My turn to feel discouraged

[kayla]

I've been 100% raw for nearly 3 weeks and I'm just not seeing or feeling any changes. I am still sleeping the same amount as I usually do (8, 9 or even 10 hours :eek: ), I don't have any more energy than I usually do, not feeling more focused or anything. I don't even like the food. I have to choke down carrots, baby spinach, strawberries and grapes daily...and these are some of my favorite foods! I thought I might be eating too simply for a beginner so I tried making blueberry cheesecake out of Alissa's book and I didn't like it AT ALL...but I loved all the ingredients by themselves.

Worst of all, I haven't lost any inches (I don't have a scale, so I don't know if any actual weight has come off). This is just unfathomable to me, since I am obese...I mean I should have noticed SOMETHING.

A typical day of eating would be probably be:

late morning: 20 or so grapes.
afternoon: a banana (sometimes with raw almond butter), a few blackberries, 10 or so strawberries.
early evening: 10 baby carrots and an apple
later evening: another apple and some raisins
even later evening: a small handful of almonds or cashews

Somedays I won't even eat because I won't be the least bit hungry, and I know I should eat more greens but I can taste even the smallest amount in a green/fruit smoothie and it makes me vomit. I haven't even felt that much detox...I had a couple headaches and that's it. I feel like I might be doing something wrong. :( :( :(

To make matters worse...I really want some pizza. bummer.

[karenisraw]

Kayla,

Hmmmm. I would just stick with it. Are you eating organic foods? That makes a difference to me in how I feel. (alertness, happiness, euhoria, etc.).

Maybe you don't feel all that great because you are mildly detoxing continually.

I did lose 10 lb's my first 2 weeks and then it stopped and did not move for the next month. I am sticking to it becuase I feel like I look slimmer although I don't neccessarily feel like it. I know in my heart that I will continue to lose it will just be a matter of time.

Good luck.

k

:)

[JennaBoBenna]

I think you need more plant fat in your diet. Your body won't get rid of any fat unless some fat is coming in. Try making a fruit smoothie and adding an avocado or some coconut oil.

Also, try having your late evening snack earlier. Eating fat and then not burning it off could be one of the problems. Try eating it earlier in the day when you'll be be-bopping around. Have an avocado smoothie in the morning, I've been doing this every morning lately and it makes me feel fantasic!

And about weight not coming off, perhaps your body is focussing on fixing something else first?

Oh, and try proper food combining. That can do wonders

And lastly of all....
don't eat the pizza!! :p Try eating some tropical fruit instead. Like mangoes or kiwi. Whenever I'm hungry and don't want to eat like apples or bananas, a few kiwis or mangoes does the trick :)

[karenisraw]

Kayla,

I agree with what SmellyDelly said. All of it.

k
:) :)

[kayla]

*sighing* ok. hehe.

The thing is...I don't like avocados and when I was putting the coconut oil in my smoothies, it kinda tasted funny. :confused: I will try it again just for the sake of it.

Oh, and my late evening snack isn't really that late...I stay up until like 2-3 am studying for class (I'm in college), so I start my day around 10-11 am...soooo, a 10 pm snack isn't really that late for me. At least, I'm assuming...?

[misslinda]

Kayla,sweet thang!

For someone who is in college and using alot of energy, I don't think you're even eating enough by the looks of it!!!!!!!

Are you drinking water?

How 'bout rev it up a little bit...........for example

Start off the morning iwth some warm water with lemonjuice for a kick start on your liver and kidneys plus the lemon activates the saliva.

AM: A tasty banana/baby spinach smoothie

Snack: bowl of strawberries or other fruit


Don't give up when you have the opportunity to make it better! Right?

Lunch: Salad of choice with dressing and crackers or with nuts you like

Snack: Blueberry pie

Dinner: Zuchini pasta with mushroom sauce (you couold make in blender with coocnut milk and spices and /olive oilfresh basil)


Are you soaking your nuts?

BM's?


Don't give up when you have the opportunity to make it better! Right? :)


Forever,
ml ;)

[kayla]

thanks misslinda...

I will try some suggestions next week after I go to the grocery store. I've got plenty of stuff to eat right now so I'll make it work.

Yes, I'm drinking plenty of water. I'd say probably 2.5L a day. I was also thinking of trying a fast or a cleanse. I haven't really been hungry so I don't think it would be too hard :p


Since someone mentioned mangoes, I'm going to go ahead and ask a question. What color is the meat inside supposed to be? I tried a mango last week and it was bright orange, but kinda smelled and tasted funny. So I thought it might just be that one, and today I cut another open and it was bright yellow! It still tasted and smelled kinda gross, so I was just wondering lol

[misslinda]

Mangoes should as I always encountered,b a orangish color.......yellowish that i Have not seen.

You sound depressed Kayla :confused: :(

[kayla]

observant...hehe

there's good days and bad days, but I'll say I've had some degree of depression for about 4 years. It's not as bad as it was at certain points, but I am definately pluggin' away just doing my best. ;)

Don't fret misslinda, I know raw is the best thing ever, I just need to remind myself of that sometimes. I guess it's not so much about the weight loss as it is about just trying to get into the mindset that food is for physical nourishment, not emotional. So, I am just going to go with that as my goal and trust that everything else will come from that.

[JennaBoBenna]

about mangoes:
the meat is supposed to be yellowy orangey. They should yield to light pressure, and if you peel them they should be realllly juicy and slippery by the time you finish peeling them. oh gosh i love mangoes mmmmmm i'm drooling over here :D

Kayla:
I don't like avocados either :p but when I put them in a smoothie, it's fine because i cant taste it

and your late-night snack is pretty late. because you really shouldnt eat after 7-8 pm. i know because you stay up so late that 10 pm doesnt seem that late...but your body is on a special schedule. So it would be better to munch on fruit when you get hungry at night.

[Debrah]

Hi Kayla,
I'm a newbie, bear that in mind.

You might want to read RawPriestess's recent thread "what Really works." I found it encouraging.

Perhaps it would help to focus on the raw foods that really appeal to you right now. (Let go of what you think you're supposed to like, and go with whatever raw food appeals to you right now.) If there's little pleasure in your eating, I don't see how you'll want to stick with it. I also believe in giving your taste time to change. Some things that seem boring now may eventually appeal to you.

Also, as regards pizza, I believe it is one of the more addicting foods in the American diet, no lie. Cheese and bread are highly addicting in my experience. Cooked food is a tough habit to break.

[Guydiane]

Hi Kayla

About you water intake I don't think that 2.5 liters are enough. They say at a wellness instute that I went to that you should take you weight, devide it in to and drink that many ounces. Say like I weight 189 pounds I devide it in half which if 94 1/2 so I need to drink 94 ounces of water a day.

[Raw Jewelrylady]

Kayla, I agree w/ alot that has been posted...but looking at your day...I don't think you are eating enough. No wonder you are craving Pizza.

Do yourself a favor, stop worrying about the typical "fat-counting"-calorie-counting...etc...That does not work w/ Raw. If you do not put enough fat into your body...your body will go into "starvation" mode. This is the reason why..I believe..many have weight problems.

Also, don't eat ANYTHING you don't like. I tried many coconut oils-but Alissa's is the best & yes ..it does help w/the "morning" fuel...As far as the green smoothies...If you don't like the greens...don't add them or add less so you find it palatable.

Thing is, this is a complete lifestyle change...not a "diet...Find things you do like.
some of my staples are pate's on salads/ guac & chips/veggies..There is a "killer" refried bean recipe that Rawkinlocs posted last weekend that has become my fav. Also, the gazpachos that Samuel Wilson has posted are fab.

go to the banana...do a search...& keep yourself fed. I stumbled a lot at the beginning...but this does work. Take care... :p :)
Lana

****My best piece of advise is to keep w/the board & learn to prepare yummy foods..****

[Purl]

I'm pretty new here, but I do have some lil bits of advice. One-I htink soaking the nuts is very important. I didn't really think it mattered-and the scale had stopped moving. Then I only ate soaked nuts for 2 days and the scale started moving down again. I also do not think you are eating nearly enough. You need healthy fats to keep you healthy. I drink a green smoothie with coconut oil every morning. Maybe someone can comment on this-but perhaps you should haev a smoothie w/ a shot of wheatgrass in it??? (If you hate other greens, perhaps the wheatgrass is more palatable? It's been years since I've had any so I don't remember...)

Also-what about exercise? I'm not talking weight lifting or running 12 miles-just a nice brisk walk out of doors? That always helps with my appetite. My other thought is maybe, just maybe you are trying too radical a change, all at once and you are "burning out"?

Hang in there! You can do this!

[JMD]

Hi,

IMO, I too think you are eating too little no wonder you are tired.....

I know when I got too low with fats and intake and eat only fruit it makes me feel worse--more hypoglycemic and sorta depressed.

I also know the more i focus on losing weight the more is stays the same or does not budge!!!!!!!!!!! :( (insert me kicking and screaming!!)

My advise would be to reread above posts, keep a journal, eat more and keep it simple...BUT satisfying!!!

JMD

[misslinda]

:( (insert me kicking and screaming!!)


JMD


LOL............Jen, I cannot picture you doing this. You're too graceful and statueque to me.



Go KAYLA! THIS IS YOUR DREAM TEAM......BACKING YOU UP :) ;) :D :p :) TIME TO STEP UP TO THE A-TEAM NO MORE B-TEAM CHICKADEE...........

[JMD]

LOL~~~MissL I can have my moments----I appreciate the graceful and statueque comments..but a girls gotta have a hissy fit once in a while no??? :p esp when I am focusing on things like what the scale says a montior of my mood for the day--not the best thing for me to focus on....:)

This website is like a wonderbra to me---gives good supports and lifts me up to be perkier that I am on my own!!:)

[misslinda]

This website is like a wonderbra to me---gives good supports and lifts me up to be perkier that I am on my own!!:)


OMG, JEN THAT IS TOOOOOOO FUNNY--THAT NEES TO BE THE MOTTO!

THAT'S WHAT I LOVE 'BOUT YA! :)


GOOD TIMES,
ML

[JMD]

misslinda----

Thanks!! That is my motto!! becuz the older the get the more i sag lol!!!!

Hey does raw perk up the breasts?? OK this is not helping the person who wrote this post....but we all need a good laugh once and a while who release the perfection demons that hold me back....

:)hugs to all
jmd

[misslinda]

hmnmmmm..you read my mind. i would think it should??? i'll start a thread on it--seriously! :confused: :D

[karenisraw]

Kayla,

I am stuck too. I lost 10 lb's the first two weeks and now the scal hasn't budged for over a month. I still eat my coconut oil and avocados becuase if I don't then I crave SAD. I have EXTREMELY low metabolism and need to lose about 65 lb's. I am deciding that I should probably excersice. I don't want to cut down on eating becuase I don't want to go into starvation mode and mess up my metabolism even more. I personally say congrats to those that can eat anything they want and not get fat. I am not one of them even on raw. I can however eat till satisfied and full and happy and maintain pretty well, I just can't keep stuffing it in till I burst. Oh well. LOL. The benefits I get from raw are so many (happiness, energy, euphoria, well-being, etc.) that even if I did not lose anymore weight, I would still stay raw. For me, I am going to lose by exceersize. Just being honest to you about what I need to do. I am starting to soak my nuts too. I did not think it would matter, but I think it probably will. It turns fats into fatty acids when you soak them.

k
:D :) :)

[kayla]

I do want to eat more, but I am just not hungry (I know I said I craved SAD food, but I crave even when I'm not hungry). I had a smoothie over 6 hours ago and I'm still not hungry at all. I know forcing myself to eat isn't good, but should I do it anyway, in small amounts?

[Jackie1995]

Hey Kayla,

What you eat all day I pack in at breakfast! OK, I'm exaggerating a little (but not much!).

I've been doing this since May 05, with time off for Hurricane Wilma which took away my fresh food supply, my electricity, and gave me such a mess to clean up I actually went and ate pizza - several times! But I'm back now, and it's easier than ever.

First of all, whatever foods you DO like, well, eat them. OK, so you don't feel too hungry. I don't usually get hungry anymore, either, but eating less than 1200 calories per day is just putting you into hibernation mode.

Do you like bananas? If so, eat a few for a meal. Do what you said to make it special: slap some almond butter on them...or, get totally decadant, drizzle some raw honey on top of that too, WOW talk about dessert!

So you're not a greens freak (yet). Well, the nutrition is IN the greens. Try a banana, grape spinach smoothie. If you like it, next time add a bit more spinach. Or add romaine lettuce. Throw in a stalk of celery. It's easy to get your greens if you play around a bit, adding a little at a time, so your taste buds don't curl up on you.

Melons, grapes, berries, pineapple, apples, oranges, grapefruit, WOW! There's got to be something in this list of fruit you enjoy eating, so just eat a bit more of it to provide your body with the fuel it needs to GET UP AND ROCK! I eat 2-3 oranges and 1/2 grapefruit for a meal, and I'm stuffed solid. But it tastes wonderful, and does a body good.

And exercise: oh, boy, that is a hot topic. You may be like me: no movement, no weight change. I can do a juice fast and if I don't exercise, I'm not losing any weight, fahgeddaboudit. So I exercise every morning, it gives me energy, makes me appreciate my first meal, and puts a smile on my face even if I don't want to be a happy chappy. Can't help it! And yep, I'm losing weight. But if I stop for even 2 days, no weight loss. Simple solution: make exercise a habit.

This whole process should be fun: no dishes to clean up, or only minimally so; no thinking about calories, fat percentages, nutrient amounts (because variety in diet gives you pretty much all you need in most cases); freedom from feeling bad because of poor food choices.

And trust me: once you get into the swing of things, your depression will lift, and you'll wonder where it went - but you won't wonder too hard, believe me!

So, snack often, do your homework, get straight A's, walk (briskly) around campus just because it feels good, smile a lot and ENJOY LIFE!

[misslinda]

I do want to eat more, but I am just not hungry (I know I said I craved SAD food, but I crave even when I'm not hungry). I had a smoothie over 6 hours ago and I'm still not hungry at all. I know forcing myself to eat isn't good, but should I do it anyway, in small amounts?


If you are truly not hungry then alllow yourself to refrain from food. Your body will tell you. Pamper your body and give it some lemon water to kick start that liver/kidneys to see if you have a little blockage that is keeping you from having an appetite.

have you considered green smoothies? THey are colon friendly,rejenating and cleansing plus vital nutirents you need!

Soaking your nuts?

[yumyum]

I do want to eat more, but I am just not hungry (I know I said I craved SAD food, but I crave even when I'm not hungry). I had a smoothie over 6 hours ago and I'm still not hungry at all. I know forcing myself to eat isn't good, but should I do it anyway, in small amounts?I've been there, and I learned to eat small meals. I eat what I enjoy eating. It can be as little as a handfull of something. Small meals, and every 2 hours or so.

It is also, like people have been saying here; very important that you enjoy what you eat.

Also, small meals, eaten often, enhances your metabolism and Alissa recommends many smaller meals (or snacks) for weightloss.

Much good advice in this thread. :)

[kayla]

Thanks for everyone's consideration, I really, really, REALLY appreciate it. ;)

I will give the green smoothies another try in a bit. I think I have just gotten into the habit of not eating during the day when I have class so I am forgetting to be hungry I guess. I'll try my best to pack some sort of snack to nibble on during the days I have long classes.