Raw Weight gain question

[wisslewj]

I have a logic question for all you raw food veterans...

I have read that the body uses about 80% of its energy (calories I would assume) in digestion. Hence, some of these crazy muscle guys that eat 5000 calories a day, usually half of that as wasted anilmal meat, are only getting about a 1000 calories a day for building muscle. It may be even worse since the animal meat is so undigestable and so much wasted, as is all the cooked food.

So here is my question....I wanna gain some muscle weight and am finding it tough to do in general. I am thinking that maybe its because in the past I ate so many "useless" calories of meat and cooked foods as the mainstream says to do that I wasnt really feeding myself. That said, would this be logical:

If a person ate all raw foods, does that decrease the energy needed to digest food due to the presence of enzymes and such? My thinking is that the same muscle guy that needed 5000 bad calories to maintain his weight would need far less on a raw diet. If raw foods decreases digestion energy down to say 50%, then one would only need 2000 calories to maintain the same weight. Both would achieve 1000 calories toward muscle maintanece.

As someone who wishes to gain weight and is used to seeing people say that one must consume massive calories and meat, how would I gain weight eating raw and vegan? Do I really need that many calories? My weight now is 135. I have gotten up to 155 when working out and consuming alot of protein and calories in the past. As I no longer wish to pollute my body with this garbage but still desire to gain muscle weight, I wondered how many calories I really need a day? It took 4000 "bad cals" to get me to 155 before. Do I need that many raw cals as well?

Anyone out there that works out on a raw diet that could give me some advice on the matter?

Thanks so much :D
Jeff

[lavendarJ]

i wouldn't really know what to tell you as far as how to gain the muscle but i do know a website that might be helpful to you:

http://www.thegardendiet.com

it is Storm's website

[sport]

As I was reading this post I had decided to recomend the same site. He builds his muscle mostly on fresh orange juice but maybe you should check on his exercise routine.

[wisslewj]

Thanks for the advice so far guys.

Sport, I have looked at his site before but none of his books are at thelibrary here and at the moment there is no way my wife is lettin me order em lol. Between our arw diet and our 4 dogs raw dietes, money is a bit snug.

Have you read his material and could you offer up a diet plan based on it? I know store bought orange juice rips my stomach up, so I havent had oranges in ages and ages. Perhaps fresh juice without all that acid that the processed kind has would be ok on me. I cant say I have tried that.

As I have a fast matabolism I am curious what kind of caloric intake Storm has and how he gets it. Veggies are not exactly full of cals lol. I do eat avocados and nuts and seeds for extra cals, but those are mostly fat cals.

Thanks so much
Jeff

[misslinda]

Hey Jeff!

Welcome and there are a few body builder we have here....Rawfigure, she is retired bodybuilder and Tglasco who is raw and into body building himslef.

Best to you,
:)

[Conscious Midwife]

Best weigh to gain muscle is by working the muscle and providing the nutrients that are the building block for those muscles.

Spinach Popeye!!!

No really,

Dark green leafy, black beans and fava beans, any beans really, avacado, bananas, almonds, any nuts really, oraganic mollasses!!! A lots of weigh and resistance work.

[wisslewj]

Thanks guys. Maybe I need to do an "attention Tglasco" thread to get her attention lol.

Lifeagift, I eat all those foods already with the exception of organic molasses. Isnt that just sugar with minerals mixed in? I eat no sugar really save fruits. After reading that cavity post and yelling EEEEK I am afraid of anything sugary lol.

However I think that the cavities may be caused by too many citrus fruits. Though they may be alkalyzing in the body, they are certainly acidic in your mouth! Apple cider vinegar is the same way. Its good for your blood and body, but I wouldnt recommend swishing it around in your mouth! I am hoping that avoiding those or just brushing after will help...though I have noticed my teeth becomeing a bit more sensitive since starting this raw diet. I guess if I loose my teeth I could just move to the deep south hang out. :P

Jeff

[misslinda]

Hey Jeff,

Tglasco is the exercise moderator here. He's been here not as much as he use to but you can always go to member list and email directly.

Rawfigure has been here up to date she is a retired body builder that use to compete etc.

You can "flag" here as well. :)

[jaurequi]

You may want to contact Fruitarianone. He hasn't been here for a while, but you can email him. Do a search for "Fruitarianone" and click on his name. Then click on his email information. He's a fruitarian who is in good shape, with lots of muscle.

In general, you just need to eat enough calories and lift to gain muscle.

Molasses is not a raw food, just in case that concerns you.

Also, body builder Charlie Abel's site (http://www.charliesgym.info/) is very informative. Click on his side links for a lot of information.

Here (http://www.organicathlete.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=243&Itemid=63)
is an interview he gave to Organic Athlete.

Another (http://www.organicathlete.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=96&Itemid=63) raw athlete interview -- not about bodybuilding, but inspiring.

Best,

[michigan roman]

theres a guy stefan arlen whos a raw body builder , he wrote a book natures first law . he has a web site you can find through his name or book title . and i think alot of people are using hemp seed now for weight gain . my formula is nuts , seeds and dry fruit like raisins and pineapple ground in blender into bb sized bits then ate with spoon with cut up fruit , ecspecially banana , mixed in . goodday :)

[michigan roman]

i forgot to add sesame seed . blend into powder then add water and banana and blend into a shake , could probably add hemp powder to this and spinach for a near complete growth fuel .

[wisslewj]

wow,

Thanks for all the info guys. I will email some of the people you guys mentioned and the websites were great as well.

I already eat pretty much what you guys have suggested. I eat alot of almonds, sunflower and sesame seeds and bannanas and raisens and apples already. Also, I eat alot of kale and other greens as well.

I am just not sure the amount of calories I need to eat when eating raw in order to gain weight. Can anyone say wth any certainty that one needs less raw calories compared to eating cooked calories to gain weight?

As I said before, it took me 4000 calories a day to gain weight using protein powders and weight gainers. I cannot imagine how I could ever eat that many raw calories. But I wonder if I need to? Perhaps raw calories go further? Anyone know? If not, maybe one of the body builder rawists may know.

Thanks for all the info,
Jeff