I mean, everyone keeps saying just eat what you like, just eat whats natural. The thing is, I like pretty much every veggie and fruit there is. There not really any favorites, I just eneed to knw the proper amounts and the best ones to give me the best nurtitional and caloric intake. No recipes, just straight hard facts of what fruits, veggies, and I already do hemp seeds and sprouts regularly. But I really need some help, this is the first week of me in my new apartment, I havent eaten in a few days already because of depression, so I wanna do this. But I wanna do it right. I dont wanna get bone-toothpick skiny and have sagging eyes because even though I eating a raw diet, Im not getting what I need. There has got to be someone out there who can help me with this please. Ive got $65-$75 a week to spend on food. Things I have personal/free access too are my sprouts, tomatoes, royal burgundy green beans*mmmmm* these are great raw. Ive also got very cheap access to corn, cucumbers and bell peppers. And certain seafood as well, well mostly just raw shrimp I can get for next to nothing.. I thought I could possibly use the raw uncooked shrimp and somehow ceviche it to keep it raw, but still have a actual meat source that I can eat, know what I mean. I dont have access to the nternet all the time, just in this moving process where Ive been staying Iv had a chance to get onine and figure htis out. So someone, please help me. And please dont tell me its all about what I want or about how creative I want to be. I respect and appreciate comments and replies like that, but thats not what I need here.
Cappa

Cappadocious,

You might try going to [www.nutritiondata.com]. You will find nutrition charts for nearly all the fruits/vegetables/nuts/seeds that you like and instructions on how to read the charts to give you some idea of whether you're getting enough of everything.

Check the serving size at the top of each nutrition chart page. It's adjustable. You can also enter your daily foods in "track", and you will get an analysis of your nutrient intake for the day.

And you can check your BMI at the site, and that will give you an idea of how many calories/day you need.

Please keep in mind, this is a vegan raw food website. We'd all prefer not to read about consuming little harmless shrimpees! Kay?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/03/2009 07:25AM by suncloud.

well, like I said, I have a free access to them, and if I can get the proteins or whatever else I would be defecient in, I figured maye I could use those. I love animals as much as a vegan does, Im just tryig to make this ife change now, youve gotta realize my entire life was just split in half, and im trying to get the best fastest infor before i dont even have a phone or the net for a few weeks

its really difficult to give you a one size fits all answer when there really isnt such an answer and we really know nothing about you to give you suggestions to go on

what is your age?
are you overweight, underweight, just the right weight?
height?
do you have access to alot of markets or a limited market where you live?
what is local to you and where you live?
are you in an urban area?suburban?rural?
do you exercise or are you sedentary?
do you have any health/life challenges (besides depression) that make diet an issue?

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/03/2009 09:32AM by Jgunn.

what you are asking for is really impossible for the people here to answer i'm afraid. we all follow a different path so how can any one of us tell you what's right for you? we'll ALL have a different answer to that question so you'll still be left trying to decide which one works for you.

it seems to me that you are looking for something stable in this life shift but using a new and unfamiliar diet as a touch stone might be a bit unrealistic at this point. you'll need to learn how to do it over time and with trial and error before you find exactly what works for YOU, there isn't a magic formula we are all following here.

might i suggest that you get at least one book from the library about raw foods or even nutrition in general (prescription for nutritional healing is a very good book with solid and easy to read/understand info on nutrients, food groups, supplements, amino acids, just everything to do with consumables) and study a bit until you feel like you are able to use that knowledge to guide you in balancing your diet.

it's ok to go slowly with this, it's not going to hurt you to transition over a period of time, to just incorporate more and more raw foods and replace cooked dishes that you like and are familiar with with a raw version or replacement. if you set small, easily attained goals they will not be such a struggle to reach and you'll end up feeling natural and comfortable with the changes you are making. if you try to change yourself overnight without any back up understanding of what to eat and how to make it this is going to be a frustruating and difficult path to follow, many people throw in the towel after not too long when they try to do it like that.

think of it this way, each small thing you do for your own good health is a positive step in the right direction. so keep making one small step at a time and you'll definately get there. just focus on all the good you Are doing instead of the goals you haven't quite reached yet. stay focussed on that, do one good thing for yourself every day, educate yourself about nutrition and be well. good luck!

The raw food lifestyle is a way of life based on the principal that healthy living results in natural radiant good health. Its a way of living that allows ones body to heal and flourish in health & wellness. Its not complicated because its based on just what you would expect - that if the conditions for good health are provided the body will do its best to be healthy. There are general conditions that can be used as a guideline that we as humans have in common but because we are all different we each have to find what works for us as individuals. The raw food lifestyle is a journey that each one of us must take for ourselves that starts in taking responsibility, finding through trial and error what works for us as individuals and then living in the radiant health that is possible when a person is living in accordance with the knowledge stored in the "knower" of their innate wisdom.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/03/2009 04:04PM by EZ rider.

I think that all the previous posts hold true. I would recomend that you eat something rather than nothing. Since money is tight, buy produce that is the cheapest/on sale (obvious). I think not eating for a few days with all the stress in your life might make you feel a little delerious; and I'm sure your kids don't need to see you like that. Get some apples, they have carbs and are filling. Try to ground yourself. get some exercise, I think that will help and stay hydrated. Coco's sugesstion of getting some books from the library is good, and you have access to the internet there too.

Good luck.

Bananas are cheap. And each one has 100 calories. Fruit is your best source of energy on the raw diet. And if you meet your energy needs, that is, you are eating enough raw foods so that you have enough energy to do what you want every day, then you will also be meeting your protein needs.

Okay, these posts have been helpful. So far I know to eat bananas and a few other things about the details needed to help me out a little more.
Im 5`11, I weigh 160 lbs, I dont have any allergies except for cilantro, Im not diabetic, have NO health problems. I have a workout routine that I do every day, one day I will do a strong ab routine, the next day, I will use a martial arts practice that I figure takes bout 45 minutes of both plyometric activity and isometrics. Its not a terribly strenuous regimen, but it is one that has kept me in reasonable shape. So does this give anyone else a helpful glance into what kind of intake I should possibly maintain. Ive read several books on Raw foods, but theyve all been cookbooks more or less. I would just like a basic idea of what variety I should try to get in everyday to stay healthy, keep myself sustained for normal life and my llittle training regimen. Does the facts Ive given help at all?
So far, I figure I should eat at least two or three bananas a day, at least a big salad of raw spinach and chopped cabbage, a couple of chopped apples and oranges. The apples are actually homegrown as well, so I can eat them skin and all. With the infor I provided above, in addition to the fact that I live in a urban aread, I have access to papayas, honeydews, water melons, carrots, kale and chard, some cabbage. since I do have my work out I do, plus daily life activity. Can anyone please help based on the info Ive further provided. Also I have access to avacados, and several citrus fruits. Any help with a basic daily intake plan?

Cappadocius,

Here's my advice: get a cheap, but accurate, kitchen scale, and weigh out the fruit and veg you intend to eat every day, after you've washed and pared it, or deseeded it, or whatever. Cleaned weight, in other words. Shoot for around 4 1/2 pounds of [cleaned]fruit and 1 1/2 pounds of [cleaned]veg daily, and an ounce of nuts or seeds or a couple of ounces of fatty fruit[avocado, coconut meat]every day or so to start. Ratchet the amounts up or down depending on appetite. Be sure to vary the fruits and veg; don't do just bananas all day, or just romaine lettuce every day--v-a-r-i-e-t-y! Must again recommend that you buy or borrow the book 80/10/10 : )