food addiction

[dazzles]

Hi-
I am new to the concept of raw food, and am just starting to try to eat raw. I've been a vegetarian for 7 years, with no problems or cravings for non-vegetartian foods. My issue is my weight, I'm very active but need to lose about 30 pounds.

While trying to eat raw, I'm having terrible cravings for cooked foods and I finding myself very obsessed with what I can't have. I'd appreciate hearing your experiences, and if anyone else struggles with this issue. I feel llike I'm addicted to the SAD foods I have allowed in my diet, despite my vegetarian lifestyle I still manage to eat things that are very unhealthy. Intellectually I understand it and want so much to do it but I can't seem to stick to it.

Thanks,
Carla

[sport]

I did have a problem going without bread and for the first 2 months I gave in on several occasions and indulged. My problem was that I held on to some of my vegan bread in the freezer and they were too easy to get at. I just decided one day to bin them all and I have not had a problem since. I have not had bread for about 2 months now and would never seek it. Longings will dissipate over time. Avoiding the places where you may be tempted is the best policy. Another trick is to eat as much as you want and never be hungry. You will still loose weight. Hunger is the enemy at the beginning because it leads to weakness.
Always make sure that you have raw things that you like, prepared, so that when you come in to the house hungry you have something to reach for and take some dehydrated snack around with you so that if you are ever in a position where you have to meet someone for a snack away from the house you will have something to indulge in.
I think that whan first going raw the old saying " if you fail to plan, you plan to fail " is most certainly true.
It will get easier over time as your body gets used to new things it will forget the old ones. Stick with it and if you stumble then remember that you have only stumbled. Didch the guilt and start again.
Good Luck

[kmik]

I agree with Sport, especially making sure you eat enough, and always plan... if you're going out eat before and bring a snack. If I didn't eat enough during the day, at night I would cave in. And when I did cave, it turned in to a slippery slope, sometimes lasting several days before I could pull myself back out.

Another thing that seems to make a difference for me is to make my morning smoothie with fruit, hemp protein powder and coconut oil. That seems to give me a good foundation for the rest of my day, and I find myself not being tempted.

I know I am addicted to cooked food, and I have to do everything I can to avoid it. But also a game I have to play with myself is to not call it "permanent." To think that I will "never" allow myself to have certain things might freak me out enough to go binge. Right now though, I'm doing a 90 day challange, and then after the 90 days, I'm free to re-evaluate, and if for some reason I feel the need to eat cooked food, I know I can.

Best of luck to you, raw is really great once you get it going!