Whats wrong with me!!!!

[RighteousYogini]

Someone, PLEASE!!!! I just don't understand!!!! I have the will power of a bull, I'm stubborn and disciplined and hard working. Whatever I put my mind to and focus on, I tend to achieve!!

EXCEPT THIS!! I have gone raw and fallen off gone raw and fallen off gone raw and fallen off literally for YEARS!!! I cannot seem to commit 100% for even a week!!! Ive done gourmet raw, raw detox, high carb low fat raw, all banana raw and the result is ALWAYS the same!!! The first frigin day Ill decide "rice isn't that bad" so I have a TINY little concession made.... and before you know it, 6 days later, I have an entire CHEAT DAY..... feel like hell, and START AGAIN.

its driving me crazy! How do some people just decide and DO it? Just go for it! Is it food addiction holding me back? Not enough calories? lack of perseverence, lack of support?!?!

Can anyone please please please share their tips for getting on and STAYING ON???? Do you pray first thing in the morning? A mantra? Tell yourself why you're doing this? journal? connect with bloggers daily? any tips....... ill take em.

Does anyone want a raw buddy? Anyone wanna start with me tomorrow? AGAIN

love

e

[snoops]

Is it possible that raw is just not for you? I'm serious. It's not for me but I am grateful that I found it and tried it because a lot of the aspects of it I have made my own and it has made me healthier. Do I need to be all raw. I have decided no.

[Revvell]

I agree with Snoops. Having said that, it's not about willpower. People "try" to do things from the surface instead of from internally and that's not where willpower comes from. EFT and other "energy medicine" techniques make a great difference in assisting us in doing what we truly want to do.

[Dirkg]

Some things that may help -

- don't try to do too much at a time, i.e. don't go and spend a ton of money on nice organic produce and try to convert to 100% raw instantly.
- find out what you like (fruits, vegetables, flavors) and try to do more of it. There are so many new ideas and recipes you can get overwhelmed. If you like what you eat, you'll stick with it. e.g. pick one smoothie. salad etc you love and don't mind eating and it can become your go to food.
- it's easier to remove bad food items once you already have a good diet, rather than substituting. Our body is smart, it sends you the right signals. So e.g. you keep the current diet but add in a tasty green smoothie. As the body starts getting optimum nutrition from the greens, the cravings for the bad food will start to go away. Then its easy to simply drop the bad food habits.
- Failure isn't bad. We all miss a workout, eat a snack we're not supposed to etc. Don't let that be an excuse to abandon your diet and think you failed. Forget about it and get back on track!
- if you have one nearby, go and treat yourself to a raw restaurant. I've done this and taken friends and we were all inspired by the taste and possibilities.
- remember this is not a diet but a lifestyle change. Do what you can best, even if you decide its not for you you will end up learning something useful.

[RighteousYogini]

I dont think this is the case, although it would be an amazing way out. I think it definitely is for me, which is why I continue to try a hundred times over...... I did a lot of reading on another forum and received so much insight.... about how eating raw forces us to really look at ourselves, inside out, stark naked . . . . tonnes of emotions come up and there'sno option to stuff them with food, bouze, drugs . . . . Ill just try again . . . day 1, here we go!

[Traceyraw]

For myself. I need lots of greens. I usually eat carrot sticks or apples on my way home from work. Feed yourself before the kids. Have snacks on hand. Chia pudding saves the day for me often.

[sport]

Would you consider doing a juice fast for perhaps a week. It may retrain your appetite and your cravings.

[Cruditas]

Be kind to yourself and don't stress about 100% raw. Start by just thinking of eating when hungry and make the decision at that time. I agree that trying to go all gourmet and attempting to fix involved raw meals can be frustrating and time consuming at first, be simple and it will be easier to start. I begin almost everyday with oat groates soaked overnight and mixed with fresh fruit, seeds, and almond milk for cereal. Its easy and filling. I also always have some gazpacho on hand for a filling smoothie type soup. Chia pudding is also filling and can be made ahead of time. Eat little snacks all day. Avacodos with lemon juice, tomatoes mixed with sprouts, grab a banana, and don't forget to drink lots of water. this is my 10th month raw and it took about 5 to get to where I finally simplified and was able to go 100%.

Keep on trying and you will find what is right for your body. Good Luck, coming here is a good supportive move:)

[Dimond]

It's important to make what you want stronger than what you don't want so that you can succeed. For me, I've had a lot of health issues which affected my whole entire life. It was the next step for me after trying various other routes including different diets. I could never have a good quality of life unless I stuck with this. Plus I found raw vegan to be the easiest diet of all because there were so many delicious substitutes for everything. I kept things very simple by preparing very quick, yet satisfying meals. I always had plenty of food around, including prepared foods & snacks, so that no matter what I had everything I needed. I didn't have anything that wasn't raw around so there were no temptations and would bring my own food with me every time I went out.

Back to having an incentive. Everyone has their own reasons for wanting to follow this path. Take those reasons to come up with ways to motivate yourself so it can be less difficult and not like you're forcing yourself to do it. You can use affirmations, visualization or a vision board, have a goal or health plan, you can give yourself rewards, you can find a buddy (as you've mentioned) online or in-person, attend raw events, especially potlucks (tons of fun!), get motivation from various raw websites-other forums, blogs, videos, etc., whatever it is you need to do to make it work for you. Also, maybe someone close to you can motivate you even if they're not doing it. You can be a support for each other for different reasons.

[Non]

Have you tried moderating the carbs a bit, maybe upping the protein and fat (sprouted/germinated/soaked nuts and seeds), and seeing if your addictions/cravings go away? Maybe sprouted grains or legumes? Also, Gabriel Cousens says about 1-2 lbs of leafy greens a day can help one to stop a person from eating too much fruit or fat.

Putting in to a meal plan though has always mystified me. Ie, when to eat a specific food and proper food combinations. Though he has written extensively about this. It may just be that you need to find the right plan for you to stay in the raw and that popularized ideas about it just aren't working for you. You might need to go through another detox plan or a transition phase until you have all that is necessary to begin a wholly raw food diet at least with more variety?

[commoncents]

I've had the same experience as you and each time I stop eating RAW, consume SAD and then back to RAW, it seems to be getting easier and each time I return to RAW, I am more committed. So, I do not beat myself up any longer when I fall, but continue to get back up and do it again. I am meant to be 100% RAW. I am happiest and feel and look my best when I am. Doing this has given me more empathy for others who go through the same thing.

I am presently taking time out for a fast to get the SAD out of my system, and then I will give RAW another try. Good luck to you and remember just keep at it and maybe incorporate some of the great suggestions given by others here.

[laughalways]

I am not always 100% raw but close to it. I agree with many of you that my motivation is how I feel eating raw. If I do slide once in a while, my body lets me know. I enjoy feeling good and when I eat poorly, I feel it. I also go through phases of juicing or not. But I always crave greens if I haven't had them for a day. I guess you just need to find what works for you on a daily basis to stay raw. Figure out what makes you go back to a SAD diet and work on that. Make sure you keep stuff on hand that makes it easy to eat raw. I find planning it out and knowing what I am going to eat helps.

I hope you figure it out. Since I have been raw and vegan, I look at the food other people eat and I have very little desire to eat that way again.

[walnutty]

It is not about will power. If you really do decide that this is what you want (raw) and you have a reason why you want it, then it becomes very easy, in my opinion.

[k8sl8]

I went pretty much cold turkey and stayed RAW for many months, then life started to interfere. I have made the choice to be somewhat flexible.

You are the only one who can decide IF it is for you. If you have never been RAW for more than a day or two at a time, you don't yet KNOW if it's for you. You just assume it should be because of the benefits and hype. Perhaps your version may be 80% raw and the rest vegetarian or vegan cooked. You need to know what your body wants and it might NOT be all RAW.

I feel best all raw, but right now I'm not. It's my CHOICE. I'm committed to being the best I can be. Nothing more and nothing less. Don't beat yourself up and don't think it is either 100% or nothing.

I have your vice, too. BUT if and when I eat them, it isn't a whole bag anymore. A moral victory, if nothing else. Same with most things non-raw. I eat way less of it than when consuming an all SAD diet. It's not 'perfect', but it is certainly better than out of control SAD.

[blissrunner]

Maybe you're trying to hard or maybe 100% raw isn't right for your body. Why not do the best you can and don't beat yourself up when you fall off, just brush yourself off and start back where you left off and don't worry about it. You'll make more strides forward then back if you relax about it.