Hello all-

I am embarking on a raw food lifestyle, and I am really looking forward to more energy and better health! I once ate only raw fruits and veggies for a ten day "cleanse," and I never felt better! I know, intellectually, that this is the way my body functions best.

The problem is that I need to overcome 39 years of programming. Can anyone here give me a simple way to start? If I just start eating fruits and veggies, is my GI system going to blow up like a balloon? What do I do about cabbage breath? Can a person survive on smoothies alone?

I am a would-be raw foodist living in the deep-fried south, so I need all the help I can get. Anyone? Anyone?

Thank you!
Betsy Lou

Welcome welcome

Start by deciding whats achievable for you right now or what YOUR GOALs are

Clear out your kitchen, go out and buy plenty of fresh produce.

Alissa cohens site has a 30 day challenge for raw, which is fabulous. Recommend doing 30 days raw, commiting to that for sure, plenty of support on the forum

You can live on smoothies alone, but no need to! There is a huge variety of gorgeous raw food to enjoy

Dont stress too much .. jump in..play..have fun!

Dodgy food combining could make you bloat at first, your system will get used to it. Take it slow..if your adding new things to your diet..try them slowly first.

Go for it! best advice I can give you

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Raw since March 2007

http://rawveganlondoner.blogspot.com/

Im also in the beginning of trying to be raw. A couple of things I thin k helps:

Write down why you want to be raw. Have it in a book if you want but it would be better to have ít on the wall somewhere or mirror or refrigerator-somewhere where you can see it often...

Most of us doubt sometimes of the diet...The entire societ say that we should eat in another way so read alot so you know why it is good to eat raw.

Right now Im deciding from one day to another and this works for me. In the evening I decide if I want to be raw the nex day or not. I always say yes...I imagine what I will eat etc. And its really good food and the body feels great!

And its ok to fail! Dont be mad at yourself if you fail... then it only get worse...´

People do different some go 100% raw at once.. some think its enough to be 75-80% raw and that is also something you must decide... How do YOU want to do it?

Good luck!
W

Thanks, Dancer and W!

I think I'm just getting overwhelmed at the amount of information out there, and then there's the superfoods and the fancy juicers... whew.

I think, for me, it's just a matter of choosing raw over cooked, and paying attention to how I feel. It's so easy to be a mindless eater in this society.

So off to the grocery store to add some color to my fridge. Thanks!

Betsy Lou

I agree with Rawdanceruk and the above great posts. Don't even make it an issue to the 'outside' world. Don't even mention the word raw. Just decide what you want YOUR % of lifetime raw fruits and vegetables to be.....and determine where you are at now....and set goals of 1-2% per week until YOU reach YOUR goals. Along the way you will find the fruits and vegetables that you LOVE and that work for you. Even at the above steady pace....a person would be ALL raw within 1-2 years....even if they started out eating NO raw! LOL.

-PREPAREDNESS is the watch-word. Always eat before you leave the house and bring a snack bag. NEVER show up somewhere hungry. Never wait for people to serve you and then decide: "Well, I'll just have a little bit...". Know what you will eat before you leave the house, and be full when you show up. If you HAVE to eat, hit the snack bag.

-Be prepared to go out to eat and tell your family and friends, "I'm not hungry, but I'm here to spend time with you. Is that ok?"

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

I really hope this goes well for you!
My husband and I are omnivores embarking on one month raw this coming Sunday. We are tracking our month with a blog and hope to get some people to interact with us on there as sort of support and motivation. I KNOW a key for me is going to be having others involved. Prehaps you could do the same?
Ayhow, fell free to interact with me ony my blog if you need a beginning buddy =)
Arika
[rawforamonth.blogspot.com]