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I Love RAW :) But RAW Doesn't Love Me :(

Here's the skinny:

Unless I eat something that has nuts I won't get full or stay full for more than 30 minutes to an hour. It's like I'm using all the fuel from my food as soon as I eat it.

I don't juice unless I add tofu, because I can't go more than 20 minutes until I'm starving again.

My endurance has decreased during my workouts as well. I'm not on a raw food diet to lose weight, but I love the energy and overall healthy feeling. However, I don't know what's the best balance for me while raw because it seems that my body wants too much of something that everyone else is saying to stay away from-nuts!

Is it a lack a protein that my body is craving or is it fat? Whatever it is only nuts are fulfilling that need.

However, when I eat rice or gluten free pastries and cooked legumes I actually get full, but I do eat a large portion. It takes a whole cup of rice, lentils, and whatever side I'm eating to get full. That's three cups of food.

The real reason that I am concerned:

I'm went from 129 to 119 in a month of just incorporating raw desserts into my already vegan diet (raw cookies and smoothies and puddings). When I stopped eating 100% raw and switched to 50% My weight continuted to decline. This was kinda scary considering I'm 5'5". I stopped eating raw for a while and my weight has flutuated this month between 117-119. I'm not complaing I just don't want to look like i'm starving-because I am! I eat all day it seems but I don't really get full unless I have a ton of nuts or bananas. I'm not shying away from fat. I do have some food intolerances: Avocado, coconut, and gluten.

Can you guys point me in the right direction?

Typical Foods:

Breakfast:

Green smoothie (banana, kale, lemon juice, pineapple)

or

Flax cakes (oil, flax, water, agave) with agave and fruit

or

cookies and soy milk or water

Snack:

Kale chips

or

roasted edamame

or

fruit smoothie

or

cookies

Lunch:

some type of pate/burger

or

salad no nuts

or

smoothie (no nuts)

Dinner is 25-50% raw

rice, curry, and fruit or salad

I really appreciate it guys! Thanks

Comments

  • Hi ItVganAtGnesis,

    You know, about 30 minutes from now, I was having the same feeling about it. Man, I feel like I'm just eating all-the-time! And I never get full. Even If I'm on a high fruit diet, I feel like I'm shy now to be eating so much. Like today, I had:

    1 zapote

    1 avocado (small)

    Half of a huge papaya

    about 15 bananas

    and it's only 5pm (ok I get up at 6-something).

    My problem right now is that I'm kind of low money, so I buy this banana's head, which gives me about 45 bananas for 1 dollar (I'm in central America). So I just eat bananas, or almost. And I was trying to mix it with spinach but I don't think I like it so much. Anyway.

    Even if I'm eating like 5 cups of fruits, I'm still hungry 30 minutes later. I think our bodies will get use to assimilate the fiber and energy and stuff, but still.. I've been vegetarian for 3 years and a half, and I'm vegan since a year, 100% raw since less (40 days) so maybe we should give it time.. I don't know!

    Good luck, If i find reasons or solutions I'll tell you :)

    Karine

  • AVLAVL Raw Newbie

    When I first started eating raw I was ALWAYS hungry, no matter how much fruit and vegetables I ate. The only thing that would fill me up was almond butter, bread, or soy protein like tofu and edamame beans.

    It took about 1.5 months before my body started to get used to it. I gradually reduced the amount of foods that were not fruits and vegetables and increased fresh foods. Now I've been eating about 90% raw for 6 months and my body is now used to eating fruits meals without getting hungry for 3 hours.

    You just need to give it time, or maybe increase your portions of fruits meals. It takes a lot more than a few cups of fruit to get full. Or maybe try monomeals of fruit, by eatinb only 1 type of fruit until you get full.

  • camiheartsrawcamiheartsraw Raw Newbie

    It's just an opinion but it seems like different things work for different people. I used to scoff at the blood type diet, but I think there may be some merit. I do better when I'm on a high protein - high to moderate fat diet. I have lupus and as a result, I don't metabolize food like most people. I have a real tendancy to drop weight, sometimes more than others. I need a lot of nuts and seeds (at least 3 months into a raw diet) to properly maintain my weight and feel full. I think if a lot of raw vegans saw what and how much I eat they'd probably think I was a glutton. But I look and feel great and my doctor was so happy I finally look healthy!

    Here's a pretty typical day for me:

    Breakfast:

    Option 1

    1/4 cup hulled hemp seeds or handful of soaked almonds or cashews

    1.5 cup kale

    3/4 cup raspberries

    2 bananas

    Option 2 (my favorite)

    1/2 cup cashews

    1 rounded tsp cacao nibs

    1 rounded tsp cacao powder

    1 cup raspberries

    1 banana or 3 dates

    Snack

    2 bananas

    2 plums

    Lunch:

    kale

    chard

    cucumber

    raw saur kraut (not pasteurized) or dressing with umeboshi paste and olive oil

    This is in a huge friggen bowl! Not a normal sized salad

    Snack1:

    Laughin Giraffe Organic Macaroons (OMG so yummy) - at least 2

    Snack 2:

    Dulse. I love the stuff - eat it straight.

    Dinner:

    1/4 butternut squash - processed into rice size

    cumin

    coriander

    cinnamon

    raisins

    guacamole

    sliced raw vegetables

    Dessert

    Mango pureed with dates, vanilla and 2 tbs chia seeds - let sit for 30 mins

    I eat. A lot. It works for me though :) I'm still 126 at 5'6, which is ideal for me. Dates and nuts help, but the raw fruit really is my life saver. If I keep plenty on hand and eat a lot in the morning, I'm still feeling full by the evening and not grabbing any food I can find when I walk in the door. I didn't realize how much I had to eat when I first started and just wasn't getting enough calories. If you want to gain weight, eat more calories than you burn. The easiest way to do that is by eating more nuts and dates or calorie dense fruits like bananas.

    Cami

     

  • I think you need to eat what you feel you need. the human body is pretty good at telling you're lacking through cravings, so you should listen to it.

    Around here seem to eat very little in the way of calories, and that's fine, because theyre maintaining a healthy weight and they feel good, but if it' not working for you then you need to eat more, like others have said, your body will adjust over time.

    You do eat a fair amount of protein, I dont think that's the problem - try eating more in the mornings, have nuts with your green smoothie and have more bananas, eat until you feel full and satisfied at breakfast and you wont be as hungry for the rest of the day.

    eat more fruit, earlier, and if you're not adverse to it, try drinking warm herbal tea with your meals, warm liquids will make you feel fuller and you can cut these out eventually if you want to.

  • Thanks Karine, I was feeling that I was the only one that's been eating like a billy goat. I'm so afraid of overindulging, but can that really be possible on a raw diet? I'm so confused

    By the way what is a zapote? It sounds exotic and delicious.

  • luxdivonluxdivon Raw Newbie

    I think there alot of us that eat alot.. As long as its raw, don't ever feel that you've overindulged, unless your stomach is going to explode, or ALL you eat is nuts. it's really really hard to overdo it on raw, since you really do need so much to quench those calorie/nutrient requirements. Even when I binge on a whole bag of pistachios I don't feel i've overdone it, because i'm not gaining weight, i still feel good, and who knows my body might have needed it. They always say its best to eat 5-6 meals a day, and I think raw does that. You want to eat every few hours. I think we just need to start thinking that is Normal. We weren't normal before --going hours and hours without any kind of food. Even thou it seems unsustainable, it is in fact more sustainable this new way when you adjust to it. From what it looked like you may not be eating enough itvegan. I didn't see any in between snacks, and although many of us might eat the same ratios as you for breakfast, lunch & dinner, we also have at least 1 snack portions between each meal. Or eat more at the main meals. p.s. i myself don't think nuts are bad. I eat them. I know they're not raw, but they don't make me tired like gluten, and they do add calories. I plan to keep eating them indefinitely :)

  • I"m so appreciative for all the comments. Thanks you soooo much! I thought that I probably wasn't eating enough fruit. You're right Jaimie, come to think of it, when I have more fruit in the morning it is easier to get full for that day, and I have way more energy. When I eat nuts towards the evening and sprouts or seeds in my salads for lunch I am full longer.

    I have never been a snacker-it was not allowed in my home growing up so I think I still carry some of that guilt with me when I snack and it seems that most raw meals are SNACKS.

    Thanks so much guys. So, High fruits with greens in the morning; seeds-greens-roots for lunch-maybe even an accompaniment of juice (green or orange); and nut or flax based meals at night. I incorporate more fruits in my snacks too, especially in the daytime.

    My only problem now is cravings. I don't have any. I just fix something. I haven't had cravings since I've been eating 50% raw and I really don't have them now that I'm 75%. No I take that back, I want agave sometimes, but that's the only craving.

  • Hey Lux

    I think you're right. I don't gain weight when I eat lots of nuts or physically suffer, but have been conditioned to believe that nuts should be eaten very moderately-in very small portions.

    Gluten is EVIL! lol A gluten free diet has cleared my acne and patches of itchy skin. It is what made me lethargic all these years after a heavy meal-not legumes or rice.

    Thanks for the encouragement!

  • sv3sv3 Raw Newbie

    Hi ItVeganAtGenesis, you shouldn't feel bad for snacking! I have to eat every few hours and I've always been this way. When I first went raw, I had to eat LOADS and was a bit paranoid that people would think I was a really greedy. As time has gone on though, I feel like I don't need as much. If you are genuinely hungry, then eat!

    It's continuing to eat when I'm not hungry that I hate and feel bad about as I know then it's just emotional eating.

  • Thank you sv3. I will stick to my kale chips and fruit...lol

  • zinfandelzinfandel Raw Newbie

    first of all, your detoxing. second of all, your detoxing. just calm down and go with the flow. you can't expect the years of overstimulation and heavy foods leaving your blood stream toxic to go away in a month.

    get enough calories from fruit. the body runs on glycogen (sugar). you may want to transition more slowly for the sake of detoxing and being more stable.

  • Hi! By the way, zapote is an exotic fruit, the best I ever ate in my entire life! You should look for it :)

    Ciao!

    Karine

  • Thanks guys! I will have to try zapote. More fruit, more fruit, more fruit- I think I have it now.

  • Well, it worked!!! Today, I shared a banana with my tot and a 1/2 hr later I ate about a cup or more of grapes, a pomegranate, and about 1/2 cup or less choco-almond pudding and I got full (and gassy, I realized today that I have to soak Blue Diamond Almonds, but I don't have to soak the other brand that's among the produce at walmart-weird). I just had a green smoothie with kale, frozen banana & pineapple, the juice of 1 freshly squeezed orange, and water. I'm full! So, thanks guys! I'm going to try and go 100% today, but I love curry [baigan bharta (eggplant curry) , aloo dum (potato curry), and mushroom masala is on the menu for tonight-not to mention cumin rice and possibly lentils or split peas).

  • AVLAVL Raw Newbie

    YAY! Congrats on your accomplishments :)

  • Thanks AVL!!!

    I recently had an allergic reaction (break out on face, chest, and back) after adding chia seeds to a smoothie. I couldn't sleep because the itching was so bad, but I think I used too much. I ground 1 Tbsp and added it. I guess I'll go with 1 tsp next time.

    I want greens all the time now, and have been making weird spinach, chocolate, cayenne, cinnamon, banana smoothies lately...lol...but they're amazingly delicious to me lol.

    I appreciate you guys sooo much thanks!

  • That sounds delicious to me!

    I love that spice combo, but i prefer chili powder to cayenne, less peppery.

  • I did it again today guys.

    I O.D.'d on fats. I had tahini in my salad for lunch (that was fine but my body didn't want it), but then not thinking I had olive oil in my salad dressing and baked potato for dinner. I feel horrible!

    I feel like I've eaten dairy or gluten, but I haven't. The worst part is that it takes two days for the bloating to go away.

    So weird!

  • AVLAVL Raw Newbie

    Gluten & dairy bloating is THE WORST! It's weird that you are feeling that way without having eaten it. I don't know what it is, maybe the different food combinations? What did you put in your salad?

    Ya, I also hate how it takes so long to feel "normal". It sucks when you start eating better and you still feel like crap, it just unmotivates me, but I just keep telling myself that it will get better and usually by the 3rd day I start to feel good about myself.

  • zinfandelzinfandel Raw Newbie

    I think a lot of people on this board would recommend getting a copy of 'The 80/10/10 Diet' by Dr. Douglas Graham. It would answer a lot of questions you have.

    Transitioning takes time. Perhaps up to two years before one is really totally comfortable. That's been the case for me, at least. "It's the direction, not the speed of the journey," as per Doug Graham.

  • Yes, you do understand! It really does suck!

    My salad for lunch had spinach, mushrooms, radishes, tomato, carrot, and tahini paste.

    My salad at Ruby Tuesday for dinner was not all raw it had cooked chickpeas (never a problem), edamame, romaine lettuce, tomato, commercial italian dressing and a sprinkle or grapes and cranberries- I should have asked for olive oil and lemon juice

  • hannahmariehannahmarie Raw Newbie

    i agree. 80/10/10.

  • AVLAVL Raw Newbie

    Your lunch salad sounds fine to me, maybe it's the restaurant salad that was the issue. Since you didn't make it yourself you never know what's in it. Maybe it was the dressing?

  • I will definitely look into 80/10/10

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