I am working hard to increase my raw vegan percentage. It seems that everytime I succeed in that quest, I tend to fall back to eating less optimal. It's as if my body panics and I end up eating Laerabars, tons of dates, loads of walnuts.



And another reason for getting off the path:
Last week I had some vegan sushi and it felt as if my taste buds got too excited or something and i all of a sudden found myself craving soy, corn and wheat. I know I am sensitive to those and the effects were terrible (moodswings, depression, bed ridden, heart racing...). Now I find myself in a whole of crazy cravings and not feeling well at all.

I know my favorite watermelons will clean me out so beautifully... so I will go splurge there for a few days, maybe with some other fruit. but I am afraid of the rebound effect I describe above. I have never been 100% raw for longer than a few days. Do you guys experience a big difference at 100% as opposed to, say, 80 (where I was)? DO the cravings subside?

And, oh yes, green smoothies!! Must get back to that!
Thanks, all.

If you find yourself "falling back" then you are not doing things at a pace that is right for YOU. ANY failure is a failure of proper goal setting - not of external circumstances....because goal setting can change instantly......and acceptance can happen at ANY time.

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

The first month i tried going 100%, i just couldnt, i constantly had cravings for junk and cooked @#$%&...I dont even count the first month in my Raw transition, cause i just couldnt focus on my goal.
Then i discovered coconut oil. Some say its bad, some say its good. I developped an obsession with coconut, but maybe it wont happen to you....Anyway, coconut OIL really helps with the cravings and making you feel full and satisfied. I highly recommand it. I dont think i would be raw if i havnt had that, honnestly.

And now, this is my first week without my oil, i feel strange, and hungry, but stronger too. I will stick to raw foods, because i love all the benefits, but i know ( and everybody here knows!!) how hard it can be to stick to that diet.

I struggle with it too. That's why I: 1) don't give up, and 2) treat myself to cacao coconut oil date pecan bliss moosh or something with raw crackers (I only eat raw crackers when I'm feeling this way; usually they're too heavy and I'm satisfied without them), or a bunch of nuts, avo and sprouts rolled up with some lettuce in a nori roll. Last night I ate a little very healthy cooked after eating all raw for a week and was too full. So now I don't want anything at all.

I understand your struggle. I am going through the same thing. Victoria Boutenko writes that we need to listen to our bodies when we have cravings and I totally agree with this. I think that in my case, and many others, we need to uncover what our body really needs when it's craving the bad stuff. So, if you're jonesing for dates and walnuts, what possible nutrition is your body after? I'm finding that I crave these foods when I have not had enough calories or fat in the day. Perhaps it is more at a mineral/vitamin level? So, folic acid, fat and calcium (?, not sure about this one, are dates a source of calcium or is this just something I've dreamed up?!) Good luck!

Jenn

i feel exactly the same as you leafeater

I think that's common, everytime I push to a higher level of raw food, I get all the old cravings back. I try to fast and that sets off a flurry of cravings.

Hey Cocoa_Nibs,

After a year of being 100% raw (went raw overnight), I ate a little cooked food while on holidays.... I spiraled out of control, and had very intense cravings for a lot of cooked foods. It took me a few months to get back to raw 100%. In my opinion, eating a non raw meal is not worth the effort it takes to get back to raw.

That said, now if I eat gourmet raw foods, they set me of... Like you said, I think my taste buds become excited and I want more and more different things. I allow myself to eat so long as everything is raw. I'm not sure how to get to the point where I can eat a raw gourmet meal, thoroughly enjoy it, and then go back to eating lightly (fruit) for the rest of the day.... I'm not sure that I can! I know fruit alone is what feels best, but sometimes you want the comfort of what you miss!

Sunflower
Raw Food Chef and Writer
Comfortably Raw
[www.comfortablyraw.com]