weight loss raw foods/green smoothies

[ebergg]

Hello all and thanks for being here , my name is Eric and i am a 50 year old man.
i weight about 280 pounds. i had lost around 100 pounds (was about 370 lb) in the past 3 years with the help of weight watchers and hitting the gym.
i have gained about 25 pounds since january.
i was watching a weekend morning show and a woman was showing green smoothies and how to make them, i tried them and liked them.
i have been doing them at least once (breakfast) a day ,sometimes more for about a week and a half and have lost 1.5 pounds even though i had eaten some unhealthy / fatty foods during that time.
i would like to try increasing my green smoothie intake to a higher level and maybe even fasting on green smoothies only but i am concerned about getting all of my nutritional requirements.
weightwatchers tells me i need some dairy and oil intake through each day.
i would have to cut out coffee too and that would be difficult.
i would like to lose another 60 pounds.
i see a lot of potential here to reach my goal.
thanks in advance for the advice.

[Veganforlife]

Hey Eric! You have come to the right place to learn to live healthy! I woulld suggest you purchase Alissa's book and DVDs as they are the best out there and will totally guide you to a living lifestyle. I have never heard of anyone that didn't thoroughly love it and learn from it. In the meantime, read ALL you can here. We're all here to help you. You CAN do this!

And no one "needs" dairy! That's a big money-making business hype trying to brainwash the public.

[GlimR]

Welcome Eric....you will see some amazing changes if you do the things you mentioned. Some people add a little coconut oil to their smoothies. It helps keep you full longer and the oil is very good for you. Wishing you the best on your continued quest for health and well-being~

[MiahTay]

Welcome! And check this out ...

http://rawkinradio.com/2009/01/20/revvell-interviews-big-time-loser-clent-manich/

http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081007/LIFE/810070308

He lost 200 lbs with green smoothies!

Blessings,
Heather

[revdrcyn]

Hi Eric,

Thanks for your post. I really "hear" your concern about perceived difficulties with Raw, as I was confronted by those as well -- 2 in particular - Dairy and Coffee.

I did a lot of reading on the dairy thing, and basically, here's what I learned: Cow's milk is for baby cows. Cow's milk is designed to grow an infant calf into a 2,000-pound cow in the shortest time possible!!!

I was not a milk drinker, but I did enjoy eating yogurt practically every day, and cheese, oh -- and half-and-half in my coffee . . .

Speaking of coffee . . .

I have been a coffee snob since early childhood. Raised in Northern Italy, I was making Espresso myself by age 6.

Today, I am 14 days coffee free and I feel AMAZING!!! My friends and family are freaking out.

Eric, you can do this. Be gentle with yourself. Visit this site often and hang out -- it has made all the difference for me.

And, it goes without saying, read Alissa's book - I have read it cover-to-cover twice and pick it up at least a dozen times a day for inspiration.

All the best to you,

Cynthia

[jojobean]

Hey Eric! You have come to the right place to learn to live healthy! I woulld suggest you purchase Alissa's book and DVDs as they are the best out there and will totally guide you to a living lifestyle. I have never heard of anyone that didn't thoroughly love it and learn from it. In the meantime, read ALL you can here. We're all here to help you. You CAN do this!

And no one "needs" dairy! That's a big money-making business hype trying to brainwash the public.

Eric, I agree with ladies who have commented above :). I am new to raw and I just purchased Alissa's book and DVD... it is the best purchased I have made all year. I need to lose 80 pounds... I would have coffee everyday and now I don't drink any :) After one week on her plan I have lost 7 pounds...definitely be gentle on yourself..

[Ilse W.]

Welcome Eric. It seems that your questions mainly concern the nutritional value of green smoothies. Nowhere do you say that you want to become a raw foodist. Weight watchers is right in suggesting that you need fat in your diet. I get my fat from avocados, nuts, and olive oil in my salads. Dairy is alsolutely NOT necessary, in fact, since most milk you buy in stores is pasteurized and/or homogenized, it is "poisonous" to our bodies. So unless you find raw milk, don't consume it or anything made of it. Believe it, greens have lots of protein and fats in them. Put a little olive oil in your green smoothie, if you don't think you'll get any in your other foods throughout the day. It's really not a lot we need, just a teaspoon a day should be more than enough. There is good fat in most anything fresh, even apples contain fat.
About the coffee...You are allowed to do anything you feel like doing. There is no right or wrong, just good for YOU and not so good for YOU. I happen to like my coffee and will not give it up at this time. I was not drinking coffee for about 6 months after I started eating raw and I was feeling fine after the initial withdrawal problems, but after starting again I feel no worse so for the time being I will continue drinking coffee. Listen to your own body and take everything else as "guidelines".

[sprouts2go]

Eric I have been on a Raw food diet for almost 7 1/2 months. I gave up coffee with half and half (12 cups a day) 11 weeks ago. I don't miss it. I just drink a juice or smoothie if I need to have something in my hand.
I have lost 46lbs in these 7 1/2 months.
You will get your oils from seeds nuts and oils as well as avocados.
I add hemp and ground flax to my smoothies and salads. More Omegas and protiens.
Check out the websites of others that have lost on this life style.
Oh when I gave up my coffee habit I also had all of my eczema disappear!!
It only went when I gave it up. Amazing how quick it happened too. I don't have a single spot on my body anymore. I didn't think giving it up would make a difference but it sure did.

[rawfoods]

Hey that's great! It's so important that people care about their health because we are all responsible for our own health.

[skolapper]

just wondering what you guys use to edit and organize your RAW files. right now Im using LR, but after trying aperture out again, the first time I hated it Im debating switching to it. whats your guys favorite?

[katchmoleen]

Veganforlife (Lucy) was too modest to mention it, but at the beginning of the year she did a 100 day juice/green smoothie fast and if you read her blog, you will see she had amazing results. She doesn't mention weight loss, but her bursting energy radiates in her posts. You can find her blog by looking in the upper right hand corner of her post. You will see "blog entries" and a green number. Click on the number to go to her blog and go back to I think March to the beginning of her fast. Also go to the before and after section of this board where you will see lots of pix of people who have lost lots of weight. Most people who are raw do drink green smoothies. I know I do and have lost 23 pounds in 12 weeks.

[darrenalex]

hi there....

I experimented with that and lost 15 lbs in a little over a month...which I really didn't need to lose. I went back to being plain vegan and enjoying my curly fries and Soy Delicious. If you're actually overweight you could probably lose more than that. I'm 5'7 and 130 fully dressed with shoes on.....

[RawHeaven]

Serendipitous new beginnings. :)

Eric, I suggest also reading Victoria Boutenko's Green for Life. She is the creator of green smoothies.

Wishing you all the best.
RH

[Green_Woman]

Eric - My fiance (in his early 40's) began drinking Green Smoothies daily last year. He ate mostly raw foods, but not ENTIRELY raw, at the time, as well. He lost 30 lbs, healed himself of Candida, and now has steady energy from early morning to late evening. He still drinks GS's daily, and eats MOSTLY raw foods. :D He says he PREFERS to eat all Raw, because whenever he eats cooked meals, it makes him feel fat, sluggish, and run down.

Also, two months ago another male friend of ours in his early 40's began drinking GREEN SMOOTHIES's daily and eating about 25-50% RAW foods daily as well as cutting out MOST unhealthy cooked foods/dairy/meat. He has lost nearly 30 lbs to date, and has so much energy he now regularly bicycles several miles through San Francisco a few times a week!

Both men credit GREEN SMOOTHIES with giving them amazing, stable energy, clear minds, healthier skin, WEIGHT LOSS, and overall better health. :D

I LOVE RAW!!

:D

[Emma Jane]

Hi Eric! First of all, congratulations on all the weight loss you've achieved already, how inspiring :D

Secondly, over half the battle is won now that you've started on that weight loss journey and made the decision to incorporate healthier foods and clean up your diet! Taking it step by step, as you're doing, seems like a great way to go.

You say you're still eating some 'fatty/unhealthy' foods? I'd say definitely don't worry about the dairy or fat issue - you'll get plenty of protein and fats on a raw vegan diet (or even on a high raw, high vegan diet, if you're not ready for/interested in 100% yet :) ) and they'll be from whole, unrefined sources that the body can digest much more easily :)

If you're finding the weight loss a little slow, maybe check your food combining? In the beginning, when you're only just transitioning onto healthier, raw foods, it often doesn't make much of a difference, and I personally don't have any trouble with a lot of combinations that most strict dieters would call 'bad', but sometimes it can just take changing one TINY thing to make the weight fall off!

In terms of both green smoothies and transitional diets, check out these guys if you haven't already:

Robyn Openshaw
www.greensmoothiegirl.com

Natalia Rose
www.detoxtheworld.com

Good luck - sounds like you're doing great! :)

XxXxX

[EvolveWithFlavor]

Ya I personally think the Green Smoothie people are doing some great things

[Kiravana]

Since starting Green smoothie feast and enemas 8 days ago I have lost roughly 10 pounds. I have went from 274-264. I guess its the lifestyle change and the fact I am no longer eating big meals totaling around 3,500 or 4,000 calories a day.

[Bobbo]

Try and find a raw meal replacement. Drink plenty of water. Give up the bad foods, just make that decision and you will be so happy with the results.