totally fell off the wagon!

[lydias]

I've been 100% raw for 30+ days...and was doing great,
then did a water fast for a few days and bam
all I crave is junk food! like crazy, worse then ever
How do I stop!! help!
I haven't eaten meat in a year and I crave hamburgers, cheese, ice cream
which I had hoped to improve things with it...oh well

any good easy ice cream recipes with cashews that taste like real ice cream?

I feel so rotten about this, I feel like a failure!
How do I stop sabotaging myself! After I eat the food I feel like crap.
its like some kind of emotional thing going on I guess.

[Elizabeth]

Hi Lydia!! Congrats on your 30 days..and also on your fasting!! Begin NOW..and move forward from where you are. :-) I just got this article in my email this morning.,.and I found it helpful..thought it might shed some light for you...

July 12, 2007
Shedding Light On Ourselves
Parts That Don’t Want To Heal

"In almost every case, we know what is best for us in our lives, from the relationships we create to the food we eat. Still, somewhat mysteriously, it is often difficult to make the right choices for ourselves. We find ourselves hanging out with someone who leaves us feeling drained or choosing to eat fast food over a salad. We go through phases where we stop doing yoga or taking vitamins, even though we feel so much better when we do. Often we have no idea why we continue to make the less enlightened choice, but it is important that we inquire into ourselves to find out.

When we choose that which is not best for us, the truth can be that there is a deep seated part of us that does not want to heal. We may say it’s because we don’t have the time or the energy or the resources, but the real truth is that when we don’t take care of ourselves we are falling prey to self-sabotage. Self-sabotage happens unconsciously, which is why it’s so difficult to see that we are doing it. The important thing to realize is that this very part of us that resists our healing is the part that most needs our attention and love. Even as it appears to be working against us, if we can simply bring it into the light of our consciousness, it can become our greatest ally. It carries the information we need to move to the next level in our healing process.

When we recognize that we are not making healthy choices, we might even say out loud, “I am not taking care of myself.” Sometimes this is the jolt we need to wake up to what is actually happening. Next we can sit ourselves down in meditation, with a journal, or with a trusted friend to explore the matter more thoroughly. Just shining the light of our awareness on the source of our resistance is sometimes enough to dispel its power. At other times, further effort is required. Either way, we need not fear these parts that do not want to heal. We only need to take them under our wing and bring them with us into the light."


((((HUGS)))) :)

[Veganforlife]

Two words.

Green Smoothies!!!

::smacking forehead::

Why won't anyone listen to me? These totally dissolve cravings!!!

[adrienne]

thank you Elizabeth for that great post
I agree with both ladies
Green smoothies RAWK!
Also, and this is my humble opinion, if you are going to fast and this is a fairly new thing to you or you are trying to stay raw, try green juices b/c they really give you the nutrients you need, water can be difficult to stay on and then of course you are hungry! you's eat anything!
so you did not fail, you just tried something that did not work (I do that ALL the time!) please do not beat yourself up, just try again!
start another 30 day challenge and just eat all things raw and have lots of green smoothies!
sorry, i don't have an ice cream recipe for you but i know there are a bunch floating around here, so try a search with the banana
best to you,
adrienne

[lydias]

I love that article, thanks!!
I know I feel like I am holding back for some reason!! I have great will power and do so well and then totally screw up.

After the fast, I was out of my routine for green smoothies. And I was told to do just the light greens...I just went nuts cause it was not satisfying me! I also had great problems sleeping during and after fasting so that will make you nuts by itself!

the green smoothies definitely helped before so I'm starting again. :)

[Princess Elaine]

Thanks Lydias for posting...I know I'm not alone and we can do this together...I have almost 11 months raw yet after 8 or 9 months I had a rare cooked food...I see the last month it was happening more and more...

Green smoothies are a part of my life starting with month 2 of going raw...I probably have a minimum of 32 ounces and usually 64 ounces. I can appreciate all that they do for me...I've bought Victoria's book for a few friends and have got many SAD people drinking them. I'd like to think that they stopped all my cravings yet I believe they're a lot more deep seated then just a craving...

Elizabeth, thank you for the article...I've read it twice and plan on printing it out...I think the self sabotage hits the nail on the head...

Yesterday was a perfect example....green smoothies, fresh fruit for snacks and salad for dinner...got home late and had a bowl of my roommates dry cereal....when I finished I was so disappointed in myself.

I'm going to a raw food retreat in Ojai on the 23rd and look to recommit to 100% raw.

I do know, though I don't always practice it , not to be so hard on myself and just start over right now.

Lydias, your doing a great job and I know what we can't do alone we can do together...

I appreciate this forum for a place to hear honest sharing and to know someone has felt the same as me.

Elaine

[kristi7mark]

OH, ice cream is so often my down fall! I love ice cream! All flavors!

Here a couple of substitutes I have found that really work!

Chocolate Chip Mint Shake

1 cup frozen almond milk
2 frozen bananas ( I usually only use one, as I don't like it too banana-y, unless I decided on a banana chip shake :))
2 dates
1 TBSP extra virgin coconut oil
Splash of fresh almond milk or pure water
1/8 tsp peppermint extract
2 TBSP raw cacao nibs

Sometime I add more cacao, and if I have it I make it "green" by adding a whole bunch of fresh mint. MMMMMMM!! If I want it a lil sweeter I squeeze in a lil agave nectar.

I have also made this a Raspberry Chocolate Chip shake by using only one frozen banana and a cup of frozen raspberries. With just a lil imagination the
possibilities are endless..............

As I also love Butter Pecan Ice cream I found this recipe very satisfying! It really tastes like butter pecan. I found in the I Am Grateful cookbook.

Makes one quart.

2c pecans
4c fresh water
3/4c packed pitted dates
2T lecithin
1/2 t sea salt
1 t vanilla extract or 1 inch of a vanilla bean

Blend. This can be drank as is or you can keep it cold in the fridge and then freeze servings as you need them. Top it off with a few pecans and yum!!

I have made this every time without the lecithin and it still holds together wonderfully!

Hope these help! I know they have helped me!:D

My mom just gave me an ice cream maker so I can't wait to start experimenting!

[Veganforlife]

WOW - going from falling off the wagon to ice cream to

I made THE best ice cream.

Raw Chocolate/Chocolate Chip Ice Dream

2.5 cups of filtered water
3 handfuls of cashews - maybe 1.5 - 2 cups?
2 tablespoons raw cacao powder
2 tablespoons Alissa's coconut powder
10-12 medjool dates
1/2 - 3/4 cup of cacao nibs
Squirt of agave nectar

Put everything EXCEPT the cacao nibs into a high-speed blender (like a Vitamix-Mix) and blend until creamy. It will be thick.
Put into ice cream machine, adding the cacao nibs and use the ice cream maker as directed.

At first it's like a soft-serve ice cream, but this freezes well. It is YUM-OH!!!

[lydias]

Thanks so much, the ice creams sound soooo yummy!!
this should help a great deal. :)

[rawgreenyogini]

Two words.

Green Smoothies!!!

::smacking forehead::

Why won't anyone listen to me? These totally dissolve cravings!!!

I'm with VFL...green smoothies will kill any craving you have for "junk". It could be anything cooked to alcohol and cigarettes. Trust me...it's worked for me. Now I cannot stand the smell of cigarettes! Alcohol.....very rarely do I drink any....my tolerance is now 1 small glass of wine...and then I'm smashed.

[Veganforlife]

AH! Finally someone "gets it" - thank you, thank you very much (said in my best Elvis interpretation)! LOL!

[msbraids]

I too was doing fine 100% raw from Feb. 07 - May 07. I fell off the raw wagon during my 1st son High School Graduation Celebration we had. My family was all here and I am the ONLY RAW VEGAN . We are Virgin Islanders and we had a lot of caribbean foods which I don't eat. I started to eat a little bit of cooked food.(meaning anything that did not have meat). Of course I got sick. It has been really hard to jump back. But I am going to be 100% very soon. I am about 75% right now. I am working my way back. Even my trainner said I need to go back to being 100%. So I know how you feel.

[lydias]

So far I tried the raw chocolate and chips ice cream since its what I had ingredients for and it was sooooooooooooooooo good! :))
Thanks!
Anxious to make the other recipes!

[Stina]

Ah yes cravings..... What helps me- colon hydroptherapy to wash away the bad bacteria that contributes towards cravings. And meditation to center myself so I have a momen of grace when I'm reaching to pick up junk to decide if I really want to do that or not.

[RawVegan4Health]

I wish I had an easy answer for you on cravings, but I don't. I agree with a lot of what has been posted though. Green smoothies can work, but I have had cravings even with tons of those. Most recently a juice fast helped, but that is what seemed to trigger your current problem. Just keep going raw. I believe your body will tell you what you need to do to do it right. I never considered doing a fast before. My body basically told me to do it and I did. Cravings gone. Just listen is my advice I guess.

[queenfluff]

Thanks for this thread! I have fallen off the wagon too. My bad thing is bread. I can make great raw chips and crackers and some flat bread that will cure my cravings for those things but honestly there is no good raw sub for the "real" poufy bread (like nice crusty thick French bread - but if anyone has a recipe for close please post it! ). I don't really beat myself up if I fall off the wagon - I just start where I left off but I would love to start LOVING green smoothies as I know how good they are suppoed to be for me. Right now, I don't love them. Why? Any tips?

Question about the green smoothies though: Is there a specific green that helps with the cravings more than any other? I tend to only like light greens like spinach and can't stand the heavier one like kale in my smoothies.

I would rather eat the heavier ones in a salad.

Also, I know that fruits are always used in the green smoothies to make them taste better - what ratio do you guys use for your "craving stopping" green smoothies?

My bf has the "Green For Life" book which I definately need to read.

He wants me to drink alot of wheatgrass juice which I can only stand in smoothies. Does it really matter whether I drink it straight or in smoothies? I wouldn't see why it would. He thinks I should drink it straight. (we don't have any wheat grass right now so it doesn't reallly matter anyhow)

[lydias]

I find the darker greens curb my cravings better,

as far as fruit- i just go by what I crave, If i crave more sweet I put more fruit otherwise I will just eat something else with sugar in it or something

for me the green smoothies take about 3 weeks to show a good improvement in cravings

yes- me too- I crave the fluffly bread too!

I was raw this time like 45 days so I felt pretty bad. And when I go off my cravings go nuts!

[queenfluff]

I find the darker greens curb my cravings better,

as far as fruit- i just go by what I crave, If i crave more sweet I put more fruit otherwise I will just eat something else with sugar in it or something

for me the green smoothies take about 3 weeks to show a good improvement in cravings

yes- me too- I crave the fluffly bread too!

I was raw this time like 45 days so I felt pretty bad. And when I go off my cravings go nuts!

Hi lydias!

I acutally heard from a few people that around the 2 months mark is when people start having toubles. That tends to be the trouble time for me too. I can be 100% for 2 months and tend I get sick and bored of raw and I want a cooked vegan sandwich. Than I eat some cooked for about a week and than go back to raw.

Apparently, some one told me that in the Boutenko's new book 12 step to raw: How to end your depnedancy on Cooked Food. She explains why the 2 month mark tend to bring on cravings. I don't have the book yet but I would like to get it. It seems so weird - what is it with the two months!?

Thanks for the advice on the green smoothies. Do you find you need to do at least one a day for 3 weeks to help with the cravings?

[peas-on-my-head]

Well, your cravings are most likely from processed food withdraws. Like when someone stops drinking caffene, it goes good for a while, and then BAM! they start to get caffene cravings, and this is because their bodies are trying to get adusted to the changes their body goes through when they are getting rid of caffene. Likewise, your body goes throught the same process when it is trying to get rid of all the processed junk in the junk foods you are craving. So, if before you went raw you ate lots of junk, your body is now just getting adjusted to the new nutrition change. So just stick in there, after awhile you will adjust and wont crave junk anymore. I had to learn that the hard way... lol. Good luck!

[lydias]

wow the 2 month mark- that explains something!! I will have to get that book

I actually did a 7 day water fast. And my mistake was to me I only did one enema. And I think too many toxins just went nuts after I completed the fast. Now I feel cravings and depleted all over again.

but hanging in there, :)

[RawVegan4Health]

I can vouch for the two month mark from my experience going raw. I started eating 2 raw meals a day on 3/19/07 and went 100% raw in Mid-April. I started having all sorts of cravings in June and slipped several times.

[monkeyboy]

Stop all this nonesense,

Eat what you want....yes, eat raw but if you want an ice cream cone go ahead and eat one.

I ate an ice cream cone the other day and it was great. 99% of what I eat is raw...... but dudes....my kids were eating ice cream and I joined in.

NO guilt. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Peace,

M.B.

[RawVegan4Health]

I have to respectfully disagree. Maybe long term it is OK, but in the 4 months I have been raw any non-raw food I consume puts me into a cycle of cravings. The more I let myself slip-up, the harder it is to stay raw. The trick is in the mind. do you let it bring you down or not. Some people let mistakes ruin their entire perspective on raw, which is risiculous in my opinion. Just because you messed up does not mean you should not be raw. However, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and has their own path to raw. Not everyone is the same.