frustrated and just need to vent

[lori ann]

Hello,

I started coming to this website over a year ago. I love the information I get and the support. I have Alissa's book and DVD(both wonderful) also so other books, tools like dehydrator, food processor, etc.. I know why it is best to do this life style and want to do it!

Daily-I usually juice-2 9oz green smoothies, salad, fruits and vegtables and among other things (other recipes-nuts-etc..) Anyways, I am so frustrated because I keep trying to do this and fall in to temptation-like chips, candy, pizza, bread etc.. I know it is best to go 100% and I have not been able to.
Where I get the temptations at are at work and the weekends going out or whatever. I keep telling myself tommorw-next week-next month it is never ending and driving me crazy. I wish I could just do it. How do you guys do it? Any suggestions?? Also thanks for listening.

[rawmonger]

I was stuck in a similar rut for awhile. When I finally got tired of being sick and tired, I went 100% again.

The difference this time is that I DON'T have it in the back of my head that I will be dabbling in cooked food again sometime in the near future. I've backslid enough times over the last 3 years to know that that way lies chronic illness.

This time I really am treating myself as an addict, who knows that "just one bite" will inevitably send me spiraling back to eating more and more cooked food (with all the attendent rationalizing headgames) and then illness. I know this sounds extreme, but the more casual, socially-acceptable approach ultimately proved ineffective for me.

[ShelShel]

This is of course my personal opinion :rolleyes:, but let me say , this is a journey. Instead of trying to be 100%, why not take every meal and say I'm going to do my very best to eat raw this meal. Take breakfast and eat raw, take lunch and chose something raw. If for some reason dinner ends up cooked or perhaps the weekend you slip when with family, just count all those times you chose raw and be proud of your accomplishments. Raw isn't suppose to be torture, but enjoyment.
Every meal you chose consecutively will turn into habit which will just become normal eating for you. Eventually as you eliminate one meal at a time cooked and choosing raw you become 100% without really working at it.
This is just my suggestion...don't be so hard on yourself. As you try, you will succeed just give your body the chance to adapt. You are doing just great! (((HUGS)))

[chilove]

Well, what you are experiencing could be due to a variety of factors. Maybe it would be helpful for you to observe your feelings and thoughts carefully when it happens a few times and try to see some patterns. That will help you narrow down what might be causing you to give in to temptation.

For MOST people (not all) the main reason why temptations gets the best of us is that it extremely difficult for us to be willing to be in the moment when we experience uncomfortable and unpleasant feelings (could be anything, but usually is stress, sadness and for women especially, unexpressed anger and resentment) and that causes us to want to eat (or shop, or drink, or smoke, or gamble....) to push away and avoid feeling those emotions. Food becomes our comfort and it is VERY hard to give up our old favorite comfort foods (but pretty easy to develop new associations with raw comfort food after a little while).

Another issue is that cooked food and especially any processed and junk foods (particulary fast food restaurant food) and grains are HIGHLY ADDICTIVE. The more you give in to them, the more you will crave them. It is a horrible cycle that is hard to get out of unless you just stop. :-)

Don't worry. YOU CAN DO THIS. If you are motivated enough and you are willing to change your life somewhat (make time for shopping and preparing, take proactive steps to minimize stress, stay away from restaurants for a while, etc...). Many, many people have gone raw successfully and believe me, if I can do it, ANYONE can. I was the most food addicted, junk food (although vegan for 13 years, go figure) eating excessive compulsive overeater I've ever met! :-)

RAW WORKS!!! You can do it!!!!

Blessings,

Audrey
www.rawhealing.com

[Bodhi]

It is wonderful to shoot for 100% raw, but 75% raw is better than 100% SAD diet. Don't sweat it if you don't make it 100% every day. Don't think it has to be all or nothing.

[lori ann]

Hey everyone,

Thanks for all the support and great advise:)

[maui_butterfly]

(1) take it one day at a time. this is classic 12-step addiction advice. you only need to eat raw today. give yourself a pep talk in the mirror in the morning when you're brushing your teeth. "who knows what tomorrow may bring, i don't even care, i may throw myself a donut party, but by god TODAY i will eat all raw". if you are dying for some chips, bread, pizza, whatever, promise yourself you can have it tomorrow if you still want it.

when i did this, i could almost hear that little rebellious kid in me saying "i'll show her, i'm going to have a bean burrito for BREAKFAST tomorrow! she thinks she's so smart, and that i'll forget. but a deal is a deal." but you know what? i never wanted whatever-it-was the next day. it was only in the heat of the moment, if i could separate myself from it in that moment, i was fine.

(2) if you ate something you'd rather you hadn't FORGET IT IMMEDIATELY and eat a bite of raw food. don't spend one second focused on the past, do not beat yourself up one whit, do not get frustrated. just take a bite of raw food and become a rawfoodist again and start over right there. don't fall into the "tomorrow trap" where you tell yourself you will start over fresh tomorrow. that leads to binging. start over ON THE SPOT. also, never go to bed without the last bite you take being raw. that way you go to sleep a raw foodist, and you wake up a raw foodist. put a piece of raw food in your mouth the very first thing in the morning.

(3) have raw food on your person at all times. i carry an asian pear in my purse. if i have a craving, and the "you can have it tomorrow" trick is not cutting it, i say "you can have it if you still want it after you eat this asian pear." asian pears are big! they take 5-10 minutes to eat! again, giving yourself that space to separate, breathe, and consider all of your options will help!

(4) make yourself accountable somewhere, like on the 30-day challenge board. log in every day and record all the raw food you ate. ignore the cooked food you ate, just forget it. what we focus on will increase. congratulate yourself on all the fresh raw fruits and vegetables you ate today, pat yourself on the back for that REGARDLESS of the rest.

good luck. there's no doubt in my mind that you can do this. i support you all the way.

[RawSinger]

Hi-

Everyone has given you really good advice. Especially the part about this diet not having to be all or nothing. Yes, of course 100% is the healthiest way to go and that's what Alissa teaches, but why beat up on yourself because you're not 100%. It's better to just say to yourself, "Ok, I'm going to be 90% raw," and do that consistently, then to be 100% raw and feel so guilty for having a slip. I'm not 100% raw right now. However, the people that are, should be very proud of themselves because they're making a very big commitment, and I commend them. But eating raw is a personal journey and don't beat yourself up for every mistake. Just get back on the wagon. I'm not saying that anyone should be on any other diet but raw, but this is why any number of diets fail: because women/men feel guilty and discouraged when they "cheat" and then give up entirely. Can't we just accept that we're human and we can't always be perfect? Don't be discouraged. Just do what's best for you. By the way, make sure you bring a lot of raw food you really love to work and fill up on that. In addition, I was a HUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGEEEE food addict before I became involved with raw food. In addition, the way I like to look at it, instead of me stressing over the two cooked meals I eat a week, I focus on how much better my eating habits are now than they were before. Focus on the positive.

Good luck,


Francesca

[redmountainfarm]

My family are vegan, but not raw. I can smell the food cooking and only being raw a little over 1 week, it makes my mouth water. I am a dead food addict.

So I am going to eat my salad and come on this board for the support I need.

The longest journey starts with the first step, and you can drive cross country in the dark, with head lights only showing what is right ahead of you, but eventually you will get there. I am using this philosophy. I am just concentrating on the moment, and not what I did in the past. One bite at a time.

[lori ann]

Oh my gosh,

You guys are so wonderful. I just got done printing off this thread so I can look at it when I get discouraged. Thanks.

[Hygeia]

(3) have raw food on your person at all times. i carry an asian pear in my purse. if i have a craving, and the "you can have it tomorrow" trick is not cutting it, i say "you can have it if you still want it after you eat this asian pear." asian pears are big! they take 5-10 minutes to eat! again, giving yourself that space to separate, breathe, and consider all of your options will help!


This is a GREAT piece of advice! I am going to start doing this myself.

Lori Ann - you have received a lot of great advice here, you can do it. I have been struggling back and forth with this myself but have chosen not to beat myself up when I eat something I shouldn't.

I do find it easier when I keep myself accountable by blogging or check into the 30 challenge board........do something to keep you mindful of it every day and it will help.

You can do it!!!!!!!!

[Carlsbad]

I'm an all-or-nothing kind of girl, so with me it's either 100% raw or I go to the other extreme of 100% junk food. One thing that has really helped me stay raw with no slip ups is to promise someone else that I will stay 100%. I made a promise to God at the beginning of Lent that I would stay 100% through Lent. I don't know why my promises to myself weren't strong enough, but they weren't. I can't rationalize things away with God! Plus, I know God sees every bite that goes into my mouth, so it has really helped tremendously having that accountability.

Also, make sure you are eating enough, and eating heavy foods, greens, and lots of variety. Lots of times after a cooked food slip up, I would vow to do just juices the next day to clean out my system. But by dinner time I would be starving and I'd revert back to junk. If you're not hungry, you won't turn to SAD food. And I definitely second the idea of carrying plenty of raw food with you wherever you go. A bag of cashews in my purse has saved me on many an occasion!

Most of all, know that we are here for you, and we're pulling for you! Raw is a journey, and you are on your way!!

[vata]

I know what works for me, and that is to have a raw equivalent of what ever tempts me on hand at all times. There are some raw things that I always prefer over anything, like dates. Dates are my all time favorite food, and no matter what I crave, I prefer dates. Or if i'm making my husband pancakes and I feel tempted, I start chowing on bananas. If I can't resist, I might as well indulge in something that's good for me! It might not be healthy to eat raisins all day just to keep from having pizza, but if it gets you to greener pastures, it's worth it, and certainly better than not progressing at all. Keep a little insulated lunchbox of raw goodies on you at all times, and stash dried stuff in the car. I even keep snackies in my purse AND in my coat pockets, so I can munch while waiting in line at the grocery store. Oink!