Prepare To Be Challenged
Here I am in my 2nd month raw, and it has been incredibly challenging, fulfilling, and healing. Through trial and error, I’ve found some things that really worked to make this whole process more sustainable.
It has become apparent that the worst thing to do is try to turn off your old way of eating overnight, and go full blown 100% raw. Our connection to cooked food is a part of our being! Think about all the memories you have associated with cooked food: birthday cake, pizza parties, family BBQ’s, Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas/New Year’s parties; not to mention traditional family meals that have been passed down, and your own special meals you’ve made over the years. You can’t just throw all that out overnight!
Slow Down
Some of the best advice I’ve heard is to keep eating the same way you are used to, but over time, add more and more raw food to your meals. Eventually there will be no more room for the cooked stuff! An even slower, more gradual solution is to eat a raw breakfast for 6 months, and for 6 months after that add on a raw lunch. You’ll be at least 50% raw at that point! Then you can gradually start incorporating raw dinners. I found that the more raw food I ate, the more I craved it. I now naturally crave greens, where before I rarely ate them. I’d maybe have a salad once or twice per week. Now greens are the primary component of my diet. I try to have greens three times per day.
I did transition into a raw diet pretty quickly, but I was desperate to heal my allergies. If you want go 100% raw right away in order to heal, you still have to be easy on yourself!!
Here are the top 5 things that have helped me transition successfully into a raw vegan diet:
1. Read as much information as you can get your hands on!
At first it seemed like there was little information to be found on the internet. I persisted, and slowly uncovered more and more. Twitter has turned out to be one of the best resources I have found. I follow many raw foodists, and they post all sorts of great information (links to websites, recipes, free online seminars, blogs, etc). Also, instead of spending lots of money on books, I simply went to my local library and borrowed some great books with raw food recipes and tips.
2. Allow yourself to give in to some cravings (especially ones rooted in tradition or childhood).
For me, this meant not giving up meat 100%. It was a primary component of my diet, so I continued to have meat a few times a week. 1 1/2 months in, I still have meat, shrimp, and fish on occasion. I have found that the more time that goes by, and the less I pressure myself, the less I feel the need to eat meat. I will likely phase it out totally in the future. Another example is allowing myself to have sweet corn and salt potatoes while visiting family in upstate NY. These are summer traditions there, and I knew it would be only once per year. They qualify as vegan too (except the butter!) The bottom line is that you need to trust and listen to your body (within reason). The idea is not to punish yourself, but to eat in a way that allows you to thrive, not just survive!
3. DON’T spend tons of money on expensive equipment.
Spending large sums of money on equipment to “get you started” can be dangerous. It can inadvertently place much more pressure on you to succeed, and cause feelings of guilt and resentment within yourself. I bought a 600 watt blender on clearance for $40. I bought a brand new Ronco dehydrator on Craigslist for $25 (I use parchment paper in place of the “teflex” sheets that come with the expensive dehydrators and it works great). I borrowed my mom’s old food processor to see if I’d even use one regularly (I now use it 5+ times per week and will consider purchasing one).
4. Find satisfying foods/flavors to substitute cooked food that you crave and love.
One example is a recipe I found for raw brownies. It is simply 1/2 cup walnuts, 1/2 cup dates, and 1/4 cup of raw cacao powder blended in food processor until it’s a consistency you can roll into balls. I then roll them in raw coconut flakes. These are so satisfying to me, I have no desire to eat any other sweets or desserts. Another example is taking advantage of my love of sashimi (california rolls) by creating a raw version. The flavors of the raw soy sauce (nama shoyu) and wasabi are so satisfying, I don’t even miss the rice and salmon. This is a meal I can have every week and never get sick of it.
5. Commit to planning and preparation.
This is the single most necessary component to succeed. It can be time consuming, and tiring, but if you want to make permanent changes in your life you have to put in the effort! (It will get easier!) It’s important to plan your meals and snacks for the week, and make detailed grocery lists. You may have to go to multiple stores, so this really helps. Next, make sure to incorporate some snacks you can prepare and have on hand in case of cravings. Another thing I found to be extremely helpful is preparing all your dips/salad dressings at the beginning of the week. I tried making 3 different salad dressings to last me the week, and it allowed for more spontaneity during the week to throw together salads at a moment’s notice. I like to make one sweet, one Asian (i.e. Chinese or Thai), and something Italian.
Gradual Rules
Ultimately, the more gradual the change is in your life, the more successful you will be. When we go full speed ahead, we run out of steam quickly, and crash and burn! Then we beat ourselves up, and the cycle starts over again. Remember: the goal is a permanent life change. You have the rest of your life to get there. This is a journey! Be kind to yourself, and you will reap great rewards!
