I am ready to quit this raw stuff

[Boysenberry]

I used to do Body For Life. I was loosing one to two pounds a week. Then I switched to raw. My weight loss stopped altogether.

I was crying today when I put on my jeans. I can hardly breathe in them.

I am on day 20 of Alissa's challenge, and the weight is not coming off. My clothes are getting tigher, and the scale is not moving.

I am not cheating. I eat fruit during the day, veggies for my evening meal, no fat after 5 pm. I barely eat any nuts or avacados.

I am so very discouraged. Has anyone else experience this problem who could walk me through this?

I really don't want to quit raw. My sister is also raw and is loosing weight like crazy. She eats an avacado a day, sometimes two. Sometimes her diet is 50% fat. You know that can't be good. Yet she looses.

I only have ten days left to finish the challenge. If weight doesn't come off at the end of the 30 days, I will be forced back to body for life and all that meat. Makes me sick at the thought. I must loose this weight. :(

[Revvell]

Yanno? what you focus on expands. The good thing about this food program is, IF there is something else going on inside your body, the body, in all it's inherent wisdom will direct the nutrients there. If all you are looking to do is lose weight (keep in mind that what one loses, they tend to look for, therefore on-goes the lose-weight-gain-weight rollercoaster), then you might do what was "working" for you, thereby compromising your health.

My suggestion ~ do a search here and find out what others have suggested doing differently ~ OR ~ appreciate your body is doing what it needs to do to bring you to optimum health and when it's time to let go of any excess weight it will naturally happen.

R.

[Sharon in Colorado]

Boysenberry what are you eating? What kind of activity are you doing?

Do not give up just because you aren't seeing weight drop. If you know in your heart or hearts that this is the healthiest for you, you aren't going to start eating meat. You know what meat does to your body and your intestines. It will rot inside of you - you will become constipated.

Only 20 days is nothing, NOTHING! You need to give it several months first. Even 30 days is nothing. While some see quick changes, others see slow changes. Really give this diet a shot. I'm working toward a year to really see what it can do in my life. I am still in transition so I'm not expecting any miracles to happen, but I do expect amazing health. And you will too.

[Fruitarianone]

I don't know your eating history but if this is the first time you've gone raw and you are not clean enough internaly then 20 days really is nothing!!! you really can't put a time scale on these things either because your bodies got to do it's thing first. Going raw is a very personal thing and you really can't compare yourself to someone else! :)

[Rawkinlocs]

Boysenberry,

I SO agree with the above posts! As Sharon stated, 20 days or even 30 days isn't always enough to see the changes you want or even need to see!

The 30 day challenge was never meant to be a guarantee that all your expected changes will take place in that duration of time. Although you don't see the weight changes you sought..what OTHER changes have you experienced in this last 20 days? Do you feel better? More energetic? Has some other physical ailment been healed? Don't look at what eating raw hasn't done, but rather what it HAS done so far in your life. If the thought of eating all that meat makes you feel sick, why on earth would you go back to that?

You will lose weight, but it will happen in a manner and a time frame that your body allows it.

Also, please don't compare your experience with your sister's. I mean, how many SAD eating families have one sibling who may be overweight and has to "watch her weight" while the other can eat pretty much what they darn well please and never seem to gain a pound? It happens all the time because we're all different and will have different experiences and see results at different rates, even if related to one another.

Please don't give up if you know and believe in your heart of hearts that this way of eating is the best for your overall health and well being!

Give us an idea of what a typical 2 or 3 day period looks like eating-wise and maybe we can help you make some adjustments or perhaps, as it's been suggested, your body in it's infinite wisdom is doing just what it needs to at this moment!

Hang in there!

[kmik]

Boysenberry,

Yeah, what everyone else said... plus...

Prior to going raw, BFL was the only thing that I lost real weight on... unfortunately after the 90 days I gained it all back, and then some, because that "free day" kept me addicted to all the wrong things.

But one thing I found it my body needs the fat on raw. When my scale slows down, often times something like a date nut torte will help me get going again. And avocados! Yes! They are SO wonderful! If you like them, eat them as often as you want. When I started, I was eating at least one a day, along with fresh salsa and flax crackers. I was losing 15 lbs a month.

The key for me to lose weight on raw was to just go crazy. No more denying yourself. Eat as much as you want, of anything you want, as long as it's truely raw, including sweets and fats. If your body is anything like mine, you'll lose weight. If you decide to try this approach your last 10 days, please let me know how you do! :)

Best of luck, and above all, I hope you understand that weight loss, or no weight loss, this way of eating is WAY healthier than anything else!

[sweetgoddess]

Breathe! Have a hug!

I am sorry you are feeling down. I want to tell you that raw fat IS GOOD! It is different. It is necessary. Raw living plant fat will cause you to loose weight. It contains the enzyme lipase, which breaks down fat. If you like them, add an avacado or two to your daily fare and watch the difference. Seriously. I have lost 70 pounds eating a lot of raw fats.

You can also take a high quality digestive vegan enzyme such as the one Alissa sells on her site. It also contains lipase, which again, breaks down fat.

Does this make sense to you? Try it and then go on your experience. It wont take long for you to see the result.
What do you think?

Warmly~
Carmel

[julie07052]

Hang in there! I've been raw for almost 8 months now and I must tell you that I lost my weight very slowly. The thing is, I really didn't care. I love the way I eat - the way whole foods taste and the way I feel after eating them! I'm 46 years old and now look at least 10 years younger than that (or so I'm told!). Any time I even had a thought that I should be losing weight faster or any other negative thought about my body - I just worked on shifting the focus off of all that and worked on concentrating on how wonderful I felt. I agree with all the above posts - these wonderfuly ladies have inspired me to stick with raw all these past months and I hope they will inspire you, as well. Remember, you're doing this for your health and well being - not to be some specific size so that you can fit in to a specific outfit. Just stay on course, find the things that you really enjoy eating (and that make you feel good) and relax in the knowledge that you're doing something wonderful for your health and well-being. Best of luck to you!!

[twinee1]

There is so much good advice here so I will add a little tidbit...

The most important step you can take to losing weight is first accepting your body the way it is. You are fighting yourself. The mind is very powerful, and the thinking about, and struggling with the mental side of the weight loss is actually hindering you more than the diet. Your body will respond to what you think about most !! and it will fight to stay in that state. You are thinking on how your body looks, how unhappy you are..and thinking about being overweight. So there are many ways to acheive this and it is all very personal but a challenge you to meditate on this a bit...think about what your body has done for you thus far in life and appreciate it as it is. Then you will see changes. You need to let the weight loss goal go, stop thinking about the pds to lose goal, then your body will be free to do it. Visualization may be the next step after that.

Maybe others here can make more sense than me and add to my post on this aspect of weight loss.

I could go on more on this but probably am not as qualified as others. I read a great book about Creating the Body your Soul Desires (a lent it to a friend) and it has lessons on this aspect of weight loss.

[Juicyfruit]

Everyone here has given you great advice. Another thing you must remember is that when you are raw, you don't need to worry about calories or fat. A natural diet takes care of it's self. I just eat what my body is craving and if it's avocadoes or nuts, that is what I have. You need to listen to your body and it will tell you what you need. Good luck!

[cornvalley]

In life it seems the greatest gains are made in life's most emotionally challenging moments. Be brave... a healthy life does't come easy in the beginning or else everyone would be doing it.

[ReneeSC]

You are Today's Raw Hero, Corn!!

Beautifully said. I loved it!

( claps, hoots and hollars like a banchee )

glad to see you back.

[RawTruth]

Wow!!! This is a great thread!!!

Everyone said everything I'd intended to write. By the time I read them all ... all I have to say is Amen!!!

I can't blame you for looking for immediate results. After all, we're living in a fast-food, high-speed, 1-minute world news review kind of a world.

But ... your body doesn't know that. Thank God/dess!!

If I were you, I'd print out this thread and tape it to my kitchen cupboard doors, my refrigerator, and my bathroom mirror. There's a lot of love and fantastic, grounded advice from people with the experience. I hope you take it.

Wishing you only the best -- and that you perservere through this trying time. I can guarantee that you'll not be sorrry!!!

p.s. I think the best practical advice is to see if you're just not eating enough!!! Eat more, eat more, eat more!!

[rawpriestess]

I went raw this year, and was 100% perfectly raw, I lost a bunch of weight, then all of a sudden it kind of haulted, so I got discouraged and ate some cooked, once I did that, it was on raw, off raw, on raw, off raw, and I gained back about 25 pounds, then I went 100% raw and lost it again, then it haulted again, and on and off and of and off.

Now, this CAN NOT be good for my body, up and down weight, on and off raw, eating, not eating, whatever.

But, the ONLY thing I can say, is DON"T try to second guess the lifeplan.

It is NOT a diet to lose weight, Oh, don't get me wrong, YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT. but your body may be doing something much more beneficial right now.

When your body has the fuel it needs (raw organic fruits and veggies and nuts) then it can only do one thing, heal itself. So, if it is losing weight, then that is the BEST thing it can do right now, and if it isn't losing weight, then it isn't the BEST thing it can do right now for your body.

The only thing I can say-- and it is from vast experience-- It isn't the raw food lifeplan that isn't working, it is you not allowing the raw food lifeplan to work it's magic on your body.

20 days, is only 3 weeks, just think of all the meat your body has to detox out of your colon, since you ate that way for how many days? weeks? years?

I am 52, and I can imagine that it might take 52 years to detox, it probably won't but, you know what? So what if it does, if I live another 52 years, I think that's pretty cool, because at least I'll be healthier than my first 52 years.

many blessings on all of your choices.

[tvillemom]

Everyone here has given such great advice. I'm pretty new to RAW, but I've done alot of reading. My first impression about your thread was that you were NOT getting enough FAT. Listen to your body, what are you craving? That particular food may be the very trigger to detox something important!! Don't give up. Look at all the positives! My weight loss is very slow also. I know where you are coming from. I'm on Day 12 (my second time around, with a few months between each challenge) and I can honestly say, I'm back to raw because I FEEL SO GOOD WHILE I'M HERE!! Best of luck, keep us posted.
Wendi

[Boysenberry]

Hi all.

First, I have been raw for five months. Just 100% for 22 days now. No days off...

I know it is not water retention because my wedding ring slides around on my finger, I have to take it off when I am retaining water because my fingers swell so badly. I am not pregnant. (phew)

The good part is that my hypoglycemia symptoms (irritability, easy to anger, depression, shakiness) went away, but the last few days they have come back with a vengence. Also, the endometriosis I have been fighting since I was 11 has to have started to heal. My eight day heavy periods have cut back to four of medium to light. My husband and sister, and even my two oldest children, all say that I am happier, calmer, and not so easily stirred to anger.

Okay, so it is cold outside and I am moving to a new house this week. High stress. I am not craving anything raw, just cooked stuff. Here is my diet for the past three days:

FRIDAY:
4 bananas
3 apples
2 oranges
salad greens/sweet pepper/1/2 cucumber/tomato
green smoothie (apples, pears, wheat grass, spinach)
soaked oats/walnuts (2 T.) banana
1/2 c. raw peanuts (ew! gas... not eating again)

SATURDAY:
1/2 recipie pecan pie
1/3 c. guacamole/lettuce/tomato/mixed berries/banana/orange
fruit smoothie (macadamia nut milk/peaches)
banana
2 raw tortillas/guac

SUNDAY:
lettuce/red pepper/avocado (1/2)
salmon pate (1/2 recipie)
carrots
macadamia nut milk/peaches/banana
raw tomato soup/4 tortillas
banana
apple

I am really not trying to whine. I came here to this forum for help. I have not gone off raw since starting the 30 day challenge. My husband and sister have been a great source of support. I want to make a go of it. I just can not gain weight. I understand what you all are saying about not focusing on it. ANd for the most part, I haven't been. I haven't been on the scale but once in the last 22 days. But it is a pretty big indicator when your clothes start getting tighter!

I don't generally measure anything (all measurements above are estimates) and I do eat until I am full, anything raw I feel like. My husband and son really want me to stay raw. My husband is even willing to cook food for the kids... Please. Don't take it like I am whining. I really need the knowledge of others to learn, gain wisdom myself. To stay the course.

Losing weight IS a main goal here. Not the only one. I want continued peace. I want the energy every one talks about. I had about three days of inexplicable energy where I almost couldn't stand myself, then it died out. I really don't want to journal every little bite I put in my mouth. I want health. I want to play with my kids and bicycle down the western coast, and across France. I want to run the London marathon with my sister in 2007. I want to get to the top of Mount Whitney. I put on 90 pounds during childrearing, and yunno what? it slows you down. It hurts physically to move. I have six children. I need energy, patience, stamina to raise them as I would like. I refuse to be a couch mom. It is not completly about how I look, truly, it is about the energy and less pain in my body. I want to chase them around, tag and rollerblading. I love being active. With this heavy body it is hard to be as active as I want.

Please, I want and need anyones positive helpful experiences/knowledge.

Thanks. Boysenberry

[Revvell]

O.k., I've got what you WANT to do ~ question is, what ARE you doing? In order to bicycle across France, run the London marathon and climb Mt. Whitney you have to be able to walk a block around your home. Are you doing that? Sure, the extra weight slows one down yet, ya got to move it to lose it. What is your daily exercise routine? How much water are you drinking?

And if THIS isn't a huge benefit, I don't know what is: "My husband and sister, and even my two oldest children, all say that I am happier, calmer, and not so easily stirred to anger."

R.

[kmik]

...The good part is that my hypoglycemia symptoms (irritability, easy to anger, depression, shakiness) went away, but the last few days they have come back with a vengence. Also, the endometriosis I have been fighting since I was 11 has to have started to heal. My eight day heavy periods have cut back to four of medium to light. My husband and sister, and even my two oldest children, all say that I am happier, calmer, and not so easily stirred to anger.

... I want health. I want to play with my kids and bicycle down the western coast, and across France. I want to run the London marathon with my sister in 2007. I want to get to the top of Mount Whitney. I put on 90 pounds during childrearing, and yunno what? it slows you down. It hurts physically to move. I have six children. I need energy, patience, stamina to raise them as I would like. I refuse to be a couch mom. It is not completly about how I look, truly, it is about the energy and less pain in my body. I want to chase them around, tag and rollerblading. I love being active. With this heavy body it is hard to be as active as I want.

Hi again :)

First of all... if you've seen all those TREMENDOUS improvements in your health, why on earth would you consider quiting??? What else can you do to heal all that? You don't want it coming back!

Second, you and I are SO alike! I've got five kids. I gained about 100 lbs (lost almost 60 so far, but made a HUGE difference in my activity level!)

Before I gained weight, I thought I'd be the "cool" mom who was always active. But then I found myself always saying "Mommy's tired." or "Mommy doesn't feel good." whenever my kids wanted something.

Now I'm training for the 2006 Chicago marathon. I wanted to wait until I was under 200 lbs, so I wouldn't stress my already damaged hips, but at about 215 I just couldn't wait anymore! (I was doing Curves and Kickboxing before then, but I LOVE running!) But I had no problems and no pain! So now I'm 185 and running about 7 miles on my long run day. I also have a dream to climb mountains :)

I also started raw for weight loss, but am thrilled will all the other benefits. I know I would have been discouraged had the weight not come off right away. But obviously your body had a bunch of other things it needed to work on first.

I suggest you try getting more fats, like tvillemom suggested; Avocados, nuts, raw oil (my favorite is hemp oil), and also more fiber, like flax seeds. Grind them up and put a spoonful in your smoothie. I'm willing to put money on those two changes getting some weight loss going for you :)

Keep us posted of changes you try and effects you experience!

[Boysenberry]

kmik,

Thanks for your reply! It does sound like we are peas in a pod! I weigh 183 (last time I weighed in). I am up to four miles in one run. Love that you are up to seven! That is so awesome. I have found a five mile loop I would like to try. I love to run, bike, weight train.

Okay. I can see some areas for improvement. I haven't really been exercising the last 4 or 5 weeks. I have been, however, searching for a way to get around/through the obstacles that have been holding me back. I still am very active on a whole. I walk about 8 miles a day doing daily stuff according to the pedometer. So, it would seem that I need to exercise again, running and lifting weights on alternate days, Sundays off, is what I would like. With my two youngest I don't always have a baby sitter. I could walk two days a week, weight train three and run on Saturdays. Second, I need more fats and water. Right? Okay. Avocados, nuts and flax seed. Is there a guideline on how much fat?

It is huge to me the support from this forum. I appreciate your knowledge and experience more than you know.

Boysenberry

[misslinda]

Hey Boysenberry,

I'm sorry that you are feeling frustrated :( as most of us have been there. firstly, CONGRATS on your hard earned work in getting your major health concerns in a healing zone !!! dont' forget where you started from.........

I can see where you'd be tempted to quit b/c of the whole weight issue as that is the "reason" I began rawfood THEN I considered the HEALTH aspect of it. It took me a lot of months to realize that I may experience some weight gain or up and down syndromes before I see leveled results.

Body for life brings back memories for me b/c I had done it................was a long distance runner................high protein diet and low carbs...............little did I know that during that whole time, I was developing silent health issues. I has finally come to this point at accepting rawfood's powerful and intuitive healing path.


Weight is a very intimate issue........do you have an thoughts about it that you would be willing to share with us? Are you afraid that the wieght will continue to stay or go up?

22 days is not a long time being 100% raw b/c even 98% to 100% make a difference and sometimes those differenece are not noticeable. I've raed that the body needs at least 30 days to start to recognize a new "program"

HOw is your water intake,bm's? Are you eating based on what you crave or based on mental/intellectual choices?

:)

[Boysenberry]

Right now if I ate what I am craving, I would eat choco chip cookies, and not the raw kind. ha ha. Will write more later.

[kmik]

It sounds like you're on the right track, and perhaps feeling a little more positive about keeping going on raw? :)

Another thing I forgot to mention... I'm smaller now then I was when I weighed 15 lbs less at the end of my 90 day BFL challange. I know you mentioned that your clothes still fit tight, but perhaps things are shifting around? At the end of BFL I weighed 170 and I was a snug size 14. Now 14's are loose on me :D So there's things going on in your body that you have no clue about... but it's ALL good!!!

[twinee1]

Ditch the scales.....I have had so many comment on my skin looking better, rosey not pale, and have I lost weight ? and my skinny jeans fit. But in stepping on the scale I have not lost an oz..since the first few weeks. Ditch the scale for now. Concentrate on other more important things...and don't ditch this living diet...for a dead one. Chose Life !!!!!!!

[rawpriestess]

cravings are when the food we want is specific, like chocolate chip cookies, pies, treats, candy, ice creams chips etc.

REAL HUNGER is when you will eat anything that isn't nailed down.

I realized that if I go into the fridge and start to look at what might be good to eat, then I am not really hungry, I just want something to interupt my thought processes or my stress, or because I want a break.

If I go into the kitchen and grab the first piece of fruit I see, then I know I'm hungry.

It really is that simply

When we say we want some kind of packaged or processed food, what we really want is an escape from what ever we are doing at the moment, whether it be physical or mental.

So, take that break, you deserve it, then if you are hungry, grab the first piece of fruit you find and enjoy it, but if you start to look around for what might be good, get outta that kitchen, because you aren't hungry.

[Boysenberry]

Blitzed through three avocados and 6 tortillas during the last part of this day. /breathe. My energy has been more consistent and lasted longer. I took a power walk with my one year old for 30 minutes and instantly felt more positive.

It is a very stress filled time, between, moving and Christmas.

kmik - I know what you mean about being smaller at different weights. I am in a size 14 right now. I will try to "go with the flow" of the shift...

rawpriestess - thanks for the reminder that I need to take time for me. I have been neglecting that lately. It is easy to get caught up in the "diet" aspect and forget the other things that make me a whole person.

I miss the baking and traditional cookie thing. I have decided to create non food traditions with my children. They range in age from 1 to 15. (1, 3,4,5,13,15) Any ideas?

[Revvell]

Create new raw food traditions. There's a thread here for Christmas cookies. Since I'm not into that, I've not checked it out yet, you might wish to.

R.

[tvillemom]

Someone posted a thread with RAW Christmas cookies pictured! They looked sooo good, and then they posted the recipes!! I'm going to try them this weekend!! There are always healthy RAW alternatives to most everything that was SAD! I'll go look for the thread for you.
Wendi

[tvillemom]

It is in the "recipes and food preparation" under a thread titled "Christmas cookies" :D Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Wendi

[exurb]

glad you're still with us Boysenberry!


I have decided to create non food traditions with my children. They range in age from 1 to 15. (1, 3,4,5,13,15) Any ideas?

One little thing I like to do in the holiday spirit is to buy some dried whole cloves in bulk, and stick them into mandarin oranges in pretty patterns. Then you can just leave them out to dry, they smell wonderful, and once they're dry they keep indefinitely, you can put them in closets, cupboards, etc., but in winter I like to just leave a bunch of them out in a big bowl. You can also string a ribbon loop through them too then they hang like a "pomander".

Also maybe for your older kids, rolling beeswax candles? I like to do a bunch before the holiday season, you just buy beeswax sheets at Michael's (cost a little over $1 each), just roll them up by hand in a warm room, or use a blow dryer if your house is really cold. I like to roll them lengthwise to make a really tall candle out of each sheet. They are great inexpensive gifts too, and the real beeswax burns nicely. (not for beegans though, my apologies to beegans).

You can also make wreaths or garlands from pine cones, it's a bit of a job, but they look beautiful and very natural when finished.

So there are some non food ideas for you, I know when you're trying to lose weight it helps to reinforce that the holidays don't just have to be about food, and you can get the same sort of feeling from doing another festive project instead.

[Boysenberry]

I love those ideas! How do you get the pinecones to stick together? wire? And I will have to figure out where to get pinecones in Texas... hee hee Thanks!

Ending the day having painted the living room and kitchen in my new home. Guess I have more energy than I thought.

[jax]

I'm so glad you shared how you are feeling Boysenberry! The help everyone has offered has fired up my enthusiasm too! I also agree with eating more fats! My diet is easily over 50% raw fats because I eat so many raw nuts and avoc., and of course use v/o on my salads. My weight drops at a steady rate and I just let nature take its course. :D

Jax

PS: excellent post RP, as always!

[Boysenberry]

Hey everybody!

The fat has really help stabilize my energy and moods. That has been awesome. I have had gas from it... what do you NOT eat with avocados? :eek:

[LogRock]

I have read that avocado & nuts are not good companions.

[RawTruth]

I have had gas from it... what do you NOT eat with avocados? :eek:Are you sure it's from the avocados and not from some other combinations of foods? If you're familiar with food combining rules, you might want to keep on eye on it. If you're not -- you don't have to stress yourself further by feeling like you have to research. The most basic rule in food combining is to eat fruits separately from other foods. The only exception is for green smoothies. When blended, they digest with greens with no problem.

I've never heard of gas from avocados. That doesn't mean they're not the culprit; I would just check other things first.

Also -- if you've upped your raw intake, it could just be your body getting used to it.

Six kids? OMG!! What a master organizer you must be!

[Sharon in Colorado]

The worst thing I did was just yesterday - I made a banana smoothie with some coconut in it. We were tootin' all night long!