How about a raw Beginner's mail group (saw Letting yourself down)

January 6, 2003

Good evening,

I was reading Monte's post and thinking back to how I stayed raw when I started - it was primarily through being able to communicate with others that I knew personally. I didn't get on this list until well after I was established and committed to raw food because it didn't seem to offer much to beginners.

A few days ago I was checking out one of the national raw food groups and I noticed that the thread that had generated the most traffic was the one for people just starting on raw food. This (along with the discussion here about adding new groups to the site) made me think that it might be a good idea to add a list for raw beginners. I would have really felt isolated without the personal contacts I had and people new to raw food should be able to make those contacts through email.

Any discussion?

Nick Hein

Renton, WA

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mavalkyrie <mavalkyrie

RawSeattle

Sunday, January 05, 2003 4:50 PM

[RawSeattle] letting yourself down

You know I have been a member of this group for some time, reading a lot of posts, not contributing too much. This whole "Raw Food Thing" is new to me, actually being healthy in general is new to me. Anyway I decided to start the new year as raw, I spent lots of hours researching, reading, talking, asking questions, reading books, etc. And I decided it was time. I was going to start on the first, but since it was my birthday I started on the 2nd instead. I made it 2 full days raw, and then it fell apart. It is so stupid, I knew when I ordered that pizza that I really didn't want it, I had already had dinner, I ate a big salad, some fruit, a few nuts. But no matter how much salad and stuff I eat, I still feel a hunger. This time it got the best of me, I could have resisted, but I didn't, I gave in. Then on the way home today, I found myself in the line at McDonalds, without even realizing it. I wanted to drive off, but couldn't. I wish I would have just paid for it and left without it, but I didn't. So here I am, but you know what, I felt good for those two days, even though at times the hunger was terrible. I know what I want to do is \right, I can feel it. But it is not as easy as I thought it would be. When you guys first started out, how did you deal with it, did you feel the hunger that I am talking about? I am going to do this, but some pointers would be welcome. And I hate to say it but an encouraging word would be nice to. I can't go to my family, they would think I am crazy, you should have heard the rebuff I got when I just mentioned that I was THINKING about going vegetarian. I will cross that bridge one day, but not today. My instincts tell me this is the right way to eat, in my heart I feel it. One of the other things I was thinking about is going in for a physical and stuff, getting blood tests done, just to see what my cholesterol, and vitamin/minerals, etc levels are at. Then do it again in a year. It will do 2 things in my mind, let me know if I am not getting enough nutrients (which I really can't imagine happening, with a balanced raw diet). But I think it will give me hard evedence to show my family and anyone else down the road that it is healthy to be this way.I am sorry this is so long, but thanks for listening.Monte