So Discouraged - Please Help

[LadyPeace]

I have been raw for two weeks as of March 18th.

For the first week, I lost 4 pounds but not easily. My weight kept fluctuating back to 204 down to 201.5 up to 203.5 down to 202.5 and then finally 200. And now, even though I have been eating raw faithfully for the past two weeks I have gained three pound back !

I am diabetic and I have high blood pressure. I know that the diabetes medication has caused weight gain for me ... But, could it be keeping the weight on me? I am so discouraged I just want to cry. I was soo discouraged that last night I had pizza .. I didn't have to have it. I have been doing great not craving cooked foods. Usually once I make a comitment to something, I keep it. But, I have to have results and I just thought what difference does it make, you may as well eat pizza.

I have been reading different posts from people on this website who after one month have lost about 30 pounds! What on earth am I doing wrong?

Before last night I have followed the suggested recipes in Alissa's book for week one and two. For breakfast I have fruit- 2 apples and a pear sliced.

For lunch I have a large salad with carrots, cucumbers spinach and romaine, artichoke, walnuts, tomato. At dinner I have something from the book or a salad. On the weekend I have fruit smoothies for breakfast and something from the book for dinner or a salad. I was working this raw program and excited about it. But, now I am totally confused and very sad. To tell you the truth I just want to quit.

I am also using Alissa's enzymes which when I started taking them seem to jump start my metabolism, helping me with those first four pounds but nothing significant has happened since then.

I know that there are many people with my conditions who have lost weight and their conditions from using this method but it doesn't seem to be working for me. Help Please! :(

[Veganforlife]

Oh LadyPeace - first of all let me say congrads on two weeks raw! That is great!
Second - don't dwell on the scale. Don't weigh yourself - then you won't know. I didn't. I could tell by my clothes. They eventually got looser. Scales are deceiving things when your body is going through major changes.
Third - incorporate some green smoothies into your diet. And water. Are you drinking a fair amount of water? Water will help flush the gunk out of your system.
Finally - STICK WITH IT! Do NOT give up! Seriously. If you fall back to your SAD ways, how disappointed you will be with yourself.
Don't compare yourself to others. That you cannot do. Everyone is different. Everyone is unique.
This lifestyle change (not a diet, but a lifestyle change) IS healing. It DOES work, but you have to work with it. You have to really commit and give it longer then two weeks. You have been SAD how long? You are how old? You have to ask yourself these questions.
This WILL work for you. It WILL work for everyone. You CAN reverse your diabetes. You CAN become med free.
It makes sense. Eating healthy, living foods promotes healthy, living bodies.
Stay here on this forum. There is a wealth of support here.
You CAN do this!

[carolg]

Hang in with us. You have great support here and new friends. You will be amazed.

You may want to exercise or that could help speed things up too if you are not doing that now. This is a lifestyle you will be experiencing here. Look at all the beautiful photos. Ask questions. Quitting is too easy

Not everyone loses at the same speed. You can do it. Be ENcouraged. Can't get much better then having a family who cares and I can say online we are that family for you. We may not be in your situation, but we care. You are "you" so just hang in. Give yourself a hug for sharing and starting your health journey. It's all worth it!

carolg

[nzgirl]

Hey there,
2 weeks isn't long at all so don't give up yet. I've been doing this a month and a half and I think I've barely been doing this. You really should put the scale away. I was so obsessed with the number going down that I was going crazy, then just like you I caved and ate cooked because I though what does it matter. It mattered because in those two days I gained back weight that I didn't realize I'd lost. I think when you're trying to lose weight the scale is going to fluctuate for a while, then you lose steadily, then you plateau. Maybe weigh yourself once a week to get a better idea of what you're losing. And remember everyone is different so don't compare your weight loss to someone else. Just stay raw, get some exercise in every day and you'll do fine.

[Revvell]

I think this is relevant here...


http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=11101&page=4

[JGex]

It took a lot longer than 2 weeks for you to get to where you are.... you can't expect for all of that to reverse itself in just 2 weeks. You're off to a beautiful start in your journey.... staying raw for 2 weeks is quite an accomplishment.

:) ;)

[Veganforlife]

Go to the first page of Revvell's link...;)

[Sharon in Colorado]

Please share all the positive changes with us! How is your energy levels? Can you do the same amount of activity as before and not get as tired?

How are your moods? Are you more upbeat than you were before you started?

Have any aches and pains decreased during this time? Do you feel that you may need to reduce or eliminate certain meds or drugs that you may have been dependant on before?

When you wake up, do you feel lighter than before? Are you waking up with a cleaner taste in your mouth? Is your head lighter than before upon awaking? Are you waking up feeling more rested?

Have you compared any blood work, or blood pressure with before? How has it improved?

P.S. If you are diabetic I strongly encourage looking into food combining and keeping fat intake low, to keep your sugar levels down. At first, eat the higher sugar fruits in moderation such as grapes, melons and bananas, then increase as you feel better. Pretty much all fruits are lower on the glycemic index than cooked grain products so you are on the right track.

[Revvell]

Go to the first page of Revvell's link...;)

Ahhh, thanks. I've got my thingy set differently so I always see the last post first... or something like that. lol Lemme see if I can change it.

[Revvell]

Well, here's the original post (not the whole thread, I don't think), anyway: http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showpost.php?p=99631&postcount=1

[hypnocmt]

2 pounds a week is about all the REAl weight you can lose. By real, I mean fat. If you lose more than that, it is usually water and muscle. Just look at the diet pill ads advertising so called "miraculous" weight loss- if you divide the weight loss by the time it took to reduce, you will notice that "miraculous" weight loss usually comes out to an averagee of close to 2 pounds a week.

So there you have it. You have experienced miraculous weight loss without taking pills- ;) and while simultaneously HEALING your body on a multitude of levels.

BTW- Regarding "real" weight loss/ water weight/ muscle weight: Water weight will fluctuate by as much as 3-5 pounds in a day. Try cutting out added sodium for a day or two to discover your true present weight. if you lose muscle, your metabollism will slow, and your weight loss will stall. So work to keep it. Muscle is your metabolic furnace; the more you carry (up to a point), the better you will look and feel. muscle weighs 3x as much as fat as it is dense, unlike soft fat. So, you can radically improve your body composition without as great reductiojn in weight. Some people will LOOK like they've dropped 30 pounds, yet because they are tonng up, the scale will only register a 5-10 pounds reduction.

Get a measuring tape, and use that as your "scale"

and let me ask you this:

If you eat pizza you are almost guaranteed to gain weight, or at best, remain at your current, unsatisfactpry weight'


Whereas, if you eat raw, you start shedding REAL WEIGHT (fat and toxicity) at a healthy rate- a rate which can be sustained until you reach your goal, without the nutritional compromises, or frustrating yo-yo-ing of starvation/fad diets.


What do you think is the best choice for you?



Good luck. My own weight has been up and down forever- until the last year. I have shunned "diets" and just focus on eating moderately- no gluttony, just pleasure and health- and on shaping my body with exercise. By sticking to mosty raw veggies, fruits for treats and focusing on wanting a body which looks athletic and performs well, I have been able to dramatically alter my body composition- going from a size 13-14 to a size 6 or 8. The last two dress sizes have only been accompanied by a weight loss of about 5 pounds- more muscle, less fat, tighter body . I'd like to tighten my abdomenal area, as that is where I carry the last 15 or so pounds, but that was STRESS weight, and will only reduce if I keep a positive, calm head about it, know?

Good luck and be well!

[luckitri]

Lots of people quit their diets before the miracle happens! Good advice here. Your body will hang onto the weight out of self-preservation since it does not know if a famine is coming - all it knows is that there is a huge change in type of intake - once it receives reassurance from you and your consistency in listening to it (how you feel) the weight will come off. Sometimes no weight comes off but you see a change and your clothes fit different. Other times you will lose weight on the scale but no noticeable change in mirror. Sometimes you get both!

And referring to first sentence above - this is not a diet - it is a lifestyle!

[puffysmom]

I have only been doing this for over a month. Before that i was doing almost vegan so it was not real hard for me to make the change. I was hoping to see a nice drop in weight and mine went up and down also. I realized that i had eaten food with sodium. It put on 3#s. Next day it was gone. I do know that my waist has gone down a lot but the scale does not show it. I did lose almost 6#s this month. I look at it this way. I lost a small bag of sugar and that is a lot.
Also if u r a diabetic eating pizza is not healthy. All those carbs that turn into sugar. Of course u knew that. I think that eventually u will be off all medication if u stick with it. Before I even started Raw i was taken off my blood pressure medication and I had a lump in my breast that disappeared. They hunted all over including my arm pit for it and all the while i was laying there thinking to myself that eating range free chicken and veggies had gotten rid of it. I didnt tell them as they did not ask and I dont like getting scoffed at. I have read in more than one book that eating healthy Raw foods can and will heal a lot of diseases. U can be one of them. A good incentive.

All the people here know what they r talking about. If u feel like u need assurance just do a post and u will get prob more than u need. Give yourself a big hug from all of us and stay in there.((((((((((LadyPeace)))))))))))

[punkspirit]

Hey Ladypeace,

it can have quite simple reasons, that you didnt loose so much weight..

1. The body is demming and losing water in phases!! Even if you make a fast on water the scale can stick to the same weight for several days!

2. The cyclus. For example I allways gain weight before I get my period...

3. THE MOON! At the moment it is going towards fullmoon! In this time its harder to loose weight! after fullmoon it changes again...

My advicees are: reduce SALT! salt collects water in the body! Try to start your next raw-phase with two days only juicy fruits(like apples...) no vegetables...
you will get motivation from this fast weightloss in the beginning! Then continoue eating fruits and vegtables as much as you want! but avoid ANY processed product (like salt and stuff)
and for the beginnig I would recommend not to eat nuts: fruits are cleaning, nuts are building, vegetables are neutral (thats only my own experiences though... not from a book... no guaranties ;))

ALL THE BEST TO YOU!

All things are possible to one who believes!
St Bernard de Clairvaux

[Stina]

LadyPeace- glad you brought your discouragement here to the board. seriously! this is where you go to get love and support and advice for these situations, so you're really on the right path to happiness and vibrant health. Hang in there and let us know how you're doing.

Love, Stina from the shining Oregon coast:

[Morn]

Hang in there! I know it is discouraging when we don't see the instant results we want. I too was pretty consumed with the scale. I had to promise myself I would only weight once a week because it was sabatoging my efforts. I would recommend measuring and use your clothing and how you feel as a guauge to determine whether or not eating raw is beneficial for you. I have lost 55 pounds in 6 months time and another person in Alyssa's book lost 100 pounds in that same amount of time. We are all so individual. The main thing is you are striving for a more healthy way of life. Eating raw will help you achieve that goal.

It will take time to see all the positive benefits that this lifestyle can give you so I hope you stick with it and give it some more time!

All the Best!

[LadyPeace]

I want to thank all of of you for your support and advice ... Honestly I was feeling so disheartened.

I am so grateful for you all and, I have taken all of your advice to heart. I will stay off the scale and use a tape measure instead, pay attention to the way my clothes fit, drink more water, exercise, walk more, drink more green smoothies, reduce my sodium intake, use two days for juicy fruits, slow down on the nuts, stop comparing myself to others, be grateful for the 2 pounds a week loss and most important, no more pizza or cooked food.

Everything you said makes sense. Thank You !!

I realized that I have for some reason been drinking less water than usual. I just haven't wanted water and, I have not exercised at all, but I still expected for the weight to melt off. I have not been paying much attention to my sodium intake because as a rule I limit it and I have not concerned myself about my fat intake because I thought it was all good.

The positives are that my blood sugar and blood pressure numbers are going down ... slowly, but they are going down. And, I do feel better in the mornings, a little more energized than usual and my mood has been better. Well until this morning that is :o

You are all so right and I thank you so much for your loving support I really didnt' know what to do.

I am going to try to stay on this raw road and stay focused on the good things. I will let you know how its going.

Thank you Everyone.

[punkspirit]

:) I think that sounds already very good!! your health will profit at any rate!!!

even if it takes some time!! I once heard someone say: SLOW CHANGES ARE LASTING LONGER!!;)

Just stick to it and keep us posted if it works out well :)

[trinity082482]

Um my first time I went raw I only lost a few pounds. Then I gained back 10!
For me at first it was about the weight but now I care more about my over all health. I know as summer fast approaches I can boost my raw results by becoming more active out doors. You gotta move too. It's good for the heart.

[RawStargazer]

Lady Peace,
Best advise I can give is go on the Master Cleanse, not only will you loose 1 pound a day, but you will clean your colon and have a new start. You will not crave anything on the SAD. IT will work www.mastercleanser.com

[Conscious Midwife]

I ditto most of the responses above.

Adding:

Be sure to keep a watch on your BP. As your health improves you will need to visit your MD for reductions in meds. Some BP meds slow metabolism when the dose is higher than the need.