Stressed or Not????

[ShelShel]

I've noticed that when I'm stressed, my raw foods lifestyle is the first thing I take a break from. How about you? Are you more likely to stay raw when you are stressed...or not stressed????

[Dimond]

I binge on raw. I don't really get wanting or needing anything, but raw when there are so many options. I'm stressed daily and raw is all I eat.

[HolyGuacamole]

More discussion here:
http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=50669

[Eva]

My life and time are as full as they come. But the more stress-filled moments when I start to ask myself, "hmmm, do I want something cooked?" -- I remind myself that I've already learned that lesson.

And, actually, I have been trying to (not always succeeding on this one yet!) drink water until an emotion passes. This way I am not eating out of emotion.

And then I look at what's stressing me out and make a decision on the best single action I can take to be moving in a positive direction. Then I take it.

So simple, but it's working well for me!

[klomasius]

I used to stray off cooked in times of stress, stressful times are definitely the most trying when it comes to raw.

These days I just turn to raw food, I'm stressed right now, and I'm emotionally working my way through a huge head of cauliflower. It's hilarious! ;)

[jurence]

I've found exercise to be a great funnel for stress. I know it wasn't for me for a majority of my life, but once I got in shape and it is easy for me to do, it is much easier for me to get some frustration out, and quickly.

[Shoney]

I have tried multiple times to return to raw in the past 2 years; never stuck with it. Stress is bad enough, but when the stress is present because of major changes (moving across country, starting a new job, three hospitalizations within immediate family in 6 months) then I don't seem to stay with it, however much I want to.

Eating raw is such a radical departure not only from the way I was raised to eat, but from society in general - raw eating is not supported as a legitimate, long-term lifestyle - that it's easy to break down. You can find places here and there which cater to vegans, but raw?? Nope. So buying an apple for a snack turns into getting trail mix, then granola bars, and suddenly I'm eating hamburgers again!

[Colorawdo girl]

I see raw very supported(look round this palce hahaha) and many have been at it for a long time.

I guess for me, being raw doesnt depend on what I can find out there to eat, in the way of eateries or whatever. It is inside of me and what I want. I can go chew grass if I want to go out to eat. I prefer violets and dandelions though.hahaha

I have a friend that lives out in boondocks and the nearest store is 60 miles to go get anything and esp raw supplies. She eats raw and is doing well. I see her committment and see that she will be who she wants to be with raw results.

I see that the person who wants to do something finds a way and the one who does not finds an excuse. Here is to all of us here who are finding the way to make it happen.

So stress happens. It is what we do with it that counts. Yes eat high raw when stressed...woohoooo. It is so good!

[Revvell]

I agree with J. I MOVE to release any tension, then come home and eat raw. It's what supports me.

[rkk]

I am quite surprised when people "fall off the raw wagon" and start eating burgers, fries, chips, cheese, etc. If you fall "off", at the very least have a healthy cooked vegan meal, then get back on track. I know personally that going from an extremely healthy to an extremely unhealthy diet is a huge shock on the system. If there are periods of time that you fall off of raw foods, at least work your way up to a vegan diet.

I have jumped into raw as a vegetarian as well as jumped in again as a vegan, and doing it as a vegan is so much simpler. It's still a struggle transitioning to raw and dealing with cooked food addictions, but the idea of a burger or cheese is completely undesirable and unthinkable to me. It's hard to immmagine people eating pure, clean organic foods brimming with enzymes, and then stuffing in decaying anti-biotic filled, pain-filled carcasses again.

From this thread, it also sounds like some people here need to remove cooked junk foods from their environment. If you are single, there is absolutely no excuse for leaving chips lying around. If you have family members who are bringing that kind of junk in the house, then you need to discuss with them a compromise that works for you all - as having addictive junk food doesn't help at all.

[juliew]

I binge on raw. I don't really get wanting or needing anything, but raw when there are so many options. I'm stressed daily and raw is all I eat.

I binge on raw too!

[hollywoodairbrush]

You have got to make cooked food your enemy. It's a battlefield out there. We are outnumbered. You have got your visible enemy at every corner in the city, you cannot escape cooked food's presence, that is why you have to seriously hate (and if you don't use the word hate=dislike) cooked foods.

Once again if you know yourself truly, and you are like myself then it's going to be very hard transforming your lifestyle to raw. I don't like commitment and I am typically the type of person that will throw in the towel within a few weeks of trying new things. After I made my first commitment in sobriety it really opened my eyes, I finally realized for the first time I didnt quit, I'm to the point in my life if I get stressed out I don't even think about it. That's only because I made enemies with drugs. I hate every aspect of drugs.
There is not one thing good about them, that is what I believe and will continue to believe.

Today I have been extrememly stressed out. I absolutely thought about quiting and just grabbing 80% Raw Bar instead of a 100%. (That may sound stupid, I mean what is a difference of 20%) Well that is just the beginning. (Please keep in mind I know everyone is different, this is just my experience) 20% means Ive lost it. Im going against what I want to do, For Myself. Not for anyone else. I'm going to be 100% raw because I want to, if I give just a little bit, then I've given in to the enemy. Because I had to make cooked foods my enemy as well, there is also not one thing I want to do with cooked foods.

So, when stressed called on me today. I thought I'm just going to do it, eat a little less than raw. Then I asked myself, "why?" What does me being stressed out have to do with not eating raw?

Well it has alot to do with it. Cooked/Processed foods are at a comfort level, they have always been there when I got depressed in prison, I didn't use drugs then, but I could always pull a honeybun out of my locker and put some peanut butter on it, lay back and take a deep breath and enjoy the sweets.

However, as insignificant we may/or maynot notice. Those type of treats have a strong chemical reaction in the body. I used to make myself sick off eating sweets, my stomach would hurt very bad.

So stress is an uncomfortable place to be. I need comfort, even as a guy. So, comfort=cooked foods. Comfort foods for you couldv'e been with visions of the family dinner table when you were with the whole family enjoy turkey, or cooking with your mother. Whatever it brings back to mind, during the times of stress, the need for cooked foods is usually a comfort issue. You just have to scrutinize you own situation and understand yourself.

You have to relize you and I have isolated ourselves from over 98% of the worlds population. It's hard being in isolation. I've been in solitary confinement for years. Isolation is where you and I are at, in relative to the population. Isolation is also uncomfortable. It's easy to invision a restaurant scene. Everyone looks happy and talkative, enjoying there meal, seems like a comfortable place to be. But look at me, I eat alone for every meal (with a few exceptions at work, i.e. some employees) However, there are no raw restaurants here. Its isolated, Im isolated. It's uncomfortable. But I will live with it, because its the right decision! I know I'm making the right decision for me!!

Once I give it a while, it will be natural and it wont bother me.
Just dont give up and I wont'
Have a good day!
I feel less stressed already:)

[RawKnitster]

Stress and sadness used to be the triggers for me to eat cooked food. Once I had that first bite it would start the snowball rolling downhill. I wouldn't stop until I had visited all my favorite restaurants and made all my favorite cooked foods, (which I won't mention due to the sensibilities of long term vegetarians and vegans).

Despite the fact that I still cook for my family and our house has plenty of unmentionable food in it, I no longer take that first bite of cooked anything. I still eat emotionally, but it is all raw.

I find being in the kitchen creating food of any kind has a very calming affect. It takes my mind off my problems when I'm focused on chopping, measuring, mixing. Or just washing dishes. :)

[Tee42]

With stress comes the stress hormone cascade and major glucose/insulin wobbles - even flip flops, if you will.

I tend to want more food during really stressful times. Sometimes my brain shifts back into "cooked" made and wants foods that used to calm the wobbles back when I was eating cooked. For me that's a sign that I've shifted into "automatic" mode and I'm not really truly present in what I'm sensing and doing.

What really works for me when it happens is to force myself to stop and pull myself into the present and then make myself answer a few questions.

Why am I thinking about this food? Duh, I'm stressed to the max and ready to explode.

How will I feel after I eat this/these foods. Far worse than I feel right now.

What benefit can there possibly be to eating this/these foods? None.

Is my body wanting/needing something Raw that I could prepare and eat a sane amount of? If the answer is yes, I prepare it and if I'm still hungry I eat some of it. But by then I'm usually much calmer.

So for me the trick is realizing that I'm on automatic pilot and pulling myself back to the present and grounding myself there rather than just shrugging my shoulders and moving into the next step of unconscious eating.

[JCB44]

Very much so. This is my hardest area. That being said I am doing much better, I drink a lot of water with lemon juice in it and try to relax for the moment( deep breathing medition) and this seem to help me get though the stress times.

[Bananna]

Hey Shelshel...whatever food boundaries you set for yourself, if you're used to responding to stress with certain foods/eating, then the actual boundaries itself cause stress which makes you immediately want to eat the food on the other side of that boundary.

I would say have a buffer plan...like try and be all raw but if you're going to stop eating raw have some standards. I'm a solid vegetarian and near vegan, so my goals are to be vegan about it, but I'm also doing WW because I just need caloric boundaries more than anything, for some reason I'm not resisting it because it's already my fall back plan.

Anyways just a suggestion.

[ShelShel]

I think, as weird as this may sound, that when I am stressed it is fun to "relax" with my family. Usually that is around a dinner table or at the movies with treats. :rolleyes: I am currently so focused on being trained for a new job, that the idea of thinking of one more thing...like "what to have for lunch when I've only got 30 minutes?" is just like...agh! :p When the house is stocked with raw goodness, this is so not a problem, but I went into this work week without and now I'm paying for it.
Tomorrow, I go shopping and setting myself up for some raw success.
I KNOW that raw is the easiest quickest form of eating there is, but you have to have raw food in the house to make that work. LOL :D
I'm hoping to be back on track by Sunday.
I'm sure half the stress I'm feeling is my body trying to work extra hard and me not giving it the best sources to pull from.
Thanks for all the posts. I'm glad I'm not alone and your ideas were all very helpful! Thanks.

[snoops]

http://www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/200906-omag-beck-diet

I just read this article in the most recent Oprah magazine. It is awesome and addresses this subject so well.

[HolyGuacamole]

http://www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/200906-omag-beck-diet

I just read this article in the most recent Oprah magazine. It is awesome and addresses this subject so well.

Very cool article! Thanks for sharing. :)