Finally taking the plunge..

[amarryth]

I've been a member on this forum for FOREVER.. but I've been rather absent lately.

My body seems to have finally had enough.

In the last few months, I've had kidney stones from both kidneys, a lump on my thyroid close to the size of a golf ball, and diagnosed with hpv - along with years of ibs that I have been.. kind of.. controlling through a gluten-free, and mostly dairy-free diet.

Although I am very health conscious eater, and am well educated.. over the last year or so, it seems I throw all the rules out the door late at night. That's when all the worst crap sneaks in.. the fried potato chips and corn tortillas, the super processed chocolate, before I went gluten-free there were the cookies and crackers and breakfast bars..

All those things that come in a package with a paragraph of ingredients.

So I woke up yesterday morning and saw watermelon sitting on the counter..

Let's do this, I thought.

And yesterday I finally had my first all-raw day in close to a year.
Today, I was all raw aside from some cooked quinoa and lightly steamed asparagus.
Tomorrow I plan to do all raw again.

I think my plan for now is every day I do full raw, I can have one meal containing a cooked VEGAN food.

My goal is to go 100% again. I did a month of it last summer and it created so many positive changes.. physically, mentally, s p i r i t u a l l y..

I want to feel that way again.. but I want to also be gentle on my mind and body. I don't want to have those cooked food memories creeping back in.. I want to experience those foods and then let them go..realizing that they're really not all that satisfying at all.

I wanted to post on here to have a place to be accountable for my choices.

Thanks for any support!

[dlt123]

Best of luck... I'm going Raw myself and can identify with what you wrote above.

Like you, I am going to go slow. I don't want to get discouraged and give up and if I fail, I'll just restart again until I make it 100% Raw for life.

I'm with you amarryth and don't give up. There are a lot of very helpful people here so you've got great company. ;)

Dennis

[Aleesha Sattva]

you can do it... if you choose. it's one choice at a time... not a lifetime of choices, just one.

(((hugs)))

[somelikeitraw]

Great choice Amarryth! You can do this! If a craving sneaks in, stay conscious in your choice, asking yourself if you really want what that food will do to the way you feel. I adopted the - Raw feels better than (thing I thought I couldn't live without) tastes - approach. It has worked for me. Been 100% for 15 months. Now I can truly mean it when I say that I just don't want those (SAD/cooked) foods anymore. Even now though, when I smell an old favorite comfort food, my taste buds think they want it. I can tell that my body doesn't. When you get to where you can tell the difference between a taste bud/comfort thing and a real body craving, things will be easier. I don't know when that will be for you, I believe it is an individual thing.

Sending strength and support your way!

[amarryth]

Thanks for the support! It helps me stay on the path knowing that I've told others.. even if it's just faceless names on a forum.

I am thinking about posting most of what I eat until June first and then I will join the next monthly challenge WHEN the time comes.

Today was raw (as long as artichoke hearts count...) :D

-half a watermelon for breakfast

-half a head of romaine with artichoke hearts, avocado, hemp seeds, avocado oil, sea salt and black pepper

- OH!! I almost FORGOT! I had my very first MANGOSTEEN.. It was nothing less than incredible.. and I just got it from the nearby grocery store!

-annnd... went for thai with a friend and had fresh mango salad minus the sauce.. i love how i can go to a restaurant and feel good about myself upon leaving!

Thanks again for the support! It helps so much!