Weekly weight loss update since 1 Jan 06 - disappointing

[English Tracy]

Hi everyone,

Well, 5 weeks into 100% raw and although I have lost 14lbs in that time, it is not a steady weight loss. Week 1 - 6lbs, week 2 - 4 lbs, weeks 3 & 4 totalled 4 lbs and nothiing in the last week. :(

I know I am raw for health reasons but weight loss is also a prime concern for me. I need to lose another 42lb or so and want to do it before my birthday in May.

I have stopped eating all the fatty, cooked food that I used to eat (English equivalent of SAD) and am confused as to why I'm not steadily losing 2 or 3 lbs a week on raw. I've cut down the nuts to one portion a day, have an avocado a day and try to make the rest of my food salads and fruit.

Sweetgoddess - you said you'd lost over 70 lbs on raw - can you please tell me how long that took you? What did you eat mostly during that period in your life? Perhaps I just have unreasonable expectations of how long it will take.

Does anyone have a tried and tested 'menu plan' which helped with weight loss? I'll give it a shot if anyone recommends one.

Thanks for the support.

Tracy

1st Jan 06 202 lbs

5th Feb 06 188 lbs

Target for 12th May 06 147 lbs IS THIS ACHIEVABLE????

[DrPr]

I think you are doing great! Losing weight is my primary concern as well, so I've been paying attention to the effect my meals have on my weight loss. As a newbie, I still pay attention to the amount of fat I eat and try to keep it around 30% of my total caloric intake. I don't do a lot of math to figure that out- I just don't put olive oil, avocado or nuts on everything, and when I do use them, I use them in controlled amounts. I eat mostly fresh produce as opposed to a lot of processed raw foods, although I have them on hand in case I want to use them from time to time. I drink a lot of water throughout the day- I always keep water with me. (I live in a dry state in the southwest so with very little humidity, the water helps).

Now, everybody has their own way of doing this and you'll have to find what works specifically for you through experience and willingness to try new things. I don't know if I'll always lose 2 or 3 lbs a week, but I'd like to lose no less than 2 lbs a week. However, I know that with my caloric intake, vitamins and increasing variety of foods, I'm getting healthy in other ways so if I lose less than 2 lbs a week sometimes, I will keep all the other health benefits in mind. :-)

If you want to check out my blog "Raw Odyssey" you'll see exactly what I'm eating every day. I total the calories, carbs, fats and protein, which I needed to do when I started, but am finding much less necessary now. I'm training myself to not worry about the numbers, so to that end I am practicing looking at the nutritional information only at the end of the day when it can no longer influence what I eat. Over time I'll learn to trust my body's signals and not use nutritional information so much- but it's a slow process for someone overweight for almost 30 years and starting with 200 lbs to lose!

Anyhoo, I lost 25 lbs in January and 3 more lbs this week (I haven't updated my profile yet). 28 lbs so far!

[sweetgoddess]

Hi Tracy. I am really sorry to hear you are feeling discouraged, because I think you are doing wonderfully. You have been eating raw for one month if I read your stats right. I wanted to address the questions you directed to me. It took me 8 months to lose that much weight. If you average that out it works out to 8.75 lbs a month--though it didnt work like that! There were times I lost nothing for periods of many, many days and then would overnight be 8 lbs lighter.

If you look in my journal, you will see I eat a variety of things-- a variety of salads, recipes, green smoothies, bananas with almond butter, fruit, tons of date nut torte, blueberry pie, ice cream, halvah and other desserts, stir unfry etc

Maybe I would have lost more and quicker had I lived on celery sticks and denied myself pleasure in my food choices--but I didnt want to do that. I wanted something I could live and be. And I can tell you I am thrilled with my raw journey.
I never once worried about fat, carbs, calories, protein, supplements, percents, the scale....not once. I embraced the power of raw food over a period of time as my philosophy, and it dramatically changed my life on every level.

I personally believe that lack of fear, that joy and faith and even an inner feeling of appreciation and blessing towards my raw diet have made all the difference. For the first time in my life I view my body with different eyes--as a gift and a vessel and I feel love and tenderness and respect towards it.

It has been one of the most freeing things I have ever experienced in this lifetime--letting go of the whole diet mentality and rules and restrictions. I cherish that freedom so much I could cry--and I wish it for everyone. It almost hurts to watch people give so much meaning and power and energy to the numbers on the scale, to the fat grams and calories and carbs ....I ache for them to just be free, to have the freedom that is the gift of Alissa's philosophy. To have it fully.

I could cut out nuts and avo's....I could not eat dessert or recipes.....but I don'twant to do that! I don't want to worry, stress, guilt or analyze my food anymore. I just want to enjoy it and bless it!

I am not sure why all this came out of me in this response. But I am going to go with it. Just keep going Tracy and do what feels good. Remember you are not just a body.

I once decided to measure my food on the BMHS scale. That is Body, mind, heart and spirit. Does this food make me feel good on all those levels? great- then I dine with delight! :)

Well,hope that answered your questions.And then some I am sure!

Warmly~
Carmel

[English Tracy]

Thank you DrPr and Sweetgoddess for your kind words. I know that 14lbs in 5 weeks is good, I'd just hoped that the weight would drop off regularly each and every week. If I could lose 12 - 14 lbs each month, I'd feel great but I know I have to be realistic.

DrPr - 28lbs is amazing - you must be feeling so pleased and I bet your clothes are a lot looser! I will read your journal and check out what you are eating.

Before I read these posts, I made a portion of the choc (carob) frosting that goes with Alissa's choc cake - and demolished the lot! I suppose it proves that you can over-eat on raw!! At least that's out of my system - "tomorrow is another day" :)

Tracy

[Goddess_girl]

that is great weight loss'
It is dangerous to lose fast.
It is a journey to your new self; not a race to crash and burn and gain again.
(which is what happens when you have a quick weightloss)

[Jackie1995]

I too experienced a nice weight loss for about 8 weeks when I first went raw, then it stopped. Really just quit on me.

I had a problem staying raw after the Wilma came thru, and gained weight back pretty quickly eating non-raw foods.

Started back raw again, but this time, weight loss was minimal. Really dragging...very disheartening.

I started daily exercise, walking briskly for 4 miles a day, and added 2 pound weights to my hands to build up my shoulder and chest muscles, and guess what? Started losing weight steadily again.

My body wants exercise, or it won't cooperate. I walk for minimum 1 hour daily, and eat raw, and I feel GREAT!

I didn't change my foods, just my movement, and that was the answer for me.

Hope this helps!