Cannot lose weight and have no energy on raw! Help!

Hi all, I'm new to this forum.

I've been 100% raw for the past 15 days. I've known about the benefits of raw for many years, but my ill health has gotten to the stage whereby I have no choice but to do this. It all makes a lot of sense and I plan to make this a long-term goal. I actually don't find it difficult eating this way.

I'm quite distressed however that after 15 days I have not lost one kilo and my fatigue and energy levels are appalling. I'm conscious of not eating too much fat (oils, nuts etc) and walk 30 minutes a day. I've had my thyroid checked and hormones - all good. Am I expecting too much? All the blogs, videos I've seen have countless overweight/tired folks yelling from the roof tops that 'the weight just fell off' and their 'energy levels are that of a teenager'. What's wrong with me? Does anyone have any insight as to why no weight has moved and why my energy levels are really bad? I have friends and family who don't understand raw and I'm sure are hoping this fails so they can confirm their pre-conceived notions of it all. I would really appreciate some thoughts on the subject. I want to be shouting from the roof tops one day soon!! Many thanks. Katrin (Australia).

Without more information as to what you ARE eating.... what else is going on in your life, etc. When I work with clients I ask a LOT of questions to determine a course of action.

I will tell you one thing ~ when I first went raw about 15 years or so ago, pretty much everything other than large salads, contained nuts and seeds and all 6 of us eliminated weight.

Check the posts and blogs here ~ not everyone has eliminated excess weight all that quickly. One thing that's good about eating more healthily is often the nutrients need to go someplace to heal whatever is ailing us.

One question ~ are you drinking water? at least 64 oz. a day?

Thanks for the reply.

My typical diet:

Breakfast: Green smoothie with little fruit
Snack: handful of nuts and seeds
Lunch: dehydrated flax crackers with avocado tomato
Snack: Fresh orange and nuts
Dinner: Fresh green juice or raw veggie soup with flax crackers

Warm water enemas twice a week

Drinking about 3 litres of water a day.

I'm not working at the moment as I've been too unwell. I don't have any stress other than being ill and trying to recover. My partner is also following the same diet and is very supportive (I'm sooo lucky!!).

I'm 5 foot 9 inches. Healthy weight is around 70 kilos - presently I'm 85 kilos. Very distressing as this is the heaviest I've ever been. I've not had issues with losing weight prior to getting sick. Should I eliminate anything from my diet to assist? Thanks.

I don't think you are eating enough. Your body is in survival mode and hanging on to calories cause you are starving it. Download a calorie counter - you need to eat at least 1200 a day to function and not to slow your metabolism. I bet you are not eating 800. Food is good - if its raw - eat it!!:)

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Originally Posted by snoops

I don't think you are eating enough. Your body is in survival mode and hanging on to calories cause you are starving it. Download a calorie counter - you need to eat at least 1200 a day to function and not to slow your metabolism. I bet you are not eating 800. Food is good - if its raw - eat it!!:)

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I have to agree with this. Youre not eating enough, a good program to track your food in is www.cronometer.com (aim for at least 2,000-2,500 cal a day and see how you feel) :) Try eating more ripe calorie dense fruits like bananas, dates, mango, grapes, papaya, etc.

Thank you so much for your comments. I just can't fathom that I am not eating enough. That has got to be a first!! My calorie intake (based on current weight/height) is approx. 2000 calories a day. I'm sure that I'm getting that with the nut pates Im consuming and nuts/avocados etc. I just tried the cronometer site (a little confusing). I will endeavour to check it out. thanks again.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by snoops

I don't think you are eating enough. Your body is in survival mode and hanging on to calories cause you are starving it. Download a calorie counter - you need to eat at least 1200 a day to function and not to slow your metabolism. I bet you are not eating 800. Food is good - if its raw - eat it!!:)

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Sorry to go on about this, but surely when the body is not getting enough calories that's when it starts sourcing its energy from the stored fats - i.e. my extra 15 kilos! That's what happens on a fast. What you say does not make sense. I feel very frustrated as I just don't know what to do...

Eat more. You're starving yourself.

I'm new to this myself and certainly no expert, but in looking over your typical diet it struck me you might want to try eating twice as many meals of fruits and veggies and eliminating the crackers, nuts and seeds for a few days and see if that makes a difference?

What works for me is when I get my fat calories from avocados in huge salads and wraps, and from olive oil in salads and soups and veggie dishes, and also munching on coconut (sometimes I eat a whole coconut in a day!) I really don't lose weight when I'm eating nuts or seeds, they're too easy for me to over-eat.

I've been eating plenty of dates, though, and bananas.... and I also have more than one green smoothie a day if I feel like it.

I haven't reached the point where I'm satisfied with just having fruit and smoothies in the morning.... I'd recommend shaking things up and starting your day with a huge creamy avocado salad or some zucchini spaghetti, really pig out! I do that some mornings and I LOVE it.

Mostly I guess my attitude is, when we're just starting out, it's time to really enjoy discovering all this cool new stuff we get to eat, you know? I love miso soup with zucchini spaghetti and avos for breakfast!

Anyhow, just wanted to chime in as I've been steadily losing weight -- and having tons of energy -- and barely exercising -- and eating a lot!! I mean, seriously: a ton :eat

(I do plan on exercising more, though.)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Katrin

Sorry to go on about this, but surely when the body is not getting enough calories that's when it starts sourcing its energy from the stored fats - i.e. my extra 15 kilos! That's what happens on a fast. What you say does not make sense. I feel very frustrated as I just don't know what to do...

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You are right to a degree. But when you eat too little your body, the smart being that it is, slows down your metabolism to make sure you can last the famine. Make sure about your calories on that chronometer. From what you posted it looked like too little. You should never go below 1200 a day.

Hi again, thanks to each of you for your suggestions and thoughts. Really helpful.

Snoops: I've worked out how to use the chronometer. It's such a cool tool!! (that would be a good slogan on a t-shirt ;) It turns out that I have been exceeding my daily calorie intake - I've been eating way too many nuts. I've actually measured the nuts I'm eating and checking the calorie content and it seems I was not aware of how much I was actually consuming - handful of almonds is around 500 calories! (Holy Moses). Very helpful to know. That coupled with my slow metabolism seems to be indicating why I'm actually not losing weight. Such a learning process. Anyway, onwards and upwards. Thanks again. Ciao from Australia.

PS: I haven't been starving myself either - I've never felt so satisfied as I am on this diet. I actually feel full and content after each meal. The nutrients are doing their job. Not once have I felt hungry. So good.

glad you figured it out! Lots of nuts can be a problem. :)

Yeah, nuts really prevented me from losing weight, too.

Once I eliminated them I found I was much hungrier and craving a wider variety of foods, so I practically doubled up on the amounts of soups, salads, wraps, etc. I've been eating and found I could eat that much -- using plenty of avocados and olive oil -- and still lose weight!

Anyhow, just sharing what's been working for me.

Good luck on your journey!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Katrin

Thanks for the reply.

My typical diet:

Breakfast: Green smoothie with little fruit
Snack: handful of nuts and seeds
Lunch: dehydrated flax crackers with avocado tomato
Snack: Fresh orange and nuts
Dinner: Fresh green juice or raw veggie soup with flax crackers

Warm water enemas twice a week

Drinking about 3 litres of water a day.

I'm not working at the moment as I've been too unwell. I don't have any stress other than being ill and trying to recover. My partner is also following the same diet and is very supportive (I'm sooo lucky!!).

I'm 5 foot 9 inches. Healthy weight is around 70 kilos - presently I'm 85 kilos. Very distressing as this is the heaviest I've ever been. I've not had issues with losing weight prior to getting sick. Should I eliminate anything from my diet to assist? Thanks.

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Always remember, greens greens and more greens. Fill your blender with nearly all greens and juice heaps and heaps of greens every single day. Eat raw sea weeds and algaes and get used to it. Always eat fresh greens always.

Keep the dehydrated foods to a minimum l would think.

Eating the freshest high vibration foods is always the key to high energy. Some of my recent posts in other threads talk about this.

I've had the same problem recently but it's always when I'm not eating enough. The more I eat (mostly greens), the more I lose. :)

Good luck!