Wanting to return to high raw

[Monalynn]

I'm 57 and have been eating raw food for 6 years and usually eat almost all raw with little to no cooked food. For example, I'm not convinced the handful of nuts I eat are raw (the package doesn't say one way or the other), or that rice vinegar or olives are raw. Anyway, lately I've been craving and giving into some cooked food. It's like I'm craving a drug and must have it. Going back to eating cooked food regularly isn't an option for me because I don't want some diseases I had to return.

I really want to go back to eating high raw again and get over this period of weekly relapse. So I was wondering if anyone else had experienced this and how you got past it. Also, what suggestions do you have to curb cravings?

Thank you for any input and help.

[sport]

Are you getting enough calories.
Are you getting greens
I find that I get cravings if I do not satisfy these.

[Monalynn]

Thank you, Mary for your reply. I wondered about those things, too. I just started upping my green intake with more green smoothies with at least 2 cups of greens per smoothie. So I'll see how that goes.

[GlimR]

Hi Monalynn~
Yes, greens make a huge difference. I have been trying to go raw for many years and always fell back into cooked...or dove.:rolleyes: I have been very high raw since June 1st and have lost 25 lbs so far....doing it for health reasons primarily. If I am having cravings for something I quickly make something I know will fill and satisfy me.......usually a thick shake with almond milk, cacao/carob, etc...and frozen bananas.......seems to do the trick almost every time. Also I make sure to be eating regularly....so I don't get too hungry and then cave. Lots of fruit for me and lots of greens, both in salads and green smoothies. Wishing you the very best~

[sport]

I do recall the time when I fully realised that it was an addiction and not my body needing something.
It was when I said to myself that I just wanted one bite of the cooked thing and did not need the entire thing. Then I said. "well one bite is not going to give me nutrients that I need so it can not be the nutrients that I am looking for" so then realised that it was my body not wanting to let go of an addiction.
I am stronger than an addiction so I was determined to beat it. The good news is that after a short period (they say 28 days but I think that it is shorter) the addiction goes away.

[Monalynn]

Thank you, both, for your reply. I like hearing that greens make a big difference and has helped you both. I also like the addiction angle. It seems like one bite of cooked food is too many and 1000 are not enough. I was so tempted yesterday to go into a restaurant knowing I would end up eating something cooked in my salad. But I decided to drive by it and not stop and continue to my destination where there was no food. Success! I stayed 100% raw! Right now, that's something to celebrate.

I also notice, I stay full longer with green smoothies than fruit smoothies. This, hopefully, will help, too.

Thank you both for your support. I really appreciate it.

[Shels]

Try not to "ban" anything specifically, as you'll just spend more time thinking about it. Think to yourself "I can eat that if I want to." And then decide whether or not you honestly want to eat it, and to feel it's painful cooked wrath in your body. :p

When I have a hard time, I notice that having lighter foods in the beginning of the day helps. Like, fruit for breakfast, salad for lunch, and anything more complex, sweet, or heavy for dinner. If I start the day with just one scoop of almond butter, I'm not even interested in light or citrus-y foods for the rest of that day. Make sure you're eating often enough, and getting all the greens you need. I find that going one week "cold turkey" is usually all it takes to get back on track.

[GlimR]

Try not to "ban" anything specifically, as you'll just spend more time thinking about it. Think to yourself "I can eat that if I want to." And then decide whether or not you honestly want to eat it,

This is so true!!
I've had a number of people say to me, "Oh yeah, you can't have that."
I say, I can have anything I want, I just choose not to at this time.
It's a huge difference in perspective.

[Monalynn]

Thank you, Shels and GlimR, for the great tips. Attitude and perception towards food and eating makes a difference, too. That's something I need to remember since I tend to forget about it. Thanks for reminding me.

[Shels]

This is so true!!
I've had a number of people say to me, "Oh yeah, you can't have that."
I say, I can have anything I want, I just choose not to at this time.
It's a huge difference in perspective.

Lol, me too! Especially gross ("gormet") desserts we have at my work. My coworker offered me some of a flaky, wobbly napoleon crusted over with sugar and stuck together with fat (almost the ENTIRE pastry was white! :eek: ), and when I turned it down he said
"Oh right, you can't have it." I told him I could if I wanted it. :rolleyes: