New and ready to change my life!!

[ash]

Hello All!

My name is Ashley and I am from the Metro Detroit area. I am a student studying Public Health - Health Behavior, Health Education and Prevention.

I recently stumbled across the Raw Food Lifestyle while looking up alternative ways to deal with some health issues I have been struggling with for the past few years. I have been suffering from an undiagnosed muscle/bone condition (doctors have been no help AT ALL with getting to the bottom of what is causing my pain) and now I have decided to take matters into my own hands, by changing the way I live. I hope to accomplish transforming into a healthier being through a successful Raw Foods Lifestyle.

There is one problem though. I CAN'T KICK MY SAD EATING HABITS!:mad: I went raw for 4 days a few weeks ago, and then immediately went back into eating all the awful processed stuff that I am used to. I feel awful, my body feels completely run down and I am very discouraged. I'm having major money issues and have a hard time buying produce due to the cost. I live with my boyfriend and he eats a SAD and this has also made it very difficult for me to stay on track.

It's CRAZY to now realize how dependent I am on food and I realize that I CANNOT live my life this way. I do however need support...and that's why I have decided to join this forum! My friends and family think the idea of a Raw Food Diet is insane and do not understand that this is a lifestyle choice I NEED to make for my physical, mental and spiritual health.

I would appreciate ANY suggestions for CHEAP raw food ideas (as I have mentioned before, the money I need to spend on all the fresh veggies, fruits and whole foods is an issue). I have been following this forum for a few weeks, and I have been inspired by everything I have read thus far. You all seem like amazing, driven people who really do care about health and I am excited to learn from you!

I WILL become at peace with Raw and I am so excited to embark on this journey...

Thank you for taking the time to read!!

[klomasius]

Welcome to the forum Ashley!

Now why are you worried so much! You've just made the first massive and fundamental steps toward a healthier lifestyle!

1) You've acknowledged you need to take control of your own health and not leave it in the hands of others.

2) You've acknowelegded that the diet you currently eat is junkfood and not conducive to your health and healing the conditions you have.

3) You've discovered the raw foods lifestyle and realised that fresh is best and made the fundamental copnnection between food and healing.

4) You've made the first tentative steps toward implementing that lifestyle, so what that your first time was a short one, you SUCEEDED for four days! you didn't 'fail'.

I don't see the huge problem. Nobody picks up a violin and within four days becomes a concerto (or whatever it is an acomplished violinist is called).

Same with raw.

You'll pick yourself up, dust yourself off and gradually whittle away at years of entrenched bad food habits.

You are heading in the RIGHT DIRECTION! :D

[Shels]

Welcome!
It's great that you're persevering even though your body and family are making it difficult on you. I promise it'll be worth ten times the effort it takes to make the transition.

I have budget issues as well, but it's still possible to get quality foods, you just have to be creative. (Bananas are usually very cheap, versatile and filling).
As far as organic produce, the thinner the membrane, peel, etc is, the more important it is that you get it organic (think berries and greens). Thicker things like pineapples, bananas and oranges you can compromise with.

Good luck on your journey. :) Try making your changes a little more gradually, and take things one day at a time.

[somelikeitraw]

Hear, hear! I second what klomasius said!
Welcome to the forum Ash! Give yourself credit where credit is due. And remember, the only way to fail is to give up.
Sprouts are extremely healthy and a less expensive option. Also, they are easy to grow at home.
Many of us live with SAD eaters and some of us even cook for them.
You can do this!

[kjduf]

Welcome! And yes I agree with everyone your doing a great job

As for cheaper produce have you looked into co-ops? There's one in South Lyon (that's where I belong) and the Northville area . You can get your organic produce and fruits at a cheaper rate. I am sure there are some co-op's in your area, if not I can email you our link. Just msg me.

My family is eating the SAD diet and what I did in the beginning is eat only breakfast raw (green smoothie) then went on to eating lunch raw (salad) and eating SAD at dinner. After a few weeks I realized that I felt great and energized all day until dinner time. So I switched to raw for dinner. I do give myself permission to eat a SAD meal once a week. Sometimes I do most times I don't. But I don't feel like I am missing anything because I know I can. I am normally a rule kind of girl and go off the deep end with rules. This time I'm not. But this way of eating works and I have been raw for about 6 weeks and feel GREAT!! I make sure I cut up all my veggy's ahead of time so that when I come home from work and my hubby made my favorite SAD meal I can say no thanks I'm having a salad or something else! He doesn't do that anymore but in the beginning he did because he thought I was crazy. LOL Now he try's everything, some he likes some he hates.

Oh I also went to the doctors and got my blood work done and my levels have all drastically went down (cholesterol down 64pts!!) Whoo hooo

So keep up the good work and eating anything raw is better than not eating it at all. Take one day at a time.

[spicyfull]

I wish you everything you need to Stay RAW........Welcome to MY World.