Metabolism boosting secrets

[SmilingRawDancer]

OK, I'm pretty sure I've talked about this before, but I figure I'll directly ask a question.
First the story:
I have/had (whatever, raw helped TONS.) an ED, and because of all the starvation I went through for periods of time, despite eating a healthy raw low-ish calorie diet my body is seemingly clinging to every calorie I eat.
(I think 1200 - 1600 calories, but I'm 5'2 aiming for 100 lbs.)
And I don't think I'm making this up. Various people have talked about Victorie Boutenko going through the same thing.

Anyways, I'm wondering if time alone will fix it, or if I'm doomed with a damaged metabolism/messed up my body so much that it's permanent.
Does anyone know of any way to heal this type of thing? I've gained quite a bit of excess fat around my abdominal and thigh area, and I refuse to start restricting calorically/killing myself again.
I've heard back and forth:
"Eat coconut oil and lose!" and
"Eat less fats and lose!"
but I feel that my body wants/needs the fats, and I agree with Revvel and Alissa - fats are NOT the enemy.

I'd love to read everyones take on this, opinions, suggestions...anything :)

(And I LOVE this forum. RFT is the best circle of people.):)

**** P.S.
This is not something I'm obsessed with or am going to kill myself over. I'm so happy eating raw and I feel so healthy that if excess fat is something my body naturally wants/needs, I'll learn to accept it. But I somehow think that leaner is a more natural state, and the excess fat I'm carrying is related to toxins I haven't released, or the above-mentioned metabolism issue.

[juliebove]

Eat more coconut oil. Very effective for fat around the middle.

[Ireland]

Alissa and Revvell are right on the money. Fats ARE our friends, particularly fats that are high in lypase. Lypase is one of the body's digestive enzymes that is made by the liver and it's primary function is to digest...fat!

People who are obese are almost always deficient in this very enzyme. Avocado's are pretty much the top of the list of foods full of lypase.

Here's a link and an except regarding lipase that I found that explains it in detail:

http://www.enzymeessentials.com/search/answers/question_27.html

Q: Can enzymes control obesity?

Very definitely. Obese individuals were found to have a deficiency in the enzyme lipase. Lipase is found in abundance in raw foods. Cooking destroys lipase in raw foods. Lipase is the enzyme that aids the body in breaking down and storing fats. Without lipase, our fat stagnates and accumulates in our arteries, which could lead to heart disease. Lipase also helps us to burn fat for energy. By eating cooked foods which have no enzymes, we will put weight on more abundantly than if we eat raw foods. For example, pig farmers will not feed their pigs raw potatoes because the pigs stay lean. Instead, the farmers feed the pigs boiled potatoes and the pigs become fat.

Another reason why enzymes reduce obesity is because cooked foods cause drastic changes in the size and appearance of the pituitary gland. Researchers have found that enzymes affect our hormone-producing glands and hormones influence our enzyme levels. Cooked foods cause our pancreas, thyroid, and pituitary glands to exhaust their enzymes to digest our foods. This causes our body to become sluggish, leading to weight gain. Raw food calories are relatively non-stimulating to glands and stabilize body weight more so than cooked food calories.

[Alba]

Oil Pulling boosts metabolism (and has TONS of other benefits - I've been doing it for seven days two times/ day and feel fabulous!)
ou can read up on it on www.curezone.com or www.oilpulling.com or in my blog:D

Love alba

[luckitri]

Ireland, you make me happy! (With your info) I love avocados and have them almost daily.

Smilingrawdancer, I am a different age from you and you look young and healthy. Some people's bodies are slower to respond to raw. Some people's bodies' just are built to hold weight. And some people's bodies need to be checked out thoroughly by a doctor for possible reasons you might be fighting this battle. The ones that come to mind first are thyroid, diabetes and adrenal disorders. There are many more. This does not mean that you must be compliant with the doctors Rx for the problem but if you learn from their tests that you do have an ailment you can choose a raw path specific to that problem.

For example, I am battling the weight and have just learned that I have an untreatable thyroid problem - Hashimoto's. So now I am incorporating sea vegetables into my diet. They are not all so raw but since I was craving them anyway I figured that I might as well indulge myself. I have much more research to do in this area but at least I have a start on a path specific to me. As I learn more about the nutrition values in specific foods I see that my cravings/intuition has been leading me to the proper foods for my other ailments in many cases.

I have been keeping the weight on as well. It is not just due to SAD binges or slips but because I have been eating and eating and eating and eating. Other people on here write about having 2 tblsp flax seed a day in a smoothie. I eat a whole trayfull of flax cracker. I think that maybe my body is crying for a nutrient that I don't know how to give it - else why the hunger?

I kind of hate using the "I" word so much but I fear seeming intrusive in some manner if I direct this all in the "you" form.

I also find that some of the fats give me energy - specifically the coconut. I was advised against the coconut because of my high cholesterol but I lost more weight when I was eating and drinking coconut and when I stopped it started coming back on. I have read that the coconut, contrary to what most think, may have been responsible for helping to get my cholesterol to an almost acceptable level. In the Asian store I found frozen raw coconut meat mashed which I hope is close to the fresh in value of nutrition.

Green juices also give me energy without the caffeine jitters. The ones I don't like I just gulp.

[SmilingRawDancer]

Thanks guys :)


Some people's bodies are slower to respond to raw. Some people's bodies' just are built to hold weight.

Yeah I figured that might be the case. I'll be sticking with raw long-term, so we'll see if this all evens out....but I might give the oil-pulling a try, along with coconut oil in PLACE of the other fats I was eating. I'll cut out the nuts and some of the avocado and use coconut oil instead in a smoothie or something.

[lavendarJ]

The nuts and avocados seem to make the difference for me. When I eat enough nuts throughout the week, it seems as if the weight or inches or something falls right off. Who would have thought that this healthy fat would get rid of the unhealthy fat but it is working for me and I have noticed changes in my metabolism since I also started focusing on eating every 3 or 4 hours

[SmilingRawDancer]

For breakfast I had a young coconut with a small ish banana and some cacao.
I also had one brazil nut for selenium. For lunch I'll aim for a salad with minimal fats, then for dinner I'll have a green smoothie with some coconut oil.

:)

[hypnocmt]

Also had an ED and metabolic issues from severe starvation as a kid.
my body tends to go into famine mode with the tiniest trigger

to counter it I pay close attention to these factors:

Stress~ Causes your body to shut down the digestive process, hoard fat for famines, and store it around the middle to protect the vital organs. I do my best to keep my thoughts flowing through and OUT rather than getting caught in circular thinking. When our thoughts get stuck, so does our metabolism.

Sleep~ Tissue healing and cleaning happens at an accelerated level when we sleep. People who lack adequate sleep have more fat storing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline coursing through their bodies, and a lack of good stuff like human growth hormone which is associated with tissue repair, lean muscle, etc. Too much of one and not enough of the other result in excess fat storage. Also, your body winds up running on adrenaline, craving sugar for fast cheap "fuel" etc. Sleep is essential for healthy, lean stong bodies.


Deep Breathing~ Counters the first two. Plus, a good fire (your metabolism) needs oxygen to burn bright. Breath more, lose more, stay lean.

GENTLE Exercise~ If you have had an ED in the past, your body may respond better to gentle exercise like moderate walking or yoga, rather than hardcore running or hours on the stairmaster. For one, overly vigorous exercise may be associated, in your subconscious, with attemps to blast off fat while denying your body needed calories- thereby triggering a "fat hoarding" emergeny response. Also, overly vigorous exercise is anaerobic which means it digs into stored sugar rather than fat. It also can cause the release of stress hormones. If you like intense workouts, keep them very moderate in length. Many people have SUPERIOR results with gentle walking, yoga, or recreation exercises like hiking, or bicycling. Yoga and walking are our perfect exercises. The body was designed for walking- it's the best. Yoga seems to really rebalance the mind, breath, and function of the vital organs- all of which play pivotol roles in regulating metabolism. A practice like vinyasa or ashtanga keeps you moving, generating heat, burning fat and massaging the digestive organs, strengthening your muscles in a dramatic and BALANCED way.

It is vital to do some exercise each day. It sends the autonomic nervous system the "ok" signal to release stored fat. The fact that you are moving freely, gently says "hey- no famine here, or I would have found a safe cave to lie down in and conserve energy. Also, I am not being chased, so no need to turn on the stress response or shut down digestive (fat burning ) metabolism. I'm just out enjoying nature, and life is good. Why not help me out by making the body lighter so we can do this more often?" Amazingly the subconscious cooperates!

Ok- so that was long winded, but I hope it'll help you!

PS~ At 5 ft 2 in...most guidelines would consider an ideal weight closer to 110 lbs (lean and powerful) rather than 100 LBS (extrememly tiny!), which gives you a little room for some sexy muscles and an extra smoothie here and there. ;)

[Solace]

Cayenne, Ginger RAW And yes coconut oil !;) :D

[SmilingRawDancer]

At 5 ft 2 in...most guidelines would consider an ideal weight closer to 110 lbs (lean and powerful) rather than 100 LBS (extrememly tiny!), which gives you a little room for some sexy muscles and an extra smoothie here and there.
Today 08:12 AM


I agree, as long as the "extra" weight is from muscle, and right now it's pretty obvious that it's not;) I'd be fine not looking at numbers at all, but in general with my small frame, at 110 with no muscle I look pretty flaccid :)

I had the same idea as what you were saying Hypnocmt, about lighter exersize.
Per one week I do about 2-3 hours walking 3.0 mph, half uphill. I also take a yoga class once a week, for 1 1/2 hours, though half of it is relaxation and stretching, and not vigorous at all.
I'm "training" for a 5k in august (at disneyland!), so I've started implementing short spirts of light jogging into my routine, though it is VERY light, a little over a brisk walk pace.

I eat lots of cayenne and cinnamon, and I tend to eat young coconuts sporadically throughout each month. 3 a week at most. I try to "lift weights" with my pilates bands for 10 minutes or so every day, as when I have muscle on my arms I feel less cold throughout the day (I tend to feel cold.)
Any other ideas anyone?

[hypnocmt]

If you feel cold alot, it might be worthwhile to investigate Ashtanga yoga, or power yoga as it is sometimes called. The primary focus of the begining of the Ashtanga practice is generating heat in the muscles and thru the breath. Personally, I find the vigorous pace more refreshing than other forms of yoga, and notice much more rapid results in toning my arms and core with this variety of yoga.

If you want to check it out at home first, BHryan Kests videos are very accessible, yet satisfyingly challenging.

Also for quick balancing, metabolism charging, and energetic cleansing, you can't beat the 5 tibetans.

[Davylp25]

I agree.... When I was just eating mainly fruits and veggies, my weight seemed to come off slower at the beginning, especially around my problem area, lower stomach. I have started exercising more intensely, EVERYDAY. I do full body workouts with weights 3 days a week. Other days I do body weight exercises, everyday..... which has caused me to eat so much more food in general. Before I could get away with eating just large green smoothie when I wasn't working out.... But as soon as I started working out harder, my body was like FEED ME... lol I was a lil hesitant because I wanted to gain muscle in my arms, chest, legs, yet lose fat in my stomach, so I was like should I be eating all these nuts, and oils. I have upped my caloric intake etc, and it seems the more I eat, coconut oil avo oil, nuts nuts nuts, greens greens greens... the more I lose lose lose, I'm such a loser and I'm okay with that. AHA. I'm losing in the problem areas and gaining where I need it.... In a few months my stomach will be flat for the first time my whole life, and I ain't starving...stressing or regretting...

[jenjlo]

Hello, I have experienced the same thing by gaining weight once going raw.....so I did some more research and I have been doing the liver detox that helps with abdominal fat......try the book Juicing fasting & detoxing for Life by Cherie Calbom it has lots of good recipes. I have hypothyroid and have lost 17 pounds in the past 35 days. I do the liver cleanse 5 days and then eat regular (low salt diet) the other 2 days per week. Juicing has really helped me have more energy and stay raw too! Hope you get better soon!

[domestic goddess]

Have you had a physical recently? If not why not go for one. Not that you need to 'follow Dr's orders' but it certianly wouldn't hurt to have a complete physical with bloodwork done to check vit. levels, thyroid, etc. THEN you can go forward from a place of knowledge and heal your body. Exercise, eating the right fats, staying hydrated, etc are all good things to do anyways but if you have any specific issues that may be uncovered, you can then treat them in your diet and will probably have more success. :)

[ShantiLove]

Green smoothies (ONLY fruits and leafy greens) :D

[RawHeaven]

I didn't read all of the responses...

Eat.

Keep Hydrated.

Eat.

And Eat some More.

Visualize healing & boosted metabolism. Unnecessary fat stores melting away, cells regenerating, muscle building. It is the MUSCLE in the body that helps keep your metabolism running at peak efficiency.

Also Includes healing ALL bodily organs and systems - everything in the body works in sync. Especially the liver, colon, pancreas, gall bladder impact metabolism.

Focus on cleansing & healing.

Trust in time your body will balance itself out and don't worry about it. ;)

Blessings!

[loodles]

Hi, I also have experienced the same issue with my body freaking out at the tiniest hint of starvation. Our bodies are smart and don't want us to abuse them, so they get better and better at surviving and/or preventing the abuse by giving us symptoms to tell us to eat more. One of the symptoms I often get is feeling really cold all the time. When I eat enough, that pretty much vanishes. It was really hard for me to admit that I might not be eating enough still, b/c the ED wants you to stay in denial. But that may be something to really ask yourself or experiment with. Just for a couple days it will not hurt you to try eating more, unless it triggers your ED to make you starve again in compensation.
One thing I keep hearing in other ED specific circles is that this is a very common phenomenon in recovery. Metabolism adjusts to keep us alive during starvation and it takes a long time of NO starvation to get our bodies to turn off that panic button. I have yet to experience this recovery, as I am still learning how to feed myself well enough to fully meet my needs. But any nutritionist, doctor, or ED survivor will tell you this is a natural process and takes a while to recover.
I don't have any more tips as far as speeding that metabolic recovery up, I think it is more a matter of really coming back to what your goals are. If you want to still be ruled by the ED, then concentrating on weight loss is the way to go. If you want to feel good in your body/mind and truly feel alive and liberated from the fear and obsession, then letting your body take its natural course of recovery while TRUSTING the process and going by how you feel, not how you look or the numbers on the scale, is the only way to meet your goals.
I recommend lots of support. It's really terrifying to actually face the *possibility* of weight gain, whether healthy or not, especially if you are facing it alone with ED in your head. ED is sneaky. He has many disguises, including "wanting to be at a healthy weight, defined as this number on the scale". Health is not just a number, it is how you feel. Here's to our true recovery and learning to honor our bodies in their natural forms. I wish you lots of patience and love.

[appifanie]

okay fine i'll have more coconut oil!! :D

anyway. i'm 5' and gained a lot of weight when i got pregnant - up to 160-something! :O I went down and back up again and now I'm at 152 going for my pre-preg weight of 123. I've had a good week and am going higher raw so I'm excited to see what happens :D

[Aleesha Sattva]

has anyone mentioned rebounding (http://www.timelessspirit.com/SEPT08/review2.shtml)? i didn't read the thread but thought i'd drop it in here!!!

[*RayRay*]

Some people's bodies' just are built to hold weight


I just had to pipe up and say that I totally disagree with this statement!!! Don't buy into this idea.... Sounds like some people have given you some pretty good suggestions though! Good Luck!!:D