Pretty frustrated...maybe someone can help me (about trying to lose weight)

[Rose J.]

I've been trying to lose weight for about 6 years now. I've tried lots of different ways to lose weight, for example, eating less, or cutting out dairy, or eating vegan. The problem is I've never been able to stick with them.

So, over 2 months ago, I went raw. One day not raw, then the next day 100%. I didn't get any detox symptoms, but I've always eaten kinda healthy.

I'm 16 years old, 5'3" and currently 137 pounds. I started at about 147 pounds (or a little more). I lost 10 lbs pretty quickly, partly because I had been drinking a lot of sugary, milk smoothies, and I stopped that. But then I completely stopped losing weight, probably 6 or more weeks ago. I even went up a pound or two. I thought "Okay, my body will adjust, then starting dropping weight again." But no.

I've heard some people say that you should continue eating 15% cooked or you will lose weight too quickly. If only I had that problem. I thought with eating 100% raw I'd be sure to get to a healthy weight.

Now, a little bit more about me. This is kinda random information, but I'm trying to include anything that might help. I carry a lot of my weight around my stomach. I know I need to lose at least 10-20 pounds, or more. At one time my mom thought I might be diabetic, but I don't seem to be now. I can go all day without eating with no problem. Years ago, when I ate a lot of sugar, it would make me sick to my stomach. Also, I think my body is kinda of slow maturing, maybe I have a hormone or thyroid problem. I have no idea.

I think maybe I need to be a little more careful with how many nuts I'm eating. Would 1/2 cup a day be too much? I think I eat more than that now.

I also did the liver/gallbladder cleanse a few days ago, and it didn't seem to do anything. Maybe 1 or 2 stones came out. I did take about 2/3 the normal dose because I didn't want the oil to make me nauseous.
Right now I'm just frustrated. Maybe someone has some tips.
Sorry for making this so long!


Edit: Bumping this up because it's been another 3 weeks since I posted and I'm still not seeing any results, weight or otherwise. I have now been raw for over 3 months. Also, I know it's not that I don't need to lose weight. It's not just that I have a large frame or something. I'm not being paranoid. ;) I truly do need to lose weight.

[smiley]

I've been raw now for 6 years. My 6 year anniversary is Sept. 5. Yay! :D

I have found that when I don't eat very much, my weight is stable. When I eat more, much more, my weight goes down very quickly.

I have a dress that I like to wear once in a while...in order to wear it, I need to eat a lot during the week to lose about 5 pounds to look better in this dress. :cool:

I know it sounds like strange advice because it goes against traditional diet thinking.

However, I have coached several people and found that when they weren't losing weight, it was because they were not eating enough. When they followed my advice and added more food, the weight dropped quickly.

I wish you the best in your personal journey!

[Katie P]

My advice is don't look at a number for a goal......that's just me though! It seems like you're consentrating too much on a number that you are forgetting the importance of being raw! One thing I've learned is your body will lose weight when it's healthy. If it isn't healthy it won't lose....so maybe your body is working through other issues right now. Don't give up just remember why you want to eat raw in the first place! If it's to lose weight eating raw may not last. If it's truley to be the healthiest you can then it will be much easier to stick to & you will want to do it not just for a number....although that is a bonus

[StarFire]

I'm really torn reading your post...

On the one hand you are to be completely commended on paying attention to your health, and to know that you are taking the time to be responsible about it.

On the other hand... as a mom and grammie... my thought also goes the other way...
"Oh honey... you're only 16!! You're still growing and developing... you will change as your body develops .... eat healthy and have fun in life!! You're much to young to be worried about that kind of stuff...

hmmm... then the Respsonsible RAWbie in me speaks up and says...
RIGHT ON... AND IT's A GOOD THING YOU ARE PAYING ATTENTION!!"

so finding a balance in all of that... is this...
At 5'3" I can understand why you may feel like you want to lose a few pounds. When you're short - any extra weight REALLY shows (I'm 5'2" so I understand).

Remembering my 40+ years of being worried about my weight (rather than my health)... I learned a lot -- the hard way. The difference between us is that you said you've been eating pretty healthy anyway... THAT is a very good thing. I was not eating healthy at your age.

Releasing weight will happen... but everyone is different... and you must walk with patience. YOu are completely rebuilding yourself from the inside out and that takes time. Take some time to think about the long term... truly - it's not just about your weight -- but about your health.

That's why so many DIE'its dont work... because it's focused on the wrong thing. It causes you mind to focus on the weight that you are not happy with....
whereas...
the RAW food LIFEstyle focuses on making you BEAUTIFUL... from the inside out... mentally, physically and spiritually. Everyone finds their balance, but it takes time.

the RAW foodz program is truly a LIFEstyle... not just a weight loss program... (and i think you see that - or you wouldn't be here)! Stay the path... focus on your goals with joy. I got caught up in the vicious circle of not being happy with my weight and now that I'm 53 - I finally get it. so... I'm back at it but this time ... with a greater understanding that what REALLY matters is my health. (and).. when I am healthy... my weight is where it should be...

I know that's not much advice... everyone has different things that worked for them... like what Smiley said ... I've had friends say the same things... it worked for them. But it didn't work for me!

some will say you must have some healthy fat in you like a 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil every day... (that one worked for me)... others take the coconut oil... and they GAIN weight... while I released a lot of weight.

but the one constant has to be that yu are moooving... that your bowels are moving (cuz that will cause you to gain weight and be unable to release the weight ... not to mention the toxins that are remaining in your body)...

and physically moooving...walk, exercise - whatever it takes ... it will help to release toxins which will result in weight loss...

keep posting... we'll continue to try to assist you in anyway we can! Maybe start a journal in the bloggining section. There is a lot of support there.
blessings on your journey!

[StarFire]

geeze ... sorry --- I have to stop writing BOOKS instead of responses!!! :o

[Rose J.]

Thanks everyone for your support and suggestions! One more thing I forgot to mention. I was normal weight until I was 3 or 4 years old. After that I start gaining weight. In the past few years, my weight has gotten better, but I'm still overweight. So, it's not just something that's happening as I grow older. It's been a problem for years.

[margoss]

I agree with Starfire's post. You're body changes a lot during this time. It's great that you're aware & working to being healthier. Target a smart size, I weighed 160lbs & was a size 10. I do not think your wt/ht is very off. The standard wt has been lowered. I mean a size 12 is considered ' full figured'! It use to be a size 16 now it's about 20lbs less to be 'normal'. It's how you feel. Don't beat yourself....love yourself. When I struggle & worry about the wt, it goes no place. When I don't concentrate but be 'smart', it falls off. I've been doing this a little over 3 months & down 2 sizes. I'm happy with that bc it will stay off & I'm learning how to eat.
stay positive & don't weigh yourself all of the time.

[keke]

I've been trying to lose weight for about 6 years now. I've tried lots of different ways to lose weight, for example, eating less, or cutting out dairy, or eating vegan. The problem is I've never been able to stick with them.
So, over 2 months ago, I went raw. One day not raw, then the next day 100%. I didn't get any detox symptoms, but I've always eaten kinda healthy.
I'm 16 years old, 5'3" and currently 137 pounds. I started at about 147 pounds (or a little more). I lost 10 lbs pretty quickly, partly because I had been drinking a lot of sugary, milk smoothies, and I stopped that. But then I completely stopped losing weight, probably 6 or more weeks ago. I even went up a pound or two. I thought "Okay, my body will adjust, then starting dropping weight again." But no.
I've heard some people say that you should continue eating 15% cooked or you will lose weight too quickly. If only I had that problem. I thought with eating 100% raw I'd be sure to get to a healthy weight.
Now, a little bit more about me. This is kinda random information, but I'm trying to include anything that might help. I carry a lot of my weight around my stomach. I know I need to lose at least 10-20 pounds, or more. At one time my mom thought I might be diabetic, but I don't seem to be now. I can go all day without eating with no problem. Years ago, when I ate a lot of sugar, it would make me sick to my stomach. Also, I think my body is kinda of slow maturing, maybe I have a hormone or thyroid problem. I have no idea.
I think maybe I need to be a little more careful with how many nuts I'm eating. Would 1/2 cup a day be too much? I think I eat more than that now.
I also did the liver/gallbladder cleanse a few days ago, and it didn't seem to do anything. Maybe 1 or 2 stones came out. I did take about 2/3 the normal dose because I didn't want the oil to make me nauseous.
Right now I'm just frustrated. Maybe someone has some tips.
Sorry for making this so long!

It's unbelievable. You sound just like me when I was 16 except I was 5'5" and 168 pounds when I decided I wanted to go raw and lose weight. I'm 19 now and looking back, I do have some tips for you.

First of all, IT IS BETTER TO LOSE WEIGHT AT A SLOW PACE than releasing the excess within a matter of months. I know you probably hear this all the time, but so did I and I never thought twice about it until it happened to me. At 16, I didn't really know what a 'raw food diet' was, but decided to limit myself to meals of fresh fruit. I didn't restrict my intake and just ate as much or as little as I wanted when I wanted it. It was incredibly cleansing and I was able to lose almost 60 pounds in a very short time. Once I was slim, I figured "okay, I can add in my favorite foods again." Before I knew it, I was back on a diet of 100% cooked food, had gained back all the weight I lost (& more), and was devastated.

I was SO focused on losing weight that I didn't even consider the lifestyle change I would have to make. I was still living in my parents' house at the time and had a VERY limited income. It just wasn't sustainable for me to remain on a diet of fruit. I would have been so much better off slowly transitioning to raw foods and eventually progressing to 100%.

When I first turned 19, I decided to try raw again (this time realizing what a 'raw food diet' actually was). I jumped in head-first and went straight towards 100% fruit. I would then binge and feel sorry for myself. It just didn't work. I went back and forth from 100% fruit to 100% SAD and it was awful! I guess I have that 'all-or-nothing' mentality.

I still haven't lost the weight that I had gained, but I have learned to love my body regardless and I think that's the most important part. You have to love your body in order to be committed to nourish it. I slowly went from SAD, to healthy vegetarian, to vegan, to incorporating at least 50% raw, to high raw, which is where I am now.

I live on my own now as a student and hold a part-time job. I grocery shop for only myself and am able to splurge on my favorite raw items. NOW, this lifestyle is sustainable for me. I do plan to eventually become 100% raw.

Probably more than you wanted to know, but I did want to let you in on a bit of my experience. Releasing excess weight takes time and every body is different. I had to take the focus OFF of weight loss and put it ON nourishment and overall health in order to want to eat raw for the rest of my life.

I do agree that at 100% raw, your body will find your healthy weight. However, I don't think 2 months is long enough to expect FULL results.

[Green_Woman]

You need to step away from the scale and focus on the HEALTH... you're about to enter a stage of your life where your hormones are going to be doing exciting things. ;)

For me, that stage hit when I was 17. Prior to age 17, I was a normal weight at 5'3". Then at 17, I developed all sorts of strange symptoms and various illnesses, and my weight began to fluctuate really high and really low... constantly!

I was torn up whenever I went up "too high" and would do Weight Watchers or starvation diets to try to get my weight down again... this, in turn, made my health plummet, and I would lose weight but I would also end up bedridden or in the hospital.

You are a very self-aware 16 yr old and this is excellent for some things, and will make your teen years more difficult for other things.... so I have a few suggestions, being in your age group and KNOWING what this frustration is like!

* Read Alissa Cohen's book LIVING ON LIVE FOODS... especially read Shazzie's story and Alissa's story.

* Visit Shazzie's website (http://www.shazzie.com) - she struggled with weight as a child and discovered a fabulous way of viewing herself in her young adult years through RAW....

* Talk to your Mom/trustworthy female friend... if, I hope, you have an open relationship with her and CAN talk to her - explain your frustration with your weight and ask her to help you be accountable and to help you on your RAW journey... our mothers/soul-mothers can either be our greatest enemies or our greatest allies, and it is my SINCERE hope for you that YOUR mother/friend is the latter!

* DO NOT, and I repeat DO NOT starve yourself. This can be subconscious or conscious but under NO circumstances is it EVER healthy to starve yourself of nutrition... a fast is on thing, but starving is ENTIRELY another. I am a survivor of a long, horrible bought with anorexia and let me assure you of one thing I learned - the weight I lost IN NO WAY made my life better... rather, my health was horrible, my self-image was NOT improved, and my life was NOT positively affected by being "Hollywood thin"... it was NOT healthy. Not physically. Not emotionally. Not spiritually. NOT in ANY way.

Rather, focus on ABUNDANCE...!!! Feast on raw foods, living foods, and vibrant foods. TAKE PLEASURE in the RAW life.... and you will find that little by little, the scale becomes less your Master, and YOU take it's place. And as your health blossoms, and you accept your beautiful self for BEING your beautiful self, either a) your body will release extra weight if it even exists, naturally and healthfully, or b) you'll realise that you're perfect as you are.

I hope the best of things for you...

~ A sister in the Raw,
Greenie

[Katie P]

Detoxcleanze.......what kind of detox is that? Dairy is like probably one of the worst things for a body so I don't see how it would help someone detox? also promoting beef on a raw food forum is completely opposite of the forum. I'm not trying to be hard on ya, but I'm just not seeing the rationality in your response

[Veganforlife]

Detoxcleanze.......what kind of detox is that? Dairy is like probably one of the worst things for a body so I don't see how it would help someone detox? also promoting beef on a raw food forum is completely opposite of the forum. I'm not trying to be hard on ya, but I'm just not seeing the rationality in your response

Detoxcleanze's post has been deleted. It is not appropriate for this forum...

[GlimR]

It's the cabbage soup diet exactly minus the soup...insane!

Rose..
You have been trying to loose weight since you were 10? You are very aware of what you're doing and that's great. Star was right on the money...very good advice. If you maintain healthy eating you will get where you want to..you aren't done maturing into your adult body yet either. Wishing you the best as you journey thru life and find what works for you Rose.

[Katie P]

Veganforlife----THANKS!!!!

[snoops]

I believe overeating has its base in emotional issues (having been there all my life:rolleyes:) There is a technique called EFT - emotional freedom technique. It uses affirmations and tapping on your bodies energy meridians. I have used the technique to some success in the past and am registered in Revvell's teleclass to get some tips on how to make it work better. Its something you may want to look into. You can google EFT to get more information on it and then check into one of Revvell's classes.

Like I said I really believe overeating is an emotional thing. That said, I am also on a raw challenge and that is making the #'s fall off insanely easily. Not hungry, not craving, loving it.

[Rose J.]

Thanks for all the advice!
One thing I definitely do not do is starve myself. I just can't do it. ;) So don't worry about me doing that.
And, I do have a really good relationship with my mom, she knows all about everything. :D
I just don't understand how, at my age, I can be so unhealthy that my body is working on something else before I start to lose weight. I haven't really noticed any other improvements either, so I'm just trying to be patient. :rolleyes:

[Katie P]

Patience is the key!!!!! :) I didn't understand why I wasn't losing weight in the beginning when everyone else said weight just fell off of them after going raw. I just was patient & realized that my body is different from everyone else's & it had some work it had to do b4 it could lose. It wasn't until like 6mnths that I believed my body was healed of issues b/c thats when my body made changes not just on the outside but the inside felt great too. So hang in there

[Raspberry4]

Does anyone know what those black spots on basil leaves are? I have them in my garden. Is it not ok to eat then? Please help! Thank you!

[Rose J.]

Bumping up my thread...update in original post.

[freshlight]

have you tried this one

http://www.bodaciousliving.com/biz/live-tele-class-series

?

it's Revvell's and she is just amazing.

Get better soon.