About Me

Hi There! My name is Rena (pronounced Renee).

In July of 2010, I decided to make a change for the better and live a 
Healthier Lifestyle. I wasn't feeling well at all and I weighed in around 175 pounds. This was the heaviest I had ever been in my life! I was always very thin and for most of my adult years I wore a size 6. Life happens and I found myself creeping into a size 10. Some clothing items, such as dresses, I had no choice but to buy a size 10, but I fought it tooth & nail not to make that purchase. I was buying size 8 clothing when I knew they were just too little. 

At a July 4th celebration, was when I had finally had enough. I got dressed and hated the way I looked and felt in my outfit. Other than that, some of my family members that I hadn't seen in a while commented about how I had gained a little weight. While some of them thought that I looked good and the weight suited me, I just didn't feel right in my own skin. So I vowed that once I made it back home to Atlanta, I was going to begin taking better care of myself.

To kick start things, I decided to do a 10-day Master Cleanse. I had completed the Master Cleanse before with a friend of mine who had introduced me to it so I knew I could do it again. For 10 days, all I did was drink a lemonade mixture of fresh lemon juice, distilled water, cayenne pepper and Grade B maple syrup. This was quite the challenge and I had a lot of free time on my hands by not having to shop for or prepare food to eat. During this time, I began doing lots of research on the Internet and I ran across several web sites dedicated to the Raw Food Lifestyle.  I was intrigued. I couldn't wait to finish the Master Cleanse and get started with this new lifestyle that seemed to rid people's bodies of sicknesses and that helped people mentally and emotionally. 
I live very close to Your DeKalb Farmer's Market and decided to go there to shop for fresh fruits & vegetables. The farmer's market became my favorite place to shop. I loved going there. The place is huge and it is filled with all types of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, seasonings and spices. They had just about every thing I needed to become successful. I now shop at the farmer's market at least once a week, sometimes twice a week. 
Through trial & error, I have lost about 45 pounds so far. I've tried lots of fancy recipes. I've taken classes online and at a local raw food restaurant to help me learn to prepare my meals and to learn how to teach others. Although I love eating some of the fancier raw food dishes, I have learned that what works best for me is to eat a simple diet. To find out more about the types of foods I eat, please visit the Food page on this blog. 


In addition to eating healthier foods, I began walking as a form of exercise. Walking is my favorite way of moving my body. It helps to maintain my weight and makes me feel so much better.  Check out the Fitness page on this blog to learn more about my fitness routine.


Thank you for taking the time to read About Me. I look forward to sharing my experiences with food & fitness with you.
 

~rena