Too scared to start

[blessedmomof5]

I have been lurking for months. I just turned 48 two days ago and am tired of thinking about this...and no action. I have Alissa's book and DVD. I have checked out over 10 raw books at the library. I'm planning on buying one for my birthday present...I've made green smoothies but just haven't made the commitment. (I've watched the Mad Cowboy doc..) I'm just scared because I wonder is it going to be like Weight Watchers (which I felt their system is balanced). I know it's perfectionism to the extreme but I feel paralyzed...
(I'm normally not this psychotic but I feel this forum is so supportive of its members...It's been very encouraging.) I have got to start somewhere.

Dear husband is fine with it as long as I don't try to change him. I even went to a FREE demo with Schall and Janine in Portland. They were great. The moderators on this forum are so tender with their words, RP and Rawkinlocs, as well as others. Thanks so much for any thoughts, encouragement, and ideas.

In Him,
Jan

[Rawkinlocs]

Hi and welcome Jan!

You've already taken the first step and whether you realize it or not, you are well on your way!

I sent you an email! :)

[lodestar]

i too want to welcome you Jan...to do nothing is much more difficult that taking baby steps in the direction you heart tells you to go.

it's fun!

[Eveleaf]

Hi!

OK I can surely relate to the perfectionist thing! So I don't know if my experience will help you or not, but here goes.

The first thing I had to do was to educate myself, which it sounds like you've done, even more than me! Once I had the knowledge in my head, I accepted that (eventually) I would be all raw. I knew RAW was the optimal eating lifestyle and that one day I would get there. I visualized it and let the peace of it soak into my heart and mind. This helps because you start to envision yourself as a "raw" person even when you're not there yet. And you start to see the value of each step along the way, bringing you to your goal.

The next thing I had to do was give myself permission to have a long transition. I'm an all-or-nothing kind of girl but I realize that sets me up (especially as a beginner) for failure. So instead I set easy goals for myself. For two weeks I just said "OK, I'm going to eat "more" raw." Meaning I would try to include more raw foods in my diet. I thought perhaps 50% of my food should come from raw but I kept the rules loose so I wouldn't feel discouraged.

Well something funny happened. I started to really "pay attention!" to how I felt, all the time, but especially after a meal. When I ate raw foods I felt great! Light, energetic, positive! And when I ate cooked foods I felt sluggish, heavy, bloated, depressed. I gradually started trying to incorporate even more of my meals into raw, because I loved how it made me feel! And I started viewing raw foods as "real" foods and the cooked stuff for what it really is: a dangerous drug.

However, I am still keeping my goals as loose as possible. I like thegardendiet transition plan: 1 month vegetarian, 1 month vegan, 1 month with only one cooked meal a day, 1 month with only one cooked meal a week, and finally all raw. The reason I like this is because if my "official" goal is to eat vegetarian, then if I eat raw all day but slip up and eat a cooked vegetarian dinner I can still consider it a successful day! Keeping away from the failure/guilt cycle is really important to me. And I also notice that the more I pay attention to my body and what it is telling me, the more I just naturally WANT to eat raw instead of cooked.

Anyway, let me welcome you too!

[Shan]

Ok Blessedmomof5, I've only been eating raw for six days, but I have to tell you how I feel about it already. I was so freaked out. I thought I'd be having SUCH uncontrollable cravings (as I do on other 'healthy' cooked weigh-loss plans). But oh my goodness, I haven't had any major cravings yet! My detox symptoms have been very mild. In fact eating this way is way less work, and feels sooooo natural. I feel like my body is saying "well FINALLY she's doing what I want!"...lol. Don't be scared, just go for it. Maybe it won't be as hard as you think. Good luck!

[rawpriestess]

Hi an WELCOME, it is so great to have you with us.


YEAH!!!!, you are so already started, you have Alissa's book and DVD, and you have started posting here and reading posts.

You are on your way.

I have gone 100% raw, and then I've transitioned too, I think you should do whatever works for you.

So, why not just try for an hour to be raw?

Just have a raw breakfast, and see how it goes, then if that feels right to you, then have a nice big raw salad for lunch, then see how that goes.

You can eat a raw breakfast and lunch, then have a cooked dinner if that helps you feel more comfortable, or whatever works for you.

Just keep posting, and asking questions, and letting us help you, as you are helping us.

[Sharon in Colorado]

Can you pinpoint exactly what the fear is?

Failure?

Succeeding?

Detox?

I can tell you from experience that all these things will probably happen, but they won't be as scary as it may seem to you now.

There will be times when you are faced with temptation or might even slip-up, or even have some problems getting back on it.

There will be times when you have succeeded your goals and will be so excited about the way you feel.

There will be times when you have some detox but it will go away eventually.

But I am telling you that once you've experienced the feeling of being on a fresh diet, for at least a month, you will feel so awesome and you will never forget that feeling.

I encourage you to bite the bullet and mark your calendar for the first 3 days of your journey which you will never regret.

[rawhomeschoolmom]

Hi, I know how you feel -- I'm 49 and I toyed with the idea for a loooonnngg time before I finally started. What really got me started was the Jerusalem diet -- you eat raw one day a week. I started noticing how easy it was and How great that made me feel ... then that made me want to do it more and more.

And yes, I slip up and eat cooked once in awhile... and it's okay, I just tell myself it's transitioning and I'll get better ... after nearly 50 years of SAD, it's unrealistic to expect everything to change overnight without a few slip ups here and there. BUT!! When I do slip up, I realize how much better eating raw makes me feel! So it's more incentive ... Another thing is to really have ALOT of raw food that you like around ... Alissa talks about this in her book and she is SO right! The times I caved in is when I didn't have something raw enticing around ... and the recipes are SO GOOD so it's just some extra effort in the beginning -- but when is anything worthwhile not some extra effort?! It is so worth it!!

And no, it is NOT like Weight Watcher's!! You just eat when you're hungry, and eat what you want as long as it's raw!! Your body will tell you what it needs and wants -- just trust and listen! No points, no fat grams, no calories to think about. It is so freeing, liberating, and fun!!

And this board is super -- there is so much support here!!

Please join us! You can do it!!

[rawfigure]

Ok Blessedmomof5, I've only been eating raw for six days, but I have to tell you how I feel about it already. I was so freaked out. I thought I'd be having SUCH uncontrollable cravings (as I do on other 'healthy' cooked weigh-loss plans). But oh my goodness, I haven't had any major cravings yet! My detox symptoms have been very mild. In fact eating this way is way less work, and feels sooooo natural. I feel like my body is saying "well FINALLY she's doing what I want!"...lol. Don't be scared, just go for it. Maybe it won't be as hard as you think. Good luck!

SHAN... wow you look abit like Rachael Ray from the food network :D

BLESSED ...come on in the water is fine :p ...welcome. you have suppot here so gib=ve it a shot. Noth ventured nothing gained.

[Shan]

Rawfigure....lol... I guess I do look a little like Rachel Ray in that pic... funny. I take it as a compliment. I used to like watching her cook. She makes the food seem so yummy. I won't want to watch her now... :P

Again...Blessedmom- you can do it! We're here to help :)