Caloric intake?

[eatyourbroccoli]

What is an okay caloric intake while raw?

I'm currently taking in about 700-900 calories...eating when I'm hungry and eating until I'm full.

I feel fine, but have been berated continuously by others, telling me this is FAR too low.

I don't know if I could handle DOUBLING my food intake :eek: .

I'm just not that hungry!

Any advice?

[kmik]

That does sound kind of low, but the thing about being raw is we're supposed to just listen to our bodies and not worry about counting anything. Do you have days when you seem hungrier? If so, do you oblige your body and eat more? As long as you give your body whatever raw food you feel like you want, then you should be good, as long as there's not some extenuating health or psychological circumstances.

I know my appetite varies. I certainly couldn't pinpoint my "average caloric intake." But I have noticed in some folks journals, they sound like they don't eat as much as I do... then again, some eat 8 bananas just for breakfast... I don't even eat 8 pieces of fruit all day long!

[sweetgoddess]

My only advice is to stop listening to others. Only you can tell what feels good to you. Listen to that miraculous body of yours. It will tell you what is what. The number of calories do not factor into raw, the way they did on a cooked diet. Now your cells are being fed directly and your body is working in a new way, with the very best fuel. It simply cannot be compared to the measuring standards of a cooked food diet.

You said in your post that you feel good. That is your truest guide.
My best wishes to you on your raw journey

Carmel

[misslinda]

It changes day to day for me. I agree with Carmel.

Myself, like yesterday, I was hungry for a bowl of kiwi for breakfast and then water for the rest of the day until 5 pm for dinner ---I nibbled on a salad which I just wasnt' hugry for. I wanted more water. I went to bed thinking "OMG, I only had 400-500 claories!!" Just by that thought alone, I was ready to haul into the kitchen and chow down! :D I truly realized I was NOT hugry and went to bed. The other day I may have had about 900 calories......I have to admit, I have this thing for staying under 1000 but that's my paranoid thinking....I just know with raw, I'm not madly hungry like I was on non raw.

:)

[dhammala]

We have to look at where the recommendations for such high caloric intake comes from.. 2000 a day? If I was eating all meat and heavier sad foods, I sure would need 2000 calories a day just to burn through all of that dead heavy food. And how much nutrition would I really be getting from those calories?

You may be eating under 1000, but those 1000 are vitamin, nutrient packed. If you are concerned, eat some more fattier foods, likes nuts and seeds to add in the numbers. But I like what sweetgoddess said about listening to your body and it's needs. Only your body knows best, NOT the US RDA!

[happy_kauai]

I agree that you should listen to your own thoughts and your own body. Like everyone's been saying, those caloric standards are for those on the SAD diet. Foods on that diet are nutrient deficient, as most of the good stuff has been cooked or processed out! :eek:
Foods on a raw diet are pure scources of nutrients - they are chock full of them! So, naturally, you don't need to eat as much of them. :)

Perhaps a good thing to keep in mind, however, is that it is best to have a variety of foods - that way, even if you only eat a little bit of food you are staying balanced by getting a little bit of everything, and therefore reducing your chance of being deficient in anything.

[eatyourbroccoli]

thank you so much for all of the responses

it definitely puts my mind at ease!!

best regards to all