Trying again, but keep failing

[Guest guest]

Okay here it goes - I was raw for 1 month. I starting failing more and more. I

want to get back into and Im having the darndest time!!

Has anyone here failed and gotten back and how did you do it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Stephanie,

 

I've been, more or less, on and off raw for about seven years, so I definitely

know what it feels like - you're SO not alone! Firstly, I discovered that using

the word " fail " is really self-defeating when it comes to changing something as

BIG as your diet. If you take into consideration how long you had/have been

eating the SAD, you've also got to realize that it will be a process to

completely change it all around. Sounds like you've begun this process already,

and I'd say that being raw for a month is something to be pretty proud of,

certainly.

 

Probably the most important thing I've learned over the years is PATIENCE. I've

found that by joining groups like this, it is both supportive and challenging

for me, personally. Supportive, because, of course, the center of conversation

is around a topic that I'm passionate about, and from these groups, I learn an

incredible amount of information that helps me to move closer and closer towards

my goal of 100% raw.

 

The challenge comes with reading peoples' posts that are sometimes so

perfectionistic, negative, and down-right threatening. Just yesterday, as a

matter of fact, I woke up in the morning and went to read my e-mails, and what

should be the very first one to read, but a post from a person quoting Fred

Patenaude, stating all these things that are total poison to the body, and if

you ingest them, you're going to kill yourself (of course, I'm paraphrasing, and

probably exaggerating). The point is, I read this and thought, " Ya know? I

didn't want to read that first thing - why not something happy and inspiring? "

So, in order to be more supportive to me, I've just got to skip those posts. I

would recommend trying to focus more on what's REALLY supportive for you, and

what's not, and weeding out the 'not.'

 

Another thing that's helped me is having a completely supportive partner to do

this with. When I first started raw, I was dating a fellow who transitioned in

about 24 hours, give or take. I couldn't do it, and I thought I was such a

complete failure. I felt pressured by him and all of our new friends to now

suddenly be 100%, and I thought that something was just emotionally or mentally

'wrong' with me, cuz I just couldn't get there. At most, I'd go a month, then

lose it and swing to the opposite extreme because of severe depression, and pig

out on sweets, as that's always been my downfall.

 

Now, I'm with a fellow who doesn't judge me because I want green tea, or even

ice cream once in a while. We've been high raw (95-100%) now for about two

months, but we still allow ourselves one day per week of eating something not

raw. We are completely allowing of each other for this, but at the same time,

we always talk about how we are feeling - mentally, physically, emotionally. We

KNOW that when we eat stuff that isn't raw, we don't feel as alert, our skin

loses that silky-smoothiness, we feel tired, etc., etc. Our goal is to continue

eating this way, and maybe shift to 99-100% after a year is up. After another

year, or so, of eating 99-100%, we want to be 100% - we want to create a solid

foundation of raw for our children. These are our goals - slowly but surely,

we'll get there. It's sooo wonderful to have someone who not only is supportive

and likes the diet, but someone who wants to do it WITH me. I'm blessed.

 

Another thing I've learned from him is moderation. As I mentioned before, I

used to go from 100% raw to 0% raw, from one extreme to the other. We've been

practicing being pretty much 99%-100% during the rest of the week, but on our

one day, we get to be whatever we want. This helps with two things for me - 1)

it helps slow down detox a bit. I'm at a weight now that I've not been at since

junior high school. It's very fun, and I feel all slim and stuff, but I still

feel weird and awkward. Losing the weight slowly is good for me right now. 2)

This helps with my cravings. Because we are transitioning at a more moderate

rate, maybe compared with others, I can put my cravings off until that day comes

when I allow myself to have something. In the past, because my body was getting

so clean at such a quick pace, I would have mad, crazy cravings and would go for

everything in the cupboards, or I'd even go out on a binge to the grocery store.

Now, I can say to myself, " If I still

want that on Friday, then I'll eat it on Friday, but not today. "

 

(Wow, this is longer than I thought it'd be!)

 

Of course, other things help, like ONLY having raw snackies in the house. I

keep a stash of dried fruits and nuts and flax crackers and stuff, just in case

I need something really concentrated and fast. Hey, raisins are better than ice

cream, right?

 

Something that's helping me a lot right now, is keeping busy. I'm a full-time

student, and I just started my own business. I'm working on all this about 14

hours a day, and really, it helps. I think about snacking less. As a matter of

fact, I've got down to a routine where I have juice within the first two hours

of waking; then between 11am and 3-4pm is my big meal times when I have a big

salad, or lots of fruit - this way I'm not so hungry later on; then I just want

tiny snackies in the evening, and sometimes even nothing because I'm still

full/satiated from the meals earlier in the day. I'm not saying that this is

the best way to work a raw diet, but it's working really well for me, and

getting my digestion back on track and I feel energized throughout the day.

 

Well... I hope that's helped some. More than anything, just try to be patient

with yourself. I know it's hard because you feel the difference from raw

already and you want it to go on forever and to get better and better, just like

everyone says. Don't worry, you'll get there, but patience is key. Don't beat

yourself up for not being exactly where you want to be, but applaud yourself for

where you are. Do you know how thankful I am every day because I found the raw

diet in the first place? If I hadn't, I don't even know where I'd be right now

- probably having more digestive surgeries in some hospital somewhere.

 

Stay strong and don't worry, we're with ya girlie...

 

RawGypsy

 

 

 

 

 

 

vote. - Register online to vote today!

 

 

[Guest guest]

Stephanie,

Something that works for many is to continue to

educate yourself daily on why you are looking to

switch over to a more healthy lifestyle (books,

videos, etc.). When you really begin to dig into the

hard facts of whats happening to you by continually

subjecting your body to dead foods, you will being to

loose the craving. You begin to logically weight the

pros and cons of what your body is being subjected to

and start to see a much healthier, more beneficial way

to live. This in itelf will begin to solidify your

decisions for change. In closing I would also like to

suggest trying as many of the different raw foods on

the market today. Finding foods that are pleasing to

your palate is also very important. When you find a

company (chef) that you enjoy, the foods will no

longer become a punishment but a craving.

regards,

Burke Bryant

LifeForce Foods

www.livingintheraw.com

 

P.S Alissa Cohen does a wounderful job at helping

people with the same issues you are currently working

with, she has some great DVD's out that I feel you

would benefit from, see her site at:

www.alissacohen.com

 

--- Stephanie <konacoral wrote:

 

>

>

> Okay here it goes - I was raw for 1 month. I

> starting failing more and more. I want to get back

> into and Im having the darndest time!!

> Has anyone here failed and gotten back and how did

> you do it?

>

>

>

>

> Tired of spam? Mail has the best spam

> protection around

>

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been

> removed]

>

>

>

>

>

 

 

=====

Burke Bryant

 

" 'Please show us how to rise above feeling offended. "

 

Reply: 'If a mechanical robot made a rude remark to you, you would

not feel offended, for your ego would not feel threatened by a mere

machine. But because you fail to see that most people are equally

mechanical, you attribute an ego to them, which causes your ego to

think they can harm you. When you deeply see the man-machine behind

human personality, you cannot be offended.' "

 

 

 

_______________________________

 

Declare Yourself - Register online to vote today!

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[Guest guest]

Lots of people have. I hope someone responses to you.

Personally I'm trying to go raw vegan, but taking it

slow seems to be the wiser way.

 

--- Stephanie <konacoral wrote:

 

>

>

> Okay here it goes - I was raw for 1 month. I

> starting failing more and more. I want to get back

> into and Im having the darndest time!!

> Has anyone here failed and gotten back and how did

> you do it?

>

>

>

>

> Tired of spam? Mail has the best spam

> protection around

>

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been

> removed]

>

>

>

>

>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Stephanie wrote:

 

> Okay here it goes - I was raw for 1 month. I starting failing

> more and more. I want to get back into and Im having the

> darndest time!! Has anyone here failed and gotten back and how

> did you do it?

 

Stephanie, do you mind telling exactly what you ate during that

one month period?

 

Fredrik

[Guest guest]

The best thing for me was taking Dixie's class and following it up with seminars

by Gabriel Coussins and David Wolf and hangin with other raw fooders and this

website has really helped me too..Sometimes, I still want to go back and eat

other stuff, but I don't..I guess it's the addiction..

Gaynell

 

Renee Char <cyborg565rjc wrote:

 

Lots of people have. I hope someone responses to you.

Personally I'm trying to go raw vegan, but taking it

slow seems to be the wiser way.

 

--- Stephanie <konacoral wrote:

 

>

>

> Okay here it goes - I was raw for 1 month. I

> starting failing more and more. I want to get back

> into and Im having the darndest time!!

> Has anyone here failed and gotten back and how did

> you do it?

>

>

>

>

> Tired of spam? Mail has the best spam

> protection around

>

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been

> removed]

>

>

>

>

>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Stephanie,

I have been " transitioning " to Raw Food for the last 14 months. One of my

biggest challenges is eating out. Seems when we eat at home, I have no

difficulty. I would love to be able to say I'm 100% Raw, but don't know if

that's realistic for me. I'm definitely not there, but have recently gone over 4

weeks without a coffee or cooked treat (read, cake or cookies). However, we have

just come back from a long Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, and I was totally NOT

raw or Vegan. I am so looking forward to getting back to it tomorrow morning, as

well as my morning workouts.

 

When asked recently what my diet is (people at work know I'm veggie, but don't

understand the extent), I said, " I am as close to a strict raw food vegan as my

conscience and my lifestyle will allow, " and you know, nobody gave me a hard

time like they used to.

I guess what I'm trying to say to you is, don't beat yourself up if you find it

difficult to be 100% Raw. Every step you make in the right direction is a bonus

for you.

 

Good luck on your Journey to Raw!

Carol