Helpful hints for those new to raw!

[klomasius]

I've noticed heaps of people new to raw since Alissa's appearance on the Tyra show.

Perhaps we can have a general thread to welcome and encourage them and give them any help we can.

So maybe those who have been on this site for a while can add their tips here?

Some of mine:

* Buy at markets (farmers markets and general markets) they tend to be lots cheaper.

* If you can, buy things like nuts and seeds etc in bulk, this will bring the price down and reduce packaging.

* Use your freezer for excess fruits and other foods, freezing doesn't majorly alter the nutritional content of food.

* Carry around fruits and nuts as snacks.

* Make up sauces and 'creams' etc. at the one time for several days in advance if you are time poor.

I'm sure everyone has heaps more, and probably better hints! So post away!

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

[KatK]

Thanks for the tips!




* If you can, buy things like nuts and seeds etc in bulk, this will bring the price down and reduce packaging.



The bulk nuts, etc. at the store I shop at are more per pound than the packaged food.

[klomasius]

Bizarre!

Are they better quality perhaps? At the stores I shop at, the bulk nuts are always cheaper, I tend to get a large bag of them at a time and store them in big glass jars in the cupboard. I think some people may store them in the freezer as well.

[trinity082482]

Tip # 1: Don't let weight get you down like it does me. It takes time for your body to filter through the years of unhealthy eating.

Tip #2: Love your self and pat your self on the back for going raw.

Tip #3: Drinks lots of water :p

Tip #4: Exercise. Even 1o min a day. Get those muscles stretched.

Tip#5: Keep it simple :o

[Sharon in Colorado]

~ Don't overcomplicate it.

You'll likely see websites hyping up all kinds of "superfoods", raw miracle foods, special oils, etc. Just eat raw. Dont' believe that you need special dosages of nutrients outside of whole plant foods. All the nutrients you need in the correct amounts are contained in glorious plant foods.

~ Eat what you like at first.

If you are coming off a heavy, standard American, fast food, processed, canned, boxed, packaged and cooked diet, likely you are used to a REALLY heavy (un-natural) feeling in your stomach, and you will feel like you are missing something when you eat raw, but it is normal to feel like this. You may reach for more nuts, seeds and avocado at first, and in the beginning this is okay, you are compensating.

~ Eat a lot!

Dont' eat just one banana or orange, try to eat as many as you can in a meal. It's a strange thing at first, because we are used to fruit as a 'snack' but this is where much of your nutrition and satisfaction will come from, natures' candy!!!

~ Find your path

You'll discover so many eating styles of raw: eat more fat, eat more fruit, sprout, ferment, dehydrate, drink wheat grass, drink green smoothies, juice, don't juice, eat garlic and ginger for warmth, stay away from all spices, eat sea salt, don't eat sea salt. Again, don't over-think it, eventually you'll fall into your place, but don't get too over concerned with all the different styles.

~ Testing recipes

Always halve recipes you are unsure of. This save a lot of money and frustration.

~ Eat lots of fruit!

Oh, I already wrote that...but fruit is good!!!! And it is the best thing for your digestion first thing in the morning - so eat at least 1 fruit meal a day, if not more! You will have a ton of energy!

[Tirza]

Interestingly, just tonight the news showed an article by Consumers Report saying that in many cases, the larger quantity is not any cheaper than the smaller. In fact, 25% of the time, the larger costs more per unit of measurement. I have found that too sometimes. It is hard to tell sometimes since the units of measurement are often different.

I used to have a paperback book by someone who claimed to be feeding her family (2 kids) on $16 a week, even serving meat every day.
http://www.nader.org/template.php?/archives/865-Eating-Better-for-Less.html
That was in a time when $16 a week seemed like an utter impossibility. (How much more so now!) Her theory was to plan all her meals for the week, then shop for ONLY what she needed to make for that week. The meals were not huge but they were completely adequate in nutrition (for SAD food) and variety. She served the portions onto the plates, no serving dishes on the table. She said there was enough for smallish seconds and her husband and son said they were satisified. They were not fat, that's for sure. They got a lot more wear out of their clothes too, since they didn't grow out of them.

It seemed kind of funny to me to imagine doing that when I was used to buy everything in buckets and sacks. She maintained that if you only buy what you need to use, you will not be overeating. You then won't have all that extra food there to tempt you. AND the point was, she said that it was less costly because much of the time, the smaller amounts cost less per unit than the larger amounts.

[eatyourbroccoli]

hmmm..heres my small contribution:

1) stay positive!! through thick and through thin, a positive attitude will get you where youre going so much quicker than anything else
2) try your darndest to stay 100%, but if - for some reason - theres a small slip, just get back on track the next meal/snack, and everything will be golden.
3) eat freely..eat eat eat if thats what you feel like doing. sure you may eat a boat-load, but its all nutrient-dense and wonderful for you..no starvation necessary in this lifestyle :)
4) embrace detox for the wonderful thing it is - cleaning out your bodys a good thing!
5) keep everything simple...take everything one step at a time.
6) purchase alissas book for its really great recipes and awesome, awesome pictures.
7) stay enthusiastic even if recipes are out of your reach currently..people on here come up with some pretty clever, tasty, SIMPLE SIMPLE recipes that require few ingredients, and fewer minutes.
8) ask questions when in doubt :D

welcome aboard everyone. this is so great

[klomasius]

Doubleg,

I've noticed that some smaller packages are cheaper per volume than larger, but it mostly seems to be the processed stuff where I am. But also sometime the basics as well.

I'm a sucker for dividing the cost into 100g units, checking each packet by 100g cost and comparing them this way (I live in Australia, maybe it's a little different here?).

I also find that going to 'bulk stores' where everything is in huge bins and you scoop up the amount required turns out to be cheaper than supermarket packaged nuts etc. on a 100g basis.

I do think that marketers of packaged foods have cottoned onto the fact that most people just assume the larger pack is cheaper per volume, and have sneakily found a way to use that to their advantage.

But bulk stores buy in bulk and don't seem to do that (yet)...

[RowanC]

Buy bananas when they're "overripe" and on sale.. buy millions of them.
Take them home.
Peel them.
Put them in freezelock bags.
Use them for your morning smoothies.

[shine72]

Hey, thats what I was gonna say! You can also use them in the food processor to make ice cream! So delicious and it feels like such a treat! Plus, it's good for you?! LOL!

Sunshine :D

ps. Didn't put the question mark there because I wasn't sure. It's what others have said to me!

[Apasaraw]

~I freeze avocados.
Buy and let ripen a bit.
Cut in half and take out seed.
Rinse of citrus juice (lemon lime orange whatever)
Freeze in baggies. This way when they are in season and cheaper I can enjoy them longer.
If you add raw salsa to the bag before freezing, when you thaw you can just squoosh the bag to make guac in no time.
(You can freeze th Guacamole too)

~Enjoy your food...eat with your hands when you want to.

~ Get a good knife and you're set.

~ Be happy you are giving yourself a gift of health.

~ Pack snacks...always.

~ Be prepared to have a mood change for the better...it will astound you.

~ Don't let others bring you down about your new nutritional fun...just smile.

~ Don't forget to eat. (hence snacks)

~ Try a new fruit or veg once a week for kicks

~ Share your goodies with a friend....sharing makes 2 people happy.

[Snownoir]

For those of who are really curious about how you'll be getting what from which foods, I recommend this link http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25477 to a previous thread where you can look up pretty much everything from a nutritional stand point for just about any fruit, veggies, mushrooms, sea veggies, etc. in their raw and cooked forms (actually any food you can think of. They even have fast food menus on there). So if you have special needs, like certain foods cause inflammation, or you need more fat, or a lot of carbs, or low sugar, or a certain amount of protien, this is a quick way to figure this out. You can even make up a "meal" and it'll show you how "complete" it is. =]

Hope this helps those old and new to raw. :D

Live well!

~Me

[portiz]

I'm not 100% RAW (YET!!!), but I'm well on my way there.

My tip is buy the appliances everyone recommends here...

I know that some of the prices can be scary, but I can say that it is well worth it. They make the preparation so much easier, plus cleaning is a snap. I've heard other people say they stopped juicing or dehydrating because the way the food came out (or didn't) or becasue it was a pain in the you-know-where to clean up.

I've been saving a little a time but my next purchase (and possibly last) is the Omega juicer. If you are as dedicated to this as some of us, you will find a way to buy the books, appliances, and tools needed (as well as the food!!!) to begin your journey.

I'm excited for all the new people that have come in because of Tyra's show. Your outlook will forever change...your attitude, how you view yourself, and how you view others.

[Raw Jewelrylady]

~Enjoy your food... :)

~Savor what you are eating :p

~Don't force yourself to eat things you just don't like. :eek:

~Cut recipes in 1/2 if you are trying for the first time-just in case??? :confused:

~Freeze anything that you can for quick meals later.. example-. any dehydrated things I freeze.

~Keep it simple is very fun & rewarding-esp when first starting out.

~Stop hanging with the sabatuers..You know who they are...the ones who really don't want you to change cause...misery likes company

~When friends /family ask about *Raw* ...just say you are eating healthy non-processed real foods. It gets too complicated with all their questions...BTW- they will want to know what you are doing when they see the changes in you! ;)

~Stop focusing on what you DID not eat that was RAw..Yes-this is HUGE..so you ate *SAD*- if you focus on that..You will eat more SAD....Focus/think about the Raw things you DID eat. :D

~ think in terms of *Lifestyle* or journey...not *diet* or *bandwagon*

~ Keep it simple-eat what you like, have fun playing with your food & don't be afraid to experiment.

Have fun & keep reading searching the Board...OH..Yes...MY final biggest piece of advise..

Purchase Alissa's Book/DVD combo..it answers all your questions. I think it is the greatest Raw book out there today. :)

Lana ....AKA *RJL*

BTW- did I mention to have fun... :D

[brnfmlymom]

Wonderful ideas!

April :)

[1GirlTwinBoys]

Buy bananas when they're "overripe" and on sale.. buy millions of them.
Take them home.
Peel them.
Put them in freezelock bags.
Use them for your morning smoothies.

That is a great idea! :)

[Ireland]

What a cool thread klomasius - thanks so much for starting it :)

[RowanC]

Hahaha! Great Minds Think Alike!
I should have read ALL the posts before I posted my post. :p

[adiamond]

I want to also say thanks. I've been raw a tad over 3 weeks, and there are so many different opinions, even in the various books on the subject by various authors ... go 100% RIGHT NOW, go raw GRADUALLY, eat this, don't eat that, don't eat this at the same time you eat that, eat nuts, don't eat nuts ... Well, you get my point. It can be more than a bit confusing, and I've been kinda stressing about whether i'm doing it right or doing it wrong...oh, deary me. So everything that you all have said above has sorta cleared the air.

This is a good thing, a healthy thing, and surely shouldn't be causing one to stress out, for crying out loud.

Again, thanks to all. Izzy

[klomasius]

adiamond,

here's where I'd say most of us would add the tips:

* go with what your body feels is right.

* learn the mechanics of your own body and how to tell when it has reacted well/badly to foods/practices and hone your diet accordingly.

Lots of different opinions, and ways of doing raw, but in the end, I think most people would agree (and I've seen it said lots on this forum) that only you can tell what is best for yourself (after learnign the basics of raw nutrition and listening to your body).

And as heaps of others have said, DON't STRESS about it! Remember, raw is about being healthy, undue stress is not healthy. Worrying about if a food or food combination is perfect may just negate the goodness of getting that food combo right!

Just enjoy... :)

I'm really glad so many experienced people have added their tips. It's information exchages such as these that get people interested, and enjoyably on track.

[finallyfree]

This was such a great and informative thread. As a newbie myself, I am so grateful for this website as well as for the wonderful/knowledgeable/sharing people who frequent this site.

finallyfree :)

[Lady Papaya]

I'm a newbie and I just loved all of these shares and tips. You all are generous in your time and heart to share what works for you. It's true that I will find my way eventually and God knows that I have read enough about this raw lifestyle but I forget easily (I'm a 53 yr [I]old lady!) LOL. So, I like to read the same thing many times so it sinks in my dense old brain! I liked esp the tip to keep it simple. I will buy those fruits I love the most, the ones I find on sale, the ones I know have the most nutrition. I will learn to freeze bananas for morning smoothies and to make guacamole in a freezer bag! That was crazy! But it sounds like it would work, I'm just afraid the avo would turn brown? I am willing to try. I bought some yesterday at $1 each but they are really hard. I got scared that they will go up in price because of the freezing temps we are having in California... same with the citrus. I have oranges or oj each morning and would hate to have to pay even more for my oranges... argh!!!
I had an awesome green smoothie and I am looking forward to my lunch salad and fruit snacks later on...
Thanks for all the tips!!

Lady Papaya

[Veganforlife]

Read this post too:

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25594

[Apasaraw]

Welcome Lady Papaya!
First of all, I love that name!

For the guac in a bag, make sure to add lemon or lime juice...it won't turn brown I promise...

So glad you're here....

[ka_yun]

thankx all! what such great ideas :D
something I want to add:
if you don't buy organic fruits... check to make sure they are not glazzed with shallec... its a bug! :eek: some are, such as apples :mad:

[Rawkinlocs]

bumping this up for newbies!

[lovenmama]

Wow..thanks so much!

I'm really trying to step into this slowly...and all of your ideas are so helpful!!

Much appreciated!!

[muse]

Tip #3: Drinks lots of water :p


I think people should obviously do what works for them. However, I do think the idea that 'lots of water' is a categorical good thing isn't the case. Tonya Zavasta (Rawsome Beauty) talks about the under eye bags she sees in people, even raw foodists who consume a lot of water. She says those you see carrying around a water bottle much of the time, will have the eyebags, no matter how excellent their raw food intake. The kidneys are too strained under so much water, particularly when the raw food intake typically has so much water in it already.

[theresaann]

listen to your body, feed it what it wants as long as it's 100% raw! I didn't really believe that one until now-it is so true. Staying 100% raw will kill cooked cravings. even a little cooked will spike them right up again-that's the best thing I"ve learned. and when listening to your body, make sure you remember foods like sea weed, greens, etc, stuff you normally didn't eat before-tons of minerals. RAW IS THE BEST!