Hi, I'm new to the forum today. I'm on my second week raw. I think I might be eating too much or not the right combinations. I got on the scale this morning and gained 3 pounds! Talk about discouraged. I need to lose about 80lbs. The first week I lost 6lbs, but that might be just all water.

This week I feel really tired and very unmotivated. I'm having headaches. I'm losing patience. I've had lots of bowel movements which is really great. Ive been constipated most of my life.

I had an ACL reconstruction on my knee last year and this extra weight is making the pain so much worse. I also have arthritis in my OTHER foot! I'm practicing yoga 30 minutes a day and that seems to be helping with the pain.

I tend to eat a lot of nuts, seeds and dry fruit at night. Im a big night eater which is probably terrible for me. I love to cook and Im preparing separate meals for my family, but not tempted to eat them! Yay!

Also, I haven't been able to give up my morning coffee. I take medication for bipolar disorder.

Anyway, the windup is...I need help and advice! I've heard that food combinations are key. Can someone share this secret with me?

Thanks for listening,
Angelissima

Opinion:

-All you can do is choose the highest kinds of foods that YOU identify...and eat more of those. Set VERY small goals and keep them. If you are very unconfortable - that defeats the purpose - don't you think?

-Just analyze what level of raw foods you are VERY comfortable with NOW (let's say 25%) and set goals to stretch from there....perhaps 1-2% per week. If you are ever very uncomfortable, then go back to a level that you ARE comfortable and wait for your body to change.

-It certainly IS a good idea to try to eat simpler, with less combinations.....with less heavy oils or salts.....and more of the fresh fruits and vegetables that you love. Eat heavier (nuts, avocadoes, etc) to slow down detox......and eat lighter (fruits and fruit juices) to speed up detox. Light fasting, yoga, pure water, fresh air, and joyful thoughts will also speed up detox.

-I hope some of these suggestions are helpful to you. I'm sure the wonderful folks on this board will also support you 100% - as I do!

-Power and control to you.

-David Z. Mason

Thanks David. I'm one of those people who like to turn a 10 into a 20...right away.
I've never been good with patience. I suppose this journey will teach me much.

I have been eating avocados along with the rest of slow foods. Thanks for the tips.
Maybe I should go back to eating a few cooked vegetable soups, etc. Power raw is probably freaking my system out right now.

Any and all suggestions are much appreciated.
:-)

~Angelissima

hi angelissima, i'm like you in a lot of ways. i'm impatient and munch late at night. i'm also new to this. i've been trying to go 100% raw for a month now but only have been about 90% raw for a few days. it's rough but i keep in mind, if i want to munch, its better to munch an nuts and seeds than chips and cookies. i even have raw cookies and other desserts to get me through "that time of the month". and of course that's when i crave sweets the most. just keep your head up high and know that it' a gradual process. you've been eating cooked all you life so you can't expect you bosy to adjust to raw overnight. i have to keep telling myself, everyday. i hope things work out for you and you stck with it.

thanks,laura

hi everyone. i have lost 75 pounds since oct.18th of 2006.i started raw in jan. i tend to stay away from eating anything after 6 p.m. i tend to not do alot of fancy recipes.i eat more veggies than fruit.but i eat both.i drink water and exercise.and the weight falls off.i had bad arthritis too. i can say-u have to do wha tu know is best for the bi-polar meds. some will tell u to get off of them. i don't think i could ever tell anyone that. i do agree that raw foods can cure alot. i think u have to work thru your issues and ask questions and read.i was a long time coffee addict. i gave it up when i went raw and i feel so so much better. i would cut out the nuts and all in the nite and use them sparingly.i use maybe a half a handful a day.or an avocado-maybe one a week.i do take an anti-depressant and i will not stop taking it...not at this point.the issues with me are weight loss and trying to get my self in shape and also to nourish my body with fruits and veggies.so good u are doing the yoga.i think u may be having symtoms of detox with the headaches.good luck.others who know more will fill u in. they are the greatest people on this site. hugs taylor(also i have gone from a size 24 to a size 16 in 5 months.so u can do it...just take baby steps )

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Hello,
I've experimented with how to eat raw food and I've come to the conclusion that I tend to loose weight when I keep things simple like eating a lot of whole fresh fruit during the day and simple salads at night. I tend to gain weight when I eat more fat such as nuts and seeds. I usually make it a rule not to eat handfuls of nuts because I can never just stop at a handful. Dried fruit is also very dense with calories. Have you tried munching on carrot sticks, apples, and celery sticks when you get the munchies? Sometimes it might be that you need to feel the sensation of chewing and it has nothing to do with how hungry you are. When you crave sweets try eating fresh fruit instead of dried fruit. There are some food combing charts out there but the best food combination to remember to avoid would be: sweet fruits and fat which is the combination in almost every raw bar and cookie! As a rule I avoid them, they are just too hard to digest.

Best Wishes,
Cecilia

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Find Your Inner Glow!

wow thanks everyone!
taylor, congratulations on your weight loss. Your story is inspirational. I need to hear these types of stories right now. Sounds like you've mastered the keys!
No eating after six is a biggie...that's my worst time of day. I have been just gorging on the nuts and dry fruit at night..not good!!

Laura, you're right about the cookies and chips, but I think I have a sugar addiction, so the dry fruit really sends me off on a binge.

Cecila, yikes! I've been munching on the "raw bars" from my health food store too.
I've got to change that.

You'll all been a huge help.

Okay. So the new plan is...I'm going to try to up the veg and not eat tooooo many fruits. Melon and berries are the best, right? The nuts and dry fruit I'll leave for my husband and kids (they love it!)

The yoga is amazing. It helps so much with my leg and back pain, I really notice when I don't practice. I joined a gym, so as soon as this phase of my detox subsides, headaches and extreme fatigue...Im going in!
THANKS!!!
Namaste
Angelissima



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/20/2007 06:52PM by angelissima.

good luck-u can do it.u will feel so good.hugs taylor

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Eating late at night is no good. I read it is very common for people, and it is also a problem that is dangerous and very overlooked. If I ever eat late I wake up groggy, gross feeling, and I have difficulty remembering my dreams.

I think it's good for the whole body to rest while the body is resting. Otherwise you have to wake up tired and groggy with a stomach full of undigested food. =(

I know easier said then done. I think night eating can be looked at as an addiction. Like I said it is very common and also commonly overlooked as a health issue. Night eating is no good.

remember to be patient and kind to yourself. what i have found in my own journey to be the hardest to do.

I have noticed in my own journey that the more green juice i drink the less cravings I have.

good luck, and congrats on the two weeks.

by the way just out of curiosity why do you need to lose 80 lbs?

Dave should be a doctor, "Dr. Life" and go on Oprah

Instead of laying off nuts completely, as they are a very healthy food and very helpful in transition, you may want to keep them away from the dried fruits. The combination of nuts and fruit boils down to fats and sugar = weight gain.

I eat my nuts with celery or cucumber and I eat mainly almonds, soaked. Soaking your nuts makes them easier to chew and digest and so seems to make a difference in how the nuts affect weight loss.

As for the eating late at night? Go to bed early. Really. You'll begin to value the morning hours that you have to yourself and lots of sleep is really good for you, especially as you transition.

khale

Khale--I love that suggestion -- stop eating by going to bed early -- then get up early and enjoy the beginning of the day in a whole new way!

Hi angelissma- I'm fairly new to raw, and I've been tranitioning w/ about 80%-90% raw and the rest cooked. I tried to go hard core 100% at first and my body rejected that. I had much of the same symtoms you described. I phased out coffee (thank god!) but I'm using the Natalia Rose "Detox Diet" plan to help me over the humps. Used to be pretty unhealthy strict vegan (oxymoronic?) but this (NR plan) approach works for me. Try adding some whole wheat pasta and tomato sauce to your day, or some Wasa crackers w/ some hummus or something around dinner. It hepls me alot to eat my cooked food last in the day after being raw for all my food earlier on during the day.