I am curious about weight issues

[Giaya]

Hi. I wasnt sure where to post this thread so I thought this page would be the closest. I am curious, I hear people say that they lost a lot of weight by going to 100% raw.I am 5'8" and 140 ponds. Now Ive been told that I am at a normal weight for my height, but personally I am not very comfortable in my skin. And even when I excercize, which I havnt been over the holidays, I still continue to have this layer of fat all over me body, which makes me look rather inprportionate in some places. Now I was curious that if and when I go completely raw, will I lose that layer of fat, but look very thin, as Ive heard some people say, like a skeleton or will it just stay the same. I know this is probably a silly question to ask, because every body is different but I was just curious as to what others have experienced and what people think about my specific situation. And if anyone thinks I need to increase excercize or decrease excercize as I transition to 100% Raw, which I am about 80% raw at the moment.

[livenraw]

I was reading a formula on weight the other day, and it said that the weight charts have gone up about 15-20 lbs since the first time they came out, but in reality, this should be the formula for what a NORMAL body should weigh.

For women, take 95 lbs and add 4 lbs for every inch afterwards...so a woman who is

5'4 95 + 16 = 111 lbs
5'6 95 + 24= 119 lbs

And for men, start out at 105 lbs and do the same formula. (very interesting, huh?)

As far as the layer of fat goes, I, too, have had that before (but that stems from losing 70+ lbs) However, I did notice that it started disappearing whenever I would hit 100% raw foods (my drinks weren't raw at that time) and I kept my exercise routine the same - walking an hour a day (in the summer time, more like 3-4 hours a day) and weight training 3x a week. The only thing I changed was my food from cooked to raw.

I don't know if that will help any but I'm hoping it will help some.

Oh yeah...remember, you may lose a lot in the beginning but then your body will begin to repair itself and rebuild healthy tissue so you'll be thinner, yes, but a lot healthier looking, too.

[misslinda]

seems like the "stats" for rawbies are less weight than that but then again depends on muscle too. i [[[[[[[[ HATE ]]]]]]]]]] those charts!!!


ripping hair out,
ml :)

[livenraw]

OH, I forgot to mention that it said to remember that people are different with different body builds, so that would play a factor in those as well. I wouldn't mind weighing a little less than I do. After getting down to 105 lbs, I felt losing around 10 more lbs wouldn't be all that bad. (I'm 5 ft and 1/2 an inch tall) BTW, that chart came from someone who's a 100% raw foodist.

[NFrawRUNNER]

Are you my twin? LOL. I too am 5'8" and was struggling to maintain a 140-145 lb range. Once I transitioned to (now 90%+?) raw I started losing weight and now hovewr around 130 lbs. The wierd thing is I look better & healthier than I looked at a SAD starving lunatic. My friend calls it the fat free me (formerly obsessed with losing and maintaining the weight) before raw and the "healthy me" now. BTW it has only been since August that I dropped the weight. It melted off once I was completely "raw." So it definately makes a difference....and I eat so much MORE now. I just think my body assimilates and uses it so much better now! And my running has been great! Good luck!
Diantha

[misslinda]

great,,,,,,,raw world has charts too.

[Purl]

I always have trouble with those charts. I never seem to fit them. Both sides of my family are known for "stocky" muscular builds. we all have hugely muscular thighs, big cut calves, broad shoulders and strong backs. When I was in highschool I ran track, whatched what I ate, etc. and could never get below 125 lbs. I looked very thin and the other girls would ask how much I weighed and I always weighed alot more than the rest of them. LOL! I'm 5'4" and I could NEVER weigh 111 lbs. At 15 years old and 5'2" at the time my lowest weight was 125. My only suggestion would be to go 100% RAW for 2-4 weeks and see if you notice a difference....

[twinee1]

As far as what your experience will be it is hard to say, base it on others, it is very individual. I think you should give 100% a try, join the Jan 90 day group if you can.

As far as your exercise question, there is no reason to decrease it as you go 100%. In fact after your body gets used to the diet, detox too, you may find you want to do more.

As far as charts, I like Ms Linda, hate them. The one I have seen is 100 pds at 5 feet, then 5 pds for every 1". So what is it. Oh and yeah what is that composition...10% , 20, 30% bodyfat ? thats what counts in appearance.

I am an Identical twin so it is interesting to see that we are both the same at 5'6 1/2 " ...she was a cross country runner in HS, I was a cheerleader. I think we always weighed about the same through college..then last 25 years she continued to run off and on, dabble with weights. I was into aerobics then got serious in the gym 19 years and 6 yrs ago started the Figure Competitions. So now at 45 in full clothes we look almost identical and I weigh at least 6-7 pds more than her and my waist is smaller !!. I have less bodyfat by a few %. And more muscle ! when we are in swimsuits it is obvious I am in better shape as far as tone, bodyfat.

Oh side note, she has been mostly Raw, now 100...for about 8 months, me about 4 months. I have 3 pds in first month then none...she lost 3 pds 1 st month...and now in her 7-8 th month she emailed me that she is slowly losing again and now down 5 pds...almost to her ideal weight of 118 ! (and my competition weight is about that ! )

[heather]

so if i calculated it right...........5'9, so i should be 131 i sure wish i still had a scale so i could see how much weight i have lost! i think i have a ways to go still. thanks for the info. very interesting.

[Amberly]

I'm 5'7" and an unhappy 135 lbs. This summer I was 119 and almost happy, I was raw then and could eat as much as I wanted and not gain weight. I started eating cooked and gainded quite alot. I am going raw again, but this time I want to hang closer to 112-ish.

[DrPr]

I think it's dangerous to go by charts, numbers, and comparisons to others. We each have individual ideal weights. In a perfect world, we would feel comfortable at a particular size - because that's REALLY what we're talking about, aren't we? Size and appearance?- and not associate that size with a number. But in this world, numbers are associated with size and with emotions. I'm so sick of that, but I live in this world and know that when I approach my goal weight, I'll have to be really careful not to be overly focused on the scale, and to focus more on how I feel and on what my body can do at a particular size and fitness level. Good luck to all of us!

[GlimR]

It will be a wonderful thing as my weight drops to see where I end up. I have a lot to lose and have figured 150 for a safe starting goal. I am 5'6", 48. I was never heavy at all till I got pregnant in my early 20's.

When I was in HS, on the gymnastics team I weighed about 134 and I don't think I had any extra fat at all. Wondered if I should compensate for my age and not set my goal at an unrealistic level, so said 150..........the way you have the formula would be impossible for me I think.......but you never know.......I haven't been 119 since junior high.

[twinee1]

It will be a wonderful thing as my weight drops to see where I end up. I have a lot to lose and have figured 150 for a safe starting goal. I am 5'6", 48. I was never heavy at all till I got pregnant in my early 20's.

When I was in HS, on the gymnastics team I weighed about 134 and I don't think I had any extra fat at all. Wondered if I should compensate for my age and not set my goal at an unrealistic level, so said 150..........the way you have the formula would be impossible for me I think.......but you never know.......I haven't been 119 since junior high.

GlimR, I would not get caught up in the number on the scale or compare to much to what you were in HS. At that time you may have had more muscle /less at 134 pds than you would now, and age is a factor too. So how we look depends so much on our lean Body Mass and bodyfat levels. So it is really hard to put a number on the goal. I think as you drop weight on the raw diet your body will find the weight that is best for you. Go by the mirror how you look and Feel as opposed to what the scale number is.

[rawpriestess]

well, weight and body fat, and build and muscle tone and all that are different for everyone.

When I was young and dancing full time, I weighed over 170 pounds, but I had a tiny waist, at about 22", and my hips were at 42", but no one ever saw them under all those skirts (belly dancing) an my top was a good size, probably about a 38 or so.

I just looked curvy,

but in regular clothes I was fat.

many other dancers, my same height looked bigger than me in their costumes, because all of my weight is in my hips and legs, and those are the parts that don't show in a belly dance costume, and so I looked alot thinner than they did at 130 pounds.

But then there was this one girl, who looked really really thin and she weighed 148 pounds, which is NOT thin, but she was polynesian, and they have an entirely different bone structure, so they can weigh alot more and still look thinner.

There are so many variables.

What I think is IF you don't feel comfortable in your skin, then eat 100% raw, and just do that, and then after the 30 days, or 90 days, or whatever see how you feel in your skin.

Remember, Victoria Boutenko has been 100% raw for 11 years, and she isn't thin neither in Alissa, she is well built and very muscular.

Your body will even out to it's perfect weight, and you can tone it and contour it with weight lifting if you wish.

[twinee1]

Your body will even out to it's perfect weight

Such a great response RP ! I keyed in the above comment because I am finding this to be so true. Since going Raw 4 months ago I have been less forcused on my "body regime" that included the somewhat previously obsessive weight training and cardio to shape my body to they way I want it (or TRY to I should say..genetics are always a factor in these matters.)

So in the last month I am seeing my body find it own perfect weight. I am simply eating Raw and weight training and cardio when I feel my body tellling me too. I am not pushing myself anymore and Gee ! Amazing thing is my body is changing ever so slightly for the better, my bum & legs are tighter to name one thing (noticed by my dh..) So I'll take it, and to think all these years I could of saved myself some time working out when I did not want to...and just ate Raw...!! No time like the present I guess !!