Pls Help! Gaining weight and chunky legs

[boho-lily]

Hi there!

I'm new here. I started raw food about 4-5 months ago.

Though, my raw percentage is sometime 80%, sometime 100% it always change but mostly I try to stay high.

In first 3 months, I have lost about 13 pounds (5'3 and 118 back then) which was great because I never really couldn't get rid of that extra wight even though I exercise almost everyday and eat low calorie.
I ate mostly fruits, smoothie and juice and exercised 2-3 times a week.

But then, my diet got a litter messed up by eating cooked starch such as steamed potato or yum often and avocado.

My wight started gaining back so I increased my exercise routine.

These days I sprints on trademill for about an hour 3-4 times a week and I would get super sweaty after my exercise.
But my weight doesn't go down, more likely gaining.
Plus even though I eat lots of watery fruits and drink lots of water,
those things doesn't really make me wanna go pee. My legs are getting thicker and thicker and looks chunky now!

It's like they are holding all the water...

I also started taking a long bath for releasing muscle tightness and more sweat but my legs are still chunky and weight is still the same:(

Because of too much sweating, I started to have sodium (such as salt, seaweeds, celery etc) a little bit more than usual.
(Normally, I don't really have salt)


When i first lost my weight by raw food, I did sprints as well but never had this problem.
I would always go pee and extra water flushed easily.



Does anyone know any good resolution for loosing weight and getting my legs lean again?


I have been taking break from trademill for a few weeks. My lower body is stiff and chunky...

But I have a little fear of being not workout because that would cause more weight gaining or something.


Do you think stop workingout is a good idea?


Your answer will be appreciated.

boho-lily

[Shels]

Don't worry about the number on your scale going up, that will likely be muscle mass from your increased exercise. =]
As far as trying for a leaner look, switch to pilates (and/or) yoga every other day, and some lighter cardio throughout the week.
If you're trying not to retain water, do not add salt into your diet! That's going to aggravate things. Drink water. Lots of water and no added salt.

And, have you tried taking out the factor that triggered this to begin with? Eating that cooked starch, that is. You said you're eighty to one hundred percent raw - what else are you having that is cooked? This may well be what's causing everything.

[sport]

Why did you add the salt. Do you have a reason.

[boho-lily]

Thanks shels!

These days I eat cooked food once a week, mostly starch (potato, rice like sushi sometime) vegan cookies sometime. I try to limit nuts and raw sweets but sometime I end up eating raw nut cheese or something maybe that's one of the problem? = salt + fat
My typical menu is lots of fruits (around 8 pieces), green smoothie, one or two glass of juice and drinking 2 litter of water. Eating too much?

I have been doing sprints with incline (for burning more calories).
Normally I do my exercise first thing in the morning on empty stomach.
When I had something to eat pre and post workout, i gained again so I'm afraid of eating pre and post workout meals.
I do focus on more stretching now but haven't really done yoga or pilates for a while. I used to do pilates a few times a week when I was loosing weight because I wanted to slow down on my weight loss. I've heard that adding resistance training and gaining muscle helps slow down on weight loss so I thought pilates would give me some muscles.

For light cardio, Probably I will start sprints without incline or just walk.

If I don't sweat a lot, that makes me think that wasn't enough exercise so I always look for more intense workout....and end up gaining muscle and weight!!

Again, thanks for your advise!
Now I feel little better:o

[boho-lily]

Hi Sport,

The reason of adding salt was because i sweat like a crazy person when I workout and sports drink (like coconut water, good for people who workout, right?) has some sodium but I don't really drink them.
I knew salt is gonna hold some water but u sweat a lot but not loosing weight, i thought my body needed some salt for a balance or something.
That's the reason. make sense to you?

[christinajade]

If you are eating high fat raw things and then cooked foods, some people tend to gain. I had to stop eating all those high nut recipes because it was catching up with me. I limit my nut intake to a small handful a day and a cup of almond milk.

As far as the salt...I workout too and run. I have never heard of needing to add salt to your body to balance you out.

[boho-lily]

Thanks for your answer, christinajade!

I know too much sodium is unhealthy but i've also read that Electrolytes (such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium, iron and zinc) are necessary for balancing the body's fluids:confused:

So I thought I had to take some sodium if I workout.

[Shels]

Have you ever tried a young thai coconut? Their water has tons of electrolytes, and it is SO so delicious. And, aside from the cooked things your diet sounds really good, by the way. Not eating too much. :)

Good luck, try not to worry.

[boho-lily]

Again, Thanks for your advise, Shels!



Yes, I've had a young thai coconut water before. As you said, It was soo delicious! But I haven't had them for a while.
Maybe i'll grab some when I go to grocery shopping next time.

yes I try not to overeat. It's tough though. Raw foods are so yummy:D
But I try to watch my portion more carefully.

Thank you!!