Hi-- I've been raw for just around 4 months. I have experienced many great effects, but believe continuing acne and "the extra 10 pounds I would LOVE to get rid of" are a result of my overeating on raw food.

I struggle with overeating and knowing when I'm full. Once I start eating, I cannot seem to stop. I eat between 300-700 calories a day (on average)-- but usually a majority are in one big "binge-like" meal. Any suggestions? I don't want to keep feeling this way-- physically and mentally.

I'm also trying to cut nuts out of my diet (because of acne and the way my body feels after eating nuts-- almost as if I had eaten cooked food). Even though I know I will feel awful afterwards, it's as if I am addicted and "need nuts". If I start eating nuts, I feel addicted and can't stop and end up eating a lot of fat in one sitting. Does my body legitimately need something it's receiving from the nuts? or is it a mental addiction? I've been replacing the nuts with avocados which my body responds to much better...any other suggestions? Should I continue eating nuts?

Thanks much-- I feel as if I'm at a transition period where I can refine my diet further to experience even more benefits.

Ambar

yes, i think nuts can be addictive in some sense.
the more concentrated a food is, the more likely it will seem addictive

to diminish overeating, do the following

eat one food at a time until satisfied
minimize blending, juicing, dehyrated foods, nuts
eat without utensils
breathe
chew thoroughly
find high quality food (much commercial is nutrient poor and high in toxins imo, which causes problems in the body with satiety triggers)

300-700 cal per day???

is that for real?

Yes... does that seem like too few?
It feels like a lot to me.

I think more like 1500-2000 is appropriate for most people. If you been raw a long time, I could see less. How many calories were you eating a day on your pre-raw diet?

could you also share your weight, height and how active
you are?

i am 5'6, stable at 108# and average 1200 cals/day.
i walk about 60 min/day and do a fair amount of easy yoga.
just for referance.

personally, i'd be hungry all the time too if i only ate
that little. unless you are REALLY little, i think you
might want to increase your calories

I'm really not sure about my pre-raw caloric intake.
I try and listen to my body and some days I just don't feel hungry. I am only 17 and 5'4" so I'm not a very big person in terms of size. I go to school and do pilates, but do not run or do cardio on a daily basis.

Maybe I need to look at eating slightly larger meals consisting of fruit more frequently so that I get sufficient calories, but do not have foods sitting for long periods of time in my stomach?

I have this oppertunity to buy a bushel of apples 1/2 price tomorrow-- eating more regularly may help to rid the occasional urges of needing to eat everything until I'm stuffed? I could try an apple feast for a week.

Can I also inquire what fullness feels like for you all personally?

its really great you're into raw at such a young age

i had anorexia for many years and raw helped me.
not sayin u r.

what works for me is about 2# fruit ~ 3X a day and
a giant raw salad ~ GIANT. AT LEAST 2-3#

but we all do it differently here. you'll find your way too.


you forgot to say your wt. that's ok ; )

Oh sorry! I think around 120# (we don't have a scale--but I think that's fairly accurate)

So you don't eat any nuts, fruitgirl? Just lots of fruits and veggies?

Nut are fine as long as you feel good after eating them and they are not affecting your health adversely. However, a lot of people new to raw overeat them. You can tell by the way you feel. If you eat a meal of nuts, and you feel good afterwards (until your next meal), then they are probably OK for you.

However, it is possible to load up on fats if you eat a lot of nuts. Its better to fill up on fresh fruits and salads. You can enter your daily menu into a nutritional calculator like fitday, nutritiondata, nutridiary, and Cron-o-Meter. These calculators will give you your calorie intake and the percentage of fat in the diet. Your fat intake will want to be about 20% or less, 10% or less is even better.

fruitgirl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> i am 5'6, stable at 108# and average 1200
> cals/day.
> i walk about 60 min/day and do a fair amount of
> easy yoga.
> just for referance.
>

Wow, I am 5'4", 103# and avg 1800 kcal/day.
30 mins walk, 60-90 minutes weights 5-7x week
I'd disappear on 1200.

I have to get a good 600 kcal in at breakfast
these days otherwise I lose weight because at
night I am usually too tired to prepare food
and eat much.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/30/2007 07:50PM by arugula.

as i've gotten a bit older (51 now) i seem to do better
on less calories.. . after reading ANIMAL, VEGETABLE, MIRACLE,
my priorities have shifted to buying everything local and organic.
that simplified my shopping.

im still moderately active, but at quite a low intensity...
my walking is more like meandering. while the dog sniffs,
i am learning to do the same.

fruitgirl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
after reading ANIMAL,
> VEGETABLE, MIRACLE,

what is this book about? sounds interesting

barbara kingsolver (the prodigal summer, poisonwood bible....)
journals the year she and her family eat only home grown or local grown food
and the politics of american agriculture / importing practices
coupled with americas eating disorders

only indirectly related to raw in that alot of us eat many tropical imported foods

apples are a great snack you should definatly buy a bushel and munch on one for breakfast, one before you feel the urge to have your "big meal" and one for the afternoon/evening slump
if you are addicted to nuts maybe buy avocados instead?
both are expensive but i find half an avocado is totally satisfying if i eat it rolled up in some lettuce where as nuts are only satisfying in butter form and even then i probably could eat the whole jar!
your cals are way too low though, thats why you binge, just try to break your meals up during the day, it may be hard at first and you may eat more then you like but your metabolism will catch up and your tummy will thank you

Yeah! This is basically the conclusion I've come to as well, although I still need to work on it, it's getting better.
I've been almost monoeating on apples for the past 4 days, but not picking on myself if a sweet cherry tomato slips in there too.
I read a suggestion that monoeating on apples for a week can help emotional binging...so that's the current plan and I still have lotsa apples left in the bushel.
I did decide to start buying avocados instead of nuts last week-- thinking at least avocados are more hydrating than nuts, but still had the 1/2 full pesky jar of almond butter in the fridge...But no more! After being on almost purely apples for 4 days I am not craving nuts at all.
Spacing my meals is hard just because I'm in school from 8-3 and just don't have that much time to eat-- so when I get home and finally have time, I binge...which sets me up for not feeling hungry in the morning...
GAH
well, it's a process, and I do love apples.

Thank you minus-- your post made me reflect and trust that I'm on the right track. This community is truly something special. I'm elated to be a member and to feel the warmth of support.