The idea of “going raw” might sound odd to some, confusing to others, and downright terrifying to the rest. In the day and age in which we live, there are fewer and fewer options available that are truly raw. We survive and subsist on a diet that is made up of processed foods, whether it be fast foods, prepared meals or even home cooking. So the thought of giving all of that up, and going back in time to a more archaic and uncooked diet might sound less like an adventure or challenge, and more like foolishness and delusion.

But for those brave enough to take the raw plunge, it can still be a rather confusing and somewhat off-putting process. How does one transition to a raw diet? Do you simply dive in, head first, forsaking all cooked and processed foods? Can a person truly survive and thrive on a diet change so drastic and unusual?

If you are interesting making the switch to a raw food diet, or simply want to add more raw foods to your daily intake, there is no need to fear. There are some simple steps you can take to make your transition relatively smooth.

First, don’t think of this as a drastic change that needs to be undertaken overnight. If you are like most people, you have a very low percentage of your regular daily intake that is raw. For some, it is as low as a piece of lettuce or a tomato on their fast-food hamburger. If you are in that group, the thought of doing a 180 degree turn in your eating patterns can be unnerving at best, and debilitatingly impossible at worst. Instead, look at eating a raw food diet like you would any other lifestyle change. You don’t have to do it all at once. What you need to do is work at it, a little bit each day, and build up your body and prepare it for eating more raw foods.

In this way, it is a lot like weight lifting. If you are working out with heavy weights, you don’t simply walk in to the gym and try to bench press a few hundred pounds. Instead, you start off with a light weight that you can comfortably handle, and as you progress, adding more heft to your bar. The same principles apply to eating a raw diet. Instead of throwing yourself into it, try easing your way in. For starters, try replacing at least one meal a day with a raw food option.

This might take you several weeks to get used to, but it will give you a way to get your body used to an increase in raw foods, without shocking your system and making you crave the old, cooked foods from which you are now estranged. After the shock wears off, you will notice just how good you feel after your raw meal as compared to your regular cooked meals, and the transition will be easier to manage going forward.