So....here I am again, wanting to be raw foodist. I felt high energy and was exercising better, too.
Its not about weight loss for me at this moment, its about feeling better and eating better.
I need help, though. When I went raw foodist before, QUITE BRIEFLY, I was easily eating 1700 calories a day- too much fat, I think- and I was REEAALLY hungry. I mean, I would feel really good until like, third hour, then I would start to feel faint...as soon as I got home and had a good snack, I felt a lot better.
I might occasionally have cooked veggies- there are some veggies I only like cooked, such as sweet potatoes and broccoli- but I'd like to cut down on grains- they make me feel lethargic- and I will still have protein powder and those Boca soy patties, unsweetened soymilk, or maybe some tofu every now and then, too.
But I want to change my eating style, because I feel like hell.
Another problem for me, however, is weight control. All the sugars from fruits won't make me gain any more will they??
I would appreciate a little insight. I believe I am consistently lead back to this path for a reason, you know?
lovenlight,
linz

Rainbowmoon, you said you were getting about 1700cals a day. To me, that would mean that I could have another 3 bananas. Especially since you are so active and you run alot.
Anyways, if you are hungry and worried about calories, why not try eating more veggies? They are very low cal and you would have to eat tons of them to put them over your cal edge. Just grab some carrots or celery or something.

As far as the fruit thing and gaining weight because of eating too much of it, I personally feel that would be really hard to do. Especially if you reliy primary on fruits and veggies since they are low calorie compared to many cooked foods. I suppose if you eat too much of anything though, you could possibly gain weight though.

Well, I'm not sure if that helped you at all. :| I think I mostly just rambled on. :)

No, you helped!! :) I appreciate it.
To me, 1700 calories is excessive...I would think 1500 should do it. However, I might be wrong about that....I'd like to lose a few pounds still, but I think that will happen as a product of eating properly....I think part of it is needing to eat more at breakfast and lunch so I don't feel starved by the end of the day....
Hmm, major .... overusage there.
I'd like to just forget about calories and eat when I am hungry, limiting fats. You think this is safe? I will probably eat one un-raw thing a day or something...I don't think its a great idea for me to be excessively restrictive with myself at this point. I DO know that I need more energy. Lately I've felt clogged and head-achy...I feel like raw is the next step up for me but its a bit difficult and I DO NOT want it to become a weight loss device.
lovenlight,
linz

1800-2000 calories is a good number for average sized, active women (those who exercise) during their fertile period (menarchy to menopause). Average sized means anywhere between 5 feet 3 inches tall and 5 feet 6 inches tall. shorter may need fewer cals, taller may need more calories.

Also, hunger means your body is telling you that you need more fuel. So, give it more fuel. You'll loose the weight that way (the few lbs that you want to loose). also, more exercise means more calories. You eat for balance. Calories in-calories out. You go sub caloric needs and your body stores calories as fat. that means no loosing lbs or inches.

fruits are good for you, so are veggies. so eat them. so are fats, nuts, etc. don't fear food. particularly good, whole foods!

hey! :)

You are way more active than me, and I would be starving with only 1700 Calories a day. 1500 would be even worse. :-/ And no, I don't gain weight. If you feel legitimately hungry (like it's not because you're bored or something) you should eat. Zoebird's right about the 1800-2000 general rule, but you know you're more active than the average woman. Hmph.

And gaining weight on fruit?! I'd like to see that happen! :p

Take care of yourself,
Mez

Thanks lovely ladies!!! :sunny:
I can tell the difference between legitimate hunger and boredom eating. On a regular diet, I need about 1500 - 1700 calories to fill my hunger needs, but it seems to be slightly more on a raw foods diet. I guess my rule of thumb is just going to be, eat when you are hungry. Even though I have problems with binging and starving myself too, I do know how to eat properly, and I have just got to DO it.
lovenlight,
linz

This may be a bit of an indirect reply to your question. Perhaps even unsolicited advice. I think it's good that you noted that you'll probably end up eating one un-raw thing a day, because my guess is that if you try to eat only raw fruit and veg all day, by like 4pm you will be starving, will binge on cereal or something, and then freak out because you're not raw, you screwed up, you ate food, you'll feel guilty, resolve to eat all raw, and then the cycle will begin again. It's the same as restricting yourself to x-number of calories a day: setting unrealistic limits on yourself will lead to bingeing, feeling guilty, starving yourself, binge, guilt, starve, etc. It's wise to plan your meals/snacks to allow for that and avoid it.

Yeah, I'm not worried about eating one cooked thing a day or something...but I am worried about protein! If I only eat about 1300-1400 calories of raw food, I don't think I will be getting enough protein. Maybe I should eat a few nuts? I want to lose some weight so I don't want to go calorie crazy, and 1300-1400 calories is a LOT of raw food!!!! But if I snuck some nuts or dates in there it would take the calories and the protein up, too.
lovenlight,
linz

linz:

are you getting help with your eating disorder issues? because that's the bigger picture here. YOu need nuts, seeds, and srouted legumes on a raw diet to get your protien. You *need* them. You also n eed fat and protien to feel satisifed. This may be why you feel hungry. 1 too few calories and 2 not enough protien and fat.

i eat a lot of nuts, seeds, nut butters, seed butters, and pates. i'm not fat nor getting fat. you won't get fat either.

Yeah, zoebird, I am getting help for my eating disorder- seeing a therapist. I haven't had the greatest raw day thus far- I ate a boca patty, a tablespoon of hummus, and a cooked squash...but, I still have some cook only foods that I need to eat up, otherwise they'll go to waste. Its a process! And yeah, I'm going to run up to the store to get some nuts or seeds and some dried fruit or something so I can have some more substantial snacks....and I better look into how to sprout legumes...?!
lovenlight,
linz

Good idea to keep nuts and raisins or dates with you to snack on all day in between meals. I've been getting hungry by 11am recently, and have been having to bring a LOT more food with me to work, or else I get light headed and still have a 5 mile bike ride home--which doesn't work.

I discovered Quinoa recently. (dont' ask why it took me til I was 33 to discover Quinoa... but anyway) I cook up some black beans in the morning and make a lot of quinoa to eat with it. It's very high in protein and iron, and doesn't quite make you feel over-full like rice does. Very high energy food. I'll usually bring a cooked thing for lunch, and sandwich that in between lots of fruits and nuts. That way, I have a good, solid bunch of food in me so I don't get hungry quite as fast. You can also soak quinoa, instead of cooking it, if you want to avoid cooked food as much as possible.

I think mostly you need to combine foods to stay full longer. Make sure to put proteins and grains together, or proteins and an avacado (excellent energy combo). Maybe you should bring a container of guacamole with you and some whole grain crackers or organic corn chips. That's a good filling thing to keep you from falling over during 3rd period. Just fruits will get used up very fast, leaving you hungry in about a half hour.

I love to snack on fruit throughout the day. My desk drawer usually has 2-3 pieces. Right now I'm eating yummy peach. I usually eat 2 apples a day and something else. Apples fill you up.

linz:

i'm glad that you're seeing a therapist. it's one of the best things that you can do for yoruself. i never, ever regretted it, and i would go back if i felt that i needed it. so, kudos for that!

as for sprouting, i buy mine from a woman here who owns an organic, raw cafe. she's great. i like sprouted lentils best!

When I went raw foodist before, QUITE BRIEFLY, I was easily eating 1700 calories a day- too much fat, I think- and I was REEAALLY hungry.

It's really simple. When hungry, eat. :lick:

This has nothing to do with raw or not. 1700 cal may be not enough for you. It's definitely not enough if you feel like you're starving. I'm skinny but I would feel the same on 1700 cal. The danger of eating too few calories and high fat is that such a diet is almost sure to be lacking in one or several nutrients. Fat adds a lot of "empty" calories, and there are only few calories left to eat, and these then would have to deliver the RDA of all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals that you need (assuming you don't take supplements).



Another problem for me, however, is weight control. All the sugars from fruits won't make me gain any more will they??

There are three main ways of gaining/losing weight:

1. rapid weight gain or loss (several pounds within days) through water retention / release.

2. slow weight gain or loss (1-2 lbs / week) through a positive (or negative) calorie balance and the resulting storage (or burning) of fat.

3. rapid weight loss through starvation

If you eat the amount of calories you need, you will stay the same weight. If you eat more, the body will store the excess energy in the form of fat. If you eat too little, the body will use some of that stored energy.

Fruit is generally a good food for dieters, because most fruits are low cal and have a low glycemic index (it screws less with your blood sugar and appetite).


Hope to help :)

hey everyone!!
zoebird- my therapy seems to really be helping, but I am a little worried about telling her I am on a raw foods diet. She saw two of my raw days in my food journal last week, however, and didn't really seem to think anything of it.
MsRuthieB- I think fruits are an excellent, convienient snack. And honestly, I've never heard of anyone getting fat off of them!
jwync- Fruits do seem to get burned up quickly, thats true!
Oatmeal- Well, right now my body is adjusting. If I eat nothing but 100% fruits and veggies, I get stomach pains- especially with carrots! I have a rather weak digestive tract because when I was 14 or so I was subjected to intense rounds of antibiotic therapy which killed much of my digestive bacteria. It HAS gotten better, but its still not perfect, and sometimes rougher foods are hard for me to digest...I am hoping my system will adjust to this. As far as fats go, I only eat like a handful of nuts a day or something like that, little by little throughout the day- like 30 almonds. Or half an avocado or something, so I don't think I am overdoing fat.
I have a question, however- you say, eat when you are hungry. If I eat when I am hungry I will be fufilling my caloric needs, and therefore my weight will stay the same?! I really do need to lose some weight, although I'm not wiling to go crazy and be miserable to do it. I was hoping I could just eat a healthy raw foods diet when hungry and exercise...but apparently nothing is that simple. I don't know how to say this nicely....but I'm hearing "the only way to lose weight is to eat too little"....? :help: LOL
At any rate, do you have a link to sprouting? I need to learn how to do this for protein. I also realize I need to eat more greens and base my meals around them. I'm eating very little currently- 1300/1400 calories- and I feel a little crappy and cloudy headed- I wonder if this is detox or related to something else?
Ah, questions questions. Any good books on raw fooding out there?!
lovenlight,
linz
THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR ALL THEIR HELP!!!

I have a question, however- you say, eat when you are hungry. If I eat when I am hungry I will be fufilling my caloric needs, and therefore my weight will stay the same?! I really do need to lose some weight, although I'm not wiling to go crazy and be miserable to do it. I was hoping I could just eat a healthy raw foods diet when hungry and exercise...but apparently nothing is that simple. I don't know how to say this nicely....but I'm hearing "the only way to lose weight is to eat too little"....?


what you are hearing works for people who are overeaters. In our society, most people at too much--portions are too large, they eat too large portions too often, and what they do eat is very high calorie and high fat. So, to tell them to "eat too little" means to "eat less than you are" which means eating a balanced diet with the right amount of calories. When they are initially switching form the over-eating to a regular diet, they often feel hungry because they get the food cravings, n ot because they are actually hungry or have greater caloric needs.

So, on the one hand, those people are right. But on the other, they are wrong. When you are not overeating, but undereating, you put your body into a different space hormonally. Here, the hormones kick on that say "i'm not getting enough calories, so the calories i do get i'm going to store. that way, when there is even less food than i'm getting now, i'll have something to burn off. that way, i will survive."

Therefore, when you are exercising and going sub-caloric, it is likely tht your body has switched to this "starvation mode" and therefore you are actually holding the lbs when you could loose them.

When you have adequate calories for your body and it's exercise expenditures, the hormone levels balance and hte body says "ok, there is an abundance of food. no need for me to hold onto extra lbs--there is plenty for me to survive." the body begins to fuel like a machine, and then calories in equal calories out--and you don't hold excess weight. That is how people become lean.

so, by increasing your calories to the right amount (eating balanced, healthy meals when you're hungry throuhgout the day) you'll actually loose whatever "extra" weight you carry.

See? that's how it works.

And, as i said, i don't know how to sprout anything. you'll have to look it up. :)

Thanks zoebird!!! That makes sense, really, since most people I know DO overeat....I thought it was more like, you have to be hungry all day to lose weight. I actually have a hard time losing as far as I can tell, but I am going to try and eat only when hungry, nice, moderate little meals.
I think over the summer when I was trying to lose weight and eating 1500 calories a day but doing 1000 calories worth of exercise, maybe I was just eating too little. I mean, I wasn't like starving, but I couldn't lose a damn pound! So...there really isnt any other reason why I wouldn't lose. You know?
I have another question:
I have horrible heartburn. Last night I overate too many almonds, and I think thats what caused this, but I had it on Tuesday as well- I haven't have heartburn in at least two years. Any ideas on what might be causing this?
BIG THANKS TO ALL OF YOU!! :D
lovenlight,
linz

i don't know anything about heart burn, as i have never had it. in our family, the biggiest issues are gas, constipation, and diarrhea. dairy causes most of these problems for us. LOL

anyway, aside from that i wouldn't know. Often, overeating something causes lots of different problems. could be anything really--and perhaps a bit of research into the general causes may help.

i know that stress can trigger constipation (particularly for my father and i), so perhaps it can cause heart burn as well?