Looking for support

[MaddMelon]

I have successfully lost 30-40 pounds since becoming vegetarian/vegan, as well as severely restricting the amount that I eat. I say 30-40 because I've been fluctuating between 170 and 160 for the last six months. At present, I don't know quite know what I weigh, as I've been binging (has multiple eating disorders) and it's best if I don't weigh myself, during these times, as seeing a dramatic gain can cause me to binge more. I have an array of physical problems, but I'm more focussed on my appearence...which is what I should worry least about. Anyway, this is most likely my fifth time attempting 30 days raw. I've tried many times in the past year and half, of my holistic, hippy health regime. I'm nervous and pessimistic about this attempt, but I'm going to do my very best. I know that I will never be 100% raw in the future, I love bread, and vegan cheese, and the like, but I definitely see the benefits of cleansing the body, and I'd like to be able to go raw maybe ever four months to stay healthy. My life goal is to eat 60-75% raw.
I'm a very tall girl, around 6 feet, so a weight of 170 isn't the same on me as it would be for someone who's 5'3". My BMI is in the normal range- as I'm typically about 165, but I don't feel like I'm fit. After losing so much weight, I've realized that I have a very small frame, and that I'm carrying around a lot more flesh then I was designed to carry. At present I wear a size 10, and I think that if I were fit I'd wear a 6 or an 8.
I put on weight when I was seven, I started dieting when I was eleven, and I am now eighteen. I have gained and lost too many pounds to count. At this point in my life, I am very happy, and feel secure that I will reach my goal in feeling good about myself- it's just taking longer then I would like. Health, I am not so sure about. I have a horrible digestive system, and even on high-raw, it didn't work very well, in fact, it was sluggish...which didn't make sense at all, especially since I had read up and was doing what I was supposed to for my digestive tract. (I have IBS and my gall bladder was removed when I was 13, and that definitely contributes to my problems)

I decided a going raw would stop me from binging, (which started due to unwanted stress + finals) and help me detox from all the junk food, and bring my body back to a balance, so that I could later return to my vegan diet with a boost and adding in a lot more raw food.

I'm very nervous, and I need all the support I can get. This is so hard! lol

I was trying to do a liquid fast today, since I've been on a severe binge, but I started to feel faint, and I didn't think it healthy to continue.

What I ate today:

Water, of course

Three young coconuts (the juice)

A slice of pineapple

Goji berries and raw cacao

This is very little. Tomorrow I'll enjoy attacking the fruit in my kitchen.

[MaddMelon]

I think I did this in the wrong area... This site confuses me.lol

[Pailani]

I think I did this in the wrong area... This site confuses me.lol

If you're looking for support, then you're in the right area!


going raw would stop me from binging

I found that going raw the first time made me start binging. This is my second try, and it's better this time. I think our bodies just need time to balance out - and when they're balanced out, the binging will settle down because whatever that deep need inside was that needed to be fed will be satisfied.

I think that, as long as you continue to try, your health will only get better. As your health gets better, you'll feel better, and then some of the other stuff will take care of itself.

[ShantiDass]

You can join us over in the June 30 day challege area if you'd like.

[lissomllama]

Great to see you here, you sound alot like me 5-6 years ago. I was a compulsive overeater as a child and then in my teens I became anorexic, bulimic and even binged every once in awhile and then stoped eating altogether for months at a time. Luckily I started eating again before I had to be hospitalized but then I was eating the standard american cooked diet again and I gained weight again. I found raw and the rest is becoming beautiful, perfect history but I totaly understand the need for support. It's a hard thing to do (even though eating the natural way should be the way we've always done it). I see that you don't want to be 100% raw but I hope that you someday change your mind about that once you've gotten used to this and can work your way up. You have alot of healing to do, yes and you've got digestive problems but 100% is the only thing that can really cure that. It may take a very long time and that is why most people fail to stay raw. They expect immediate or even quick results after many years of eating toxins and altered food. In fact, in my case I'm 19 years old now so I fully expect it to take close to 19 years to totally heal myself and the only way to do that is to be 100% raw. Unfortuntately if you want compelte results you have to do it all the way. I'm not telling you that you're wrong for wanting to start out slow, it's a shock and going cold turkey is even harder and more painful but I just hope that you don't automatically discount going 100% just because you've failed in the past. I did too and I said the same thing as you and then I finally realized that 100% is the only way it can truly be done. Detox is hard and should take years, really because for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.although the amazing thing about this way of life is that some people, not all, or even most will heal and detox very fast but there are so many other factors to consider here as well. I wish you the very best and I totally sympathize with you. Fasting is not always the way to go and in your case you might just want to start by immediately changing your foods and not fasting until you're stronger. Pre existing digestive troubles and fasting don't always mix. If it doesn't feel right, don't do it but also remember that you should only listen to your body with a grain of salt until you're all raw because you may still be craving that cooked junk until you've fully detoxed. Unfortunately having/buying a dehydrator and good food processor makes staying raw alot easier because you can make raw foods that mimick cooked stuff to make the transition easier. Remember that you are stopping taking a drug here. You were addicted to cooked foods and the toxins that are released when normal, healthy food is altered. Treat cooked food like a deadly drug that you need to get the heck away from and that's not an exxageration. This is hard but don't give up. Learn, read, be open and be blessed with whole, living foods to nourish your body, mind and soul. Living a holistic hippy life brings health and happiness and it spreads all over the world so don't be ashamed. Be proud! Your digestive troubles will be cured with all raw and you will lose weight if you're doing it all the way but it will take time, maybe even a long time. Your diet today sounds great and even if you fail one day just jump right back in, don't use it as an excuse to keep eating cooked. Come here anytime you feel stressed or unsupported and for now, just stay raw, don't worry too much about food combining and all that fine tuned stuff. Make sure you get plenty of greens, and a balance of raw fruits and veggies and chew well and maybe even take some enzymes but stay simple and just focus on staying raw for now. Hang in there, you've got my support for sure!