Hi everyone, first post! :)
I've been testing raw food for little over a month, still eating some cooked foods now and then and using some non-raw ingrements. I've felt good, having more energy in normal living and felt . I've lost ~6 kgs during my raw period, and same time feels like I've lost muscle strength, working out haven't been as good as before. I mainly do some pushups and stuff like that (nothing too extreme :) ), I can't do them as much as before, and feel also that recovering from exercise is taken more time, muscles ache more :). I think it is that I don't have enough energy doing the exercises or I don't get enough protein? I do my exercises couple of times a week, but would like to start doing more exercises, swimming, yoga and so on, but afraid I will lose even more weight. I wouldn't like to lose more than I have. I guess previously my mine source for energy was pasta, potatos, beans and soya products.
Before I started eating more raw foods, after the exercise I drank protein shake (soya protein, bananas, berries and so on). I've tried doing same kind of shake after the exercise, using nuts&seeds&ground hempseed as protein source.
My daily menu is usually something like this:
Breakfest
Smoothie (nuts, banana, ground hempseed, frozen berries)
Fruits (usually one apple)
Little flaxseed oil
Lunch:
Mixed salad, using sprouted seeds and beans, nuts and seeds, lettuce, other vegetables, some pates, some sauce, maybe olive oil or avocados.
Dinner
Usually same kind salad, maybe try variate a bit about what vegetables to use.
Evening snack
Fruits and dried fruits
I've been thinking increasing my calories, maybe using sprouted/soaked grains (maybe spelt or millet) and eating more dried fruits. Any other good source for calories (which don't have much fat). And maybe making two or three smoothies per day.
Other suggestions?
Comments
Welcome. Try eating more sweet whole fruits, not dried. Bananas are great.
Thanks everyone for all the comments!
RawKaren: any other good fruits besides banana? I've heard mango has alot of calories?
leafekat: any suggestions for good ingredients, what vegetables to use? I've noticed many drink green smoothies for breakfest :)
joannabanana: I'll consider the fasting, but I don't think I'll have time to really go through it, maybe a short one :)
court4short: I though detoxing also, maybe my body is just getting used to new kind of sources of protein and energy, I haven't had any other major detoxing symptons. Were you 100% raw in your detoxing period?
The sunwarrior protein looks quit good, though I don't think I'll find it in local stores :)
Mangoes, papayas, pineapples etc. All of the tropicals give good energy. Some raw fooders eat masses of bananas. I agree also about the green smoothies. They do help to sustain when mixed with fruit.
You stipulated not much fat, but I feel like fat is unavoidable if you're looking for a healthy calorie source. Does anyone have any info on this?
Besides, I find that cashew butter and avocado in my green smoothies give my a lot of energy. Are you worried about putting on weight? I only ask b/c I honestly struggle to keep weight on as a vegan and a dancer, and I'm curious to see what happens as I transition into raw.