Starting slower

[fat4now]

I just finished a very interesting book called "The Raw Food Detox Diet: The Five-Step Plan for Vibrant Health and Maximum Weight Loss". It is very simple and just makes a lot of sense to me to take it in steps and not plunge into 100 percent raw food only just for the label, per se, but to use well combined raw food as a means to maximize detox at the cellular level and keeping detox symptoms to a reasonable amount you can deal with. Already lost 12 lbs. on it which i really like. It sets you at a level between 1 and 5 after taking a pretty simple test based on what your habits might be or what kind of food you were raised on etc. and 5 is pretty new at it and 1 is if youve been raw for a while and you start out at whatever level (mine was 4) and work your way down to more and more raw foods. 4 is about 75-85 percent raw I believe so I've just been having a green lemonade in the morning, whole fruit for snack, salad for lunch and dinner is also salad plus you can have a healthy cooked option like vegetables or whole wheat lasagna or something. It tells you how to best combine the meals with simple categories which are pretty basic, and how to eat meals that exit quickly from your system so your body spends the least amount of energy digesting and most amount of energy detoxing the waste out of your cells. So far I have had an amazing experience on this so far and cant wait for week 2.

[kmik]

Logically this sounds like a good strategy, and, admittedly I've not read the book.

What I do know is Alissa recommends 100%. This is the only approach that has worked for me. (I struggled as "mostly raw" from July - September, not understanding why I couldn't just eat a little cooked.) Cooked food is way too seductive. I would never have made it to 100% if I didn't quit cold turkey.

Not telling you what to do... but just suggesting, if you notice you have trouble turning away from cooked when you start getting in to higher percentages, you may just have to take a leap.

Detox, of course is never fun, but my worst detox so far has not been as bad as my normal vegetarian SAD issues. And I'd rather get them over with sooner than drag them out. I want those toxins out of my body ASAP!

[Angelina]

I have read the book (love some of the recipes) and I think that if its something that appeals to you,then go for it. For me, I was coming to raw from a very healthy (not your typical SAD) diet, so the transition was very easy for me. I read the book and to start at the first level would have actually been backtracking. But I do see how some people would greatly benefit from the slower transition ~ I always feel that if something is that much of a struggle it will be harder to stick with. Good luck...

[Autumn]

There are probably as many approaches to raw as there is type of fruit. :D I'm so happy for you that this is working for you. There are tons of people on this site who are still transitioning. I know most advocate going straight to 100%, but a lot of people have problems with that. I think it is much more beneficial to eat raw at 75% than to jump to 100%, become overwhelmed with cravings, and go back to SAD. Everyone has to find their own path. Congrats to you and looking forward to reading more of your posts. :D

Autumn

[twinee1]

I started with that Book..loved it ! I was coming from a Healthy non SAD type diet to so I went to Level 2 to start ..now at level One in just a few months.

[Punky]

There are probably as many approaches to raw as there is type of fruit. :D I'm so happy for you that this is working for you. There are tons of people on this site who are still transitioning. I know most advocate going straight to 100%, but a lot of people have problems with that. I think it is much more beneficial to eat raw at 75% than to jump to 100%, become overwhelmed with cravings, and go back to SAD. Everyone has to find their own path. Congrats to you and looking forward to reading more of your posts. :D

Autumn

I agree with Autumn (and others). In this case everyone is right
;) No ONE approach is best for everyone. Sometimes 100% is just to intimidating for some, and just what others need to help them over the hurdle
of cooked food cravings.
Continuing with cooked food for some keeps there cravings alive,
and overeating. When I drop under 90% raw my cravings take over...
I go from high raw to like 40 % overnight if I let it get the best of me...
But that's after doing this off and on for a few years now.
100% for others and they feel deprived and will finally break down and
binge...so no approach works for everyone.
I have that book on my wish list. I thought it would be good for me to
share with people like my husband that have no intentions of becoming
*raw fooders* but would like a better quality of life and health.
Or at least plant a seed
:)
Best wishes to you on your raw journey
and welcome to the boards!

[karotw]

I just read that entire book while sitting in Border's Books last night ;)

The approach does sound appealing to me I have to admit. Though I really want to be able to go 100% raw right now, this hasn't worked for me. . .so I am considering trying this other approach. . .

Thanks for sharing about this. . . .not sure where my path will take me, but where I go, I realize that raw is the answer.

Thanks,
Karot

[JMD]

I think if the books helps you it is great!! I think transitioning is healthy and this book seems to have a balanced way to do it and AVOID relapsing and all the self-loathing that may go with that.

Embrace yourself and soon enough you will have to change your screen name:)

JMD