Should I give it another try?

[HollyGolightly_86]

SURE I'd love to!
- give myself another try with raw food.

As some might remember I had some troubles staying raw a few months ago.. I have an eating disorder (at this stage I'm kind of bulimic... OK, not kind of, I am bulimic), I don't have a dehydrator, nor a blender... only a lousy food processor... I'm leaving for Switzerland for one year in a couple of weeks, to become an au pair, and I don't know how my host family could deal with a raw fooder.. So.. there's some problems to begin with..

My biggest SAD temptations are probably bread and ... yoghurts. Maybe mostly bread.

So, I have been eating pretty much SAD food, of course trying to eat as much as veggies and fruits as possible, but my eating disorders kicks in all too occasionally. And now my conscience has begun to bother me. I would so much like to eat healthy and now stuff myself with all those preservatives and stuff like that.. So.. well. I don't know what to do.

Of course it would be the easiest just to follow the SAD diet.. But with the problems I have with eating.. I dunno. And I don't have the time anymore to get help from a psychiatrist...

What do you guys think? Are you tired of my whining already?

[Peter Parker]

eat what you can raw, work your way up, maybe?

[HollyGolightly_86]

Sure I could just try to eat as much as raw as possible, but I'm the kinda "all-or-nothing" type.. unfortunately..

[flutterfly]

Have you even brought it up to the family about raw? I was a nanny and told them I was raw before I went to another State. They agreed that it was OK and they would supply my food. That lasted about two weeks and they didn't go along with it. I made my mistake by not having it put right in the contract. I know you said you only had two more weeks but there is time for e-mail and to get it on paper. Good luck! How many children will you be caring for?

[HollyGolightly_86]

I have only told them that I'm a vegetarian.. not explaining it too much, because I have been varying with my diet.. sometimes fish and dairy.. then none of them.. then maybe dairy but not fish..

I don't know...

I'l be taking care of two boys: ages five and seven. Seem very cute. :)

[jaurequi]

Are they buying your food and doing the shopping? I think the suggestion to inform them first is wise.

Also, I think it would be more worrisome to be bulimic in a host's home than to be raw. I'm sure you wouldn't want to tell them that; yet, they might figure it out after a while and not be too happy about it.

I say do it soon! Then you can start your new job without that stress on your mind and be feeling good.

Give it a go!

Good luck!

[Peter Parker]

eating fish (consuming any animal product is bad in various ways...

check out this link (http://www.meetyourmeat.com/) How animals are treated in factory farms is not nice. In "community" farms or private farms the animal still dies/gets killed.

[twinyoga]

As long as you don't deny the family and children you're living with the food that they need, I don't see why raw would be a problem. And you don't have to preach being raw, just do it because it makes you feel good. There's nothing wrong with fruit for breakfast, a salad for lunch and something similar for dinner. You could be eating raw and they'd never know it.

But do it for yourself and enjoy it. Don't make an issue about it. Then it won't be an issue to the family. That's my advice.

[tracyinfo]

I know that raw can be as simple as you want it to be. You can decide just to eat salads with all kinds of veggies, fruits of all kind -without preparation, and to soak nuts either in the kitchen or your own bedroom. This could be your easiest at all 100%. (You mentioned you are an all or nothing kind of person.)

I believe that this would be much more simple than going into someone's home and having to deal with your bulimia issue. I understand that it can be very difficult, but, if it pops up in the household, you may have to deal with more problems.

Blessings to you.

[sweetgoddess]

Hi Holly. How exciting for you. You can do anything that you really want to do. I would suggest ordering Alissa's book and dvd to take with you. Everybody I know has ended up watching the dvd or reading the book just from me having it~and upping their rawfood intake. She is so exuberant that once they watched it, I suddenly no longer had to explain what I was doing. It is also a great book for walking you through how to begin raw, how to deal with your mind, other people, how to make raw....full of testemonials and recipes etc.

A lot of us eat raw in the midst of a family that eats cooked...some of us, myself included, even do the cooking. But if you allow them complete freedom in their food choices, they dont have any reason to feel threatened or judgemental. And you can always say, I like to eat very healthy food instead of I'm a raw foodist.

Whatever you do, I wish you the best.

Many blessings to you on your upcoming adventure.

[Peter Parker]

I think the best policy is to be open and straight foward. I wouldnt want the stress of "hiding" anything from people Im going to live with.

just my 2 cents.

[misslinda]

cosigns with everyone.

Holly, I've been there where you are at but inreverse with Ana. I'll be real honest, I never thought I could ever sit during a meal and eat---with raw, I am eating, satisfied and not thinking about food 24/7. Grant it, there was alot of emoitonal changes and detox that came with it. In fact, there is a handful of members here if not more that can understand what your going thru.

We welcome you with the utmost care and sincerity! :) Do you have the book/dvd yet???

raw frenz,
ml

[HollyGolightly_86]

No, I haven't got Alissa's book nor DVD... but I do have a book about raw living, but it's by Ann Wigmore.. though I think there might be a difference in Alissa's raw living and Ann's living food.. but I don't know.

I know how animal's are treated, and I used to be vegan for quite a many years, but then I became lazy and selfish and started eating dairy and fish again... well, partly I blame it on my ED because with it you just try to find the most less fat and less calories containing food that tastes good and maybe has even some nutritional value too.. but I just started thinking that the most purest answer to that is veggies and fruits.. :p

I think I'll give raw a second try now.. I really need it and now I don't have to feel guilty and purge after almost every meal...

[misslinda]

Yipeeeee Holly.........your always welcome to cruise the recipe section and ask for the recipe if it is not there. Having a food processor really makes raw soooooooo much more versatile!

Haved you viewed Alissa's book at ther store site yet? :)

luv,
ml

[zeeraw]

Hi,

I agree with Twinyoga and Tracyinfo. It is so easy to eat raw if you do it simply by eating fruit throughout the day and have salads at lunch and dinner. I don't think that is a strange way to eat at all and the household may not even notice you're not eating any cooked. But if it comes up then by all means discuss it with them, you never know how interested they could be. My partner knows I've gone vegan but doesn't know about the raw part - unsure if he's noticed or not.

Like you, my biggest weakness has always been bread. I've been vegatarian/vegan for many years now and I spose I've always used the breads and grains to fill me up. A couple of years ago, I tried the increased protein, decreased carbs type eating plan (I never gave up the fruit and veges only cut out alot of bread and grains). However I kept ending up binging on bread - I craved it so much. Since going raw I eat a lot of fruit - I actually eat fruit up until about 4pm in the afternoon (its the easiest lunch to pack for work), and I do eat a fair bit. Since increasing my fruit intake I have had no cravings for bread (which is very unusual for me :confused: ), and everytime I have eaten bread for some reason, I have not enjoyed it. :( This works for me, it may also work for you or it might not.

Anyway good luck with beginning the raw journey again, and enjoy Switzerland.
Z

[sweetgoddess]

Yes Holly-a bid difference between Ann and ALissa's recipes.
I greatly respect Ann Wigmore, her work and knowledge, but found for myself her approach a little too spartan for jumping from sad to raw. There are tons of recipes on this site also, in the journals and also at www.fromsadtoraw.com.

You can do it Holly! :) :D :p

[heather]

i feel your pain.......i have an eating disorder as well. going raw enables you to actually eat a normal amount of calories and not feel the need to restrict or purge. that said, i often get swept away and become obsessed over raw, calories, amount i am eating/not eating...and not in a healthy way...my E.D. still manifests itself, but atleast i AM EATING SOMETHING...struggling, but eating. i think for us, its about finding safe foods, and when you are raw there are many safe foods. more so than when you are not raw. especially when you factor in how many processed foods have chemicals and animal products....makes it easier to stay away from them.
definately give it a go again. good luck to you on your journey.

[HollyGolightly_86]

Thanks everyone for their encouraging replies!
I guess it would be useful to have Alissa's book as well...