I am new to all this, I have started before and then fallen away. But I have never stuck it out long enough for it to become second nature. I feel like I have an ever shrinking window of opportunity to preserve my health - I'll be 38 this year, and my dad had his first heart attack at 42! And I have been walking in his footsteps until now- I am being scared raw at this point. I remember getting that light, almost empty feeling before, but I never got to a point where I didn't want every ice cream cone and piece of toast that crossed my path -even though I felt so much better, I still wanted the junk food. does that every subside? or will it always be such a struggle?

From what I have read and heard the cravings for cooked junk definately go away after a while.How long that takes is anybodys guess.
I can relate to the "being scared raw".My father had triple bypass not long ago.
And my grandfather died of a heart attack.
Brian

Cravings will and do subside, but everyone varies how long it takes and to what degree they subside. Some cravings take months, some take years, some longer. Some cravings are emotional, some are habit, some are taste, etc. You get the picture I hope :O) Just take it a day at a time and be patient is the key I believe.

And eating before you are hungry sure helps avoid cravings, though I am not sure everyone would agree with that way of eating.

I can see why some would object to this -- but that might really help me! thanks! at least I will be eating the right foods - and that's the important thing right now for me. Have to start somewhere!

And it's good to hear that the cravings do subside, thanks for your repsonses.

I found it was best to allow myself a little leeway and learn WHY I didn't want to eat foods I was still craving--by eating them! BUT, I did this very mindfully, in smaller portions, and paid complete attention to how my body felt before, during, after, and the next day when eating these things. Deliberation can help you break the cycle of mindless eating--and if you feel you can't resist, still do things consciously and LEARN why these foods aren't helping you toward your goals.

Cooked food almost always gets me bloated, anxious, off my "happy cloud," and with a light fever the next morning.

Snacking on seeds and nuts helped with my emotional eating in the beginning.

The tougher aspect was the social--especially because I have "restaurant rituals" with a lot of people. First I eliminated fried foods and bread, then rice, then I started to make sure I had a giant salad or whatever BEFORE eating something non-raw (to fill up). As the feedback loop with your body intensifies, you will want less and less of this naturally. I recall one afternoon rolling on my bed asking myself, "WHY DID I EAT THOSE FRIED BANANAS!?" but the question was superfluous. The feeling of having an elephant made of brick stuck inside my stomach and the cloudy-headedness that followed was the answer. I had to learn that one the hard way.

I've never wanted them since.

When I was transitioning and then the beginning of 100% raw, if I was craving something I would ask myself: What is it about this food that I'm craving? Is it the saltiness, the oil/fat, the specific herbs/spices, the sweetness? As soon as I narrowed it down, I then knew it wasn't that exact food that I wanted--it was something about the taste of it, or the feeling from it. Then, I'd create something raw that fulfilled my true desire (either the taste I was wanting and/or the feeling/texture).

The cravings do go away, in my experience.

Best wishes to you.

Lots of love,

Wendi
XOXO