Daily Calories in Transition

[Guest guest]

I was wondering if it was normal while transitioning to raw that I do

not eat as much as before. Basically, I doubt I am getting the

calories recommended for my weight. Example: yesterday for dinner I

had a half of a normal sized plate of salad (spinach, mushroom, red

onions) plus a pesto sunflower seed cracker (or toast...not sure what

to call it but it's from Livinspoonful.com).

 

Why this happens is for two reasons, 1) I have that wonderful

mantra, " Eat to live, not live to eat " going thru my mind, and 2) I

am listening to the most subtle clues in my body that it had enough.

I am trying to eat only when I am truly hungry.

 

I figure I runs this by everyone as basic stuff like this doesn't

seem to be covered in the books I have read so far.

 

Helen (Everett)

[Guest guest]

When I'm eating my lightest I rarely go over 1400 calories in a day. For

someone who is thin/normal weight that might be a challenge for them, but with

my ample store of fat my body is okay at that low level.

 

When it is cold or I am craving heavier foods, I tend to be in the 2000-2200

level, which is the amount that doctors say my body needs just for base body

temperature maintanence. It is very easy to hit this amount by adding just

simple crackers or a nut pate.

 

I don't count my calroies at this point. When I first got started I felt like I

needed to, in order to be in control with my mind over what my bosy was asking

me for (not trusting my body/nautural hunger yet). Now, when I'm feeling like

I've hit a plateau in my weightloss I just have a leafy green salad for each

meal for a couple of days and this will usually jump start me.

 

Hope this was helpful!

 

-starrrie

 

Helen <email wrote:

 

I was wondering if it was normal while transitioning to raw that I do

not eat as much as before. Basically, I doubt I am getting the

calories recommended for my weight. Example: yesterday for dinner I

had a half of a normal sized plate of salad (spinach, mushroom, red

onions) plus a pesto sunflower seed cracker (or toast...not sure what

to call it but it's from Livinspoonful.com).

 

Why this happens is for two reasons, 1) I have that wonderful

mantra, " Eat to live, not live to eat " going thru my mind, and 2) I

am listening to the most subtle clues in my body that it had enough.

I am trying to eat only when I am truly hungry.

 

I figure I runs this by everyone as basic stuff like this doesn't

seem to be covered in the books I have read so far.

 

Helen (Everett)

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Thanks! I think that sounds pretty good. I am enjoying the adventure,

but at the smae time want to do things right and not get myself into

any major trouble.

 

It's interesting but I am craving less and seem as a result to feel a

little weaker at times, but I am sure this will go away. I am trying

to keep some nuts, seeds, sprouts in my diet.

 

Helen (Everett)

[Guest guest]

The answer to this question depends in part on your current amount of muscle

mass and body fat.

 

Short term changes of calorie intake aren't very significant unless you are

extremely underweight.

 

Over the long term I would only be concerned if I was losing weight when I

already had low muscle mass or body fat.

 

May your day be filled with clarity, grace, progress, and warm laughter,

Roger

 

-

" Helen " <email

<RawSeattle >

Friday, February 25, 2005 9:05 AM

[RawSeattle] Daily Calories in Transition

 

 

>

>

> I was wondering if it was normal while transitioning to raw that I do

> not eat as much as before. Basically, I doubt I am getting the

> calories recommended for my weight. Example: yesterday for dinner I

> had a half of a normal sized plate of salad (spinach, mushroom, red

> onions) plus a pesto sunflower seed cracker (or toast...not sure what

> to call it but it's from Livinspoonful.com).

>

> Why this happens is for two reasons, 1) I have that wonderful

> mantra, " Eat to live, not live to eat " going thru my mind, and 2) I

> am listening to the most subtle clues in my body that it had enough.

> I am trying to eat only when I am truly hungry.

>

> I figure I runs this by everyone as basic stuff like this doesn't

> seem to be covered in the books I have read so far.

>

> Helen (Everett)

>

 

[Guest guest]

Thanks Roger.

 

Right now I have a lot of body fat and muscle, but more so on the

fat. I will try to let me body lead me to tell me what it wants.

Since last Tuesday ( I was sick since then, but have healed on Sunday)

I have lost abnout 7 lbs. I am happy for the first time in a long

while to be able to see my cheekbones and have some vitality back.

 

BTW, I just had my first shot of wheatgrass yesterday - love it! It's

like pure life-force moving thru the body.I am about to go and get a

juice in the next few days

[Guest guest]

Helen,

My experience is that I eat less when I am under stress (be it

physical and/or mental stress). This is in keeping with physiology,

as the digestive system tends to shut down when we are in the " fight

or flight " mode of stress. My body usually tells me after awhile

that I need to eat more and my appetite picks up. Perhaps when the

body is busy cleansing, it will get by on less food for a time. I

wouldn't be alarmed.

Ron

 

RawSeattle , " Helen " <email@h...> wrote:

>

> I was wondering if it was normal while transitioning to raw that I

do

> not eat as much as before. Basically, I doubt I am getting the

> calories recommended for my weight. Example: yesterday for dinner I

> had a half of a normal sized plate of salad (spinach, mushroom, red

> onions) plus a pesto sunflower seed cracker (or toast...not sure

what

> to call it but it's from Livinspoonful.com).

>

> Why this happens is for two reasons, 1) I have that wonderful

> mantra, " Eat to live, not live to eat " going thru my mind, and 2) I

> am listening to the most subtle clues in my body that it had

enough.

> I am trying to eat only when I am truly hungry.

>

> I figure I runs this by everyone as basic stuff like this doesn't

> seem to be covered in the books I have read so far.

>

> Helen (Everett)

[Guest guest]

> I was wondering if it was normal while transitioning to raw that I do

> not eat as much as before. Basically, I doubt I am getting the

> calories recommended for my weight.

 

Something to consider, one aspect of hunger is the body's need for

" nutrition " , not just to fill the stomach, like the standard American

diet. That may be why you are not as hungry. You may be getting a much

higher concentration of nutrients, including those not widely

recognized as importent (like enzymes and actual energy.) Your body is

probably taking a breather (with a big sigh of relief!). On the raw

diet, the body ends up doing less work to process the stuff we shovel

in and ends up getting much better/more concentrated fuel. Many believe

that, over time, on the raw diet the body lowers the resistance it has

built up to defend itself against the properties in cooked foods (as

well as preservatives and artificial ingredients, etc.) This may result

in the elimination of the mucoid material that builds up in the

intestines, so the body ends up absorbing a much higher percentage of

nutrients. Less food, more nutrition... what a concept! This explains

why some raw foodists can get away with eating so little. I'm not there

yet, but have noticed my body does not react as I once believed, when I

have altered my diet. When I have gone to a low-fat raw diet, because

of the reduced calories, I expected more of a weight drop, but only had

a slight drop, then leveled out. It was contra-logical in some ways. If

I am getting less calories, according to traditional belief, shouldn't

I continue withering away? It confirmed to me that it may be a

healthier way to eat. It suggests that it is not about the calories, it

is about the body working efficiently. Maybe the body stores fat

partially because of an inability to run efficiently.

 

Something else to consider, those " daily recommendation " (such as

caulories and nutrients) were not likely based on people in ideal

health, and certainly not based on raw food diets. We are exploring new

(and verrry very old) territory.

 

Anyway, long story short, I wouldn't worry. Enjoy your new body!

 

Jeff

[Guest guest]

Hi, I havn't read all the responses but I've had a lot of weight loss at

times and feel best when I get actually quite a lot of oil in my diet. I

know some think avocados are not so great but for me they help me maintain

my weight and feel good.

Janaki

-

" Helen " <email

<RawSeattle >

Friday, February 25, 2005 9:05 AM

[RawSeattle] Daily Calories in Transition

 

 

>

>

> I was wondering if it was normal while transitioning to raw that I do

> not eat as much as before. Basically, I doubt I am getting the

> calories recommended for my weight. Example: yesterday for dinner I

> had a half of a normal sized plate of salad (spinach, mushroom, red

> onions) plus a pesto sunflower seed cracker (or toast...not sure what

> to call it but it's from Livinspoonful.com).

>

> Why this happens is for two reasons, 1) I have that wonderful

> mantra, " Eat to live, not live to eat " going thru my mind, and 2) I

> am listening to the most subtle clues in my body that it had enough.

> I am trying to eat only when I am truly hungry.

>

> I figure I runs this by everyone as basic stuff like this doesn't

> seem to be covered in the books I have read so far.

>

> Helen (Everett)

>