Cravings

[Patch]

I've been 100% raw for close to 2 months now and I'm struggling.I find myself craving cooked food more and more. Is this common? We went away over the weekend and everywhere I went the smell of food was so delicious. I didn't fall of the wagon but it was such a struggle, I took plenty of food so I didn't get hungry but that didn't seem to matter. I'd be interested to hear of anyone else that has had this,when I first started eating raw I was fine and the smell of cooked food didn't worry me.

[sarahrjm]

I Have been raw for about a month. Prior to raw, I only ate fruits and veggies (half of the time cooked) and rice because I am allergic to, well, EVERYTHING. literally, im not going to list. I never craved anytihng bad because I was never able to eat it. Now being raw, I crave cake and cookes like a mad woman!!! Like, if I could just sit down and eat 12 chocolate cakes I would be SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy!

Makes me crazy, REALLY DOES!

Hang in there!

[Veganforlife]

Give it time. Here, read this:

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=46640

[Raw Angel Mom]

Maybe something in your diet isn't completely raw. I found myself last year craving for cook food after eating a buckweat granola. Watch out for nama shoyu, or those flavoring thing or even your salt if this isn't sea salt. Many bars that are supposed to be raw, aren't raw.

What kind of cook food do you crave? Look for the nutriment content, and try to increase your raw food that are rich in with the same nutriment.

If you don't take green smoothies, consider to take it, it really take care of cravings. Also, as per Dr. Graham, apparently when someone has many craving, is because they don't eat enough fruits.

Many time, we aren't hungry but thirsty. Try water to see if it helps the craving to go away.

[AutumnBreezColordLeavz]

Juicing helps, however, when you eat the raw food, think about how good it tastes and note how it feels in your mouth, how you feel when you are full after eating raw. Is it heavy and making you sleepy, probably not. Your working hard at changing something you have been doing for years, it will take some time to change your mind and attitude, don't beat yourself up for craving. Note taking- even in your mind not just paper notes, ask yourself what you want out of Raw and as your eating, now how heavenly raw foods really are. After note taking for a while, if you give in to cooked, if you take one bite of cooked it will not have the same value it once did. Especially if you realize how temporary the bite is. One bite tastes the same as the rest of the plate. Stop and think. Think about how heavenly raw is and what value it has given your life. Benefits and such.

[rawstrength]

Journal, journal, and journal some more. Write down all the reasons to eat raw. Create a list of all the positives and negatives of eating raw vs. cooked. Come to a logical conclusion that raw is best, on paper, and your cravings won't stand a chance. Make sure that you write it down. Note taking is key. The worst piece of chicken scratch is better than the most genius Einstein brain.

[Patch]

Thanks everyone for the great advice, It's just a mind game I know. There is no way I'd eat even a taste of cooked food because I know I'd get hooked straight away so my plan is to never let it cross my mouth again. I think it's just the smell of some of the foods, the silly thing is I've been a vegetarian for 4 years before going raw but it's the smell of meat that's getting me crazy! And bread, I've been going through a stage of dreading my meals as nothing taste great but I'm hoping I've just come out of that black stage as I made a salad for lunch with carrots,zucchini, cauliflower, nuts, raisins and nori sheets torn up with Himalayan salt, it was just beautiful it tasted wonderful. So here's hoping with my taste buds kicking in the cravings may stop.

[spicyfull]

Congratulations on 2 months RAW, that is a Great thing. You also did a Great Job on staying on the Wagon. That ol wagon can often be rough to hang on to. It is Natural for you to experience these feelings when you were on what they call "Comfort Foods" for so many years. You have to replace these Foods and Feelings and it can take time.

There are certain foods that I sitll Love to smell and there are foods that when I smell, I want to throw up. These things you will learn to manage and work through.

[RawSun]

Thanks everyone for the great advice, It's just a mind game I know. There is no way I'd eat even a taste of cooked food because I know I'd get hooked straight away so my plan is to never let it cross my mouth again. I think it's just the smell of some of the foods, the silly thing is I've been a vegetarian for 4 years before going raw but it's the smell of meat that's getting me crazy! And bread, I've been going through a stage of dreading my meals as nothing taste great but I'm hoping I've just come out of that black stage as I made a salad for lunch with carrots,zucchini, cauliflower, nuts, raisins and nori sheets torn up with Himalayan salt, it was just beautiful it tasted wonderful. So here's hoping with my taste buds kicking in the cravings may stop.

Hi Patch,
I have read that it is common to crave foods of your past as you are detoxing them. This would happen more often in the beginning of your raw journey, and much less often as you progress. My husband a long time vegetarian also craved meat in the beginning of his raw journey. He kept on going and we've both been raw nearly 3 years! You are not alone in how you feel, and with strength and given time you will conquer those cravings.