HELP!! Gaining TOO much weight!!

[showjumper]

I am gaining way too much weight on raw foods I've been trying to stay raw but I cry every night over my weight, HELP!!

To give you some background I am 4 ft. 10 in. tall and before I started on raw foods I was in transition to being a vegan. I had a 25.5 inch waist and weighed 98 lbs. which was a healthy weight for my height. I was completely happy with my body but chose raw food to improve my health.

I did fine on raw food for the first six months I felt great, my weight stayed the same but my body looked better my body was healing it was fabulous. Then I decided to do the arise and shine cleanse, BIG mistake. I lost a little weight while doing it but only lasted 11 days because I was STARVING everyday and I hated that feeling. My tummy was grumbling every minute of the day. Well after I stopped I went back to the exact raw food diet I had been eating the previous six months and now I GAINED two extra pounds and weighed 100. I figured okay 100 lbs. not so bad.

I did another arise and shine cleanse a few months later and only made it 15 days. I can't stand that starving feeling I don't know how people do that, I can't starve myself like that. Anyway, so after 15 days I went back again to my same raw foods diet and this time I gained another extra two pounds so now I weigh 102 lbs. I know that's not a lot but that is 4 lbs. more and I was frustrated.

I was exercising everyday between 50-90 minutes. In Jan. of 2006 I had been raw for 1 1/2 years and was frustrated because I look flabbier than before I went raw so I decided to really kick up my exercise. I started running and weight lifting. This entire summer I was running between 6 and 13 miles a day and alternating with long weight training workouts. I was exercising many days for 2 - 2 1/2 hours a day. But the weight just kept on coming!!!!

I went from 104......106.......108 now I am TEN POUNDS heavier than when I started and my waist has gone from 25.5 inches to 27.5 inches.

My typical diet is:

Green smoothie in the morning: Water, leafy greens, banana, mango

Breakfast: banana, raisins, sprouted oats, cashew milk

Lunch: BIG salad

Snacks: apples, oranges, maya bars

Dinner: Broccoli & cauliflower in cashew sauce, salads, sundried tomato based vegetable soups etc...

I dont' eat a lot of nuts at all, infact I NEVER snack on them. I eat them occasionally in sauces or nut milks.

If anyone has any thoughts or suggestions I would love it. My clothes don't fit anymore, my stomach is flabby and I am gaining weight uncontrollably. I am worried that the cleanses have ruined my metabolism! I am scared because I have not been able to stop the weight gain it just keeps going up! I am not a fruitarian and prefer not to go that route, I tried that and felt famished every minute of the day and it stopped my menstrual period because I wasn't getting enough fats. HELP!!

Thanks a bunch,

minirunner

[Sharon in Colorado]

Maybe leave out the cashew and maya bars for a little while, and eat more water rich fruits and veggies. See how that goes for a week or 2.

[sungoddess]

the stopping of menstruation COULD have been a goood sign... they say on high fruit low fat women stop mentruating but don't stop ovulating.

I am sorry you are going through this! You exercise so much! I wish I could do that... What is a rise and shine cleanse????

[freetarian]

they say on high fruit low fat women stop mentruating but don't stop ovulating.

How does that work? What do you mean by that?

[daisyduke]

I was in the exact same position as you. At first lost weight, then exercised 2-3 hours a day and kept on gaining. After a consult with Dr. Doug, I realized that I was exercising too much, not getting enough rest, and had developed adrenal fatigue. That led to too much cortisol production and weight gain. If I were you, I would take a good month or more of no exercise and lots of rest. Then start exercising again and you're weight will drop. Best of luck!

[Sunshine9]

What do you mean by "starving" on the arise & shine cleanse? Did you follow the protocol?

For the first week, you are still eating 2.5 meals a day plus all those shakes..
Then into the second week it's still 2 meals. You can eat as much as you want. Why were you so hungry?

Sounds like you are over-exercising

Do you do anything to relax? Just to nourish yourself? Read.. take baths.. do yoga?

[Purl]

FWIW-maya bars are very high in fat. 9 grams for just one bars, so if you are eating a few day, plus the other high fat stuff...

never knew that about adrenal fatigue-how do you find out about that? what kind of testing is involved. Hmmm...that may be the answer to my "issues"

[rawstrawberry]

Remember weight is just a number. If you are exercising a lot and weigh lifting you are gaining muscle.

Muscle can push out any extra fat even if you don't have much. Maybe try doing only body weight exerecises??

[PantryRaider]

Here is something else to consider....

If you eat the diet of a 300 pound person, you will weigh 300 pounds. If you eat what a 220 person eats, you will weight 220 pounds. If you eat the diet of a 150 pound person, you will weigh 150 pounds.

Keep in mind that the difference between weighing 150 pounds and 160 pounds is only 125 calories a day.

About the calories in an apple and half a banana.

Raw or cooked.. makes no difference... a calorie is a calorie. What we don't consume, we wear.

I never lost weight and kept it off, raw or otherwise, until I bought a digital scale and weighed my food. Always a shock to see how much I am actually consuming in my latest raw food concoction or green smoothie.

Weight control is constant vigilance and portion control. You gotta weigh your food.

[Raw Magwene]

Cool it on the exercising! When I joined a local running club, all the women there warned me that they hadn't lost weight while training to run their first marathon; too much to expect from your body without feeding it enough for maintenance at least.

I don't know what the fast is that you mentioned, but my feeling with fasting and cleansing is that when I start to feel honest hunger, it's time to ease back to regular (raw) food. I don't think you messed up your metabolism with those fasts, but I must say, I'm not a doctor, or any kind of medical professional at all, so maybe you should consult someone who is?

Also, it's interesting that you mention 2" gain in your waist. Anywhere else? Hips, bust? arms, thighs??? If not, that 2" sounds like it could be due to digestive issues. It seems possible that you could have some food sensitivities or allergies that are causing bloating or swelling in your belly? I have that problem with wheat, sugar cane, or if I eat too much dried fruit, raw honey, agave.

Is there anything you're not digesting too well?

[sport]

How does that work? What do you mean by that?

What they mean is that animals in the wild do not bleed monthly and we do not need to either. It is a product of eating cooked foods and some long time raw fooders can find that it stops. That does not mean that they are not fertile or healthy, just that they are natural.

[rawfigure]

Reduce the exercise...do less stressful work outs for 2-3 weeks. Intensive long work outs can cause hormoal changes, water weight gain as someone else mentioned. Muscle gain takes a longer time for a female so as someone mentioned it may be muscle, alittle could be but in a month or two...not much more than a pound, maybe two.

Try eating mono meals , super clean and light for two weeks, no nuts, nut milks and change some food choices for a few wekks then recheck your measures !

[dreamrawalwz]

I suggest exercising less. It can and will cause adrenal fatigue. If you're doing weights you'll gain muscle weight, not fat! How does your body look? Anyone's weight can fluctuate 5 pounds or more.

As for food, you seem to be eating a lot of nuts. Cashews are not raw in the first place so that may be part of your problem. Even if they say they're "raw" they most likely aren't. Are the Maya bars completely raw? Sometimes those type of bars are heated, but still say raw. I'm not familiar with Maya bars so I wouldn't know. I say incorporate more fresh fruits and veggies. Add in avocado. It's a different type of fat. Sometimes oats can affect people as well.

As someone else said, it's just a number. 4 pounds is not a lot at all, even on a petite person. Water weight fluctuates. Do you fit the same in your clothes? Do you look the same in the mirror?

[chilove]

Hi there,

If you cut out nuts and other fats and focus on eating delicious, satisfying, sweet fruit I'm sure you will notice a big difference in your weigth and how you feel overall. Just be sure to check in yourself that you are staying satisfied emotionally. Sometimes we need the more complex recipes and combinations when we first start out on raw.

All the best,

Audrey
www.rawhealing.com

[showjumper]

It isn't muscle, trust me, My stomach is flabby, hanging over my pants that don't fit anymore. I've gained weight around my hips, bust and waist. I used to be bust 32, waist 25.5, hips 33. Now I am bust 33, waist 27.5, hips, 34.5. I can pinch way more 'squish' than I could before. There is a lot more flab over the muscle than before. 10 pounds is just way too much. I tried for awhile to eat really well while I was training for a half marathon I was doing green smoothies, fruit and salads or vegetables or broth style soups for dinner but when I decreased my training for the winter, now exercising 50-90 min. a day instead of 1 1/2 -2 1/2 hours up goes the weight.

When I snack on a Maya bar, I eat 1/4 of the bar a day so definately not eating too much of it, I NEVER eat the whole thing at once unless I'm on the run and don't eat much else.

I have measured my calories, I generally eat 1600-1800 a day so I'm definately not eating an excessive amount even with my cashew milk. I make my cashew milk with like 10 nuts and only use half of it so there isn't a lot of fat in there.

When I try to eat fruit and greens all day I feel hungry and deprived all day, I hate that. I generally end up snacking on some ezekiel bread and that stops the hunger. Fruit makes me hungry.

Eating fruit gives you a sugar buzz, because it is so easily utilized by the body and leaves you hungry 15 min. later. I am trying to figure out how people do that.

On the arise and shine cleanse I ate the two big salads a day like it said but still felt terribly hungry. Immediately after drinking the whole shake at another 8 oz. of water I felt hungry.

I read that cleansing or fasting for more than 3 days can disrupt your metabolism. I talked to a friend of mine who was raw for five years and said she struggled with her weight from about year one on. She quit doing 100% raw and went to 50% with a lot of high protein vegan foods and lost weight.

Before going raw I didn't count calories at all, in fact I could eat a big bowl of ice cream 4 times a week and not gain a pound. Granted my health wasn't very good, that's why I went raw but there's got to be some way to eat raw, be healthy, and not gain weight.

I'm not really into deprivation, I love raw food, I love how I feel when I eat raw BUT, I'm not ready to commit to living on apple slices and bitter greens the rest of my life. I love to make raw enchiladas, tacos, soups, corn chips etc..

The comment about over stressing the adrenal glands, I've never heard of that. I've been exercising at extremely high intensity, sweating like crazy everyday. I never thought that would be a bad thing. I guess I figured yoga doesn't burn enough calories and since I was trying to lose weight I was doing anything that would burn the most calories.

I want someone to tell me honestly, do you really eat fruit and greens all day everyday and feel full and satisfied. You dont' ever make a raw dessert or 'normal' raw meal. I've heard that women need more fat in their diet than fruit and greens provide because of their menstrual cycle and the reason it stops is because the body fat% in raw women drops to low to support the menstrual cycle.

I'll definately try to cut the intensity of my workouts, I never thought of that as a problem. Thanks for all the comments, the suggestions really helped a lot. Thanks.