Angela Stokes, 30, lost 160 pounds in two years after she adopted a raw-vegan diet. She now weighs 138 pounds. But she steadily started gaining weight as a teenager because of an under-active thyroid gland. By the time she graduated from college her weight had ballooned to 300 pounds.
I was 300 pounds, very unwell, very miserable. I ate junk food all the time. I was very closed down emotionally. I had no interest in dieting; I just wanted to eat all the time … that was like my comfort in life.
At the time, she says she was so “emotionally shut down” she refused to talk to anyone about what was happening. The weight was also taking a physical toll on her health and she frequently battled infections and illness.
Stokes says living her everyday life became a challenge.
My mobility was quite restricted … I was unwilling to participate in things from cutting my toenails to going on a walk with my friends. I tried to give this impression that I felt fine about everything, but inside I was in a lot of pain a lot of the time.
Two summers after she reached her heaviest weight, Stokes was working at a greenhouse in Iceland, when a friend lent her a copy of a book about the health benefits of eating raw foods. Stokes, who had never been interested in dieting, says she was completely “absorbed” by the approach.
She started eating raw the very next day.
Everything in my life completely shifted. It was like a light bulb moment to be like … ‘this is what I was waiting for to reclaim my health”
She went cold turkey or “cold cucumber,” as Stokes often jokes. She stopped eating meat, animal products and processed foods and instead switched to a diet that consisted of uncooked and unprocessed vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds.
To me, the thing with raw food is that it just makes sense. It’s simple and natural, eating food straight from the earth. There’s no rocket science, no mystery. Once you understand the simple principle that no other animal in the wild eats cooked or processed foods. That’s it.
Stokes, who now weighs 138 pounds, has kept the weight off for four years and authored several books on “raw foodism” lifestyle.
What tips does she have for people considering a raw vegan lifestyle? First, start slowly.
I recommend people start out being at least 50 percent raw and go from there. Maybe it ends up at some point you are completely raw, maybe not. As long as the majority of the stuff or at least 50 percent is fresh raw food … then you’re tipping the balance in your favor.
Stokes also advises people to start eating things they like such as peaches, plums or spinach and then slowly incorporate more fresh raw foods. She admits the lifestyle can be socially challenging and she encourages people to connect with other “raw foodists.”
It’s great to get support. If you look on the Internet and around you, you may find pot lucks. Read books to inspire you to keep going on this journey.
