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Login Here Signup Here Signup using FacebookFirstly I need to explain something – my journey to a raw food lifestyle came by way of the ‘Eat to Live’ book by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. He advocates an essentially vegetarian/vegan diet to lose weight and stay healthy.
Now I took on board much of what he said, managed to transition to a predominantly vegan-vegetarian diet and then decided that cooking was too much effort and to go raw.
The starting point for all of this was the fact that I am obese and do have a lot of weight to lose. In kilo’s I weigh 145kg and need to get down to 75kg. So I have to lose 70kg, or 154lbs.
My idea behind following a raw diet is that I can eat food without going to the hassle of cooking it first, plus by not cooking it I get the maximum in the way of nutrients from the food items as well. When I did my research on raw diets I turned up a whole lot of if’s, and’s or but’s regarding what you can eat, what you should eat, what you should avoid, etc. Now, common sense prevailing, I rather thought that I could eat pretty much any raw fruit, veg or salad green that is not toxic raw and be healthy and lose weight. After all, I am not putting processed rubbish into my body anymore.
I would appreciate some guidance on this – are there food items I should avoid if I am trying to lose weight or will I lose weight anyway simply by virtue of following a raw diet?
Comments
I am certainly no expert here – im pretty new at this whole raw thing myself, but i think the most important thing is to listen to your body. I was hesitant at first becuase of the large quantities of nuts and avocados i was eating (previously these were things i had been told to avoid to loose weight) but in 4 months ive dropped 40 pounds, and i havent hit a plateue yet. I experiment with tons of new foods/recipes, and i keep a journal of what i eat and how im feeling. I started very simple – fresh fruit & veggies, and slowley started adding in more complex recipes. Since being raw, not only have i dropped weight, but ive ‘healed’ a number of other medical issues as well. I still have a ways to go on the weight loss front – but everyday of success is motivation to keep doing what im doing!
Good Luck!
Hi Odessa,
Many thanks for this feedback. I do appreciate the personal perspective. There is so much contradictory information out there that I really do not know what to believe. I think following my body’s cues is probably the best way to go and to keep experimenting.
I too am very new to the raw scene but it sounds like you are on the right path. Just take things slowly. This site has some really great recipes too!
Not to hijack your thread but I do have a question for the more experienced on a raw vegan diet…when did you first notice that you were losing weight? How long did it take before you first saw results?
Rob07,
I have lost 30lbs in 90 days, I have healed several medical issues and until now I have been a personl whom has struggled with being overweight for a long long time. Since I was a pre-teen. Nothing has ever worked, exercise, calorie reduction everything would work for a while and then the weight would creep back on. Now I am losing weight, I think the first 20lbs were probably water but the rest was fat, I feel better and for the first time since I was 11 years old I have hope. :) Try it, I eat as much as I want or feel like eating and have not gained 1 single pound since I have embarked on this journey. :) Peace and blessings, dea.
The contradictory information is tough. Im the kind of person that researches everything before i start something, and i found not having ‘one right answer’ to be a little discouraging and confusing. So many sites cited hard scientific evidence for their claims, i was baffled as to how they could all disagree. In the end, i just did what felt right – taking a little bits of information from dozens of different places. Some things just seem more logical than others. And some things just agree with my body and spirit better than others. I dont like ultimatums, and i think anything that claims to be the only right way is probably wrong! This is why i say listen to your body, experiment, and enjoy the journey. My father used to have a saying “If the tool gets the job done – then its the right tool”. Same theory here – if what youre doing helps you feel better, acheive your goals, and be happy with yourself, then its the right thing to do! :)
oh – and to answer nuttgirl – i started seeing/feeling results pretty quickly. The first few weeks of detox was rough, but i dropped 10 lbs the first week, and as soon as some of the detox symptoms started passing – i started feeling ‘renewed’ – more energy, clearer thoughts, better skin etc… Its been 5 months, and i still have periods of detox, but they are less severe now, and im still dropping weight and feeling great!
first of all, congradulations on your decision to go raw! I have to agree with everyone and say that there’s no clear answer as to the BEST way to lose weight on a raw diet. I’d recommend you keep a journal and keep track of what you eat as well as how you feel afterwards. Are you left hungry and craving? Are you bloated? Nauseous? Fatigued? Also, take note of your bowel movements, you want them to be regular. Some people do not respond well to nuts and seeds because they are harder to digest. Test to see how your body handles them. Some people keep them to a minimum or avoid them all together when trying to lose weight, again, its all in accordance to your body.
Now, I don’t know if you were on a SAD diet, vegetarian, or vegan, but a low fat raw diet will definitely help you lose weight. Good luck and keep us posted!
I have found that since I’ve been raw I’ve actually gained weight. And I don’t really want to! I could stand to lose a good 10lbs and the constant increase has me annoyed. I have cut down on the fats and am mostly consuming a fruitarian diet but still…the scale goes up :(
hey damzlfly-are you eating sugary fruits or mosltly tomatoes, cucumbers, squashes? I’m asking b/c some folks gain on fruit due to high sugar….maybe try raw with an emphasis on greens if you haven’t already? hi Rob07- For me, losing weight on raw was about understanding my hunger. When I’m really experiencing hunger vs stomach growling or comfort/habitual eating. not sure if this helps you at all. I find that I need to eat less and less and have more and more energy-good for my bank account and crazy hard on all the issues coming up with the cleansing and clearing out of my life! I’m still learning about it and often have weeks where I gain rather than lose though getting better at knowing the effects of my choices. peace Heather
Damzlfy
I lost 10 lbs when I first started – fairly quickly. I am an avid exerciser, so that helped. I too am eating more fruits than anything, and at first it worked,,, but now, I seem to be more bloated and feel like I am gaining weight. I agree with blujett8 that greens are the way to go. The challenge is that it is not as portable…
What does everyone recommend for portable greens instead of fruit?
Can a person gain weight on vegan raw if he or she ate a lot of high glycemic foods? Also, which veggies and fruits are considered high glycemic?
hey Nutgirl yes, you can easily gain weight eating hugh glycemic foods…it all depends on how your particular body deals w/ them. Not sure why my last post got all crossed out. Anyway- here’s a link to glycemic index for fruit Website Link
Hey Rob07,
Thought I’d weigh in on this topic. (ha ha) Dr. Fuhrman helped get me started as well, through the films “Diet For A New America” and “Eating”<(the best film in the world). I’ve lost 160 lbs (12 stone) My before and after pics are here. http://www.purelyraw.com/ourstories.htm
As far as the food goes, many will tell you to avoid fats (nuts, oils) even on raw food. I have found I have no problem with raw fats. I believe the reason many people lose more weight after cutting down on oils or nuts is because, most nuts and oils are NOT Raw. So they are actually increasing their Raw percentage by cutting down on these items.
A much bigger issue for me with weight is my old thinking. I’ve found even now as a 100% raw foodist, that just a day or two with old bad thoughts, and I can put on a stone or 15 lbs. This has happended to me several times while raw even while juice fasting or living on green smoothies.
Doctors for years have given patients fake medicines called placebos. They make up a name for the fake drugs and tell the patient it will cure them. These fakes pills are effective 40% of the time. The patients’ BELIEF in the Doctor and the placebo are enough to cure them.
Now consider what you believe about your own health. Do you tell yourself, ‘I’m big boned’ or ‘I’ve never been one of those fit/healthy people’? Do you believe you are meant to be heavy? Do you believe perfect glowing health is an option for you? At one time, I didn’t.
When I glance in the mirror and think I look heavier. If I start obsessing about weight at that point, sure enough in a few days I’ll add 15 pounds. If I ignore those thoughts and remind myself that I am now healthy and eating a perfect diet, then I am fine.
Another weight loss secret of mine is being active. I DON’T mean exercise. I mean begin to live like a happy, healthy person. Don’t let anyone wait on you. (bring you something from the kitchen ‘cause they are going in there anyway) Get up and get it yourself and wait on other people instead. Don’t park as close to the front door of the store as possible or carry armloads of stuff so you don’t have to make multiple trips. Make a few trips, it won’t kill you!
Cut out sedentary activities like watching TV or surfing the net. Get up and move! and stay moving! Find something active that you enjoy and do it! A lot!
Also throw away your scale. Weight fluxuates a lot during weight loss and watching it too close will keep you in the FAT state of mind. “Why have I not lost any weight in these last few days?” When I was 363 pounds I could lose 5 pounds with a visit to the toilet, so what good is a scale?
Here is a couple of pages from our website that might interest you. http://www.purelyraw.com/stayingpure.htm _ – _ http://www.purelyraw.com/changeyourmind.htm
Remember… “Fat people are lucky, their health problem is obvious!” Skinny people and Normal weighted people die from poor diets every day. Consider yourself lucky, you could be dying of Cancer and not know it, like many “healthy looking” people are today.
Purely Yours, Chris
I have done a lot of research and experimenting with the raw food “diet”, and yes, it is important to notice how your body reacts to certain foods and their combinations.
I do believe it is important to keep your nuts/fats/avocados in check; especially when one first embarks on this path, there is a tendency to eat too many nuts and seeds and while many people manage to lose weight, many more actually gain weight. We all have different metabolisms and activity levels. I have enjoyed Frederic Patenaude’s site and has some great articles on low fat raw food eating: http://www.fredericpatenaude.com/articles/energ…
Variety and moderation is always key; some days you feel to eat heavier, some days lighter. I think a great experiment is to do three days with just fruits and veggies – no oil, no fats, no sweeteners – and see how you feel. Fats have their place for sure in our lives (oh, and I love those fats – so creamy good) and they also need to be respected. I just notice they take longer to digest, which is fine, but when I over do them, I pay a price in less energy and bloating. And of course we all react differently!
Green smoothies are a great way to keep your energy and nutrient levels up and help to stave off cravings, as well as regular physcial exercise, whether it is walking or yoga or whatever turns your fancy.
Good luck on your journey and I think you are amazing! Peace and love, devachal.
Hi all… Im new to this too and had wondered if detox and weightloss symptoms are as bad if you are transitioning from a 100% vegan diet rather than a veggie or meat eaters diet?