building muscle on raw

[Nubianess]

Hey guys,
Im new to raw foodism, been going about a month and half now.
I have a question for body builders,. Im NOT a body builder myself,. but I would like to gain some extram muscle.

I usually do high cardio/ regimes, but im looking to step things up a bit.
I know nutrition is key,. what kinda foods do I need to eat more of to get the definition i want?

Ive also been fasting on/off would this affect my muscle definition? I don t workout when fasting as im usually to weak/tired/ detoxing etc

Ive joined a gym but im quite confused whether to focus on cardio or light weight lifting?

Im quite toned around my legs, my upperbody mainly abs and triceps need some work/. I dont want the cut/definition of professional body builders, i just want high definition if you know what i mean, still wanna keep my curves you see :) lol.

If anyone has/ knows how to achieve that six pack,. please post your tips on here.

Thanks

xx

[Katie P]

You have really good questions. I wish I had an answer for you. I wanna say that more veggies might help b/c amino acids are more in dark leafy greens which are the building blocks for protein. But I think raw food in general should help. I'm curious to see what others say b/c I often wonder the same thing. I carry more around my mid section no matter what I do (well that was before I went raw)...we'll see how raw does for both of us

[RawSar]

Hey I've been raw for awhile now and have lost 20+ pounds so far.. looking to lose 10 more.
Tone and definition is what I'm looking to achieve as well. My legs too are in good shape, its my mid and upper body that needs the work.
I started a couple weeks ago doing the Tony Horton 10min ab workout as well as adding in a few of my fav ab workouts and have really started to notice some definition!
For my upper body I've also only been working out for 15min max (lately I haven't had much time otherwise I'd be at the gym doing the classes I enjoy that use weights and cardio where I've gotten good results)
Less time but harder workouts (using heavier weights,less reps) have been getting me good results.
For food wise - I just eat whatever I want - Lots of green smoothies!

Hope this helps or gives you some ideas.

[cara4art]

check out raweater's posts - putting on lots of muscle on a high-calorie raw food diet!
That said, I have found as an old gym goer myself, I have gotten BETTER results from my training on a raw food diet that includes plenty of greens, fruits, a moderate amount of raw seeds and nuts, hemp protein powder, and last but not least, chia seeds. These are awesome, and put into green smoothies along with the hemp protein, greens and fruits, you can't GET a better elixir that is conducive to health and muscle recovery on so many levels. Consider this - the huge strong gorilla eats mostly fruits and greens, and maybe a teeny bit of insects, but by far the largest part of the diet is fruits and greens, in the form of leaves. You tell me who is big and strong! Train hard and properly, and eat only unrefined foods sufficient to keep your calories up to fuel the hard work you are doing, and you can't go wrong! You will also be alkalizing your body too, by the inclusion of tons of greens and fruit too. Add the healthy fats as you need them. KatieP is completely right about the amino acids in the greens being more bio-available too, which is what your body needs to create stronger muscle tissue in response to proper training. With animal protein, an extra step in digestion is required to get those aminos, so even though that bunch of kale might not seem like it has a huge number of grams of protein, the bio-availability of nutrition in it makes it a very potent food. And that's talking about only one kind of green. Always have several different kinds of greens in your crisper - this way you'll be able to throw together green smoothies and big salads and wraps together in no time, making it easy to stay raw and focused. Then you add in some of the denser stuff like raw nuts, pates, hemp protein, chia seeds, etc. to round it out, and of course plenty of fruit. Best of luck!

[RawSar]

Over 60% protein in chlorella and spirulina.
This I take every morning.

[Katie P]

Is losing weight around your mid-section something that comes with time eating raw? Everyone talks about their immediate weight loss....& I haven't gotten that. I don't have alot of weight to lose but I would love to get lean & have more definition. Any thoughts would be appreciated

[cara4art]

This is very much a YMMV thing!
First of all, some of us naturally store more fat around the mid-section than others. In SAD-world, these types are usually advised to go low-carb(with the emphasis on really reducing refined starchy carbs and switching one's carb emphasis to vegetables, and increased protein). If you are one of these types, it is quite possible that a high-greens diet might be just the ticket, along with healthy fats. Some people really do lose a lot of body fat with including things like a moderate amount of coconut oil, avocadoes and olives in their diets, and others have to be more restrictive of fats in general and eat more fruit. Your body will tell you. But one thing is for sure, if you really are over-eating in relationship to the amount of training you are doing, tightening up that mid-section might be a bit slow in coming too.
However, in the beginning phases of raw, some people indeed do drop a good bit of weight, and others may take weeks or months before anything happens, because the body is doing it's own repair work or healing before it will let go of any extra fat. If one is in an extreme state of imbalance by way of hormonal imbalance, acidity/alkalinity issues, bodily inflammation issues, etc., these have to be addressed first. Many people don't know this, and wonder why their weight release plans don't seem to be working. There are even some people who say that you have to get healthy first, before your body is really ready to release the weight. But don't let that be an excuse to slack off - just keep rolling with the raw, and try different balances and amounts of food too. If you need to, especially if female and post-menopause, some herbal help from the acupuncturist can be really good and not compromise one's health like mainstream hormones do, for example. In some cases, it is liver stagnation issues that stall a good program too, any number of things.The ultimate weight release and fat loss will be a SIDE effect of really overhauling your internal systems the way raw does. Slow and steady wins the race. I can completely relate, as a post-menopausal woman of 61, who would like to be rid of that extra inch or so around the waist too. But Rome wasn't built in a day, and the way there will be much more sustainable because one is learning new healthy habits to last a lifetime! Best of luck!

[rawstrength]

I really, really like the following advice from Anthony the Raw Model (htp://www.rawmodel.com) about developing and maintaining a lean, muscular physique. When I can consistently follow his advice, I see huge improvements relatively quickly. For me, though it is easy to maintain my ideal weight of 120 pounds on a raw vegan diet, I find that my definition really depends on drinking lots of water, exercising (especially before B-fast), getting a decent amount of salt (too much makes me puffy, too little and I feel weak), and not eating too late at night. And if you want to tone up, then go for the heavy weights with lower repititions. I garuntee you that you will keep our curves, not get too bulky, while still becoming much more toned. Still do some cardio, but don't waste your time with light weights, they don't do much. Anyway, on to Raw Model's great advice.

Raw Model - How to Get/Stay Lean
#1. Drink copious (lots) of water! If you are already eating large amounts of raw food, you are getting way more moisture in your diet than someone eating bread and noodles and meat and cereal. However, the more liquid your body receives, the more it will shed because its receiving the signal that it doesn't have to cling onto water anymore. When you drink or eat salty food, you will lose water, but then the body will know and react. It will say "Water is in short supply...I must make reserves so I can make it through this dry period." Now any liquid you put in will stay on you, and you will gain about 5-8 pounds in water over the weekend. I have done this, and I feel that most of it goes to my face. I can no longer see the veins in my arms and across my chest, and I feel bloated and horrible. I would recommend about 3-4 liters a day at first, then maybe bring it down to 2 liters, but eat lots of fruit and veggies like cucumber to keep the body hydrated. Also...the number one hydrating vegetable? Celery! 3 stalks a day will keep you much more hydrated than before, and will give you lots of good hydrochloric acid to break down excess fiber in your system. When you wake and before sleep are the two crucial times to get your water in.

#2. Exercise Before Breakfast. You will be burning off fat reserves in your stomach instead of burning the sugar in your stomach from breakfast. I will make a green juice with no sugar in it, or just a lemon water, and then do an hour on the treadmill (slow but steep). I'll watch some interesting show and listen to music while I do it to make the time pass by more easily. This is HUGE. Before breakfast! Do this for a week and you will notice the differences much sooner. No joke. If I have a big job coming up and Im not in peak shape, I will consistently go before breakfast and within 3 days I will be satisfied with my look. Its so obvious...every move you are making is fueled from your fat, not the food in your system. Think about this.

#3. Eat 5-6 hours before bed, and try to get some moderate exercise in before sleeping. This has to do with burning off any excess calories before going to bed. More of a precaution than anything, but I also feel that it really helps with digestion to get some moderate movement before becoming sedentary for the night. Otherwise it can just sit like a big lump in your stomach, and ferment and give you bad indigestion. Trust me...Ive come home late from jobs and have pigged out on dried fruit and nuts, and even though these are technically raw, they just sat like bricks in my stomach. The next day you are tired and moody. Avoid this at all costs. Eat early and move around a bit before bed. The more the better. I dont care if its sex or treadmill or doing twists in front of the TV...just get that heart rate up a bit after your last meal. If you do get hungry...at the most eat a piece of fruit, or even better just drink lots of water until you feel full and keep your mind on other things.

#4. For Heaven's Sake...NO refined carbs. No pasta, no bread, no rice, no refined sugar...its all completely unnatural and if you long for it, you are connecting positive past experiences to it and you are simply addicted. Don't feel bad, I just recently got over my food addictions. Pigging out to me means a mango-coconut smoothie (with LOADS of shredded coconut) at 9pm...thats my sin. Bread and pasta and all that are cooked carbs. Our cells will hold on to as much as 3 times the amount of water if these carbs are in our systems. This is why the Atkins diet does so well in the beginning. People cut out all these carbs and the body releases all the dead water it has been holding onto for years. All of a sudden people have lost 10-15 pounds and they feel great. All the while they are eating flesh and pain and death, but thats another topic. At least they have cut out the refined carbs, and their early weight loss is proof that it works.

#5. Number 5 was a tough one for me...there were lots of options. I could just say, eat raw food. I could say exercise. Both of these would work, under one condition. CONSISTENCY. You have to stick with the program. Going on and off, even for just one day a week will slow your results down way more than you could ever imagine. All of these things will do wonders, but you have to stick to it every day for at least a week. AT LEAST. The longer the better. Even I have problems with this sometimes. Ill eat too late...thats my major issue. But this is rare...once every 2 weeks MAYBE. But if you think of it like a ledger...you will know what you have to do to cancel out that offense. Me, I went to the gym the next morning and did an extra 1/2 hour on the treadmill, just to be safe. This is what it takes. Think of it like a ledger. If you do a negative, you have to do extra positive things to attempt to counteract the former. If you have a large meal at 9pm or even later because you went to a wedding, stay up a little later than usual and do some boxing moves in front of the tv before bed. Always keep that in mind. It might sound tedious, but you will be lean and look better than ever. This is what it takes. Do you think all the people in magazines have great bodies because they like to relax and enjoy eating late and having pasta and bread? I would hope not. These people have put alot of time and discipline into their lifestyles and daily habits, and they have reaped what they have sowed.

There is a term in the computer business...GIGO. Garbage In, Garbage Out. You get back what you put in. And for every disciplined effort, there is a multiple reward. You have to want to look amazing more than you want to eat that pizza and fall asleep. Strive for excellence and give yourself the body that will help you accomplish all your dreams and aspirations. Health is wealth, and in this society, a healthy body will show that you are disciplined and care for yourself, and that will open MANY doors for you. You wont regret looking better, and especially feeling better. 5 simple steps. Some easier than others, but humans are habitual. The trick is to develop habits that evolve you, not make you look like a tired slob. Your choice.

[RawSar]

That's awesome rawstrength! Thanks for posting this ! :)

[Nubianess]

wow, Thanks for the informative posts guys, yeah I do agree,.
Rawsstrength, thanks for the link! I take it you lift weights as well?? whats your regime like?
Im big on green smoothies, I have about 2 pints a day so far, Theyve replaced my breakfast and my lunch. I try and have 50%greens %50% fruits. is this too much sugar in the fruit?

Rawsar, Ive been reading up on spirulina and chlorella as well and ive orderd some, to add to my morning smoothies,. shoould give me a much needed protein boost. WHat diferences have you noticed since you started taking them?

I was wondering though, About weight lifting, ive heard/read so many conflicting things. some say, light weights/high reps.

and some say heavy weights / low reps.:confused:

Im not looking ot bulk up, i want to be lean and toned. Im only 10 pounds away from my goal weight at the moment, i'd rather stay this weight and be toned than loose weight and be skinny without definition ..... if u get my drift.

what kinda excerise regime would be reccomended then?
Ive also read about the 45/35/20 plan, which is basicaly 45% carbs, 35% proteins and 20% fats is the ideal combination for muscle healing and growth. anyone follow any meal plans like this? Do they really work?

Looking foward toyour replies :)

[Amberly]

I would never, could never consume that much protein. :eek: I eat around 5% and I have noticed a lot of definition since I started weights last week. Only one week, 5 %. I feel almost ready for bathing suit season. :p

[cara4art]

Excellent advice, RawStrength, from Anthony the Raw Model! He's absolutely right on about so many things, especially the starchy carbs issue. You see, that's exactly what people who are eating cooked get snagged up in, but for those of us who are raw, we've done AWAY with those, so we have a head start in that department.
From personal experience, the longer I stay OFF of starchy carbs, the less I want them. Reading this confirms my inclination to have even gotten involved with raw to begin with. It is the ultimate low-(starchy)carb vegetarian diet! Back when i was a lot younger, it was said that starches were fattening, and commonly people would drop bread, potatoes, and the like from their diet in order to lose some weight. Then that fell out of favor with the so-called "low-fat" 80's style of dieting, etc. and the food pyramid that came out right around then. Did you know that that food pyramid, that recommended 6-11 servings of grains and starches per day, is actually the same one used to fatten up cattle? Anyone involved in horse care too knows that a dieting horse to get them fit for athletic endeavors will not be getting much, if any, grain at all with their feed, and they will be given the less dense grasses as their feed. Only the most fit, lean, and VERY active horses will be given a little bit of grain supplement for extra calories, etc. Something that we humans should keep in mind.

[rawstrength]

I have found that cooked starches are one of the most addictive legal substances. They are so hard to quit, but is so worth it once they are OUT of your diet.
Dairy is very addictive, too, but cooked grains are the worst.

[rawstrength]

And about protein . . . I eat 10% protein, which is a lot for a raw vegan diet. I get most of my protein from greens and algae. Some from pumpkin, flax and sunflower seeds, too.
You will need drastically less protein on a raw vegan diet because your body cannot absorb and utilize cooked protein nearly as well as raw protein.

[cara4art]

Right on RawStrength, in your last two posts! Once one is truly OFF cooked starches awhile, those cravings are a lot less! Wheat in particular(and doubly so since it is ubiquitous in the SAD)actually has addictive opoids in it, in addition to the abnormally high gluten levels that have been bred into modern hybrids, which are increasingly giving more people digestive distress, for one thing. The part about protein is right on too, on all counts, especially the part about raw protein from greens being MUCH more available to the body than cooked protein. When eating cooked, and training many years ago, I was recommended to eat an insane amount, which I backed slowly away from, instinctively knowing(and this was years before I even heard of raw)that all that cooked protein would be harmful to my health and body. As I mentioned in another post, I've personally experienced BETTER results off of raw that includes a daily powered-up green smoothie, plus fruits, and more greens! When I first transitioned over to raw about a year ago, indeed, for a few weeks I did feel tired and weak in the gym, but that passed as my body acclimated to new fuel. I'm sticking with it!

[TaupeRawMan]

And about protein . . . I eat 10% protein, which is a lot for a raw vegan diet. I get most of my protein from greens and algae. Some from pumpkin, flax and sunflower seeds, too.
You will need drastically less protein on a raw vegan diet because your body cannot absorb and utilize cooked protein nearly as well as raw protein.

I think this is true as well, but wondered if you had any sources that had scientific testing? Most sources I read state it as if it is true, but aren't basing it on anything objective....

[theresaann]

Great stuff from Raw model-thanks for posting!

check out "The Thrive Diet" by Brendan Brazier, vegan professional triathlete and creator of the Vega products.

He outlines a high or all raw vegan diet to enhance all kinds of athletic performance. Great book!

[raw runner]

I think this is true as well, but wondered if you had any sources that had scientific testing? Most sources I read state it as if it is true, but aren't basing it on anything objective....

it is true...you don't have to base your thoughts on science...
try by yourself,you'll see the truth...

[Nubianess]

Thanks for all the informative posts guys.

Ive got myself some spirulina to adress the protein issue, ive aslo got a new workout plan. Im finding it easier to do high intensity workouts fueled by raw food. Im on a personal fitness challenge at themoment,. Im a bit overweight and need to loose fat/ increase muscle. i would be posting updates in 5 weeks time :)