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!!
Naturally Vegan Health & FitnessⓋ
Showing posts with label 80 10 10. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 80 10 10. Show all posts
Thursday, June 4, 2015
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Why Salad Is Keeping You FAT
Salad, the ultimate diet food! The first sign someone is on a diet is their salad for lunch, definitely a healthier swap from the usual fast food or pizza, but is it going to help? Though the answer should be an obvious YES, it is a bit more complicated than that.
Salad is a beautiful thing, one of my favorites actually! The delicious blend of vegetables, fruit, seeds, nuts, dressing, and herbs can make salad the perfect choice for a healthy meal. I know, you're thinking 'so what's the problem here?' There are two major problems that arise from salad being a 'diet fail'.
The first major problem is turning this amazing powerhouse meal into a high fat and high calorie disaster! In order for a salad to be healthy and assist in weight loss, it needs to be loaded with veggies and the fat content needs to be LOW! The entire point of salad is to fill up on high fiber, high water content foods, but the average person goes out to lunch and comes back with this:
This salad is loaded with pretty much every thing that makes salad UNHEALTHY! It contains numerous high fat foods, high cholesterol, loaded with oil and sodium and really, there are barely any veggies! Though the blog does not give calorie and fat content, I imagine this is easily over 1000 cals with majority of those calories coming from FAT! This is a very high fat food which will leave you sluggish all day and craving SUGAR or coffee to stay awake! Hold up, since when do I care about calories??? When they come from fat, that is when you need to be concerned! Remember, all you need is about 10% of your calories to come from fat! This type of 'meal' is not only a weight loss disaster, but it is also loaded with animal products which I would never recommend, let's leave our friends off the menu! I see this type of salad being eaten often by women who are fooled by the diet industry claiming a 'salad' is always a healthy choice! This is not any healthier than a Big Mac!
Let's create a healthy cobb salad with lots of goodies that will keep you feeling alive and energized all day:
Your base needs to be a blend of greens, any kind you like! Toppings should include a lovely row of chick peas, sliced cherry tomatoes, chopped celery, red onion, steamed baby potatoes (cooled), steamed corn (cooled), chopped mushrooms, and a row of peas! To dress it up, grab a whole lemon, juice it over the salad, sprinkle with your favorite herbs like dill and season to taste with pepper and garlic powder! Not only have you eliminated ALL animal products, but you have also cut out unnecessary saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol! You now can eat as much as you want and not worry about your waistline!
The other problem that arises with salad is NOT ENOUGH CALORIES! Say what????? It sounds confusing, but please just keep reading! As I mentioned above, the only time calories become a problem is when they come from fat, or sometimes protein. The key to eating a healthy meal, is sticking to the 80/10/10 macro-nutrient ratio, 80% carbs, 10% fat and 10% protein! This allows you to eat a substantial about of calories without additional weight gain or sugar cravings!
This is a typical salad people order at restaurants or fast food joints. Nothing appetizing here!!
Not only only is this salad BORING but it will leave you STARVING and looking for junk food all day long! There is not enough food to keep a grown adult fueled for even an hour, lol! Your salad should be loaded with plant food and enough calories to keep you energized all day long! When I see people eat this as their meal, I know they will be hungry immediately after and ultimately turn to high fat snack foods like cookies, chips, etc. Most will end up dousing this teeny tiny salad with a high fat dressing trying desperately to make it appetizing! This problem is easily fixed by making salad at home and bringing it with you to work! This allows you to make it big enough and full of the proper plant foods to get enough calories without the added fat and sodium! You really cannot find a salad at a restaurant that is big enough to fill you up, but also NOT loaded with fattening foods like eggs, chicken, oil and cream dressings. Below are examples of my salad creations that are made to be MEALS in a bowl!
Salad can be a healthy option for any meal as long as it is made with HEALTH in mind! Low calorie salads will leave you starving all day without enough fuel to keep your brain fuctiioning, and high fat salads will leave you sluggish, bloated, and craving sugar! Neither option is going to be a success, both will contribute to weigh gain! Here is how you can build a perfect salad to keep you feeling ALIVE and healthy all day long and on track with your weight loss goals!
Salad is a beautiful thing, one of my favorites actually! The delicious blend of vegetables, fruit, seeds, nuts, dressing, and herbs can make salad the perfect choice for a healthy meal. I know, you're thinking 'so what's the problem here?' There are two major problems that arise from salad being a 'diet fail'.
The first major problem is turning this amazing powerhouse meal into a high fat and high calorie disaster! In order for a salad to be healthy and assist in weight loss, it needs to be loaded with veggies and the fat content needs to be LOW! The entire point of salad is to fill up on high fiber, high water content foods, but the average person goes out to lunch and comes back with this:
 | ||
| http://www.1familymeal.com/chicken-cobb-salad-with-buttermilk-chive-dressing/ |
Let's create a healthy cobb salad with lots of goodies that will keep you feeling alive and energized all day:
Your base needs to be a blend of greens, any kind you like! Toppings should include a lovely row of chick peas, sliced cherry tomatoes, chopped celery, red onion, steamed baby potatoes (cooled), steamed corn (cooled), chopped mushrooms, and a row of peas! To dress it up, grab a whole lemon, juice it over the salad, sprinkle with your favorite herbs like dill and season to taste with pepper and garlic powder! Not only have you eliminated ALL animal products, but you have also cut out unnecessary saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol! You now can eat as much as you want and not worry about your waistline!
The other problem that arises with salad is NOT ENOUGH CALORIES! Say what????? It sounds confusing, but please just keep reading! As I mentioned above, the only time calories become a problem is when they come from fat, or sometimes protein. The key to eating a healthy meal, is sticking to the 80/10/10 macro-nutrient ratio, 80% carbs, 10% fat and 10% protein! This allows you to eat a substantial about of calories without additional weight gain or sugar cravings!
This is a typical salad people order at restaurants or fast food joints. Nothing appetizing here!!
Not only only is this salad BORING but it will leave you STARVING and looking for junk food all day long! There is not enough food to keep a grown adult fueled for even an hour, lol! Your salad should be loaded with plant food and enough calories to keep you energized all day long! When I see people eat this as their meal, I know they will be hungry immediately after and ultimately turn to high fat snack foods like cookies, chips, etc. Most will end up dousing this teeny tiny salad with a high fat dressing trying desperately to make it appetizing! This problem is easily fixed by making salad at home and bringing it with you to work! This allows you to make it big enough and full of the proper plant foods to get enough calories without the added fat and sodium! You really cannot find a salad at a restaurant that is big enough to fill you up, but also NOT loaded with fattening foods like eggs, chicken, oil and cream dressings. Below are examples of my salad creations that are made to be MEALS in a bowl!
Monday, February 2, 2015
Struggles on Raw or Raw till 4
Some love it, some hate it, and some...well they are still torn. Fully raw and Raw till 4 are both excellent lifestyle choices, both are loaded with whole foods, nutrient packed meals, and the promise of optimal health! Yet both come with struggles for many people. Let's take a look at some common struggles:
1. Weight gain!!!! Ahhhh, the dreaded weight gain! This is more common on raw till 4 as the program does have calorie recommendations. Many people join this lifestyle because they have dieted on and off for their entire adult lives, some are even underweight when they begin. Why do you gain weight? Many factors come into play:
-you are eating a proper amout of calories consistently for the first time in a very long time! It does take time for the body to adjust and not feel the need to hold on to fat incase of another bout with calorie deprivation!
-you finally quit caffiene! Caffiene, alcohol, and drug use is not allowed on either raw till 4 or most fully raw (80/10/10) lifestyles. This means you will experience some weight gain as caffeine speeds up your metabolism, and now your body must learn to function properly without it!
-you may be over eating? Even though raw food is super healthy and nutritious, you will NOT GET FAT, but you may put on a few pounds...and to some that makes them uncomfortable. Get an app like Chronometer and track your food, this way you are aware of how much you are really eating! If you are not active, 3000 cals is too much! If you are not active at all, please start! It will not only help with weight loss, but it is excellent for your health!
-you are still eating too many nuts! A high fruit diet must be low in fat to be successful! The most common mistake I see made by those new to the lifestyle is the over indulgence in nuts! It is very easy to over eat on nuts and seeds, they are little and crunchy and taste delicious...but they are high in fat!
2. Hair loss! A very scary problem and it happens often when making huge changes in your diet! I experienced hair loss when I quit caffeine! Within a month after I quit, I began losing massive amounts of hair, I was very nervous and wasn't 100% sure what was happening. After doing some research on detox, caffeine, and proper nutrition, I learnt that detox for some is hair loss, it is very common! So if you are experiencing hair loss on a raw diet, or raw till 4, don't quit just yet! Chances are you are in need of some additional nutritious to get you through the detox, a simple addition like Chlorella or Spirulina can make all the difference! Both are a vitamin powerhouse which can help provide some much needed support as your body deals with massive changes. Make sure the fruit you are eating is ripe, high quality, and organic (when ever possible). Also a simple addition of extra veggies and greens will also help!
3. Bloating! Ugh, it is awful, we all hate it! For some bloating can be severe! Many experience painful bloating, evening appearing pregnant! It is so uncomfortable! You may be bloating because:
-you are not eating ripe fruit! This is probably the most common error! So many times I hear people say they prefer to eat their bananas a little green! Noooooooo! That is a disaster for your digestion! If you don't like a banana when it is ripe, then guess what? You don't like bananas, so don't eat them! Find a different fruit that you enjoy at it's peak ripeness!
-eating too fast! Most of us came to this lifestyle from a standard diet where food is pretty much inhaled, lol! Fruits and veggies are high fiber and need to be broken down in the mouth! Chewing your food properly will make a huge difference! Digestion begins in the mouth, so take your time, chew, chew, chew!
-drinking smoothies, and drinking them quickly! I love smoothies, but some times after I drink too quickly I do get bloated! Imagine eating 8 to 10 bananas in just a few minutes!!!! That would be difficult! That's a lot for the body to handle! So if you are a smoothie fan, drink slowly, enjoy small sips!
Those are the top three struggles on the raw/raw till 4 lifestyle! If you are experiencing other issues please share your journey! You may not be the only one! Overall these two lifestyles can be extremely rewarding and health promoting. These struggles are not an end all, most can be fixed with some minor adjustments. But if you continue to experience long term health issues, please consult with a natural health practitioner!
1. Weight gain!!!! Ahhhh, the dreaded weight gain! This is more common on raw till 4 as the program does have calorie recommendations. Many people join this lifestyle because they have dieted on and off for their entire adult lives, some are even underweight when they begin. Why do you gain weight? Many factors come into play:
-you are eating a proper amout of calories consistently for the first time in a very long time! It does take time for the body to adjust and not feel the need to hold on to fat incase of another bout with calorie deprivation!
-you finally quit caffiene! Caffiene, alcohol, and drug use is not allowed on either raw till 4 or most fully raw (80/10/10) lifestyles. This means you will experience some weight gain as caffeine speeds up your metabolism, and now your body must learn to function properly without it!
-you may be over eating? Even though raw food is super healthy and nutritious, you will NOT GET FAT, but you may put on a few pounds...and to some that makes them uncomfortable. Get an app like Chronometer and track your food, this way you are aware of how much you are really eating! If you are not active, 3000 cals is too much! If you are not active at all, please start! It will not only help with weight loss, but it is excellent for your health!
-you are still eating too many nuts! A high fruit diet must be low in fat to be successful! The most common mistake I see made by those new to the lifestyle is the over indulgence in nuts! It is very easy to over eat on nuts and seeds, they are little and crunchy and taste delicious...but they are high in fat!
2. Hair loss! A very scary problem and it happens often when making huge changes in your diet! I experienced hair loss when I quit caffeine! Within a month after I quit, I began losing massive amounts of hair, I was very nervous and wasn't 100% sure what was happening. After doing some research on detox, caffeine, and proper nutrition, I learnt that detox for some is hair loss, it is very common! So if you are experiencing hair loss on a raw diet, or raw till 4, don't quit just yet! Chances are you are in need of some additional nutritious to get you through the detox, a simple addition like Chlorella or Spirulina can make all the difference! Both are a vitamin powerhouse which can help provide some much needed support as your body deals with massive changes. Make sure the fruit you are eating is ripe, high quality, and organic (when ever possible). Also a simple addition of extra veggies and greens will also help!
3. Bloating! Ugh, it is awful, we all hate it! For some bloating can be severe! Many experience painful bloating, evening appearing pregnant! It is so uncomfortable! You may be bloating because:
-you are not eating ripe fruit! This is probably the most common error! So many times I hear people say they prefer to eat their bananas a little green! Noooooooo! That is a disaster for your digestion! If you don't like a banana when it is ripe, then guess what? You don't like bananas, so don't eat them! Find a different fruit that you enjoy at it's peak ripeness!
-eating too fast! Most of us came to this lifestyle from a standard diet where food is pretty much inhaled, lol! Fruits and veggies are high fiber and need to be broken down in the mouth! Chewing your food properly will make a huge difference! Digestion begins in the mouth, so take your time, chew, chew, chew!
-drinking smoothies, and drinking them quickly! I love smoothies, but some times after I drink too quickly I do get bloated! Imagine eating 8 to 10 bananas in just a few minutes!!!! That would be difficult! That's a lot for the body to handle! So if you are a smoothie fan, drink slowly, enjoy small sips!
Those are the top three struggles on the raw/raw till 4 lifestyle! If you are experiencing other issues please share your journey! You may not be the only one! Overall these two lifestyles can be extremely rewarding and health promoting. These struggles are not an end all, most can be fixed with some minor adjustments. But if you continue to experience long term health issues, please consult with a natural health practitioner!
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
My Vegan Story
If you would have asked me 3 years ago about veganism, I would have told you it was something hippies did, lol. I honestly had no idea what being vegan was all about. I was familiar with vegetarianism, and although I never was a fan of meat, and was super picky with which meat I ate, I never thought about NOT eating any animal products completely.
My journey began with a desire to become healthier. I was introduced to a book which changed my life completely! Not only did it change the way I looked at health and fitness, but it also opened by eyes to the world of veganism. That book was The 80/10/10, not really a 'vegan' book per say, but a plant based book which mentions veganism. That was enough to spark my interest and put me on a whole new path! I instantly began to research the word 'vegan'. What I discovered is, there is so much more to veganism than just diet. It is a beautiful compassionate world and I wanted to know everything about it.
Months into my new lifestyle, I watched Earthlings, which was one of the hardest things I've ever done, I cried through the entire film. Then I continued educating myself with other documenteries like Blackfish, Specie-ism, and Forks Over Knives. I read The China Study, Whole, The Starch Solution, and I watched Gary Yourofsky's epic speach on YouTube as well as lots of undercover videos of factory farming. I also attended my first Vegetarian Food Festival and met Gene Baur from Farm Sanctuary! Let's just say, diet is just a teeny tiny part of this life. Once your are educated, you cannot go back. Once you see the devestation, you cannot unsee.
Veganism has not only educated me and opened my eyes to the crazy amounts of misinformation I have been fed all my life, it also made my life so much more meaningful. Each day I feel so amazing, head is clear, full of energy, my conscience clear, and my heart full of compassion. I not only decided to take a certification in plant based nutrition, I also began blogging about vegan food and all the wonderful aspects of being a health fit compassionate vegan! I am loving this incredible vegan life, and each day I feel so lucky to have been handed that book! Though, this is my vegan story, it is also the story of how we became a vegan family, mother, father,and son! That is the biggest blessing of all!
My journey began with a desire to become healthier. I was introduced to a book which changed my life completely! Not only did it change the way I looked at health and fitness, but it also opened by eyes to the world of veganism. That book was The 80/10/10, not really a 'vegan' book per say, but a plant based book which mentions veganism. That was enough to spark my interest and put me on a whole new path! I instantly began to research the word 'vegan'. What I discovered is, there is so much more to veganism than just diet. It is a beautiful compassionate world and I wanted to know everything about it.
Months into my new lifestyle, I watched Earthlings, which was one of the hardest things I've ever done, I cried through the entire film. Then I continued educating myself with other documenteries like Blackfish, Specie-ism, and Forks Over Knives. I read The China Study, Whole, The Starch Solution, and I watched Gary Yourofsky's epic speach on YouTube as well as lots of undercover videos of factory farming. I also attended my first Vegetarian Food Festival and met Gene Baur from Farm Sanctuary! Let's just say, diet is just a teeny tiny part of this life. Once your are educated, you cannot go back. Once you see the devestation, you cannot unsee.
Veganism has not only educated me and opened my eyes to the crazy amounts of misinformation I have been fed all my life, it also made my life so much more meaningful. Each day I feel so amazing, head is clear, full of energy, my conscience clear, and my heart full of compassion. I not only decided to take a certification in plant based nutrition, I also began blogging about vegan food and all the wonderful aspects of being a health fit compassionate vegan! I am loving this incredible vegan life, and each day I feel so lucky to have been handed that book! Though, this is my vegan story, it is also the story of how we became a vegan family, mother, father,and son! That is the biggest blessing of all!
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Raw Till 4 not working?
This isn't working!
I have heard this numerous times when it comes to a High Raw Vegan diet (raw till 4). Those of you not familiar with this lifestyle, here's the deal:
-vegan
-raw fruit and veggies until 4pm
-cooked low fat, high carb dinner
-no coffee, alcohol, or other stimulants
-80 10 10 caloric/nutrient breakdown
-low fat, no oil, low sodium
-high calorie intake no restricting
-fitness
This lifestyle is one if the best ways to thrive, lose weight, and get healthy! Stories of healing on this diet can be found all over YouTube and the blogosphere! Everything from diabetes, Crohns, Eating Disorders, Migraines, to psoriasis! Testimonials can be found from those thriving and more active than ever with boundless amounts of energy!
So why is it not working for you? Well, I can't say 100%, because I have not seen your food journal or your activity level! but I am confident enough to guess!
1.You are not exercising! A healthy body requires movement, especially when you want to improve digestion and increase lean muscle!
2. You are still consuming oils and too many fats! This is HUGE! If you won't remove oil from your cooking, you will struggle with weight loss and high energy. Oil is pure fat, stripped of all fiber and nutrients! It has no place in the human diet! Give it up already! Too many avocados, or nuts are also going to slow down progress. Remember this is a high carb lifestyle not a high fat one!
3. Not eating enough! Another important part of the lifestyle is not to fall back into the trap of 'dieting'!! This is about providing the body with consistent fuel, all day long! Learning how to eat massive amounts of fruit and raw veggies can be difficult, be patient and focus on one meal at a time. Sit and relax, eat slowly, and taste every bite!
4. Eating out too often! Restauants do not cook low fat, low sodium food, or at least most don't! Restaurants use oils, sugar and salt! If you are eating out more than you are eating at home....you will struggle! If you have no choice but to eat out, keep it simple! Order things like steamed veggies, steamed rice, baked potatoes, roasted veggies, plain pasta with marinara sauce, or salads!
5. You are not eating a plant based vegan diet! Adding in foods like dairy, honey, or meat will interfere in your health and weight loss journey! There are so many vegan options out there, you really have no excuse!
Take a close look at your diet and see if YOU aren't doing the work! This lifestyle works, it works for thousands maybe even millions of people, who are following the guidelines! If you are not willing to be consistent and do the work, you can't expect to see results!
Here are some pages to check out for motivation!
-Rice and Raw on Tumblr, Facebook, and Instagram
-Vegan Vibes on Tumblr and Instagram
-Passion and Fruit on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube
-Durianrider on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube
-Raw till 4 of Facebook
-Freelee the Banana Girl on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram
You will have the results you desire! No longer underweight or overweight!
I have heard this numerous times when it comes to a High Raw Vegan diet (raw till 4). Those of you not familiar with this lifestyle, here's the deal:
-vegan
-raw fruit and veggies until 4pm
-cooked low fat, high carb dinner
-no coffee, alcohol, or other stimulants
-80 10 10 caloric/nutrient breakdown
-low fat, no oil, low sodium
-high calorie intake no restricting
-fitness
This lifestyle is one if the best ways to thrive, lose weight, and get healthy! Stories of healing on this diet can be found all over YouTube and the blogosphere! Everything from diabetes, Crohns, Eating Disorders, Migraines, to psoriasis! Testimonials can be found from those thriving and more active than ever with boundless amounts of energy!
So why is it not working for you? Well, I can't say 100%, because I have not seen your food journal or your activity level! but I am confident enough to guess!
1.You are not exercising! A healthy body requires movement, especially when you want to improve digestion and increase lean muscle!
2. You are still consuming oils and too many fats! This is HUGE! If you won't remove oil from your cooking, you will struggle with weight loss and high energy. Oil is pure fat, stripped of all fiber and nutrients! It has no place in the human diet! Give it up already! Too many avocados, or nuts are also going to slow down progress. Remember this is a high carb lifestyle not a high fat one!
3. Not eating enough! Another important part of the lifestyle is not to fall back into the trap of 'dieting'!! This is about providing the body with consistent fuel, all day long! Learning how to eat massive amounts of fruit and raw veggies can be difficult, be patient and focus on one meal at a time. Sit and relax, eat slowly, and taste every bite!
4. Eating out too often! Restauants do not cook low fat, low sodium food, or at least most don't! Restaurants use oils, sugar and salt! If you are eating out more than you are eating at home....you will struggle! If you have no choice but to eat out, keep it simple! Order things like steamed veggies, steamed rice, baked potatoes, roasted veggies, plain pasta with marinara sauce, or salads!
5. You are not eating a plant based vegan diet! Adding in foods like dairy, honey, or meat will interfere in your health and weight loss journey! There are so many vegan options out there, you really have no excuse!
Take a close look at your diet and see if YOU aren't doing the work! This lifestyle works, it works for thousands maybe even millions of people, who are following the guidelines! If you are not willing to be consistent and do the work, you can't expect to see results!
Here are some pages to check out for motivation!
-Rice and Raw on Tumblr, Facebook, and Instagram
-Vegan Vibes on Tumblr and Instagram
-Passion and Fruit on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube
-Durianrider on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube
-Raw till 4 of Facebook
-Freelee the Banana Girl on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram
You will have the results you desire! No longer underweight or overweight!
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Mono Meals...What's The Deal?
Mono eating is NOT necessary on a Raw or High Raw diet. BUT it does have it's benefits and is highly recommended for ALL lifestyles! It may seem scary at first, and many people will critique your meal...but remember, just because society doesn't approve...doesn't mean it is wrong ;)
~IT is wonderful for digestion!! A single food like apples or bananas require one digestive enzyme to be digested and a specific timing, allowing the process to be quick and easy! This takes up less energy, leaving you full of life :) No food-coma after a high energy mono meal!
~Mono-meals allow you to REALLY focus on what you are eating and why! Are you really hungry, are you fueling your body or causing it harm? Eating a mono-meal of fruit will help you understand the proper 'hungry' and 'full' signals! There is a fantastic feeling of satisfaction when you are full on fruit!
~Eating one food type at a time really lets you discover the REAL taste of food! When we combine numerous foods together, we have no idea what ingredient we are tasting. Mono meals give you the opportunity to fall in love with fruit all over again! As babies, our first meals are mono-meals...breast milk, and then single mashed-fruit meals!
~Mono meals are great for proper food combining. Although most of the modern 'diet' or health world does not acknowledge food combining, it is a very important part of eating & good health! When food is not combined properly it will lead to fermentation, gas, bloating, heart burn, belly aches, and creates an acidic environment in the body. Mono meals make it super easy to avoid such issues, and there is no stress of making sure the meal is properly combined :)
~Makes eating on the go so simple! Grab a bag of bananas, oranges, apples, or slice up a large pineapple, and you are done! So quick and easy! Mono meals are great for traveling as fruit packs easily and travels well! No need to go through the drive thru, just grab a bunch of bananas (or two)!!
~Very little clean up or mess! I love mono meals as they don't require any cooking, planning, and leave little to clean up!
~Mono meals can be very inexpensive and any fruit will do! You can pick fruit that is on sale and save even more money!! A pound of bananas is usually around fifty cents, a 4lb bag of apples is about $5.00, a large watermelon (in season) is roughly $6! Now that is a very affordable meal! You don't need water to go with it or any other drink, you won't be craving sweets after (as the meal is sweet enough)and you will be full of energy so coffee is not needed for a pick-me-up!
Don't listen to those who say eating this way is not healthy or too extreme! They do not understand the human digestive process, that mono meals are actually VERY healthy, and can help heal many digestive issues! Like I had mentioned before, we start out life eating simple mono meals. It is not until we are older that our parents begin adding mixed foods and 'food-stuff' into our diet. Many other species feast on mono-meals. Bears can be found gorging on blueberries for a meal, Deer can be found feasting on apples until they move on to their next meal, and most animals will do the same.
Give mono-eating a try! It DOES not have to be a daily or every-meal thing! But..you may discover it is such a joy to eat this way, and make it a part of your daily menu!
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