Am I doing something wrong??

[Angelina]

Ok, maybe its just me but I am HUNGRY!! and when I look at other peoples post, they seem to be eating much less than I am. I am pretty active, so at first I thought that had something to do with it (1 hr. cardio and 90 mins. Bikram most days) ~ I've been raw for two weeks (one lil slipup) haven't lost anything yet; feel good, awesome energy; This is what I've had so far

Breakfast:1 Banana blended w/ 1tbs tahini (post workout)
Snack: 2 apples,banana and some almonds (trying to cut back on almonds!!, didn't have too many)
Lunch: salad mixed with spinach/romaine, 2 sliced roma tomatos, 1 small apple, 1/2 avocado, 1tbs oil/lemon for dressing

I was still hungry so I ended up having my afternoon snack too, which was grated carrot slaw with some pumpkin/sunflower seeds.

I'm running out of food!!! I drink a gallon of water/day; down 1/2 already!! Is this normal?

[vegggeeemom]

I think it depends on what you ate before you went raw. If you were eating a high SAD then it will take more to fill you up.
I go days where I eat barely anything and days where I can't seem to get enough. It goes in stages for me.
I don't think you're doing anything wrong, but if you're hungry, eat!
I've read on here, there is no reason to go hungry on this way of eating!
Good job on 2 weeks raw!
Not sure if everything I said is right, just going by what I've read!
Oh and if you're feeling great and have energy, you're doing something right!

[rawpriestess]

Well,
What did you eat before? If you ate a big breakfast, with eaggs, coffee, toaste, ham, jam, etc, a banana with tahini isn't enough.

I know some people who eat 15 bananas for breakfast alone, then have a smoothie for snack, then another one before lunch, etc.

The number one thing to do is this, if you are hungry, then eat, eat as much raw as you want.

If you want bunches of fruit eat that.

some days I eat an entire cantaloupe for breakfast with several oranges, and some tea, then 2 hours later have a big salald like maybe a whole head of lettuce, 2 tomatoes, and tons of veggies, then eat another snack a couple hours after that.

some days, I eat one small handfull of grapes, and that is it.

You can never tell what you body needs, so just feed it.

Remember cravings, make you want one particular thing, being truly hungry, means you'll eat anything, so when you want one thing, it's not really hunger, but when you want anything, fruit, salad, smoothie, then your'e hungry, and eat as much as you want.

[Rawkinlocs]

vegeeeemom (and RP - we were typing at the same time! ;) are both right...when you first start out (esp. depending on your past way of eating) you may find you need to eat a lot to stay satiated.

I keep reading that it's good to have many small meals throughout the day rather than trying to have set meals at set times especially in the beginning.

Your body and stomach still have to adjust to the lighter feeling of raw foods and it can take a while. Also remember that most of us have been taught to listen to a false sense of hunger and that, too, has to be healed...with time your body will relearn what TRUE hunger really is.

Maybe try adding more greens in there like with your morning blended drink, try adding a couple of bananas, tahini and some kale or lettuce or baby leaf spinach (green smoothie).

But yes, in the beginning it's common to feel hungry more frequently. It will pass with time, but you must give your body just that...time!

[Angelina]

In reply, my diet before was not even close to the typical SAD; lots of salads, some fruit, nuts (bit of an addiction) and protein usually coming from high quality protein powder (i.e. organic, no sweeteners or fillers) or fish (lots of salmon and tuna on occasion). Since I was pretty healthy before I figured this would be an easy transition ~for the most part it has been except for the fact of hunger and still have constipation (something I've always had and only seemed to be remedied by eating stuff I was allergic to such as wheat). Yesterday I think I ate 2lbs of grapes! not in one sitting but throughout the day, I would think my body is craving water, but I do drink a gallon a day!! Will this subside?

[Tanja_swe]

If you're hungry.... EAT! When eating raw you don't get the same sensation of being full as you do when eating SAD. If you want something more substantial maybe add more nuts? If you add flaxseeds they will help to bulk things up and make you feel fuller. You could add ground flaxseeds to a smoothie for example or make flaxseedcrackers.

I think it's really important to try to listen to your body, if it needs more food then give your body that. If you don't, you mind end up feeling lousy and binge out on something that you don't want to eat.

[rawgrrl]

In order for me to get that full feeling when I first started doing raw, I had to include (soaked) grains into my meals. Dehydrated crackers helped too.

[Carlene]

When I first started raw I carried huge bags of fruit wherever I went. Now I eat when I'm hungry, get full and don't worry about it. I think in the beginning we get so caught up on the fact that we are making a huge change in our diet that we think too hard about it. From what you ate, it sounds like you are still looking at food as something you should control. Eat until your full, then eat again when you're hungry, or you just want something. Somedays I can't eat enough, and like others here, somedays I hardly eat at all.

I read in one of the raw newsletters I get that unlike every other person in the world who is dieting, rawfooders need to stretch their stomach so they can eat more to ensure enough calories. How awesome is that?

I say stop fretting and just eat. Of course that may mean spending more at the grocery store.

[Gosia]

I would be hungry too if I was eating what you eat! You need to eat more. As a general rule, if you are hungry after a meal, then you haven't eaten enough. And, when to stop eating? Usually, when the taste changes, or food does not seem appealing anymore, then most likely you have had enough.


All the best,
Gosia.

[meinleben]

it takes time....at two weeks you are still detoxing and your body is adjusting...also, you are burning a lot of calories....in cardio and yoga....add a green juice in there...maybe some nuts...they will hold you over longer...maybe some supplements....be patient...your body will respond...

[shakti17]

if you are still constipated, what works for me is grapes (which you already eat so...), raw kale! yum... kale salad, and if you are doing herbs, triphala is the best cleansing herb i think. it is an ayurvedic formula - actually a blend, they call it the "3 fruits", let me know if you want more info i can tell you where to get the best quality and how to take it.

[shakti17]

also i think constipation can make you feel hungry because your body is not absorbing the nutrients properly if colon is clogged. in ayurveda they would also tell you to take herbs to increase your digestive fire - i know this is the raw site tho... so i'll spare you the ayurvedic details unless you are interested

[Angelina]

Thanks Shakti, sent you a PM also, not sure if you got it, but yes, definitely interested in hearing more on the triphala; I think I might have seen it in Whole Foods??

[micki]

There are so many good responses to this question!
I'm a person who likes to eat, so eating raw has been a godsend for me. I don't stint on my portions or my enjoyment.
As the others have said, if you're hungry EAT, if you're not losing weight at this time, give yourself TIME, your workout seems pretty intense, so you may be putting on muscle and muscle weighs more than fat on the body.
My husband commented on how large my portions are, but he wasn't really complaining since I'm eating my way to health and being thinner.
He's on the Zone, and has to eat these teeny tiny portions, so it might be a little envy.
:)
We are both supporting each other's diet choices and he likes it when I share tasty green juice, or make a beautiful salad for us both that he just adds his "zone" stuff to.

Who knows he may be "won over" eventually, stranger things have happened!

[askcassyfirst]

Triphala is a great balancing herb for the colon. Tonifys, rather than stimulates. We use it in our products here at RNL.

With regard to feeling hungry, and food quanity: One thing I have found is that a raw diet entails a greater VOLUME in order to get a sufficient number of calories, and satiaty...When I eat 100 raw If I don't eat stacks of food, I am always hungry. Most days I am high raw, rather, and the slight bit of cooked foods which are denser in caloric count decrease my appetite.

I'd say, if you feel hungry, EAT!

A typical day for me will include a breakfast bowl of fruit or musli, snacks twice a day on nuts or veggie sticks, a HUGE (5 cups of greens and veggie) salad, a sandwhich on flax crackers (or cooked veggies) and a smoothie or bowl of defrosted frozen berries...Sometimes I will also eat a raw snack bar as well.

YOu will be fine, as long as you listen to the signals your body is giving you, and don't apply too many rules. That is the great part about Alissa's message. It is so simple!

Cassy :)