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Eating frequently..is this normal?

WinonaWinona Raw Newbie

I’m wondering if this is normal. My question is… after being 95% raw for six months, should I still be eating so frequently? It’s strange to run for the fridge so often. Basically, I want to know – do you grab a snack this often? If not, how do you get enough calories in?

It’s hard for me to eat tons of bulk in one sitting. I can’t eat more than a couple cups of food at once. I really crave produce, but my stomach gets full quickly. Then I’m typically hungry right away, especially if I eat only fruit.

I eat very often. I eat when I’m hungry, for the most part i think. I don’t have any issues surrounding food or weight, never have. My stats are below. Also I’m not interested in 80-10-10, so those comments won’t be helpful for me.

This amount of food is typical. I eat a wide range of fruits and veggies and greens. Today I had the following:

Breakfast 7am 2 glasses of blended melon

Snack 9am 2 peaches

Lunch 11am 3/4 cup cashews and 2 carrots 2 ounces raw chocolate covered pretzels (oasis chocolate)

Snack 2pm 3 cups salad with 1 Tbsp dressing, 2 pears, 2 peaches

Snack 4pm 2.4 ounces of raw nut crackers (livin spoonful)

Dinner 8pm 1/2 cup nuts blended with carrots

Dessert 1/4 cup nuts blended with 2 dates, fruit filling

Stats: Age: 24

Height: 5’5”

Weight: 135lbs

Vegetarian: 8 years

Vegan: 2 years

Raw Vegan: 6 months 95+% raw.

1 year eating 50+% raw

Exercise level: biking an average of 2 miles a day, 8 months a year

i’ve maintained this activity level for 8 years.

Once a week I do one of the following for 1+ hours: lift weights, kayak, sail, run, or hike

Comments

  • Hi Winona – this sounds very normal to me. Many of the foods you are eating are very easily digested, particularly if belnded (i.e – the melon). Eating a single food per snack (the peaches) also speeds up metabolism and digestion, which will make you hungry again quickly. I heard it is advised to not mix more than 3 different food per meal for optimal digestion and absorption. Also, like you mentioned, the caloric value is less in fruit and veg than processed foods. I grew up eating a TON of mostly raw fruit and vegetables and never thought anything of it – when I went away to university and proceeded to eat similar quantities of junk/processed food it had a VERY bad effect! I became chubby (to put it sweetly) very quickly. Also you are active which is integral. And if you feel good in your body then that is the ultimate test!

  • I’ve been eating similarly recently, since eating more simple meals of just fruit, or simple salads. I’m fine with it. ;)

  • Sounds good….you’re goign to think I’m crazy, but I think you should be eating more….greens, that is!

  • chicorychicory Raw Newbie

    i find I eat a lot more on days when I eat mostly fruit. Some days my stomach is rumbling every 20 minutes, and days like today not hungry at all. I think it is normal

  • I also think thats totally normal, what youre eating is quick and easy to digest so youre body is getting what it needs. I eat often too, small amounts as well. listen to your body, it knows what it wants.

  • That sounds really normal, I agree with superfood, adding more greens will keep you fuller longer with more fiber, vitamins and minerals. Especially with your level of activity, I’m surprised your not hungrier lol.

  • Hi Winona- Like Superfood implied, you might not be eating enough. Most of your list are snacks to me. I would guess you have about 2500 calories there and need to get to 3000 or more with your activity level. If I don’t have a big salad for lunch with a whole avocado in it, I’m hungry soon thereafter. I make sure my salad has some kind of nuts or seeds on it, and usually oil and lemon juice or a raw tahini dressing.

    Also, there’s no fat in your breakfast in your breakfast or morning snack. Fat helps regulate appetite and will give you a more full feeling ‘cause you’ll be more, well, full. I have organic fuji apple slices dipped in raw almond butter for breakfast (some might jump in here and claim that raw almonds aren’t really raw, so you’ll have to decide for yourself whether to go that way or not, but it is so yummy and filling). I don’t eat peanut butter because most has some aflatoxin in it, and peanuts are a legume anyway, for whatever that’s worth.

    I guess if you can’t eat much at one sitting, then you’re going to have to eat more frequently throughout the day, which is probably better anyway, but at least try to incorporate an avocado a day and some bananas (if you eat bananas). ciao

  • WinonaWinona Raw Newbie

    littlegems – isn’t simplicity beautiful? I love buying a bucket of 25 peaches and eating them throughout the week. We’ve had some lovely melons around here recently – what an indulgent mono meal!

    chicory – You eat more on days when you eat mostly fruit? Interesting. So I shouldn’t feel bad if I ate 5 pieces of fruit for several meals, and a couple pieces of fruit as snacks.

    Superfood and harmonylia – Greens, huh? I was thinking the same thing myself when I wrote this daily meal schedule. I have to figure out delicious greens recipes in order to consume more greens other than lettuce. Perhaps I can work some spinach and chard into my salads. I didn’t realize that greens would keep me fuller longer… I know that fiber has been very beneficial for me, which is why I rarely drink fruit juice.

    Bubbraw – It’s true that much of what I eat is easy to digest. I tend to eat whatever I crave. Sometimes it’s sushi every night, sometimes 5 ears of corn twice a day for a week! Or loads of peaches. It is a good reassurance to eat what my body wants. It must be leading me in the right direction.

    Mickmaster – Great point about trying to include some avocado, morning fats, and bananas. I love bananas! Often 1 banana makes it’s way into my smoothie, but I’m thinking I should start having a more filling smoothie than a banana and a peach. I’m hungry 1/2 hour later : ) Your comment about my calorie intake is probably right on. Some days I eat less than a cup of nuts, so my calorie intake is under 2,000 many times.

    My activity level is much higher than I listed – during some weeks. For example this week, I biked 2-4 miles a day on hills. I worked out at the gym for 1 hour Tuesday. I kayaked for 2 hours yesterday. Today I biked 13 miles, then I’m sailing this afternoon. I have to remember that it’s okay to eat more produce than I did before going raw.

    I forgot to include my height and weight in my original posted, I added them in. I’m 5’5”, 135lbs. I’ve easily maintained the same weight for the past 10 years. I’d like to convert some flab into muscle, but I don’t want to lose weight.

    Thanks for everyone’s input, it’s a relief to know that I’m consuming a normal amount of food – and that I can safely include some more greens and produce when I’m hungry.

  • chicorychicory Raw Newbie

    Winona, when i eat fruit it feels like it just makes a 5 minute pit stop in my stomach, then the hunger comes again. That’s why I usually end up eating more on those days :)

  • TomsMomTomsMom Raw Newbie

    I eat several times throughout the day, also. Probably five times a day, easily. It depends on how calorie/fat-heavy my meals are.

  • bittbitt Raw Newbie

    yup i think that is pretty normal since you are so active. but i would add more greens too. i feel worse when i don’t have them.

  • WinonaWinona Raw Newbie

    Chicory – Eating fruit is my favorite go-to food. It’s my breakfast, all my snacks, sometimes lunch. But it really leaves me hungry right away too! That must be why I am eating so much bulk.. my fruit-only meals are digested within 30 minutes.

    TomsMom – 5 times a day huh? I typically eat 7 times a day, I think. Typically 4 meals of fruit. It depends on how heavy my meals are too… If I include some nuts I’m full for a bit longer.

    bitt – I am wondering if greens will solve my low energy levels. I don’t know if I feel worse without greens, because I don’t have anything to compare it to. This will be a very good experiments – include my greens, and be concious of the results. When I go shopping today, I will pick up some boston lettuce and spinach – fave greens. And I’ll make my goddess dressing. That should help me to polish off the salad bowl!

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