Does there ever come a time...

[Loni]

when staying raw isn't a battle?

Today was a hard day for me. It wasn't that I was hungry, I just wanted something cooked. BUT I DIDN'T GIVE IN!!!

Does the temptation and cravings ever go away completely?

[girlsmiley]

Congratulations for not giving in! :D

I have been on this journey 4 months and I can say, from my experience, that "yes" there are days when cooked food does not even tempt me.

Right now I am on a "roll" and it's been several days that I have been 100% raw and I have not craved cooked food.

I've seen posts where Revvell has said that she is not tempted at all and she has been raw for a long time. When she got to that point I don't know. I believe she jumped in with both feet and never looked back. Some of us are like that and some of us are not.

[DavidZaneMason]

Hmmm...my thoughts:

-Some people HAVE to be sick...and have tons of negative consequences and feedback...before they are ever motivated to make a dietary change. The up-side is that those folks essentially never have to exercise any discipline again. They are motivated at the CORE never to eat what they consider to be poor food choices.....anymore than they would be motivated to do hard drugs.....no matter how it made them feel.

-Certainly as you progress toward YOUR raw food goal...you will probably naturally become less tolerant of (what YOU think of as) poor food choices. The real victory is not WANTING those things to begin with. If you crave them...and simply deprive yourself....who do you think you are fooling exactly?! LOL.

-With the wonderful support of the folks on this board....you should be able to reach your goals in no time! Power and support to you!

-David Z. Mason

[Revvell]

I've seen posts where Revvell has said that she is not tempted at all and she has been raw for a long time. When she got to that point I don't know. I believe she jumped in with both feet and never looked back.

Nope! Weren't me! I started approx. 6 years ago. Been off/on ever since. Went 3 months straight, 100%.

Thing is, I don't "battle", I don't "struggle". That's the difference. When I eat cooked, then I want raw. My body knows what makes me feel better and that's what I always come home to.

If you'll listen to some of my interviews...even Alissa said it took her years to go 100%. Nomi Shannon was 100% for 5-6 years and is now mostly raw depending on the day/circumstances. Jinjee who seems to have the best chance of all because of where she lives and who she lives with, still has cooked temptations.

It took me about 9 years from the time I decided to become vegetarian to finally getting and staying there. Am I still tempted by shrimp? yup! Do I eat it? no. Why? Because I am vegetarian. When I totally get it in my head that I eat raw foods only, then, that's what I'll do ~ however long it takes ~ and I see no point in creating a drama around it.

Revvell

[girlsmiley]

Nope! Weren't me! I started approx. 6 years ago. Been off/on ever since. Went 3 months straight, 100%.
:eek: Sorry Revvell ... :o

[Sharon in Colorado]

Revvell, you and I are about the same with raw. I've also been raw for over 6 years now, and on and off. Been raw 3 and 4 months at a time. Been a veggie a little longer, but never really struggled with cravings for animals. I like the smell of certain meats, but really have no desire to eat them.

But sometimes when I do have cooked cravings I often wonder how it was so easy to just become a vegetarian. It was like, one day I just stopped eating animals. I would still have dairy, but now dairy isn't so much an issue for me.

I think the longer you are raw the less you crave junk. Or you end up craving the 'healthier' versions of food, like vegan stuff, potatoes, soup, etc.

So it is a process, and it's not overnight. I can also tell you that the very first time I went raw there was no "raw cacao" around so I didn't have any type of chocolate, or I used carob. I did not have any chocolate cravings, but when I did try some, it did not taste good to me and I got an adverse reasction (nervousness, shakiness) from the 'natural' chemicals in there.

Another thing, if you are not completely raw and you are letting things in like salt, seasoning, questionable raw foods, dehydrated foods, salad dressings, a lot of fat, etc. then the cravings are always going to be a challenge. But if you are eating mostly or all fresh whole fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds then it's tons easier. This has been my personal experience as well.

[Revvell]

Sharon, Yup! Sounds about right. One day, just stopped eating animals. Figure I'll do the same with cooked. My body and my attitude are so much better on raw. Someday, I'll just say "enough!" and I'll be done with cooked.

Revvell



Revvell, you and I are about the same with raw. I've also been raw for over 6 years now, and on and off. Been raw 3 and 4 months at a time. Been a veggie a little longer, but never really struggled with cravings for animals. I like the smell of certain meats, but really have no desire to eat them.

But sometimes when I do have cooked cravings I often wonder how it was so easy to just become a vegetarian. It was like, one day I just stopped eating animals. I would still have dairy, but now dairy isn't so much an issue for me.

I think the longer you are raw the less you crave junk. Or you end up craving the 'healthier' versions of food, like vegan stuff, potatoes, soup, etc.

So it is a process, and it's not overnight. I can also tell you that the very first time I went raw there was no "raw cacao" around so I didn't have any type of chocolate, or I used carob. I did not have any chocolate cravings, but when I did try some, it did not taste good to me and I got an adverse reasction (nervousness, shakiness) from the 'natural' chemicals in there.

Another thing, if you are not completely raw and you are letting things in like salt, seasoning, questionable raw foods, dehydrated foods, salad dressings, a lot of fat, etc. then the cravings are always going to be a challenge. But if you are eating mostly or all fresh whole fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds then it's tons easier. This has been my personal experience as well.

[mongomango]

I did not struggle. When I went raw it was mainly on smoothies breakfast and dinner, and some nuts and dried fruit for lunch. At the same time I instituted a series of 3 week water fasts. I did about 4 of the fasts over maybe 6 months and stayed eating as above. After I broke my last fast I thought I would celebrate and eat something that I had previously loved. At that time raw was quite the novelty and so there were no guilt feelings at all about eating cooked on my part. So I picked a pastry and had at it. It tasted like drywall. I kid you not, I nearly gagged. It was so dry in my mouth it might have been chalk. I couldn't believe it...so, I tried something else. Same thing. Over and over and over I kept trying foods that I loved, even WET cooked foods, and everything tasted like it was chalky drywall. And the sensation of dryness in the food was astounding. I would try to eat it and get disgusted. And I knew that my body was rejecting these things because they weren't food. I was a little upset about it as A. the deception that has been perpetrated upon us is so pervasive and so intimate that it just boggled my mind, and B. the fact that I had for all of my life been completely unaware of this deception.

Anyhow, I wonder that no one has seemed to have my experience and the struggle that y'all have because truly you reach a state where the cooked food is so unpalatable to you that you it's simply no longer food in your mind and you have no desire for it. I don't know what needs to be done to get to the state...perhaps it is an individual thing. But you absolutely can reach a stage where you don't struggle at all with temptations.

[trinity082482]

I never crave cooked foods so much. Its more of a convience thing. If I had a chef to make my raw meals at the snap of my fingers, I'd never look back at cooked foods believe me!

It's too easy to dig through a box of cookies then wait over 15 hours to dehydrate one. This is what I struggle with. When I cant eat raw.. I grab something un raw. I really wish everything wasnt such a quick fix for me :rolleyes:

[berrymarymac]

I have been craving cooked foods, but when I am off the raw diet, I crave raw foods! It's very strange, but they will fade away once you find the foods that you really like! Good luck! You rawk!!

[Loni]

Thanks everyone for sharing your point of view. It's funny how I could become a vegetarian and never look back, but staying raw has been more of a challenge.

I know that I can do whatever I set my mind to. I think once I get Alissa's book and experiment with a variety of meals it wil be a lot better.

Again, much thanks!

[vgloveforlife]

I have been craving cooked foods, but when I am off the raw diet, I crave raw foods!

This is how it is for me!

This is why I have decided that a mixture of some cooked and mostly raw is good for me right now. I can see myself going very high raw in the future though.

[sport]

I seem to find it easy.
I have eaten cooked food since going raw in July 05 but never because I craved it.
I think that good planning makes a difference and making sure that there is always lots of the raw stuf (that you like) available.

[mershwista]

It's always a battle for me, too. Raw is one of the most difficult things I've ever tried to do.

[lodestar]

as DZM said...i am motivated at the "core." the pain of cooked makes the fresh, juicy, raw choice relatively easy. this pain was not physical as much as not feeling total surrender of agency around cooked food. i'd eat but not taste...then want to lay down too tired to keep going. my body didn't fit me anymore.
so in these past 90+ days of 100% there have been "windows" of time that i wanted to eat a particular holiday dish, but i have found that there is a two hour window to "ride out" and then it's all ok and a feeling of relief that i don't have to battle the wanting of more and more and more.
does this make any sense?

[StudentforLife]

Certain foods were a breeze for me to give up, like meat and dairy. Growing up I never ate a lot of meat beacause my family couldn't always afford it so it wasn't strange to not eat it at all. I just told myself that I only used milk in cereal anyway so that was ok. Of course cheese and ice cream were always a big favorite, but they can so easily be substituted with raw alternatives.

Did I crash during the holidays-sure did. The great thing was that I couldn't wait to get back to raw. This year I want to be 100% the whole time. Will I go through craving phases-absolutely. The longer I've been on my raw journey I've been able to control the mental games more and more, and that's the most important thing.

[rawpriestess]

I think that the cooked food cravings go away when you stay 100% raw.

when I am 100% raw 100% of the time, I'm fine, it's when I go to a friend's home and have a salad that they made, and they put raw cheese in the dressing, then two days later, I'm craving cooked food.

Or when I go out to eat, and have their bottled olive oil, then the next day, I'm craving cooked.

Or when I over warm some soup on the stove, and don't think about it.

So, I'm not sure what it is, but for me, at least, I must stay 100% raw 100% of the time, or I can easily be drawn back into cooked, and then when I am it is a downward spiral like no other.

I quit smoking, drinking, meat, easily, never went back, because there is a very specific line, but with dairy and wheat and raw, the line was a little ascue, at least for me.

You see, spelt and kamut are wheats, and they don't affect me in the same way, but when I sprout wheat or spelt or kamut, then I have cravings for wheat for a while, so I try to use only barley.

The same with dairy and cooked, I can have a cup of herbal tea, but if I heat it on the stove to finger warm, but I don' watch it and it gets too warm, then it is cooked, and if I drink it, then I find myself craving cooked foods later.

And the challenge is that the craving doesn't come instantly, so I can identify it, it comes a day or two later, and I have to try to remember what I ate. that is why journaling is so helpful.

I can see that when I had canned olives, or bottled olive oil that wasn't raw, or bottled lemon juice, (in a friend's salad dressing) that I may not have known was not raw at the time I ate it, then I will crave cooked a day or two later, and the only way I found this out was by reading my journal.

So, I think it is important to really keep a journal to help you through things.

That may be why people who fast have an easier time of it in the beginning, I fast by unintention, LOL, I just don't feel hungry sometimes, and will often only drink orange or pineapple juice some days, it's not that I'm trying to fast, I just don't want anything else.

so, after all my ramblings, the answer to your question is "YES" you can and will lose those cooked food cravings, IF-- and that is a big "IF" you eat 100% raw 100% of the time, it takes about 2 months for me to lose the cravings all together, the first day and the third day raw is the most difficult for me

the first day, because of emotions,
why can't I eat what I like?
why can't I eat what others do?
etc.

the third day because of physical detox

then the cravings come in waves for me

about every 4 to 6 hours, so it must be the way my body detoxes.

good luck in your raw journey

[greenfeline]

I like this thread, it shows that many have the same struggles. I also had no problems giving up dairy and meat.

Like Trinity eating cooked in mostly due to convenience issues. I know I need to have lots of goodies around but it just doesn't always happen :o

Thanks for your story MongoMango, what an inspiration! I know what you mean about this huge cooked food deception. That is what I sensed when I discovered raw food and with other things in life: what you have been told all your life is wrong and it takes some "re-programming" for lack of a better word.

Raw Priestess it is good to see you, always eloquent.

Loni keep up the good work!

[jaurequi]

Cravings for cooked food went away for me right away. I went 100% initially, and never struggled. I've not found it difficult. I have no desire for anything which does not contribute to my health -- intellectually, and literally (no "craving").

It's just like when I went vegan: once I learned the truth, how could I?

Good luck! Keep at it; if you stick with it, it gets easier.

Best,

[luckitri]

Mongomango - you really have a way with words. Thank you for your inspiration!

Also thanks to Jaurequi - it is so good to know!

[bintalhawa]

girls!!! all the experiences you had are priceless for us who're just starting over this incredible diet. and i made so many interesting observations from the replies..so the bottom line is...
-make goals you wanna achieve/reach and stay on them..keep journal if possible.
-togo on a water fast (lol) to overcome the cravings, i hope someday i reach the same state u described @ monomango.
-to eliminate anything thts not raw (i.e tobe 100% raw) cause the more you eat raw, the less your cravings will be (right?),
- to take it easy, (i.e the more you make big deal out of it, the more its gonna be on your mind that you want cooked food and not raw food)..err
-to make meals simple & easy..the hard it is to make, the less you wanna make it...
-i've learned that when i make long term hard to reach goals, they seem VERY overwhelming and hard to reach, but when i take everything step by step it becomes so much more easier to follow, and make sure u congragulate yrself after you have achieved it....

[lissomllama]

Big yes! I've been raw for almost 7 months now and it I LOVE being raw. It is quite simple and easy. I know what I can eat and those are the foods I eat. I do it with joy and abandon and my body, mind and spirit feel wonderful. It will get easier in time once the toxins and cravings leave your body. Also, when you start to experience more benefits it becomes all the more worth it. Hang in there, the best is on it's way. Not only does raw become NOT a battle but it becomes fun and such a joy.

[mershwista]

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love raw and what it does for me...but the reason I say it's hard for me is mainly because I do wish to have a social life as well....and like it or not, it seems a huge part of that centers inevitably around food. I hate always being bombarded with the same questions over and over about why I eat the way I do, etc. Veganism I could defend easily with a vengeance because of the moral issues I have that back it up, but raw is purely for health and environmental reasons, and people don't seem to take to those quite as well.

It does seem odd that we should have to defend eating in a way that is natural, no? Especially to think that it's "normal" to eat things that have been saturated in oil and have had all the nutrients cooked out...lol

[mongomango]

Also, for those who struggle, it might be helpful to understand that not only are you dealing with your own psychological (ie: comfort foods) and physical addictions, the microbes in your body play a huge part in your cravings. Because most people have a lack of correct balance to the microbial family which makes up fully 70% of your body weight, these organisms can affect you substantially. Fungus desires sugar..in fact many of what we consider "bad" microbes feed on sugar and need it to survive. The quick disruption of their food supply kills many of them off quickly causing "detox." They soon learn though, if you go back to eating cooked, what the deal is and they work to affect your eating habits. This is why quitting something the first time is easier than backsliding and then quitting again.

Now, many people find this absurd, but I believe that parasites control a great many of our reactions by interacting with our brain and causing chemicals to be released to the parasites benefit. Here is one article regarding this, and a search will find many more. So it is helpful to understand that you wage war with little nasties living within you who are trying to manipulate your actions for their benefit.

http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/Science-Fiction-News.asp?NewsNum=547

[Revvell]

Veganism I could defend easily with a vengeance because of the moral issues I have that back it up, but raw is purely for health and environmental reasons, and people don't seem to take to those quite as well.

I find it interesting that you are more willing to defend the killing of animals than defend your own health. With millions of humans dying from food-related illnesses...

Personally, I don't defend myself. It's my health. That's enough.

Revvell

[Alba]

I tend to look at it this way:
I am raw - I eat raw.
If it is raw I can eat it - if not - it just isn't food for me.
It looks dead and although it smells appealing, I can imgaine how it will taste and it just is not worth it. Someone said that "no cooked food tastes as good as raw feels" and that is very true - I always tell myself this.
I wen't from heavy meet eater (was on the paleo diet ) to raw vegan over night and never looked back - I am truly thankful that this is how I feel about it - I know that not everyone are this lucky - and ultimately I do not know what I do that keeps me free of cravings but I think it might have to do with the fact that I quit ALL bread/candy/dairy 1 year prior to raw - I think these are the things that are the most addictive in the SAD diet so I have dealt with the cravings - the only things I tend to crave is Hummus - but I hate having a gralicky-breath so that kept me off it even on cooked food.
Ultimately it is YOUR choice - you KNOW how cooked food will make you feel, you know how proud and happy you will be if you CHOOSE not to eat it.
You need to tell yourself that you deserves it - also reading up on it, in books, the net etc. is inspirational and helps you remeber why you are doing it - Incase you forget, which isn't likely since RAW FEELS so much better than cooked. :D

Hope it helped.
Love alba

[Bobbie]

I had a huge struggle to switch to raw. I have a book called Eat Smart Eat Raw by Kate Wood and most of the recipes contain non-raw ingredients. As she uses them so liberally I thought it must be ok, so I would make the recipes. Then the next day when I was cooking food for other people I'd end up eating some, and then I couldn't stop eating cooked, and it would take me a while to get back onto raw. So I was yo-yoing back and forth.

Then I read an article by Victoria Boutenko that said cooked food has the same affect on the body as drugs. If you have one bite, it will be in your body and your body will want it. If you stick to 100% raw then after a few months it won't be in your body and you won't want it. She said she and her family aren't at all tempted by cooked food. I didn't believe that would ever happen to me. But it did!!!!!! The first 3 months of 100% were really really difficult but because of what she'd said I didn't give in. After 3 months it wasn't a struggle anymore. And eventually it became easy!! I can't remember when that happened. But it did! I even came to want whole unprepared foods rather than recipes. I bought a bag of sundried olives to go in a chocolate cake, and ended up eating them all plain because I couldn't bare to "waste" them in a recipe. I would never have believed that could happen!

One bite though, and it would be a struggle again so I wouldn't dare eat cooked food or any of the non-raw ingredients used in recipes. No miso, nutritional yeast, soya sauce, ordinary olives, cashews, oats, coffee etc.

[mershwista]

I said that it was easier to defend based on people's reactions to my reasons...like I said, people seem to be more sensitive to "moral reasons" than "health reasons". Sorry about being unclear. But being a believer in karma and all that other wonderful stuff, I cannot tolerate the killing of sentient beings, especially in the disgusting manner they are killed in today's factory farms. Thankfully, though, animals and animal products have not been a part of my diet for nearly 8 years.