Hi so as of this month I have been HCLF vegan for 4 months and 80% - 100% raw most days and so far I feel as though I am only getting worse, not better. I know many experience transition differently, some don’t experience any physical problems, others do… some battle more emotional problems like attachments to food, and others just fly through with no doubt.
When I say I am only getting worse, I truly mean it. I posted a few months ago about experiencing back pains after eating, dry throats, tiredness and brain fog. The back pains have settled, but I still feel some when exercising. I still wake up sleepy (usually get 8 – 10 hours of sleep) and my head is so clouded I lose interest in things easily.
I have now gained 7kg and have a ballooned belly 24/7, and due to this, I feel weighed down and my ability to exercise is being affected by this. I’m not sure what is happening, but my stomach region has been feeling tighter and my desire to eat is fading, but I continue to eat anyhow, even when I feel I can’t (2300 – 3000 + calories).
My confidence has dropped and I feel so lost. I don’t want you to think I am just another whiner who blames this diet…. Because I don’t, I only have myself to look out for. Yes I know cooked food isn’t optimal, but it is when you’re not as rich and a 5kg bag of organic potatoes is $5… and also when you’re trying to push through your first raw winter.
All I want is to be able to go for a run, do a workout or even just walk around with my friends without getting drained within the first 10 minutes. Please give me some inspiring words to help me push through this. I love this community because there is such an amazing vibe from everyone. And I love this lifestyle because it’s refreshing and motivating, and I want to continue it... I’ve made the commitment to it; I just need some words to get me past what I am experiencing.
Permalink Reply by Juliana on interesting... I have been thirsty so trying to drink more, so far 3.5 litres today but its only lunch time... i think its due to it being winter and all the cold air taking the moisture from my body... thanks!
Permalink Reply by MR. Brownstone on strange to me is that if you drink 3 liters a day you are still deydrated to the point of having those symptoms?
Permalink Reply by Juliana on I know... my mum thinks I have diabetes due to the amount of sugar I eat, constant trips to the bathroom, tiredness and of course the thirst... but when you take into account that bananas are my staple food, as well as dates it kinda makes sense... but when I drink water I don't include the 500ml I use for my smoothies or the 500 - 1 litre of orange juice I might have.... I assume its the cooked food which is the culprit aswell. I have just had 2 litres of water... and i'm still thirsty!
Permalink Reply by ednshell on tried it this morning during my workout and as soon as i felt the tingle in my shoulder i reached for the water and bam! it was gone....
Wow, that is so cool! :) I remember reading similar stories in a great book, Your Body's Many Cries For Water.
Permalink Reply by sannabanna on awesome juliana ! Its the biggest relief in the world to figure out was is causing these horrible (!) symptoms. I remember once I was at work, this burning pain happened to me after having lunch, and it hurt so friggin bad that I needed to go lie down on the table in the staff room, my coworkers all thought that I was dying, and that kinda ruins the credibility of the lifestyle (they all know that Im doing it) haha. but now I will be a much better fruity example to everyone
Permalink Reply by Juliana on a few months ago I was experiencing awful back pains after eating high water fruits... it could last for hours =/ It got to a point where it would be painful to stand or sit... I ended up going to the chiropractor once a week, took out the high water fruits from my diet and got myself a new mattress... the good thing from that is my new mattress =)
Permalink Reply by Catherine on Hi Juliana, thanks for posting this !
i am going through a lot of crap myself and really struggling most of the days and yes to me too this is the worst time I ever had on any diet. Yes I also gained a lot of weight and am not exercising and yes I have heavy symptoms altering my quality of life.
I would like to tell you you are not alone on this and i am sending you all the available support.
I found a few things that are working for me and might help you too.
For breakfast I smoothe my bananas. I would never be able to eat them all each morning but once in a smoothie I can have a lot of them in no time and it gives me energy until noon most of the day. I fill my blender with 500 ml orange juice at least, a big bash of fresh bananas minimum 5 to 8 most of the time then I top it with another fruit like mango or pineapple of berries. I use frozen ones so it gives the smoothie a really soft delicious texture and I sip it sitting at the table.
During the day I eat one of those : veggie salad, sweet corn, fruit bowls.
For fruit mono meals I use pears, mandarins, oranges, apples, bananas, papaya.
To deal with cravings I make raw treats like raw cookies blending dates and other fruits or carotts and coconut ( real one fresh from the market ) then I roll them up and freeze them for a while. When I want a bit of fancy i roll them in seeds like poppy seeds or sesame seeds for the extra crunch.
If you need to talk or rant, feel free to do on my wall, sometimes it helps ! :-)
all the fruity best to you !
Permalink Reply by ednshell on Dr. Doug often puts people starting out on 811 on banana island, this might do you some good in this instance. Banana Islanders
Permalink Reply by Juliana on again thankyou for all the replies everyone, it feels wonderful knowing there is so much goodness in this community. I just had a semi breakdown a few hours ago because my favourite jeans were tighter than i liked.. but i'm recovering... i think i might need to do a bit of mono eating just to sort things out... here goes!
Permalink Reply by Adam on Hey Juliana
If you are going to eat cooked food, try swapping the white organic potatoes for sweet potatoes. They are a little more expensive but much easier to digest. The ballooned belly is not real weight gain (ie. it isn't likely to be fat, it is bloating). When this is present 24/7 and you don't wake up with a flat belly, this likely means you are eating foods that you are not eliminating (ie. more is coming into your mouth than is leaving the other end). White potatoes are very difficult to digest as they are higher in starch. Sweet potatoes have more sugars and less starch, which makes them much easier to digest.
Also consider swapping the variety of cooked crucifers you are eating (eg brussel sprouts), for more greens across the day (eg. put some spinach in your banana smoothie, your lunch time smoothie, and consume some other green with your evening meal). You need pretty good digestion to do well on a variety of crucifers. Avoid consuming juice for lunch, eat whole fruits instead. Try to consume the more watery fruits earlier in the day and the more dense fruits later. Eg. have the citrus for breakfast, rather than lunch. Also, unless you are blending the citrus into a smoothie made with the dates, it is probably not a good idea to consume citrus at the same meal as dates. They digest at different rates. You are much more likely to get the burning sensation in your stomach that you described when this happens. And the bloated stomach.
Make sure you squat on the toilet, rather than sit on it in the conventional way (ie. get your feet up onto the seat so you can squat like you would in nature). Keep your spine up straight when you do this. You will find your bowel movements are much more complete when you do this and this will flatten your stomach faster. You will notice your appetite increase as your eliminate more. You are struggling to eat more food simply because you don't have enough coming out so there is more pressure on your stomach.
Take care
Adam x
Permalink Reply by Juliana on oh wow thanks! I do eat sweet potato and pumpkin as well as the potatoes... just picked a large pumpkin from my garden the other day =) and on the occassion I will make corn tortillas because I think they digest better. I know its bloating... but its just hard to deal with because it makes me self conscious...
I have started putting cos lettuce and bok-choy in my smoothies. I'll try juice for breakfast tomorrow and see how I feel. The burning sensation actually does occur after eating dates... even if I haven't eaten oranges.
I'm too afraid to squat on toilets, the concept makes sense but the fear of hurting myself is something holding me back from attempting such a positon. I have been squatting as I sit on the computer... which can be a long time... I don't why, I just find it comfortable.... would that make a difference without actually having to squat on the toilet?
thanks again... alot of great points there =)
Permalink Reply by Andy B on You should also consider getting your thyroid and pituitary glands checked out as eating disorders can extensively damage both and with enough damage they can cause amenorrhea (no period) and in some cases insulin resistance (which might explain some of your problems and would be exasperated by this lifestyle)
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