A blatant cry for encouragement....

[mamaP]

Greetings all,
I know that we should eat "whatever" feels correct to us and not stress about everything as a newbie....However I am encountering a few issues:
1. How much is enough-When you eat a salad how much do you eat?
2. Is my goal to have enough vit/min for the week or do I have to have 100% each day?
3. Fitday says I am lacking in a bunch and try as I may I do not seem to get the right amounts...if I add seasame milk I am so full I do not eat enough greens...and so on and so forth.
4. Those of you who do watch your cals-what are your numbers like?
My main question is Howdo you find a balance..I still feel unsatified in my eating but have not been able to put my finger on what is missing...any thoughts you have are greatly treasured.....gratefully MamaP


Here is what I eat(about)
1 small avo
1-2 cucumbers
wakame(2 handfuls)
4-6 cups greens(chard or kale and somekind of letucce)
1 small-med head of broccoli
a few ounces of nuts and or seeds
some sort of hot pepper(a good size piece)
young coconut water and1/2 meat (2 times a week)
2 or 3 pieces of fruit( pinapple and bananna)
a bit of olive oil/lemon/ginger dressing

[beanmonkee]

I firmly believe that your body is the best judge of what's enough, and what's right.

Eat until you don't feel hungry. If that means you're grazing all day long, great! If that means you eat three big meals per day, super! Whatever that means for you. Just make sure you're asking yourself if you are truly hungry, and not if you just feel like eating.

I'm a newbie, too. I drink about a quart of green smoothie at one time (1 - 2 cups of chopped greens, 2-3 bananas, 1/2 c. berries or mango or pineapple or whatever). I'm guessing, but I think I make about 3-4 cups of salad at one time. Think of the biggest restaurant salad you've ever seen (but all raw). If I'm not hungry for all of it, I'll save some for later, but it's better than feeling deprived.

I know I definitely couldn't live on just 2-3 pieces of fruit per day (but I love fruit).

Who cares what I eat, though?! I'm not you. You're going to have to answer those questions by trial and error.

If you want to keep track of what you're eating, but don't want to use fitday, you can always keep a food diary. That way you can write what you ate, what time you ate it, how you felt before/during/after eating it. By doing that, you have a record of what works best for you -- even at different times in your cycle, etc.

I hope that helps, and I hope I didn't rant too much. You're going to do great!

[trinity082482]

I would eat what ever you want. If you feel full, stop eating, if your still hungry, have some more. I have always been the type of person who over stuffs them self, but I think the best thing to do is stop eating when your "satisfied" They say the reason why people are thin is because they have a relaxed relationship with food. They stop eating when they are satisfied. Who knows :o

[StarFire]

MamaP - do you have Alissas Book? It is so wonderful for newbies - not just all the recipes but it has a wonderful 30 day guide to help you get started... even down to the shopping list you will need.

Personally - (FOR ME) It's too much to have to watch what I'm eating, am I getting enough of this or that...

I need something more simple. That's why I loved Alissas book - everything was right there and all I had to do was follow it. And b4 I knew it - the 30 day challenge was almost over!

I ate until I was full - if I wasn't hungry I just didn't eat.
But it is SO true that everyone IS different.

Now that I'm past my first 30 day challenge - I cruise through the recipe section here on RFT, or through Alissa's book and what ever looks good - I give it a try! Or if I just want a piece of fruit or if I want to chomp down on a bell pepper - I do that! :D

When you were eating a SAD diet - were you paying attention to all your minerals, vitamins and all that stuff that you are watching now? Or were you just kinda using wisdom and fixing meals? Alissa has in her book a triangle with foods listed at each corner. Having something from each food group is suggested. If you can -- I highly suggest Alissa's book - you'll find it is quite a blessing!

Good luck! ;)

[hypnocmt]

Lose fitday. It can make you crazy. eat a variety every day, and within a very short time, your internal hunger/craving/satiety signals will recalibrate themselves so that you can go day by day...eating instinctually...and your body will balance you out over the day or week. So, I find that some days I want/need lots of veggies...then another day I'll feel like a fruit fiend. I crave apples one day, and the next I'll be loving pineapple.

It'll all work out and then you will have your own "inner nutritionist" online whenever you need her!

Stay raw, it keeps your tummy to brain channel of communication open.

And maybe see if a little more fruit helps you feel full.

Greens and veggies are so lo-cal you can eat them all day. Fruit fills you and gives you healthy complex carbs for easy energy.

I am 5'6" VERY muscular, ride my bike for 2-3 hours at a time, or run and workpout for 60-90 mins a day. My Asian Bodywork practice is also very demanding physically...think of doing 2-3 hours of pushups on your thumbs or forearms while simlutaneously doing lunges. I am sronger and more energized on raw, and couldn't imagine going back to the fatigue I felt at the end of each day eating cooked.

Here's what I'll eat today to maintain my energy/strength:

Rising : Lemon water with stevia

before breakfast:
1/2 bottle kombucha (my coffee replacement)

Breakfast:
1/2 c. pineapple
1 banana

late am:
Remaining kombucha
1/2 c. pineapple

lunch:
Strawberry, kale, hemp/maca/flax smoothie with vanilla and a touch of stevia or agave

Mid-aft:
apple or other fruit snack
or
flax crackers (about 2 or 3 - 3inx3in) with a thin coating of almond butter and 1/4 teasp honey. ea.
or
celery with a thin application of almond butter

Dinner:
Whatever I want, really
usually a salad or tons of veggie sticks with avo-dip, or pico de gallo, or hummus. We'll see where I am at dinner time!

evening snack:
Either berries with stevia sprinkled on them
or a cherry-berry nutmilk smoothie
or banana "ice cream"
or a piece of fruit

depends on my mood and how hungry I am, if at all.