Thinking of going "RAW"

[KT-tri]

Okay..I'm a hard core athlete...very avid and competitive age group (hopefully soon pro/elite) triathlete. I say that not to brag, but to give you an idea of how serious I am about my training and competition.

I've had some "gastro" issues recently and was researching and another triathlete said she was trying the master cleanse. I read up, showed DH (darling hubby) and am really curious.

I am a meat lover (sorry to offend)..love steaks particularly. And I know the protein stuff, but also know that there are alternatives.

My questions stem from the concern that there isn't enough carb or protein involved to sustain the level of training I put my body through...but I would love to be healthier on the inside..not just "fit." Y'all know because you are obviously on this train too.

Can anyone give me any guidance from the serious athlete standpoint?

(to give you an idea, here is a hard week during peat tri training: 40-50 mi running; 100-120 mi bike; 10,000-18,00 yds swimming; in the off season I do marathons, 1/2 marathons, and 10ks and then pick up the biking hard in the early winter)

Thanks..I know its a lot to ask..

KT

[peanutterb]

raw isn't for everyone so it's something you're going to have to research and make a decision for yourself. you're going to have to just try and see. no one can really speculate for what will and will not work for your body and your specific needs.

the raw foood FAQS ia s good place to start http://therawfoodsite.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2150

[KT-tri]

Thanks so much..I'm sorry to all..didn't realize that this set of threads were for those who are done w/ the cleanse.... and I honestly wasn't trying to "puff up." Please forgive me.

I'll check out the FAQ's. Maybe I could do a combo of raw and organic once I do the cleanse (which we are aiming for 5 days of after my marathon Dec. 9...start a couple days later)

Much appreciated! :o

[seaweed]

I would love to go raw but i love seafood too much and also it's hard to prepare raw stuff with kids. I think i will go raw once a week to start out and see how it goes.

does going raw means you have to be vegetarian? is smoked meat considered raw? for example, smoked-salmon?

[victorious53]

i hear you seaweed. i love fish and chicken so i know that i won't go 100% raw. probably 50% is more realistic for me. now that i know how to detox my body in a healthy way, i won't worry about it. also, organic food is about 50% more expensive than commercial. i use vegetable and fruit wash and then bless my food. LOL

[melissa]

Hello everyone! This is my very first MC and I’m beyond excited! I’m only on day 1, but seeing all the gunk come out of me really wants me to continue a more healthful lifestyle. I have taken my weight and chest, waist, hips and thighs measurements, and also calculated my BMI and body fat percentage. I also have set up goals so I can see monitor how close I am to achieving them. I am what you guys are calling “someone who should take it easy,” as I have an insane amount of prescript drugs (for migraines and a rare allergy disease), but one of my goals is that after all this junk is flushed out, the doctor hopefully says I do not need to take as much, or I can lower the dosage or something.

Some questions: I would like to embrace lots of qualities of the raw food diet after I finish my MC. I have been a lacto-ovo vegetarian for more than 10 years (I do not eat red meat, poultry or fish, but I do eat dairy). What I have been reading says that the raw food diet does not constitute of dairy. Why not? As a woman, I am very concerned with how much calcium and vitamin D I am taking. Do you take supplements instead? Or is there large amounts of calcium in certain fruits and vegetables? Another question, do you not eat bread? What do you do for folic acid?

Any insights could be great! I’m happy to join the team.

[HealthyBiz]

What I have been reading says that the raw food diet does not constitute of dairy. Why not? As a woman, I am very concerned with how much calcium and vitamin D I am taking. Do you take supplements instead? Or is there large amounts of calcium in certain fruits and vegetables?
Hi melissa! Welcome! Glad you join us!

In a word - KALE! - loads of calcium. Or, really any green leafy vegetable. For example, I buy the beets with the greens attached and enjoy the greens as much as the beets. They're fun to use. I quit milk and milk products early last year. I'm not raw, but have learned that milk is really bad for me. There's a website worth checking out notmilk.com. Basically cow's milk is made for baby cows not for humans. There is a small percentage of us who can handle cow's milk. You may be one of those. Most of us should not be drinking milk. In my rather jaded opinion, our use of milk is like many things in our life - a result of a powerful marketing scheme. And that comes from someone who depended on milk for decades, whose favorite food used to be cottage cheese and blueberries. I have boxes of antihistimines that are going to go out of date before I need them again. Since last February, I've taken 3 doses (total) of antihistimines ... and I used to take them daily. My health has greatly improved since I limited my milk intake. Whether or not you go raw, taking milk out of your diet is probably going to be a very good thing for you!! Listen to your body; it will tell you.

[melissa]

Thank you for your help! I was just looking at the recipes section and I copied down a few of yours. I'm on day 2 and feeling great! The only problem is I want to start eating all of these delicious, nutritous foods....

[cleansing15]

Raw = feeling great - mental clarity, balance, energy, etc. Plus, raw foods seem to digest better. That's just my two cents, but I agree, you will have to research it. There are several great recipe books, and I especially by Juliano, the raw food guru.

[Ginger]

I'm thinking of going mostly raw. But, I need a good protein breakfast daily. Any ideas for good breakfasts? No yucky green smoothies thank you.:p

[a new me]

I'm planning to try going "raw" when I finish the MC, and I found the Raw FAQs tremendously helpful and it answered my questions about getting protein without eating meat. I've stopped talking about the Raw Diet to friends and co-workers because they are so adament about the body "needing meat". One guy said his wife's doctor told her the brain must have meat to function.

[peanutterb]

that's such bull.
i don't eat meat and haven't since i was 11 and i'm a genius.

[scubaahood]

i have a question and for some reason i can't make my own thread? hmm, anyways....

someone posted a recipe on here for homemade croutons - does anyone know how long they can be kept for? i would like to make a bunch at a time and keep them in a container for several months or so. thanks!

[peanutterb]

i have a question and for some reason i can't make my own thread? hmm, anyways....

someone posted a recipe on here for homemade croutons - does anyone know how long they can be kept for? i would like to make a bunch at a time and keep them in a container for several months or so. thanks!

hey scubaahood, newbies can't make their own thread. it's best to look for an already existing thread that is under the same topic.

anyway, most if not all recipes are in the Lemonhead Recipe Box:
http://therawfoodsite.com/forum/showthread.php?t=101

here's a tutorial on how to do a search: http://therawfoodsite.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1576

that's the best way to find the recipe or the person who posted the recipe so you can ask them.

[Marielle]

in your opinion is a raw food diet more or less expensive than say... vegetarian, which i am?

[peanutterb]

in your opinion is a raw food diet more or less expensive than say... vegetarian, which i am?
hm i donno. bc produce tends to be more expensive, but as a vegan i buy fresh fruits and veggies anyway so that's not a change. maybe it's cheaper because i don't buy fake meat and soy milk and those other things. just more fruits and veggies.

fyi - i moved your question here, to a more relevant thread.