Anyone do this kind of transition??

[LNdolls]

I have a new/old idea. I am thinking of doing 6 days raw - and allowing myself a 'free meal' on day 7. I did Body For Life for a couple challenges with great success.. and have recently done 45 days of 100% raw - as well as four Master Cleanses, one for 40 days - and I want now to burn off the fat and build muscle. I have been majorly re-inspired by Twinnee1' journal and pics!!
I know raw is my way of eating - and I am thinking in terms of well, forever - allowing myself enough of a percentage of raw to heal, get strong and feel great- and then give myself permission to have cooked - planned, sane, part of the agenda - allowed in a small enough percentage to live and be well.. and let the transition go at it's own pace. An number of BFL people notice the huge difference after their free day or meal and eventually eat well most of the time - skipping treats/free anything...
Has anyone here done this??
Best,
LN

[fiddler]

Hi LNDolls,

I've done the BFL program several times over the past 4 years. The workout program I still use but the NUTRITION plan was harmful - at least to me anyway.
[ For me, I'm much fitter and happier eating all raw ]

As for allowing a cheat day, I'd say you're better off just sticking with the RAW. But, if you do want some cooked food might I suggest you just lightly steam some vegetables and have them at dinner with a delicious raw salad.

Another angle:
Try viewing your cheat day as maybe once-a-week having an all raw day that may be comprised of poorly-combined fruits/vegetables/nuts/seeds.
That way, you can treat yourself but still stay raw. The other days, you can nourish your body with properly combined raw foods.
Just an idea.

There's lots of posts here (as I'm sure you've already read them) where folks like to stay 100% (or 99% or whatever) in order to avoid the addictiveness of cooked foods. I agree that when you start tasting cooked food again you're headed down the slippery slope.

Hope you find the right balance that works for you. After all, we're not all cut from the same mold (thank goodness) so you have to seek what works best for you.

Good luck,
fiddler

[maydolphin10]

i agree with fiddler because having a cheat day might lead to bingeing and staying addicted to cooked food. its better to have some cooked food every now and then on an otherwise raw day than to have a fully cooked day. but if it works for you, then thats great

[Beanie]

I think its different depending upon the individual. Some people here need to do 100% 100% of the time. Otherwise one taste leads them to a cooked binge. Others might need to allow themselves an inch so that they don't end up taking a mile, make sense?

I've been playing around with cooked and for the most part, suffering because of it. A cooked MEAL would really make me feel ill. But I find that on a daily basis, if I add a touch of cooked seasoning or a cup of tea, I am fine. If I have a SMALL serving (like a side) of lightly steamed vegetables to a raw meal, I am OK. If I have a half cup of whole grain rice to a raw meal, I am OK. But not a cooked meal, not once a day, month, or year. So if you do it, it might be good to limit it to a few foods say steamed veggies, brown rice, some soup or hummus. HEALTHIER alternatives. Not fatty, overprocessed, heavy cooked SAD foods. I would say no against an entire cooked meal unless its just steamed veggies. Even when I tried the vegetable broth. Too much made me very puffy and feel gross. No its not sending me on a binge, but my body reacts easily now.

But I would say keep cooked to less than 50% of the meal. I've noticed most people here cannot eat a bite of cooked. Right now I'm not sure if its the severe restriction followed by guilt that leads these people to binge or if they would binge on any diet style that had any cooked food period. I know for me, that if I give just a touch and make it ok, even if its only a touch of seasoning, then I am satisfied and crave less. And as I go by I'm hoping those desires will leave. I got worse trying to stick to 100% than felt so guilty for having even a cup of tea....then I wanted to eat out Chinese!

[LNdolls]

I appreciate your feedback, and have given it a lot of thought.. a free meal once a week - at MOST - would be my plan. I have no doubt there would be aftermath - there was with the free meal before, however it made me able to do the rest of the days without feeling or thinking I was deprived - without tension. And I did notice that over time I ate less and less of the free food.. and felt better and better.
I know that I am transitioning to all raw all the time - I just don't want binge/deprivation mentality to run me - and I have been in that headset these last few weeks. Going back 100% raw has been all but impossible. This plan could work - I will give it a try and see.
I might find that the free meal holds no appeal in practice. grin
Best,
LN

[twinee1]

I appreciate your feedback, and have given it a lot of thought.. a free meal once a week - at MOST - would be my plan. I have no doubt there would be aftermath - there was with the free meal before, however it made me able to do the rest of the days without feeling or thinking I was deprived - without tension. And I did notice that over time I ate less and less of the free food.. and felt better and better.
I know that I am transitioning to all raw all the time - I just don't want binge/deprivation mentality to run me - and I have been in that headset these last few weeks. Going back 100% raw has been all but impossible. This plan could work - I will give it a try and see.
I might find that the free meal holds no appeal in practice. grin
Best,
LN

LN..I ran across this post and wanted to say thanks for the compliment. It is a nice feeling to be able to inspire and motivate. BTW I noticed in your avatar you face looks different than previous photo's, more open and lively.

I think the " Raw" food lifestyle meaning different things to different individuals and you need to find what works for you.

Now right now I am doing 100 % Raw Challenge but long term I am finding that a few cooked foods in my diet and I am fine with that. I think for me the key is to "allow' myself anything. What I mean is I do not want to conflict in my mind of "OH I cannot eat This or That" The mind is an amazing thing, when I tell it cannot do this or that, my mind then thinks about ways to get that !!

That being said I CHOOSE not to eat most all things cooked and even some raw foods I choose not to eat . I can easily get caught up in a mental game of limiting myself to a specific diet that may not be very balanced & to diet foods I deem "slimming" , and then beat myself up if I eat it thinking "oh no that will make me fat..." obsessive mode !!!!

So back to the cooked food issue. I find I add a steamed or blanced veggie here and there as there are a few veggies I like but not totally raw (brocolli and kale, rappini..) And I have had a piece of Manna Bread (low temp cooked) and an occassional Ezekial wrap...this has not affected me adversely in fact for me it gives me that mental freedom I was talking about. I am not a "food addict " so eating a cooked food does not create the desire for more. I do find that my system cannot handle a cooked MEAL. I do better when I add just one cooked item to a cooked meal. Lastly if I am going to eat a cooked food it is usually in the evening.

Oh BTW the dehydrator is great. Thanks so much. Yesterday I made some flax cracker with carrots in them, yum. And I soaked, peeled, sprouted then dried my Almonds. Wow they are good. I wonder now how I ate the roasted salted ones !! When my grapefruits start to go bad (as I tend to buy more than I can eat..) I slice and dehydrate them for a handy snack.


Leslie

[LNdolls]

LOL What a delight to discover that I did not realize it was to you that I sold the dehydrator. I am glad it works well for you.
You may be very right, a whole meal might be too much of a bad thing.. the quintessential part of this plan/idea is to give myself enough room and permission to allow my body and soul to make the choices that will ultimately serve me most.
Best,
LN

[Sharon in Colorado]

LN - I've been reading "The Raw Food Detox Diet" by Natalia Rose. I wish I had read it when I was in the game a lot earlier, although I believe it's somewhat new as it is.

I cannot recommend this enough to people who aren't ready to go all the way raw yet but somedy want to "get there". She takes you to several levels and stages of raw as an easy transition. There are questions that you can answer that will help you determine just where you are in the levels. Level 5 is all out SAD complete with illness and medication, while level 1 is pretty much all raw. There are different stages within each level that helps to take the person to the next level with ease.

I checked it out from my library but I went ahead and put it on my Amazon wishlist (a compilation of things I'd would like to get someday). It is something I definately want to include in my personal library.

I think you would really like this book.

[yeahbethany]

I second what Sharon in Colorado said - in fact, I was going to post it myself! =)

[Punky]

LN - I've been reading "The Raw Food Detox Diet" by Natalia Rose. I wish I had read it when I was in the game a lot earlier, although I believe it's somewhat new as it is.

I cannot recommend this enough to people who aren't ready to go all the way raw yet but somedy want to "get there". She takes you to several levels and stages of raw as an easy transition. There are questions that you can answer that will help you determine just where you are in the levels. Level 5 is all out SAD complete with illness and medication, while level 1 is pretty much all raw. There are different stages within each level that helps to take the person to the next level with ease.

I checked it out from my library but I went ahead and put it on my Amazon wishlist (a compilation of things I'd would like to get someday). It is something I definately want to include in my personal library.

I think you would really like this book.


Thanks Sharon for bringing up this book!
I already have it on my amazon wish list since Yeah Bethany recommended it. I have had problems going 100% raw; I am high raw but have been struggling lately committing to 100% again...this book may help me keep it all in perspective and get me there in time...plus I thought it would be good for my hubby who has no desire to be raw, but maybe to improve his diet at least.

[Boysenberry]

Hi LN,

My sister did bfl and told me about the take one day off idea. When I started raw that is what I did. Took Sundays off. At first I ate all of the foods I felt I had been deprived of while eating raw. I would buy it during the week and could hardly wait until Sunday came around. As the weeks went by, my old favorites no longer tasted as good as I remembered, and raw tasted so much better. I have found that Mondays are easy to get back to raw. As I go along, there are fewer and fewer things I want if they are not raw. I am finally reaching a point where I no longer feel the need to take a day off.

I do it, and it helped me stay raw. If it was not for the fact that I knew I could have whatever I was craving on Sunday, I would not have been able to stay raw in the beginning. Now I want to stay raw because I realize all of the benefits.

[Sharon in Colorado]

http://www.therawfooddetoxdiet.com/index.html

Here's the site. There are a few things that you might need to tweak (she suggests Splenda for those who are trying to get off Sweet N Low that she said won't be in the new printing). I think all and all it's a great book, especially for those who need to gently come off a SAD diet.

[SparklePlenty]

This is such a great thread. What I find as i eat more and more raw is that most of the cooked foods I might have for a free meal just don't agree with me any more, especially the wheat based ones. So i guess i'll have to choose very carefully which cooked foods to eat in allowing myself the freedom, rather than the restriction doesn't work for me. I'm thinking that a veggie soup with a little brown rice in it might be just the thing,or steamed veggies with brown rice, or some sweet potato. and I am still attached to my little sprinkle of romano cheese too. LOL
The idea of picking and planning a day or a meal to have some cooked foods that will satisfy without making me feel like complete yuck, really appeals to me. I love looking for what would be the best next step in this process.
Since I am starting to weight train again next week I'm in a bit of a mindset of not being sure i'll get enough nutrition. Guess i'll have to play it by ear for a while.

Jan

[Cinnamon]

Here is another vote for "The Raw Food Detox Diet" by Natalia Rose, I also wish I'd read this very early on but guess it wasn't in print when I started out on this journey! But I do highly recommend it.

[TimmyC]

LN,

Being 100% raw for life is possible if you want it to be. If it were me in that situation, and it could easily be me, to help make the decision I'd first try and figure out what things are giving me this notion to have a once a week cooked meal (as 100% is the goal). If it's not the goal then you need not ask that question. But if you really want to know if this is good you may want to dig deep and honestly, and try to figure out what is going on emotionally. Are you getting bored? Are you not getting enough to eat or does it not feel satisfying for you to eat 100% raw 7 days a week? Does that make sense?

Maybe if you try and nail down the core issue you can easily figure out your decision or ask for help so others can come up with suggestions.
For me I've learned that 100% raw doesn't mean the same foods for the rest of my life, it means that variety is key for me in order to maintain. Sometimes simplicity will work, sometimes prepared raw foods will work better. Sometimes light raw food works, and sometimes heavier recipes are necessary.

You see, I believe that you can satisfy the real need with raw food, but it may not be the same raw foods that you're used to eating.

This is just a suggestion...I hope it can provide some help in your journey for answers to this delima. I wish you the best.

Tim

[SparklePlenty]

Timmy, you make a great point. several actually! And you hit the nail on the head for me: I am hungry and want more variety. Some days liighter raw food works great for me, and other days I really need and want heavier food.Especially since I exercise and am very active. My dehydrator should be arriving any day now so that will help.
If I can come up with raw foods that are really satisfying, then I'll do fine 100% raw. And I know I can do that since I've been a very creative cook for decades and am shifting that to creative raw food prep. Plus I DO have alissa's book!
The whole cooked food issue feels like letting go of a security blanket of sorts. Kinda hard to let go of, but every day I am closer and closer to making the choice to let it go. And as I eat more raw, fewer and fewer cooked foods really feel good in my body.
The other thing is that having been compulsive with food for a long time, I don't want 100% raw to be a rule, but a day by day, meal by meal choice, based on what is best for me and what feels good. It's an interesting and priceless process so far.....and it sure is a journey!

Now I can't wait to make alissa's enchiladas and lasagna when that dehydrator gets here!! LOL

Jan

[TimmyC]

Thanks for the message Jan! I like what you said about the choice to be raw on a day by day meal by meal basis. Every day is a victory for me. I too choose to be raw each day. It's pretty freeing to do that. My goal is never to eat cooked foods again. And I'm only going to reach that goal on a day by day basis, and loving myself for choosing that path.

The variety of raw foods have a very important role for me in my decision. The most important thing to do for me to stay 100% raw is to make sure I'm liking what I'm doing food wise. That's the most important thing...then I follow the more detailed self-imposed rules if there is any. Like food combining and balance. The other main thing I do is eat when I'm hungry. It's working very well for me so far.
BTW, have you tried the Raw Chile? How about Raw Pizza. Wow, you need to try these if you haven't. Also the Raw Enchiladas are an excellent choice!

Be good to yourself,

Tim



Timmy, you make a great point. several actually! And you hit the nail on the head for me: I am hungry and want more variety. Some days liighter raw food works great for me, and other days I really need and want heavier food.Especially since I exercise and am very active. My dehydrator should be arriving any day now so that will help.
If I can come up with raw foods that are really satisfying, then I'll do fine 100% raw. And I know I can do that since I've been a very creative cook for decades and am shifting that to creative raw food prep. Plus I DO have alissa's book!
The whole cooked food issue feels like letting go of a security blanket of sorts. Kinda hard to let go of, but every day I am closer and closer to making the choice to let it go. And as I eat more raw, fewer and fewer cooked foods really feel good in my body.
The other thing is that having been compulsive with food for a long time, I don't want 100% raw to be a rule, but a day by day, meal by meal choice, based on what is best for me and what feels good. It's an interesting and priceless process so far.....and it sure is a journey!

Now I can't wait to make alissa's enchiladas and lasagna when that dehydrator gets here!! LOL

Jan

[LNdolls]

I really appreciated your post Timmy C - it lead me to deeply consider and with Raw Priestesses post about cooked no longer fitting - well, I came to the clarity that I was right the first time - it is all raw all the time for me.. And supporting that goal is my job - with varity of food, consistancy of nutrition and that very precious deliciousness - loving the food I am eating.
I am just going to count each day as I live it raw - as a pat on my own back.
Thanks everyone for your very valued feedback.
Best,
LN

[TimmyC]

Thanks LN. I think you hit the nail on the head when you discovered it's about the variety, the nutrition, and making sure there's balance. It's really important to love the food you're eating. And yes, celebrate each day!! You deserve it.

Tim



I really appreciated your post Timmy C - it lead me to deeply consider and with Raw Priestesses post about cooked no longer fitting - well, I came to the clarity that I was right the first time - it is all raw all the time for me.. And supporting that goal is my job - with varity of food, consistancy of nutrition and that very precious deliciousness - loving the food I am eating.
I am just going to count each day as I live it raw - as a pat on my own back.
Thanks everyone for your very valued feedback.
Best,
LN