To count or not to count? That is the question...well, in the high carb community it is! What are we counting? Calories, and hopefully lots of them! Here's a little background on this. The high carb community consists of many, many fruit bats, but some are more influential than others! Some claim counting calories to make sure you eat enough is extremely important and the key to long term success. Others say to just trust your body and eat until you are full. So what is the best? Should you count or not? Here's a little background on both sides.
High carbers, mainly Raw Till 4 followers, love to smash in the calories, while allowing their bodies to heal and their metabolism to reboot! New comers are often coming from a past of major damage, like eating disorders and obesity, most also come from a sedentary lifestyle. The guidelines are very strict and promise amazing results...eventually. It is not a program which promises quick results. Some gain weight in the first year or two, before beginning to lose. The calorie suggestion is 2000+ for women and 2500+ for men. Sounds like a lot if you are coming from a 1200 calorie starvation diet! But, in all honesty not only is it easy to do, but you all feel really good! No more light headedness, no more cravings, no more need for caffiene, and so much energy! The down side for many...and the reason why many women quit, is the initial weight gain. Going from a past of dieting and calorie restricting to a lifestyle of abundance can lead to weight gain. The body for the first time is being fueled with the proper amount of food. It will store a bit before it begins to shed! From what I have experienced is a bit of weight gain, especially after giving up caffiene, but it eventually came off. Others struggle with this. It truly leads them to question the lifestyle and look for quick fixes, like caffiene, protein shakes, pre and post workout drinks, and eating much less. When they see the weight begins to come off, they swear that Raw Till 4 does not work and some begin to sell all sorts of gimmics to 'help' you shed those pesky pounds and listen to your body.
These former Raw Till 4 followers, end up leaving the movement. They are so happy with their quick weight loss from cutting the calories, supplementing, and drinking caffiene, they have actually
convinced themselves that this is 'listening to your body' or 'intuitive eating'. Since when does your body tell you it needs caffiene? Or a pre workout? That's the thing, your body does not tell you much, you are programmed by your past bad habits, and unfortuantely until you can heal your body and reprogram it, it will continue to lead you down a path of self sabotage!
So, let's get back to the original question. When should you count and when should you stop? When you begin this lifestyle, you need to count calories. You MUST!!! This is extremely important in the beginning especially since 99% of us are coming from a calorie restrictive diet. It has been ingrained in our heads, a programmed behavior! So, trusting yourself to eat enough can be difficult, and most just cannot rely on their body & mind to make the correct decision. The goal is to split up the daily calorie suggestion into 3 meals and 2 snacks. The reason for counting is strictly to prevent UNDER eating, which later leads to binge eating and massive cravings. High carb low fat vegan foods are very low in calories, eating more than ever can be difficult. It takes practice and patience. Learning how to divide up the calories through out the day can help lead you to great success.
My recommendation for clients is to count until your appetite regulates and you have stimulated it enough to actually eat 2000+ calories a day. This can takes months or even years. What I find is those who stop counting too early, begin their bad habits all over again. Behaviors like skipping breakfast for coffee, eating only when starving instead of fueling consistantly to avoid hunger spikes, and craving junk food! Working with a health coach to get to a comfortable eating schedule is very helpful. It may sound crazy, I often hear people say...'animals don't have health coaches or eating schedules, they just listen to their bodies' well, animals also have something called instinct and they trust it. Us humans have lost touch of our instinctual eating habits. We have been poisoned for 1000s of years with meat, dairy, and procesesed junk food. We cannot count on our bodies to eat intuitively. We must LEARN first what that is and how to do it properly. This means how much to eat as well. Unfortuanelty when weight loss is the motivator, majority of people will under eat, because it is a learned behavior.
What do I do when I start to gain weight? This is the hardest part of the lifestyle. I recommend you keep counting and eating enough calories. Begin to exercise regularly, and don't stress over the number. Look for other signs of healing. Are you feeling energized? Does your skin glow? Are you eating in abundance? Are you no longer starving yourself? These are all positive results, weight loss is not the only result you should be focused on! One recommendation I give my clients is just a simple change of foods, for example, changing from bananas to potatoes or rice. Eating less fruit more starches, and adding in more greens, and vise versa. The goal is to stay in the proper calorie count and stay high carb low fat, but there are ways to adjust the food to help promote weight loss. This would be something I work one on one with my clients! It can truly make a huge difference!
Can I stop counting eventually? YES! You will eventually know how much food equals a certain amount of calories! You will be able to recognize what full feels like and how to fuel through out the day to avoid getting too hungry. The goal is to consistantly fuel and feel energized all day. Lack of
calories will drain you quickly! Here are some tips for success:
-food journal and record how your energy was for that day. Record your activity as well. This will help you determine if you need to increase calories on fitness days.
-don't be affraid to mix things up! Try a fully raw day, a raw till 4 day, and a starch solution day. All these lifestyles are high carb low fat vegan and will help keep meals exciting!
-avoid drinking caffiene, as it is an appetite suppressant and will prevent you from reaching your caloric goal for the day.
-don't eat until you get sick! Some people come to this lifestyle and think they must down a 10 banana smoothie in one shot, which leaves them feeling sick and bloated. Be smart with your calories. Split them up, so maybe a 500 cal smoothie, and a 500 cal snack a bit later will help you consume enough food without getting sick.
-use Cronometer to help you keep track of your macronutrients, you want to stay in the 80/10/10 ratio.
-enjoy food!!! For the first time in your adult life you are eating in abundance! No longer panicking about having an extra potato or another plate of pasta! Remember, as long as the food is high carb, low fat vegan, you can eat it!!
