how important is it to be 100%?

[sagebabies]

Honestly. What is your opinion?

I am a SAHM, mother of 3 (we will have more in the next few years) and my husband and children are not raw. My goal right now has been 80%. I eat raw until dinner and make a healthy cooked dinner for my family.

I have been wondering lately what everyone's opinion is about the importance of 100% vs. 80%. I really want this to be sustainable for me and right now I don't think 100% is realistic. I don't want to set myself up for failure and I don't want to experience guilt or negative feelings towards myself or food should I not be able to do 100%. I refuse to think that way.

All opinions are welcome. Thanks!

[Ginger]

It depends on how you respond and how you feel and what your goals are. Do what works for you and gives you the results you desire.

[purelyorganicproducts]

I am in much the same situation as you (busy mom of small kids) and I too can't take the (self-imposed) pressure of being 100% all the time. I don't want to be beating myself up if I have to stray a teeny bit. I have fluctuated between about 50% and 80% for about six months, and I have enjoyed many health benefits even though I am not 100%. My seasonal allergies disappeared, as did the eczema on my hand. My skin looks a thousand times better and I know that my family (who are not raw) is nonetheless eating lots more fruits and veggies (My 18-month old stands pointing expectantly and impatiently at the blender in the morning demanding his green smoothie).

By no means am I discouraging anyone from shooting for 100%, but as long as you are doing the best you can, you are way ahead of the game!!

[CaliRaw]

I am in much the same situation as you (busy mom of small kids) and I too can't take the (self-imposed) pressure of being 100% all the time. I don't want to be beating myself up if I have to stray a teeny bit. I have fluctuated between about 50% and 80% for about six months, and I have enjoyed many health benefits even though I am not 100%. My seasonal allergies disappeared, as did the eczema on my hand. My skin looks a thousand times better and I know that my family (who are not raw) is nonetheless eating lots more fruits and veggies (My 18-month old stands pointing expectantly and impatiently at the blender in the morning demanding his green smoothie).

By no means am I discouraging anyone from shooting for 100%, but as long as you are doing the best you can, you are way ahead of the game!!

That is so cute!!!

[Rawkinlocs]

Even if you are 80% raw, that is STILL better than what your diet was probably like before. Yes, Alissa highly recommends 100% raw but she also says that you have to find what works best for you. In that, you have to realize for yourself if leaving that window open for cooked food is going to cause you to downward spiral into eating more cooked foods. Many of us are emotional eaters and do not have the discipline to consume small amounts of cooked food without it turning into massive amounts of cooked food. But if YOU feel that YOU have that ability to do so and you feel fine with it, then you have to do what is right for you.

Many start off with a ratio such as yours and then eventually end up at 100% raw, NOT because anyone said they "should" or "have to" but because it's what they choose to do...mainly because the more you feed your body raw, it's just going to ultimately start rejecting the remainder of cooked food anyways. But if at this time you can maintain raw until dinner with no problems, then start setting small goals for yourself from there until you arrive at your destination - and perhaps for you, that's not necessarily 100% raw and that's fine too. But if you begin to, overtime, notice that you aren't feeling your best or that there is some ailment that isn't being truly healed or if you are not reaching your goal weight range...then consider going all the way and just see if that makes the difference!

Just try to make whatever it is as healthy as possible and tune into how your body feels and reacts. We are here to support whatever raw the portion of your diet is!

[EZ rider]

I don't want to be beating myself up
In my opinion it is not important at all what % of a person's diet is raw but rather what course they are on. Direction is everything ! The higher the % the better but I think that this is a journey and it takes time. Be kind and loving to yourself and give yourself a pat on the back with each positive step along the way.

[StarFire]

That's a hard question to answer because - this is all a very personal journey. You must do what works for you, and your situation. Now ... what works for me personally is 100%!! I'm lovin it!! (but our kids are grown, my dh is hi raw and does a lot of his own cooking ~ so it's much easier for me than most!) ;) :D

[DavidZaneMason]

I hear you. That's like saying: "How important is it to travel 1000 miles vs. 500 miles?" The answer is, of course, "It depends on where you are going!" LOL.

-Certainly there are practical considerations. The more healthy you eat - you might find yourself more and more sensitive to crap! Ha! ha! This is a call that everyone will have to decide for themselves.

-Either way, as Rawkinlocs said, WHATEVER raw choices you make will probably be LIGHT YEARS ahead of what came before...and what many others are doing! So be proud!

-David Z. Mason

[Veganforlife]

I agree it is a personal journey, but when one continues eating dead foods, the body is constantly fighting, using its enzyme supply to digest and not being able to concentrate on other things like healing and curing. 100% raw foods are complete foods; loaded with their own enzymes, thus allowing the body to do its thing. By not being 100% raw, one is still consuming empty, dead, non-foods. Why would anyone want to do that? Just something to think about. If it's easier now to be only 70, 80, 90% then do so, but I would strive to work toward 100%...

[Eva]

I have been on this journey since February more or less, and I have asked myself and the forum here the same question many times. Every time I've come up with (logically) that it is okay to not be 100%...

But in reality, I managed to do the 30-day challenge in April where I was 100% raw for 30 days. I had never felt so free, light, clear-headed, energetic, happy and healthy in my entire life. Since then, I have decided at different times to just allow this or that, and it prevented me from feeling so fantastic.

It is easier to just do 80% in terms of dealing with the outside world and preparing food... But why sacrifice YOURSELF and your own livelihood?

All that said, every person learns real lessons from real experience. Until I was 100% raw, I don't know that I would have wanted to make the sacrifice no matter what anyone told me. I decided to do it because my stomach aches were way too frequent and painful... I never knew my whole life and attitude would change.

Today, I have been 100% raw (again) for 12 days. Sometimes it is not convenient (I also have kids to make food for and we like to travel and go to BBQs etc.), but I have the energy and enthusiasm these days to do anything!

I would recommend making it happen for 30 days, whatever it takes. Then, you can see what it's like and choose if it's worth the effort for you or if you would like to do "high raw."

No matter what, you're doing fantastic just making steps and effort toward treating yourself and your health as well as you deserve!

[Stina]

There's a great quote in Alissa's book that says something along the lines of - The difference between being 95% raw and 100% raw is like night and day. When I went from high raw to all raw, I coudn't believe what a significant impact it had on me. I also find it easier to be all raw than trying to maintain a small amount of cooked food in my diet.

[sagebabies]

We are here to support whatever raw the portion of your diet is!

That is so sweet. Thank you.

Thank you everyone for your replies. I appreciate all the input. :p

[ChaiLife]

I really don't see how people can be anything but 100% raw after you have eaten raw for a while. I am not talking down to anyone like I am so "holy" if I eat 100%. That's not it at all! It's just that after you have eaten raw for a while and then try to go back to a SAD dinner it hurts your stomach so badly! Even if it is a healthy cooked dinner. For instance, tonight we had some baked potatoes because I had them and did not want them to go bad (plus it sounded yum!). But after eating them we all felt terrible. :( Yeah, they tasted divine but the pain is not worth it.

So for me, at least, it is actually painful to be anything but 100%.

[VickyDee]

Hi,

:rolleyes: Ok so I'm very new to this diet so I am not at all an expert, but...

I made the mistake of eating raw and then abruptly eating "regular" food (a chicken sandwich) and I got REALLY sick from it.

The more I move through this diet, I think I want to eating raw foods primarily, but also eat a limited amount of vegetarian meals. I'm just learning that it's a careful balance to establish and when you are not 100% raw, it is very tempting to eat more and more unhealthy foods and less and less raw until next thing you know, you are back to your old routine.

So I understand where you are coming from, I just think it's important to have an actual plan when deciding to adjust your diet. Otherwise you run the risk of never really achieving the best/healthiest diet for you.

That's my two cents!

Peace and blessings,

[EZ rider]

I just think it's important to have an actual plan when deciding to adjust your diet.
*I like that Vicky.
HAVE A PLAN -- WORK YOUR PLAN

[sagebabies]

well, my plan is to be raw till dinner and then eat a healthy dinner w/ a salad. So far I've been pretty successful, except for a few meals where we were out. It's very hard to eat out and stay raw. We are a family who eats out often - 2 times per week usually.

I forgot to mention too, I'm nursing 6 month old twins - so I'm also not doing 100% because I don't want to detox too hard and pass that along through my milk.

what do ya'll do when you eat out???:confused: