Help - Binging because of cravings

[agumble]

I've been raw for a little over a month now, and all of a sudden I've been getting these intense cravings for carbohydrates, especially bread. They're so bad that I end up eating everything in sight trying to satisfy the craving, and unfortunately, I still want the bread after and then I just feel guilty for eating so much food. I've read about green smoothies helping, but for some reason, I seem to be one of the few people that can't stand them. Any suggestions before I devour everything in my kitchen??

[crystalmoon]

I also dont seem able to stomach green smoothies at this stage of my raw journey...I like them but they dont like me & kick start IBs episodes. Im wondering if you are coming to raw from a standard diet or are you already vegan? I know Alissa's 30 day raw challenge approach has been great for so many people but unfortunately for me it put me into major detox just too quickly. I am now taking a slower transitional approach to going fully raw & am first concentrating on being fully vegan for a few months (still eating very high raw). Im hoping this will help me & it may work for you too.
But many raw fooders have found that eating any amount of cooked foods can intensify cravings for cooked items so I cant really advise you on what is going to work for you in the long run.
All we can ultimately do is listen to our bodies & try not to be down on ourselves if we do eat a slice of bread, etc in our transitioning stage.

[joyfulGIRL]

Drink the not-so-tasty green smoothies with a straw. You don't taste it as much that way. Down the hatch!! :D

For me, it helps to evaulate why I'm raw. Make a list and refer to it often to keep your goals in mind. Set specific goals.

As time goes on and your body recalibrates to this new way of living, you will find that the craving for the SAD foods really decreases, if not disappears completely! :)

GOod luck!

[agumble]

Thanks for the advice........I went raw because of health problems, so I jumped into it 100% right away. My guess is that the cravings are probably due to that. It's definitely not emotional cravings....I'm determined to stick to 100% since I fixed my health problems through this.....it's more like a physical gnawing in my stomach. I guess maybe I was hoping I'd find out that there was some food that just happened to taste just like bread :p

[sfdreams]

I found that after a month or two I really started craving breads and crackers, too. I got a dehydrator and have made flax crackers and onion bread, which has seemed to alleviate my cravings. They don't taste exactly like breads (no wheat or yeast). Not sure if it would work for you, but you might think about getting a dehydrator. It sounds like you are in this for the long haul like me (I had health issues as well) and the dehydrator would be an investment in you.

You might check out the HFS to see if they have any commercially packaged raw breads and crackers. My friend in the SF Bay area sent me some for my birthday (before I got the dehydrator) but not sure where she got them.

Good luck!!

[Stina]

An alternative to the green smoothies to quench the cravings is green lemonade. I do these almost daily. I juice greens, a whole lemon, peel and all, and one to three apples, maybe celery and/or cucumber. I've recently found I feel especially good if I mix and match on the greens, meaning about three different greens in one juicing. Today it was a bit of cilanto, parsley and Swiss chard. I'm really getting those greens in with this method and feel so good and my body is so invigorated that it's cut down on my craving for coffee.

You know, if you've been eating bread products for years, the "paper mache" lining, the mucoid plaque is coming loose now, and your soiled intestines keeps the cravings alive. Colon hydrotherapy or enemas would do wonders to kill off cravings like that.

[GoingtoRAW]

I've been raw for a little over a month now, and all of a sudden I've been getting these intense cravings for carbohydrates, especially bread. They're so bad that I end up eating everything in sight trying to satisfy the craving, and unfortunately, I still want the bread after and then I just feel guilty for eating so much food. I've read about green smoothies helping, but for some reason, I seem to be one of the few people that can't stand them. Any suggestions before I devour everything in my kitchen??

agumble, I know about those bread cravings! I love bread so much that I would take 1 piece of good bread over a mountain of fine chocolate, raw or otherwise. I have been transitioning to 100% and the thing that has absolutely changed things for me is green smoothies. I was having such horrible cravings and giving in to them that I felt like I would never be able to completly make the transition. I have only been drinking the smoothies for close to 3 weeks and I must say that within the first 3 days my cravings for all the things that I needed to rid myself of had diminished greatly.

If you want to give the smoothies another try you may need to experiment with different fruits and veggies to find some that you can tolerate. I had been drinking smoothies when I first started this journey over a year ago and I could only last for about 2 weeks because I kept using the same ingredients and I just could not tolerate them beyond that. This time I do a fruit only smoothie in the morning and in the evening I do a smoothie with greens and fruit. I love them and drinking them has changed everything for me. I don't go crazy over bread anymore. My cravings for sugary foods are gone and even my desire to graze all day is gone. I actually crave smoothies now! It might be worth another try.:D

[agumble]

Okay, I'll bite. Maybe I need to give the green smoothies another chance. Any ideas for some "mild" smoothies to help me transition into them? I have bananas, apples, oranges, and pears in my refrigerator for fruits right now, and spinach and Romaine lettuce for greens. Is there a combo of any of those that might be good? Or could I use almond milk as a base to help it out?

[Hannah]

Agumble - thank you SO much for sharing your experience. You reminded me of something. I too have been having crazing carbohydrate cravings lately (I'd take good bread, or pasta, or a sandwich made of good bread over other delectables any day, but being raw ...) and I've actually been feeling temptation for the first time since going 100% (September 30). I also had mega cravings after about a month on raw, and during that time I told myself it was a good thing because it meant that my body was releasing the carb. remnants that were stored in my body (I used to eat a lot of bread and pasta). I do believe that is what is happening for me - thank you for posting this so that I could remember that.

In the first round of cravings, I bought a dehydrator and the cravings passed before I even made my first batch of onion bread. My plan this round of cravings is to eat more green smoothies (many raw fooders say they nip cravings in the bud) and also to make an abundance of onion bread so that I can have it whenever. I agree with sfdreams, if you are in this for the long haul, I a dehydrator is a great investment. As for making green smoothies palatable ... I think part of that is texture and making sure they are very well blended. It is also good to use flavors that tantalize your taste buds already - I've found the greens flavor to be a bit more subtle with sweet fruits (I tend to add about a bunch or so, maybe a little less sometimes for a little bit more than a quart of green smoothie). Maybe you could even start with fewer greens and work your way up.

My recommendation for the ingredients you have on hand is as follows: Freeze 2 bananas, blend them with one whole orange (minus the skin), and then add as much spinach as you can, while still enjoying the flavor (the orange and banana alone remind me of orange sherbert) - enjoy in a wine glass or other fancy goblet and voila a beautiful experience with gs. HTH!:D

[Smileen]

I absolutely second the idea of starting with fewer greens...in fact WAY fewer greens. I am on my third time of starting over with green smoothies. I put way too many greens in mine and the detoxification was too intense. I believe GS are powerful tools but some of us who may be more toxic need to build up slowly. If you put all fruit and just a leaf of green for starters, that should hopefully do the trick as far as flavor. I believe strongly that they are an amazing health tool, but I have had to back track and will build up very slowly. Good luck to you!

[Carlsbad]

For green smoothies I throw in a whole lot of greens, but of just one kind each time (i.e., spinach or romaine, not both), at least 2 bananas, some mango or peach or other very sweet fruit (pear would work too, but it makes it kind of grainy). I often add fresh apple juice. I like that better than the whole apple for some reason, texture I think. Anyway, the point is to put enough sweet fruits in there to completely drown out the taste of the greens. You can add honey or agave too if you want, and pineapple is a good thing to add (I buy it frozen w/out sugar). Keep trying with the green smoothies until you find a mixture that you love. And definitely drink it through a straw; it tastes even better that way. GS are amazing. You'll still have occasional cravings, but they really help. Also, make sure you're eating enough. I get cravings when I have been eating too lightly. Even before the hunger hits I get the craving, so now I go straight for something heavier, like an avocado or some nuts.

[ShelShel]

Call me crazy, but when I'm craving carbs...only something heavy will do. That means raw brownies, or mixed nuts with dried fruits add a pinch of sea salt...you get that sweet and salty thing going. Then there are always the breads and crackers from the dehydrator...If I'm craving a heavy carb I need something raw that gives that same sensation. Very heavy...full feeling. :rolleyes:

Or my recent fav is to take some of Alissa's raw wheat crackers spread them with raw almond butter...top with raspberries...and add the second cracker. There is something about any version of a PB & J that just hits the spot! :p If you want it to be really sweet and wonderful add some agave!

After I've felt that really full feeling, my cravings usually subside and I'm hoping for something light and refreshing. It's a balancing act really. Some days you want heavy, some you crave light...it's what you want...so eat it...just make sure it's raw! :D Good Luck! Raw (((HUGS)))

[Vivafree2]

I fully agree- i was there - my smoothies need to be tasty and creamy so the transition is not a punishment but slow change of habit and taste. I started too fast and ended up craving SAD food i never liked before anyway. What works for me : make your smoothie less green - put more tomatoes or carrots and avocadoes or stop for a while and eat more things like nut patte or prepare good rawioli - something what reminds you more sad food. I failed because of the previous cravings. I especially developed strong aversion to cilantro, chard and watercress. Be good to yourself - raw is a pleasant and healthy food - not a punishment and struggle with you tastebuds and will.
I felt awful eating sad food - the key is to be gentle and bring variety of food to your menu and at least one green smoothie a day:)