I really want to do this!

[daydreambeliever]

..........

[JennaHoneyBear]

I'd say start slow and ease into it. It can take a while to get into the rhythm of raw.
Start with green smoothies in the morning, then maybe a big salad for lunch, then keep it healthier vegetarian for dinner for a while and just go from there.
I jumped into raw from being a vegan, so it wasn't like I was just jumping in from eating SAD. It's easier to transition for some.
Don't stress about going raw 100% right away if you feel it could be hard and you'll cave easily. Just go with the flow :)

[sidrah]

Might be easier to get rid of the junk so there is no temptation and NOT ease into it. Go 100% right away and get the first week over with and you won't regret it. Too easy for some to go slowly and never get all the way there.

Stock up on fruits and veg. and don't stop at the store. Eat what you have in the house and have prepped. I know when I don't chop stuff the night before I am behind all day. I usually come home and bring hte day's tupperware to the sink and let it soak while I cut something new for tomorrow and put it in a bag with an orange, bananas, whatever else.

[dlt123]

I'd say start slow and ease into it. It can take a while to get into the rhythm of raw.
Start with green smoothies in the morning, then maybe a big salad for lunch, then keep it healthier vegetarian for dinner for a while and just go from there.
I jumped into raw from being a vegan, so it wasn't like I was just jumping in from eating SAD. It's easier to transition for some.
Don't stress about going raw 100% right away if you feel it could be hard and you'll cave easily. Just go with the flow :)

For me, JHB makes a lot of sense. I plan on going Raw as well, but find myself wanting to get there too fast. I have some addictions to overcome and will take JHB's advice and move more slowly.

I've already backslid on my bread addiction and feel like I've failed my start... But again, JHB's advice here gets me centered and on track again. I will just re-start again until I succeed. Period!

Also I haven't tried the smoothy yet, but it seems to be a very popular drink and I'll have to incorporate this into my eating regiment.

Best of luck in your Raw run Daydreambeliever and take this advice as well... ... don't get discouraged. It sounds like you have the right attitude to win.

Dennis

[How?]

There is a saying that " When the student is ready the teacher will appear " and so perhaps raw foods have shown up in your life because you are ready for a transformation. The universe has gone 'bada-bing'! Now, its up to you.Do you want to listen or not. You have to get off the fence.Sometimes , we've got to be tough with ourselves and the initial stages of a raw journey can take quite a bit of will and determination. If you don't take this opportunity now to seriously explore raw foods and give this opportunity all you've got, where will you be 3 years from now? What weight will you be then?How will you feel?
The sun will rise and fall 365 days a year. What you choose to do in between will determine many things in your life.
TIME WILL PASS REGARDLESS! Make the most of the opportunity that has been given to you.

[kgarrett]

Hey,

You sound like me -hot pockets and ice cream. It took me 3 or 4 tries over a year to go 100% and stay that way. I am a little over halfway thru a 90 day raw challenge.

Doesn't sound like you have a good blender for green smoothies so those are prob. out of the picture. Since you sound like me I will tell you that I was not able to ease into it (though that is what I would recommend for most people), I had to go 100% and when I fell off I fell all the way off until this last time and when I fell off I got right back on.

Eat simple, buy lots of organic apples and raw walnuts. Keep lots of bananas in the house. Get your favorite salad fixings that are raw and chop them up in advance if you can manage it. Forget about fancy recipes at first, though some are pretty easy. Pick a go to food. If you are in desperate need of protein go for a handful of your favorite raw nuts. Walnuts work well for me. Some of the others are harder to digest for me. If you are having sugar cravings pick a good fruit for you. Organic apples are mine. At the beginning I sometimes ate several pounds in a day. Just put some Olive oil and salt and herbs on your salad for dressing. After a little while you will find salad dressing you had before unappetizing.

Don't worry about if you are getting enough nutrients or calories at first. Or enough proteins or carbs, etc. Just focus on raw for the first few weeks. Unless you are diabetic or have severe nutritional deficiencies you will not have problem with nutrients right away.

It took about 2-3 weeks of 100% raw for my cravings to change. I needed to try to stay away from certain smells like pizza for a couple of weeks.

[CathyA.]

Start with the foods you know that you like/love. Focus on those, keep yourself stocked up, then slowly add in recipies that you thing sound interesting and new foods. If you don't like them...you always have the food that you do like handy.

[shaycorl]

Cathy has demonstrated a very well picture for you as she said start with things you like go to walmart and where ever you do grocery make organic food section your favorite section start with milk vegs and other basic stuff and make it part of life.