Anyone added weight on Raw?

[river]

Hi all, I could use a bit of support. I'm on day three of my 30 day challenge. My diet was vegan and pretty good anyway, but I've been losing weight each week over the last month since cutting out soy milks/porridge and heavier dinners.

I'm underweight now, and could use a bit of support from anyone who has successfully added weight whilst eating Raw. I'm kind of fed up of people commenting on my weight all the time, and I feel too light right now. I do work out with weights, but need some way of getting the rights foods in to support this.

Anyway, thanks for reading. River.

[Katka]

I too am an already-healthy vegan gone raw, but I have the opposite problem with weight, so I'll tell you what I do: eat nuts and nut butters, olive oily pestos, and sundried olives. And no need to cut out essential greens since all of these can be the compliment to a nice big bowl of 'em. Another high-cal snack are whole dried bananas--they are exeptionally yummy, if not candy-like, and easy to passively consume in large amounts. You can get them online, and they are not terribly expensive. You may also try adding olive oil or extra agave to your green smoothies. Also, raw bars are super high-cal, packing 300 each, but they are also pretty expensive. If none of these options disagree with your stomach or raw philosophies, I think they would fatten you up real quick. :)

By the way, I use raw hemp protein powder for my post-workout recovery drinks (mixed with almond milk, made with spring water and almond butter) something you may want to consider if you're lifting.

Best of luck to you!

[Apple^^]

I've lost weight too, since starting raw and the comments weren't very nice :(
Have you read the green life?
The author explains that those have low hydrochloric acid in their stomach experienced weight losses (don't exactly remember why) and when they took hydrochloric acid pills, they regained their weight
I'm going to the doctor tmw to see if I can get the pills prescribed and I'll update you if I start on the pills

[miaculpa]

Why not make raw porridges and nutmilks to gain?

The children love this:

soaked groats (buckwheat, oat, etc)
pecans or whatever nuts you prefer
flax
dates/agave
(a bit of coconut oil if you want the fat)
vanilla, cinnamon, etc

whizz it up in the FP or blender with some water til like porridge. Serve with berries/cut up fruit of your choice.

Tahina dips also are good ways to keep the calories higher, make sure you garnish it middle eastern style with a nice drizzle of EVOO...

serve with cut up veggies. We lived on this last year and it stalled my weight loss considerably ( but I WANT to lose)...

[cayenne]

Calcium will do the trick. What matters is the calcium/phosphor ratio.
DON'T load up on fatty foods, that would be very destructive on the long run. It is not so much the absolute amount of calcium, as the proper balance which matters. Normally one needs a ratio of 1.5 over 1 or 2:1 for proper balance. Excess of phosphor (that is grains, legumes, nuts and seeds except unhulled sesame seed, dried fruits etc) can easily throw off the balance. They need to be compensated with plenty of calcium from green vegetables and from unhulled sesame seeds. Not more than 10 g of nuts for example for every 100 g of green leafy vegetables. It works for me!

I got this from Sapoty Brook's "Eco-eating", which is all about mineral balances and the effects on mind and body, a wonderful resource.

And of course, you need enough calories ;)

What can also help is to reduce the frequency of the meals. Frequent meals will speed up metabolism, so you burn more calories. You may be better of by 2 or 3 larger meals a day if possible.

[Bodhi]

Raw coconut is a good way to add calories.

[Carlsbad]

Storm Talifero, who has been raw for decades and is very buff without being too lean, swears by loading up on fresh orange juice. I know that when I drink a lot of it, I don't lose any weight at all. You may want to try that. Plus, it's delicious!

[meinleben]

i can't believe all the people telling you to eat....FAT....sure you will gain weight with all the nuts...oils...seeds....avo....coconut this and that....you will gain fat...so you will be thin and flabby...

how about doing some strength training....resistance training...build muscle...
and eat tons and tons of fruit...stay low fat...for sure...move your body....challenge your muscles...

eating high amounts of fat is not a healthy or optimal way to gain weight....

[Bodhi]

Strength training and excess calories, that should do the trick.

[Raene]

I've lost weight too, since starting raw and the comments weren't very nice :(
Have you read the green life?
The author explains that those have low hydrochloric acid in their stomach experienced weight losses (don't exactly remember why) and when they took hydrochloric acid pills, they regained their weight
I'm going to the doctor tmw to see if I can get the pills prescribed and I'll update you if I start on the pills

Apple, did you go to the dr? I'm terrified of what I read they do to you to find out if you have low acid. I'd luv to know what they tried for you. I'm sure my levels are low as I've always been underweight. But no strings down the throat or needles for me...