How to gain weight while on raw food?

[newrawfoodmom]

Because I had prediabetes 6 months ago I decreased my carb intake and started to eat more healthily: mostly vegetables, nuts and some meat/fish/cheese. I am 5.3 tall and weighted 116 Lbs. and my goal wasn't really to loose a lot of weight, just to eat more healthy. But help, now I lost so much weight I'm 102 Lbs now and haven't gotten my period in 3 months now. I eat lots of avocado's, and nuts. I want to gain weight quickly!

2 weeks ago I started eating raw. I'm very exited, so much more energy, after such a short time I cannot imagine that people eat cooked food! Within a week on raw food, my fasting bloodsugar was normal (80). Wow, but I'm still reluctant to start eating lots of fruits, and sweets again. I know for sure I want to eat raw from now on.

My concern is however, I need to gain weigt! I know most people will roll their eyes because they want to loose weight but really, how can you ever gain weight when you eat so much vegetables. I'm constant eating and full with all those fibres in me. I eat lots of coconut, avocado, nuts, but don't seem to gain wait!

Does anyone have any tips on how to get gain weight again???

[Rawkinlocs]

Hi and welcome to the forum!

Well, first of all you must realize something and that's that your body knows what it's doing and that your weight loss doesn't necessarily mean it will stay that way. Many of us here who didn't feel we needed to lose weight, lost and then as our bodies got cleaner and healthier and began to rebuild healthier tissue, etc. we began to put on a little weight and eventually, the body will balance out and stabilize at IT'S ideal weight and not necessarily OUR ideal weight.

We can sometimes place demands on how much we will or will not weigh and try to control it but our bodies know what the deal should really be! We just have to learn to trust that and that's sometimes the hardest part.

Eating tons and tons of fat (even healthy fat) just for the sake of putting on or keeping on pounds is not always the best or healthiest thing to do.

Eat your healthy fats, eat your fruits and veggies and your greens and consider doing some weights to build up muscle (see our "Exercise forum" as there are probably some good threads on this very topic there as well).

I know how you feel, though. I didn't feel I needed to lose any or much weight either. But I did. I weigh less than I did when I started out in raw, but more than I did when my weight dropped to it's lowest point. I'm now at a happy medium and I am content and happy with where my body has decided to balance out at. :)

[RawTruth]

So well said, Rawkinlocs. You're my hero.

Also, you might consider adding a quart of green smoothie to your daily eating. As Victoria Boutenko's latest newsletter explains, those of us who lose a lot of weight on raw may have low stomach acid and, thus, our bodies aren't able to make full use of the nutrients, and, as a result, we lose lots of weight. As I understand it, the blended greens require less stomach acid and, so, are digested completely ... and, then, our weight doesn't drop and/or it comes back on. Now, I admit that I'm basing this entirely on her newsletter. I am talking to her about this next week, so, if I understood it wrong, I'll come back here and edit and correct. Until then, however, it certainly doesn't "hurt" to start drinking green smoothies (which I haven't personally done in a long time).

Newrawfoodmom, you can search on this forum (up under the banana icon) and find lots of discussions of Victoria Boutenko's green smoothies, including the original article and recipes. Or, you can just go to rawfamily.com and I'm pretty sure the article and follow-up study she's conducting are on there.

Best of luck in your new living foods journey. Don't be afraid to eat lots and lots of fruit -- it's what we were meant to eat!

[newrawfoodmom]

Thanks, both of you, for your feed back. This is very helpful;. I do drink 1 green drink a day since a few months, and will check out this green smoothy. I realize that recently I've felt a little acid coming up now and then, while I never had that before (even when I was pregnant) I was wondering about that, but maybe that acid is a good thing and I may be balancing out...

Rawkinlocs, how long did it take for you to start gaining some weight?

[Rawkinlocs]

Thanks, both of you, for your feed back. This is very helpful;. I do drink 1 green drink a day since a few months, and will check out this green smoothy. I realize that recently I've felt a little acid coming up now and then, while I never had that before (even when I was pregnant) I was wondering about that, but maybe that acid is a good thing and I may be balancing out...

Rawkinlocs, how long did it take for you to start gaining some weight?

I honestly didn't really time it so I don't know for sure. But it wasn't long I mean, I've only been at this going on 2 years now so I'd say maybe 6 months or so before I NOTICED that my weight had stabilized at the point it is now.

I am 5'4" and I weighed about 130 when I first began getting into raw foods. My weight gradually dropped down to like 120 and then it began to build back up and now it stays right around 125-128. I haven't even began to really get into my workouts and resistance training like I plan to, so who knows what will happen once that begins!

But weight is such a funny thing that you almost shouldn't even really use scales as a gadge for anything. It can fluctuate so much...from day to day and even from one part of the day to a later part of the day.

Water-retention, our cycles...so many things play a role in our weight.

[cattzeye]

Hi Newrawfoodmom,

I think I can offer you some hope on this. When I began eating raw a few years ago, I was already thin at 5'9" and 132 lbs. I didn't have any excess weight to lose, but lose I did! My weight kept dropping and dropping as the months went by, even though I wasn't limiting my food intake. I was even still eating some cooked foods, in fact more then than I do currently (I'm not 100% raw, maybe about 80-90%). And I was eating LOTS of fruit. I went from 132 lbs to my lowest weight of 112 lbs. That is extremely thin for a 5'9" woman. I was shocked and a little scared seeing myself so emaciated-looking, but I persevered through it, because I knew that I wasn't starving myself, I was being nourished better than I ever had been. I knew that my body was detoxing, and that at some point it would start rebuilding. Through all of this, I kept up my usual vigorous exercise, as I have been doing for years and years. I am happy to say that at almost 3 years of eating raw, I have gone from skinny-scrawny to still-thin-but-muscular. Interestingly, my weight hasn't actually changed all that much; I currently weigh about 117. The difference is that I have gained lots of muscle, and this has come by continuing with my weight training through my detox process. I am still considered very thin, but I no longer look emaciated, I have good muscle definition, and my body looks remarkably different than it did during detox. Another interesting point is that I didn't need to eat any more calories by stuffing myself when I wasn't hungry. Actually, at this time I am consuming much less food than I was when I started eating raw. My body was simply ready to gain back and fill out (rebuild itself) and there's no way to rush this process. Everyone's body is different, and you could have a different timetable than my body has had.

Basically, after this long-winded account, my main point is that as long as you feel well-nourished by the amount/type of foods you are eating, you will gain weight when and if your body feels the need to. As long as you're not denying yourself food when hungry, I see no need for concern, or to "do" anything. Listen to your body!

Christine

[Rawkinlocs]

Cattzeye, I loved your post but I especially loved this:

but I persevered through it, because I knew that I wasn't starving myself, I was being nourished better than I ever had been. I knew that my body was detoxing, and that at some point it would start rebuilding.

Thank you! I think we need to all keep this mentality and raw life will be so much easier.

[Pink_Berry]

no one has bothered to mention her problem with losing her period.....

[Rawkinlocs]

no one has bothered to mention her problem with losing her period.....

Probably because the major emphasis in the OP and the title of the thread was placed on weight gain/loss and that seemed to be the main concern of the OP. The part about her loss of period was kinda buried within it all so it probably got overlooked or in the midst of advising about what seemed to be her main concern, we forgot to address that part.

Did you have any suggestions or advice to offer on the subject?

Newrawfoodmom, a lesser menses or even loss of it is something that some women end up experiencing as a result of a raw "diet". It is still debated whether or not it is a good or bad thing. I've seen both arguements. Some say it's nothing to be concerned about, others say it's an indication of something lacking in the vegan or a raw vegan "diets" of women (I think they claim it's protein or something like that).

Here are a few threads on the subject as it was discussed previously that may give you some things to consider either way:

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=357&highlight=menses
http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5611&highlight=menses
http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4734&highlight=menses

[newrawfoodmom]

Thanks for all the feedback. I've been reading all the links and have certainly found some interesting info. Especially about monthly periods:

to quote Dr. Shelton wrote:

"The fact that the whole ovulation cycle can occur time after time without the loss of blood, and can and does this in so many cases, especially in women and whole tribes and races living 'less civilized', more natural lives, should cause us to doubt that menstruation is either necessary or normal. The fact that it is in the healthiest and strongest women that there is no loss of blood and that the loss of blood increases in proportion to the decline in physical vigor, should cause us to conclude that this, like all other losses of blood, is abnormal."(2:30)

Very interesting new viewpoint. I'm not sure whether te loss of MY menses is a healthy sign however. I've had many problems getting pregnant, staying pregnant and even lost a baby 1 week before due date. Doctors say my hormones are OK, but my lining is very thin. So I don't think the reabsorbtion of the tissue theory applies to. just not enough lining. I'm verry happy that I have one beautiful healthy daughter (3,5 yr)...

Also, I lost my menses before I went on raw diet - now about 80% for 2 weeks - but I have been eating a lot more vegetables lately. During the last 6 months, I've always kept eating some animal protein mainly cheese and fish (now raw sheeps cheese & fish) and eat high in plant fats (nuts, olives and avocado). I certainlly did loose a lot of weight to a 101 Lbs - for me at least since I've always been around 115 Lbs. I think I'm really poor absorbing. Have had digestive problems since I'm 14,

On the other hand, being thin certainly runs in the family because my mother and brother are also very thin. My mother was 100 Lbs until she got her menopause and she's 5,2 ft. She's just never very hungry and does not eat a lot, but if she ate it didn't make a difference in her weight. My brother is the same. I was actually the "fat" one in our family! So again I wouldn't mind if I wasn't concerned about getting pregnant.

As to the weight gain, 3 people adivsed me to do a water fast for a week, based on Paul Braggs Fasting Book, chapter 17. I want to buy that book tomorrow and read it. I've tried to go on a fast twice, but whenever I do, at the end of the second day, I feel so terrribly sick that I cannot continue. Don't know how to do that while having to take care of my daughter and be around other people. Its certainly a sign that I still carry lot's of toxics. Any advise, suggestions, or help on the water fast?

Thanks again!

[Rawkinlocs]

Would pregnancy be a possibility?

[newrawfoodmom]

First I would have to ovulate and since I haven't had my period for a while I don't think I do. Althought, in some of the links you posted it was said that you don't need to flow in order to ovulate. Then, assuming I'm ovulating, I'd probably still need some hormones in order to get a thicker lining (says doctor) - otherwise implantation is not likely to occur. I'm not eager to go there, haven't decided whether or not to do hormones. Hope it's not necessary and I'll get pregnant with new healthy me. - May be wishful thinking.....

[Rawkinlocs]

No, I meant, is it possible that you haven't had a menses because you ARE pregnant? But you've probably been tested and ruled that possibility out a long time ago. I was just wondering if that could be a possible reason for the absence of your menses for the past several months.

[newrawfoodmom]

Very unlikely since thin lining, but yes, I could check.....

[Gosia]

good to hear your story. Thanks! Have you got, by any chance, some photos of you, and would you mind sharing them with us, please?

Sincerely,
Gosia.

[newrawfoodmom]

I haven't figuered out how to add pictures yet .... but will come

[cattzeye]

Hi Gosia,

I have some photos, but the problem is that I have never figured out how to send one over the internet, unless it is already in a computer file. The photos I have are regular film photos, so I guess I would somehow scan them, then put them into a file, then send? Maybe someone could instruct me on how to do this?

BTW, just wanted to say, Gosia, that I enjoy reading your posts. I like your matter-of-fact style, and appreciate your experience and wisdom.

Blessings,

Christine

[newrawfoodmom]

Cattzeye, thanks for your encouraging words, give me hope.....

I went to Pure Food & Wine restaurant (NYC) and was happy to see that almost everyone there was quite thin...

Interestingly, I'm in SESAME PARK today and see many people that are the complete opposite..... Feel a lot better about myself now!

If onlly I didn't worry about my menses disapearing. Catzeye, did that ever happen to you?

[RawTruth]

Newrawfoodmom, I know some women whose periods actually came back or got stronger by going 100% living foods. Have you considered making that plunge and going all the way with this? Since we provide support for the raw vegan lifestyle, it's a bit hard (and out of our experience) to know how to give you advice about a diet that includes fish and dairy.

[newrawfoodmom]

Thanks RawTruth,
I'm currently on vacation with my family in-laws so have to make some concessions - being some raw sheep cheese & fish and chicken. But I only eat it at one out of the 6 meals I eat a day and its less than 25% of that meal - so it's really not that much anyway...
This way I can cook for for the whole family or go out for dinner and they don't even notice I'm eating mostly raw. I'm happy they have a whole food store here in Charlottesville....

I still feel great and energetic and I notice that for first time in my life my PH-test strips are solid green/blue all the time. Aha!

Also I'd swear I feel my ovaries like I used to when I'm ovulating. I've felt this before. I'm gonna make a note in my calendar and see what will happen 2 and 4 weeks from now....

[Gosia]

thanks for your nice words!

It is possible to take a digital photo of your photos (from very close, I've done that succesfully), and then download them on your computer and send, that is if you own or know someone who owns a camera. I have never scanned a document (ubelievable?), so I do not know about this. Hopefully, you will be able to get some help with this, I would love to see your photos! I have not gotten to my bottom weight yet, so I feel anxious about that at times. Your story has brought me some relief!

Gosia.

[jaurequi]

I thought this was interesting reading: Menstruation - Is it Necessary? (http://www.waldorfhomeschoolers.com/menstruation.htm)

[misslinda]

I would lean towards what Rawtruth was asking............."have you at least considered going 100%?" May not seem like it would make a difference but as another member experienced himself, going from 99% to 100% made dramatic improvements! :)

Onto the mense thing, I haven't had mine for 3 months now--I feel it making changes as I off and on will experience those "premense" symptoms. I've had a few slips and can really feel the difference---my slips I would have considered merely nothing but in eating raw, even the smallest percentages have mattered to me.

Wish you the best :)

[newrawfoodmom]

MissLinda, thanks for your reply. I agree, that I clearly notice a difference between 80 and 90% rawfood. I have days were I eat 100% raw. Sometimes I eat some raw goat cheese, but have to admit I feel mucus in my throat the next day and feel the joints in my feet. However, allowing me these 10- 20% cooked food or raw cheese/fish makes my life a lot easier when I'm around others. Which is worth a lot to me. Especially, since I'm surrounded by yuppies (lawyers, bankers, real estate brookers, that never have time to cook and eat out 5 days a week - like I use to do - and who think a hamburger with tomato is healthy and not eating refined/processed foods very extreme - let alone raw food. I'm on vacation with family in-laws now - and are immensely proud I made it through my 3rd week of 80%+ raw food!

But when I'm back - I'll try going 1 week 100% and see how that goes.....