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what do you do when you had a really hard day ???

what do you do when you had a really hard day "to keep your eye on the raw prize"? I do sooo well for so long, nothing stops me, but then when I have those god awful days (not just oh I had a long day, like the days you find out your gma has cancer, or your puppy almost died, etc) Those are the days I mess up. so what do you do to not fall of course?

Thanks!

Stacey

Comments

  • eechoeecho Raw Newbie

    I used to binge on hard days. I used to eat pizza during midterms when I was completely stressed out. I am not sure exactly what has changed. I haven't comfort ate on processed or non-vegan food in a long time. A lot of my progress has to do with my religious beliefs. For example, instead of going to food for comfort I will pray. This is often very effective for me. I do this when I am fasting as well. However, I can't say that I always did this or always do this now. Sometimes in my addiction I would not want to pray. I would want the physical stimulation over the spiritual stimulation, or I would trick myself in some way or another. In those times I would either binge or manage to find comfort from some other place, like extra sleep or meditation.

    But I think part of it is simply time. At first you are used to being able to numb your emotions with food, but over time this habit diminishes naturally. As long as you remain honest with yourself about your actions and have your "eye on the prize", you will continue to make progress. That's why its a journey

  • Dancin DurianDancin Durian Raw Newbie

    I agree with eecho, prayer and meditation really do help. Also, journaling about what you are feeling and what is bothing/stressing you. Talking about what has happened can help to. If you deal with the emotions, the emotional eating will become somthin that you just do feel the need to do.

     

  • the59soundthe59sound Raw Newbie

    I treat myself with good, ripe fruit. I spend lots of time (which I do normally, anyway) cuddling with my girlfriend, and sometimes i'll just write about how I feel.

  • I think it comes with time and what you tell yourself in that time. Only in the past couple of months have I been able to pretty much overcome the issue of not giving in when life was tough. For me I had to find a new level of self love. I feel like I now love myself too much to put bad things into my body when things are already going badly. The ultimate test for me has come within the last 2 weeks of my life as I have had some really hard things happen to me, and I have continued to eat healthy. Because I love me and I want to feel good. I know that putting good things into my body will actually make it easier to cope. So I gues sbasically what I do is remind myself of this.

    I you really want to get there then eventually, you will. :)

  • have_merseyhave_mersey Raw Newbie

    I agree, it comes with time too. But The moment I'd feel upset, I'd eat something with Magnesium, as it is lost during stress, and has a calming effect. Greens do the best, and my go-to was Spirulina, or...Cacao ;) Excercise, no matter how much you don't want it, does wonders.

  • DeborahBeeDeborahBee Raw Newbie

    Hi stylestacey,

    The longer I've been raw the more my body just doesn't desire cooked food.

    Years ago when I'd had a rough day and wanted to fill myself with my pizza, chocolate or cheese I would make a gourmet raw meal with heaps of flavours. Sometimes even making a huge batch of raw coleslaw would suffice. I would allow myself to spend more money on food and make a jar full of raw cookies and biscuits. Or make a simple raw chocolate mousse loaded with berries.

    These days when I've had a bad day I don't think about the cooked stuff, or about loading up on raw treats. It's become easier for me to simply meditate, play piano, listen to my favourite music or go for a drive.

     

  • I find that when I'm working with clients stress and emotions are always what throws them off track. It is so easy for us to turn to food for comfort.

    Some things that help are:

    Remember that the amount of time that you will get to "enjoy" that comfort is very, very short compared to the consequences that you will regret later. Is it really worth feeling ill and disappointed in yourself afterwards for just a half an hour to 45 minutes of temporary sensory pleasure? When you think about it that way, the choice is obvious.

    Remember that your brain only thinks that the food will make you feel better because it is a habit that you have developed over time. Remind yourself that every time you resist those cravings you are strengthening the neural networks in your brain to establish healthier coping skills. Every time you give in you are strengthening the old neural networks and it will only make it harder to break those bonds in the future, like grooves in a record or a dirt road.

    Remember that eating some food that is off of your food plan will NOT make anything better. Afterwards the stress, problem, sadness, ect will still be there and you'll have to deal with it somehow then anyway. Try to pretend that you have already indulged and finished whatever you wanted to have and then go on about the business of dealing with the issue at hand in a more constructive manner.

    Remember that what you are really craving is nurturing, soothing, peace, comfort, love, security, and a sense that everything is OK. Ask yourself what else you can do to create even some small semblance of those feelings and do it!

    Have a few tested and tried "craving buster" raw recipes that you LOVE that you can rely on to help get you through these times. When I first went raw these were raw brownies and a delicious frozen milkshake (recipe below) when I was craving something sweet and dehydrated egglant pizza slices (just thinly sliced eggplant with marina sauce) or mexican flax crackers with salsa and guacamole if I was craving something savory. ALWAYS have these favorites hand for those "craving crisis" moments.

    There are many other things that help but I hope this offers some assistance.

    My craving buster milkshake:

    some coconut milk or coconut water as a base

    4 or 5 frozen bananas

    a couple of heaping tablespoons of raw almond butter

    (add vanilla or cacao if you want a vanilla or chocolate shake)

    Blend it all up and it is super delicious!! It ALWAYS kept those cooked food cravings at bay.

    Blessings!

    Audrey

     

  • RawKidChefRawKidChef Raw Newbie

    that shake looks super good - i'm gonna try it with walnut milk instead of almond butter.

  • sv3sv3 Raw Newbie

    That's great advice Audrey!

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