Raw food [lifestyle] and our weight/size

[barose]

I've heard conflicting information as to how our bodies are supposed to look while having a raw lifestyle. On another message board, someone while answering someone’s question about being "too thin" implied that thin, even very thin (ribs showing, etc) is normal in nature and with a raw food lifestyle – being “thick” or having a “few extra pounds” is not”. I have different opinions on this. I don’t feel this is the case and everything I have ever read on the subject of raw lifestyle never implied that being thin or super thin is the norm and how we should look. It’s very common in a raw lifestyle, but not the overall idea.

Is there an ideal when it comes to shape and size while raw? Or do you think everyone will be the size they will be no matter what, how little or how much they eat? How do we know what our individual ideal is? Out of all the people I’ve seen in person and online that eat a 100% raw diet, ALL of them are thin, thin, thin so I really don’t know whats right or ideal.

[Rawkinlocs]

I think that genetics, metabolism, etc also play a factor. Not every SAD eater is obese. There are some SAD eaters who eat like a horse and never seem to gain a pound...same in the raw realm...some can really put the food away (fruit, veggies, dehydrated stuff, etc.) and never gain and some either gain or never end up losing much.

There are many factors that contribute to one's weight, though...muscle, bone density, etc. It may also depend on WHAT a person eats. Many of the raw fooders who eat more simply and low fat may be thinner than those who eat the recipes or higher amounts of fats.

[jaurequi]

The defining factor is really health, as opposed to weight. If one is eating the optimal, most healthful diet, barring a medical condition, they will not be "fat." They still may not be "thin," but they will not be overweight.

One can be unhealthy on any diet, be it the Eastern diet, the Western diet, vegan, omni, or raw.
Thin people can be ripe for diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes and most any other that people more quickly associate with weight. Eating unhealthfully is most always the deciding factor, everything else contributes (read the China Study and Eat To Live).
So this is why a vegan or a raw foodist is not automatically more healthy than anyone else. It's the nutrient density of the diet that matters, how you feed your body and what you feed it. Just because it's vegan or just because it's raw doesn't mean you will be healthy.

Eating healthfully, as one adapts, will become the most satisfying eventually.
But eat to live your best life, instead of living to eat for enjoyment.

Best,

[Ireland]

What often happens is when people eat 100% raw, after losing all the fat on their body, unless they've been exercising and building muscle during the process, they're left with bones and little muscle on top.

That's one of the reasons it's very important to exercise WHILE losing the SAD weight. And then don't quit - exercise does a body good ya know!

[Rawmommie]

I agree with Cherie, all bodies are different and lots of different things factor in.

I don't agree with blanket statements about what bodies look like on raw diets b/c I'm still overweight after being raw for over 2 1/2 years. I have friends who got stick thin eating raw too. I think we all burn food differently and the muscle factor certainly plays in too.

[trinity082482]

Goodness! Being raw has kept me from being over 140 at the momment. I'm balancing in the 130's. I work out 3-5 days a week in the morning no lie! And I will never be under 130. Its my body.. I can eat 3000.. or 1000 cals on raw and I'll never be a tiny person.
Every body is different I think.

[SuziS]

I also don't think I could ever be super thin. I have always been on the more muscular, bigger boned side. I did have someone call me tiny the other day and I almost fell over! I have been lifting weights though and my muscles are lookin pretty good!

[Lay-Lay]

I am by no means "thin", but I feel I am my perfect weight for me at this time. I am happy. I am eating as healthy as I can at the this time and all is well in my world.

[Dj 247]

I am so thin right now that it is not even funny! I know I need to start lifting weights or something to build some muscle. I kind of look sick instead of glowing. I need to hit the weights, but I just haven't been able to make myself do it yet. I weighed in today at 111 lbs. and I started eating raw at 138 lbs.

[SmilingRawDancer]

I've been raw since last summer, and I still have 15-ish lbs of fat jiggling around my thighs and stomach. I don't have the fear that I'll be obese someday (as I used to, I was afraid that someday my food addictions would make me grow and grow untill I was 500 lbs.), but I'm not near as lean as I'd like to be.
I think everything takes time, I took 18 years of eating crap to get the way I WAS, why should I expect a year on raw to fix everything completely?
I think in a few years down the road I'll be shining even brighter, and have even more brilliant health :)