newbie needs help/advice

[temackh]

i've been raw about 2 weeks. i haven't lost any weight yet, so i'm wondering what i'm doing right or wrong. i walk about 3 miles 4-5 times per week. eat fruit for breakfast, ie apples peaches or bannanas. about 9a-11a i get very hungrey, and reach for trail mix (nuts, seeds, dried fruit), my favorite lunch is salad or marinated greens, more fruit. dinner is pretty much the same. the trail mix really gets me thru the day and offers a quick snack. guacomole and applesuce are my favorite. cravings are really bad. so far i've been able to resist. please help and advise. thanks. :)

[Revvell]

Stop worrying about the weight and focus on the other good things you are receiving. When ready, any excess weight will be eliminated.

Although many do lose weight, this is not specifically a "weight-loss" food program.

Thanks for putting in what you are eating. From what I'm reading you are not eating enough. If it were me, I'd eat more fruit and add some green smoothies and drop the dried fruit. Are you drinking water? If not, please do.

What is it you are craving?

Revvell

[angelandarose]

I agree, drop the dried fruit AND nuts & seeds too if they are not raw or sprouted. Once I started sprouting my nuts and seeds it really helped with weight loss. PLUS like Revvell said DRINK WATER, when I forget to drink *like yesterday* I loose no weight. When I drink till my eyeballs float then I loose weight. ;)


Love,
Angie

[Shona]

I'm curious - why would sprouting nuts and seeds be more beneficial when trying to lose weight? Isn't the fat content still the same?

With regards to losing weight, if you don't have much to lose it will come off more slowly [but that's okay, because weight that comes of slowly is more likely to stay off]. I agree with the advice to drop the dried fruit and nuts - they are a concentrated source of calories - and to increase the amount of fresh fruit and greens.

I have recently started drinking more water and I am absolutely amazed at the change in my energy level! I've also noticed that the more water I drink, the less cravings I have. So Revvell's advice to drink lots of water is a must do!

Keep up the good work with exercising. It is very important to a healthy lifestyle. You might look into adding some activites like swimming, an aerobic dance class, or lifting weights.

Revvell's suggestion to eat more might seem odd when you are trying to lose pounds, but if you eat under 1200 calories a day, your body thinks you are starving and will hang on to every ounce in an effort stay healthy. As long as you are eating lots of healthy fruits and vegetables, and don't go overboard on fatty foods, you will eventually lose the extra weight.

Please don't become discouraged if it doesn't happen overnight.

Shona

[Revvell]

It's not so much about the fats and calories yet it is about the nutrients. Soaking and sprouting release enzyme inhibitors and changes the molecular structure of the nuts/seeds so they are more usable to the body.

Revvell

[Goldenrod]

Just wanted to add my vote for making sure you are drinking the amount of water YOUR body needs. I do best on about 3 liters a day. I think everyone has their own best amount. I recently did a challenge where I had to weigh everyday and I discovered that if I had a day where I drank less than 96 oz. of water, the next day I would be 1-2 lbs heavier. It was a consistent pattern over a month. Normally I rarely weigh myself, so I'd never seen the pattern.

[Shona]

It's not so much about the fats and calories yet it is about the nutrients. Soaking and sprouting release enzyme inhibitors and changes the molecular structure of the nuts/seeds so they are more usable to the body.

Revvell

Thank you!

Shona :)

[angelandarose]

It's not so much about the fats and calories yet it is about the nutrients. Soaking and sprouting release enzyme inhibitors and changes the molecular structure of the nuts/seeds so they are more usable to the body.

Revvell


Yeah, what she said! ;)

[temackh]

thanks for the suggestions. i will start drinking more water. i drink some water,30-60 ounces per day. probably not enough. is sproutng necessary on a raw food diet. i avoid recipes which call for a lot of soaking and sprouting. it seems time consuming ( work 40-50 hours/week). i will also commit to more daily exercise. got to start slowly, and work on it one day at a time. i'm not one of those people who have to lose 5-10 lbs. i weigh 170 (most days), 5'8". i have lost weight on atkins, etc. my next small challenge, next week i have to go out of town for a meeting. breakfast and lunch are provided. do i eat SAD for a day or pack a cooler. the last time i went to this meeting i was not eating raw. thank you in advance. terri

[Revvell]

Other than soaking certain nuts (which can be soaked and dehydrated), no, soaking and sprouting of grains is totally unnecessary.(sp?) Also, when going to another city, see if you can find a raw restaurant in the area. Maybe they'll deliver (unlikely) or you can do a quick pick-up.

My husband and I travel frequently and there's usually a breakfast buffett and I've gotten LOTS of wonderful melons, strawberries, etc. People do an eyebrow raise when I load my plate with melons so I just say ~ it's all I'm eating, then look meaningfully at their plate loaded with eggs, bacon, etc.

For lunch, just call, tell them your food program and can/will they accomodate you?

Best to you ~

Revvell