Feeling a bit weak

[dustandbreath]

Hi,

Have been feeling a bit week just closing my 3rd week living raw. Started obsessing it may be B12. Probably not, but wondering. I eat both salads with various veggies, fruits, fruit smoothies, carrot juice (with and without greens), nuts, etc. Someone comment that my chest looked small (and I am a guy, so I really mean "chest"), wondering if I lost some muscle. I laughed and said I always had a small chest. I also figured there may have been a little fat there, even, but with my weakness, I wondered if maybe I was losing my muscle mass. I am not really working out, though I play soccer once a week and maybe will have a light work out one other day. No weights yet, but I have started a small amount of push ups (like 10-15 "real" push ups a day . . . not much, but trying to develop the habit).

So, why am I weak? I feel like I thought I did on the "SAD" diet.

[Rawkinlocs]

Oftentimes this feeling is your body going through it's cleansing/detoxing phase. The body sometimes reacts with feelings of lethargy and low energy as it tries to reserve energy for healing and cleansing purposes. Do you happen to drink green smoothies as well? (Fruit smoothies with greens blended in) If not, try incorporating those as well as perhaps looking into some ways to aid the detox process - saunas, epsom salt baths, enemas (if you don't mind those) and skin brushing are among some things many do to aid the body as it removes the old gunk and junk. But most of all, when you can, REST! We heal and cleanse the best/most during the resting state. When it's time, you'll get your energy back and THEN some!

[Veganforlife]

You are detoxing. Your body is working hard to get rid of SAD/CRAP. Don't push yourself too much with working out for the first month or so. Your body is going through some major changes. Let it do it's job. Are you eating enough fat? You're not obsessing on that are you? Folks don't need to worry about calories and how many nuts and how much carbs and such. Eat a variety of fresh, organic, living foods, green smoothies (laced with green powder - Alissa's is so good) and you will be fine.
Dude, you've only been raw for three weeks, compared to, um, how old are you? Think about it...
Hang in there. Even though you don't feel like it now, you are feeling wa-ay better then when eating SAD/CRAP!

[dustandbreath]

Thanks you two. I haven't tried green smoothies yet, but I do dring carrot juice with some spinach/zucchini/etc mixed in. I eat salads with green varieties. The other stuff you (rawkinlocs) mentioned, I guess those are discussed in greater detail on this site (or the book?). I don't have access to a sauna, although I know a guy that did install a steam shower in his basement. The other stuff I have not much clue on. I guess if they help . . .

No, I am not obsessing on food, per se. I am not counting anything. If I have a craving, rawly speaking, I go for it. Now, I do say "hmmm, after two handfuls of pistachios I should probably chill a bit" or something.

So, neither of you think I am necessarily, unhealthily, losing muscle mass. I am not cannibalizing myself, in other words, losing a bunch of weight the wrong way.

[Rawkinlocs]

LOL...no you're not cannibalizing yourself! A good friend of mine said once that the body will focus on cleansing and healing first and vanity last - basically this means that, your body will get rid of the old stuff (much of which is stored IN the fat, etc that needs to be shed), and then when it's done, will rebuild with HEALTHIER stuff! Alissa calls it "Shedding your false body"

There are MANY totally BUFF guys (and gals) who are raw. So, you will do fine if you just allow your body to do it's thang and stick with it and then you will find that your chest will get built back up and you can aid this by working out and building up. But allow the cleansing to take place and try not to worry too much about the size fluctuations at this point.

[Veganforlife]

I don't think you are losing muscle mass. Now if you wake up and your arms are like Harry Potter's were in one of the movies where he had no bone - then, um, yes, but not now you aren't - no need to worry. Keep doing what you are doing and you will see amazing results. Dry skin brushing is wonderful. Our bodies are our biggest organ, so treat that right from the git-go. Epsom salt baths, if you can find Dead Sea Salts are amazing. All this in combination will provide you with a healthy, healthy temple my friend.
DO you have Alissa's book and DVD? So worth purchasing - really and truly. I'm not her PR person at all, I just know. I have read just about every raw book that is out there. I literally have a raw library.
Good luck! And ask away when in doubt! It's how we learn!

[dustandbreath]

well, I am not sure I have ever been "buff" but I will be glad to be one! :P

as for lucy: do you mean our skin is our biggest organ? :P :P. Actually the biggest organ I ever saw was in a church. And they needed to get rid of it . . .

Yes, I have Alissa's book and DVD. My wife introduced me to her. Her DVD got me hooked. I have read many many pages in the book, but not all. Just going through this website, my head is spinning with all the detox, cleansings, oil pulling etc. CRAAAAAYYZZZZYYYY!

Tanks.

[Veganforlife]

Ah yes! I remember. Alissa's DVD turned you on...oops we weren't gonna mention that were we? HA!!! Church organ, eh? Funny!!!
Read all that you want to, but absorb all that pertains to you. Does that make sense? I have no desire for oil pulling, nor Master Cleansing, nor fastings, but others might. You don't have to do ALL these things. If you follow the principles in Alissa's book, your body will heal and strengthen and become "buff" - you wait!!! I am serious! You didn't start out eating SAD/CRAP all at once, you acquired a taste for all of these (so called) foods. Which in turn your mind now messes with you and tricks you into thinking you desire and/or need these foods. As with raw, you have to reteach your body AND your mind. I think your body learns quicker. Our minds play tricks on us. Keep on doing what you're doing. Don't cave in for what your mind is tricking you into thinking you need. You don't NEED that horrid food. You DO need the fresh, organic, living, healthy foods to be living and healthy.
I know all of this is a bit over-whelming, but try to keep it simple. That works so much better.
Ann Wigmore - a raw foodist founder (promoter of wheatgrass) said:
Dead foods = dead bodies
Living foods = living bodies
It's that simple. Short, sweet, and to the point.

[StarFire]

I'm a newbie - so I don't give health advice ~ I leave that to the experts! I just wanted to say - hope your feeling better! I'll be sending some positive energy your way! ;)

[dustandbreath]

Thanks all, feeling a bit better tonight, went out walking with the wife and 4 kids (riding bikes, but the little one was in a burley stroller). About 3-4 miles. Felt good.