Still too skinny after 4 1/2 months at 100%

[julesmoz]

Hi, all :)

I'm back for more opinions. I went all raw in mid-January, and immediately lost a lot of weight. Since I was already as thin as I wanted to be, the weight loss has caused me to be underweight.

What's the deal, here? How can I gain some fat back? I definitely know that building muscle will help, but I do need more than muscle. I'm so thin that my ribs show and my wedding ring sometimes falls off!

I eat plenty, though I've noticed in the past week that I haven't been as hungry. It seems stupid to stuff myself with food if my body doesn't want it . . .

I also drink plenty of water and do tons of green smoothies. At least one meal per day is a green smoothie, and often another meal is also some sort of smoothie (green, grain-based, etc.). I eat a moderate amount of fat.

I feel awesome on raw -- tons of energy, no hypoglycemia (I used to have MAJOR problems with this), much clearer thinking, emotional stability, etc . . . the only thing that causes me to wonder about raw is the fact that I'm so thin!

I went to my brother's wedding last weekend, and the first thing people keep saying was, "You're so thin!" My mom said she's worried that I'm so thin I could have a heart attack.

I was expecting to at least be putting on some weight by now, but that's not the case. Why did I lose so much to begin with?

I highly appreciate your input. You guys have helped me so much in the past!

Gratefully,
Julesmoz

[Sharon in Colorado]

I'm posting this from my word document because I'm not sure it is still available online - hope it helps

-----

I'm So Skinny
By Dr. Douglas Graham
Published in JEAA, Vol. 2, #1
IS RAW REALLY THAT DIFFERENT?
Americans generally have two features in common: they are overfat and under muscled. There are reasons for both of these unhealthy conditions. Going raw can help, but in both cases, going raw is simply a start. Here, we'll look at effective next steps.
OVERFAT
People are overfat (different than overweight) because they consume more calories than they burn. It is that simple.

Overfat people usually tell me that they, “don’t eat that much, really.” They are probably telling the truth, when it comes to the volume of food they consume. The Standard American Diet has three main features that make it easily recognizable: low water, low fiber and high fat. Each of these three features reduces the total volume of food while increasing the number of calories per bite. It therefore takes very little food volume on the SAD to provide more than enough calories for the day. Hence people gain, on average, a few pounds every year.

The SAD, vegetarian, vegan and most raw diets tend to have these same three features in common: low water, low fiber and high fat. As raw-foodists we find a meal of fruit unsatisfactory because we are hungry soon after consuming it. This is no fault of the fruit. Any meal where insufficient calories are consumed will leave the eater hungry soon thereafter. We have shrunk our stomachs to the point of deformity through the continual consumption of concentrated foodstuffs. By removing the fiber (juicing), by removing the water (cooking or dehydrating), and by increasing the fat levels above 10% of total calories consumed (cooked or raw, plant or animal, fat is fat), we mimic the SAD with many of our raw food dishes. This is surely an unhealthy practice. Both water and fiber are essential nutrients. Therefore removing them from our food must be to our detriment. And health experts worldwide agree that we must make dramatic decreases in our fat consumption if we ever hope to achieve health.

The solution to the shrunken stomach problem is to eat more volume of fruit. This takes practice and determination. Essentially, it requires that you go on a flexibility training program for your stomach, allowing it to enlarge to the point of comfortably accommodating the food volume required for a proper meal of fruit. Most folks find that within a few months they can easily double and often triple the total amount of fruit they can consume at a meal, without consuming anywhere near as many calories as they used to consume from more calorically concentrated sources.

We go on the raw food diet and lose weight like champions. This is a mixed blessing. Most of us have weight to lose and are pleased at the initial weight loss. However, if we are losing weight consistently and dramatically we must be drastically under-consuming calories. At some point we must learn to eat enough volume of raw foods to satisfy our caloric demands, else we fail as raw-foodists. Unfortunately, this form of failure on raw foods happens all too frequently. Usually, we blame the addictiveness of cooked food or our own weaknesses rather than acknowledging that we were eating a nutritionally imbalanced and unsustainable raw food diet. Along the way, we develop various unhealthy habits, such as overeating fatty foods, occasional bingeing on cooked foods, relying on refined and concentrated food sources, and the sedentary lifestyle that often accompanies the malnourished state.
OVERMUSCLED
The inertia of the sedentary lifestyle must be overcome if we hope to enjoy better health through raw living. Losing excess fat certainly is a step in the right direction. Eating foods that use less digestive energy frees up more fuel to use for activity. Still, I am asked all the time, “What do I eat to gain weight?”

After determining that the desired weight gain is not to be in the form of fat or water, the question is refined to, “what do I eat to gain muscle?”. The answer is, "There is no food that will cause one to gain muscle. This can only be achieved by performing the appropriate strength-demanding activities". Unless demands are placed upon the muscles, the brain will perceive no reason to direct growth of the muscles and the muscles will likewise acquire no reason to hypertrophy. Strength-demanding activities are of two kinds: work and play. Work consists of all the routine activities of survival; play consists of exercise, sport, recreation (non-mechanized). Americans do little of both.

Labor saving devices have become the standard in America. Shopping carts, rolling luggage, moving stairways, vacuum cleaners, automatic doors, and household conveniences such as automatic hot water; we use these things without giving them a second thought. Even our labor saving devices often have labor saving devices: Cars have power windows, steering and brakes; sit down lawn mowers, battery powered toothbrushes and screwdrivers; television even has remote control. Using them has had disastrous effects upon our fitness. Never before in history have we, as a people, been so unfit, overfat, or unhealthy. In both test case and real life scenarios we have found that a significant percentage of our population is too unfit to make it down a few dozen flights of stairs, even if it means saving their own life.

“I went raw but I got so skinny that I went back to eating cooked.” I hear this again and again. I can only reply that most people are skinny, but they hide that fact under a layer of fat. We have become used to seeing fat people; they are the norm. We are so used to it, in fact, that people who are not fat look abnormal to us. They look too skinny. Though, for my height, I am a normal weight (5’10", 150 pounds), I have been told that I am: "thin, skinny, too trim” and even, “emaciated” (This last from a 5’10" man of 300 pounds).
We know the shape that we think humans should be, what appear to us as “normal.” The undiscerning eye usually does not differentiate between a person with a low degree of musculature whose body fat levels are double or triple- normal from one with adequate muscular development whose body fat level is healthy. When inactive, they look similar, and even more so in street clothing. The telltale indicators of low fat with muscular development— well-defined vascularity and the “ripped“ look to the musculature— are simply not noticed or even visible until bodies go naked into action.

Muscular development takes time. It is rare for a body builder to gain more than one pound of muscle in a month. By the same token, barring a total cessation of physical activity, loss of muscular size is also a slow process. Of the three caloronutrients— carbohydrate, fat and protein— the body will always use carbohydrate and fat before consuming protein for fuel. Hence, when we switch our diet to raw, the likelihood that the body will consume its own muscle tissue for fuel is practically zero. At least, that is, until starvation is initiated, which is not until all available carbohydrate and fat sources have been utilized. When people say to me that they got so skinny on the raw food diet, I can only smile and say, "You have probably always been skinny, you just couldn’t tell because you were fat, too. Congratulations on losing the fat, for it was only then that you noticed how under muscled you are."

If you do what everyone else does, you will get what everyone else gets. For uncommonly healthy results, one must be willing to live an uncommonly healthy life. Anyone who puts in the effort involved in building muscle will see the muscular development and will reap the concomitant rewards. This can be done in various ways and will be a focus of my next article: Four methods of increasing strength related performance.

In health abundance naturally,
Dr. Douglas N. “Mono-Man” Graham
www.doctorgraham.cc

[dreamrawalwz]

Are you going by BMI or what others have told you or yourself? BMI even for SAD isn't a good thing to go by, but you should kick it out of your vocabulary definitely if you are raw. I believe that as America "grows" that the "normal" gets larger, therefore someone sees the proper size and thinks that person is "too skinny." On raw your body will go to it's real weight I think if you feel great and get proper nutrients you shouldn't worry about your size...unless you get emaciated, then that's something to worry about. Do you have nuts and more fats? If you really want to gain weight maybe try jucing to get more calories in?

[ljannise]

has anyone mentioned a parasite cleanse?? It is a legitimate cause for concern. It happens all the time

[Ariella]

thanks sharon! for posting the article from doug graham! that was great and a good read! i have been raw now for 55 day (100%) and have lost 16 pounds. i am excited to see where i am going to end up ;)

Thanks again!

Ariella

[Boz]

" Most of us have weight to lose and are pleased at the initial weight loss. However, if we are losing weight consistently and dramatically we must be drastically under-consuming calories. At some point we must learn to eat enough volume of raw foods to satisfy our caloric demands, else we fail as raw-foodists. Unfortunately, this form of failure on raw foods happens all too frequently. Usually, we blame the addictiveness of cooked food or our own weaknesses rather than acknowledging that we were eating a nutritionally imbalanced and unsustainable raw food diet."

Julesmoz, although you mentioned that you aren't hungry and you don't want to eat if you feel like your body doesnt need it. but as Dr. Graham said you may be under-consuming calories, so in some way you need to retrain your body to be able to consume large amounts of a fruit in one sitting for example. Otherwise you will fall short of your caloric demands. At the same time, I am very new to this so take my advice as a grain of salt :p

Would you mind listing a typical day or two of your daily consumptions and maybe everyone can work with you from there?
Thanks and good luck

[greeninlosangeles]

Would you post your height and weight? A lot of people tell me too that i am too skinny, and my bones do show, but just because it takes time for bones to ajust to smaller body. I am 5'6 and 115 pounds on home scale(122 on "official" scale.) Even my BMI is normal, if I go with official weight.

[Cinnamon]

I was curious about your height and weight too, like Greeninlosangeles I am also 5'6" and weigh between 115 and 118 pounds. People used to comment that I was too skinny but now are used to this weight on me. Now I just get compliments for being in such good shape!

I did get down to about 110 almost 2 years ago eating this way and everyone was so worried about me, but they got used to seeing me at this weight and how good I feel and all is well now! Of course they were comparing me to my highest weight 4 years ago at over 140 pounds, so the comparison is usually what makes people worry until they get used to seeing us at our new healthy weight.

[Sharon in Colorado]

thanks sharon! for posting the article from doug graham! that was great and a good read! i have been raw now for 55 day (100%) and have lost 16 pounds. i am excited to see where i am going to end up ;)

Thanks again!

Ariella

You are welcome - I remember posting this very article here a long time ago, and I just remembered it with this skinny post.

[janicejourney]

I had the very same experience. I am 5'6" 118, and nobody is saying anything, but when I got down to 110, friends were really making worried comments, so I am trying hard to keep it at this weight, which feels really good to me. I am really happy 115to120. I was turned off by Raw last time when some people wouldn't stop harrasing me about being too thin... So this time I will be eating a lot! And I liked the advice about adding muscle. But I love yoga, so am hoping that it will work with adding tone. Thanks for this thread, has helped me also :) Eating cooked this winter I was normally around 125-128 eating normal amounts of food.

[kyrie]

Hi,

Most people when reading Doug Graham' article will overdose on sweet fruit, and pay heavy consequences, physically and mentally.

A high glycemic diet is incredibly bad for you, and most sweet fruit is high glycemic, high in sugar.
If you aren't gaining weight are you taking supplements, are you excercising, are you eating enough food, ie. dark green veggies (whole), grains, nuts, seeds, fats, (eg hemp protein).

Again you need to excercise. Also you need to vary your food intake. so that you do not get bored.

Good luck.
Carla.

[Sharon in Colorado]

Hi Carla,

No offense to you, but I think Dr. Graham knows what he is talking about. He's been at this for 30 years and has trained pro and non-pro athletes and run health clinics and sports camps.

Although his suggestions may not be a fit for every body, it is a bit presumptous for you to make a blanket statement like that, especially without any personal, medical or scientific reference.

However, even if you did present an argument or reference, I've seen your statement debated here and everywhere else - in the end the proof is in the deliciously sweet mango pudding.

[vgloveforlife]

Carla,

ITA

[VeggieFriend]

Before I even wanted to go raw and was vegan I got really skinny compared I guess to the typical american. People asked me what I was doing. Almost none of my friends even know what a vegan is let alone a raw foodist. I went from aout 123 at 5'5 1/2 to 98! And I never was hungry either! I didnt even know I could lose that weight because I was thin before. I quit excercising for 4 months because I was traveling Jan-April and gained 8-12 lbs but now I am at 105 since I have been back on my regular routine.

I also find that I am not ever really hungry and I dont have to eat much to get full and I feel full all the time! I thought there was something wrong with me and I even went to the doc but everything tested good. I think that we are "instructed" by the USDA and restaurants and advertising that it is healthy to eat alot all the time. We are suppose to eat 7-13 servings Fruits and Veggies a day but I know that even if that was all I ate I probably wouldn't be able to fit that many servings in my little body! My mom gets comments from her overwight teacher friends on how skinny I am and wonder if I am ok. I know I am in the best health of my life but with so many people getting anorexia these days, it seems like anyone who is considered to be thin probably has a eating disorder and people put me in that category. I hate that.

Anyway I would say don't eat more if you don't feel like it. I know I always feel miserable when I do. I even eat lots of nuts and peanut butter and cant see to really gain anything. I suppose because I am just so active. You probably just eat nutrient dense food and that is why you are not hungry and are satisfied. Therefore thin as well.

Veggiefriend

[julesmoz]

Thanks to all of you for your replies :)

To answer some of your questions, I am about 5' 4 1/2" and I only weigh 84 pounds. I have always been very petite, and my normal weight of 100-105 pounds looked very healthy. But this is obviously too thin!

After tallying my calorie intake for the day, I have determined that I probably do just need to eat more. I probably usually eat around 1000 calories per day. Definitely little enough to explain the weight loss. It's crazy that after so many years of hypoglycemia and always feeling hungry (and therefore eating a ton), I now feel completely satisfied on so little! Weird as it feels to eat when I'm not hungry, I'm gonna try it and see what happens.

I hadn't realized how much my weight had dropped, either. I'm gonna start weighing myself once a week to keep tabs.

I did a parasite cleanse a few months ago, and I've been trying to get into an exercise routine. Haven't been fully successful there, but am getting much better! I, too, love yoga, but might do more concentrated weight work for a while until my muscle tone comes back. Does anyone know how yoga is for building muscle?

I feel amazing on this diet, in so many ways. Truly, my only problem is this weight loss. So I don't think I can blame it on the type of food - it's gotta be the amount.

Thanks again for your help. It's SUCH a blessing to have the support of a community like you!

- Julesmoz

[greeninlosangeles]

That definetely looks like too little. But you should start gaining after you are 6 to 9 months raw, that's what a lot of people say.

[janicejourney]

Woooh that is really low and so few calories. I know I have to keep at 2000 calories on Raw to keep the same weight. When I was 110, I thought I looked too thin (5'6")... I am petite also, except I have a bum and hips. I would think that 105 would be the minimum ideal weight for you, yes? Keep us posted :)

[julesmoz]

Yeah, my goal is 110.

Thanks for the encouragement about the 6-9 months raw. I've heard a couple people say it even takes a year. But obviously I need to be eating more. I didn't realize how little I'd been eating until I tallied it up. It looks and feels like I'm eating a ton!

I went out and bought a bunch of grains. Though I'm still planning to do lots of fruit, I think that'll be a great way to boost my calories without going overboard on sugar. I'm upping my fat even more, too.

Does anyone have any good grain recipes that don't involve a dehydrator?

What is it, besides calorie reduction, that causes people to lose weight on raw? More importantly, what causes them to "magically" start gaining it back again?

Also, I've heard that it's not a good idea to habitually mix fats and sugars. Why is that? I've heard it does bad things to blood sugar. That confuses me, because I thought fats slowed the release of the sugar in the bloodstream . . .

Thanks again for your insight and encouragement!

[janicejourney]

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14984

I would check out this thread also, there is some great advice about how to gain weight here. It seems that food combining etc., is probably little to do with it. Anyone who eats 1000 calories will lose weight. If you try to eat 2 to 3 times those calories and get exercise to increase muscles, you will gain weight. I would keep it simple. I like the idea about eating as many bananas as you can first thing in the morning. This can be one easy way to boost the calories... Good luck. Keep us posted. I will be sending prayers your way.

[Lunar*Fey]

Veggiefriend and Julesmoz,
what you said reminds me of what "happened" to me. In seventh grade I was 5'3 1/2 and 95 pounds. I ate a TON and was active, I definately wasn't raw at the time. Anyway, then I started getting really depressed and just never ever felt hungry anymore. I went from 95 pounds (and I was quite thin naturally then) down to about 85 pounds. I had to go to the doctor for a regular check up, this was a new doctor who had never met me at all before. As soon as she saw I had lost weight she told me to leave the room. Then she talked to my mom and had me come back in and told me right off, "Bristol you have an eating disorder". I was so scared. But my mom FREAKED and then my whole family started to regulate what I was eating and say eat more eeat more why aren't you eating more etc. When I did try and eat more and more I would get so sick and even more depressed and tired and just have to like lay down. Eventually I started to believe the doctor, being so young, and eventually DID develop an eating disorder. I guess I just mean make sure you ARE getting enough calories for you to function and function well :) I'm not saying you aren't at all, just saying make sure :)

[rawpriestess]

"Anyone who eats 1000 calories will lose weight"


I hate to say this, but this statement is NOT true.

I have been tracking my food intake for a couple of weeks now, and I am eating between 850 and 1100 calories each day, I haven't lost a pound in since my first week of raw back in the Middle of March.

after just letting it be, and dropping almost all nuts out of my diet, and then dropping almost all dates, and sweets, except for fruit, then going mono foods, then then then, I am still where I was at the middle of March, and I've been 100% raw, 100% of the time, and no weight loss at all.

So, at the beginning of May, I decided to start tracking my calories, fats etc.

I eat way less fats than I used to about 10% to 15%, and I still am not losing weight.

Now, I'm not going to eat cooked or anything, because I LOVE the way I feel, but it would be nice to have my body changing to a smaller size, while I'm feeling so good.

So, just KNOW that this statement is NOT true.

[julesmoz]

Janice,
Thank you so much for posting that link! What awesome information! Thank you, thank you.

Rawpriestess,
I'm almost wondering if both of us have the same problem, but our bodies are reacting to it differently. Do you think we may just have impaired digestion? I've heard that some people with impaired digestion store fat, while others just keep losing weight. After reading Janice's link, I think that might be part of my problem. I'm going to try taking some hydrochloric acid supplements for a month or two and see what happens. It's cool to be in a state of health now where I can "experiment" with my body. I never dared to do that before, because my body was so messed up! I figure, what can it hurt to try something for a month?

Everyone's bodies are so different, I'm starting to realize that what works for one person may specifically not work for the other. Or even what worked for you two years ago may not work for you now! Obviously, my final goal is to not have to supplement with anything, but I'm realizing that that may not be realistic right now because my body is healing and going through so many changes. I have a habit of trying to jump to my end goal without realizing that I'm starting too far from that goal to make it in one jump. I've got to take it step by step, with where my body is at the time. And since I'm continually healing, I'll probably have to revise my "methodology" every couple of months for a while. But that's a good sign! Proves that I'm making progress.

To both of us, in our quest for our ideal bodies, eh? :)

[Lunar*Fey]

Rawpriestess,
Sorry if I am way out of line here....but I was just wondering, were you eating more when you initially went raw and lost weight? Sometimes if you eat too little your body panicks and stores fat and goes into sleepy mode. This might also be why you have been tired lately? I've heard of people who start eating very few calories (basically under 1200) and just don't lose weight and get very lethargic and very gradually their bodies start to go into a sort of hibernation. The metabolism slows WAY down when you aren't giving your body enough calories because it is trying to save all the energy it gets. therefore your body doesn't use up as many calories and isn't as efficient, if that makes any sense. And then the people who eat more than that and exercise tend to lose weight. I'm not saying this is what is happening to you because I honestly couldn't know for sure, of course. But I just want to give you the possibility. :) I hope this was helpful in some way and good luck!

[Lunar*Fey]

bumping this up so Rawpriestess might see

[dreamrawalwz]

Rawpriestess,
Sorry if I am way out of line here....but I was just wondering, were you eating more when you initially went raw and lost weight? Sometimes if you eat too little your body panicks and stores fat and goes into sleepy mode. This might also be why you have been tired lately? I've heard of people who start eating very few calories (basically under 1200) and just don't lose weight and get very lethargic and very gradually their bodies start to go into a sort of hibernation. The metabolism slows WAY down when you aren't giving your body enough calories because it is trying to save all the energy it gets. therefore your body doesn't use up as many calories and isn't as efficient, if that makes any sense. And then the people who eat more than that and exercise tend to lose weight. I'm not saying this is what is happening to you because I honestly couldn't know for sure, of course. But I just want to give you the possibility. :) I hope this was helpful in some way and good luck!

Yes, your body could be in starvation mode...

[seand11]

maybe that could help explain the excess sleep and lethargy rp mention in a different post...

[rawfigure]

"Anyone who eats 1000 calories will lose weight"


I hate to say this, but this statement is NOT true.

I have been tracking my food intake for a couple of weeks now, and I am eating between 850 and 1100 calories each day, I haven't lost a pound in since my first week of raw back in the Middle of March.

after just letting it be, and dropping almost all nuts out of my diet, and then dropping almost all dates, and sweets, except for fruit, then going mono foods, then then then, I am still where I was at the middle of March, and I've been 100% raw, 100% of the time, and no weight loss at all.

So, at the beginning of May, I decided to start tracking my calories, fats etc.

I eat way less fats than I used to about 10% to 15%, and I still am not losing weight.

Now, I'm not going to eat cooked or anything, because I LOVE the way I feel, but it would be nice to have my body changing to a smaller size, while I'm feeling so good.

So, just KNOW that this statement is NOT true.


Rawpriestess...I am with you 100% ! I have tracked my calories off and on for 30 years (for others I am 45, took my first calorie counter book from the school library, got fascinated with this and never took that book back..I still have it ! :o )

I could write a LONG thread about my 30 years of calories, food, diet, weight, bodyfat, my competition years and the dieting and mental side of THAT! Actually I will do that but for now.............

When I first went Raw I tracked calories, then stopped, started again and then stopped again a few weeks ago. I track from 800-1000 calories most days. 1200 every 5 -6 days

I tried, high fat, low fat, fruit nor fruit, went from race walking to RUNNING...6 weeks ago

I have been Raw 10 months (almost 100%), I am the exact same weight as when I started and slightly higher bodyfat level..I can see it in my legs and jeans.

I have good digestion
I an not tired, full of energy, enegizer bunny
I weight train several times a week
I run ALOT...this week I logged 23 miles plus did step and rebounder
I get my sleep
I work 10 hrs a day 5-6 days a week
I have no undue stress
I do not have candidia or low thyroid
I am Regular in body functions
I limit high GI fruits, limit nuts
I am not eating deserts
I food combine
....on and on ...so I get so baffled that at 800 I am same weight. Yes most would say I do not need to lose but for me and MY COMFORT level in a bikini and shorts I am 5 pds to heavy. So I am wondering what to do to lose 5 pds..eat more I gain...eat less than 800 a day ????


SO I am going to start a modified liquid fast...maybe that to kick start me ? I will keep you posted. I have not done a liquid fast in ages due to reactive hypoglycemia....I will try it again on Raw.

[seand11]

perhaps it is time for a water fast...

[julesmoz]

I've read that a healthy way to gain weight is to add an extra 500 calories per day. I've been trying to do that the past few days, and I will say that I don't feel nearly as good with that much food! Yesterday, I tried adding it more in the form of fruit (sugar), and that definitely didn't go over well. Made me super sleepy, didn't feel good, and today, my blood sugar hasn't felt as steady as it's been the whole rest of the time I've been on raw. So I've determined that yes, I still need to be aware (not fanatical, but just aware) of my sugar intake.

Today, I've been upping my calories more in the form of fat, and that's been going better. Still don't feel nearly as good as normal, but better than I felt on the sugar.

My heart was beating much harder than normal for no apparant reason today while I was sitting in church, too. Never had that happen before.

What do you guys think? If I don't feel well and mild hypoglycemia symptoms are returning (getting rid of them is definitely one of the things I've LOVED most about being raw), should I back down to maybe just adding an extra 200 calories? Maybe ramp up to it? If I listen to my body, it definitely doesn't want any more food. At all. But if I look at my body, it kinda seems to need it . . .

I'll pose again a question I asked earlier: what causes some people to lose so much weight at first and then gain it back after a while? Do you think I still just need to wait for my body to run its course?

Like I said, I've felt AWESOME since starting raw (barring the occassional detox periods). And my face, eyes, hair, nails, etc. all look healthier than ever . . .

What are other symptoms of starvation mode? I don't want to misdiagnose myself and put my body under undue stress. Wouldn't I feel or look bad in other ways if my body was truly starving?

Thanks again so, so much for your help and support!

- Julesmoz

[seand11]

i'd be careful mixing high fat and high sugar, even on separate adjoining days. it takes some time for the body to adjust and remove fat out of the blood for example. testing diets in one day bursts will never be an accurate representation of that dietary in my opinion. make a decision and stick with it for 2-4 weeks or perhaps more. then you can journal some definitive results. what's the worst that could happen?

[Lunar*Fey]

Julesmoz,
I know what you mean...if I listen to my body it definately says NO MORE I'M FULL. And I feel good on less calories now too. But I also know that I can't chance letting my calories go down because if I do, I'm off to some inpatient place and its goodbye RAW until I'm out of the house. I think maybe once you gain back the weight you will feel better again and be able to truly listen to your body. But I am really not an expert. I just hope you figure this out, I know how horrible it is to be in such confusion...it causes some anxiety too. But I would say try what you are doing for, as Seand11 said, maybe 2 to 4 weeks and see what happens. I mean, we have kind of "hurt" our bodies for years and we may have to hurt them a bit again in order to ultimately help them...if that makes any sense. good luck :)

[janicejourney]

I agree give it a chance for a little while.. maybe your body is just moving out of the starvation mode and that is what feels different?

[julesmoz]

I agree that I need to give my body adequate time to adjust. But with how I was feeling, it raised some major red flags.

I had tons of health problems for a couple of years, and they were very intimately affected by the food I ate. The stuff I've experienced during the past few days are far too reminiscent of my old horrors. Since I haven't been healed of these things for very long, I really feel like I need to treat my body with respect in those areas.

That, combined with this weird, slow but hard heartbeat, makes me want to proceed with caution.

I've done a bit of research, and I know that people sometimes die from shocking their system with too much food (especially sugar) after being super-underweight. So like I said, I know I need to give myself some time to adjust, but my body's giving me some signals I really don't feel it's wise to ignore.

That being said, I definitely think I need more calories. So I plan to buy a dehydrator and make bread (among other things). I've been able to tolerate bread no problem for quite a while now, but sweet fruit always triggered bad things for me until raw. I'm still planning to increase calories in other ways (fruit and fat), but I feel I need to supplement with something else that's not so shocking to my system. It almost doesn't seem like more food is the problem so much as imbalanced ratios/types of food (too much sugar, too much fat, etc.). For my body, it seems to be all about balance.

I'm still thinking about trying some HCl tablets to help my digestion, too.

[Lunar*Fey]

julesmoz,
It's the exact same thing with me! It's like something works for me for a while and then it suddenly doesn't any more and then I change and it works for a little while then doesn't. My body feels all out of whack, off balance and I don't know how to balance it. I LOVE fruit and probably eat way too much of it. ANd for some reason I just like can't drink green smoothies any more, I try and try but I just can't get them down...I used to love them. I'm kind of afraid I am eating way too much fruit and not enough greens. I eat plenty of salad but I don't know if this is digested/absorbed properly. I so wish I could just shut my brain up and truly hear my body.

[veganman]

"Anyone who eats 1000 calories will lose weight"


I hate to say this, but this statement is NOT true.

I have been tracking my food intake for a couple of weeks now, and I am eating between 850 and 1100 calories each day, I haven't lost a pound in since my first week of raw back in the Middle of March.
[/size]

Hi RP -

those do not look like enough calories at all. I am thinking your body might have gone into starvation mode, where it thinks it needs to hold onto all weight to survive because it is not getting enough. I would bump up the calories.

Edit - I just realized a bunch of people said the same thing, but I wanted to keep mine here just as another post of agreement.

[janicejourney]

Yes I guess I should have said, almost anyone with a normal metabolism eating a healthy amount of calories for their weight, then changes to 1000 calories, would lose weight. Sorry.

[DrPr]

[QUOTE=kyrie]Hi,

Most people when reading Doug Graham' article will overdose on sweet fruit, and pay heavy consequences, physically and mentally.

A high glycemic diet is incredibly bad for you, and most sweet fruit is high glycemic, high in sugar....

I think Graham's advice is good to read- I'm all for self-education, but I find it best not to rigidly follow the advice of any single person without taking into account our own body's response. Our bodies are different and can tolerate different things. I personally cannot eat all the fruit Doug Graham recommends because fruit makes my teeth/jaws hurt terribly due to the sugar. But others live on fruit exclusively (fruitarians)- they are obviously different from me. I do include fruit in my diet, but very carefully, and never when I'm far from a toothbrush!

[GoddessInTheRough]

I heard a lecture by David Wolfe. He mentions that blended veggie drinks and smoothies will help the ultra-thin person assimilate the calories that their digestion may not be processing in salads, etc. Hemp seeds and spirulina will get more protein in there, too.

Also, bless your food. Say, "I receive the blessing of this meal and all its nutrition" or something like that. Good luck! :o

[rawfigure]

I heard a lecture by David Wolfe. He mentions that blended veggie drinks and smoothies will help the ultra-thin person assimilate the calories that their digestion may not be processing in salads, etc. Hemp seeds and spirulina will get more protein in there, too.

Also, bless your food. Say, "I receive the blessing of this meal and all its nutrition" or something like that. Good luck! :o

So if the green drink help add weight for a thin person, does that suggest that a person who wants to lose should avoid green drinks and have more whole food ? hmmmmmmmmmmmm :confused:

[seand11]

believe it or not but from my experience the same things that allow the underweight to gain and the overweight to lose are often the same thing. push your body to the highest health you can achieve and your natural body weight is a nice bonus.

[Sharon in Colorado]

It seems like when you are working with your body in any way, and not counter doing something eventually it is going to find its natural weight. So this not only includes diet but other aspects like activity, fresh air, sun, peace of mind, etc.

Also fasting will equalize a person's weight, whether under or overweight, as it gives a body healing time.

I can't do a true fast, which is only taking in water, because I cannot rest. I think anyone who fasts should really be resting, it is nearly impossible to do any kind of work while fasting.

I am on day 4 of a modified fast, which includes liquids like juice and sun tea, water and some raw honey as needed as I am donig Taekwondo 3 x a week. AKA liquid diet. My goal is to help my body find its weight and some other physical challenges.

[lwynne]

The weight that you are at seems way--to thin...What about avocado's, nuts, oils throughout the day...I myself do this--I do not need to lose any weight...and I know that I need to eat the oils, and nuts regularly to keep the pounds on.

[Sunshine9]

The one thing I thought of that I didn't see mentioned on previous posts, is that perhaps the issue is not the amount you are eating, but rather the absorption of nutrients. Have you ever done an intestinal cleanse like Arise and Shine or Ejuva? That could help push out anything lining your intestinal walls so that more nutrients will be absorbed! Also would you consider your food choices to be really nutrient dense?

I personally disagree with the recommendation to push your body to strech your stomach as Dr. Graham recommends. I don't think that every calorie is created equal, and I would rather have 1500 quality calories than 2500 of sugars! Anyhow, digestive enzymes, probiotics, blended foods and juices might be really beneficial to you.

Figuring out what body type you are would help determine what type of raw diet would be the most beneficial for you. Do you have "Conscious Eating" by Cousens? It has a number of useful tests to see what dosha you are, as well as if you are a fast or slow oxidizer. Essentially you want to see if you do better with more protein or more carbs.

If it were me I might do an intestinal cleanse, and during and after pack in the nutrition with really dense smoothies, spirulina, hemp seeds, protein powder, green soups and juices, coconut oil, herbs, seaweed... Definitely not overloading on sweet fruit OR fats. It's all about quality ;)

Happy healing and keep us updated :)

[jaurequi]

rawfigure, do you think, perhaps, that not sticking to one way may be the problem? It takes a long time for the body to adjust to changes.
For example, if you go off salt or even just cut down on salt, the kidneys will continue to work to excrete the amount it was used to for a while. This causes light headedness and other symptoms which leads people to conclude, "I need more sodium." Truth is, they don't: it just takes time for the kidneys to adjust, and it will -- same with excessive animal protein. People think, "I need meat because I got 'weak' or fatigued on plant protein." Not true; it just takes time for the kidneys to adjust. Same with weightloss.

As well, yo-yo dieting or a history of it will cause the body to go out of whack and take even longer to adjust. I'm not saying you are yo-yoing, just that that is another reason.

It takes a transition time, but maybe try sticking to one, health-promoting way for an extended time. It looks like you've tried a lot of different things in a 10-month period, which seems like a short time.
This way, you can determine which way your particular body prefers.

Just some suggestions as possibilities :)

Best,

[rawfigure]

rawfigure, do you think, perhaps, that not sticking to one way may be the problem?

It looks like you've tried a lot of different things in a 10-month period, which seems like a short time.
This way, you can determine which way your particular body prefers.

Just some suggestions as possibilities :)

Best,

jaurequi

Thanks for the thoughts. I am not really sure what you mean by "not sticking to one way" ? :confused: I have been Raw 10 months now...sticking to just that nothing other than that.

All the dieting began at 15 yrs old & the severe yo yo dieting for Competition in the 6 yrs pre Raw, and the blood sugar drop problems were diagnosed in 1994 when I was passed out and ended up on a glucose drip to bring me to normal again, and the hypoglygemic reaction to some foods continued off and on until recently (reduced dramatically, to almost NONE since I went raw and the few have been so minor ).

I am simply Raw. I have been adding more fruit to my diet and eating less fat right now, but primarily Raw foods :D .

[madde88]

maby you can drink juice or smoothies instead of water.. and eat more nuts and other stuff with lots of energy.

I have the same problem as you, I'm skinny too. but I'm new here and haven't try this raw thing yet.. I live in a very could contry, I have still 2 pair of trousers and 2 shirts and a jacket when I go out så I decided to wait with the raw food untill it's summer.

[jaurequi]

Oh, rawfigure, I know you've been raw; that's not what I meant :).

You wrote that you have tried high fat, low fat, fruit, no fruit.

I meant that maybe it's best to stay with one health-promoting way of eating and let your body adjust to it. In other words, don't go from one way of eating to another, then another, etc. Give one (good) way a chance, give it some time.
You seem to me to be someone who really knows how much your body needs in terms of fat, carbs, and protein ?? If so, then it might be easier than you think to find a pattern because some people do better on a routine than others. I think the fact that you're 100% is great, and only needing 5 lbs to lose is a pretty nice place to be :). So maybe just eating for your optimal health will get you there in time ?

Congratulations on staying raw, by the way, and on healing!

Best,

[julesmoz]

Julesmoz, here, reporting on my progress!

A miracle has occurred in my body. To be completely honest, I just prayed that God would rebuild my body. And He did! After a week, I no longer felt embarrased to wear a short sleeved shirt. Now it's been two weeks, and I'm almost competely rebuilt -- except better (more muscle, no cellulite, better-proportioned)! I tell you what, if it weren't for God, I'd never have stuck with raw, through all the confusing ups and downs. He's awesome :)

[Lunar*Fey]

wow Julesmoz, awesome! I wish I could say the same. My arms and legs are ok but my stomach looks like a balloon...honestly and it feels uncomfortable too...like theres something bulging out and in the way and bouncung around lol. ah well. Any way congatulations your immense progress is awesome and inspiring! I have gained weight...but not as healthily and muscley as you as I am not "allowed" to excerise...which I find slightly ridiculous. once again...ah well.

any way I just wanted to say thats so awesome!!! and congratulations again! :D

[veganman]

Congrats Julesmoz -

what kinds of foods did you find helpful? Any other suggestions?

[seand11]

lunar, is the bloating possibly due to improper food combining?

[rawfigure]

Oh, rawfigure, I know you've been raw; that's not what I meant :).

You wrote that you have tried high fat, low fat, fruit, no fruit.

I meant that maybe it's best to stay with one health-promoting way of eating and let your body adjust to it. In other words, don't go from one way of eating to another, then another, etc. Give one (good) way a chance, give it some time.
You seem to me to be someone who really knows how much your body needs in terms of fat, carbs, and protein ?? If so, then it might be easier than you think to find a pattern because some people do better on a routine than others. I think the fact that you're 100% is great, and only needing 5 lbs to lose is a pretty nice place to be :). So maybe just eating for your optimal health will get you there in time ?

Congratulations on staying raw, by the way, and on healing!

Best,


OK ! I see what you are saying. For the last month I have stuck to pretty much the same diet..more of a Fruit diet, apples grapefruit, berries banana's (no tropical fruits thou)...non sweet fruit (the ones we call veggies) and my greens, albeit less than before, almonds and some pumpkin seeds and a small amt of crackers and no grains. I have been eating very mono. So my body seems to like this best. I was very shy to eat lots of fruit (being form the old "it is sugar" school) but my body does well on it.

I have not stepped on the scales. I am on a 60 day challenge to NOT use my scales. It creates issues if it does not say the number I want it too..mean ole scale...

but i have lost as my pants are fitting loose now after 8 weeks of running more (about 5 hours a week running ) and this diet. :D

[Sharon in Colorado]

Congrats Julesmoz -

what kinds of foods did you find helpful? Any other suggestions?

She said her bread was God. The power of prayer is awesome.

[Lay-Lay]

Thanks to all of you for your replies :)

To answer some of your questions, I am about 5' 4 1/2" and I only weigh 84 pounds. I have always been very petite, and my normal weight of 100-105 pounds looked very healthy. But this is obviously too thin!

After tallying my calorie intake for the day, I have determined that I probably do just need to eat more. I probably usually eat around 1000 calories per day. Definitely little enough to explain the weight loss. It's crazy that after so many years of hypoglycemia and always feeling hungry (and therefore eating a ton), I now feel completely satisfied on so little! Weird as it feels to eat when I'm not hungry, I'm gonna try it and see what happens.

I hadn't realized how much my weight had dropped, either. I'm gonna start weighing myself once a week to keep tabs.

I did a parasite cleanse a few months ago, and I've been trying to get into an exercise routine. Haven't been fully successful there, but am getting much better! I, too, love yoga, but might do more concentrated weight work for a while until my muscle tone comes back. Does anyone know how yoga is for building muscle?

I feel amazing on this diet, in so many ways. Truly, my only problem is this weight loss. So I don't think I can blame it on the type of food - it's gotta be the amount.

Thanks again for your help. It's SUCH a blessing to have the support of a community like you!

- Julesmoz

Totally not enough calories! I don't count my calories but I used to check just an average day. I probally eat anywhere from (light day) 1500-1900 calories and on a heavy day up to 3000 calories.

I am 5'4" and medium built bones. I need to so lose weight. I am overweight. I have lost 23 pounds in 47 days and I am eating soooo many more calories then you. If you want to gain some weight then you need to add a lot more fruit and a few avocadoes or nuts/seeds, or all of the above. I wish you success.

[julesmoz]

She said her bread was God. The power of prayer is awesome.

Wonderfully said, Sharon!