hardest thing you had to deal with while gong raw

[lissomllama]

People not being understanding. Story of my life, lol.

[Sharon in Colorado]

How have/do you deal with that? I have been wondering myself how I will deal with that if the issue arises.

It can be quite a challenge. Some of the times I did, I would explain that I was a vegetarian (in between being raw), and sometimes ended up eating their cooked "veggie" dish. Once it was not good, I mean it was tasty, but it was a chile relleno, which is full of egg and cheese. So it was really bad for my cholesterol.

Once I explained and told the hostess I'd bring my own food and not to worry. The last thing I want to do is be a big concern. If the host/ess is making salad anyway, then that is good with me.

The further I get along in the game, the less it is an issue to me, but it still comes up, and I still have to 'explain'. However the less I make a deal out of it, the less other people get confused or offended. I've yet to be invited to a formal sit down dinner - I suppose I would just explain that I only eat fresh fruits and vegetables and hope for a salad!

I mean, what if I was a diabetic, or had a food allergy. It would really be mandatory for my health if I was in that situation. But being raised kosher and having high cholesterol my entire life, I've pretty much gotten used to eating different from everyone else. It is just a little more of a challenge with a new person.

[Sharon in Colorado]

The second is a husband who asks continually "why do you have to be so extreme about things?"

I have seen the light but he still has the lampshade on his head!!!

Tracy

English Tracy, I just had a similar conversation with my DH about this. He said I am so black and white.

[Raw Jewelrylady]

Restaurants are the hardest for me. I am doing better now-but I had a bad spell with some SAD this past Summer. I am happy to report that I'm back on Raw. I will be avoiding them for a while-as I don't want any temptation.

Lana

[juliebove]

Perhaps not hard, but annoying. And that would be produce that spoils before I can eat it.

[Deenasmiles]

The hardest thing I've had to deal with is all of my own confusion surrounding eating RAW. I eat and eat and eat, but when I come here and read what others have had, it makes my food amounts seem insignificant! I'm concerned - not for the big eaters, but for me! I'm new to this (today is my 2nd day RAW). I don't eat anywhere close to the amount of food that others on this site are eating, yet I feel full and satisfied.

Should I force myself to eat a certain amount of fruits/veggies in order to eat 'x' amount of calories - even if I'm full?! I feel bad cuz initally, I didn't even know I had to count calories! Please help!

Here's what I had today:
Breakfast: two oranges
Lunch: a cup and a half of red grapes
Snacks throughout the day: a grapefruit, a plum, half a canteloupe
Dinner: a carrot
Snack: two oranges

I also drank a cup of white tea this morning (which, I just recently found out, is not allowed on RAW) and LOADS of bottled water.

Sorry for turning this into a cry for help, but PLEASE, I'm a confused newbie. I feel fine and full, but I don't want to continue eating like this if everyone else is eating so much more. Health is my main objective.

~Deenasmiles~

[Sharon in Colorado]

I also drank a cup of white tea this morning (which, I just recently found out, is not allowed on RAW)

White tea is sun-dried so if you don't boil it, it should still be raw. But whether or not it's raw, the allowing part is entirely up to you.

[Coriander74]

Hi Deena!!!!

As far as I'm concerned, calorie counts don't particularly matter, as long as you're getting food into ya.

There are many fruitarians around, who live on fruit mostly, and who would probably tell you that you're doing great. However, I believe in a good balance of fruit, veg (especially GREENS ), some nuts and seeds for protein and good fats.

Whip up some veggie juice with apple to sweeten it, or have a huge salad with olive oil and lemon juice or orange juice as dressing... have a blast discovering new foods and what tastes good to you and what makes your body happiest :)

And feel free to question away!!

[Rawkinlocs]

The hardest thing I've had to deal with is all of my own confusion surrounding eating RAW. I eat and eat and eat, but when I come here and read what others have had, it makes my food amounts seem insignificant! I'm concerned - not for the big eaters, but for me! I'm new to this (today is my 2nd day RAW). I don't eat anywhere close to the amount of food that others on this site are eating, yet I feel full and satisfied.

Should I force myself to eat a certain amount of fruits/veggies in order to eat 'x' amount of calories - even if I'm full?! I feel bad cuz initally, I didn't even know I had to count calories! Please help!

Here's what I had today:
Breakfast: two oranges
Lunch: a cup and a half of red grapes
Snacks throughout the day: a grapefruit, a plum, half a canteloupe
Dinner: a carrot
Snack: two oranges

I also drank a cup of white tea this morning (which, I just recently found out, is not allowed on RAW) and LOADS of bottled water.

Sorry for turning this into a cry for help, but PLEASE, I'm a confused newbie. I feel fine and full, but I don't want to continue eating like this if everyone else is eating so much more. Health is my main objective.

~Deenasmiles~

Hi Deena,

No, don't worry about trying to eat as much as the next person eats...listen to your OWN body and eat accordingly. Somedays you may eat a little, some days you may eat a lot. There are many here who are very into counting calories and figuring out every little minute detail and that (IMHO) is a bondage...well, for ME it would be but to each his/her own.

No, as Alissa has stated many times before, eating raw is "strict" enough...if you try to add too many more rules to it especially when just starting out, you set yourself up for trouble.

Eat however much or little you feel comfortable with and what works for your body and allow yourself to become intune with your body and what it needs.

I am the same way...I see some raw fooders eating these HUGE-A-MONGOUS salads and I eat just a small bowl of it because that's all I can eat...I don't need a lot of food in one sitting and while some say to stretch your stomach, etc....I just can't do that, sorry. I eat as much as I want or can eat and then I stop and if that means eating two or three or even one hour later, so be it...I'll pop a few grapes into my mouth and I'm fine. No problems, I'm not emaciated or any of that.
Congrats on your first two days!

[Graciebeliever]

The hardest thing I've had to deal with is all of my own confusion surrounding eating RAW. I eat and eat and eat, but when I come here and read what others have had, it makes my food amounts seem insignificant! I'm concerned - not for the big eaters, but for me! I'm new to this (today is my 2nd day RAW). I don't eat anywhere close to the amount of food that others on this site are eating, yet I feel full and satisfied.

Should I force myself to eat a certain amount of fruits/veggies in order to eat 'x' amount of calories - even if I'm full?! I feel bad cuz initally, I didn't even know I had to count calories! Please help!

Here's what I had today:
Breakfast: two oranges
Lunch: a cup and a half of red grapes
Snacks throughout the day: a grapefruit, a plum, half a canteloupe
Dinner: a carrot
Snack: two oranges

I also drank a cup of white tea this morning (which, I just recently found out, is not allowed on RAW) and LOADS of bottled water.

Sorry for turning this into a cry for help, but PLEASE, I'm a confused newbie. I feel fine and full, but I don't want to continue eating like this if everyone else is eating so much more. Health is my main objective.

~Deenasmiles~

Dear Deenasmiles

You are doing exactly right for you :)

Don't dispair if you are full and happy eating what you did today.

SOME of us that are emotional eaters or others that need long over due nutrients or those who do LOTS of physical activity simple eat more!
Just like SAD some just need more and some less.

YOu need to feel good about what you eat and not think that there is a quota for you to fill.

At first I ate a weeks worth of stuff in 2.5 days!! Holy Fruit Gone Batman hehe

Take each day and eat the amount that you are comfortable with.

Also about the Tea? Some Raw peeps have tea and they have decided that for them, it is just fine. I think RawPriestess has a morning cup of tea. Nothing with caffiene but non the less for her it is something she enjoys and there is no CRIME in it :)


DON'T even think calories :) no no no
just eat the things that fall into the guildlines of what Raw is (an ongoing learning process for everyone) and eat as much or as little as fills you and makes you feel Great!

Keep a little list of what you eat each day and if you eat too little, go back and have another piece of whatever. If you want to eat 15 bananas? EAT EM!
Listen to what your body says to you afterwards. It's not like you are eating a box of twinkies! Eat oranges or whatever till you are perfectly full.

Just remember that being here is a place to learn and find what is best for US. Read what others sat and pick what is best for you and let us know what works for you:)

Prepare yourself for days that just are tougher than others but after a while the Raw thing is so natural that you wont even worry anymore.

SO glad you ar here!
Hang out and Don't stress it you are doing just great

[PATH301]

Hey misslinda here's the thread I told you about!

Biggest challenges - is overly concerned friends and family. Everything else is a breeze.
I have a brother of mine - who is my daily grind so to speak, but I recently found a quote by frederick douglas - "where there is no struggle there is no strength."
So this is a great motivation for me to continue to educate myself in eating healthy and my brother as well.

[Lay-Lay]

Eating out if the biggest challenge. I don't do it often but when I do I eat some before I go and then order a fresh salad or fruit.

[chamomile]

When I first went raw, I was sooooo excited. I wanted to talk about it all the time, and to everybody. But nobody was interested. My dh was great and listened and listened, but he wasnt really interested, he was just trying to be a good husband.
Months later I still find it hard not having a raw buddy. This board is really great, and really helps.

[Graciebeliever]

I agree with Chamomile!

My greatest difficulty is not having anyone to share my raw journey with. The only light is that my 17 year old Son has watched me eat raw for the last 45 days and he told me yesterday that when he is at home he wants to eat what I eat and he has begun to really get anti junk and fast food. It does a heart so good :)

Other than that? It is to see Fruit go bad cuz I didn't get to it

Makes me wanna weep. But thanks to lot of good answers as to how often people shop I am getting it through my thick head I need to buy less and shop more often. That is solving the problem

[Lunar*Fey]

Figuring out the best way to eat to get the nutrients and calories I need.

I'll second that!

But harder still is the issue with my family (especially mother) mostly because of me having anorexia in the past.
Also, going over my friend's house (mostly sleeping over)! Its so hard and makes me feel like I have to leave early...before I eat them out of fruit! Also when I went over a different friends house I went on a bikeride with her family. When we got back she made homemade pizza and asked me if I liked pizza. I said no and she asked why. She is a nurse and says she knows everything about nutrition and that if I didn't eat enough calories and protein after bike riding I would lose muscle. she went on and on. I told my friend about a million times prior that I was RAW and explained what it was but she NEVER "remembers" and seems a bit thick about it lol.