Getting a little discouraged

[Beachhunter]

Good morning. This is day 11 of being 99% raw. I am still drinking hot green tea. Other than the tea - I am all RAW. Anyway, I read about everyones successful weight loss and squishy-ness etc. I got on the scale this morning - I know I know I am suppose to throw that thing out - and am down less than a half of a pound. I work out about 1 hour to 1.25 hours 5 to 6 days a week. The first few days going raw after my green smoothie in the AM I wasn't really hungry much but I did eat some veggies during the course of the day. I would eat big salads with Alissa's salad dressing. A normal day would be about 2 cups worth of a green smoothie, some raw veggies for lunch, a piece of fruit for a snack in the afternoon and then for dinner a big salad with dressing and an avocado. Then maybe a few nuts or a piece of fruit before bed. I read about the large quantities of food people are eating and the successful weight losses and am getting rather jealous. I thought maybe that I wasn't eating enough but in Alissa's book she states to eat when you are hungry so that is the rule I have been trying to follow.

I am 5'11" and weigh about 205. I have an athletic build, in other words, I am not petite but would still like to lose 30 or so lbs. Why is it not "melting" off like Alissa's DVD states or your posts state? ANy guidance would be greatly appreciated.

[Veganforlife]

Hey there! Congrads on your 11 days! And you're right - ditch the scale. Honey child - it's ONLY been 11 days! EVERY BODY (key word - body) is different.
Also - are you moving? Working out?

[Beachhunter]

Yes, I am working out - 1 to 1.25 hours per day 5 to 6 days a week. I guess the green monster is stalking me especially when I read about everyone's weight loss successes.

[Veganforlife]

Another thing too. Think positive. Think of how well you are eating, how well you are feeling, etc. instead of darn! I'm not losing. THAT helps as well. A positive mindset helps one all over.

[ChaiLife]

And sometimes the scale won't show a lot of movement especially if you are building muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat! Are your clothes fitting any different? Are you feeling better?

I understand your frustration. Truly I do!!!! My husband's weight just falls off while mine loves me and wants to hang on for a while. Don't give up. It can't not fall off!;)

[Frecs]

Since you are working out allot, I assume you realize that there is the possibility of building muscle. I've been on a plateau for 8 months now and am so tired of being told that "maybe you're building muscle" -- at that rate I should be ready for Ms. Olympia competition by now!;) So, let me give you some ideas from a "been there experienced that" perspective:

1. Are you eating ENOUGH...yes, sometimes slow weightloss is due to not eating enough to keep the home fires (in this case metabolism fires) burning. While we should get away from counting calories, you may want to for a little while just to scout out whether you are eating at least 1000 calories a day.

2. Fat. Good fats. Too much? Too little? In either case, weightloss can stall.

3. Workouts. What type? What intensity? How long since you changed things up? You might want to increase the intensity of your aerobic workouts. If you aren't doing strength building exercises you might want to to add some muscle since more muscle equals higher calorie burn.

4. Trust the process. This is where I am now. I have broken allot of bondages over the past 20 months or so...but the one bondage not yet broken is the bondage to the scale. In fact, I've really begun obcessing about it again since the plateau started. Starting today, in fact, I have committed myself to not step on a scale, period -- not at home, not at the doctor's office (was going there once a week to weighin), not at the gym, not at work (yes, there are two scales at work) -- for the next 30 days. I will break this obcession. Want to join me in a 30 day no-scale challenge?

[RAWk Angel]

It has only been 11 days. Look at how long it took you to put the weight on your body. Give it time and try not to live your life by the number on the scale. Focus on how this lifestyle makes you feel. At this point, the scale is not your friend. Maybe your body needs a relly good detox before it will be willing to release the weight. Take it one day at a time and in the long run, this new lifestyle will pay off for you and your body.

[EZ rider]

As said above said throw away the scale (or put it in the attic), but even more important is to stop paying attention to the weight loss aspects of raw eating because that is just a nice side effect. Put your focus on eating healthy and staying consistent with the raw foods lifestyle. As you continue forward the side effect of getting lean will happen but its not the goal (or it shouldn't be). The goal should be to adopt the raw lifestyle and receive all of its health benefits.

[EZ rider]

If I were to add a PS to my post above it would be to stop thinking in the short term and start thinking in the long term. Paying attention to your weight instead of focusing on health is short term thinking. Take your time and start thinking in terms of the rest of your life. If your body is giving you signals like pain, pay attention. Injury causes set backs and set backs slow down or stop your progress. THE raw food lifestyle should be about a life long commitment to your good health.

[Frecs]

As said above said throw away the scale (or put it in the attic), but even more important is to stop paying attention to the weight loss aspects of raw eating because that is just a nice side effect. Put your focus on eating healthy and staying consistent with the raw foods lifestyle. As you continue forward the side effect of getting lean will happen but its not the goal (or it shouldn't be). The goal should be to adopt the raw lifestyle and receive all of its health benefits.

While I agree with this statement, what came to mind is the criticism I've read about Victoria Brotenko not being "thin enough". Seems people were forgetting the "it's about a lifestyle" and focused on the weight--her weight.

But, you are very right -- it SHOULD BE about a healthy lifestyle rather than a number on a scale. It SHOULD BE about long-term health. But, when you are wanting to be, as I do, out in front mentoring others it becomes about the superficial -- the weight. I can tell people until I'm blue in the face about all the health benefits I've experienced but until I'm "lean enough" there will still be judgments made. I would love to tell myself that that is just my own weight-issue-obsession but observation of human nature tells me otherwise.

[EZ rider]

there will still be judgments made.
As I read your post I couldn't help but start to hum an old Rick Nelson song titled "Garden Party". I don't remenber the whole song but some of it went like this " well its all right now, I learned my lesson well, you can't please everybody - you've got to please yourself."
I think the raw food lifestyle is about making healthy choices.

[EZ rider]

what came to mind is the criticism I've read about Victoria Brotenko not being "thin enough". Seems people were forgetting the "it's about a lifestyle" and focused on the weight--her weight.
Whoever wrote that about Victoria probably wasn't listening to the message and missed it.
Also, it kind of reminds me of that old saying about if you can't argue the issue then shoot the messenger.

[barose]

I didnt lose anything during my first three weeks of raw. Not everyone loose weight quickly. The only people I've seen had weight "melt" off were the very obese.

[lycheenut]

Yeah, I lost 8 pounds in the first week, but for the past three weeks it's been nothing.
I'm trying to stay positive because I feel a lot better and I look a lot better (I think I wear my 134 pounds pretty well right now), and I have much more energy to go to the gym and work out and sweat, which is something I didn't do a lot of before.
But I also know my body is adjusting, and there are a lot of changes happening over here in me. And I'm just being patient with those changes, and letting my body do what it wants and needs to. Part of this process that i really enjoy is getting more in touch with myself, and learning more about my body in a holistic way, you know, emphasizing that symbiosis rather than telling my body what to do all the time with my brain.

another part i think is it's just transitioning. i still need nuts. if you look at some people who have done this for a while, they eat mainly fruits and vegetables with very little fats because they just don't need them so much. I'm a long way from juice fasting still, i'll tell you what!
oops, i think i just rambled on and on. geez louise. sorry!

[EZ rider]

Part of this process that i really enjoy is getting more in touch with myself, and learning more about my body in a holistic way, you know, emphasizing that symbiosis rather than telling my body what to do all the time with my brain.
I have found that for me tuning in to my body signals is the key to getting a lot out of the raw food lifestyle. Its kind of like driving down the road and you see a sign. There's nothing saying that you absolutely must heed the sign but if you ignore it then there may be consequences down the road.

The quieter I become the more I can hear.

[145ish]

This way of eating did not produced any weight loss for me either. I've had cut down to 1000-1200 calories, I exercise, and I eat raw and I still lose less than a pound a week. Nothing for the last 4 weeks. Everyone thinks they have or that they know the answer but you are the only one that really knows your body. I'm having a hard time accepting that I can live on tomatoes and cucumbers and still stay the same weight for 5-6 weeks at time. All the water, exercise, positive self talk blah blah blah has not changed the facts. You just have to do everything you can and accept that you are doing the best you can and that it may take a lot longer than you wish. I have been the same weight for well over a month on what I think is a very low amount calories a day and I'm in the 180's. I've done the math and I should be losing 2.5 pounds a week if you go by calories in and calories out....but I'm not and I can't explain it. I just keep eating raw...knowing that it's good for me and keep my chin up the best I can. I'm hoping that one day my body realizes that it's defying all scientific facts and kicks in. I wish you the best but I hate to see you set yourself up for disappointment by hoping for someone elses results. Because that's exactly what I did and it's maddening!

[StarFire]

I just keep eating raw...knowing that it's good for me and keep my chin up the best I can. I'm hoping that one day my body realizes that it's defying all scientific facts and kicks in. I wish you the best but I hate to see you set yourself up for disappointment by hoping for someone elses results. Because that's exactly what I did and it's maddening!


So well put 145ish... it's all a journey - and a very personal one at that. We must each find our balance, our path. What works for one may or may not work for you...

but the most important thing of all is what 145ish said.... eating raw is good for you... know that you are rebuilding yourself from the cellular level... from the inside out ~ You are reclaiming your health and your life... it's not just about losing weight - it's about becoming the best YOU that you can possibly be...and that will take time,, lots of patience and love for yourself... Yes.... love for yourself. You must honor yourself by giving yourself the time you need to make these amazing changes! If you continue on your raw journey -- THAT WILL HAPPEN!

and as far as your weight loss ... it will come. Don't forget to also pay attention to how you are feeling and how your clothes are fitting. I've noticed (and read several other posts where rawbies have mentioned) that although the scale is not budging... their clothes are fitting more comfortably. They are losing inches not pounds... go figure... strange but true.

Rawk on ... may you find your balance and your path!

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s43/FireStar_830/monkey.gif

[NetKaPet]

Hey beachhunter, I know how you feel. I've been on 24 days and the first week I dropped three pounds. I thought, wow, cool. Then the next week, I actually gained a pound back and it stayed for about eight days. Then just a couple of days ago, it's back off. So I really think if you just focus on eating good stuff, and try not to jump on the scale so much (I'm DOWN to three times a day!), then you'll feel more upbeat. I noticed today whilst looking in the mirror at Whole Foods that my hair was positively sparkling. And it's mostly gray too. I thought it was their lighting but noticed same thing at home. It sure made me happy and is much cheerier to look at than the frozen 180 on the scale. Which reminds me, time to jump on! Good luck beachhunter ... hang in there.

[romanticsnet]

I just have to say that I read something somewhere recently that made some sense to me. It talked about the body holding onto excess fat and weight in order to store toxins, and that when you truly begin releasing toxins (through raw foods), as well as try to limit the amount coming back in your body... the weight starts falling off. Dunno, but it sounded good to me :D

[StarFire]

Gosh -- you've gotten so much great advice... so I really don't have much more to add... ;) keep going forward... it's only been 11 days!! trust in the process nd trust that your body will be blessed by all the live vibrant nutrition you are feeding it now!! RAWK ON!!

[CaliRaw]

Watch that you're properly combining your food. In Alissa's book, she mentions that if you're not losing, one of the things you can do is check your food combining.