Weight loss and dehydrating meals

[fwebes]

Here's a question for those of you who have lost a good amount of weight following Alissa's book. (I ordered my book and DVD last week with express delivery and I'm still waiting for it.) My concern is that eating dehydrated foods will increase calories since the water is removed from the foods making them more concentrated. For those of you who have lost weight following this plan, did you incorporate a lot of dehydrated foods? I have an excaliber and I hope to put it to use, but I have about 40lbs to lose. Would it just be better to eat whole raw foods?

Thanks for your help

Lynn

[misslinda]

my own expereince, fresher the more weightloss.

[NFrawRUNNER]

I have to agree with Linda that fresh is best....save the dehydrated items as a treat but be careful, they can be addictive :D :D :D
Diantha

[misslinda]

.....save the dehydrated items as a treat but be careful, they can be addictive :D :D :D
Diantha



but AH! I agree with Diantha on this.........the longer you stay on raw, the more your body craves simpler high water content foods........you get to the point that you can taste the slightest salt in celery, or sugar in fruits.

[fwebes]

Thanks for the input. I had a sneaking suspicion that that was true. Hopefully the weight will fly off on whole foods. After following off my 12 step food program, I managed to put on 40lbs in 4 months. Hopefully I can reverse it in the same, if not less, amount of time :-).

Lynn

[Revvell]

Removing water does not increase calories. The calories in the food stays the same. Eating more foods increases calories ~ in your body.

IF you are reading Alissa's book and reading journals here, you will find that many have transformed their weight just eating whatever, whenever ~ as long as it's raw. As misslinda says, the longer you are raw, the less dehydrated and heavier meals you'll crave. If you are transitioning to raw from another type of program, I'll suggest you eat as you feel ~ don't count calories. Read the testimonies and stories about folk who have lost weight eating what they wanted ~ when they wanted.

R.

[rawpriestess]

When starting to eat raw, I think the most important thing is to do just that.

Eat raw.

If you want something more dense and dehydrated, then eat that.

If you want fresh fruits and veggies, then eat that.

I say, "whatever keeps you raw."

That is the MOST important thing.

After you've been raw a year or so, then you can play with stuff, take out dehydrated things, nuts, avocados etc. but why limit your food?

If it's raw, eat it.

If it's not raw, it's not food.

[lily]

I have been following Alissa's advice on this -- what she says in her DVD -- that it's a good idea to at least know how to make some of the more 'cooked' style dishes even if you think you're going to eat simply, so that when a pizza, burger or pasta craving hits, you'll be able to fix something that will hit the spot, rather than go off the diet...

This method is working for me -- so far I've made pizza, burgers and nut loaf and frozen them in portions for quick use when needed.

The thing is, I don't find I want to overeat on them, even thought they taste good.

lily

[fwebes]

Thanks lilly

Actually, my diet for the last three years consisted of yogurt, cooked veggies, salads with raw veggies, fruit and protein. No flour or sugar. Meat and veggies cooked simply, not fried. I found that eating that way after a while alleviated any cravings.( And I initially lost 120 lbs which was great!) But when I started binging a few months ago, that started up the cravings and addictive behavior, mostly for chocolate. I've been mostly raw for the last few days, with the exception of natural peanut butter which is now gone. I find that once again I have no cravings. The only risky things for me are raisins and raw almonds, cashews, etc. For some reason when I eat raisins I just want more. So I've gotten rid of the raisins. That's what makes me a little nervous about the dehydrated food. Will it set up cravings for more? Who knows. For now, I'll just keep on eating smoothies fruit, salads and a little nuts and avocadoes. Once the excess weight is gone, then I can re-assess.

[lily]

Good luck, Fwebes. One of the things I really love about this diet (as I understand it), and about Alissa's aproach, is the encouragement to 'follow your body', like Raw Priestess has reminded us in her postings.

I know this is scary for us bingers -- ex-bingers? -- but I'm finding that knowing that I can eat anything I want as long as it's raw has given me a sense of relaxation and freedom which has taken away the desire to binge.

Sure, I'm getting crazes for different foods -- the last one was for avocados -- but by allowing myself to eat them I suddenly realised today that I've rather lost the taste for them. I am feeling clean inside, clear, strong and energetic -- one of the wonderful bonuses of this way of eating.

I'm not weighing myself, by the way, but my waistbands are getting loose. I'm sure you'll be successful if you keep focused and allow the foods to heal you. There are so many success stories of those who have been there before us to cheer us on!

x lily

[misslinda]

Lynn,

ME TOO. Whenever I get a craving to go on the deep end, it's always raisins and if I have one, OMG it snatches me and then cashews and walnuts. I should have soaked my raisin like a good raw foodist but I was trying to get by and I did pay the price 2 weeks ago.

Do you soak your raisins?