Need to gain weight

[julesmoz]

I've been on raw foods for about two months, and I've actually lost more weight than I want to (I was already as thin as I wanted to be before I started the diet). I've heard that this is a very common thing that happens to people when they first start on raw foods.

For others who have had this experience, how long did it last and what did you do to gain weight? Also, do you know why this happens?

What do you eat when you want something that's calorie-dense but not too sugar- or fat-laden?

Thank you so much! I really appreciate your replies!

[Rawkinlocs]

Alissa calls it "shedding your false body".

You might benefit from reading the following threads as they will probably answer many of your questions and concerns with not wanting to lose weight:

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=189&highlight=gain+weight

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6110&highlight=gain+weight

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1586&highlight=gain+weight

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5621&highlight=gain+weight

But in brief, if you don't mind I'd like to quote something I wrote in one of the above threads to someone who shared the same concerns as you:

"first of all you must realize something and that's that your body knows what it's doing and that your weight loss doesn't necessarily mean it will stay that way. Many of us here who didn't feel we needed to lose weight, lost and then as our bodies got cleaner and healthier and began to rebuild healthier tissue, etc. we began to put on a little weight and eventually, the body will balance out and stabilize at IT'S ideal weight and not necessarily OUR ideal weight.

We can sometimes place demands on how much we will or will not weigh and try to control it but our bodies know what the deal should really be! We just have to learn to trust that and that's sometimes the hardest part.

Eating tons and tons of fat (even healthy fat) just for the sake of putting on or keeping on pounds is not always the best or healthiest thing to do.

Eat your healthy fats, eat your fruits and veggies and your greens and consider doing some weights to build up muscle (see our "Exercise forum" as there are probably some good threads on this very topic there as well).

I know how you feel, though. I didn't feel I needed to lose any or much weight either. But I did. I weigh less than I did when I started out in raw, but more than I did when my weight dropped to it's lowest point. I'm now at a happy medium and I am content and happy with where my body has decided to balance out at. :) "

[jaurequi]

Hi, julesmoz,

This happened to me as well. I was at my ideal weight and very comfortable in it. I dropped more than I could spare and didn't look too good. However, I leveled out and gained back to just a couple pounds below my ideal.

In my case, it was merely a matter of "getting it right" -- finding my optimal eating plan. Whenever you change your diet -- and, the more radical the more drastic it all is -- you have to learn how to eat correctly to find your personal optimal balance. We all have varying needs ; so one plan doesn't fit all. When I figured it out by taking note of everything happening to me and everything I was eating (jotting it down helps some; or just take mental note), and getting to a point where I was balanced (and you *know* it by the way you feel physically and emotionally), then I got back to my personal healthy weight. Even at the same weight now, I did lose fat!

Best,