I have been very discouraged lately about my eating patterns. I went raw last February and since May have been doing 80/10/10 felt wonderful full with energy and life source. In September I started a new job (my first real job--just graduated from college in the summer) and I can correlate the starting of this job with me every 2 weeks or so falling off the raw wagon and indulging in some insanely unhealthy vegan cooked. What worries me is that it is so scheduled and it has been happening every 2 weeks or so and of course is followed by moments of guilt and desire to fast in order to cleanse my body of all the impurities I have placed in it. I should mention that lately I have not been following 811 as closely as I should but have been gravitating more towards fruits only (lots of tomatoes, grapes and apples) I know that lack of greens in your diet can contribute to cravings due to possible mineral deficiency but I just have lost appetite for greens and only desire juicy types of fruits. In addition this new job is very demanding and draining on me and with the winter being here I have not been exercising as I used to or as a matter of fact have not had time to do anything once I get back from work--I just eat and go to bed. I know that this had a tremendous impact on my overall feeling of wellbeing and therefore has probably contributed to me trying to self-medicate with some old comfort foods. I guess I just needed to verbalize this, thank you for listening.

I can relate to how easy the cooked food "monster" can get a foot in the door and won't leave once you open the door and let him back in. Its a lot easier to keep the cooked food craving "monster" out then it is to get em out once he's stuck his foot in the door. Last June I slipped and it took me over a month to get the "monster" out and the door closed on em. Now I don't answer the "monster" craving knock anymore. Good luck on getting the door closed again. I hope you have an easier time getting your :monster" out then I did.

ps to my post above:

What closed the door on my "monster" was perseverance. I just wouln't accept going back to where I was before I went all fresh raw. I was fat and felt lousy most of the time. After going all fresh raw all that changed for the better ;-)

The issue could be the stress of the new job. You are now working full time rather going to school, and the pressures and stress of working this much may be taking its toll.

What helps me when I am under pressure is hatha yoga. A combination of the deep breathing and getting my mind quiet helps restore me.

Also, as you eat more lighter foods like what is in the 80/10/10 diet, you become more sensitive to energies coming from other people, from electronic machinery like computers. It may be that you are needing to eat to ground these energies.

EZ rider Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I can relate to how easy the cooked food "monster"
> can get a foot in the door and won't leave once
> you open the door and let him back in. Its a lot
> easier to keep the cooked food craving "monster"
> out then it is to get em out once he's stuck his
> foot in the door. Last June I slipped and it took
> me over a month to get the "monster" out and the
> door closed on em. Now I don't answer the
> "monster" craving knock anymore. Good luck on
> getting the door closed again. I hope you have an
> easier time getting your :monster" out then I did.

Yes, I know exactly what you mean here...

My personal way to get it out the door is to do a transitional diet. So Irena, perhaps on the days where you are going to binge, just be happy to just take a step down (rather than 5 steps down) and go on a transitional diet and feel good with yourself about it. I think the worst thing you can do is feel guilty.

Also perhaps find a few more recipes. I'm no longer drinking any smoothies and eating a delicious salad instead. Smoothies are a little bit boring for me right now, though I'm sure I will go back to them in the near future.

-EDIT btw, Irena you are doing amazingly!!! I hope I do as well as you over the next year.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/07/2008 12:05PM by Kombaiyashii.

irena,Its good that you verbalized this.That releases the energy of whats on your mind out into the open,where it can be healed.

I guess my input would be that since you once did follow a plan you felt was right for you,that you will always have that energy and desire inside of you,and you can tap into that in the future.Perhaps the stress of the new job will lessen and that will open the door to the raw eating again.Believe me,I have days when those comfort foods are calling me,but do they really bring me comfort? Only in my taste buds,but not in my spirit.
Peace.

Brian



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/07/2008 03:35PM by Raw1228.

irena,

Do you live where it's really winter-- darkening early, cold, and damp? You may be craving carbohydrates(I am assuming this is what you mean by "insanely unhealthy vegan cooked" food)because of serotonin or circadian rythm problems. This would help explain your tiredness. The symptoms come on fast, sometimes. I live in Michigan, and although it's still fall, we are already snowy with temps around freezing, so I know the effects of the seasonal shift well! I would suggest that you indulge in fruits as you crave them, and maybe start to include a wider array of raw produce to tempt yourself in the greens direction. If you have a high speed blender, you might do a mostly fruit smoothie, with a bit of kale or mustard greens mixed in, and gradually reverse the ratio over a couple of weeks to mostly greens with just a bit of juicy fruit mixed in. And don't feel bad about wanting to sleep more in winter--our ancestral DNA is responsible for this Homo sapiens hibernation. It's natural. Lastly, you don't mention whether your job pleases/fulfills you. I hope that you are deriving some meaning from it, and that you at least can see it as a positive material contribution to your general journey to greater health. Good luck and take care.

tomatoes grapes and apples are not going to be very satiating.

might want to consider persimmons bananas and whatever more dense fruits available

What worked for me is 2 weeks in puerto Rico at the Ann Wigmore institute

Thank you all for your support and encouragement. It is good to read this as I am waking up and feeling the hangover like symptoms of my last nights meal.
Tamukha,
I live in Northern Indiana and yes do seem to get quite affected by the cold/lack of sunshine situation and with the demands of my job I don't seem to spend any daytime hours outside of the office (a get there as daylight comes and leave as it gets dark). To answer your question regarding finding enjoyment in my job I have to say that the job is very rewarding and challenging and feel blessed to have it but I am literally spending 9 hours of the day sitting on a chair in front of a computer. I used to spend lots of time outside or moving around doing various different activities during the day so I feel little bit like I am trapped and my energy levels have been affeced so much that I do not have the desire to do any activities once I leave work.

irena,

I am saddend to hear that you feel "trapped" at your nine-hour-a-day job, even though it's challenging and rewarding. Perhaps you are literally spending too much time having the electromagnetic energy sucked out of you by your computer? Is it possible for you to walk around at the job and do some of your work through personal communication with others? Or transfer to a seat at a window? Please try to put some variety into your work schedule so your brain waves get a break now and then. And if you don't have one, and it's permitted, get a small plant for your work space. I find that just looking at a nice green thriving plant can cheer me up and convince me, if for a moment, that I can and will thrive, too. As for living in northern Indiana, I have found it helpful here in Michigan to not let Old Grey Man Winter get me down by being more spontaneous about my social life: going to a concert or a performance or a lecture or a movie, even alone, on a weeknight, really can re-energize you, and also help you to feel empowered about your day to day life. Like, it doesn't have to be a routine. That just sort of happens, and you can always make little changes to suit your needs and suspend the routine-iness. It also increases you odds of having a stimulating or comforting chat with a stranger, or acquaintance you run in to. Coming on this board also helps, I hope! Take care and keep us posted.

Irena,sometimes it is very difficult to change.School is a place that makes us comfortable,without too much responsability.Now you have a job,you are on your own.
Maybe "the growing up" job- step is too much scary and your emotional part is trying to go back a step-vegan cooked food. In my oppinion ,just give yourself a time to get used to be comfort in the job place. it is demanding of course,but it is a new lifestyle.So,give yourself time. Treat yourself with care.For me the best thing is to take long baths and be with myself in silence.Think some things that would make you happy in this new lifestyle.

Irena I hope you make it through. Maybe you need a vaca. Dont get into the orthorexic sprial, eat what you enjoy.

Suvine,

thanks for your support. I have decided to go on a water fast to give myself a litte break from food altogether in hopes that this will take away some of the established patterns. I am on day two of my fast and today feel much more energetic and my mind is over the fogginess that the cooked food caused. I am hoping to stay on a water fast through the weekend and continue with a juice fast and than transition back into solid raw. Will keep you posted.

Hi irena,

My experience was very similar to yours for about my first 4 years of vegan and attempting to be raw. In my case, I was very high fruit, very low greens, and no nuts or seeds. BUT every two or three weeks - almost like clockwork - I just couldn't resist piling up on cooked vegan: beans, tofu, rice, and pasta.

What pulled me out of this unhealthy pattern (and also helped me lose weight) was to start eating raw sunflower seeds.

I believe that for many of us, it's way too much of a transition to go directly from cooked food (even VEGAN cooked food) to 80-10-10.

I think there's two reasons why these cravings can get the best of us, even when we're trying really hard: The first reason is habit. The second reason is mineral deficiency.

Habits are hard to conquer, but once they're replaced by a new habit, the old habit is gone. That takes some time of persistent behavior change. Life distractions - like work - can disturb our concentration especially at first. But with practice (and Yoga definitely helps!), we can overcome such distractions UNLESS.....

If we're mineral deficient, our bodies will send survival messages to our brains, and those messages will take over. Survival is our strongest instinct. For me, eating the raw sunflower seeds filled that mineral need. Once that need was filled, cravings from habit became manageable. Later I added sesame seeds (unhulled), and I now soak 1/4 cup of each in water almost every day. Having ORGANIC seeds is crucial.

Once I started doing that, I found it much easier to develop and maintain a healthy raw vegan eating pattern. That was about 17 years ago.

Although I'm not 80-10-10, the amount of oil-rich foods that I eat doesn't appear to have any bad effects, and doesn't cause weight gain. I often have 1/2 or a whole avocado, a handful or 2 or raw jungle peanuts, and maybe a couple of brazil nuts (for the selenium). Plus a lot of fruit. Plus greens on most days.

Yoga and regular exercise are very helpful. And I've found that regular pre-planned water fasting is always beneficial, but MORE so if it's not in response to binging.

I wish you the best on your raw food journey!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/11/2008 09:33PM by suncloud.

Quote

the amount of oil-rich foods that I eat doesn't appear to have any bad effects, and doesn't cause weight gain.

I have found that to be the case for me and avocados. I eat two or more avocados everyday and stay slim.

Along with what everyone else has said here... i also think... that we must be forgiving and accepting...of ourselves and all we do... especially when just starting out... I don't mean to say give up... but to say hey i've just started a new job i'm busy i'm tired... i ate this or that... and that's ok... one step back 2 steps forward... you'll get back on track your recognizing that your body feels better raw... and this was just a little reminder... your doing wonderful...you are aware of what you are doing and you are making the effort to change your life... so enjoy... if it's eating cooked or non cooked... enjoy life...

and i agree fasting is helpful... but destructive in response to bingeing... it can quickly become an eating disorder...

by the way where in Indiana do you live... at the moment I am in LaPorte...

blessings on your journey

love laugh and dream

I just wanted to add to the comments here that when I first went 100% raw, twice I only lasted 3 weeks. I credit 13 months of successs on green smoothies. Without them I was craving cooked food. I started with 2 handfuls of greens and the rest of the blender full of sweet fruit, besides the 2 cups of water. I drink it throughout the morning whenever I feel hungry.
Also wanted to say maybe just work at being raw now instead of trying to limit yourself with 80-10-10, until you are ready.
I live in Minnesota, so I really know about cold and dark. We've already had some below zero windchills this year. I hate winter, but here I am!
Loving life raw!!!!