something is not working for me...

[britaniefaith]

I've been eating 70-80% raw for the past 5 years up until I took the challenge over a month ago to go 100% raw and since then, my hunger has been out of this world and I've gained weight and I feel bloated and gassy alot of the time (I do follow most food combining rules, the main ones anyway), I've also noticed my eating disorder mentalities getting much worse because I find myself constantly thinking about food or recipes, etc. I get frustrated because I read in all the raw food books to eat only fresh fruit or green smoothies until noon time but how do you get around the hunger?? When I wake up in the morning I am ravenous... I mean I start eating around 7 a.m. and am hungriest until like 2 p.m. and then I'm fine just having tea or something light.

I just get this feeling everytime I eat, especially until 2 p.m. that everything is just going right in my body and right out and I NEVER feel full or satisfied. I mean, I do get bloated if I eat alot but it's as though my "hunger switch" doesn't turn off until in the evening.

I'm just wondering if anyone has some ideas for breakfast that will HOLD me until noon so I can stop bingeing. I am trying to cut out nuts and dried fruits for awhile for they set me off extremely. I have yet to try adding any FAT to my green smoothies in the morning for the fear of bad food combining. Has anyone had positive results from adding fat to their smoothies?

thanks guys<33

[barose]

I do fee your pain. Sometimes I get to periods where I am just HUNGRY.

One thing that helps me is green smoothies. I dont like them much, but today I did discover raw chocolate (not sweet) green smoothies. I made mine with lots of spinach this morning. It wasn't thick and goopy (no bananas, no dates) and it was icy , It did hold me for once w/o holding me down. It was like a coffee shake! Very refreshing.

Are you using any superfoods: spriluna, etc? That helps me get through the more hungry periods too.

When I have fruit smoothies, I do add some almond, pumpkin seed or walnut butter. I measure 1 tablespoon and I haven't had any problems with it yet. But I do it mostly with strawberries. I'm going to have to try it with my green/cocoa smoothie soon.

[webgurl]

I add coconut oil to my smoothies, you can try that.

[mattm]

Hi britaniefaith, sorry to hear things not going too well...on the fat-in-smoothie issue I've found it vital in my ability to stay on my current green smoothie diet. Like you, I used to also adhere to food combination rules to the point of being scared to combine anything you 'shouldn't'. One day I thought it was too restrictive, too complicated and I tried to see what would happen if I did things like add fat to my smoothies...what happened...nothing!...I felt more so much more satiated and was able to encorporate more calories into my food (which never having been overweight was important for me). I've experimented with other things like melon green smothies...yes the one fruit that 'should always be eaten alone'...well I can say I had an absolutely delicious smoothie and didn't have a single digestive issue. I totally ignore all these combination rules now and always have 1-2 tbsps of oil or 1 small avocado is my green smoothies. As I constantly advocate to others....I just LISTEN TO MY BODY and let it tell me what it does and doesn't like. Now I'm not saying for one minute that fats will be okay for you in your GS's, WE ARE ALL UNIQUE and can tolerate different things but for me it worked so I would suggest that you try it and see what happens.

All the best and hope this of help.

Matthew

[askcassyfirst]

One thing we discuss at my job (I work in digestive care) is that extreme food combining rules are generally used for individuals dealing with a digestive problem, but it is not a 'requirement' for optimal health. (My speculation.)

Keep in mind, if our systems are all firing properly, our pancreas will be 'kickin' out suficient quanities of lipase enzyme (for fats) amylase enzyme (for starch and sugar) and protease (for protein) and our stomach will make protease, and our saliva and small intestine other amylases. So all things equal, if nothing is impaired, AND to add to that you are eating plenty of raw foods which contain food enzymes, you should be ok if your food combining isn't perfect. At the very least, by eating things raw you are naturally getting some lipase to help you with digestion. Fats themselves are not absorbed until the very bottom of the small intestines, in the illium, so there is always the chance that they will be floating around, mixing up with other food anyway, as they pass through the system.

This is just my experience, and of course, if someone has an impaired system, it might be different. The best way is to test yourself and see how you feel when you combine things in a non orthodox way.

I typically have fruit first thing, and then a few hours later I have trail mix or a raw bar. Generally I graze all morning though.

Cassy

[Eva]

Do you make nut milks frequently? I find that those will hold off my boys if I add them to any smoothie. Their fave that doesn't have them coming to me hungry two seconds later is a mix of kale, avocado, banana, macadamia nut milk and agave nectar. The mac nut milk has coconut butter in it so it tastes almost as rich as half and half (not that I've ever had it straight, but in my coffee days I would have my lattes made of half and half, not milk!)...

[belleadonna]

Have you done a colon cleanse? Maybe you have some critters in ya making you hungry. Just a thought.

[britaniefaith]

Have you done a colon cleanse? Maybe you have some critters in ya making you hungry. Just a thought.

good question.... and no I have NEVER done a colon cleanse, I'm nervous to try one because my bowels are so sensitive (I have ibs and colitis) and when I've tried things like enema's in the past, I've had horrible effects (terrible cramping, etc). I just wonder if there is a natual pain-free way of cleansing my colon, any suggestions?

[askcassyfirst]

A colonic therapist might be a helpful, someone who can assist you so that you can use hydrotherapy comfortably.

Cassy

[rande]

i second the suggestion on finding a good colon therapist, it can make all the difference in the world! when you've got stuff stuck in your colon it can cause all kinds of issues, cravings included.

[LoveLife]

Hey BF...about the colon cleanse..have u looked at this thread yet..I can't wait to try this cleanse:D ...BEWARE: It is really gross to some..
http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=28700

Also..I have noticed that u are posting a lot about food combining and feeling full and cutting nuts and fruit etc..... it definately seems that u are very confused about everything..which is understandable since there is always conflicting opinions about everything...so..with the food combining...since it is obviousely not working for u right now..maybe u should stop worrying about it for a little bit and see if anything gets better..like add fat to your smoothies...and whatever else u feel u "can't" do....if it makes u feel bad..then stop and try something else..obviousely if u have been trying food combining and it still doesn't make u feel ok then maybe it's not for u..it seems to me that combining might be important in a not so healthy diet (ie. SAD)..but with a much better Raw diet it would seem maybe somewhat unnecessary...I say if u feel good eating such and such together then keep doing it..also if u are hungry in the morning then just eat..and if u are not at night then don't eat...u shouldn't have to worry about when u eat and u shouldn't have to force yourself to eat when u don't want to...

It is actually optimal for us to basically graze all day long..obviousely the "3 square meals" a day thing was invented so that we could be more productive while we weren't eating..but unless u are somewhere where u cannot eat then it is better to just eat when hungry and stop when full...when u eat constantly (not full meals usually..just small stuff all day long) your metabolism is always working digesting and burning off food/energy...if I were u I'd just listen to your body instead of all that u are reading and hearing....

just eat more in the morning..are u busiest during the day and then more relaxed at night?..if so then maybe your body knows this...and is trying to get most of your calories/energy in the morning to afternoon for u to burn during the day and then u want to eat less at night becuz your body knows that u are less busy and therefore need less energy/calories at night...

well good luck with what u decide to try..wish u well:)

[RawChicky]

Hi BF,

I know you are also dealing with Candida issues so I don't know what food approaches you are taking to help get rid of that, BUT if you are not getting rid of fat, then I say avocados make a delicious breakfast and will make you full for sooooooooo long I mean it! 1 or two avos last a WHILE. But I don't know how you feel about fats, some people are touchy about them. I just know from experience that you are never hungry after avocados.

[Trolltyget]

I always add some protein to my morning smoothies, like hemp protein powder and/or spirulina. That really helps me and I´ll have no hunger or cravings until lunchtime. It also seems like I have a more difficult time digesting fruits and fat, than fruits and protein. But maybe thats just me, I might be the odd one ;)

[aililiu]

i usually have more than one GS a day, but one of them i make sure is always packed with good stuff: a big scoop of hemp protein powder, a big scoop of flaxseed &grind it fresh, either a big scoop of tahini or freshly ground sesame seeds (calcium!) &then i add chlorella and maca and gojis for a superfood kick :D these smoothies FILL YOU UP. i usually made a full blender and it can last me for hours, sipping. of course, that doesnt solve you of your "grazing" but i do that as well, eat constantly, and i think its better for our bodies. i certainly wouldnt want to down one of my thick smoothies, id feel sooooo full and sick. but it really keeps you going. give it a try!

ive yet to try avos, coconut or any oils to mine. id love to try coconuts but theyre so hard to get around here :(

[the_lab_rat]

I used to drink smoothies all the time but don't anymore... But anyway, I'd add some kind of protein powder to them, like raw hemp protein, or even ground flax seeds. Avocados are another option; they make smoothies creamy and thick. I'm new to the raw lifestyle so I know diddly about food combining...I don't know if those combinations break any rules or anything :o Food combos aside, I know when I eat only fruit, I'm hungry like 3 minutes later, but if I add something more solid with protein/fat then sometimes it lasts me all day.

I'm having a lot of the same problems as you--weight gain since becoming 100% raw, frequent thoughts of food and recipes, a tendency to want to binge... Bleh. So I definitely understand your frustration here. I hope someone out there has a good solution. Anyway, good luck to you, I hope you find something that works for you!

[Sunshine9]

I would actually love to be in your situation! you're hungry first thing in the morning, and then it tapers off after 2pm. I find I could go until 2 or 3 with no food, but i'm veeery hungry at night (and then i don't sleep or wake up as nicely!).

I sense a lot of stress in your post. I can relate, because I surely have my stress around diet and food. I found for me, that focusing on one positive thing to incorporate and create a discipline around worked much more easily than trying to do everything at once. So perhaps it's drinking one big green smoothie or juice no matter what, perhaps it's eliminating dates & nuts for a while, perhaps it's drinking way more water, but it's choosing something that you KNOW is good,something inarguable, and committing to it. It's easy to flip flop between plans and theories, always trying what someone else succeeded with, and while that can work, i think it's hard to see results if we are always changing!

i can relate to a lot of the issues you have posted about, and i wish i had more answers. I can say that i usually feel best on a raw diet if i'm exercising daily. easier said than done sometimes...perhaps your morning binges are just because you aren't eating enough then. if you're hungry -- eat!! I found one thing that helped me eliminate "three hour dinners" (eating then going back to the kitchen over and over), was to make a large balanced meal (more than i would usually make) and to eat it slowly. That usually satisfied me, because I was in the habit of making tiny amounts of food and then going back to the kitchen a dozen times eating far more than i was hungry for.

some ideas to satisfy you
-over as long as you like, have water with greens powder, followed by a small green juice, followed by a green smoothie (i challenge the person who would be hungry after this!)
-include sugar, fat, & protein in a smoothie (i like a combo of fruit, flax seed, lotts of greens, & bee pollen)
-after your meal, have a large pot of spicy herbal tea prepared (ginger, chai, whatever you like) and have that soon after your meal. helps with digestion and is amazingly satisfying

all the best girl... i have compassion for your struggles, and faith you will find the best ever raw diet that makes you feel fabulous!! just keep at it, i think most are striving daily for greater balance!!

[belleadonna]

I am not real up on the different colon cleansers and if you have a delicate system you will need to find something gentle. Maybe someone else more experience in this area can help like FIRST GARDEN. He posts alot in the "most disgusting thread".

[SmilingRawDancer]

I have the opposite problem, where I don't feel hungry or want to eat all morning, but I feel faint like I'm going to pass out, so essentially I have to force feed myself in the mornings just to function.