It’s no secret that many people, raw foodists or not, struggle with releasing unwanted weight. Often times this inability to lose weight stems from seemingly uncontrollable cravings for unhealthy cooked foods. These cravings often lead to binge eating, which (of course) leads to weight gain.
There is a good chance that you struggle with this problem as well. Sure, you might stick to a raw food diet for maybe a week or so, but those killer cravings always seem to rear their ugly heads again.
Once they’re back, it’s all you think about and before you know it, you’re parked at the nearest fast-food joint chowing down on the fattiest, most unhealthy food you can get your hands on. You spend the rest of the day feeling guilty and dreading your next visit with Mr. Scale. And the cycle continues…
What to do? Is there anyway to end this madness? Don’t you wish that there was one easy and effective way to finally lose weight? Well, to day is your lucky day! Here is the #1 rule for healthy raw food weight loss:
Eat More Food!
Sounds crazy, right? To tackle the weight loss issue, we have to get to the root of the problem: cravings. Many of these cravings can be avoided by simply eating more! We are so often told to eat less and less and less for weight loss. This is not the answer. Eating less food than your body needs means receiving less volume and fewer nutrients than you require.
If you allow yourself to eat as much food as you want, I promise you will see a significant reduction in cooked food cravings. Of course, you can’t just eat *any* foods. You want a raw diet comprised of mostly raw sweet fruits, 1-2 pounds of non-sweet fruits and tender greens, and limited amounts of fatty foods (i.e. half an avocado or 1-2 ounces of nuts per day).
You also want to be sure and eradicate (or at least limit) food such as salt, onion, garlic, and pepper from your diet. These foods are irritating to the body and they can and will lead to water retention.
How This Rule Helped Me
As wary as I am to admit it, I used to binge eat. Not only was this physically and mentally damaging, it prevented me from staying at my ideal weight for very long. Luckily, this never became a daily practice for me, but it was a nasty frequent habit nonetheless and one that became harder and harder to stop.
It was not until I learned the value of eating as much raw foods as I wanted and actually implemented this in my life that I no longer felt the urge to binge on unhealthy foods.
There were many days in which I actually ate 3000 calories worth of raw foods…well over my caloric needs for the day. And yet, I still lost weight! That’s the beauty of a low fat, high fruit raw food diet. You really can eat pounds of food a day and experience vibrant health.
What other diet can promise that?
Moral of the Story
Eat more raw foods! I don’t care if you just had a huge meal of 20 bananas! If you feel cravings coming on, go grab an apple or some grapes or pineapple, etc. And don’t cause yourself unnecessary stress by worrying over how much you are eating. Your appetite will gradually lessen as your taste buds and tummy become accustomed to simpler foods. You won’t have to eat quite as much to feel satisfied.
Today, I honestly can’t even imagine eating those unhealthy foods that I used to binge on. My belly is far too full on delicious sweet fruits!
The following paragraphs summarize the work of diet experts who are completely familiar with all the aspects of The Vegetarian Diet. Heed their advice to avoid any diet surprises.
If you find yourself confused by what you’ve read to this point, don’t despair. Everything should be crystal clear by the time you finish.
If you’ve been to any large banquets recently, you may have noticed people passing up the prime rib and baked chicken in order to feast on a vegetarian meal. Vegetarianism seems to be gaining in popularity each year, spurred on by health concerns, weight difficulties, and celebrity endorsements. You may find that a vegetarian diet is the key to weight loss in your particular case.
First of all, it is important to define the vegetarian diet. You may be surprised to learn that there are actually a variety of vegetarian diets in use today. In some cases, vegetarians eat only fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts. In other cases, they may also eat cheese and drink milk, while in still other cases, they may eat eggs.
One of the advantages to the vegetarian diet is that it tends to be low in fat and cholesterol. As a result, a vegetarian diet can help you avoid heart problems and even cancer. However, you may also find that you are missing some important vitamins and minerals on a strictly vegetarian diet.
It has been said that the key to a successful vegetarian diet is planning. You must decide what you will be eating for every meal in order to ensure that you receive the proper nutrients. Otherwise, you may end up starving your body of the nutrients you need in order to be healthy.
A major benefit of the vegetarian diet is that it tends to involve a healthy serving of fruits and vegetables, along with whole grains. However, getting enough protein can be a challenge. Therefore, you might consider adding soy to your diet, which is high in protein content. Another important consideration is iron. You’ll need to make sure that you eat spinach and beans in order to guarantee that you receive enough iron, since you will not be consuming customary sources of iron such as liver and roast beef.
You may need to supplement your diet with vitamins in order to ensure that you receive the appropriate amount of B-12, Vitamin D, calcium, and zinc. Otherwise, you’ll have to load up on cereals, soy milk, spinach, and broccoli. Also, eating a vegetarian diet does not mean you have a license to eat as many sugary foods as you want. You’ll still have to restrict high-calorie foods.
Variety has been called the spice of life and it is also the key to an effective vegetarian diet. You’ll need to eat an array of fruits and vegetables. Also, if you do use dairy, be sure that you choose non-fat or low-fat milk and cheese. Since eggs are rich in cholesterol, you should eat them only in moderation.
Studies have shown that vegetarians tend to consume fewer calories each day than meat-eaters. Also, the body mass index—a tool used to measure obesity—is generally lower for vegetarians than for the population at large. However, as a vegetarian, you will still need to pay attention to portion control and calorie counts. Therefore, while vegetarianism may not be a panacea for weight loss, it can certainly help in the battle against the bulge.
However, it should be noted here that some people mistakenly look upon vegetarianism as a quick fix. They figure that if they give up meat for a couple of weeks, they’ll lose weight. Then, after their trial period is over, they go back to their old eating habits. This is a bad pattern because it encourages yo yo dieting. If you decide to go on a vegetarian diet, it is very important that you stick with it. Otherwise, you may be greatly disappointed in your weight loss progress.
Vegetarianism is not for everyone. However, if you enjoy fruits and vegetables, are non-committal about meat, and are good at planning meals, you may want to go vegan. But if you do not fall into that category, another diet plan may be preferable. Which diet program you ultimately choose may depend greatly upon your personal preferences and what kind of diet regimen you are prepared to follow over the long run. The key to any successful diet is commitment; you must be determined to succeed.
Take time to consider the points presented above. What you learn about The Vegetarian Diet may help you overcome your hesitation to take action.
Are you planning to lose weight and would like to try going vegetarian? Statistics show that vegetarians are less at risk from coronary heart disease and some cancers than are meat-eaters. They are also less prone to high blood pressure and strokes.
Here are some tips to help prevent your digestive system from complaining when switching to a vegetarian diet: Â Here is a plan to help you avoid this: Week 1. Cut out red meat from your diet, replacing it with fish. Eat one extra portion of vegetables and one portion of whole grains (e.g. cereals, wholemeal bread, rather than just using refined cereals and white bread) a day. Week 2. Cut out poultry, too, this week and cut down on full-fat dairy produce, replacing them with dishes based on pulses. Increase the amount of fruit that you eat to two portions a day, and eat more of your vegetables raw- in salad form. Increase whole grains again and add some nuts and seeds to your diet. Week 3. Cut out, or right down on, full-fat dairy produce, replacing it with low-fat dairy produce and more pulses, nuts and seeds. More tips: -Chew all food thoroughly -Eat slowly -Make sure pulses are thoroughly cooked before eating. Some pulses particularly red kidney beans, are toxic if not boiled for at least 10 minutes before using in your recipe. Canned beans are fine. -Vegetables, fruits and pulses can be pureed to make them more easily digestible. -Don’t peel vegetables and fruit unless absolutely necessary. Buy organic, wash well and scrub if necessary. Adding variety and taste Plant foods are delicious, especially if you buy good quality, fresh food, preferably organic, and if you cook them with a bit of imagination. Fresh or dried herbs and spices, tomato sauces and so on all add flavour and versatility to your meals. It is worth considering buying organic fruits and vegetables. They are guaranteed free from additives, hormones, pesticides, etc. and will help your overall health, long term. Coping with a Lone ‘veggie’ in the family. Whether that ‘veggie’ is you, or another family member, at first it seems like a lot of bother to cook two sets of meals. In fact it needn’t present much extra work at all. For a healthy family you would be well advised to encourage meat-eaters to eat more vegetables and pulses, in any event. Most meat-eaters will welcome one or two vegetarian meals a week- things like pizzas, pasta dishes, curries and so on are ideal as the missing meat is hardly noticed. If you’re eating fish, that’s another two or three meals a week catered for. On the remaining three or so nights you can cook a basic vegetarian meal (a casserole or pie, for instance) and add chicken, lamb fillet, pork tenderloin or so on, to the meat-eater’s portion. Another tip for lone vegetarians is to cook a two-serving portion then freeze the remaining portion for another night. This saves you time, too. A few nutrition notes. Meat replacers. When you give up meat you need to replace the nutrients it provided in your diet. The main ones of importance are protein, iron and B vitamins. Protein is present in a wide variety of vegetarian and demi-vegetarian foods including low-fat dairy, pulses, fish, eggs, protein replacers such as Quorn (made from a mushroom-like substance) and tofu (made from soya beancurd). Many other foods also contain reasonable amounts of protein, such as potatoes and other vegetables, grains, bread, nuts and seeds. A varied diet will ensure adequate protein. In fact, many meat-eaters get far more protein than they need and this can actually have drawbacks. Iron if found in the vegetarian diet in dark leafy greens, some dried fruits, whole grains, pulses, spices, egg yolk and many other foods. Again, a varied diet including plenty of natural wholefoods will ensure a plentiful supply of iron. Another good idea is to eat a vitamin C-rich food (or drink) with each meal to help iron absorption -say, an orange juice with a boiled egg. Some iron-rich foods handily come ready with their own vitamin C- such as dark leafy greens. Also avoid tea and coffee with a meal asy they can hinder absorption. B Vitamins are a group of six vitamins that work together in the body. They are found in varying quantities in a wide variety of foods including whole grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, eggs, vegetables, mushrooms, Marmite and dairy produce. Again, variety and regular meals are the key to adequate B intake. Dairy Replacers. A good vegetarian diet, is one that doesn’t rely too heavily on dairy produce, especially full-fat dairy produce. However, in cutting back on dairy items, you need to be sure to find other good sources of calcium in the diet. Low-fat dairy produce contains as much calcium as high-fat dairy produce, so unless going vegan, don’t give up on low-fat dairy altogether- regular daily skimmed milk and low-fat yogurt is a very good idea, and almost vital for all women and teenagers to help build and keep bone mass and help to prevent osteoporosis. If you don’t eat dairy produce, choose calcium-fortified soya milk and yogurt (some brands aren’t fortified with calcium). Other good sources of calcium are seaweed, tofu, pulses, nuts, leafy greens, dried figs, apricots, muesli and broad beans. White bread is fortified with calcium and so contains more than wholemeal bread- but white bread misses out on the high fibre and vitamin content of wholemeal bread so perhaps a compromise- some white, some wholemeal. Lesser amounts of calcium are found in a variety of other plant foods, so again, it is important to have a varied diet with plentiful supplies of fresh vegetables. If you eat fish, sardines and whitebait are a good source of calcium in the bones. If you are a vegetarian, or going vegetarian, for your health, it may not worry you to eat some items containing animal by-products, e.g. some low-fat yogurts contain gelatine (a by-product of cattle) and many cheeses contain rennet (ditto). All kinds of foods may contain small amounts of non-vegetarian additives, from stock cubes to margarines. But if it does worry you, you need to read labels avidly and ask your supermarket for a list of their products which are vegetarian. Why is a vegetarian diet so healthy? A balanced vegetarian diet relying heavily on plant foods is: High in anti-oxidant vitamins, minerals and other plant chemicals that help protect against disease; these are found in fruits, vegetables, pulses and whole grains High in fibre from fruit, vegetables, pulses and whole grains Low in the saturated fats found in greatest quantities in meat and animal produce Whereas a carnivore diet is often high in saturates and low in fibre, fruit, vegetables, pulses and whole grains. In other words, a vegetarian diet fits in well with international guidelines on healthy eating and disease prevention. Read more from Quick Weight Loss Acclimatise gradually. If your diet has up until now been high in meat and low in plant foods, it is wisest to let your digestive system adapt over a period of 2-3 weeks to a different way of eating. Going from a low-fibre diet to a high one overnight can result in heartburn, wind, stomach cramps and even diarrhoea.
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Here is a plan to help you avoid this:
Week 1. Cut out red meat from your diet, replacing it with fish. Eat one extra portion of vegetables and one portion of whole grains (e.g. cereals, wholemeal bread, rather than just using refined cereals and white bread) a day.
Week 2. Cut out poultry, too, this week and cut down on full-fat dairy produce, replacing them with dishes based on pulses. Increase the amount of fruit that you eat to two portions a day, and eat more of your vegetables raw- in salad form. Increase whole grains again and add some nuts and seeds to your diet.
Week 3. Cut out, or right down on, full-fat dairy produce, replacing it with low-fat dairy produce and more pulses, nuts and seeds.
More tips:
-Chew all food thoroughly
-Eat slowly
-Make sure pulses are thoroughly cooked before eating. Some pulses particularly red kidney beans, are toxic if not boiled for at least 10 minutes before using in your recipe. Canned beans are fine.
-Vegetables, fruits and pulses can be pureed to make them more easily digestible.
-Don’t peel vegetables and fruit unless absolutely necessary. Buy organic, wash well and scrub if necessary.
Adding variety and taste
Plant foods are delicious, especially if you buy good quality, fresh food, preferably organic, and if you cook them with a bit of imagination. Fresh or dried herbs and spices, tomato sauces and so on all add flavour and versatility to your meals.
It is worth considering buying organic fruits and vegetables. They are guaranteed free from additives, hormones, pesticides, etc. and will help your overall health, long term.
Coping with a Lone ‘veggie’ in the family.
Whether that ‘veggie’ is you, or another family member, at first it seems like a lot of bother to cook two sets of meals. In fact it needn’t present much extra work at all.
For a healthy family you would be well advised to encourage meat-eaters to eat more vegetables and pulses, in any event. Most meat-eaters will welcome one or two vegetarian meals a week- things like pizzas, pasta dishes, curries and so on are ideal as the missing meat is hardly noticed.
If you’re eating fish, that’s another two or three meals a week catered for. On the remaining three or so nights you can cook a basic vegetarian meal (a casserole or pie, for instance) and add chicken, lamb fillet, pork tenderloin or so on, to the meat-eater’s portion.
Another tip for lone vegetarians is to cook a two-serving portion then freeze the remaining portion for another night. This saves you time, too.
A few nutrition notes.
Meat replacers. When you give up meat you need to replace the nutrients it provided in your diet. The main ones of importance are protein, iron and B vitamins.
Protein is present in a wide variety of vegetarian and demi-vegetarian foods including low-fat dairy, pulses, fish, eggs, protein replacers such as Quorn (made from a mushroom-like substance) and tofu (made from soya beancurd). Many other foods also contain reasonable amounts of protein, such as potatoes and other vegetables, grains, bread, nuts and seeds. A varied diet will ensure adequate protein.
In fact, many meat-eaters get far more protein than they need and this can actually have drawbacks.
Iron if found in the vegetarian diet in dark leafy greens, some dried fruits, whole grains, pulses, spices, egg yolk and many other foods. Again, a varied diet including plenty of natural wholefoods will ensure a plentiful supply of iron. Another good idea is to eat a vitamin C-rich food (or drink) with each meal to help iron absorption -say, an orange juice with a boiled egg. Some iron-rich foods handily come ready with their own vitamin C- such as dark leafy greens. Also avoid tea and coffee with a meal asy they can hinder absorption.
B Vitamins are a group of six vitamins that work together in the body. They are found in varying quantities in a wide variety of foods including whole grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, eggs, vegetables, mushrooms, Marmite and dairy produce. Again, variety and regular meals are the key to adequate B intake.
Dairy Replacers. A good vegetarian diet, is one that doesn’t rely too heavily on dairy produce, especially full-fat dairy produce. However, in cutting back on dairy items, you need to be sure to find other good sources of calcium in the diet. Low-fat dairy produce contains as much calcium as high-fat dairy produce, so unless going vegan, don’t give up on low-fat dairy altogether- regular daily skimmed milk and low-fat yogurt is a very good idea, and almost vital for all women and teenagers to help build and keep bone mass and help to prevent osteoporosis. If you don’t eat dairy produce, choose calcium-fortified soya milk and yogurt (some brands aren’t fortified with calcium).
Other good sources of calcium are seaweed, tofu, pulses, nuts, leafy greens, dried figs, apricots, muesli and broad beans. White bread is fortified with calcium and so contains more than wholemeal bread- but white bread misses out on the high fibre and vitamin content of wholemeal bread so perhaps a compromise- some white, some wholemeal.
Lesser amounts of calcium are found in a variety of other plant foods, so again, it is important to have a varied diet with plentiful supplies of fresh vegetables. If you eat fish, sardines and whitebait are a good source of calcium in the bones.
If you are a vegetarian, or going vegetarian, for your health, it may not worry you to eat some items containing animal by-products, e.g. some low-fat yogurts contain gelatine (a by-product of cattle) and many cheeses contain rennet (ditto). All kinds of foods may contain small amounts of non-vegetarian additives, from stock cubes to margarines.
But if it does worry you, you need to read labels avidly and ask your supermarket for a list of their products which are vegetarian.
Why is a vegetarian diet so healthy? A balanced vegetarian diet relying heavily on plant foods is:
High in anti-oxidant vitamins, minerals and other plant chemicals that help protect against disease; these are found in fruits, vegetables, pulses and whole grains
High in fibre from fruit, vegetables, pulses and whole grains
Low in the saturated fats found in greatest quantities in meat and animal produce
Whereas a carnivore diet is often high in saturates and low in fibre, fruit, vegetables, pulses and whole grains. In other words, a vegetarian diet fits in well with international guidelines on healthy eating and disease prevention.
Read more from Quick Weight Loss
