What keeps you from being 100%?

[Rawlicious]

I've been able to give up everything in the hopes of being 100% raw except for 2 things. That would be mayonaise and tortillia chips. What is up with that? Flour, sugar, grains, dairy and alcohol, but mayonaise and tortillia chips? I've tried making my own mayo but Kraft Real Mayonaise gets me everytime. What do you struggle with? I would be interested in knowing, just for fun.

[lore-ah]

Beer is the one thing that gives me the most issue. I love beer. I love it a lot. It's not getting drunk that I love so much, just beer. The issue is beer is the gateway drug to other things like bar food if I'm out :(

[Rawlicious]

lore-ah,

I am with you on the beer thing. I LOVE beer. I've been beer free for 1 month but I still can't kick that mayo thing. HA!

[Eva]

I am finally there with the food... I've just learned one too many lessons, and I LOVE the way raw makes me feel.

BUT I guess I'm not really technically 100% because I have hot tea ALL the time, which is not raw (although I have the herbal stuff not caffeinated for the most part). I even have all of these fancy latte-like recipes that I've made up. I make a chai (rooibos tea = no caffeine) where I put some almond butter and water in the blender until it's frothy, then I add a touch of vanilla and cacao and agave so it's like a very rich chai latte with a hint of chocolate.

Oh, dear, I didn't mean to go on and on about it!

In any case, I guess some still consider the above to be on the line, and would still call me raw. I don't know. I do know that I feel fantastic with what I'm doing.

Mayo!? I think it would make me barf at this point! :eek: :eek: :eek: But... tortilla chips... I can see that.

Well, for me the tea has at least kept me off of the coffee. Have you tried raw mayo (Alissa has a good one)? I make a great Rawdorf salad sans "real" mayo. And maybe Lara bars or sweet potato chips to replace the tortillas??? There is always SOMETHING that will at least fill enough of the void if you keep at it!

It is a journey. Just keep at it! :)

[Rawkinlocs]

Hey ladies! I just wanted to throw this out there and HOPING that you will not take it as me trying to "rain on the parade" or attack or anything remotely like that...but rather to offer a different perspective.

Alissa has often been known to say, "What you feed grows and what you starve dies" and it's SO very true! So, in considering that statement, a thread dedicated to focusing on the thing(s) that keeps you from your goal of being 100% raw would be kinda counter-productive, IMHO... UNLESS, of course, you are trying to (asking to) receive help and support in overcoming these obstacles.

I wasn't sure if that was the intent of this thread or not so I'm asking, is that what this thread is about...trying to find solutions to overcoming the things that keeps one from being all raw or is it something else?

[Gittel]

I'd like to know how to overcome a desire for mayo. Can coconut oil be used? I've tried to replace mayo with avocado, but now I believe that I eat too much avocado. Any ideas? Successes?

Gittel

[Eva]

Gittel: Are the avocados weighing you down? I find that I personally thrive and keep my weight down with them... And have you tried Alissa's mayo?

[Rawkinlocs]

I'd like to know how to overcome a desire for mayo. Can coconut oil be used? I've tried to replace mayo with avocado, but now I believe that I eat too much avocado. Any ideas? Successes?

Gittel

I think that the raw mayo recipes I've tried are very good! I mean, consider that SAD mayo is dairy (mucous-forming), eggs, sugar...just break down what's in it and see if you still desire it. Maybe you will and maybe you won't but I know what dairy and sugar do to me, so I have to steer clear of them both unless I decide to become a "glutton for punishment" (feeling like total "crap")!

Alissa has a really good one and Rawveganmom posted one that she swears by in the recipe section here and it really looks a lot like "real" mayo! To me, the raw versions tastes just as good as the other ones. Are you guys eating the cooked mayo on raw recipes or... ;)

Can't help with the beer, though, sorry...I know there have been threads posted here about beer and wine while raw and if they are "acceptable" or if there are raw ones, etc. so you may wish to investigate those.

As for tea, Eva, that is one of those things that comes up often..."is it okay to drink hot tea?"...well, most would say that you could just warm (not boil) your water and steep your herbs and it'd still be considered raw especially if it's fresh herbs or freshly-dried herbs or tea that you know is not "cooked" while drying. But many just kinda leave it as "one of those things" that they just allow.

[thenamesben]

Its been almost 3 weeks for me now raw. I am great on the raw fruits and veggies (allot more then I thought I would be at this time) for breakfast and lunch. But, the evenings come and I have to struggle with the raw vs. the SAD with my wife and two sons. So I am losing the battle about half the time, or every other night. But I am feeling 500% better being at about 75% raw. So I am really looking forward to making it to 100% raw.

I know, I know they should be raw too... It would deffinatley be unloving not to share such a great way to live. I am giving myself a couple of months to build my strength and stamina to be able to push, I mean guide them to eating raw.. I am coming from a really low energy, out of shape time these days and making the family eat raw is going to depend on me first showing them my results and second having meals that are a pleasure to eat..
So in about two maybe three months I should have plenty of recipes and hopefully enough skill to create the more tasty meals.

I am sure there are many other wives, husbands and even children that struggle beacuase of the SAD eaters they live with.

[EZ rider]

I am all raw but I still get an occasional craving for popcorn, especially when I am watching a movie. This craving has been diminishing like waves getting smaller and less frequent as time goes by so maybe one of these days it won't happen anymore. Any suggestions for something crunchy ?

[Rawkinlocs]

I am all raw but I still get an occasional craving for popcorn, especially when I am watching a movie. This craving has been diminishing like waves getting smaller and less frequent as time goes by so maybe one of these days it won't happen anymore. Any suggestions for something crunchy ?

You could try the "Just Corn" freeze-dried corn snack. But those are kinda costly, IMHO, so I have taken fresh corn cut off of the cob and dehydrated it and it turned out crunchy and good! You could season it too for variation. Try it with a cob and see! It doesn't taste like popcorn, but it's crunchy and just might satisfy that craving, especially if you toss it in a little olive oil and sea salt!

There are also kale chips which are very good and crunchy as well as taking nori sheets, cutting them up, tossing in olive oil and sea salt and dehydrating...a really good and crunchy snack that's also very good for you.

[EZ rider]

Yum, thats sounds good. I'll try that thanks Rawkinlocs. :)

[Nurse in the Raw]

I am still having a hard time with rice. I got over the meat craving and bread craving and chip craving so now I am on to the rice craving. There's not much more that I like, so I figure I will just go through all of my cravings one at a time and one day in the near future I will wake up and not want anything but lettuce :D

[Stina]

I was thinking more like self-sabotage in general. Fear of success? Lack of self discipline? Compulsive in-grained eating habits? not sure

[Rawzula]

My roommate is the only thing keeping me from being 100%. He believes that eating fruits and veggies all day is a bad thing.

Once I move, I can eat the way I want.

[Gittel]

Rawkinlocs, I just looked up the mayo recipe from Rawveganmom. I'll give it a try. Thank you. Do you think that the pre-packaged almond milk (don't know the brand name) from Whole Foods may work as a substitute for the almond milk? Is is this a cooked product? I appreciate the guidance.

I've been doing so well the last couple of weeks on raw. Salads that some of my kids make, like cabbage with mayo, are hard for me to pass up. So I look forward to replacing the SAD mayo with a raw one.

Gittel

[trinity082482]

I LOVE Coffee.
My inability to make raw dips taste good.
Lack of ingredients at all times.
Some weeks money is hard to scrounge up for some raw foods.
Sometimes I run out and I have some Ezekiel cereal instead.
I have always been about quick and convent the last few years and
sometimes I am so hungry and so busy and so lazy that I rather grab that
piece of organic dark chocolate from my freezer than grab the sad bruised little apple that is left in my crisper.

I am full of excuses.... but its IS why I am not 100% at times. I strive to be 100% and if it weren't for this site I would be lost :D

[LearningDaily]

What keeps you from being 100%?

Myself.

[lafsalot]

What keeps you from being 100%?

Myself.

Good one!! After all, isn't that what it really comes down to?! ~ Cathy

[Rawlicious]

LearningDaily,

You are absolutely 100% right.

This board has helped me keep on track and the encouragement is so helpful. Thanks so much for all the mayo suggestions. Of course, I'll try them all. That's how I've gotten this far and I don't plan to stop now.

Thanks everyone!

[solarliving]

Lack of commitment and rebellion is keeping me from being 100% as well as fear of getting too thin. I have gone 5 days 100% recently, but most of the time it is about 85-90% due to allowing myself the freedom to eat what I want. Definately making progress though and I am researching to figure out how to gain weight.

[Revvell]

Do you think that the pre-packaged almond milk (don't know the brand name) from Whole Foods may work as a substitute for the almond milk? Is is this a cooked product?
Gittel

It is absolutely cooked. Pretty much anything you see packaged, canned, bottled, etc. is cooked to prevent botulism/salmonella, etc. Sometimes even when the package says "raw", it may still be cooked, sorry to say.

Almond milk is sooooo easy to make ~ if you've got a decent blender such as a Vita-Mix. You can also make it by adding almond butter to water and blending.

Revvell

[CaliRaw]

I'd like to know how to overcome a desire for mayo. Can coconut oil be used? I've tried to replace mayo with avocado, but now I believe that I eat too much avocado. Any ideas? Successes?

Gittel


Do you have any recipe books? There are mayo recipes in Juliano's Uncook book and Rawvolution too. There have been posted on this forum too. Someone already mentioned Alissa's.

[EZ rider]

I am researching to figure out how to gain weight.If you want to bulk up check out my exercise style. To bulk up don't do the aerobic suggestions in the thread. As you "run the rack" you should push to the point of not being able to complete the second or third rep with the heaviest and last DB. Also rest between exercises and/or sets. If you do the rebounding just do the "health bounce" where its an easy bounce and your feet don't leave the mat to help cut back on the aerobics. The rebounding part helps to flush the muscles for the next set. Here's the thread link:

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=33324

.

[CaliRaw]

You could try the "Just Corn" freeze-dried corn snack. But those are kinda costly, IMHO, so I have taken fresh corn cut off of the cob and dehydrated it and it turned out crunchy and good! You could season it too for variation. Try it with a cob and see! It doesn't taste like popcorn, but it's crunchy and just might satisfy that craving, especially if you toss it in a little olive oil and sea salt!

There are also kale chips which are very good and crunchy as well as taking nori sheets, cutting them up, tossing in olive oil and sea salt and dehydrating...a really good and crunchy snack that's also very good for you.


"Just Corn" is pretty good. I love popcorn too, so I bought this product today. It doesn't taste like popcorn, but it's a good quick substitute. It tastes like sweet, crunchy corn. It actually reminds me of the Kellogg's Corn Pops cereal.

[Marcus]

I'm not 100% raw yet, but I find that adding more raw foods leaves less time, room, etc for eating cooked. So I'm just trying to add more of the good stuff and hoping the cravings for cooked work themselves out over time.

[RawHeaven]

Hot herbal teas. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to give them up. I drink tea 3-4 times a day and also use herbs for their healing properties.

I'm having success letting former (sad) favorites go as everytime I eat something cooked I experience gastric distress. Since I don't want to feel horrible anymore it's getting easier to get to 100%. Or maybe 99.9% because of the tea, haha.

[lulushka8]

i am strictly 100% (ie. no miso/vinegar/raw agave/dried herbs or spices...etc), but it doesn't stop me getting cravings for my old favourite of homemade lentil soup /dhal. one day i think that i'll have some...

[justinesmith]

The only "thing" keeping me from being 100% is my inability to effectively deal with stress. I essentially went from treating stress with alcohol to treating it with food. I am now venturing into meditation and spirituality to cope better. It'll all come together :D

[EZ rider]

I'm having success letting former (sad) favorites go as every time I eat something cooked I experience gastric distress. Since I don't want to feel horrible anymore it's getting easier to get to 100%.For me that has been the key to implementing the raw food lifestyle -- listening to the body's signals. When I do that the changes happen very easily without my having to force them at all.

[Madeleine.Blythe]

There are also kale chips which are very good and crunchy as well as taking nori sheets, cutting them up, tossing in olive oil and sea salt and dehydrating...a really good and crunchy snack that's also very good for you.

I'm all about the nori.
Good call, I'm gonna kick the popcorn habit and replace it with your suggestions.