20 days raw. eat too much raw?

[kiropa]

hi all,

fairly new to raw & LOVING it. i have not had one SAD craving at all.

my problem is i love raw so much that i crave raw. i also KNOW that i am eating too much raw. everyday i plan to curtail & everyday i feel i ate too much. any words of wisdom on how to control this? i'm concerened b/c i'm eating when not hungry.

yesterday's intake (as example):

B: 3 apples & 1 cherry pie larabar
L: 3 collard wraps stuffed with guac & various mixed vegetables
some walnut fudge
S: raisins & carrots (A LOT!)
D: BIG SALAD with kale & collards marinated in ACV & EVOO with sesame seeds & raisins sprinkled on top)
more walnut fudge
S: 1/2 apple with almond butter
another larabar

many days i eat more than one larabar, one avocado & some nuts/seeds. i feel it is too much.

my weight is okay -- fluctuating +/- 3 pounds. but, at the end of the day i do feel full and a bit bloated. i'm not binging -- but i am eating when not necessarily hungry simply because i like it...

today i have not eaten yet. i do fine until i start eating & then i snack all day unless i remove myself from food.

words of wisdom? i know some will say it's okay to eat to fullness when transitioning. the thing is i am eating past fullness & having NO problem transitioning.

THANKS!!!!!!

kim (who is a very busy, full time working mom of 3 little kids ages 2-6).

[Sharon in Colorado]

It doesn't sound like you overate to me. Why would you think you ate too much?

Just out of curiosity, how many calories is that? Because calorically you have to eat a lot more raw food than cooked since it is water rich.

[soulstar]

Welcome and Hello Kim! Kiropa

In my understanding, when we intitially begin to eat raw foods, our bodies are craving certain nutrients that we haven't been receiving in our SAD diets. So if you are craving a lot of RAW food, that is nothing at all to be worried about. I believe that Alissa addresses this beautifully here on this board, as well as in her incredible book, in case you don't have it, I HIGHLY recommend it!! Living on Live Foods has a wealth of information that covers so much of your questions.

I remember reading Victoria Boutenko's Raw Family book, where she said that when she and her family went food shopping, she would encourage each family member to pick out the produce that they were drawn to. Each member had his/her unique cravings. (for example, her son sat down one day and at a dozen or so cukes until his cuke craving was gone, the daughter craved figs and olives at one point, I believe and initially ate tons of them for a little while) A little later, they saw a doctor and the doctor said that each one was probably deficient in different minerals and he recommended they eat specific foods that had those nutrients. Ironically, tthe foods he recommeneded were the foods that they were already drawn to. In other words, don't try to limit yourself right now, because your body is trying to get the nutrients it may have been low in BEFORE you went raw. You can rest assured with the knowledge that once all of your body's needs are balanced, you won't need to go through the process you are in now. It is amazing how much our bodies wisdom can heal us , when we allow ourselves to follow our HEALTHY RAW cravings!:p

This is all my humble opinion, and your mileage may vary.;)

Wishing you all the best as you progress on the path of Living on LIVE Foods!

Soulstar

[Dj 247]

I think the fact that I can eat what I want(along as it is raw) is the best thing about eating raw. I eat small amounts all day long such as ... grapes, apples, bananas, salads, and nuts. Oh don't forget oranges they are my favorite! Love'em! I still have not made any recipes. I need some appliances!
:( Just kidding I am not SAD. I am raw. :p

[kiropa]

thanks for the feedback -- keep it coming!

i think i eat too much -- because it is WAY more than other people post & it is beyond hunger.

the guac i ate yesterday was probably 1C or more.

one day last week, i ate 15 dates in one sitting.

i can eat 2 larabars back to back.

it's hard to describe. when i read the 30-day challenge & what did you eat today threads i am ASTOUNDED by how little everyone eats & claim fullness.

perhaps, i am/was deficient -- hadn't thought about that.

keep your opinions coming!!!!! so helpful.

[Sharon in Colorado]

Well either you are going to worry about it, not worry about it, or change what you are doing. You are only on day 20, you are pretty much in the "expiremental" stage, you are seeing how it works for you. Try not to worry about everyone else. We are all so different, coming from different health and lifestyle backgrounds. Yes, some people will eat very little while others will eat a lot. Just try to concentrate on your own journey and what works for you right now.

P.S. I've read journals of people eating 20 dates and several oranges in a sitting, 30 bananas in a sitting, and an entire raw pie. So your situation is definately not unusual.

[Morn]

It doesn't sound like you are eating a lot to me either. When I make salads - a lot of the time they are huge salads. Someone watching me eat a salad was shocked. I explained I only ate fruits, nuts, veggies, etc. and I need a large salad to fill me up. However with that being said, you have to listen to your own body and if you are eating when you aren't hungry I believe there may be another issue going on. Are you eating cause your bored, sad, mad, stressed, etc. Are you using food to fill a need or not deal with a situation. Sometimes even with raw food we can use for emotional eating.

Initially from your originial post it sounds like you are eating cause it tastes good but you are not hungry. Only you can know what your body needs and is craving. Give the food time to register and listen to your bodies signals. If you are full stop and don't eat until next time you are hungry. I think this is wisdom on your part. Another aspect of this is are you eating the foods that are most satisfying to you in your journey at this point? Sometimes we eat one thing but what we are really desiring is something else and when the void isn't filled we still want the original thing in mind.

Hope this wasn't confusing. I am not a proponant of eating for the sake of eating. Probably because I have struggled with food addiction issues and this is why. You may try eating several small meals a day (grazing). I know that also works for a lot of people. However, with that way of eating you will never reach fullness just enough to satisfy taking away the hunger.

Good luck to you in your new raw journey.

[soulstar]

Hi Again, Kiropa, aka Kim,


Morn, you've added some good advice. Certainly, you shouldn't eat when you don't feel like eating. And it may help to graze throughout the day. Only YOU, kim, ultimately know what is RIGHT FOR YOU!!!
When i first began raw, I allowed myself whatever I wanted, because I wanted to STAY Raw above and beyond everything else!

I, too, was shocked when I read what other people reported eating! :eek:
I thought I must be some kind of glutton! I thought they were eating like BIRDS and I thought I was doing this whole Raw Food Lifestyle the wrong way! I also thought I'd never be satisfied with the little bit that people reported

Only my opinon below, do with it as you will.;)
Please allow yourself whatever your body NEEDS right now, as long as it is RAW! And don't compare yourself to anyone else, now or ever! The main thing is to heal your body, allow your body to detox, and to bring nourishment to your body that it may not have received before now!

I think I remember reading something Alissa may have said (forgive me if I misquote) that if you don't allow your body what it craves now, that there may be a boomerrang effect later, where just when you thought you were completely and easily 100% raw, you may succumb to some cooked food craving, because you haven't given your body what it Needs and deserves , from its raw food craving!

I send you my best wishes for your success. Just remember, your body knows best. You may eat a cup or two of guac today and next week, but this may prevent you from falling of the Raw Wagon a year from now.
And I am sure your body will want other things in other quantities 3, 6, 10 months for now. Trust the process!

And trust yourself.;)


All the best on YOUR journey into Living on Live Foods!!:)


Soulstar

[Ariannah]

Kiropa, I ate a lot in the earlier stages of raw. Eventually your body will send you fewer craving signals, and it won't be "too much". Some days I eat just a cantaloupe and some dates and bananas, but other times I feel I could eat several avocadoes and nuts...

[Angelic Light]

It doesn't sound to me like you are eating too much... sounds quite normal actually.

[Damzlfly]

Nope doesn't sound like too much to me either. I eat a ton too lol. I don't know where it goes as I'm only 110 lbs but I'm not worried. i could EASILY eat 2lbs of dates in one sitting. I love dates. But I do have the 'eating when bored' issue too. You just have to be careful. You know if your hungry and if you REALLy want that GORGEOUS piece of fruit so bad your mouth is watering but you're not hungry...EAT IT ANYWAYS!! :D :D

So far today I've had:
1 green apple
1 serving pad thai (to me a serving is a whole zuch spiralized with about 1/4 cup of sauce)
handful of flax seed crackers
2 large handfuls of almonds (I was making almond butter and they were just so yummy!)
So now I am FULL! I have a salad in the fridge for dinner or whenever I'm hungry again.

[kiropa]

thanks all!

YES -- sometimes i eat around my craving. i should just eat EXACTLY what i want.

i don't initiate eating when not hungry -- i think i just keep eating past when i am full (because i like what i am eating & probably a variety of other reasons).

i guess being conscious of all this helps. today has been great:

B: one apple
L: BIG SALAD w/ lettuce, mushrooms, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, sunflower seeds & raisings w/ dressing of lemon/vinegar EVOO
some grapes
S: carrots & raisins (i love this combo)

your comments help so much. keep 'em coming. thank you!!!!!!!

kim

[greenfeline]

I think also when people post what they eat they don't put amounts. When I have a green smoothie it fills the blender, at least 32 oz. I often wonder if I am eating "too much", but like others have said sometimes it takes more raw to fill you up in the beginning then later it will taper off.

[dextera3]

You can only eat 2 larabars back to back? ;) Aw, that's nothing! I could down 5 of those things, they're so tasty!

Really though, it doesn't sound like you are eating too much at all! When you are hungry...eat!

It may feel like you're eating a lot, but you have to because the food isn't as dense (like leafy green veggies...I could eat them all day!)

[lori ann]

Hey,

What is a larabar??

[Lunar*Fey]

I wouldn't worry about it. Your body is still adjusting and it isn't like your body is going all haywire or something right? I understand what you mean...since I've been raw I really truly enjoy eating and often just want to keep right on going and going. I think our bodies need physical transitioning even if we don't struggle mentally (I don't either so I know what you mean)...like our bodies are starving for nutrients and maybe that's why we want to keep eating. I think it will all work out in the end if you just let it be, breathe, relax, eat nature's food, get sunshine, sleep, smile, laugh, play, get some exercise...all that good stuff :)

[puffysmom]

I also feel like I am eating to much but from what I have read here in the last month that will go away. My craving has been cole slaw. I use the EVOO, apple vinegar, Agave for my dressing. I would make a huge bowl and eat it all in one day and that was almost all I did eat. I am still eating a lot of it but not as much as i had been. I even stocked up on cabbage while it was marked down after St. Patty Day. If i dont use it for slaw i will make sauerkraut out of it.

I think eating a lot of grapefruit does not hurt one one bit. It is low in everything and was always considered a diet food.

Larabars r raw bars that I found at my HFS. I got two of them and for my taste buds they r ok but i dont crave them or eat much at one time. I am going to try to make my own bars so i can put in them what i like. I have noticed that my taste buds have changed a lot in what i like and I prob would have liked them better before making this transition. In a way they almost taste like they have some kind of preservative in them even though the package does not mention it.

[belinda]

I've been eating probably double that or more some days, some days less. I won't feel quilty like I have in past with cooked foods. I won't let myself. I am still losing weight (I'm not overweight at all), my eczema is clearing up, I have masses of energy, I look younger. I've been raw 60 days. I would definately do what everyone says and listen to your body on what it needs.

I find I won't lose weight for a week, then drop 5 lbs. My eczema will be so itchy it bleeds all the time, then all of sudden I notice a spot clear up almost overnight. It's like the body plateaus then does something drastic so fast if that makes sense.

[So Delightedly Raw]

thanks all!

B: one apple
L: BIG SALAD w/ lettuce, mushrooms, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, sunflower seeds & raisings w/ dressing of lemon/vinegar EVOO
some grapes
S: carrots & raisins (i love this combo)

kim

Your lunch food is the amount of food I eat twice a day in smoothies, and I frequently eat another snack on top of that.

Listen to and trust your instincts!