How not to lose weight on a raw diet

[Rose of Cairo]

I'm in a strange quandary at the moment.

I took a break from my raw diet, on which I was doing GREAT. I definitely feel bad on cooked foods now. Lower energy, less clarity of mind, less intuition, not that great digestion, bad breath, very bad skin, and so on. I very much want to go back to raw, not only for the health benefits, but also because I just feel, deep down, that raw is the way to go for me, on a spiritual level. It's the lifestyle I'd like to live.

On the other hand, I don't want to lose weight. And on a raw diet, I do lose a lot of weight. The two last times I went raw, I lost a lot of weight, that's why I went back to cooked.

Now I AM clearly overweight, so I guess that on a healthy diet like the raw diet it's just normal that I lose that excess fat. But I don't want to! (for now at least)

Do some of the raw foodists out there know how I could go raw yet not lose any weight?

Should I eat a lot of fats? I never restricted my fat intake so far and lost weight all the same, should I intentionally overeat on fats? Or maybe stuff myself with bananas and dates all day long?

I know this is a strange question, but how to make the raw diet a bit unhealthier?

[seeker5]

Rose,

If you're going to spend time and energy, might as well spend time and energy going to the root cause of why you don't want to lose weight and transcend that. Not the surface reasons you listed on your blog, but the real deep reasons you're scared of losing weight.

You know I'm not saying that you should lose weight at all. I think you're totally fine and beautiful and attractive at any of the weights I've seen you. However, I know you don't feel fine with it. So, I'm just suggesting that you probably should spend your time and energy facing your fears and dealing with them instead of resorting to eating things that in truth, you'd rather not eat.

Otherwise, this will be an issue that will come up again and again and again that will keep you from living on the spiritual level that you want to live.

[Amandaaa]

so I guess that on a healthy diet like the raw diet it's just normal that I lose that excess fat. But I don't want to! (for now at least)

^Why not?!

(I'm just curious...because I think that's the first time I've ever heard anyone say that. )




In my experience, the weight loss with a raw diet basically comes from not increasing the quantity of food that I'm eating. I feel like I'm eating just as much (if not more) than I was before...but because most raw fruits and vegetables are so low in calories, my overall calorie intake is much lower than it was before. So basically, you have to quadruple the amount of food that you're eating-- and then it all evens out.


(I have no idea what the real answer is... I've always had the same problem, although I've never really considered it a "problem." Have you tried eating more "heavy foods" like avocadoes, sunflower seeds, cashews, almonds, macadamia nuts, granola, dates, etc? I've also heard of people eating raw pizza, raw burritos, and other dehydrated stuff. Or maybe you could try eating some chocolate...? )

[Rose of Cairo]

Originally Posted by seeker5

I think you're totally fine and beautiful and attractive at any of the weights I've seen you. However, I know you don't feel fine with it.

You'd have been right a few days ago, unfortunately this is not true anymore for me now.

ok, basically it looks like that: I've always been overweight and I have always wanted to lose weight. My mother also has always heavily (pun intended ) wanted me to lose weight, which used to piss me off big time. I'm currently working on my issues with my mother in some other thread. Since then, many things have changed, especially my body awareness. I don't see myself through my mother's eyes anymore. She finds overweight ugly and so did I, but not anymore. How I see my body has shifted, I like it now. I love the fat, I love everything I found ugly before, I enjoy looking at myself, and bellydancing around with my naked FAT belly

I realized in that thread about my mother that the real reason for breaking the raw diet off was that my mother wanted me to lose weight, so I refused to do what she wanted me to do and didn't want to lose weight.

Now I don't care anymore about what she wants me to do or not do. However, now that I'm so happy with my body, well, I realize that I really don't want to lose the weight. I'm fine the way I am. What used to annoy me about my fat were in fact opinions others had about it, not my own.

Of course if I'm fine with my body, then I'll be fine with my body if it's thin too. Yes of course. But I'm SO happy to be at peace with my fat eventually, after something like 15 years of war, that I'd like to enjoy this state for a while. Maybe some day later I'll choose the lose the weight, for instance for health reasons. But for now, I want to stay exactly the way I am, being happy and content the way I am now. Because I find myself terribly sexy with my overly feminine curves

Who says all overweight people have to want to lose weight?

Steve wrote in a recent blog post that you have to accept all consequences of a new diet in order to stick with it. He's right, and it's clear to me that I don't accept at least one consequence of the raw diet (the weight loss aspect of it), however I'd like to go raw all the same. When I list all reasons I have to want to live raw, there are more than 20 of them. That's just the right path for me.

I just would like to cheat a little bit in order to skip this one nasty consequence. Won't you let me cheat?

[Rose of Cairo]

Originally Posted by Amandaaa

So basically, you have to quadruple the amount of food that you're eating-- and then it all evens out.

Sounds like work ok, I'll try to eat more. I definitely wasn't eating much. Just enough to not feel hungry. There is some space between that and overeating.

Have you tried eating more "heavy foods" like avocadoes, sunflower seeds, cashews, almonds, macadamia nuts, granola, dates, etc?

I'm afraid I cannot eat more fat than I feel like eating, or else I feel nauseous. But I did limit the sugar intake, that's true. I took care not to eat too many dates and dried fruit. Maybe I could eat those limitless and see how it goes?

I've also heard of people eating raw pizza, raw burritos, and other dehydrated stuff. Or maybe you could try eating some chocolate...? )

Hmmm... I'm not fond of dehydrated and otherwise processed foods, I prefer eating as naturally as possible. I'll let myself free to eat as many dates as I want and generally eat more, and see how I'm doing.

Thank you very much!

[ar81]

Many people think that diet and exercise is enough.
However there is a problem with compulsive eating that can be treated.

There is a group called "overeaters anonymous"
Overeaters Anonymous: 12-step recovery program from compulsive eating
Eating can become an addiction, just like alcoholism.

[Bitsy]

Good to see you got this issue resolved Rose.

Originally Posted by Rose of Cairo

I enjoy looking at myself, and bellydancing around with my naked FAT belly

So does this mean you did get my pm, or does it mean you were already belly dancing?

[Rose of Cairo]

Originally Posted by Bitsy

Good to see you got this issue resolved Rose.

Thanks Bitsy, and thanks for your support

So does this mean you did get my pm, or does it mean you were already belly dancing?

I was already bellydancing AND I did get your pm I just replied to it

[Rose of Cairo]

Originally Posted by ar81

Many people think that diet and exercise is enough.
However there is a problem with compulsive eating that can be treated.

There is a group called "overeaters anonymous"
Overeaters Anonymous: 12-step recovery program from compulsive eating
Eating can become an addiction, just like alcoholism.

I said I do NOT want to lose weight.

[Dave Kaminski]

Eat a lot of avocados and other high calorie raw vegan foods!

[seeker5]

Originally Posted by Rose of Cairo

But for now, I want to stay exactly the way I am, being happy and content the way I am now. Because I find myself terribly sexy with my overly feminine curves

That's absolutely fantastics!! I'm very happy you can accept how sexy, attractive and beautiful you are.

About time you realize that too

[Liminal Chris]

Originally Posted by Rose of Cairo

I realized in that thread about my mother that the real reason for breaking the raw diet off was that my mother wanted me to lose weight, so I refused to do what she wanted me to do and didn't want to lose weight.

Who says all overweight people have to want to lose weight?

I applaud the changes in your perspective that you have taken. It's a true challenge to rise about those issues.

But at the same time, I think you should lose the weight. Not because of societal norms and not because of your mother, but for yourself. Being overweight is not healthy, and it puts you are risk for a substantial ammount of health problems. While the end result may be the same as what your mother wanted, the motivation is completely your own. Frankly when it comes down to it, you deserve to be healthy.

Anyways, best of luck to you in where ever life takes you.

[Bitsy]

Originally Posted by Rose of Cairo

Thanks Bitsy, and thanks for your support


I was already bellydancing AND I did get your pm I just replied to it

Thanks, I got it.

Actually, when I was taking belly dancing, I used to look at women with bigger hips and "stuff" to move and jiggle around the hips and I sometimes wish I were bigger around the hips, because it looks nicer when they dance than when I do. I have such small hips that I have to really stretch to exaggerate the move for it to look nice . But we make do with what we have. And I think a woman who can belly dance moderately well will see her body in a new light and it's inevitable that she will like her body.

[Amandaaa]

Because I find myself terribly sexy with my overly feminine curves

^You can still have sexy, feminine curves and not be "overweight."


I think you should let your body do whatever it wants to do. Don't cling to the excess because you feel like that's your identity...or because you're afraid of having it seem like you're finally acquiescing with your mother's opinion. You should be happy with yourself-- no matter what your body looks like. But eating raw isn't about body image... it's about living optimally, being pure and natural, and feeling amazing...and if your body is losing weight, then it probably means that it wants to function better than it is right now.

And I think a woman who can belly dance moderately well will see her body in a new light and it's inevitable that she will like her body.

^I wholeheartedly agree. When I started doing Shimmy on fitTV last year, I started to see myself in a new light. That was the only time of day that I didn't wish my hips were smaller. It was like learning to see your body as a fluid piece of art...(which I guess is how most dancers feel-- but I've never been a dancer, so I never viewed myself from that perspective.)

I would definitely recommend bellydancing to all girls though... especially the ones that might need a little self-esteem booster.

[UtopiaFive]

What if you learned that it was impossible to be disgustingly fat while also being an overly energetic person (and whatever other positive effects you believe you get from going on the raw foods diet).

I know Steve says that you should look for AND solutions (when making a difficult solution that you see as EITHER OR try and find the AND), but logic doesn't trump nutritional biochemistry.

I could list off the names of a few hormones, but instead I'll just leave you with the very high level possibility that what you want ISN'T POSSIBLE (nor could I understand why you'd want it).

A short anecdote, I used to be really overweight (240 lbs versus my current 165), and for a while I stayed like that IN REBELLION to my parents. The underlying thought pattern was always "They think they know best...I'll show them". In the end, I am thankful that my parents had the best intentions for me even if they went about things the wrong way. Sometimes the message can be right, even if the tone, attitude, or whatever else is just plain wrong.

[Rose of Cairo]

Originally Posted by Dave Kaminski

Eat a lot of avocados and other high calorie raw vegan foods!

Yup! going to buy lots of avocados, bananas, dates, figs, nuts and seeds tomorrow. I'm going back to raw! And very happy about it

Originally Posted by seeker5

That's absolutely fantastics!! I'm very happy you can accept how sexy, attractive and beautiful you are.

About time you realize that too

Thanks Sweetheart

[Rose of Cairo]

Originally Posted by Liminal Chris

I applaud the changes in your perspective that you have taken. It's a true challenge to rise about those issues.

Thank you Chris I'm very happy about it too, it completely changes my life.

Originally Posted by Liminal Chris

But at the same time, I think you should lose the weight. (...) Being overweight is not healthy, and it puts you are risk for a substantial ammount of health problems.

You are of course right, overweight is not healthy. I already have problems with my articulations because of it. AND I don't think I'll die if I stay overweight for a few months or one year more.

Except for eating cooked foods and being overweight, I live totally healthily. After going back to raw foods tomorrow, being overweight will be the only unhealthy thing I'm doing. I drink no alcohol, no soda and no coffee, I don't smoke, I avoid stress, I exercise a lot, and I'm never sick. I'm definitely healthier than most thin people I know. That's why I think it's not THAT much of a problem if I stay overweight for a while more.

[Rose of Cairo]

Originally Posted by Amandaaa

Don't cling to the excess because you feel like that's your identity...

You're right. I still identify with my body. Before, it was a negative identification, I found it ugly. Now I find it beautiful. I'm still identified with my body and I know that's not where I want to be in the end. But for now, I'm so happy that I like my body, you know! That's so new for me.

and if your body is losing weight, then it probably means that it wants to function better than it is right now.

Yes, you're right again. You're absolutely right! I will let go of the fat eventually, I promise. Just not right now! Either when I succeed in breaking the identification with my body. Or when I've had enough of loving my curves. Let me cling to them a bit!

I would definitely recommend bellydancing to all girls though... especially the ones that might need a little self-esteem booster.

Me too!

[Rose of Cairo]

Originally Posted by UtopiaFive

What if you learned that it was impossible to be disgustingly fat while also being an overly energetic person (and whatever other positive effects you believe you get from going on the raw foods diet).(...) I'll just leave you with the very high level possibility that what you want ISN'T POSSIBLE (nor could I understand why you'd want it).

I don't "believe" anything. I DID eat raw for three entire months and I HAD a trrrrremendous energy (any many other very real benefits) during this time, so I KNOW it IS possible to be overweight AND an overly energetic person.

I am already now a quite energetic, fit and healthy person, as I said above. And on the raw diet, it was just amazing.

Besides, why do you assume I'm "disgustingly fat"? Have you seen a pic of me and find it disgusting?

I used to be really overweight (240 lbs versus my current 165), and for a while I stayed like that IN REBELLION to my parents.

If you read what I wrote, you know I'm done with the rebellion phase.

[UtopiaFive]

Did you measure your weight and your body fat percentages at various points?

Do you know how many calories you might have been eating?

I read your blog and this is what I saw:

3 apricots = 50 calories
2 apples = 100 calories
watermelon = 100 calories
1 avocado = 300 calories
3 tomatoes = 100 calories
all those leaves = GREAT for you but probably about 100 calories worth for that whole day.

750 calories. Not being judgemental, but I'm going to call that anorexic.

"My body’s changing permanently. Every morning when I wake up, something is different. I suddenly realize that I have a skeleton. I wasn’t aware of it before because I couldn’t see it. Now some bones are coming out of my body like aliens. My body gets harder and when I bump into the furniture it hurts. When I look at my wrists I sometimes don’t recognize them spontaneously. I look at my face in the mirror and find it strange. My clothes don’t fit anymore. All this feels so weird and even a bit scary."


That's why you could see your skeleton.

And its not going to look good -- because human bodies are meant to have muscles attached to them.

People who do fasts can generally stop feeling the pain after 3 days. Everything gets to be normal feeling for them at that point. Without a doubt, if they continued they'd have something bad if not fatal happen to them right? If you're not eating much food (e.g. just extremely low calorie raw foods) you might be on that same road (moving a tad bit slower).

Do you know why you became more alert on this diet? Your body needs you to become more alert...so you can SEE the animals running by you and you can CATCH and EAT them. So I totally made that up, but it sounds like a valid explanation I can see how those certain feelings you describe might not necessarily be ones that you ought to be feeling normally. You could be using your body and your own muscle for energy. Would work long term.

Obviously, sluggishness and all that associated with high sugar/starch diets are sucky feelings too.



BTW one terrible thing about not eating enough calories is that you will get injured. This can mean you do no physical activity (just walking about a mile a day and thats it) and eat sub-1000 cals, and then your knees or ankles might get screwed up). Or, in my case, it was doing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 4 days a week and "only" eating 3000 calories a day, over time things break down and don't get built back fast enough, and hence, my elbow just couldn't take any more training for a while and I had to spend some time in recovery.



Out of curiosity, do other 'raw fooders' eat under 1000 calories a day? How long have you done it for and do you do much physical activity? Do you/other people who care think you're too skinny or are you a decent build?

[Rose of Cairo]

Originally Posted by UtopiaFive

750 calories.

I don't know, I'm not interested in counting calories.

You obviously have no experience at all with the raw diet. On a raw diet, you don't need as much food as on a "normal" diet. I was doing perfectly fine, really.

Not being judgemental, but I'm going to call that anorexic.

lol First you call me disgustingly fat, and then anorexic? I have to grin!

Besides, if I were anorexic, I'd want to lose weight. But I don't want.

And its not going to look good -- because human bodies are meant to have muscles attached to them.

I'm quite muscular, don't worry. I'm stronger than any woman I know. and even beat some guys at arm wrestling. I even grew additional muscle on the raw diet.

Out of curiosity, do other 'raw fooders' eat under 1000 calories a day?

I don't know, and I don't care.

But they all feel more alert on a raw diet, are they all starving themselves?

How long have you done it for

I already said, three months.

and do you do much physical activity?

Depends on what you call physical activity. I use no car and no elevator. I walk a lot, I practice two dances, I swim sometimes, and do some gardening, sometimes I help out on a farm... I don't go to the gym and do no intensive sports, but I move at least 2-3 hours a day. I just need it or else I get grumpy.

Do you/other people who care think you're too skinny or are you a decent build?

I am OVERWEIGHT as I already said. My BMI is 28, I'm female, 29 years old, if you look it up, you'll see this is overweight. Not obese, not anorexic, just overweight. Exactly like I said.

I don't know what you want to prove with all your questions and assumptions. You seem to be eager to prove I'm doing something wrong. Why is that?

[Liminal Chris]

Originally Posted by Rose of Cairo

Except for eating cooked foods and being overweight, I live totally healthily. After going back to raw foods tomorrow, being overweight will be the only unhealthy thing I'm doing. I drink no alcohol, no soda and no coffee, I don't smoke, I avoid stress, I exercise a lot, and I'm never sick. I'm definitely healthier than most thin people I know. That's why I think it's not THAT much of a problem if I stay overweight for a while more.

Please note, I haven' seen any pictures of you or anything so me assuming your unhealthiness was due to you refering to yourself as overweight.

I don't think you can compare yourself to other people. You are a different person than them. Each person's body functions differently. It's not about you living healthier than the skinny people you know. It's about you living the healthiest life you possibly can. You are ovciously a kind and intelligent person, and if being overweight cuts even a second off your life, well then we all suffer for it.

Also the last sentence, you acknowledge that you won't mind staying overweight for a little while more as if to say you will eventually lose it. No time like the present. Especially because losing weight and getting healthy is certainly not an overnight process.

Anyways, I wish you the best of luck.

[UtopiaFive]

Originally Posted by Rose of Cairo

I don't know, I'm not interested in counting calories.

Originally Posted by Rose of Cairo

You obviously have no experience at all with the raw diet. On a raw diet, you don't need as much food as on a "normal" diet. I was doing perfectly fine, really.

You're right -- I don't.

Originally Posted by Rose of Cairo

Besides, if I were anorexic, I'd want to lose weight. But I don't want.

Fair enough...anorexia is a combination of the desire to lose weight AND eating very little -- so you're right, you don't have that first part.

Originally Posted by Rose of Cairo

I even grew additional muscle on the raw diet.

Wow, this part definitely strikes me as a bit odd, I feel like Steve Pavlina and other raw foods advocates are fairly skinny people in general...out of curiosity, did you base this on actual measurements or just taking by visual inspection?

Originally Posted by Rose of Cairo

I don't know what you want to prove with all your questions and assumptions. You seem to be eager to prove I'm doing something wrong. Why is that?

I was first interested in your post because it sounded like someone I'd imagine who'd be similar to myself -- but you turn out to be very different. No need to take it personally, just asking a lot of questions. Respect.

Anyway, doing a bit of reading around looking for something that I can understand (e.g. pictures!) I found a site with before and after picture pictures of people who began to eat only raw foods. For all who might be as interested:
We Like It Raw - Raw Food Goodness: Before & After

BTW all those questions at the end were aimed at other raw food eaters reading this thread -- my bad for the lack of clarity.

[Parthon]

Strange as it sounds, I think you are thinking about it too much.

When you stop eating is it because you really aren't hungry any more, or you just think you aren't hungry. I know my body tends to feel happy after only a bite or two, but then not feeling hungry takes a little bit more, but being full takes way moer than that. The trick is to listen to your body intensly and work out what it wants, rather than what you think it wants. Also, don't listen to your taste buds or emotions, they are always wrong, but sometimes it's hard to tell the difference.

The biggest suggestion is "be natural". Listen to your body, eat what it wants, and also find out what's natural to you personally and follow that. Everyone is different so no one solution will work for everyone.

As for your body image, just be yourself. The real beauty of a girl isn't the number on the scales or the size of her clothes, it's how she feels and presents herself to the world. I've seen women who are traditionally beautiful and look like they've been sucking on lemons for a decade. I've seen women who are considered overweight and they are cheerful and happy almost all the time and radiate positivity. There's far more to beauty than looks, and I think the world would be a better place if more women realised this.

Lastly: UtopiaFive: I'm 6'2 tall and weigh just over 260 lbs. I'm fairly unfit, but I'm far from unhealthy. I do know if I lost weight I'd be healthier and if I got more exercise I'd be fitter and I'm working on both at the moment, but I did realise something: body size doesn't directly relate to unhealthiness. Sumo wrestlers from japan, and body builders everywhere else for example are very heavy, but are often very healthy. In fact the people with the most health problems I have found are those that are under the average BMI on the scale. Then there's freaks like Steve, he looks skinny, but man is he fit and strong. I would bet that he could lift more than I can, no doubt about that, and I help friends move their fridges! Not everything in the world can be figured out with logic.

[Rose of Cairo]

Originally Posted by Liminal Chris

It's not about you living healthier than the skinny people you know. It's about you living the healthiest life you possibly can.

You're absolutely right! What I meant with my silly comparing is that if being overweight is the only unhealthy thing I do, it's not that much of a health risk. I mean, it's not like someone who smokes and drinks alcohol and never exercises and eats junk food... AND is overweight.

And yes, I intend to lose my overweight eventually. Just not right now, maybe in a few months or in a year or two. In fact I think it's unavoidable on such a healthy diet that the body ends up at its optimal weight some day, no matter what I want.

Ah, and even raw I'm still not living the healthiest life I possibly can. First I have to wash only with cold water, and sleep on the floor. And maybe a few things more that I'll discover later

You are ovciously a kind and intelligent person, and if being overweight cuts even a second off your life, well then we all suffer for it.

Wow! Thank you! That's sweet of you to say that. I'll keep it in mind

Originally Posted by UtopiaFive

Wow, this part definitely strikes me as a bit odd, I feel like Steve Pavlina and other raw foods advocates are fairly skinny people in general...out of curiosity, did you base this on actual measurements or just taking by visual inspection?

It was visually obvious and I was able to lift much heavier things.

I was first interested in your post because it sounded like someone I'd imagine who'd be similar to myself -- but you turn out to be very different. No need to take it personally, just asking a lot of questions. Respect.

I'm sorry for getting stroppy like that. Food is something like a sensitive topic for me Now I can see that you meant well. My apologies.

If you're interested in the raw diet, just try it out for two weeks.

[Rose of Cairo]

Originally Posted by Parthon

Strange as it sounds, I think you are thinking about it too much.

When you stop eating is it because you really aren't hungry any more, or you just think you aren't hungry.

And you are telling me I'm thinking too much? I've never thought about asking myself if I'm really not hungry anymore, or if I just think I'm not hungry anymore... When I start eating it tastes absolutely delicious, yummm... and after a while it's excellent, then it's very good... at some point it tastes just ok, and at the same time I feel kinda full... so I interpret that as "not hungry anymore" and stop eating. That's it.

Also, don't listen to your taste buds or emotions, they are always wrong, but sometimes it's hard to tell the difference.

The biggest suggestion is "be natural". Listen to your body, eat what it wants, and also find out what's natural to you personally and follow that.

Hmmm... Sounds a bit like a contradiction.

I personally trust my taste buds and emotions very much. I always eat what I intuitively feel like eating and don't listen to any theories. I've always had great results with this strategy.

As for your body image, just be yourself. The real beauty of a girl isn't the number on the scales or the size of her clothes, it's how she feels and presents herself to the world. I've seen women who are traditionally beautiful and look like they've been sucking on lemons for a decade. I've seen women who are considered overweight and they are cheerful and happy almost all the time and radiate positivity. There's far more to beauty than looks, and I think the world would be a better place if more women realised this.

I agree.

It's difficult though, you know. As a woman you get taught your entire life that looks are very important, that you absolutely have to be pretty, that your beauty determines your social value, and that you cannot possibly be pretty if you're not thin. It's really heavy social conditioning.

body size doesn't directly relate to unhealthiness.

That's what I was trying to explain

Anyway, today is my second day raw, I'm very happy to be back to raw! Everything's wonderful, the change in energy and clarity of mind took only one day this time, it's amazing. I'm stuffing myself with all kinds of heavy foods like bananas, dates, avocados and raw peanuts, and hoping I won't lose too much weight

Thanks to all!

[Parthon]

Originally Posted by Rose of Cairo

And you are telling me I'm thinking too much? I've never thought about asking myself if I'm really not hungry anymore, or if I just think I'm not hungry anymore... When I start eating it tastes absolutely delicious, yummm... and after a while it's excellent, then it's very good... at some point it tastes just ok, and at the same time I feel kinda full... so I interpret that as "not hungry anymore" and stop eating. That's it.

Haha, yeah I do think too much. What you explain though is pretty much eating enough, until you aren't hungry. Any more and it's not beneficial.

Hmmm... Sounds a bit like a contradiction.

I personally trust my taste buds and emotions very much. I always eat what I intuitively feel like eating and don't listen to any theories. I've always had great results with this strategy.

Aah, I just mean those situations where people eat chocolate because they are feeling sad and want the choc boost, or eating lots of fatty take away because it tastes good are the ones to be avoided.

I agree.

It's difficult though, you know. As a woman you get taught your entire life that looks are very important, that you absolutely have to be pretty, that your beauty determines your social value, and that you cannot possibly be pretty if you're not thin. It's really heavy social conditioning.

Yeah, and it's some of the nastiest social conditioning too. There's a social label on something a people can't change about themselves easily, their looks, that causes huge amounts of suffering and anguish in the world.

The sooner people can accept themselves and others just as they are the better.

That's what I was trying to explain

Anyway, today is my second day raw, I'm very happy to be back to raw! Everything's wonderful, the change in energy and clarity of mind took only one day this time, it's amazing. I'm stuffing myself with all kinds of heavy foods like bananas, dates, avocados and raw peanuts, and hoping I won't lose too much weight

Thanks to all!

Woohoo! Good luck.

[Lenie]

Originally Posted by Rose of Cairo

I'm in a strange quandary at the moment.

I took a break from my raw diet, on which I was doing GREAT. I definitely feel bad on cooked foods now. Lower energy, less clarity of mind, less intuition, not that great digestion, bad breath, very bad skin, and so on. I very much want to go back to raw, not only for the health benefits, but also because I just feel, deep down, that raw is the way to go for me, on a spiritual level. It's the lifestyle I'd like to live.

On the other hand, I don't want to lose weight. And on a raw diet, I do lose a lot of weight. The two last times I went raw, I lost a lot of weight, that's why I went back to cooked.

Now I AM clearly overweight, so I guess that on a healthy diet like the raw diet it's just normal that I lose that excess fat. But I don't want to! (for now at least)

Do some of the raw foodists out there know how I could go raw yet not lose any weight?

Should I eat a lot of fats? I never restricted my fat intake so far and lost weight all the same, should I intentionally overeat on fats? Or maybe stuff myself with bananas and dates all day long?

I know this is a strange question, but how to make the raw diet a bit unhealthier?

... have you tried coconut oil? You would blend it into your smoothies and things. The fact that it's distinctly got medium chain fatty acids is the key to it. Just a suggestion.

[Rose of Cairo]

Originally Posted by Lenie

... have you tried coconut oil? You would blend it into your smoothies and things. The fact that it's distinctly got medium chain fatty acids is the key to it. Just a suggestion.

Hmmm... I drink no smoothies and use no oil. I'll just eat plenty of coconuts Thanks for the suggestion!

[Rose of Cairo]

Originally Posted by Parthon

Aah, I just mean those situations where people eat chocolate because they are feeling sad and want the choc boost, or eating lots of fatty take away because it tastes good are the ones to be avoided.

Ahhhh, yes, now I get it. Yes, you're right, that's a situation where our taste buds and emotions fail to lead us to greater health. That's because these substances are addictive, and they are processed. Our body is not designed to deal with them, so our natural mechanisms aren't able to do their job correctly when confronted to them.

The good news is that on a raw diet, you never have to deal with such foods

The sooner people can accept themselves and others just as they are the better.

I agree with you!

Woohoo! Good luck.

Thanks Parthon I appreciate your wishes.