#1 Rule for Healthy Raw Food Weight Loss
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! 
Go raw and be fit,
Swayze
16 comments
Thank you so much for this post, it is so helpful! That is definitely something I’m going to start focusing on is just eating more raw food—as much as I want! Because I always think I have to limit myself but you reminded me that I don’t, so thank you
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Swayze Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Yea, we kind of have to retrain our brains. Everyone’s so used to the “eat less, exercise more” model for weight loss. It’s hard to imagine that eating more is actually okay!
Glad you liked the post.
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Hola!! I am not 100% yet, however I am on my way. Do you think that going raw will help with tenecious toenail fungus? I have had it for several years and am determined to eliminate it. My concern is that fungus thrives on sugar, and due to the high consumption of fruit will it feed it? I am glad I discovered your site it is very cool!
Gracias,
Patricia
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Swayze Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Hmmm…toenail fungus? That’s certainly a new one for me! However, a low fat raw diet is the optimal diet so I wouldn’t be surprised if you saw results.
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Hi. I am a 3 1/2 yrs metastatic breast cancer worrier/survivor. I am vegitarian, but not even 50% raw and I do like ice cream ALOT!! So since I already eat the refined sugar in ice cream this is a really stupid question I guess, but since cancer can and does also feed on sugar I am wondering if that is the case with natural timed release sugars of fruits? I start this lifestyle in the morning and I am 100% pumped so wish me luck and thank you for the information.
I use to be a juicer mainly carrots and apples which is fairly easy for me but all that “Green Juice” has got to go!!! Any advice on that?
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Swayze Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
Yes, cancer cells do feed on sugar because ALL of our cells feed on sugar. It is often a low-oxgenated body that allows for the cells to flourish. This state can more often than not be directly related to a high-fat diet.
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Can a diabetic do this program. Seems like a lot of sugar for us.
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Swayze Reply:
July 17th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Yep. The simple sugar from fruit presents no problems unless accompanied by an excess of fat.
Blame the fat, not the fruit!
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Thank you so much for your honesty and encouragement. I’m fasting to help transition to raw and a healthier lifestyle, but my diet and lifestyle has been HORRIBLE up until now.
It’s nice to know that there are others out there who used to eat fast food and weren’t brought up by a family of vegans who grew their own organic produce (no offense, I envy those who did, but my family was a meat, potatoes, and a small side of overcooked veggies deal).
This really makes me see that I can do it. Thanks again!
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Swayze Reply:
July 18th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
I definitely didn’t grow up vegan. I live in the South, where anything resembling a fruit or vegetable is drenched in sugar, butter, or salt.
Glad you enjoyed the post.
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Tanisha Reply:
July 20th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
I know you’ll do fine. I grew up vegan but guess what? I ended up falling into chicken just like the next person. We’re on this wonderful journey together!
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I was born into the middle of a family of 9. Everyone in my family loved meat and cooked foods except me. I would eat my salads and fruit but would be “forced” to eat meat. I always did have a big craving for fresh bake bread though. This change in diet although it is everything I like is not easy. My husband eats nothing but meat and potatoes or rice. He never eats fruits or veggies (except an occassional corn on the cob and all fruit popscicles).
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you are so wonderful Swayze! I was going through all of that! The cravings and all! I thought it was me, not my NEED for more raw food!
We are so tainted by society and media imposing the “don’t eat too much rule”, that we don’t even see that we can eat as much as we want…of fruits and veggies! We don’t even SEE that!! I just came from New York Yesterday…I usually stay in the heart of the city, and I’m 5ft 4, 200 lbs, and I took my baby (one year old) to Central Park after going to my favorite bodega to get a cool can of coconut water… i saw all these skinny ladies wearing their flowing beautiful dresses and outfits just chilling with their bottles of H2o, and I automatically felt like I have to eat less… automatically! Everything you just mentioned in this article really showed me how I need to re-evaluate things, and how I need to change my perspective and also look at what the media is jamming into my head, because I don’t want to believe what isn’t true, and it’s not true that you can’t have all you want to eat, it’s true that what they are telling us not to eat “too much of”, is poision, which we shouldn’t even be eating at all! !! That’s what they’re not telling us. Thank you Swayze.
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Swayze Reply:
July 21st, 2009 at 11:42 am
Great story, Tanisha! Sounds like you’ve got it down.
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Hi Swayze,
I am working hard to shift my thinking on how I eat. I have done quite well most of the day, it is just when dinner rolls around, I am craving meat!
I was wondering, is almond milk ok to eat with fruit. I used to eat blueberries/bananas with milk. I think the almond milk would be a nice replacement. I have found Almond Breeze Vanilla w/o sugar.
Also, what is your thoughts on sprouted bread? Would it be an ok transition food for dinner time? Do you have any brand recommendations?
Thanks so much for all your info. You have made it much easier for me to change my diet!
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Swayze Reply:
July 22nd, 2009 at 10:12 am
I would not recommend almond milk with fruit because of the high fat content. However, it is certainly a good transition food from milk or soy milk.
If you wish to eat sprouted bread during your transition, feel free. Anytime you are replacing a food with a healthier alternative, you are on the right track. As far as the brand, I know the Ezekiel is popular.
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