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Raw athletes- what to eat?

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to go 100% raw but have been having trouble... I am working out more these days and need to eat enough raw so that I don't get really hungry. What should I be eating? Also, I don't really want to lose too much weight, maybe 5 lbs or so, but I do want to lose fat and replace it with muscle. Any foods that can help do this?

Thanks!

Emily

Comments

  • joannabananajoannabanana Raw Newbie

    i've noticed that if i keep my fat intake to 1/2 an avocado per day, i lose weight and fat. i've never looked very muscular even though i do a lot of strength training. i make sure breakfast and lunch are all fruit and i find that apples, bananas, and grapes always fill me up. and lots of them. breakfast and lunch could be applesauce (6 apples blended with dates) and then 4-6 bananas depending on how hungry you are.

  • I see quality protein intake as a problem for many Vegan Raw Fooders. I'll have to admit I do consume some free range organic eggs and certain kinds of fish, so I am not a Vegan, but i do find the use of hemp protein to be beneficial. I also consume organic flax seed(which I grind) , flax seed oil, and coconut and coconut oil. I find all these help with my strength and endurance. I am 44 and compete with athletes half my age so I am probably doing something right.

    Good luck and best of health to you.

  • Hey thanks... yeah I should probably be eating more fruit . Joannabanana- are you doing the 80-10-10 diet? Do you eat nuts, or oil ever? I am supposed to be eating coconut oil due to a thyroid condition, but I don't really eat that much- maybe a couple of tablespoons a day. Will try to fill up on fruit! And Raw Crossfitter, what do you do with the flax? Mix it into things? I definitely need to eat more flax seeds... they make everything taste flaxey though ;) Will keep trying! Thanks!

  • cupcakes revengecupcakes revenge Raw Newbie

    Food aside, as long as you're doing cardio, you'll lose the fat. And any working out will build muscle (it's not really a swapping that happens. fat doesn't turn into muscle nor vice versa). Common mistake people make is just doing weights and not doing any cardio. Then they build muscle but don't lose the fat.

    But you should be eating to support muscle growth and recovery - which normally means having like a handful of nuts or something post workout for protein. I normally have a handful of almonds or walnuts and an apple. Also, I've recently learned that sea veggies are like the highest source of veggie protein. Though not sure how appealing a seaweed salad post workout really sounds...

    Also coconut water is supposed to be high in electrolytes, so while working out you could drink that instead of water, or mix it in with your water.

    You could check out one of Brendan Brazier's books. He's an ironman athlete and most (all? maybe all) of his recipes are raw (and vegan as he's vegan...). And he gives all sorts of information about how to eat to support recovery and build muscles.

    http://rawtrigirl.blogspot.com/2008/01/brendan-brazier-raw-triathlete.html - a bit about him, working out and being raw

    http://gliving.com/author/brendan-brazier/ - his recipe for a raw energy bar

  • joannabananajoannabanana Raw Newbie

    lilburger, i don't ever calculate my percentages just because i go by how i feel instead. i read 80/10/10 and found it very useful, but i don't want to get obsessed with my food. i'm not saying all (or any) 80/10/10 people are like that. i just found that when i followed it too closely, i thought about food too much and i don't wanna do that again. i don't eat oils because they give me diarrhea!! i do eat nuts on a random basis when i make "mock turkey loaf" but that's instead of the avocado.

    i keep a food/exercise diary though which has helped me lose weight. i started it in january and now i look forward to writing stuff down. it was hard at first because i didn't want to face the truth, but now that my diet is better for me, i love seeing how i'm doing.

  • kuritekurite Raw Newbie

    Lilburger how long have you been raw vegan because generally raw vegans lose weight pretty easily.

  • RawaholicRawaholic Raw Newbie

    I've been 100% 80/10/10 for the past 5 months. I swim, run, take karate, weights, and go biking all the time, and I just finished running my first half-marathon. I found that eating LOTS of fresh fruit (for me right now, oranges, melon, bananas, dates, papaya, and mango are my staples) through out the day and a BIG salad of romaine/cucucumber/celery/mung beans for dinner with a tahini/tomato/lemon/bellpepper dressing 2 to 3 times a week REALLY works for me. I've actually gained 5 pounds of muscle mass within the last three months and before 80/10/10 that was impossible for me!

    If your interested in trying 80/10/10 for better athletic importance, the best advice I can give is for you to find some staple fruits for this season to have on hand to eat, and a large substantial salad that you enjoy that really "hits the spot" for the rest of the night, so you won't eat more sweet fruit afterwards (don't want to combine sugary fruit with to much fat 'cuz it over time it can lead to problems with digestion).

    You can read more on my blog if you would like. Just click on the link below.

    http://iamrawaholic.blogspot.com/

  • superfood2superfood2 Raw Newbie

    Fruit and greens. IF you get enough calories, you get enough protein. Protein doesn't build muscle; weight training and resistance training does.

  • Hey everybody-

    Thanks for the responses! I have been trying to go 100% for two years- but I've only ever made it 3 weeks or so before I binge out on carbohydrates, fat, and salt (popcorn, chips, noodles, etc...). So, needless to say I haven't been able to lose weight. I am doing a liver cleanse right now, and then want to head towards 80/10/10. I recently bought Brendan Brazier's and Douglas Graham's books, so that will guide me in the right direction. If I could get myself to eat enough fruit, then I probably wouldn't have any bingeing issues. I want to get in shape because I've been training for a grappling tournament (grappling is SO fun, by the way).

    Anyway, thanks for the help!

    Emily

  • For the raw athletes are indicated greens or to follow HCG weight loss Seattle only if they ask a doctor .

  • ps- I am currently reading Dr. Graham's 80/10/10 book. I am certain that this diet will be the best for me. I think the main reason I have had problems binge-eating starch and fats in the past is because I haven't been getting enough calories! This diet makes so much sense... I just have to start. Any suggestions? I'm already eating at least one or two meals a day of just fruit. Can't seem to eat more than three bananas at a time though (yet). They make me gag. I only ever eat them when they're really ripe (with spots) because the yellow ones are too chalky feeling. I suppose eating many bananas just takes practice?

    Can't wait to thrive on a low fat raw vegan diet!

  • lilburger:

    Yeah I just started 80/10/10 myself... I had a lot of the same issues you do, and struggled staying raw when I was eating lots of nuts and such. But so far following a high-fruit diet, I honestly don't even THINK about food that much which is very strange for me, because usually that's where my mind ALWAYS is haha. You tend to feel a lot more satisfied consuming lots of fruit... the fullness isn't a gross, heavy, overfull feeling... and it's easy to stop eating once you're full...and it seems to stick with you for awhile. I am the world's biggest sugar addict by nature, swear to Buddha, but I haven't had one sugar craving since I started :) I did have a couple salt cravings, but they disappeared within a day or two.

    oddly enough, cravings seem to trick us into thinking that if we have a taste of whatever we're craving, that the craving will disappear, but it tends to be opposite...the more you indulge in those things (salts, sugars, fats) the more you crave them.

    Also, I've found that training...both cardio and strength training have been SO MUCH EASIER since I started. when I was bonkers over cashews and trying to train, it wasn't really working too well. It felt so strenuous, and I would often get home from the gym, eat lots of fats (avocados, nuts) and then crash and fall asleep! Now, a workout tends to give me a boost of energy rather than drain me, and I NEVER feel tired after I eat. (unless I eat when I'm already tired, haha)

    I also realized that another challenge for me in the past was dealing with what other people said. I of course truly believe in the raw lifestyle, but when people swarm you with comments about getting everything you need and "everything in moderation" this and that 24/7 it starts to get you panicking...it got me wondering if I was eating enough of the right things...if I was eating enough variety... etc. Truly, the best way to tackle it though, is to listen to your body. And as it turns out, I am definitely much more of a mono-eater by nature contrary to what others may think of my lack of variety.

    At any rate... yes, eating large quantities of fruits (especially bananas because they are ever so THICK) does take time and practice... I myself, am still working on this. Yesterday I ate bananas all day and I could only choke down 8 which isn't near enough of my daily calories, but I was damn STUFFED by the end of the day after those 8 bananners. Soo I'm thinking patience is the key :) Your body will adjust as it needs to.

    And, as for the really ripe bananas...yes! Eating riper fruit is better anyway... it's easier on your digestives and everything else. I've actually heard of people getting sores in their mouth and such from eating things that aren't ripe enough, so you're right on the money with eating the really ripe ones with the spots :)

    Good luck and if you want a partner in crime to beginning your 811rv way of life, I'd be more than happy to go back and forth with you since I'm such a newbie myself :)

  • How about maca root powder after working out? I saw it recommended on another raw site for athletes.

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