has anyone worked the 12 steps of recovery around eating disorder and sucessfull maintained absinence on a raw diet?
i have been in recovery for compulsive overeating for 2 years and the programme has given me so much, i am so grateful for what i have learned about spiritual discipline and surrender and consistency.

i find that all my recovery friends have food plans which are based on cooked food and when i tell them about raw, they think im mad. or limiting.

i also find it difficult to eat raw without it becoming perfectionistic, i mean i think its a great obsession/hobby dont get me wrong, but i find my nature is to want to control my food and i can get into a situation where i cant see the wood for the trees if you see what i mean. my way aroud that has been to keep a bit of cooked food in there for some mental sanity and to let it go only when i feel able to on an emotional level.

i would love to connect with someone who has the stability of having worked the steps, yet the experience of doing raw.

i live in london and im going to visit the tree of life centre in may!!

thanks

...'the big sophie' (taking care of the little sophie)

[eat.rawfood.com]

it can be quite difficult when the perfectionist mind set takes hold. But I'm sure once the fear is released and trust in yourself is gained then you can breathe fully and relax! I know that if I see myself as 100% raw then I will truly crave what my mind wants, but what my body does not. therefore I never set up a fence and enclose myself. I try to trust myself to make the right choices and really be my body instead of my babbling brain - always chattering nonsense! The body's needs are spoken much more quietly and if I can relax enough to listen truly to my real needs then I think thats the first step in trusting yourself and being raw, without thinking of 'other things'.
I think you are doing that, as you keep some cooked food around the place. And that is what determines you as a successful eater I think. If that gives you peace of mind then great! You are human : )

The more we think about something and indulge in that thought the more hold it has on us. If you can NOT think about being perfect then you will be Im sure!

I'm not sure about the steps you are talking about, but I can relate with the perfectionist mindset.
One thing is for sure, you are not limiting, I feel a lot freer eating raw than I did cooked. I often forget what I eat instead of obsessing over a plate of blinking rice!
Keep thinking about how lovely and free you are now! And experiment with new foods, I still can't believe how many fruits and veg are out in the world and I have never tried them!

I would like to visit London soon and go to Spitalfields Market (mmmm) and try and hunt the elusive Durian, none here in Wales!

Good luck, and feel free to email me!

Yeah, we should have a Durian party in London!

I love China Town, there's always interesting fruit I've never tried before.

Rob

--
Rob Hull - Funky Raw
My blog: [www.rawrob.com]

yeah and they can look a bit scary too, lol. When I go to the green grocers and see something that looks like a potato and is a foot long - yoiks!

I agree - lets gather to have a durian party! Could be one smelly party though : )

Hi~~

I read Victoria Boutenko's 12 Steps To Raw Food, and it made a whole lotta sense and revolutionized a bit my way of seeing things...

I too had dilemmas over which was better, all raw or moderation (moderation being even more difficult)

after several years of going raw off and on, now with a baby I'm nursing, I finally feel capable of quitting the cooked food addiction, as I need the energy so much for my little one (and myself) and with the grounding of pretty much living for him and his needs. Maybe the Big Sophie might go raw as a great act of cherishing the Little Sophie, not because she's a "perfectionist" (doing things for others often helps, and this has the double bonus of packin' in compassion for oneself...

Good luck! I hope to be a success story soon... (heck, we're all success stories, already)

Hey there, Sophies!

I haven't worked the 12 steps for food, but I work them for alcohol ( 6 yrs). And I'm about 95% raw ( 1 1/2yrs.)

This would be a good opportunity to practice moderation. It is very easy to become obsessed with "RAW". Maybe a more gradual approach would be a more stable experience for you. The "black or white", all or nothing approach has caused many folks to fold and go back to a SAD lifestyle.

I see my becoming raw as a very spiritual experience and from what I read on this forum - most of those who post here do also. We are loving, honoring and taking care of ourselves (and animals) in the best way that we know how. We are being honest with ourselves about how what we eat effects our wellbeing. We are taking responsibility for our health rather than pushing it off on some doctor. We
share our stories (including failures, lessons learned and successes) with each other on this forum and others. And we help each other. There are some "old timers" who answer newcomers' posts - over and over and over - always willing to help them out. So, you will see the principles of the steps being practiced here.

Since you have two years under your belt, you have surely gained a good deal in terms of self honesty and knowing how to spot self-delusion. Hopefully you would know if you were setting yourself up to fail. My suggestion would be to talk to your sponsor, pray, get as honest with yourself as possible about why you might want to do this (is it for increased health or to limit food choices) and to make sure that you have someone to whom you are willing to be held accountable. And by the way - congratulations for your 2 years in recovery! The 12 steps have been nothing short of a miracle in my own life! Good Luck!

Life is Good!

alive!