How do I stay full on raw?

[rawfoodfairy]

I just started the raw food diet today and feel REALLY weak and have no energy and im starving... what do i do?

[Rawkinlocs]

You have to eat more. When first starting out with raw, a couple of things are going to happen:

1. Your body is going to go through withdrawals from the cooked food (even moreso if your previous diet was "junky" and very SAD-based as opposed to a more healthful vegan or vegetarian diet.

2. Your body will need to adjust to the lighter feeling of eating raw as it is accustomed to the heavier feeling that comes from eating more dense, cooked foods.

3. You will discover that what we have become accustomed to viewing as hunger is not really true hunger - as the body cleanses, the digestive system will sometimes react with feelings of "hunger" but it's not really hunger - we think it is, the pangs and nausea, etc. - but it's not. But that's okay in the beginning to feed that feeling until time goes on and you begin to learn what true hunger really feels like.

So, eat more - if you feel hungry and weak and you need to eat, then eat. You may also wish to eat more filling foods, dehydrated foods, etc. as you transition. Make some of the recipes posted here in the recipe section as well as get Alissa's book and others if you don't already have them so you can begin learning what recipes you like and making them often to keep you satiated.

Also, drink plenty of water to help flush your system and just always be prepared and have food on hand - fruit, nuts, raisins, dates, seeds, flax crackers, veggies with a good dip recipe, etc.

Congrats on your first day!

[RowanC]

EAT until you are full. then EAT again! EAT EAT EAT all you want! :D

[Nectarine]

Stock up on the bananas, and water melons. You'd be surprised how quickly the latter can fill you up.

[KatK]

I ate all the time the first couple of weeks - made quite a few jokes about cows/grazing :) It's true, you really do get used to it and need less food after a time. Hang in there!

[Dimond]

Have a super big smoothie 1-2x a day is helpful. Eat 5-6 meals instead of 3. It's healthier to eat more often anyhow.

[ready2live]

Not that I am an expert...but for me...this is my first week...I drink at least 8 glasses of pure water per day...and if it is a moment of wanting cooked foods...that is when I attack the water....then wait....read...clean...rest...exercise...anything to begin the break of our very bad habits...which for me was constantly reaching for something to eat...good luck!!!

[Dimond]

Yeah, lots of water is good too.

[Revvell]

First of all, you're probably not REALLY starving. If you were, you'd just eat more as many here say.

What's interesting is, when people eat raw they think they are supposed to eat as they normally do ~ without the meat or other cooked foods. For instance, IF the only thing they ate raw was a side salad with their meal, then, that's ONLY what they eat. Not sure that's what you are doing yet, without more information it's hard to give good advice.

What ARE you eating?

Plus, consider this. Feeling REALLY weak? People go on water fasts and juice-only programs and feel energized so, maybe it's something in your head "thinking" that that's how eating raw "should" make one feel? Are you getting any exercise? Movement creates energy.

Again, you're just one day into it. What ARE you eating?

Revvell


I just started the raw food diet today and feel REALLY weak and have no energy and im starving... what do i do?

[luckitri]

You may have some kind of medical problem or sugar imbalance problem. I can't remember hypo from hyper glycemic. All I do know is that mine balanced out on raw. I used to always get shaky when I needed food. Now I don't.

[Frog]

To stay fuller longer, especially in the mornings, I add nuts to my smoothies.
My most regular one is;
a handful of almonds, soaked overnight (I dont bother de-skinning them)
a banana
some other fruit maybe blueberries, strawberries, slice of melon etc
a spoonful of raw honey - if you are into it
a sprinkle of celtic salt
a few dried dates

The protein in the nuts keeps me going longer than just a fruit smoothie.

Good luck :)

[Sharon in Colorado]

Sometimes a fullness or heavy feeling after eating is really a result of poor food combining and dense foods which is actually an unnatural feeling.

It may take some getting used to feeling lighter.

When I was young, every time I ate a cheeseburger at McD's I got a bad stomach ache. I didn't realize that this was not normal, and would continue to eat them just because "everyone else was".

I also used to get nauseated if I didn't eat as soon as I woke up. This was conditioned with me as a young child, as I was accustomed to waking up and eating right away and not waiting.

When I first became interested in fasting, I actually had to re-train myself to be used to an empty stomach. First I would skip breakfast one day a week, then the next week, I'd skip breakfast and lunch for a day. Finally I was able to fast for 1 day. I did that for a while until I could fast for 3 days, then 2 weeks, then a month.

The point to my fasting story, is I had to "un-program" myself. The way I was feeling was not a normal healthy way to feel and my body was rebelling because it was so used to being fed or eating a certain way. I would also get lightheaded, nauseated, etc. if I did something different. It didn't mean that I should eat more and stuff myself, but it didn't mean that I should starve myself either. Just meant I needed to re-program.

[SiennaInLondon]

I find this hard to understand. Going raw was the first time I ate fully and to the point of being full without gaining weight (and without that nasty overfull feeling). I have been on a diet since last year and eventually my diet led me to raw foodism.

[luckitri]

My stomach bloated up on raw partly because I had to eat more. It went away. Many of us do that when we start.

I did alot of young coconut, avocado and banana to feel full.