No more food to hide sadness and unpleasant feelings...??

[Veggie73]

Hello guys,

I am trying to stay 30 days 100% raw. This is my 15th day in my 30 days raw challenge!!

The first days were very easy, but today I am having a lot of cravings, I am a bit sad because of some personnal issues this week-end and I think I have lost some of my motivation.

I was really surprised last week about how easy that was being for me, I was happy and full of energy. But today, I think because of my sadness, I have lost interest.

Actually, I used to eat a lot of food to "cover" my uncomfortable feelings... that is something that I have done for my whole life. If I was sad, lonely, confused, stressed, insecure... I used to eat comfort foods and I just forgot about the problems and feelings (for a limited time of course).
Since I am on raw food, I can not do that any more. No more addictions, no more hiding places for unpleasant feelings or thoughts...

I think this is being the hardest part for me. Nude in front of my own feelings and thoughts, no more possibilities to pretend I am not feeling that any more.

Food and the very important emotional addiction... that is the hardest part for me.

I think that raw food, even when it is being hard at the beginning, is showing things clearer and "nude".

Did anyone of you have the same perception?
How did you manage that?

Thanks for being so kind and supportive,

Veggie73

[SandraDee]

I too am one to use food to hide feelings... usually feelings of frustration, anger & boredom. I've been eating raw since sometime early in February, and my emotions have been all over the place. I get frustrated thinking that I'm not losing weight fast enough... but the truth of the matter is: and something that I keep telling myself: is that I am losing weight... and that if I just go back to my old diet I won't be getting anywhere positive... that's for sure.

For me... whenever I get frustrated and feel like giving up... I just keep going. You just have to get thru the moment. Really keep focused on what you are trying to achieve here. And if it really gets frustrating... then stick a tablespoon in the honey jar and eat a couple lol!!

I found the first week very pleasant... I felt very relaxed and positive. Then I started feeling anxiety, etc. But I really think thats just the toxins being flushed out of your system. Unfortunately, in order to get them out they have to re-enter your blood stream... which makes the old cravings resurface. But you CAN get thru it... just keep plugging ahead.

One of the things that someone once said to me (thanks Miss Linda lol) is this: "what's the worst thing that will happen to you if you don't eat SAD food"??? That really resonated with me.

I wish you the VERY best for your journey. You've come a long way... and nothing but a bright future ahead. Something brought you to this place in your life... in your heart you know this will bring you happiness and freedom from pain... is it not worth it to continue and see how far it can take you??

Peace...
Sandra

[SandraDee]

oh I should also mention that I purposely do NOT enter any thread who's subject line reads in a completely discouraging way... b/c I am one who tends to absorbe negativity... so by avoiding them... I avoid negativity towards RAW and my goals in life.

[oai]

Congratulations on your 15 days! You go girl! http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii81/outsideanimage/pulpfictionsmiley.gif

Yes. I've realized the same thing -- using food to comfort me. Maybe deep inside I had always known it, but I've accepted it now. So now I know it will help me find other things to comfort me or create ways to deal with whatever it that seems difficult for me at the moment.http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii81/outsideanimage/scratchhead.gif

[tvillemom]

I'm in the same boat. I'm detoxing and having some serious mood swings. I know this is detox, and my moodiness has hit, and I'm not binging to repress those feelings, I'm just "riding the wave". Hang in there.

[theresaann]

I've been raw on and off for 17 years and never could stay raw longer than 8 weeks because of emotional stuff, but the last year and a half I've been using a really powerful forgiveness technique that has cleared my subconscious enough, plus being vegan for 4 months, that I'm transitioning so easily this time!

What I've found in all this time is just like detoxing our physical cells, we have to detox our "subconscious" of the beliefs that say we are not good enough. Self forgiveness, forgiving ourselves for making up the beliefs of unworthiness in the first place, really works! Thats why manifesting doesn't really work unless we clear these beliefs first, because these subconscious beliefs keep manifesting the mirrors of them-which is what we don't want.

check out forgiveandawaken.com for more info on this. Yes, its my website, but this technique was channeled through me, it's not mine-it's from Spirit-and it works!! :p

[Carlsbad]

I went through that too. I had always stuffed my face and blurred my senses with food and alcohol to drown my emotions. And transitioning away from that has been the hardest part of going raw for me. I would be 100% raw for a month, then hit a mood swing and binge on SAD for a meal (or three) and then be 100% for a month, repeat, etc. I feel like I'm finally out of that pattern now. Here are the only things that have worked for me:

1. Ride it out. It sounds simple (and sucky), but actually, if you just get through whatever it is and stay raw, it ends up being much much smaller of a deal/issue than you thought. And once you're on the other side without having caved to SAD, the episodes/mood swings become fewer and farther between. Honestly, it is identical to physical detox, it's just emotional. If you can ride it out and stay raw, it will decrease and decrease pretty quickly.

2. Consistent exercise. I made a commitment to exercising in February, and it made all the difference. I was just trying to rev up my metabolism, and the effect on my emotional stuff was a big bonus that I definitely wasn't expecting.

3. If you want to speed through some of this detox, try upping your juice intake (or even doing a juice fast/feast for a day or more). Also, doing an enema can really be helpful. I was kind of terrified of them, but then I tried it and it's easy and kind of cool. And it definitely helps get some of those toxins out of you.

I know none of those are the easy pop-a-pill solution you may have been hoping for (I wish I could say just eat XX every morning and it would go away!), but they do actually work. Stick with it, and you'll be SO glad you did!

[Betsy]

Me too. So don't feel bad.

Facing this stuff is alot of work. Part of the detox process, though.

It's really a huge step that you can recognize this, and that you are asking questions as to how to deal with it.

Do keep up the good work and try hard not to worry too much about it. This too, shall pass.

[Veggie73]

Hello folks,

thank you very much for your understanding and support. It has been really important for me.

Many thanks!

Veggie73

[Raspberry4]

Thanks for all the great ideas everyone. I have always stuffed myself when I am upset, or whatever, in order to find comfort and to stuff down those 'bad' feelings. I have to work at it alot. But it helps me to realize that feeling those feelings can be ok and just 'ride the wave', and stuffing myself to avoid those bad feelings do not really work. I get other bad feelings from stuffing myself AND it is like I am punishing myself. I do not deserve to be punished; but rather, nurture myself with good thoughts and good action (including no SAD food!).

[shashibala]

I completely understand how you feel! I was a compulsive eater and I used food to dull my feelings of sadness, loss, and disappointment. I felt feelings from years before. I found myself re-mourning the death of my father and even the break up of my marriage when I first went raw. I think I didn't feel those feelings completely at the time because I was numbing my emotions with food and denial. It wasn't easy, but it is so worth it! Without those old foods to dull my mind, I am becoming clear about so many things! I was always in a fog before. If you need to, eat lots of raw foods. At first don't worry about eating too much fat, nuts, chocolate, or what ever you need as long as it is raw.
I found that warm miso soup was comforting to me when my emotions were intense. Find what comforts you and keeps you raw. Best wishes!! Don't give up!!!

[Eva]

Veggie... I'm wondering how you are doing with your emotions at this point.

One thing I do (which is easy for me since I work from home) is when I get really frustrated or stressed or whatever, I take 5 minutes on the rebounder and bounce away. It's so great! It only takes 5 minutes, I get a touch of exercise, it's fun, etc.

If it's just job stress, this usually leaves me ready to face it again. It doesn't make other emotions go away, but it's a nice healthy break from them.

[Snoozy]

I've always done the same with eating and in reading all the other posts, they pretty much sum up what I would have told you. So instead, I'm going to tell you a story of something that happened in my 2nd or 3rd week raw.

First, I told my dh when I started this that I would be emotional and it might get difficult for the first few weeks while I was detoxing. Trying to be supportive, he said "no problem, I can handle it". No offence to the men out there, but honestly, they (or most, including my dh) really have no idea how to handle women with mood swings. So one day I was being extra crabby and we got into a fight. I was yelling and wanted to cry afterwards (not my norm so I know it was the detox). He left slamming the door and was gone an hour or so to cool off. Here's were the AMAZING thing happened, I didn't even think about binge eating! When he came back I was so excited and I told him "do you know what I would have done last month if we had a fight like this? I would have grabbed that box of cookies in the cupboard and eaten them ALL."

I was so excited that even though I was on an emotional roller coaster, I listened to my body and for the first time in my life, I didn't feel the need to use SAD food to comfort me. I'm in my 5th week now and I rarely have those emotional peaks. It feels good.

One more thought for you, just remember...if you do give in and eat SAD food to get you through your detox stage, when you go back to raw, you will just need to detox all over again! YUK! :rolleyes:

[Pitaya]

Hi Veggie,
Thanks for being so candid and "raw" with your emotion here: you explained things very well! Please try to remember your body is in detox mode, and so may make you feel fatigued and emotional in addition to letting go of the food cover-up that I can soooooo relate to. I experienced this 2 weeks into it too, and I just started crying for no reason! I had little bursts like this throughout the week and reminded myself always to just GO WITH WHATEVER MY BODY WANTS ME TO......crying releasing letting go. I feel so much better now, and still keep this vow.

About the cravings, don't go with those..LOL! Understand that as your body rids the toxins cravings come along with the process because it's easier to just take in the toxic substance again rather than go through the detox, right? Many foods have harmful and addictive substances, so your body is just doing its best at getting rid of it all. Remember once it's gone, you forget about the food altogether. Actually I now feel strong enough to walk around the bakery and cooked food bars in the supermarket just to see what I used to eat for learning purposes ~ but I am no longer tempted!

You'll get there, just keep at it!!!
(if you put the substance of the craving back in, you have to start all over.......having said that, we all backslip so just get back in the saddle so to speak!)

best of luck ;)

[chilove]

Hi Veggie,

COngratualtions on discovering raw and on doing so well!!! That is awesome.

You are also very correct. What you've describe is exactly reason why we all eat for emotional reasons: an inability/unwillingness/fear of simply being present with and sitting with our less than positive emotions when they arise. If you can master this, you can truly master anything!!!!

Keep working on it! It does get easier with practice the more you do it. There is nothing to fear. Your soul/psyche/unconscious etc... won't ever give you more than you can handle at once to deal with and your emotions will even out and balance more the longer you accept and feel them and the longer you are raw and the cleaner and healthier you become.

You are on the right track! Keep it up!!

Many blessings,

Audrey
www.rawhealing.com

[Betsy]

When we don't have that SAD food to stuff down our bad feelings with, it is then so much harder detoxing the stuff because we feel twice as worse as the original feelings were to begin with. It's strange, but lately my feelings have been creeping up in the form of bad dreams at night and in a way that's good, because I can't just get up and eat SAD like I could easliy get up and eat SAD if I were awake. The down side is that I need to sleep more, and feel groggy from detox double time during the waking hours.