Hi my name is Mark, and Im new. I hope my story dosen't trun into a freaking novel, but here goes...

Im a 21 year old male living in Canada. I have always been self conscous about my body, I guess cause I was teased alot when I was in elementary school. After High school one day I was teased alot by my cousin (dont ask, hes just not a nice person). I had had enough, I thought to myself "screw this guy", fueled by anger I started working out (I was very poor in athletics when I was a kid). I was 185lbs when I finished high school, I was kind chuby but not "fat", but worked my way down to 170lbs. I became intrested in health and fitness. Ive decided to become a fitness trainer. I read everything I could find on health an fitness. My lowest adult weight was 162lbs, this was in december 2006. I was eating a "well balanced healthy cooked diet" (lol, I know this is an oxymoron). I would eat about 6 grain servings, 10 fruit and veg servings, 1-2 meat servings, 1-2 dairy, and 1 nut/seed servings per day. I was basicly eating acording to the food guide and eating what I thought was the perfect amount of protein for my activity level(110-120grams). I ate only what I thought was healthy food (whole grains, lean plain meats, no coffe or added sugar) Literally I ate virtually no processed foods. Despite all this "healthy eating" I eventually got to a point where I felt terible. I thought to myself "how can this be?". So I decided to do some research. I read the books "The China Study" and "The thrive Diet" both of which I reccomend BTW.
In march 2007, I became a vegetarian. I started to feel a little better, I think because I was using less energy on digestion. Here's the embarrasing part; over the last 4 months Ive become addicted to junk food again. This is very embarrasing for my life because most people who know me, think of me as a man of discipline and a helth nut and because I want to start my training business soon. My addiction to junk food is bad, I mean really bad. Some days I would eat 3 bowls of Ice cream and 6 chocolate granola bars. At rock bottom I ate 10 dohnuts in 2 hours. I feel like hell latelty, and I feel like this is killing me. The worst part is that my familty dosen't belive in the benefits of a vegan or raw diet and thinks that Im crazy. They are unwilling to support me in the change. I ate raw vegan for 3 days in june and I felt great but my family was woried that I was making myself sick, but they wern't concerned when I was eating lots of ice cream??? and am now 178lbs.

A word of advice- don't take nutrional advice from sick/obese people who are also inconsiderate. (this was not said to offend anyone who is just starting out who may be overweight)

This leads me to why I'm writing this.. Maybee my story can help others along. I feel Im ready to change for good. Junk food is killing me. People like the Fruitarin One, have insipered me alot and I can't thank you enough. I can think of all the reasons in the world to give up junk food, but I just can't do it. I think Im ready but I guess im just scared and intimidated. I understand the reasons and the science of raw foods. But I just haven't found the courage yet to commit. I must face myself totally I guess...

May you all have good luck, thanks for reading.
-Mark

Hi Mark,

Maybe while you are trying to gain the courage to commit to raw, you can make the transition easier by beginning to detoxify yourself from the junk food you've been craving lately. Go back to the whole food diet you were consuming (minus the meat and dairy). When you are comfortable with that, then begin the transition to raw. It is a process that can't be reached overnight. This is how I'm doing it and it seems to be working for me. I feel healthier, more upbeat and more positive every day. I also feel clearer and understand my obstacles with each day that I walk closer to optimal health. I understand what it feels like to be in the hole. I promise you can get yourself out of it. Please don't become one of those people who give up. And please don't allow your family to sabatoge your efforts with their pessimism and ignorance.

Shadow

Junk food is terribly addictive. No wonder you're having problems getting off it.

Can you start cramming greens into your mouth, whether or not you keep eating junk?
This has helped me get off junk, in fact, it's the only way I can. I've been 95% raw for months now, but have had problems in the past.

Once I start eating greens, maybe drinking raw juices, WITHOUT trying to curb my other cravings, I start WANTING to eat less cooked and WANT to eat more raw.
But if I try to force myself into raw or healthy, I don't necessarily enjoy eating it, so I need to show my body how delish it is by eating it between the less-healthy stuff. Your comments about being embarrassed indicate that you are judging yourself and level of health and discipline, etc, which are not good motivators to doing the best things: they're just weapons to hurt yourself or others with.

Good luck.

Thanks for the comments, both were helpfull.

I do agree with aqua on stuffing the greens, Just keep eating the green food you will find your balance. The junk food will begin to lose its apeal on you and you will gain knowledge that is very helpful. Keep trying to eat raw. Dont beat your self up about it just get some wheatgrass and stat. fill yourself up with the green food and you will get all better.

Hey, we sound like we come from similar places! It's hilarious because my dad always says 'Deb's the healthy one, she eats well' because I eat salads and the rest of my family doesn't. Ha! Because of my eating disorder I got really into bingeing for a while (after periods of starvation) and now I can put away ice cream, cheese, crackers, even crazy stuff like chocolate frosting, like you wouldn't believe. My body craves sugar. It goes nuts without it. I know this is just a chemical addiction... I'm hoping once I replace sugar with natural fruits it'll feel better!

Hey Mark,

Thanks for sharing. I recently have gone through a similair "re-transition" from junk.

I was studying nutrition in college and started intellectualizing diet and nutrition. It lead me to the great path of ditching the SAD (standard american diet) I had been so attatched to. From that point I really cleaned things up for a few years but then this year...sigh, ice cream, bread, bagels, non-vegan things!

In the past couple of weeks I have been feeling tremendously better as I have stuck to a very clean regimen. All the veggies, fruit, and juice that I desire along with fresh juices and I feel better than ever.

The first day was the hardest - cravings. I just kept telling myself that I no longer needed or ate those things and just did not, eating the way I would like to imagine myself doing in the future. After only a few weeks most of the cravings have dissappeared and I am joyfully choosing delicious, hydrating, nutrient packed foods that support wellness and health.

So no reason to be embarrased as our percieved faults or errors are beautiful reminders of how we can change for the better.

peace,

Chrissy

hey there, take 'er easy on your self. nobody is perfect. Last summer ('06) I went raw.. after about 3 weeks I'd eat a vegan cooked meal and get really hard on myself and think, "well, you blew it." then I'd eat all cooked food. I even started eating meat (no dairy, I'm lactose intlrnt). Over the summer I went back to vegan.. i'd cheat every once in a while.. but I new it was cruel to animals.. i did some PETA website surfing (plus I came a cross an animal testing video on youtube.. how horrible). ok, i'm getting close to my point.> so when I went raw a few months ago I'd been eating 3-4 vegan cooked meals.. and try not to feel guilty, i thought of them more as 'null and void' like they didn't count, lack of nutrition instead of something horrible. however i still want to be more raw and i was feeling bad about eating cooked, but i would keep craving spaghetti. I recently read something by David Wolfe and he said something like, 'if you're out on the road you do the best you can, tomorrow is another day.' and that made me feel relieved. that's so true. if i cave in today, tomorrow is a clean slate. yes, my body may feel sluggish, but it is a clean slate and I can learn from my down fall.
If you're a sweet tooth junk food junky try eating raw food deserts, they're rawsome!! there's raw cacao (chocolate). if you get the powder, mix it with coconut oil and agave nectar and its amazing!! look up other recipes online, you could fill your sweet tooth (or maybe comfort food>thats me< needs with healthy, raw food that tastes like it couldn't be good for you, but it is!! yeah!!!!
peace and love, ann

People thanks for sharring your storys. I haven't been on here for a while. Im starting raw againg tommorw. ("Going raw is easy I've already done it ten times" So far I have went for 5 days. Im finding, at least in my situation, that I have some detoxing to do. After I'm raw for a couple days, my detox sets in, and I don't feel like working out. But Im the workout man, and thats what I do, so then It messes me all up. And I end up eating junk food for something to do. Hope that didn't sound too rediculous.

Anyway tommorow is another day. I know I'll get it eventually.

Hi WM. I haven't even posted an intro yet, but after I do, you won't feel so embarrassed. I polished off a half a jumbo bag of Cheesies last night without breaking a sweat. And I'm not talking about the large bag...I'm talking JUMBO sized bag.

I'm not a raw foodie yet, but am merely on reconnaissance. I want to see if it's even possible for a veggie-hating, food-picking, comfort-food-loving junk-food junkie like myself to make this a realistic lifestyle without becoming catatonic. I have tried the Master Cleanse fast, making it (for me) a miraculous 5 days before choosing to break the fast. It was a "starter fast" for me, to prove to myself that I could do it. I could, so I felt that I didn't want to push it the first time out. It may have also had something to do with having to attend my Grandmother's birthday dinner at a restaurant. Imagine sitting at a table of about 30 people, all scarfing down platefuls of greasy high-carb comfort food while trying to explain to them why you're "splurging" on a glass of watered down orange juice instead of your lemonade. Lack of support? Yeah. I experienced some of that.

Junk food/comfort food has its claws sunk into me DEEP. Food (esp. cooked bad-for-me food) has become an emotional and spiritual crutch. It is my crack cocaine. I think to myself of all the vibrantly healthy, pain-free, disease-free people who have their lives together and feel in control of their bodies and lives and I think to myself, "GOD I wish that was me!" Then I waddle to fridge to further drown my sorrows. Pathetic? Yes! Permanent? Heck, no. If I saw this as a permanent state of my life, I wouldn't be able to function. Change will happen. It will. I'm just the type of person who needs all her ducks in a row first. This is step one.

So please don't feel embarrassed. I applaud your success. If fasting has taught me one thing, it's that the world is saturated with negativity, lack of encouragement, and saboteurs who lurk behind friendly faces. I started to wonder if it was me who was crazy or if it was the rest of this brain-washed eat-eat-eat world. Food is everywhere, and trying to re-merge with the eating world after my fast made me feel panicky and overwhelmed.

You were up, you fell down, wallowed for a bit, and are getting back up to try again. I haven't even really tried yet, so you're one up on me! Good luck and "illegitimi non carborundum".

Hi Mark,

You have to increase the amount of digestible fat you eat daily. Try to eat 3-4 avocadoes daily. Virgin coconut oil by the spoonful 2-3/day and 3-6-9 omega oil about 6-8 tablespoons in your salads daily and trust me...all junk food cravings will go away!!

Thanks I will try eating more fat. I generally concur with Dr. Douglas Grahms recomendations on nutrient ratios. The craving that gets me is a strong salt craving. -Maybee I'll try juicing more celery (everyday for sure)

I like most fruits and vegtables, but I hate avacados (maybee that will change eventually).

great thread.

i too am embarrassed. having been obese for a majority of my life, about 10 years ago i bought myself a healthrider and rode my way to weightloss. it was me and david letterman every night. the weight started coming off and people were noticing. i was still eating my super SAD foods and thought 'wow, if i stop eating everything in sight and be a bit more thoughtful in my eating....' so i did and i lost over 115 lbs. i ran and went to the gym and was somewhat happy. but i was still addicted to food. i could ever get myself under 150 for very long. my body just seemed to want to stay at 160. too heavy for me to feel really good about myself. then two years ago i was slammed with a major depression. i couldn't get my behind out of bed to shower let alone workout. as a result here i sit today at 200 lbs and feeling bloated and out of shape and miserable. my depression is much better, now that i am off the anti-depressants (funny how THAT works) but it disgusts me at how i have let my body betray me so bad.

i have been doing research on raw food lifestyle and i see people who live this way and they glow! they sparkle! i want that. i am that...buried in this heavy body.

tonight i went and bought greens to make smoothies and i am going to start tomorrow. i tried one out the other day after getting Victoria Boutenko green for life book from the library. it was pretty good!

i am excited about my new journey. the holidays coming up worry me a bit but i think if i get this party started and am feeling good, it will be easier to get through it.

workout man, areilla, i wish you both the best on your own personal journeys. i personally and so glad to have found this site and think it will be a wonderful help on my raw trip.

xoxo

~karriebean

Hi.
I wanted to share my story because I am one of you (sugar addict) but perhaps another time. The only thing I can say now is that I am professional in making myself sick overeating the wrong stuff. Last night I experienced hell. Went to non raw birthday party and ate all the junk food (ginger bread, home made bread sandwiches, soft cake and I had 1 beer) nothing raw at all and I thought I'll die on my way home. My stomach just didn't like me and I could feel it my body just wanted to get rid of the toxins and it was hell of a job...
As I write this I feel like to have some biscuits and I probably will go and buy some but I hope one day soon I'll be completely free from this food addiction. I believe I 'm close to the end of a dark tunnel and will find the light soon.

I am going to get a copy of "The Diva's Guide to Cravings and Emotional Eating" from therawdivas.com once it is released (should be tomorrow) and I hope I will learn why and how to overcome all the emotional eating problems I suffer with. I think it's gonna be really good and helpful.
Wish me luck and I'll do the same for all of you.

for WorkoutMan: I didn't like avocado, it was too fatty for me the first time I've tried it but I love it now. Chop it finely and mix with your salad and you won't even notice it is there or massage it into the kale salad. It also makes delicious smoothies with fruit and veg juices.

Lets keep trying and we will find the success desired...

PS: I am not gonna go and buy the biscuits. A raw food bar came to rescue. I bought it this afternoon and found it next to my purse just at the right time...

Jana

Jax'on. Won't all that fat make you fat?

I too suffer from cravings but I crave either sweets or bread. I am like a junkie who needs a fix and my mind is like a blank slate until after I satisfy my craving. Then I realize what I have done and how it hurts my body and I feel soooo guilty.
I had gone on the raw food diet about 4 yrs ago and was so adamant about not sticking anything unhealthy or sugary in my mouth. My family (esp. my mom) was not very supportive and called me anorexic ect. (I am 5' 4.5" and weighed 129lbs.I had lost 30 lbs). After a year I guess the lack of support even from my husband and kids wore me down and I started adding SAD to my diet. I never totaly slipped back into the way I was but I am not where I want to be.
I also suffer from Chronic Systemic Candida since childhood and that cries really hard to be fed. I try to get back into raw and the longest I seem to last is about 2 weeks and then I "fall off the wagon" so to speak.
I am glad to know that I am not alone in my struggle with food choices but I wish there was a quick fix that we could all hook up with and then do what we know we should.
I feel like I have to be living in a box with nothing around me but healthy food and then maybe I can succeed. I know it is unrealistic but thats just how I feel right now.
I have 5 other people living with me and only one son wants to eat raw vegan and he too still eats to much bread.
Tomorrow I am puting on a birthday party for my turning 15 yr old twins and my daughter addamantly told me she wanted real cake and chips for her party. I of course got them and I don't know where I will find the will power not to partake in this JUNK food.
Just a bit of whining here to let you all know that yer not alone and I feel your pain. Cornelia

Thanks to all who posted on my thread. Switching to the raw food diet can be very challenging. Keeping positive has helped me so much. Good luck to all of you, if you keep trying at the diet, you'll succeed eventually.

It seems lots of people find the transition to raw much easier if they do several cleanses as they go. This helped me and now I'm doing more since I've been having strong cravings for certain foods.

Liver, kidney and colon cleanses can be done inexpensively and at home.
There are lots of sites detailing them, plus testimonials...curezone, rawfoodtalk.com, etc.
Enemas are supposed to help with cravings too.

Worth at least reading about if you're having trouble transitioning ...