene	Frecs, what did you eat while you were losing the weight?
Tina	I know Carlene was/is a big fruit eater and I did eat allot of fruit. But, I'm more a vegetable person. Salads are my thing. I ate allot of salads when I was losing weight and I still eat allot of salads. I have a smoothie for breakfast pretty much all the time...only occasionally will I have a sprouted grain cereal with blended fruit instead. I eat a salad or drink a blended salad for lunch and have another salad and/or fruit for dinner. One of my favorite summer time meals is melon -- watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, Juan Canary...whatever is good and getable. Although I didn't eat them last year during my weight loss, I would also recommend sprouts -- high in nutrition, filling, and low in calories.
Carlene	Frecs, what type of exercise did you do?
Tina	Aerobics. Walked. Walked. Walked. Some balance ball. Some rebounder. For awhile, strength training. Mostly, religiously, I walked. At first I could only walk 5 minutes at a shoot so I walked multiple times a day. Within 3 months I walked a 5K. Now, I'm jogging....and hiking. I do Praise Moves (a Christian alternative to yoga) and strength training.
Denal	Frecs...how did you keep from getting discouraged when the scale went in the wrong direction?
Tina	It can be frustrating, no doubt about it. I would assess the week before and see if I needed to make adjustments. If the weight gain was clearly not of my doing or out of my control (as when I had edema issues) then there was no need to get depressed. I just kept my eyes on the prize. If I could identify where I had gone off track, then a swift kick in the backside was in order and I'd make the adjustments. What I learned was to stop beating myself up or thinking in all-or-nothing global disaster kind of terms.
CJ	Frecs, how did you maintain the raw diet when your finances got low and how did you stay so focused on raw when everything else around you was so hectic and stressful?
Tina	Well, fortunately, by the time the job crisis occurred we already saw what the diet was doing to my health and there was no way my mother was going to let me go backward in that regard. It wasn't easy but we managed. There were some compromises -- "regular" produce rather than organic, sale items rather than what I necessarily wanted. And, it was a time when my family and I had to stand on our faith -- believing that God had lead me to a healing diet and that He would provide. And He did through a variety of avenues including leading people to help me financially -- specifically saying they were sending the money to buy produce.
Belinda	Are you honestly completely raw now?
Tina	Nope. Not 100%. More like 90-95%. I eat an occasional baked potato. I eat raw and/or cultured cheese (has live probiotics), eggs sometimes, and I use home-made kefir in my breakfast smoothie again for the probiotics.
Belinda	Do you like this way of life or does it just keep you looking the way you want to look?
Tina	I have learned that life is not about food. Life is about living my dreams. I used to think this was only for a season -- that I would return to "normal" eating after the season was over (after reaching goal weight). But, now I know that high raw ovo-lacto vegetarianism is the way I get to live my life to it's healthiest and fullest. I owe that to myself and (not to sound too religious) to my God whom I serve.
Belinda	How did you get through the times when it was so hard you felt that you just couldn't hold on?
Tina	I talked to people. I went for a walk. I reminded myself of where I had come from and that I didn't want to go back. I read about hiking or about goats (I dream of having a goat dairy)...I kept my life goals in full view. It's a matter of wanting something bad enough that nothing tastes as good as it does. Being healthy, not hurting, being able to hiking in the mountains...those taste way better than any SAD food ever could.
Belinda	Your before and after pictures are amazing, from ill to well, it seems almost unobtainable, did you ever feel that sometimes it was all a dream that couldn't become a reality?
Tina	There were times when I was afraid I would wake up and it would all be a dream. I guess since I started out only looking for weight loss (and not really believing too much for that) it wasn't about thinking it was an unattainable dream so much as slowly waking up to the fact that a miracle was happening to me. Sometimes, I still have to pinch myself and make sure it really is real.
Cheri	FRECS!!!!!!!!! how are you sista sista? I saw your hike pics...you're looking so dang good!
Tina	Hey, girlfriend! I'm doing great! Well, at this very moment I'm exhausted from working overtime and studying my brains out but even that is good. There's a song I love that talks about the miracle of the moment. It's so true -- we don't want to miss the miracle of the moment...it's all we really can deal with.... I am taking college courses in biochemistry and anatomy/physiology. Both are very intensive but I'm learning so much and I love it. I am heading into a masters program in nutrition at the University of Bridgeport (CT) which is very exciting for me. I had thought about, if finances worked out, going to the Hippocrates Institute next summer and getting certified as a HI Health Educator. That's not looking promising at this point so plan B is the Creative Health Institute in Michigan. One way or another I want to get certified in the Ann Wigmore way of raw. I had thought at first of becoming a Registered Dietitian but that just didn't set well with me after a closer look at what the ADA position is and what I'd be doing. My current path seems much more suited and "right" to me. I had so much fun on those hikes...even going up Pinnacle Mountain when it was so steep I just wanted to sit down and cry...I just refused to let that mountain beat me ...and it didn't! I just love being out there. If I can arrange the time, I'm thinking of doing a week next year doing a "thru-hike" of the Foothills Trail in SC/NC. It would be my first thru-hike and one of many to come I hope. I thought being raw would be hard out on the trail but actually it is much easier...while everyone else is trying to start their stoves, I'm eating my food!
Justine Jill	First let me say that you are awe inspiring! How did you not give in to your inner voice?
Tina	You mean the one that was constantly thinking about food? The one that would be thinking of the next meal while eating the current one? Good question! I'm not really sure! I think at first I was so desperate for raw to work for me like it did for Carlene that the voice didn't have a chance. Then, I was so excited about what was happening that the joy drowned it out. That inner voice just didn't have a chance! Plus, again, whenever there was a problem Carlene and the ladies of RFBC were there for me. There is a reason we come together as a community of women -- there is power in numbers. One may fall, two are stronger, but a cord of three strands is not easily broken. Lean on one another. When one falls, pick them up, brush them off, and keep going--and learn from the mistake. We don't need to "oh, honey, it's okay" each other -- it's not okay! -- but we do need to help each other regain our balance and move onward toward the mark. Iron sharpens iron.
Querys	First I want to say to Frecs what an inspiration she is. whenIi left Boot Camp, I would always go back to the Boot Camp pages and look at the before and after pages, and well, I really felt like I could relate to Frecs, and she always was an inspiration to me. I admired her strength, courage, motivation and willpower. What an incredible spirit. As far as questions go, I realize, and this may sound weird, and maybe to invasive or not even applicable, but with that huge weight loss, I was curious about if she had any secrets on how to keep the skin toned and firm. as I realize I have an underlying fear of my skin being really saggy. superficial I know.but i am just being honest. I also have a question on what kept her motivated. How much she exercised and what she did and well how has her life changed today?
Tina	I am humbled that so many are finding inspiration in my story. Thank you. Your question/concern is not invasive and is very common among obese women -- what about the excess skin. My skin is not as loose as I was afraid it might be, but not as firm as I'd like it to be. I have batwings that swoosh when I jog, my tummy hangs a bit, and there is every so slight bit of sag on the thighs. There are so many theories about getting skin to firm up. The jury is still out on whether any of them work. I think the most reasonable is to lose all the excess adipose tissue under the skin and it will tighten...but then again that may not work either. I'd rather have my batwings than be morbidly obese again! I exercise between 1-2 hours a day 6-7 days a week. I jog or do Praise Moves in the morning, and do strength training in the evening four nights a week. My life has changed in so many ways! No pain. No brain fog, Overall, I'm in the best health I've ever been. No depression or panic attacks. I am able to work and drive a car. I'm able to not just walk but jog and hike. I'm looking forward to a great future!
Marie	Congratulations Frecs on your amazing weight loss. You are an inspiration to me. Thank you! I would like to know how you overcame your cravings for cooked food and what you would do if you ever became bored with fruit. Also, are you still completely raw or do you eat cooked food now and again? Does your weight fluctuate a lot?. Thanks for offering to help us by answering our questions and sharing your experiences with us!
Tina	We crave what we eat. Stop eating something long enough (21 days seems to be the magic number) and you stop craving it. Well, physically, anyway. The mental cravings are about refocusing your attention -- again, focus on your life goals rather than on food. I am 90-95% raw. Unfortunately, my weight has been plateau'ed since February -- jumps up of like 10lbs over night and then a gradual return to the starting point but mostly just steady eddie. It's been an exercise in perseverance and in proving to myself that this is a lifestyle and not just about losing weight.
Fresca	So what made you realize that raw was going to work best for you over everything else and what other diets did you try before going raw?
Tina	I didn't. I was desperate and willing to try anything short of going back to binging and purging. I tried every diet known to woman-kind including starving/binging/purging. You name it, I did it. Some were mildly successful. Others, that were "doctor recommended" or even nutritionist supervised failed miserably....even when I was doing them exactly as prescribed. This worked. Why? My theory: a) removal of toxins allowed my body to cleanse and heal. b)probiotics and prebiotics which abound in the raw food diet interact with our immune system and our metabolism. c) a focus on goals and not just the scale.
Birdie	Frecs, thank you for being willing to come and answer our questions and for allowing us to read about your success and use it for our motivation! Can you tell us what you ate? Did you rotate your fruit or settle into a pattern? How did you handle cravings? Family meal time... did you eat with your family or eat separate? How did you get through the special occasions that came up? Did you have a lot of support at home? Did you have any detox? Any suggestions for getting through it? Thank you again for your time to meet with us!
Tina	I ate a lot of fruits and a lot of veggies. I kept the avocados and nuts to a minimum to keep my fat below 20%. I did try 10% or less in fat for awhile but preferred the extra bit of fat. I don't worry about rotation or food combining or any of that. I ate and eat what is available and what I desire to eat. I don't have cravings like I used to -- like for ice cream or chocolate -- but I do tend have have cravings for stuff like broccoli or grapefruit and for those I say "Let's eat!". Family mealtime isn't usually a problem because I'm single, no kids, and my family (mom, step-father, sister) eat at different times typically. Sometimes they would want to eat together but they got used to either making a salad for me or accepting that I would be eating something different than them. Once they saw how I was getting so much better they were very supportive of the diet. Holidays....oh, the holidays. I don't have to worry about parties very much. My employer last year had our holiday party catered and asked the caterer to prepare a special fruit plate for me (they asked if there was something else they could do but I didn't figure they could handle a gourmet raw dish....they made up a very nice fruit plate that was the envy of everyone). For the holiday meal I made a few special dishes to try to "make it special" and you know what? The fruit salad was still the best part. I think this year, I'm foregoing any attempt at "faux turkey" and just making a fruit salad and a raw pie or raw ice cream. I figure it this way -- the desserts are the best part of the holiday meal anyway so why not make it THE MEAL? My family and friends and coworkers are the best! Everyone is very supportive. I am very blessed. Detox? Can I be totally honest? I don't remember! Perhaps I did and it was mixed in with the Fibro and Chronic fatigue symptoms or perhaps I was lucky and didn't...or perhaps like birth-pangs it's something one forgets afterward....or.... anyway, I can't honestly comment on detox symptoms I experienced. I know most people do experience some form of detox or another. Best advice? Drink lots of water! Water flushes out the toxins. Also, if available try a sauna or just make yourself sweat with some good exercise. Epsom salts baths are good for drawing out toxins as well. And, just know that this too shall pass.
Belinda	I am thoroughly enjoying your simple honesty. Thank you for giving us hope and something to hold onto.
CJ	Thanks so much for all of your wonderful answers!!! Not only is your story inspiring but the answers you have given have inspired me to continue on and realize my goal as well!! THANK YOU!!
Justine Jill	Thank you so much. After reading all of your answers I feel almost reborn into my commitment. I truly needed that and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Tina	You are welcome. This is why we come together, to encourage each other. No lone wolves..
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