What one thing helped you to succeed on 80-10-10?

What is the one distinction, tool or "secret" that helped you to succeed on the 80-10-10 lifestyle? It seems that a lot of the people on this forum (me included) struggle to eat 100% 80-10-10. I was able to go vegetarian in one day in 2001, and I did the same thing when switching to a vegan diet a few years later. However much I have tried to eat 100% 80-10-10 in the last 3 years, I am having a difficult time making it stick.

I would really like to know what it was that helped those of you who have been eating 80-10-10 for more than a few months conquer the lifestyle.

Tags: 80-10-10, Raw, fat, low, raw, vegan

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Permalink Reply by Tyrell on September 17, 2011 at 4:15pm

Do we need to take every rule in the book seriously? if you followed the book religiously you wouldn't eat any herbs including ginger or spices. I'm not 100% 811 rv but for me it has helped me stay on this path by using fresh herbs in dressings/sauces.

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Permalink Reply by hellcat on September 18, 2011 at 12:05pm

Chilli peppers can corrupt the tastebuds (like salt). In addition to their stimulating qualities, they produce mucus in most people - indicating that it's an irritant. It took me a while to get off chilli but I'm glad I did, because now I have a greater appreciation for the natural flavour in food. My threshold for spicy food has gone WAY down (and I used to pop thai chilli peppers like grapes).

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Permalink Reply by Nadia on September 18, 2011 at 8:04am

Yes - technically I haven't compromised my stand on 'whole, fresh, ripe, raw fruit and vegetables' so i haven't destroyed the integrity of my 'Raw Vegan' tattoo!!! but unfortunately Raw Chillies aren't a part of 80-10-10. Hmmm, maybe I need to have 80-10-10 tattooed next and that will help me kick the chillies to the curb!!!

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Permalink Reply by kate on September 18, 2011 at 8:30am

Y'know Benny, I feel there's room for a little leeway here... yes Doug says don't eat what you can't make a full meal of. But chillis, lemons etc are bright, attractive, hand-size, hand height, easily acquired; all qualities that attract the human animal to try. Seems to me in a natural environment we wd at least try such fruits, to see if we liked. Some may have medicinal/therapeutic qualities for us at times, we might go "on and off" them, as necessary. I In "What Rawfooders Eat", Doug's meals included on one occasion a "pie" of toms, mushrooms, eggplant, zucchini + cauliflower rice topping and a dressing. Few would choose to make a meal of mushrooms, but we'd certainly try them in the wild. Many of Doug's meals are not so mono as I imagined; tho this pie was an exception.

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Permalink Reply by RawBenny on September 21, 2011 at 9:10am

I can make a meal of lemons. is that weird? you ever had those sweet ones?

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Permalink Reply by Tris Curtis on September 16, 2011 at 9:11pm

My two biggest tools have been patience and understanding. Going easy on myself. Understanding that this way of eating is simple and easy. Therefore, any feelings of difficulty are not located in the diet itself.

Accepting that 20 years of eating will leave my life gradually. Understanding that the real battle is against old habits. Knowing that it is only a matter of time for habits to break free. After all, if this is a natural diet, why not be natural about it? Why use effort? Understanding that fresh food is easiest for my body, and fatty/cooked food creates tension.

Eating cooked food whenever I feel like it, and seeing where it takes me. While I have not eaten cooked food in a very long time, I would not call myself 100% - I haven’t made that decision. I have just followed my feel and found myself at 100% for the past while. It just happened, naturally. Why would I made this diet a prison when it can be a heart-felt joy?

Why would I avoid cooked food if it is so difficult to? What is the point? Why seek happiness in unhappiness? Do I approach 80/10/10 with some desire to be excellent? Could that possibly make me happy? I don’t want to struggle in the pursuit of easy foods. I don’t want to create so much dis-ease that it negates the actual health benefits.

The present moment is all there ever is, so whatever diet I eat, I may as well enjoy it.

Be blissful, and take as long as you want to become 100%. You may just find it’s the quickest route there.

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Permalink Reply by Doug on September 17, 2011 at 1:41am

You are right, Tris. I am not a very patient person, and I have a very LOUD inner critic. I tend to battle with food rather than develop a healthy relationship. Or maybe, I should not personalize the food, but just eat it.