Help! Am I on the right track?

[Mary]

Today's been a tough day for me. I have really been craving cooked foods! I stayed the course, but really feel like I need some help in figuring out what I'm supposed to be eating for my system. This is where I think the journal is really going to be helpful. I am going to make sure that in addition to listing the foods I ate, that I record my feelings of hunger, satisfaction, and energy levels.

I'm feeling a little frustrated because I want to make this work as a lifestyle, but I'm still concerned about the right mix of foods and about whether I'm eating too much. I realize that Alissa's book mentions eating all the raw food you want, but I can't imagine that I can really eat all the nuts and fats I want and still lose weight. I know just eating better food is going to be very healing to me, but as I'm extremely overweight, obviously the weight loss is very important to my health and well-being.

To add to the confusion, there are the different raw food "camps" with their own theories about how to eat raw. You get Gabriel Cousens who says to eat based on your metabolism (makes sense), dosha, and to limit high-glycemic fruits, etc. You get Dr. Graham who advocates the 80/10/10 high-carb/low-fat fruit and vegetable diet. Then there's the "as-long-as-it's-raw-eat-whatever-you-want" group. It leaves one feeling very overwhelmed and confused. I don't want to have to put that much energy into figuring out percentages as to what I can eat. It has to feel natural, and it has to work with the way my body works.

I would appreciate any constructive feedback I can get because I really want to make this work for my health. I am guessing that there is no true "right or wrong" about raw food, because everyone's body works differently, and while low-carb might work for some, high-carb might be what another person's body needs. I know the key will be to continue to listen to my body and how it feels with different foods to determine what my ideal food intake should be for optimum energy and weight loss. I know that I feel better with more protein, but I'm worried about eating too many nuts because of the fat.

Thanks in advance for your patience with my questions, and I would really appreciate any comments or guidance from my more seasoned friends here.

Blessings,

Mary

[rawpriestess]

Each person must make up their own mind, however, since we are on this wonderful FREE sight, I think it best to do what Alissa suggests in her book, it certainly works for me.


I've lost over 50 pounds, eating everything and anything I want, I'm eating mostly fruits right now,

this is what I ate today, and I ate alot!!!

I eat whatever I feel like eating, but it's mosly fruit, with usually one small meal of prepaired foods.


today I had:

Breakfast:
1 cup ginseng tea
1/4 cup coconut

snack:
1 cup almond milk
3 1/2 dates

lunch:
5 rawviolies (turnips & nuts)
1/4 cup marinara sauce (tomatoes & herbs)

snack:
1 plum
2 small pickled cucumber
12 oz. orange juice
1/4 cup pineapple

dinner:
4 oz. orange juice
1/2 brownie (walnuts, dates, cacao powder)
1/4 cup pecans

so you can see the only thing I ate that wasn't fruit, was the cacao powder, the turnip, ginseng tea and some herbs, everything else is fruit.

I find this works best for me.

I just eat when I want, what I want, and I ate alot today compared to most days.

[Coriander74]

I am very much the same as RawPriestess, mostly fruits with maybe a prepared treat during the day, and I add in green juices and some smoothies.

I'm playing around with what works for me. What I've found SO liberating is to eat what I am craving (raw of course lol)... the last few days it's been all about fruits and RP's brownies as a treat, plus lots of green juice to beat the heat.

If you find yourself not feeling well on a particular "experiment", then put it aside and try something else. It's SO normal to have cooked cravings, I still have them!!!! Make yourself a big salad with some nuts or whatever you like, and see if the craving passes.

Today I had lots of water, a banana, 2 nectarines, a green-juice, and 2 of the brownies (omg RP LOL those are addicting girl). When I wake up tomorrow, I'll have watermelon for breakfast. I know this already because I noticed my poor watermelon was looking droopy.

There are TONS of different groups on this forum, who all eat differently. I say eat the way which makes you feel your best. Alissa's advice has helped me HUGELY, personally.

If you would like to, my email address is Coriander74@hotmail.com. Feel free to write, just specify who you are in the subject line so I dont' accidentally delete you. Or if you have any instant messenger programs, let me know :)

You're doing wonderfully Mary. You have such life and enthusiasm, and this is what will help you through. Lots of hugs!!!

[DavidZaneMason]

Opinion:

-After doing the research, I think YOU should make a list of the foods you think are the healthiest (and that you LOVE) and a list of what YOU think are your WORST foods and habits. Don't censor yourself! Be bitingly honest.

-This is the magic list that will save you....because it is working with what YOU truly believe.....not in some nebulous grey area. Even if you don't achieve 100% of your goals......you will inifinitely learn about yourself......when you make a big list of very small and achievable daily goals.....to move you towards incorporating the things you love.....and eschewing the the things YOU think are your worst habits.

-On the practical side: In the beginning, I would advise eating a HUGE variety of raw foods......sticking mostly to veggies and greens (to help you lose weight) and keeping at least a small percentage of fat with EVERY meal in order to keep the body satisfied. Drink plenty of pure water or juice when you are not eating. NEVER go hungry. Always eat before you leave the house - and bring a snack bag......so that you don't show up someplace hungry and feel obligated to eat some crap.

-Start your journey eating raw at the level that you ARE comfortable with NOW - and stretch (not pull or tear) from there.

-Just my opinions.

-David Mason

[berrymarymac]

I am doing the same as RP...I eat whatever I want that is raw! I just eat raw lol.

I had bad cravings for a week or two for chinese food. I don't crave it anymore, but do crave some good brown rice these days and Mexican food, which I have broken the diet to go out and eat, then feel nasty afterwards. My mom and I don't go out to eat anymore, that time was the first in about a month. But you are doing fine. Just eat what you want and what your body is telling you!

[Graciebeliever]

Hey Mary!

I myself started my Raw journet because of weight loss. I have a SOLID 150lbs to lose and I am 23lb into that right now @ 37 days into Raw.

As I found out, more than the weightloss I feel so incredibly better now with no body pains and aches and I can MOVE Woopie!
I also found that my emotioal wellbeing has topped the importance above my weight and That unsettled feeling that I had all the time over my weight has pretty much all but gone now.

This is what I did:

I bought the right things to eat (made a list first) then I simply ate everything I wanted whenever! I ate what I thought was a weeks worth of fruits and veggies in 2 days!!!!
I now laugh at the amount of stuff I thought would be enough and I buy 10xs that now :) I just bought 25# of organic carrots for juicing hehe

My body needed nutrition!! it needed EVERYTHING I was giving it and I didn't hold back, then about my 2nd week my appetite vanished for about 3 days.
I drank water, nibbled on some stuff but that was it!
I slept and rested and rested more, I didn't feel afraid because I knew that my body was doing what it needed.

I slowly began to get the desire to eat come back and GUESS WHAT?? My body programed itself to what I should eat and when. I now don't have the mad cravings to stuff myself, and I think if you don't hold back now at the beginning then you may avoid feeling shorted and deprived.

We are all very different Mary and you will have to find what is best for you!
Some days I'm not all that hungry so I eat what I want even if it is only avocadoes and nuts.

I discovered FLAVOR! delicious textures and when I actually tasted what I was eating.. it was like a euphoria! I ran back to the kitchen and got MORE and knowing all the time that is was totally fine for me because this is the GOOD STUFF. Healthy for me and WOW my skin and energy and well... It rocks that's all I can say

[Pailani]

My body needed nutrition!! it needed EVERYTHING I was giving it and I didn't hold back, then about my 2nd week my appetite vanished for about 3 days.
I drank water, nibbled on some stuff but that was it!
I slept and rested and rested more, I didn't feel afraid because I knew that my body was doing what it needed.

I slowly began to get the desire to eat come back and GUESS WHAT?? My body programed itself to what I should eat and when. I now don't have the mad cravings to stuff myself, and I think if you don't hold back now at the beginning then you may avoid feeling shorted and deprived.

This has been my experience as well, except that it didn't take two weeks for my body to regulate itself, it took eight weeks. In that eight weeks, I was kind of nervous about eating too many 'recipes" so I ate a LOT of green smoothies. Almonds and bananas gave me some trouble. Suddenly at eight weeks, everything just seemed to be better - I had been bloated before and that disappeared, I suddenly wasn't hungry all the time, cravings for soy 'chikin nuggets' suddenly weren't as strong and foods that had been a problem before suddenly weren't.

I think you should eat whatever will get you through that period of adjustment - whether it's two weeks, or eight, or even more. If you notice that some specific food isn't settling well, makes you sleepy afterwards or makes you bloated, or whatever, don't eat that, but eat everything else. You might or might not lose the weight right away, but after your body has adjusted, you can start fine tuning, and that's when the weight may come off. Until then, it can be useful to just eat whatever you want as long as it's raw and give your body the time it needs to settle in to this way of eating.

[Mary]

Thanks, everyone, for your thoughtful advice and kind comments! I am going to really tune in to my body and keep track of the foods that are making me feel good and are satisfying to me so that I get a sense of what works for me.

It is very helpful to hear from you about the process of going raw - I will try not to get hung up on not losing weight right away. I know it's not a contest as to how fast you lose weight, but in making the choices to live a healthier life; I just want so badly to be thin and healthy again.

I appreciate the help a great deal! Thanks again!

Mary