help please to get out of old habits?

[laura maciel]

hello all! i have been eating a lot of raw for the past two weeks. i have posted once but been on here reading more often. i have gotten lots of info! and thank you all for your warm welcome! i am wondering..how can i break a really bad habit? let me explain...i had been eating sad at all times and have begun eating raw but although i do fine for breakfast,and most days fine for snacks as well, i still eat a really sad dinner. i like to park myself in front of the comp. and watch a crime show as i munch away.on very sad foods. not all fried,but not vegan even. not meats,but lots of sour cream,cheeses chips,baked taters ...the list goes on. how can i break this habit?:( my family and friends are very helpful and supportive of this new me.my husband is the best(i have been not letting him know how poorly i have been doing each evening). even though i have this bad habit i am still feeling better overall.but i am sure i am not sleeping very well.by the time the kids are asleep and i get time to eat it is far to late to eat so much.strangly though each evening,it calms me to just expect my same ol' ritual.:rolleyes: is their any hope for this? has anyone else had such problems? thank you, laura p.s. i have bought a juicer,dehydrater,chopper,and nice blender. although i am a stay home mom i am at the schools a lot,lots of appts. ect. so i got a raw foods cook book for busy people.also got a sprouting jar and seeds to sprout. i went all out!! lol sorry so long guys(canya tell im a talker!!?) :D

[beanmonkee]

Rather than go cold turkey and stop eating in front of the computer all together (which would be ideal), start replacing your SAD munchies with RAW munchies. Really easy, simple ones.

When I did the March challenge, I was watching Alias season 5 on my computer, and I would make some cashew butter and eat it with celery sticks and carrot sticks while I indulged in some Sydney Bristow butt kicking action TV! I could have bought some cashew butter, but I just stuck some raw cashews in the food processor and blended it up. I added a little oil or water to make it stickier. Mmmm. Cashew butter is so good!

You won't miss your SAD treats.

[beanmonkee]

Oh, and the cheese was the hardest thing to kick for me. (still haven't, so these are all things that I should try, too)

I would recommend taking a really honest look at how you feel after you eat all your SAD stuff, and put a list of that on your fridge. Put a list of how you want to feel (how eating Raw makes you feel) next to it. Decorate it. Make the raw one pretty. Then, when you go to get something to eat, read both of them, and make an honest, informed decision about how you want to feel. Eat accordingly.

You really are in control.

[Bingo24]

:) Bean Monkey - what great suggestions - I've been struggling myself her - went raw for 12 days and then blew it - on and off for the last few. Rededicating today - my stomach hurts, bloated and can still feel those cooked foods sitting in it. . . bleech! We appreciate your help.

[beanmonkee]

Yeah...I just need to take my own advice now. Ha. Funny...but in a sad sort of way.

[Kitty]

my husband is a mental health specialist, and he says the the only way to stop a bad habit is to replace it with a new one. And obviously with something you like to do. So try figuring out something you can do to replace that habit, maybe even stop sitting in front of the computer because that is a trigger? I know that when I quit smoking I couldn't drink because that was a trigger, and I couldn't take long car rides lol. Cooked food is an addiction just like smoking. Also replacing your sad food with raw subs like raw chips etc might help. It does me!

So glad that you are taking this journey with us! Yay you!

[LovingLife]

Laura -- I'm a talker too, so no need to apologize to me! :)

I agree that you should try to replace the old habit with a new one. When I make smoothies, I usually make enough to freeze 2 more to eat later. You could always eat away at a frozen smoothie -- it takes awhile.

I also love having sprouted wheat ers around. I've played with Alissa's er recipes enough to have come up with some that taste very much like cool ranch. Yum! I also used to love eating graham ers and came up with a sweeter wheat er that is made with apples and peaches instead of the veggies. Very fun to munch on.

Like Alissa says, one nice thing about eating raw is that you don't have to say no to eating. You can eat when you want and how much you want, but you just have to have plenty raw available to eat.

[laura maciel]

hello its me again!:D thanks for all the great ideas!! i think i will actually try all of the ideas with the eventual hope that i will be able to not only switch to raw in front of the comp. and t.v. but to actually find something new to do all together!:p that would be wonderful! i also love the idea of the note on the fridge...cause cooked foods do really make me feel sluggish and kind of worn down! anyway thanks again and i will be back on later...gotta go clean the house:eek: :mad: laura

[Elizabeth]

I find that if I have my favorites, like olives, at home..and fruit..and almond milk to make strawberry or cocoa milk(((yumm))) and guac or salsa and crackers...then I am MUCH less likely to eat something I will regret later...

I also tend to want something in the evening..and know that I need to make sure I have some RAW, healthy choices there available, oir I am just asking for trouble...:eek:

[Conscious Midwife]

CHANGE YOUR RITUALS

Fast from the TV for a week. Make computer time brief, and go do something else.

Maximize the usage of your kitchen tools

Make chips in the dehydrator and RAW salsa in the food processor.

[Raspberry4]

You could try weaning yourself from a sad dinner by always starting with a raw salad, followed by a raw soup. If you are still hungry have a small serving of cooked food. Increase the raw over time to what you are comfortable with and decrease the portion of the raw food. You will start to feel that the raw food is enough eventually. Good luck.

[Raspberry4]

Sory - I typed the wrong word on the previous post and I could not get the edit option to work. I meant to say decrease the portion of COOKED food (not raw food...) you get the idea.

[laura maciel]

thanks for more ideas! fasting from the t.v. will be a challenge for me...ha ha!! although i do love to read...i am going to do it!! yes! i do believe i can do this! thank you! talk to you soon!!:p

[lori ann]

Hello there!

I still struggle with some sad food also. It is tough eventhough you know it is not good for you. I would suggest using transition foods like organic chips and snacks, etc. Also what I know I need to do it just be prepared and plan ahead. It is easier said then done, but I believe that you and myself can both do this!

[luckitri]

Spring fever and full moon (like this last week) can make many people suffer sleeplessness. Most people don't wish to admit that they are this vulnerable (and therefore predictable to their enemies) so they just don't admit it. Add some new raw energy and you may be getting more sensitive to these type things.

[dreamrawalwz]

All great suggestions above. However, I do have a question. Are you the only one eating these foods? You said your husband was supportive of you...if you're buying these foods for him as well, could you two make a promise together to eat a cleaner diet? Doesn't mean he has to be raw at all, but to keep those foods OUT OF THE HOUSE! Out of sight, out of mind :D

[emily]

Laura - sounds like you like savoury, salty foods, so replacing with smoothies or fruit probably won't work. At least, it never works for me - I love those types of food and fruit rarely cuts it. Here are a few savoury and quick options I thought of:

I really like eggplant "bacon" dipped in nutritional yeast - it's got oil and salt and spice and cheesiness and it's incredibly easy to make with your dehydrator. Search the threads for the recipe (I cut the cayenne pepper by half, though - it comes out really spicy)

Raw corn kernels with sea salt and ground pepper.

Chopped avocado with sea salt and lime (one of my favorites)

Dehydrated sweet potatoes or yukon gold potatoes (until they are chewy) - sprinkle with spices

Shredded beets with tahini-miso dressing (olive oil + minced garlic (or just garlic oil) + tahini + miso + lemon juice)

big salads are good to chew on for awhile and are so satisfying - especially with avocado - but they take awhile to prepare.

shredded squash or spaghetti squash with warmed, diced tomatoes, pasta spices, sea salt, olive or garlic oil and pine nuts

Hope those help!

[chilove]

Hi there,

I totally agree with everyone suggesting to change your routine and to replace your current ritual of evening eating with something else. Is there any healthy, fun activity you've been wanting to start doing? Meditating, yoga, exercise, reading, painting, journaling, walking, etc... are all great ways to nurture yourself in non-food ways. People often get a lot of comfort from their food habits, so it is very imperative to make self-care a priority when you are attempting to change your diet signficantly.

Wishing you all the best!

Audrey
www.rawhealing.com