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50 Raw Food Diet

Vegans/vegetarian weight loss question...?

Hi guys,

I've been vegetarian for 10 years now (I switched at 14) and as of last week went vegan. I am trying to lose some weight so I've made sure to do a couple of things:

a.) cut out *all* prepackaged food/snacks--it's all about baby carrots and fruit in that regard.
b.) eat about 50% raw food.
c.) Drink only soy milk, rice milk and green tea (1 cup coffee with soy creamer in the morning)
d.) exercise about an hour a day, with three meals a day at small portions.

Physically I feel great and my clothes are more loose, however, this isn't reflecting on the scale. My scales seem to suggest I've lost only 3 pounds.

Eating a majority raw food diet shouldn't I have lost a bit more? Or does it take a week or two for a person's body to really get with it?

Also (sorry guys) I am just finishing up with menstruation, is it water weight?

Cheers!

Congrats on the three pounds! And especially if it was menstruation week! That is a feat in itself!

I agree that 2 lbs is normal weight loss for a healthy human body to take. Water gain from the menstruation could be a culprit, so wait for a few more days. Also water can be gained by taking in too much sodium (like store bought, even organic!, pasta sauce is notorious for water retention!). Have you gotten rid of the salt shaker at the table?

The guy that replied about taking in calories and burning is correct, the tricky thing is finding your basal metabolism and what calories are needed for that. Some times your metabolism will shut down to a low minimal, and stays there even if the calories go way down. When that happens your body shuts down and will not lose weight, unless you continue to cut calories, and then your health will be in jeopardy.

Fruit in the morning to get your metabolism going, and then not eating at night is a good plan. See if you can drink the green tea in the morning, go and exercise, and then eat breakfast (a nice big meal of grains and fruit). Then eat your small portion size meals, and try not to eat after 7/8 PM (I cheat by eating plain popcorn and drinking water to get all that fiber through me as I sleep horizontal).

Also, don't rely on the scale. Muscle does weight more than fat, and it is how healthy you feel!

Are You Destined For Raw Food Failure?

I have spent a good amount of my time on raw food forums over the past couple of years. It is a great way to learn about eating raw and to gather information from others who are thriving on the diet.

While visiting these forums, I have noticed a problem that is expressed over and over again by various members. Many people complain that they find it too difficult to stick to a raw food diet. They find themselves extremely hungry and experiencing cravings for cooked dishes on a regular basis.

And I'm not talking about brand new raw foodists. I'm talking about people who have been attempting a raw food diet for years and still can't seem to stick with it!

So what's the problem? Why is it that such a vast majority of raw foodists fail on a raw food diet?

Not enough calories, Too much fat

In general, the raw foodists I'm talking about are consuming lots of greens and vegetables, avocados, nuts, oils, dehydrated mixtures like flax seed crackers, some vinegars, and dried fruit.

Even though the raw foodists described above are eating large amounts of greens and other vegetables, these foods do not offer a substantial amount of calories.

Here's an example...

*Typical Salad without Overt Fats*

A large salad of 1 pound of romaine lettuce, 1 medium red bell pepper, and one medium cucumber is only 153 calories. All of that food has less calories than just two bananas!

This is a problem because the average person needs between 2000-2500 calories a day. To eat that much food from romaine lettuce, you would need to eat 25 pounds (about 50 heads) of lettuce per day! This is completely impractical, not to mention rather unpleasant. My jaw aches just thinking about it!

We've now established that it's nearly impossible to get enough calories from vegetables. While salads like this are high in volume, the satiation is short lived because the caloric needs are not being met.

So where do these raw foodists get their calories from?

Avocados, raw nuts and seeds, and cold-pressed olive oils. To be precise, fat. These fatty foods are used to make dehydrated dishes like "raw" crackers, breads, and "mock" pizzas. They are also eaten on their own or put atop salads.

Let's return to the salad example...

*Typical Salad with Overt Fats*

1 head of romaine, 1 medium bell pepper, and one medium cucumber is 153 calories. Now, add just one medium avocado and one tablespoon of olive oil. That takes the calories up to 561 calories!

The avocado and oil alone provide 2/3 of the total calories in this dish. Not only that, but the addition of the avocado and oil took the fat content from 10% to a staggering 61% of fat!

As you can see, it only takes a small amount of these foods (fatty fruits, nuts and seeds, and oils) to exceed your needed calories and fat content for the day.

Again, this is just one meal. Many raw foodists have two salads during their day and often times these are even more fat laden than the example I have shown above. This does not even consider the popular complex, dehydrated recipes that are mostly comprised of high-fat nuts and seeds.

With this knowledge in mind, is it surprising that the average raw foodist consumes a whopping 60% of his or her calories from fat everyday? How many times have you come across people who claim to eat several avocados a day and handfuls of nuts in just one sitting? Maybe this isn't surprising, but it's certainly unhealthy.

What's the Alternative?

While greens and vegetable fruits are very important in a healthy raw diet, they simply do not provide the necessary calories to fill you up and combat cooked cravings. However, you do not have to get your calories from low-volume fatty foods.

You are not destined for raw food failure.

There is another way...

*Sweet fruit*

By eating substantial amounts of whole, raw, simple, delicious fruits, you will feel completely satiated and will no longer suffer from cooked food cravings. You will also be getting the absolute best nutrition available and fueling your body right!

And it's so easy to get started! If you still eat a cooked diet, simply replace your breakfast with as much fruit as you can eat and move on from there. If you already eat raw, just replace the majority of the raw veggies and fats you eat with sweet fruit.

If you are having a hard time getting enough calories via whole fruit, try blending them into tasty smoothies!

So put down the avocado, pick up an apple, and start succeeding on a raw diet today!

About the Author

For more information on the best raw vegan diet, be sure to visit Fit On Raw and subscribe to Swayze’s newsletter Peachy Keen Ezine. By subscribing, you will also receive the free report The 4 Principles of a Healthy Raw Diet as well as the 5-week mini-course The Fool Proof Transition to Raw.