Testify!

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Comment by Tarah @ 40 Below Fruity on December 8, 2010 at 11:51am

Just wanted to share a picture here :) My testimony is up top!

Comment by Michael on November 10, 2010 at 10:30am

When I started eating raw, I had about 30 pounds to lose. I was excited and curious about all things raw. I was feverishly buying books and reading online, and shopping for all kinds of new things. I loaded up on dehydrated wonders, raw fats, superfoods, supplements, fermentations, you name it. I lost a lot of money and the 30 pounds in that first couple months. Early in my quest for info I happened upon Frederick Patenaude and 30bananasaday.com, but I thought that was for 'those extreme fruitarians'. I continued to try to find my way with raw foods and soon found myself in that slump where the initial buzz of raw diet energy is all gone, and my digestive system was in dire straights. I was hungry and felt restricted by my diet. I was stimulating myself with cocao, sweeteners and salt, and numbing myself with fats. I couldn't keep up with the somewhat elaborate meal preparations I was doing. In addition to having a full-time job, I took on a 5-6 days/week of Bikram yoga. The time constraints and nutritional needs of a rigorous yoga practice lead me to eating more convenient fruits and less heavy, elaborate foods. I kept hearing about the 80/10/10 book, but it took awhile to get around to ordering it. It was that book and some videos by Michael Arnstein that helped me to see how a high fruit, low fat raw vegan diet is a very sane and practical approach to vibrant health. It just took awhile for my mindset to shift. I didn't need to recreate the standard American diet with raw concoctions, I simply needed to eat high-quality/fresh/ripe/whole fruits and vegetables. I'm going on about 4 months 80/10/10 and I feel so fabulous day after day! I did have some cleansing symptoms here and there, but there was no doubt they were bringing me to better health. I'm grateful for my thriving health and feel like a fog has lifted. I have a level of clarity, wholeness and happiness I never knew was missing. I seem to continue transforming and I look forward to the journey. 30bananasaday.com has been a great resource and support along the way. It's funny how such a simple, sensical matter as a low fat raw vegan diet is so rare in this world that we need an online space to come to for sharing. This is one place to go where no one will ask you where you get your protein ;)

Comment by Lydia Moore on November 8, 2010 at 6:54am

ok thanks again like always =] Freelee and DR do is very positive they answer alot of questions and have info to back it up, its a nice change for once. Most people make pages to claim to help or spread the word but never socialize to the people who join...but both Freelee and DR are very hands on and Im happy I followed them from youtube to face book to this very motivating. =].

Comment by melissa jackson on October 7, 2010 at 12:22pm

Hey guys & girls!

I started 811 100% about 2 months ago (I was vegan for 8 years before I went back to the SAD diet and became bulimic (throwing up anywhere from 5-12 times a day) aswell as anorexic). I've put on 30 pounds so far. I'm 5'6. 19 years old.

I was 87 pounds when I began my journey. At this time I was eating over 3000 calories a day of typical SAD foods (ice-cream, chocolate, pounds of honey). I had not binged/threw up, nor restricted my calories for a year prior to this. I wanted so bad to get to a normal weight and be healthy. My eating disorders were not caused by a desire to weighless, but from stress.

I spent 8 months eating everything in site and rapidly losing weight. (my stomach looked about 8 months pregnant though) My hair was falling out and I was sicker than a dog. It seemed as if my body was rejecting food, everything in fact gave me horrible stomach aches (even fruit). I was an emotional mess and the doctors did every test known to man, yet nothing showed up as abnormal. I was pretty much at deaths door.

One day a thought crossed my mind to only eat fruit for a day, so I did. It was awful. My system was so screwed up that it couldn't handle digesting the fruit, as it was running into all the other fat/crap stored in my body. After that I spent a few weeks going back and fourth from cooked crap to fruit. Everything raw tasted awful, I couldn't go near vegetables. I didn't know how to pick properly ripe fruit, which did not help much, and was not following food combining.

It was a super tough transition for me, I got even sicker, lost more weight and felt way worse then before. By week two I was covered in what appeared to be cellulite (I'd never had a tiny bit before). I was terrified, bloated to heck and back, rapidly ganging and losing weight, moody, had intense cravings for cooked food, and losing my hair even worse then before. To top it off my face broke out something awful, I couldn't sleep and had no energy.

However I knew what I was doing was somehow "right". I'm not going to lie, I almost went back to the SAD life more then once in my first month. But a little voice in the back of my head kept telling me to keep going and push through all this. Well, I'm glad I did.

Just some of what I've experience now on the end of month 2:
my skin is clear.
my hair has almost stopped falling out.
I've gained strength and the energy to workout.
I sleep soundly.
I'm smiling almost everyday.
I can't help but try to help others.
I'm rarely bloated.
I've stayed at roughly the same weight for the last 2 weeks regardless of how much I eat.
My stress levels are at zero pretty much.
Life is beautiful.
my confidence has soared.
I'm attracting all kinds of positive and amazing things within my life.
I'm emotionally balanced.
I don't have an ounce of cellulite on my body.
I adore veggies and the taste of all raw foods.
I had no cooked food cravings ever.
I know how to pick ripe fruit:)
I adore food combining.

I could go on……..

Don't expect that everything will be perfect on your first day or even first few weeks. Your weight will go up and down like crazy (if you have an eating disordered past) so will your moods. Remember how long it took to get where you're at now? Well it's going to take twice as long to get better.

So please girls (and guys!) stay strong and push through all your detox/reactions to this change that your body will put you through. It soooooo worth it in the end and you'll be thankful that you did:)

melissa<3

Comment by Alyssa on October 6, 2010 at 10:00am

Before I found 30bad I was anorexic, bullimic, over exercised, horribly miserable, and tired 24/7. I was a train wreck, but anorexia took over. I only ate up to 500 calories a day, and I usually didn't have any carbs. I was killing myself. I am in Mixed Martial Arts, and my performance suffered greatly. I lost strength, and balance. I dropped 30 pounds in 2 months, and became very thin and weak. I started researching diets to improve athletic performance, and thats when I found fruitarianism. I have always had a strong bond with fruit. I have loved it my whole life, and I always had a natural attraction to it. Before I found 30bad I was undereating fruit, and always went back to cooked. Now I always try and get enough fruit cals. and I ALWAYS feel amazing when I do. So I just wanted to say a huge thanks to Freelee, and DR for creating this site. You possibly saved my life. :)

Comment by Mattias on September 8, 2010 at 6:36am

I wouldnt have that flexible and huge stomach from tons of bananas,and therefore enough calories if I didnt watch DURIANRIDER vids and 30bad - it gave me much of information even outside the raw food. Things like basic psysiology and that. Numero Uno:)
I made those vids my documentary series that I have seen every of them:)
THANK YOU:))))

Comment by TheBananaGirl on August 27, 2010 at 10:54pm

This page is looking very lovely! Thank you all for sharing, its so heart-warming to read your comments X
Darrick you have a very special place in my heart.

Comment by Darrick on August 1, 2010 at 11:52pm

I am convinced this website has given me the resolve to be committed to my fruitarian lifestyle. Thanks soo much. love, D

Comment by veganmama18 on July 25, 2010 at 10:32am

what an inspiration to read everyone's testimonies! it definitely speaks to the amazing work that freelee, DR, and others have done to bring 30BaD to the people (and non-human animals!). (^_^) where do i begin with my own story? several years ago, i met my now-husband who has been vegetarian for most of his life and vegan for the last 8 years or so. he inspired me to investigate animal ethics, and upon reading the first chapter of "vegan freak" i went cold tofurkey. at the time i was a dedicated ultrarunner and found that indeed, my recovery was much faster on my new vegan 'diet,' even though i had always been a relatively healthful eater. but more importantly, i finally felt "seamless" (as i put it to my husband). what i've always felt quietly but deeply, i was finally living.

various stresses in my life, including challenges during pregnancy, led to an unhealthy relationship with food, climaxing (or should i say, plummeting) with a full-blown eating disorder (bulimia). after the birth of our son, i was determined to pull myself out of the well i had thrown myself (and my loved ones) into. because i was nursing, i was especially keen on pulling my life together for the sake of our son's health.

enter 30BaD. what a godsend! i had considered high fat raw veganism at one point, but couldn't understand the strong desire among most high fat raw foodists to 1) create junk food analogs, and 2) spend lots of money on supplements. on the other hand, 811rv spoke to me. it made sense, though i was admittedly fearful of such a high ratio of carbs and the volume of food (ironic, given regular binges at the time - but i think this is exactly why it scared me so much). but i tried it, and it was amazing. finding like-minded individuals to share my ups and downs with, to ask questions of, and to simply admire from afar in cyberspace, kept me motivated on this path.

admittedly, it has not been an overnight transition for me. there are 100% days and non-100% days, but i continue to strive for a consistent 100%. and this is OK, because, through this site, and freelee's completely honest and candid blog, i have felt less alone on my journey to optimal health. and i can proudly say that i've not had a single relapse in over 6 months. freelee's blog has been exceptionally useful - i re-read her posts regularly for continued inspiration. it also gives me a sense of community, rather than the feelings of isolation i once felt during my darkest times.

more recently, i was welcomed as a more active contributor to the site and feel it provided the opportunity to give back to this wonderful community that has helped me so much. the warmth i have felt from members here, and the incredible passion everyone has for animal rights, continues to inspire me. i am convinced that without 30BaD, freelee, and DR, i would not be where i am today in terms of emotional and physical well-being.

Comment by Nick on July 23, 2010 at 12:24pm

At 30 bad you get a sense of community that is needed to succeed on this diet. It's such a positive environment and there is a massive amount of information being shared here. Read the forums for daily inspiration and make some friends!

Comment by Tarah @ 40 Below Fruity on July 20, 2010 at 5:59am

Like many here, my journey into low fat raw veganism was made possible due to the amazing support and advice found on 30bananasaday. I had been vegan for two years, and high fat, high raw for this time period. I was suffering from acne, low energy, constant fluctuation in my body weight, and trouble with food cravings. I found 30BaD through Harley's persistant posts on other raw food forums. I had no idea what I was in store for! Within the last few months of LFRV I have healed my acne, lost the weight I was hoping for, and I now experience soaring energy.

Harley and Freelee are a constant source of information and inspiration! Prior to finding 30BaD I thought that I had to restrict calories to be happy with my body, but they taught me different. I receive constant joy from this forum through networking, videos, and new and interesting topics of conversation on a daily basis. Harley and Freelee have kicked me into high gear on a number of occasions with their tough love approach and truthful videos. My success was made possible through the constant mantra...."eat more calories"...."eat more calories"....Got a problem? "Eat more fruit!" Fatigue? "Up your carbs!" Weight gain? "Eat more calories from sweet juicy fruit!". It's the truth!

I hope that 30bananasaday will provide you with the inspiration to give this lifestyle a try. You won't receive a pat on the back or a sympathetic nod to your problems, you'll hear the truth exactly as it should be. This may be a tough love community, but the key word here is love. Here on this forum we love ourselves, others around us, and the fellow animals on this planet. We share our experiences and knowledge freely with anyone willing to listen in hopes of creating ultimate health for all. LFRV is truly a lifestyle. Once you start, you'll never want to go back to your old habits!

Comment by Liam G on July 18, 2010 at 2:44pm

Finding this site has got to be one of the best things that's happened to me. It's full of amazing people who share their experiences and knowledge happily. You don't have to read books upon books on health and diet to join in on discussions and debates. I found this site through Freelee who I found through a mutual friend on facebook. Under religious views it said "30 bananas a day cult" and then it has the website below. What does this mean? I wondered. Could you live off 30 bananas a day. I had to find out more. I started watching Harleys (Durianriders)videos on the site. I heard a lot of stuff before watching his videos and was sceptic about a diet consisting of mostly sugar (I'll get diabetes!!!)but there was something about him that was very convincing. I had to learn more about this Douglas Graham and his 80/10/10 diet they kept talking about. I found out more. I read the book. It all made sense to me. It's not about science. It's about common sense and common knowledge. I've witnessed so many great discussions here. And everyones really supportive but we don't beat around the bush. We tell it how it is. Not everyone is like this but I like to think this is what the site is largely about. I think this is the best way of going about things personally. 80/10/10 and 30bananasaday are slowly but surely changing my health for the better.

Comment by B on July 18, 2010 at 1:02pm

I can honestly say if it weren't for this forum and harley's videos on youtube I'd most likely only be receiving half the benefits from following a low fat raw vegan lifestyle that I am right now.

I found this site in April last year (I think through Fred P) and made an account here shortly after but didn't start posting until the fall. It struck me as surprising and inspiring to see so many people my age and younger interested in raw foods and veganism, when I was the only one among my friends truly interested in this way of living.

I became a raw fooder almost by accident but the health benefits were astonishing, in short I was dependent on medications and expensive vitamin supplement formulas to function on a basic level for years. I had chronic fatigue and other health issues that made it impossible for me to hold down a job, and very difficult to concentrate on my grad studies in musicology, even though eventually I found some meds that actually helped (beta blockers i.e. adrenaline suppressing meds).

From first going high fat raw for a couple weeks then 811 I was able to give up all meds and nearly all supplements (B12 and vit D are the only ones I still take as needed), return to working and I never felt happier. To this day I still say I owe Doug Graham my life, if it weren't for him writing his 80/10/10 diet book I'd be taking beta blockers for the rest of my life just to get through the day.

Being extremely new to this lifestyle however, I had carb phobia big time, and I thought something horrible would happen if I ate over 2000 calories in a day. As a result of this, in spite of all the health gains, I had issues with insomnia, mood swings, low energy, and felt like I was 'detoxing' all the time. At work, I was having difficulty getting along with my coworkers and housemates at times, in addition to having trouble getting my work done.

Saw a bunch of vids of harley on youtube saying "ya gotta get yer carbs in mate! eat more fruit!" over and over. Once the message sunk in and I tried it combined with getting off my fat @$$ and exercising lol I started feeling great, all the 'detox' symptoms vanished virtually overnight.

Having felt like one of the contenders for most miserable person on Earth for nearly 5 years, I never EVER would've imagined I could feel this good without medications or drugs. This I think explains why I am one of the most outspoken militant raw foodists you'll find on here aside from harley and freelee (lol), and why although I might not agree with harley on every issue, I take everything he says about health very seriously. He's a guy who walks his talk and his health advice actually WORKS, unlike so many other things I've tried.

Though this site I've been able to connect with local fruit eaters in person and with so many other truly amazing people who I have yet to meet in person but hopefully will someday soon. :)

Also thanks to some of the wonderful discussions and information on vegan pets here (Prad's debating skills as demonstrated on the vegan dog thread are the stuff of legend) I've been able to transition my dog to a vegan diet overnight. Benefits including he now has tons of energy and I have virtually no problems with allergies to his fur like I did before he was a vego.

This site is truly a haven for all things to do with ethical veganism and animal rights and it's really raised my awareness on the importance of these issues beyond what I ever thought possible. There's so much more I could say but in short I'll conclude that 30BaD has unquestionably changed my life for the better; I'm eternally grateful for the work that harley and freelee and prad have put into this community; and to whoever is reading this right now you mean the world to me. I wish you the best health and quality of life from this way of living, I hope it can do everything for you it has done for myself and more. Certainly there are few things you can do that will be of more benefit to the planet and all its

Comment by lovelowfat on July 17, 2010 at 7:17pm

Lovely idea Elle. Normally I'm quite a private person but I felt compelled to share. I am very happy to be here.
I found 30 bananas a day through Karmyn's blog and I'm so overjoyed that I did!
I was in conflict with my weight and confidence, not to mention recovering from a triple bypass and bad kidney's :o(
Over the last few months the weight has been steadily coming off and I'm healing very well, finally I am starting to feel like a new Melissa. I still have a few personal difficulties eating enough fruit but I'm listening to Durianrider and Freelee every day and my awareness is growing and so is my stomach capacity for more fruit. I am very touched by the constant support of Durianrider and Freelee, they are so unpretentious and caring, you just know they care about you from a genuine place. I could go as far to say without their support I don't know where I would be in life. Prad is a really amazing person too, he really gives so much to this community and he has a beautiful soul. The community vibe here is like nothing I have knowledge of and is very special. People may criticise them but those people are just wanting love themselves and I know these two always share from a heart made of gold. Their tough love is exactly what I have been needing.

Thank you *so so* much for everything you do Durianrider, Freelee and Prad. My 30bad hero's :o)

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