New! Weight loss question - Raw Food Chat

WeepingWillow · 11-14-2007

Hello everyone! I've been over 90% raw for about a week now and I feel great! The only things I'm having trouble letting go of are diet soda and coffee. I originally started this to lose weight, but after reading so much in the last week, I really want to do it for my health in general, including being at a healthy weight. I'm curious though, how fast is the typical weight loss? I know it depends on the person, but I'd love to hear some inspiring stories if anyone has one!

Thanks so much!

WW

Double Helix · 11-14-2007

The best way to give up caffeine addiction is like ripping off a band aid, quick and maybe a little intense at first, but after 3 days doing without it you stop craving it. Be prepared for a detox headache within that time, but just eat more fruit or drink a lot of water.

Plus once you get that stuff out of your system you will be totally amazed at how much more effecient and quickly your body heals than when you were 90%.

As to the level of weight loss, in general, the more you have to lose, the more you lose in the beginning. But that is just a general thing, as you know everyone's different. You tend to always lose more at first though, and then it tapers off, especially if you aren't exercising regularly which is what's really important.

By the way, you are doing great, keep it up!

greenbunny · 11-14-2007

Once again Double Helix and I are diametrically opposed in our turtle vs. hare approaches with the goal and ideology identical. I knew someone who when giving up soda literally passed out in the middle of a Manhattan street and ended up in the hospital.

Caffeine addiction can be like other strong drug addictions. Giving it up all at once the capillaries in your brain contract giving you headaches, making you tired and miserable and causing you not to be able to think straight or even pass out: your adrenal glands go into shock, your pancreas gets wigged out and the sudden lack of adrenaline and the sugars it releases can create havoc for your entire sugar metabolism and everything it feeds including the muscles as well as the nervous system including the brain.

I have come off coffee more times than I would like to admit in my lifetime and have helped many other people to do it as well. It is my strong belief that cold turkey makes for unnecessary pain, discomfort and danger (including the danger of doing poorly at your work if you have responsibilities that have to be kept up with while coming off the drug).

There are teas that have caffeine in them that also have tremendous healing components. One of the best is green tea. If you transfer over to green tea and drink it all day in sips you will transfer your caffeine addiction onto a substance that is much easier to beat because it does not have all the other chemical/energetic addictive properties that coffee and soda do. There are other herbs that can help you come off caffeine. Licorice tea is a miracle tea. I get the tea bags and add them to my other cafeinated teas because it helps to heal the adrenals and balance sugar levels. It's like taking medicine with the poison. Cinnamon is another fabulous herb to balance the sugar levels. Chromium is a great supplement that helps when you are trying to re-balance your sugar metabolism. If you are not diabetic or hypoglycemic eating lots of fruit and fruit juices during the day will help to at least keep your sugars up. If you are getting headaches, putting your head lower than your heart can help to open up those cappilaries in your brain that have been shut down due to coffee.

You are really on track and getting rid of the caffeine - you will be amazed at how much better you feel.

My opinion is - like it is with everything - why make it hard and unpleasant if you don't have to?

Greenbunny

WeepingWillow · 11-14-2007

Thanks so much to both of you for your input!

Double Helix · 11-14-2007

Yes GB, I guess we do differ in that area don't we? I've tried to slowly taper off things like chocolate but leaving that window (or door) open just a little is too much of a temptation to me.

I guess what it boils down to, is if you are an all or nothing, or a disciplined person. I'm more of an all or nothing person so stopping one addiction (at a time as opposed to all at the same time) is a lot easier. The detox comes and goes within a few days and then I don't have to deal with nasty chocolate (or in your case, caffeing cravings).

Hope that helps you!

oriyomi · 11-15-2007

Well...i am on day 25 of eating raw...i would say i am about 95% raw lol...j/k im pretty raw except for the stuff that is not really raw anymore like almonds that say raw!! you all should lookit up i went to my local nature mart and they had a little newsclip that stated that almonds would no longer be raw because of some type of illness that came of it and so they have to heat them above 118 degrees...

at any rate...i too first started the raw cleanse to get rid of my fatigue and drop some weight...i started on october 22nd and as of yesterday i have dropped about 10-12 pounds. But that is with no exercising except for some arm exercises that i do with weights at home.

i have recently decided that i am going to continue raw after 30 days at a about 80%...and incorporate exercise!!!

btw does anyone know where to get raw almond butter that does not cost $30 for a small jar??? well guess it wouldnt be that raw anymore tho

greenbunny · 11-15-2007

Ori, there is thread here where you can get raw almonds, then you can soak them dehydrate them and make them into almond butter. Raw almond butter is not something I would ever eat. See our discussion "Oh nuts!" for reasons.

Congratulations on going raw! That's fabulous.

Greenbunny