The raw food diet seems to be the ultimate in terms of weight loss. You can see success stories left and right, from regular people, celebrities and more. And what's interesting is that many of them never stopped eating fatty foods -- just eating their food uncooked led to amazing weight loss.
But then there are other people who switch to raw to be healthier, but really do not need to lose an ounce. Sometimes, they could even afford to gain a pound or two (or more!). It's easy to be afraid of becoming skeletal on a diet where people supposedly can eat coconuts all day long and lose pounds by the dozen. But, gaining weight on raw is possible. When I went raw, I actually gained weight, as you can see in My Raw Story.
What should you do to gain weight on a raw food diet?
Exercise
It may seem counter-intuitive. People work out to lose weight, right? Yes, and no. When you are trying to lose weight, you need to burn up your extra calories. So, along with watching your dietary intake, you need to do some kind of cardio to burn fat, and strength training to build muscle (so your weight loss does not lead to sagging skin).
The key point however is that muscle weighs more than fat, so you could theoretically eat 5,000 calories a day and not exercise, and you would gain weight, but it would not be healthy at all. What you want to do instead is eat more than you currently do, eat better (if possible), and build muscle. This will lead to beautiful weight gain and a tight, sculpted body. If you are a woman, do not be afraid of being too muscular -- it's not possible unless you take a lot of supplements, and exercise pretty much all day long. An hour a day will make you beautiful, not bulky.
Eat well
Of course, one should eat enough to gain weight. What makes many people lose weight on a raw food diet while eating what seems like a lot of food is the fact that raw foods are high in water and fiber, which fill one up but aren't necessarily calorie dense. Pay attention to how much food you eat. Write down your dietary intake for a typical week. You might find out that you're only getting about 1,800 calories, which isn't nearly enough to gain weight, on raw food or not.
Eating well vs eating calories from random sources
Some people, like me, could chug heavy cream all day long and dine on frosted chocolate cake, and will not gain weight. I personally believe it is because some people do not tolerate foods which lead to inflammation, and the body burns up all the calories which would otherwise go to weight gain to actually deal with the offending foods. As a result, when someone switches to raw, unadulterated foods, the body can finally use up the calories to build a beautiful body. I believe the same thing happens, but in reverse, for people who can't lose weight on cooked food yet lose weight on a high fat raw diet.
So what should you eat to gain weight on raw? It may seem like a good idea to load up on fat, but you should not. Fatty foods, like nuts, are high in minerals but low in vitamins, and you need both. And, mixing fat and sugar all the time will most likely make you sluggish, heavy, and not that happy (which might lead to binging on more fat). Note that I don't recommend low fat diets. I just don't recommend a diet that is both high fat and lacking in certain nutrients. Fats are important.
What I recommend here, and I recommend this to all my coaching clients, is:
- A large mineral rich drink in the morning. I recommend green juices and green smoothies because they are so energizing and full of vitamins and minerals. You don't need a juicer to make juice, you can blend vegetables with water and strain the result through a nut milk bag. Did you know that even with a juicer, you might need to do the straining part? I always did it with my Hurom
, although I don't with my Ikon
.
- A fruity protein shake to help repair muscles after your work-outs and still provide carbohydrate for weight gain. I remember how back in my pre-raw days I would make smoothies out of "weight gain powder". That stuff was nasty, and super sweet. Ick! Fruits and protein powders are much better, and they don't stress the system. I recommend sprouted brown rice protein
and hemp protein
. If you can get your hands on young coconuts, add the meat to the shakes. They will become creamier, and can even be eaten with a spoon sometimes. You can add the water to the blender, drink it alone, or make coconut kefir out of it.
The two items above should sustain you until lunch if they are big enough. People sometimes make a small shake (14 ounces) and wonder why they're hungry an hour later. Raw foods digest quickly, so you either have to eat more often, or you need bigger quantities. I routinely make a whole liter (4 cups) of smoothie and drink it out of a Mason jar!
One protein shake I love is 2 cups almond milk, 3 small bananas, 2 scoops protein powder (Vanilla SunWarrior) and 4 cups of strawberries. I give my husband 16 ounces and drink the rest, about 3-4 cups.
Then, we have lunch. Because you're trying to gain weight, you might want to skip salads. Big mistake! Salads provide essential minerals and will keep your nutrient intake balanced. You definitely need your veggies, every day. I actually can't think of a single diet that eschews vegetables. Whether it's Atkins or 80-10-10 or anything in between, veggies have their place. A big salad with a good, homemade dressing will provide minerals, vitamins and fats. You can use leafy greens (mesclun, massaged kale etc.), vegetables (zucchini, tomatoes, kohlrabi etc.), sprouts (alfalfa, radish, broccoli, clover etc.), seeds (hemp seeds, sunflower seeds...), and some nuts (walnuts...) but not too much because you might want some as a snack later. On the side, some crackers (flax or chia) provide essential fatty acids and they are satiating.
A couple of hours later, you might be hungry again, and now is the time for a good snack. On the go, I like to bring a Ziploc bag full of dates and walnuts, and some bananas. The Raw Bakery makes amazing brownies made of flax, nuts, dates, and cacao or carob. Another smoothie would make a great snack if you have a blender. Be sure to make it calorie dense, or make a very large one if you only wants fruits and greens (or just fruits). Another good option is an avocado/cacao pudding, or avocado/fruit if you don't eat cacao.
Dinner may be lighter or heavier. You need to see if you eat dinner early and need it to sustain you until the next day, or if you go to bed soon after eating, in which case you want something lighter. Or, do you need to concentrate or need lots of energy after lunch, in which case you'll want something light, or do you have a repetitive desk job?
If you find lunch too light, switch it up with dinner. Dinner can be a nice avocado based soup, lots of veggies, crackers, nut cheese, dehydrated corn chips to dip in, and more. If you want some cooked food, some quinoa goes great with massaged kale and guacamole.
In summary
You need to eat enough calories, obviously. Calculate how much you eat right now in your too-thin state, and increase the amount as it's not enough for you. If you are just now starting to exercise, keep in mind how much the work outs make you lose so you don't accidentally under eat.
Because you want to build muscle, you do need protein sources, some that are easy to digest and are not denatured. Hemp shakes and sprouted brown rice protein shakes are wonderful. You also need sources of good carbohydrates (frosted muffins won't work as a substitute!), and fruits are very nicely suited for this purpose. Fat sources which will lead to weight gain within a properly designed diet are flax, chia, and other raw nuts and seeds. Flax crackers and chia pudding can dramatically increase the amount of fat and protein in a meal, but they won't make you unhealthy.
And of course, do not forget your vegetables. Water rich and mineral rich vegetables are amazing to keep you feeling light and refreshed despite the increased amount of food you are consuming. If you are having raw cheese and crackers with lunch, a large salad of crisp greens and crunchy sprouts on the side can make all the difference.
But then there are other people who switch to raw to be healthier, but really do not need to lose an ounce. Sometimes, they could even afford to gain a pound or two (or more!). It's easy to be afraid of becoming skeletal on a diet where people supposedly can eat coconuts all day long and lose pounds by the dozen. But, gaining weight on raw is possible. When I went raw, I actually gained weight, as you can see in My Raw Story.
What should you do to gain weight on a raw food diet?
Exercise
 |
| dolar |
The key point however is that muscle weighs more than fat, so you could theoretically eat 5,000 calories a day and not exercise, and you would gain weight, but it would not be healthy at all. What you want to do instead is eat more than you currently do, eat better (if possible), and build muscle. This will lead to beautiful weight gain and a tight, sculpted body. If you are a woman, do not be afraid of being too muscular -- it's not possible unless you take a lot of supplements, and exercise pretty much all day long. An hour a day will make you beautiful, not bulky.
Eat well
Of course, one should eat enough to gain weight. What makes many people lose weight on a raw food diet while eating what seems like a lot of food is the fact that raw foods are high in water and fiber, which fill one up but aren't necessarily calorie dense. Pay attention to how much food you eat. Write down your dietary intake for a typical week. You might find out that you're only getting about 1,800 calories, which isn't nearly enough to gain weight, on raw food or not.
Eating well vs eating calories from random sources
 |
| just4you |
So what should you eat to gain weight on raw? It may seem like a good idea to load up on fat, but you should not. Fatty foods, like nuts, are high in minerals but low in vitamins, and you need both. And, mixing fat and sugar all the time will most likely make you sluggish, heavy, and not that happy (which might lead to binging on more fat). Note that I don't recommend low fat diets. I just don't recommend a diet that is both high fat and lacking in certain nutrients. Fats are important.
What I recommend here, and I recommend this to all my coaching clients, is:
- A large mineral rich drink in the morning. I recommend green juices and green smoothies because they are so energizing and full of vitamins and minerals. You don't need a juicer to make juice, you can blend vegetables with water and strain the result through a nut milk bag. Did you know that even with a juicer, you might need to do the straining part? I always did it with my Hurom
, although I don't with my Ikon. |
| TanjaS |
and hemp protein. If you can get your hands on young coconuts, add the meat to the shakes. They will become creamier, and can even be eaten with a spoon sometimes. You can add the water to the blender, drink it alone, or make coconut kefir out of it.The two items above should sustain you until lunch if they are big enough. People sometimes make a small shake (14 ounces) and wonder why they're hungry an hour later. Raw foods digest quickly, so you either have to eat more often, or you need bigger quantities. I routinely make a whole liter (4 cups) of smoothie and drink it out of a Mason jar!
One protein shake I love is 2 cups almond milk, 3 small bananas, 2 scoops protein powder (Vanilla SunWarrior) and 4 cups of strawberries. I give my husband 16 ounces and drink the rest, about 3-4 cups.
Then, we have lunch. Because you're trying to gain weight, you might want to skip salads. Big mistake! Salads provide essential minerals and will keep your nutrient intake balanced. You definitely need your veggies, every day. I actually can't think of a single diet that eschews vegetables. Whether it's Atkins or 80-10-10 or anything in between, veggies have their place. A big salad with a good, homemade dressing will provide minerals, vitamins and fats. You can use leafy greens (mesclun, massaged kale etc.), vegetables (zucchini, tomatoes, kohlrabi etc.), sprouts (alfalfa, radish, broccoli, clover etc.), seeds (hemp seeds, sunflower seeds...), and some nuts (walnuts...) but not too much because you might want some as a snack later. On the side, some crackers (flax or chia) provide essential fatty acids and they are satiating.
 |
| chidsey |
Dinner may be lighter or heavier. You need to see if you eat dinner early and need it to sustain you until the next day, or if you go to bed soon after eating, in which case you want something lighter. Or, do you need to concentrate or need lots of energy after lunch, in which case you'll want something light, or do you have a repetitive desk job?
If you find lunch too light, switch it up with dinner. Dinner can be a nice avocado based soup, lots of veggies, crackers, nut cheese, dehydrated corn chips to dip in, and more. If you want some cooked food, some quinoa goes great with massaged kale and guacamole.
In summary
You need to eat enough calories, obviously. Calculate how much you eat right now in your too-thin state, and increase the amount as it's not enough for you. If you are just now starting to exercise, keep in mind how much the work outs make you lose so you don't accidentally under eat.
Because you want to build muscle, you do need protein sources, some that are easy to digest and are not denatured. Hemp shakes and sprouted brown rice protein shakes are wonderful. You also need sources of good carbohydrates (frosted muffins won't work as a substitute!), and fruits are very nicely suited for this purpose. Fat sources which will lead to weight gain within a properly designed diet are flax, chia, and other raw nuts and seeds. Flax crackers and chia pudding can dramatically increase the amount of fat and protein in a meal, but they won't make you unhealthy.
And of course, do not forget your vegetables. Water rich and mineral rich vegetables are amazing to keep you feeling light and refreshed despite the increased amount of food you are consuming. If you are having raw cheese and crackers with lunch, a large salad of crisp greens and crunchy sprouts on the side can make all the difference.
I've been working on gaining a little because with breastfeeding and crohns, my weight is on the reallllly low end of where I should be. Thanks for posting this!
ReplyDeleteGood advice from your own successful experience! Great distinction between calorie dense and nutrient dense.
ReplyDeleteThe other piece with weight issues, of course, is to address underlying self-image/emotional issues, which can often get in the way.
love
Ela
I am so glad to see this post. I have 2 teen boys who need to gain weight. Their doctor's advice was to give them heavy cream, ice cream, full-fat cheese, etc. Needless to say, I was NOT thrilled with that advice. I'm showing the boys this post. :-)
ReplyDelete