Raw Veganism and Weight Loss?

Today, I started a raw "cleanse" of sorts. I'm eating completely raw vegan for breakfast and lunch and eating macro vegan for dinner. I only started today, but I already feel so much less bogged down than before!

I went vegan for half a year and I have to say, it was okay. I did lose some pounds but my energy level sort of declined and my finger tips tingled all the time. It also ate a hole in wallet (I was spending about $200 a week on food alone)

What the heck were you buying?!?! $200 is my MONTHLY budget and I never even come close to spending that to feed the fiance and myself....were you eating lots of processed vegan "junk" or something? That's just an insane amount of money....

I was vegan for 5 years and I wasn't skinny fat at all! I was definitely buff I think it's more about working out and eating right and being vegan makes that easier (you probably aren't going to eat as many sweets because the vegan versions are more expensive!) But I felt very healthy, very 'light' and my bowels were definitely regular and healthy too

I am going to start again once I get my college money this year! I wouldn't say I spend $200 per week but it is more expensive to buy healthy fresh unprocessed food daily/weekly.

I have spent the last 5 years studying raw nutrition and tweaking my lifestyle to focus on live foods, and I am certified in raw nutrition. I am extremely passionate about raw, living and whole foods and the benefits are absolutely true. When I first started, I lost 10 pounds my first week effortlessly. I slowly lost more weight but more exciting was the way I felt. So clear headed, even tempered, peaceful, joyful, positive! I've never had great skin, but I began getting compliments on my skin. It was/it awesome!

That being said, perhaps it would be more beneficial to think of "upgrading" your diet and lifestyle first...rather than thinking of going all raw. You mentioned you drink soda, you could break that addiction and start drinking green tea. You could start eating a big salad every day. You could eliminate refined grains and sugar and replace with whole grains, honey and agave. There are SO many ways you can make changes and as you start feeling better, you may find that making even bigger changes is easier!

You asked about drawbacks. I think a BIG drawback is the tendency with some raw foodist to become obsessive. Who gives a crap if you are 100% raw or 80% raw. I just loathe labels especially when being healthy, happy and whole is the goal. Don't limit yourself because there is SO much absolutely delicious healthy, wholesome food out there that your body wiill love you for. Raw/live food can be exquisitely delicious and everyone should have live food in their daily diet every single day. I know I'm rambling, sorry!!! Best of luck to you, it really is very exciting!

While doing some research on veganism and weight loss I stumbled upon some books and articles about the benefits of raw veganism and the weight loss and health benefits that comes with it. I will be very clear, I am not looking for a magic bullet. I am totally comfortable with slow and steady weight loss. But I have to admit to being curious about the claims of energy and well being that the raw foodist articles and books talk about. Currently, I am horribly addicted to soda, carbs, sugar, pretty much everything that is bad for you. I also have a pretty limited palate. I am not self-diagnosing, but when I worked with child developmental therapists their evaluations of kid's with sensory issues that affected their palate reminded me of my eating.

Has anyone on this forum gone raw or eat a large chunk of their diet raw? Does it really help with energy and weight loss? Are there any side effects and what is a book or website that has the most basic raw recipes that someone can use? Does it have any drawbacks in your book? And info at all would be appreciated.

I've been vegan now for a year and a half. I LOVE IT. I've never felt healthier before. I never get tired or lethargic...unless I'm seriously sleep deprived. I don't feel I'm addicted to caffeine or sugar. I work at a raw vegan restaurant and it's inspired me to try and go 50% raw. Once I get a dehydrator and food processor I'm going to attempt 75% raw. It's just so hard to maintain raw veganism with such limited resources. Honestly though, I feel great. I LOVE it.

I eat probably half my food raw (but am veggie, not vegan) and I don't seem to much energy, or weight loss for that matter.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13796479

Here's a very very good reason why people shouldn't eat fish. Yeah, sure, it's good for you, but what's so special about you that you need to destroy the planet to feel like you are getting enough protein when there are plenty of other sources?

I am really passionate that people should NOT be eating fish. Or battery chickens/eggs.

Eliminating crabs is probably one of the worse things you can do. Your body needs complex carbohydrates


Moderate Carbohydrates. YES! Eliminate Carbohydrates.NO!

Wow. Just wow. How people can go through life not giving a crap about the future of the planet they are leaving to their children is beyond me. Did you even look at the link? It's pretty scary stuff. But go ahead, be selfish like 99% of the rest of our disgusting species.

Wow. Just wow. How people can go through life not giving a crap about the future of the planet they are leaving to their children is beyond me. Did you even look at the link? It's pretty scary stuff. But go ahead, be selfish like 99% of the rest of our disgusting species.

Seriously? theres more harm done to the oceans from oil disasters, and trash dumping then my little three meals a week will ever do. and by the way, most of the fish you get from the supermarket is farm raised, not ocean caught. Maybe YOU should do a bit more research before spewing hatred from your mouth.

Since when did compassion become hatred?

I have spent the last 5 years studying raw nutrition and tweaking my lifestyle to focus on live foods, and I am certified in raw nutrition. I am extremely passionate about raw, living and whole foods and the benefits are absolutely true. When I first started, I lost 10 pounds my first week effortlessly. I slowly lost more weight but more exciting was the way I felt. So clear headed, even tempered, peaceful, joyful, positive! I've never had great skin, but I began getting compliments on my skin. It was/it awesome!

That being said, perhaps it would be more beneficial to think of "upgrading" your diet and lifestyle first...rather than thinking of going all raw. You mentioned you drink soda, you could break that addiction and start drinking green tea. You could start eating a big salad every day. You could eliminate refined grains and sugar and replace with whole grains, honey and agave. There are SO many ways you can make changes and as you start feeling better, you may find that making even bigger changes is easier!

You asked about drawbacks. I think a BIG drawback is the tendency with some raw foodist to become obsessive. Who gives a crap if you are 100% raw or 80% raw. I just loathe labels especially when being healthy, happy and whole is the goal. Don't limit yourself because there is SO much absolutely delicious healthy, wholesome food out there that your body wiill love you for. Raw/live food can be exquisitely delicious and everyone should have live food in their daily diet every single day. I know I'm rambling, sorry!!! Best of luck to you, it really is very exciting!

Yes, this!! I actually feel FANTASTIC when I'm eating about 75% raw, but doing so has been a major challenge for me lately. When I first started eating raw I had already been on a vegan diet for about 15 years, so the transition to raw vegan wasn't a huge stretch for me. I did lose weight rather quickly, but at that time I didn't really need to. The transition phase can be very difficult for some people, especially if they are transitioning away from a more standard diet. The cravings can be REALLY intense and some people who transition too quickly can go through a major detox with flu-like symptoms, headaches, etc. I completely agree with thinking in terms of "upgrading" your existing diet. Check out Natalia Rose's Raw Food Detox Diet. It's a very sensible way to transition to eating more raw foods IMO. (I'm trying to get back to eating more raw, vegan, and living foods, so I'm reading it again myself.)

You are not at the top of the food chain. A tiger would make quick work of you.

only if he can out run a gun

You are not at the top of the food chain. A tiger would make quick work of you.

Thanks for all the helfpul info. I already am vegan, I am just aspiring to be the non-processed, healthy kind as opposed to subsisting on Daiya and Oreos (which are vegan). I don't really have the resources to go get dehydrator and a VitaMix which everyone who eats raw seems to have. So I think I will do as some of you suggested and start trying to upgrade by eating salads and maybe exploring a few raw desserts to try and break the sugar addiction. I am also dropping the soda because it's becoming obvious to me I am going to be missing a meal for all the calories I drink. Thanks again!

By the way, the idea that you have to have all sorts of expensive equipment to make raw foods is totally false. There are LOADS of raw foods that don't require those things. I've been off and on raw foods for years and still don't own half the equipment many raw foodists will tell you is "essential". A spiralizer was an essential for me because I'm LOVE noodles, but I used a cheap dehydrator, juicer, and blender for a long time. (Not that I don't WANT the fancy equipment, mind you, I just can't afford it!) Jennifer Cornbleet's Raw Foods Made Easy for 1 or 2 People is one of my favorite books because everything is so simple and almost "fancy equipment" free. A lot of the Boutenko's recipes are very simple too. Good luck and have fun exploring all the new and delicious raw goodies!

My whole family did raw for a year or so when I was fourteen. My parents still do it in phases, and they were/are well read in vegan and raw nutrition, so no comments about how they were terrible parents for starving their children, etc. please.

I was constantly eating, non-stop, and I felt fantastic. The most healthy and energetic that I have ever felt in my entire life. I lost about ten pounds of chub, but weight loss obviously wasn't my concern or intention at that point. My parents both lost weight, and have kept it off since adopting more raw roods into an overall healthy and organic lifestyle.