Gaining weight & Eating Raw?

[NYNewbie]

Has anyone else had this problem: Instead of losing weight- I've gained weight. I don't want to give up eating raw because I feel so much better - but I need to get this weight off- I'm 5'3" and 149lbs. At the beginning of eating Raw I lost about 5lbs.I feel very bloated and uncomfortable.
I find myself eating too many nuts- alot of recipes use nuts. I juice every morning, salads with some Raw recipe that does not require a dehydrator and much of the same for dinner. I stopped making any of th e Raw desserts because I have sweet tooth and can't stop. So, has anyone else had this problem? Please Help!

[fiddler]

Your weight gain could be a result of the increased fat intake from the nuts
and/or oils?

For a while, you may want to try limiting your comsumption of nuts, seeds and oil to a small portion. For example, a handful (or 1/4 cup) of nuts per day. Many of the fancy prepared raw food dishes are "nut heavy".

Green smoothies are a great way to eat greens and cut down on salad oils.
See: http://www.rawfamily.com/articles.html

I am always conscious of my nut intake because it is so "addicting" and
easy to overdo it. I "USED" to have gout so I'm extra careful of the
concentrated protein from nuts.

Hope this helps,
Gil

[Ariannah]

I agree with the "limit your nuts" advice.

Increase your intake of fruit and greens. Try some green smoothies, as they hold the appetite. Keep lots of your favorite fruits on hand. For fats, you may want to consider adding avocado (if you like it - I do).

For instance, instead of olive oil in a tomato sauce recipe, I thicken it with a bit (1/4-1/2) of avocado and sundried tomatoes... Then I stir it into noodlized vegetables, and yum... again very filling, nutrient dense and you won't gain weight.

[Angelina]

I would bet the bloating is from the NUTS!! That is what happened to me; so unfortunately I cut back a lot! And when do have them, I make sure I soak first (especially almonds). I have noticed though that raw almond butter or tahini butter doesn't bloat me at all. I now try to get my fats from avocados, oils and some nut butters. I also prefer juicing in the morning vs. a smoothie, for some reason with the smoothie I think it added to my bloating, but the juices don't have that effect. I'm in the same boat, that while I haven't gained weight, I definitely haven't lost (and that is with intense exercise 2x's/day ~ whole other story). I also do the salads for lunch and have snacks of fruit throughout the day. I am trying to cut back on overly sugary fruit (bananas, dates, figs, grapes ~ all my addiction); I think that helps to debloat too. also drinking lots of water helps me. Wish I can tell you how to speed up weight loss, like I said, same boat here!! I keep telling myself that there are more positive changes happening before weight loss and that my body will settle into its "natural/normal" weight.

[jaurequi]

I think it takes time for your body to adjust to these new foods -- this keeps it very busy and burning fat may be at the bottom of the list.

Also, it depends a lot on your individual history: For example, if one's body has been put through the wringer via yo-yo dieting, poor nutrition or the like or been on starvation diets like Atkins, which literally produces a body that is in starvation mode, then the body hoards the food coming in like a squirrel for winter and stores it away for fear of deprivation again. This is why some people experience weight gain immediately upon eating reasonably again or for the first time in years. Once your body acclimates to the food (and you stick with it; that's important), and realizes you're not going to deprive it again, it relaxes and begins to burn the stored fat. This is one reason why you have to give it time, etc.

Often when you see a recently recovered anorexic, they have an odd bloated look -- that's because the body is still holding on to water and probably some weight. The body is no fool! It does what it has to to survive. If storing is what it has to do, that's what it does to live along with slowing down metabolism and other horrible things. Survival is a very strong instinct.
This is very primal :).
Not saying your situations are this drastic! I'm just giving illustration of how the body reacts when it's been "abused," which most of us have done to our bodies to some degree with poor food choices. If holding on to some weight for a short time is the worst you go through, I'd say count your blessings! You can read hear some of the painful things people have to go through when recovering from poor or just deficient food choices.

I think once you're on solid ground with optimal food, you can then start refining and adjusting things. But how long that takes varies with the individual and involves many factors. So just keep plugging away, eating good food; you'll get there. :)

Angelina, I'm not sure how much weight you want to lose, but you don't look like you need much! This is always the hardest to lose -- those last stubborn few! It could be just water? Or possibly you need to eat more calories. Sometimes a small arrangement of eating patterns works or food combining, rather than calorie restriction. For example, for me, adding a handful of nuts as a snack midday actually bumped up my metabolism a notch! I thought it was interesting that adding fat would do this.
Also, muscle weight is not the same as fat weight.

Best,

[Sharon in Colorado]

If you plan to eat nuts, you should soak them first. What happens is, your body is seeing the nuts as toxic and causes all the water to collect in the proper places in order to dilute the toxin. Dried nuts aren't natural for the body to eat which is why you are probably just gaining water weight.

Note your bathroom habits. If you aren't urinating as much and finding yourself thirstier than usual, that could be the key.

[NYNewbie]

Thanks for all of your advice- I"ll lay off the nuts for a while and see what happens
Today I brought a salad with some raw dressing and fruit, apple grapes banana
I'll have to decide what to eat
Thanks again
Debbie

[twinee1]

I ran across this post and wondered how you are doing now ?

[NYNewbie]

I have eliminated snacking on nuts although I do enjoy raw almond butter on an apple or banana. However, I am limiting myself where nuts and seeds are concerned. I had agreen smoothie for breakfast today- quite good.
I was wondering why isn't it aconcern of some people to take food combing into their eating habits?

[Rawkinlocs]

Eventually, many and most do begin to adopt food combining principles into their diets. But like with anything else such as eating fats, etc, when first starting raw especially when coming from a SAD of eating fried, greasy, processed, etc. food one should not concern themselves with trying to eat a strict, pure raw diet but should just focus on getting the bad out and the good in.

In many cases and instances, once individuals begin to get cleared out from within, their own body will begin to no longer agree with certain foods or certain food combinations and thus, they begin to practice "proper food combining" or better yet, simply mono-eating or eating less nuts and more greens and fruit, etc.