Transition or Immediate Leap?

[healinglisa]

Hi there everyone,

My name is Lisa, from London UK, and i'm new to posting here (you can read a little about me in the 'Who Are You' section, i posted yesterday). I am wondering how many people here went 'cold turkey' as it were into raw living, without any transition period? How did you find that and what are your experiences of entering into this lifestyle in this way? I wonder because i am someone who struggles with compulsive binge eating at present (which is impacting upon all areas of my life in an adverse way) and have read that for people with such issues it is better just to jump right in to a 100% raw diet with no doors open for cooked food as it were (not even 1%, according to Victoria Boutenko). Hmmmmm. One trap i just don't want to fall into with this change of lifestyle is obsession. There are so many peeps who are clearly using raw-eating as a cover for underlying eating-disorder issues, and that just doesn't help anything as the root of the problem is still there, festering and waiting to erupt. I wish to enter into this as an aid to free myself from addiction and begin healing my body which i have really put through the mill these last years from alot of food abuse. I'm diverging a bit from my main question, sorry, but its all interlinked i guess...

Your responses would be much appreciated!

Lisa

[Frugal Raw]

I initially jumped in at 100%. Since then I have waivered a few times, but always find my way back to 100%. I did go through a bit of detoxing in the beginning, but it was not too bad - mild flu-like symptoms and lots of sleeping. I was already vegan, tho, and had also been through an Ayurvedic 6-week cleanse a year or so prior.

I would ask, what is your diet like currently? Are you coming into this from being an omni? lacto/ovo veg? vegan? I think that will have a strong impact on how well your body can handle jumping in "cold turkey."

I prefer 100% because it's easier for me to stay on track than if I were to try to eyeball cooked percentages...

[justinesmith]

I agree that 100% can be easier ~ as soon as I "allow" myself some cooked food it tends to be a downward spiral. If I play the mind games of percentages my percentage of cooked just gets bigger and bigger. Cooked food is addictive just like any other addictive substance. You need to do what is best for you and your body though.... good luck on your journey ~ hope to hear more about it! :D

[ShelShel]

Lisa,
I merged into it until I was about 70% then went all the way. Now I have rare times when I will chose to eat something cooked (for whatever reason), but I always return to raw. :p

Also, I hear what you are saying about overeating. It's a bummer...I suffer from this as well. But I can say from my own personal experience...raw helps.
I let myself eat anything as long as it's raw. I eat until I'm full. Sometimes this takes more food than other times. However...when I do have those rare moments...eating cooked...I don't have to really limit myself anymore because I fill up really fast. After you have been raw for a while...cooked food settles really heavy...really fast on your stomach. You just can't consume as much of it.

I'm used to my food filling me, but being able to function when I'm raw. After cooked...I'm extremely tired and I know my body is doing all it can to digest the meal. I may enjoy the moment when I'm consuming the cooked food, but I never feel better for having had it.

This lifestyle isn't an obsession because we insist on BEING RAW at all costs. :) It's a lifestyle because when we eat this way, we can see such a change in our bodies...and the way we function and feel about ourselves...that it's worth it.

Last night I splurged and had one cooked meal this week. I fell asleep for the night after it. :rolleyes: Where I could have normally stayed up and watched a movie with my hubby. Physically...I just couldn't. Although I enjoyed the food...I didn't enjoy it enough to feel that way day after day.

This morning as I ate a salad, I was talking with my husband on the phone...and he made the remark, "You know, you never seem as satisfied with your food when it isn't raw. I never here you make those yummy sounds when you are eating cooked food." ;) And it's the truth. I really just love raw foods!

If you have a hard time controling what you eat...try raw. The worst that can happen is that you consume a ton of healthy food...instead of the unhealthy.

[Ingenue]

There's a pretty strong rule of thumb that says if you don't currently have any binge eating issues that you can be trusted with a transition period. IF you are currently over-eating, eating through your emotions, etc., then you should go 100% and not look back. The reason? Raw actually can heal food addictions, but like Justine said, cooked food is extrememly addictive. It is better for an addict to close the door completely on the substance in question than to keep feeding the addiction and never be free of it.

Green smoothies will def help the detox (and so easy to make!) but do yourself a favor and go for it.

Best of luck!

[Rawkinlocs]

Yes, Alissa recommends in her book and when she's coached people that it's easier to just go 100% for it! As it was mentioned, when you leave the "window" open to cooked food then there's always that possibility of totally relapsing to full-blown cooked food eating. If you do not currently have it, I highly recommend getting a copy of Living on Live Food as it covers this topic and SO much more and will inspire you to stick with it.

[amyambro1]

I went 100% right away. Have been for 6 months. But I did the master cleanse a month before and that really helped to keep away any detox symptoms. If you are worried about a heavy detox, I would recommend doing the MC. It really helps a lot!! As far as being obsessive, as long as you are aware of the fact that you can be obsessive and stay on top of it, don't give yourself a hard time about it. For me, the longer I do raw, the further away the old obsession with food seems to be.

[Carlsbad]

I went from a diet of pretty much 100% meat, cheese, and potatoes (and most of it fried) to a vegetarian diet after doing the Master Cleanse. I didn't intend to do that, I just lost my taste for meat after the cleanse. As a vegetarian, I was still eating a lot of heavy dairy and fried foods. After about a month of vegetarian eating, I switched cold turkey to 100% raw foods. After about three months raw, I fell into a binge cycle with cooked food that lasted about 5 weeks. I would eat raw, then seriously binge on super junk food, feel awful, go back to raw, binge again, etc. Then I got back to 100% raw and have been eating all raw again for almost a month. The weird binge cycle was upsetting, but I think it was the last gasp of my food addiction, since cooked food doesn't appeal to me at all any more.

I like raw for the obvious reasons that I feel amazing and have lost a ton of weight, but I also like it because it frees me from my obsession with food. I used to think about food all the time, and gorge myself on junk all while feeling miserable. With raw, I naturally eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full. I delight in my food instead of obsessing about food. My advice would be to try 100% for a month and see what you think. If you feel yourself falling into dangerous patterns, then you may need to reevaluate. But I know a lot of people have healed from very destructive eating habits and addictions with raw food, me included. Good luck!

[sport]

I went 100%
I think that if you have to make a decision at a particular time then you may make the wrong one. If there is no decision to make and you know that you are raw then it will be a case of which raw meal to have.
I found it much easier.

[Ingenue]

Carlsbad I loved your honesty in that post because I can totally relate to the binging cycles. I also really appreciate how you've put it into terms of being the last gasp of your cooked food dependency. I'm in AA and when someone comes in who doesn't think that they have a drinking problem a more sober member will suggest that they try some more "controlled" drinking, to see how that works out. The logic here is that it takes what it takes for a person to be able to reach a conscious state of realizing the addiction. The addict mind loves to tell you that you're not an addict! Cooked food for me is very much the same, I try to eat controlled amounts because I convince myself it's not a problem, and then I go on a total bread bender! But all of those slips helped me come fully into Raw.

Nice post!

Muah*

[DavidZaneMason]

My experience:

-I had to be very HONEST with myself. I had been used to a very 'poor' diet for most of my life. I did not expect to make those PERMANENT changes quickly. So I set small goals and gave myself a generous time frame of 2 years. 1 year to become a vegetarian...and the next year to become fully fresh! Ha! ha! I beat my initial goal by setting VERY SMALL goals. I completed my transition in about 1.5 years. After that, even little bits of crap would upset my system....and I would feel sick. I have never been anything less than motivated....even with transition periods where I had 'plateaued'....you know?

-David Z. Mason

[healinglisa]

These are all really helpful responses, thank you everyone! I am coming to realise that it would be best for me just to jump right in. I have real issues with perfectionism, and i can certainly see this at work here because even in planning to adopt raw living my mind is telling me that i 'should' go into it as perfectly as possible. This means giving myself time to make small changes, bit by bit until my body is fully acclimatised and ready for an exclusively living-food diet. Thats the most advised and perhaps healthiest route i guess, but i also have to appreciate that my state of mind is very much operating on an all-or-nothing level (one of the factors behind my binge-eating disorder - i happen to feel inwardly uncomfortable and insecure about something and then an intended 'normal' mealtime turns into a gorging, to the point of feeling ill, all for the sake of avoiding the emotion that arose). It's like i want to be a text-book perfect example of someone who has turned raw, but things just don't work that way! I realise that this whole experience is about being honest and real with oneself also, and that starts with seeing where you're at in this moment, chucking out unrealistic expectations and doing what is best for you! It's time for me to start taking this advice...

Blessings to everyone :)

Lisa

[StarFire]

blessings on your journey lisa... you'll do fine - PLUS... this is an amazing forum for support! I jumped in with both feet in April 2007 - had cooked a time or two here and there - but overall... my love is RAW FOODS! my body feels better on it -- mentally I'm clearer and happier eating raw .... :D ... I just love this lifestyle....
but at the same time -- if I do happen to eat something cooked - I don't freak out - or get stressed... and frankly - I cannot say I 'accidentally' ate this or that.... cuz well - if I eat something cooked it's because I made the decision to eat it - plain an simple. That doesnt mean I 'screwed up' or 'blew it' ... it simply means - I ate one thing - or one meal that wasn't raw -- no big deal cuz I know where my love lies and I'll be right back enjoying my rawmacious foods again. ;)

so -- all that to say - remember to be kind and loving to yourself - be patient with yourself... and remember that this is a journey - no one walks on water here.... we all just try hard, love this food and support each other the best we can!! It's great to have you joining us :D !!!

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s43/FireStar_830/smiley_huggrouphuggle.gif ... we're doin it together!! RAWK on!!

[northernstars]

You expressed exactly how I feel! When I eat any cooked foods, it is definitely intentional and I almost always enjoy every bite. My heart does lie in the raw foods and I do feel so much better, but sometimes I want or choose to eat something cooked! Also, I haven't eaten sugar or processed foods in many years so I don't miss those either.

I also realize that it was the cooked foods, especially the meat and dairy that caused me to gain the weight and contributed much to the weight gain and the sleep apnea that caused my stroke! So, I do not have a difficult time avoiding either of those foods! It is awfully hard to intentionally eat something that almost killed me! Don't want anything to do with them any more!

[VeroP]

My daughter and I were vegan and we went 100% raw one afternoon almost 9 months ago. My daughter has chosen to eat about 3 cooked meals in that time and felt ill after each one.

I enter into things passionately, so I did have a friend tell me that I seemed obsessive about the diet. With her, I basically stopped talking about it unless she brings it up (we mainly talk about her new boyfriend and work now). I tend to be strict with myself and satisfy any cravings with something raw.

Going 100% makes many things easy - do I get popcorn at this visit to the movies - no, it's not raw. Need a meal, pack an apple. My only fears come from going somewhere when I think raw options might not be available - then I pack 3 apples!

[RawHeaven]

Dear Lisa,

I LOVE Food! I love Raw Foods even more now.

It’s a such a different feeling however. My previous love of cooked food was completely emotionally driven and trying to fill myself up with love, acceptance and who knows what else. My love of Raw foods is equal to my love of being on this planet and loving myself unconditionally. There is no longer a need to fill up anything anymore, not any part of myself. I appreciate food for what it is now, nourishment to help sustain my life. I will stay away from my personal spiritual beliefs in respect to the posting rules, but it is a huge factor in why I also eat Raw foods now. I simply feel who I am even more and it expands daily. The more I tune into this power, the more effortless inspiration I receive to remain Raw. It becomes easier every day.

What helped me kick the cooked addiction habit was FASTING and then eating 100% raw foods. Fasting really helped me get in touch with my dysfunctional relationship with food. I realized I did not need to eat as much as I had been. My energy levels soared during my fast and when I came off of a very long one, I had no desire to eat junk ever again. I only wanted living foods; my body craved them. I rarely would touch a sweet or cooked anything after this experience. That’s not to say that I haven’t relapsed as I have. It’s really hard to explain but I know I reset my system completely and I’m still cleansing every now and again, and of course green smoothies and eating raw provide even more detoxification.

I initially jumped in 100% raw after a long master cleanse (2, 30 day'ers) 6 months ago. I was able to remain 100% for 6 months. I’ve bounced back and forth the past few weeks. Working my way up from 70, 80, 90% to 95%...where I am right now. But I tell you, each and every time I have cooked food it’s always a disappointment taste wise and I regret it voraciously every single time I do this. You know that famous definition of Insanity, haha, doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results? I’m finally starting to get it… no matter how much my brain remembers the ‘good feelings’ associated with a certain former binge food, it doesn’t change a thing when it’s in my system now. It’s always the same awful outcome, feeling quite physically ill and this is usually followed up with an immediate monster headache. I feel cooked food going GADUNK GADUNK in my stomach and through my colon now. I can literally feel my body having a very difficult time digesting these types of foods and that’s enough of a statement for me to continue with the Raw Food Lifestyle 100%.

So I’ve taken both routes…gradually transitioning and plunging in with both feet. Both have worked for me and I think it’s a personal choice, even though it’s probably better to simply go for it 100%. In regards to food addictions I believe the most effective way to really look at this for yourself is to first acknowledge you have the addiction and then go on a fast if your body and mind permits. Fasting really works and you will feel great and so you will your body!

Best wishes to you.

[WannaBraw]

Being a compulsive over eater it is best if I go raw all the way 100% jump right in. Every time i told myself I would increase my raw intake it always ended with me increasing my cooked food intake.

Raw food works for me. My only problem is if I dabble in even the slightest amount of cooked, then my down ward spiral begins. I know that I am addicted to cooked foods. It is my drug of choice and I now consciously chose to walk away from cooked foods. My goal is radiant health and the only means that will give me radiant health is to eat nothing but raw and living foods for life.

[tanishamarshall]

I would say that you have to choose what works best for you, some can ease there way into Raw Foods and some can't. For me, I kind of jumped right in and started drinking a lot of green smoothies and then a couple weeks later started slipping on cooked, but I was always forced to go back to raw because I would feel so bad after eating cooked foods. I think for me it's easy to be raw because my body instanly rejects the cooked food, I instantly start having the problems I use to have before raw not to long after eating cooked foods.

I'd say if you're going 100% be sure to always have a couple raw dishes made and available and if your traveling you might want to buy a travel blender and be sure to have lots of dehydrated foods and of course fruit. I say dehydrated because it's heavier and will help keep you away from the heavy cooked foods when you're not at home.

I know that whatever you choose can work as long as you don't give up.

[lafsalot]

Because of my addiction to SAD foods, I leaped right in - it was so much easier to maintain, and went through detox in one fell swoop ~ Cathy

[healinglisa]

Woooooooooow!! Maybe peeps will feel that i'm exaggerating but i'm just really grateful for all these replies!!! I'm new to this whole posting and belonging to an online community so just seeing how many of you actually take the time to give me advice is really special. Seriously. Crystalzgoneraw- fasting is a wonderful practice and i have been on extended juice fasts several times- each time ending immediately in bingeing. I entered into it everytime telling myself of the cleansing benefits and oppurtunity to break the bondage to emotional eating, and, sure, each time i did cleanse somewhat and experience freedom but it also very subconciously strengthened my eating disorder because i swung in one fell swoop from bingeing to no food intake overnight with no transition whatsoever- that simply isn't healthy on any level. I would like to incorporate fasting in my life, but only when i know in total honesty that my motives and inner strength are sound. Hmmmm.

I feel so excited and yet so scared to jump into raw-living because even though this eating disorder causes me much pain, it is what i am used to- it has been my only way of coping with life for as long as i can remember. I guess thats the trap of addiction- you know what you're choosing is detrimental but you cant stop so easily. Boy, this whole thing called 'life' is quite something eh?

Anyways, my food processor arrived in all its baby-blue-cuisinart splendour this afternoon. I really have no excuse not to get started anymore...

Thanks again for the comments!

[healinglisa]

Just to let everyone know that i've began my journey! On Thursday evening i prepared myself a little ceremony of prayer and anointing (yep, i was my own priestess!) to align myself inwardly with what i am trying to achieve through this decision- namely inner freedom to begin living my life! This whole thing is not only about changing my relationship to food, it's really for me about trusting in an internal core of myself that can accomplish anything- including healing, if i wish. We can all do this!

Wishing everyone encouragement on this grey and cold London Saturday :)

Lisa

[Little Mango]

I went completely raw straight away. I was desperate to get well from chronic disease. It was not the best descision I made as for a whole year my raw journey was based on fear that I dont want to get sick again rather than a journey toward better health.