Looking for some encouragement

[T-Bird]

Copying my query from the Hello spot in case it makes more sense here:

Hi All,

Love your active, encouraging forum. Wondered if you all had any insight for me.

I've been vegan for years and years - mostly healthy and usually ate lots of raw fruit and veggies. Occasional tater tot days with the kids! Still - after an accident when I had to stop riding my bike to work (due to fear/PTSD?) I gained some weight that I could never get rid of.

After a grueling business trip - I decided to give myself a healthy day as a gift - yoga and a trip to new raw food restaurant I saw opened a few miles from my house. I missed the yoga class taking too long in the bathroom getting ready, lol, but decided to do the restaurant anyway. There was an all you can eat salad bar - and it had a lot of variety and flavors and I have a pretty BIG appetite, and I like to get my money's worth - so I really filled up!

I felt so nourished - I didn't eat anything else all day, and I immediately wanted to go raw. After about 10 days I knew I couldn't keep it up as I have 2 teens and although I'm making progress with getting them to try some of the dishes - I know I'll get farther with them by gentle measures and example rather than force them too much. So I have to cook a bit or they'll eat completely unhealthy!

So I signed up for this program with the raw food restaurant, you get your lunch and dinners and although pricey - I knew this was my only hope. They had a "limited time - special pricing" 4 month program - so I signed up.

When determination failed - I though about the money I'd spent up front! There was no turning back.

So - I've been 100% for almost 10 weeks now. ~95%+ organic.

And no goodies.

I don't feel much different than I did before. I've adapted fully to the lack of "fullness". But I'm not really losing any weight - although through my work I now have access to a gym at lunchtime, and I do a sauna most days. I'm also soaking in a hot epsom salt bath 3-5 days a week to help detox too.

I drink a lot of filtered water every day. ~12+ glasses usually. My diet is mostly greens followed by cruciferous veggies, other veggies and fruit, with a handful or 2 of nuts and seeds and some fermented foods daily. Whenever I go to pick up my food, 2xweek, I get a double wheat grass shot.

I don't have loads of energy. I'm not sleeping better. Not much weight lost at all, my skin looks a bit better - but not fantastic - likely due to the new sauna routine. And I don't feel particularly positive either, but trying to remain hopeful.

Any insights? I thought I was doing everything I should be doing, but no goodies and I'm about 65 days into this. I'd say the month before - probably averaging about 50%, veggie for 22 years, vegan about 10, so I wasn't starting at rock bottom.

Let me know your ideas! Thanks!

[cara4art]

From what you mention about your diet history, etc. it seems like you are not among the young contingent, correct? Like middle-age, for instance? Anyhow, the older one is, it might take longer for the benefits of a raw diet to kick in. I know for myself last year when I went raw(I'm 61 now, will be 62 in June)that it was 3 months before I had a detox, and before I lost any weight too(then several pounds dropped off just like that). Before that I had been semi-vegetarian and then leaning towards vegan, with plenty of fresh food, similar to you. But going raw is still a good-sized change from even that. Of course, I didn't have that much weight to lose(just 5-8 pounds), so that part might have had something to do with it too. It seems that younger people, like late teens and early 20s will often notice benefits within days of going raw, detox is usually soon, and relatively easy unless they've really eaten a totally trashy diet, etc. The glowing skin often happens within days for the younger contingent too - the rest of us can only wish, it seems. Stay with raw - it WILL do it's good work on your body, from the inside out. There's a lot of healing to be done where you can't necessarily see or feel it yet, but you will! Be patient, keep working out, stay raw, and you might try getting in some of your greens by way of green smoothies as well, and including some chia seeds in those smoothies - they really do help with cravings and are very hydrating and filling. Don't be afraid to change things up with your raw meals too, just for variety and satisfaction. You might also be in the lead-up to menopause when hormones are shifting, slowing weight loss, another partial possibility. One other question, are you doing ANY exercise right now? - That will surely help. A solid weights routine, plus cardio 4-5x a week should get things moving too. Hope this helps!

[Colorawdo girl]

It is all a process.Enjoy the process.The rest will follow.Sooner or later but it will.

Oh and I highly recommend "goodies". Raw amazing treats!!!! Might just relax that pressure to lose weight and it might just drop off.

[T-Bird]

You might also be in the lead-up to menopause when hormones are shifting, slowing weight loss, another partial possibility. One other question, are you doing ANY exercise right now? - That will surely help. A solid weights routine, plus cardio 4-5x a week should get things moving too. Hope this helps!

I sure hope not on the menopause, I'm only 44 and both my grandmother and mother had babies on hips at that age!

I work out with weights 15mins and do cardio 30 mins, 5 days a week usually. MWF I do upper body and core, and T Th I do lower body and core. The really frustrating part has been that I track my "calories burned" and I should be losing about a lb a week on exercise alone - forget the raw and I'm not. Also - just on calories, switching to 100% raw I'm probably down 5-800 calories/day on the average day. so just on calories alone - another pound a week, but no.

Post workout, I hit the sauna at the highest setting for 15-20 and sweat like a fiend.



Oh and I highly recommend "goodies". Raw amazing treats!!!! Might just relax that pressure to lose weight and it might just drop off.

Just wanted to clarify here - I didn't mean to say I wasn't having any treats - I meant no goodies from the raw - the energy, weight loss, great sleep, joie de vivre, skin, etc. The restaurant package includes 4 desserts per week, and I can usually get the kids to join in on those - so I end up with a couple of treats a week. I think that's reasonable.

My next planned step is to start juicing wheat grass every day, but I don't have the energy to start the sprouting process! I have the wheat berries and the juicer. Been "about" to do it the last 2-3 weeks. But past experience says if I'm not ready and prepared for it - they end up dying before they get juiced. M-F I can just pull myself through the work week, and collapse on the week ends, try to get a little cleaning done, laundry.

I just feel there is some barrier, and I need to identify it and eliminate it to move forward.

I at least have to stick with it for the 2 more months of my paid food plan, LOL!

I feel like a kid that thinks christmas is coming soon - and gets out of bed everyday to look under the tree, and no goodies!

But I will be keeping the faith! Thanks for the good words!

[klomasius]

I at least have to stick with it for the 2 more months of my paid food plan, LOL!



I am so utterly jealous... :(

Haha, but good on you, I'm sure you will start to feel the benefits, sometimes as others have said, it takes time.

I'm still jealous, thinking about eating food made by someone else!

[jurence]

Are you POSITIVE it is raw? It very well could jsut be "healthier" and be labeled raw but who knows. Have you tried the just fruits and vegetables route for a week?

[T-Bird]

Are you POSITIVE it is raw?

Definitely! check it!

cousinsiv.com


I am so utterly jealous...

Yeah - it's a wonderful op. I was hoping that by the time I got to the end of it, I'd have that "energy" to keep going and do it all on my own. Beg8inning to look like - maybe I won't.

I sure can't afford to keep up with the paid food plan, not for too long.

And I didn't pay extra for the breakfast part - but so far I can take care of that.

[Veronica01]

Wow I just read the menu for that restaurant and i am WAY jealous. We barely have any raw food restaurants in Canada, im not even sure if there is one on the city, a place makes dessert, but that's it. I would love to try all of those appys and entrees, they're nothing like anything i've ever eaten before!