This diet is so hard...

[Maia]

That's the point...it is not easy at all. As a matter of fact, it is one of the hardest things to do. That's also why only so few people succeed, and keep succeeding at it. I may sound pessimistic, but unfortunately that's reality.
The upside is that the rewards of being on this diet are so great, you really want to stay on it. Plus, after kicking the cooked food habit, getting the diet to work for you, and being 100%, the addiction loses its grip and you will not be thinking about it much anymore.
But make no mistake, if you are in the presence of food and food-social circumstances you used to love, the urge to try out "if it still tastes as good as it used to" will pop up for sure. And giving in to that urge will be like biking without brakes: hard to stop.

Yes, we are all addicted, and will be until we die.

When I read this.... I feel so.... I mean, I really really know what you are talking about.
I really, truly, believe that Wai is the real, right thing to do. But it is sometimes so incredbly hard for me. All my friends, and all people that I meet that I happen to share a mealtime with always, always ask me WHY WAI? And always make the stupid "WHY WAI"-joke (the two words sound the same), and sometimes I just get so tired of always beeing the "Diet-girl", and not the girl that is eating whatever is given to her and fine with it, which seems to be a SO much better thing to most people.
It IS hard to follow wai diet, when ALL the people around you don't, and the bad food is always some place near, and the good food isn't always.
I wish sometimes, that I had at least one friend that also believed in a Wai life. So that I would not always have to explain myself, and why I eat only fruits, and sip olive oil, and eat egg yolks that are raw.
The social life in the world is very centered around food, when you think about it. It is very hard to avoid questions.
And when I get those questions, I become the odd person. The food that I eat becomes I part of who I am to other people. It is so weird, in reality the food that everyone else is eating is really weird but, since I am the only one eating right it is ME that is weird.

Sometimes I wish I could just live on an island with only wai people, with no bad food at all: No ovens or microwave ovens or grills. No pasta, no cheese, no croissants or chocolate or ANYTHING. Only me, a Steinway D and a lot of fruits and non-judging people.... *sigh*

I have been messing up the diet, like, all the time lately. I feel heavy, and fat, and bloated and tired and all that. (Skin is a mess too) I feel so lonely, like I am on this impossible health mission all alone.

But I am now going to try again. Soon I will move to Antwerp, Belgium to study, and then at least I will not have any non-wai food at home (because I will not be living with my brothers anymore). I am even trying to find an appartment without a stove or oven, but I don't know if I will be that lucky. By the way I am in the process of learning dutch now...

Wai is the right thing to do and we are all in this together! Sorry if this has nothing at all to do with the discussion, but I didn't know where else to post this...

[abicahsoul]

This might not be the right thread indeed, but I know how you feel.
However, one little thing that I've learnt is to see people's reactions as their problem a bit more.
Your diet raises questions about what they themselves eat. Do they eat healthy etc.
Then I think it is something psychological, social relationships are also founded on giving and receiving, and especially about offering delicious food.. But perhaps you can smell it and admire it and say wow, looks great, smells great. And still stick to your own diet. If that's what you want.
For me it is never the social situations that are the worst temptation, but when I'm alone and perhaps not feeling so great. Then is when I start hallucinating about 'something good', like pizza, crisps, candy, ice cream, cheese.. etc.
I think just plunge into it.. If you have bad skin you have the ultimate reason to say no. At least I find. And when people say: 'But you don't have bad skin' you say: *I know, cuz I'm following this diet.* Or: *You never had it really bad* ANd you say: *No, I didn't but bad enough, and also the discomfort in the skin etc.* And then I always use: *This diet helps me in other ways too. I sleep soooo much better now since I started this diet.* And then they usually let go, or they get interested.
But since there is a tone of jealousy, and something that tries to make you stop in some remarks all I can say: Look at them as addicts, I mean not in a mean way, just so. You can be like a nonsmoker that are not addicted and in denial and think that they are just making a fuss cuz they don't want others to quit the addiction they share. At least it works a bit for me.

I'm from Stockholm too btw.

[Oscar]

We are all your friends, even if only online. I guess we're all the 'odd ones out'.
Who are you going to study with, in Antwerp? We'll organize some get togethers then, Antwerp isn't that far from Amsterdam.

[Maia]

Thank you both for your support Oscar and abicahsoul

Yes, I can tell them all those things, but sometimes the contrast get really big.
Like when my piano professor invited all his class to his house, and everyone else was eating pizza and chips and I was eating fruits with olive oil and raw fish. It was like.. the only thing we all discussed was my diet! I was in the center of attention as "the crazy person".
From now on, when they ask me why wai? I will just tell them "Go to waiworld.com and read it yourself, now let's talk about something else".
Sometimes I think that it is impossible to convince someone that this is right if they haven't found and read it themselves.

In Antwerp I will study with Jozef De Beenhouwer at Koninklijk Conservatorium, but the real reason why I am going to Belgium is because I will also be studying privately for Sergei Edelmann in Brussels. He is the best pianist and teacher ever, ever! Seriosly, youtube him!

We'll organize some get togethers then, Antwerp isn't that far from Amsterdam.

It would be sooo fantastic if this happened!!!

[Oscar]

Sergei Edelmann vaguely ringed a bell relating to the Queen Elisabeth competition, so I looked it up and saw he participated in the same year as Rian de Waal, the dutch pianist who recently died, Daniel Blumenthal, Eliane Rodrigues who played Beethoven 4th while intoxicated of the alcohol in her homeopathic anti-nervousness medicine, and the weird Pierre Volondat (he played Liszt in the final I believe...2nd Concerto?). I remember following that year's competition.

It would be sooo fantastic if this happened!!!

No worries, we'll make it happen.

[RRM]

It would be sooo fantastic if this happened!!!

No worries, we'll make it happen.

Yep!

[Maia]

Wow Oscar, you know even more about him than I do!!!

Are there many people in Amsterdam that you guys know who are also on the diet?

[Oscar]

In Amsterdam I only know a guy called RRM and my mother, but Iris and Kasper live in the north, and could join us if they want to.

[Kasper]

Actually I moved to Utrecht, and study in Amsterdam (UvA) at the moment!

Things I learned in social circumstances (I mean if you are not able to explain everything):

- Tell them that this is the only way to get rid of your acne, and that's the main reason you follow it
- Don't talk about how healthy it is
- Never use the word raw meat, but use carpaccio ! If you eat width friends, try to make it look like carpaccio.
- Never use the word raw fish, but use sashimi (or carpaccio). Again if you eat width friends try to let it look like carpaccio, or sashimi.
- Never mention raw egg yolk unless you can talk alone width that person for the next hour and only if it is a very rational thinking person
- Don't say you eat only raw, just say you eat very much fruit, some salad, and carpaccio. Because everybody has known about those words, and don't find it strange to eat.
If you say I eat raw, they associate it width eating bad tasting things like: Raw broccoli, etc. Eating healthy alone is already associated width bad tasting things.
- Tell them how much you love all the sweet fruits, the fresh pressed orange juice, the carpaccio, sashimi etc.
Because it isn't strange to eat things you find good tasting, and even less strange (in their mind) if they think it's good tasting.

I always bring it like: I love it, and works really great against acne, the only problem is that it is little bit expensive (for a student at least).

[overkees]

Great tips Kasper, i've been using the I like to eat sweet little snacks very often and fruit is always okay as snack. And people will nod for sure!
Egg yolks aren't explainable. No one is willing to listen to me that cholesterol from egg yolks isn't bad. I found that hard to believe in the begin too. But it's something you will learn to appreciate once you started eating lots of m.
So i often don't tell about the egg part. The fish and raw meat and fruit doesnt seem to much of a problem for most people. Especially if they don't eat much bread. The older generation will say: "oh if you're hungry just eat some bread". Can be pretty annoying sometimes. I tell them that if I eat too much wheat products i get stiffiness and can sleep for ages. And often they will tell me to go see a doctor. Even if i tell them that by eating fruit that problem is solved.

I would also be interested in a meeting btw. I'm from Utrecht also and would love to hear some other people's stories!

[Oscar]

Cool! We'll keep in touch then
Good tips, Kasper. Not that I'll be needing them any time soon (I'm usually brutally honest about it), but I can imagine lots of people do.

[Maia]

Yes thank you for the tips, Kasper

Egg yolks aren't explainable. No one is willing to listen to me that cholesterol from egg yolks isn't bad. I found that hard to believe in the begin too. But it's something you will learn to appreciate once you started eating lots of m.
So i often don't tell about the egg part.

Actually, a few days ago I read an article in Cosmopolitan about food that is supposed to make you beautiful. And EGG YOLK was listed as the last one! Is says that egg yolks give you superstrong nails, which is of course a big understatement of the benefits of it, but I still feel that this is some kind of "proof" that I can now show to skeptical friends!

If anyone is interested, it is the swedish Cosmopolitan number that is sold right now (september-number), page 62-63.

[Oscar]

Hahaha! What are the other foods that are listed?

[Maia]

Well, the not all of the other ones were as spot on...

Pumpkin seeds against acne
watercress agains a swollen face and inflamations
spenach for sparkling eyes
apples to bleach teeth
haricots verts for thicker hair
flax seed oil to prevent dry skin
kiwis to age slower.

Oh and now I saw that they recommend swallowing the whole raw egg, not just the yolk (But only the yolk is on the picture!).

[Oscar]

Funny. Do they explain why they arrived at these foods?