You can read my post here.

In essence, the study showed that rats fed a diet of rat chow and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) gained much more weight than those fed rat chow and sugar water, even though both groups were fed the same amount of calories.

Why is this important, you say?  You are a raw foodist and wouldn’t ever dream of eating HFCS!

All Calories Are Not Created Equal

As I alluded to on Monday, this little study pokes a tiny, but noticeable hole in the “a calorie is a calorie” theory.  It suggests that not all calories are equal, even when they are comprised of the same macronutrient (carbohydrates, in this case).

While you may not consume HFCS or refined sugar (or rat chow, I hope), you may still be buying into the “eat less, exercise more” mantra and believing that you need to severely limit your fruit consumption in order to lose weight.

My Experience

When I began watching my calories on a cooked food diet, I usually averaged about 1500 calories consumed each day.  Even with this low number, I was never able to lose more than a few pounds or get my body fat percentage down below 25% or so.

Now, I eat 2800 calories or more of raw foods each day and yet I still weigh significantly less and have a much healthier body fat % than I ever did on a cooked food diet!  I am a little bit more active now, but not nearly enough to account for the 1300 caloric difference.

Now, I’m not saying that calories are not important.  They are EXTREMELY important, especially if you want to be successful on a low fat raw vegan diet.

But that’s for a later article.

What’s Your Take?

Have you experienced a difference in calories going from a cooked food diet to a raw food one?  Are you able to consume more calories eating lots of fruit without any weight gain, and even with weight loss?  Maybe you’ve even seen a difference between eating high-fat raw and low fat raw?

Whatever your experience, be sure to leave me a comment!

Go raw and be fit,

Swayze

* Feature Article: Is Weight Loss Only About Calories Consumed?

* Your Questions Answered: Calories and Weight Loss

Is Weight Loss Only About Calories Consumed?

I recently stumbled upon this interesting Princeton study on high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and weight gain, the results of which I thought might interest you.

The experiment involved two groups of rats: one fed rat chow along with HFCS and the other fed rat chow along with a water-sucrose (refined sugar) solution.  The amount of HFCS given was half as concentrated as most soft drinks, while the sugar solution was about equal to that as the amount found in soft drinks.

The result?  The fructose fed rats gained significantly more weight than the sucrose-fed rats.

But by far the most interesting part?  Both groups of rats were fed the SAME amount of calories!

And still, every single rat fed high-fructose corn syrup instead of plain sucrose became obese.  The males were especially effected, with a 48% weight gain over the sucrose-fed rats!

The researchers admit that they do not know for sure why the HFCS fed rats gain more weight, however:

…as a result of the manufacturing process for high-fructose corn syrup, the fructose molecules in the sweetener are free and unbound, ready for absorption and utilization. In contrast, every fructose molecule in sucrose that comes from cane sugar or beet sugar is bound to a corresponding glucose molecule and must go through an extra metabolic step before it can be utilized.

This creates a fascinating puzzle. The rats in the Princeton study became obese by drinking high-fructose corn syrup, but not by drinking sucrose. The critical differences in appetite, metabolism and gene expression that underlie this phenomenon are yet to be discovered, but may relate to the fact that excess fructose is being metabolized to produce fat, while glucose is largely being processed for energy or stored as a carbohydrate, called glycogen, in the liver and muscles.

So much for “a calorie is a calorie is a calorie”, eh?

You can find the full story here:

http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S26/91/22K07/

Go raw and be fit,

Swayze

P.S. Wanna lose weight permanently, while still eating as much food as is humanly possible?  Then you gotta go low fat raw vegan.

Luckily, I have a raw recipe book to help you with that:

Low Fat, Fruit Filled, High Fun Raw Recipes

Calories and Weight Loss

Shirley asks:

I’m trying to go raw but I also have some weight to lose. [I] have your five week transition program but I’m a little curious as to how one can lose weight eating all those calories as you suggest so if you could please help with this question it would be greatly appreciated.

The meals are just a guideline.  Each person will need more or less calories depending on their height, weight, and activity level.

I admit, something like 1000 calories for a meal does sound like a lot.  In fact, many people will think it is impossible to eat that much food in one sitting.

It isn’t.  I regularly eat this much in bananas for both my breakfast and lunch meals.  I really just want to show what’s possible.

Does that mean you should eat this much?  Not at all.  It completely depends on how active you are.  A 120 pound sedentary female probably will not need 1000 calories at a meal.

Just eat as much as you like at each meal until you are satisfied and you will be fine.  Monitor your weight and body fat % on a regular basis and if you don’t see any change at all after about 3 months, try shaving off no more than a couple hundred calories per day.

Swayze

P.S. For those who would like access to The Fool Proof Transition to Raw that Shirley mentions above, simply fill out the form in the upper right hand corner of this page.

* What’s New?: Customer Testimonials

* Feature Article: Eat Today for Energy Tomorrow

Customer Testimonials

Just wanted to share these testimonials sent in to me by a couple of satisfied customers

Catherine says:

Dear Swayze,

Your help has been priceless on this low-fat raw vegan journey. It can be very tricky to find the right information out there in a clear and concise way. I am finally understanding much better what to do and what not to do, thanks to your mini-courses and e-books. I am finally finding recipes that I like and finding my groove in the diet.

I do not really have cravings, but I find it very hard to not eat the food at potlucks and family dinners. I did cheat twice and felt awful. I had a migraine the next day and was a monster to my partner and children. I have finally found the solution to my health problems. I am so grateful for your help and I am convinced that I am on the right path for healing and feeling great!

Thank you so much!

Catherine Forest
Canton-de-Hatley, Quebec, Canada
http://catherine-et-les-fees.blogspot.com/

Laura says,

Hi Swayze,

I have really enjoyed the recipes. I am still at the start of my journey to convert to low fat raw vegan. The information in the Bonus Lessons has been helpful and I am making changes in the right direction. I have enjoyed many of the recipes. I really enjoyed the plantain pudding (never knew you could eat plantains un-fried). But I think that my favorite recipe is the caramel dip. I eat it with celery while I am cooking my non-raw family dinner their food. So, I am eating my first course then and eat a salad during their dinner.

I can tell that this is going to be a long process, and I have only a 1 or 2 truly raw days, but I know that I am doing better things for my body every day. One of my main struggles is eating out (my family eats out a lot). My family feels self-conscious when I bring my food into a restaurant and as you mentioned in your “cravings” book, I really cannot get volumes of good fruit in a restaurant. I have about decided that Golden Corral may be the best place to go when eating this way. Assuming that I can stay away from the cooked food section, they tend to have a lot of fruit and a salad bar. Funny, on any other diet, I would never think of going there. Unfortunately, my family is not really into the Golden Corral scene.

Anyway, thank you for your encouragement. The eBooks have really helped, especially at this stage of my transformation. Keep up the good work!

Sincerely,

Laura Wallace
Fort Worth, TX

Thanks so much, guys!  Remember Laura, there’s no need to go 100% raw right away.  Depending upon your reasons for going raw, a slower progression may be a better option for you.

If you’re really having trouble at restaurants or other social events, a great option is to eat your fruit ahead of time.  If you’re still worried, bring a bunch of dates along with you.  They’re the easiest of all fruits to transport and have loads of calories!

Plus, it’s a lot easier to carry a bag dates than it is a bunch of bananas.  People won’t look at you so funny.

Swayze

P.S. To purchase the low fat raw recipe book and cravings program mentioned above, follow the links below:

Low Fat, Fruit Filled, High Fun Raw Recipes

www.fitonraw.com/low-fat-raw-vegan-favorites

21 Days to Conquer Your Cooked Food Cravings

www.cookedfoodcravings.com

Eat Today for Energy Tomorrow

Let’s say you have a very busy, activity-filled day tomorrow.  You’ve got your morning workout at 8, hang gliding at noon, mountain climbing at 2pm, and some white river kayaking at 5pm.  Oh, and don’t forget your east coast swing dancing lesson at 8pm.

Now that’s my kind of day!

So what do you do to prepare yourself?

Besides making sure you have enough food for the day, you probably hopefully reserve time to get lots of restful sleep so you can have energy for the day ahead.

While this is a GREAT idea, it’s not the only step you should take to ensure you don’t stall out in the middle of your day.

Calories, Calories, Calories

Whenever we talk about getting enough calories, we usually refer to the day in which we are eating.  If there is a particularly active day coming up, we tend to only think about upping our food intake *for that day*.

But look at it this way.  We don’t sleep well tonight to feel well-rested today, do we?  Of course not.  We sleep well tonight to have enough energy tomorrow.

And when we don’t, we feel it the next day.

It’s the same with food.

Take a Tip From the Trainers

I’m sure you’ve heard of what endurance athletes call “carbo-loading.”

Carbohydrate loading is when an athlete eats a diet high in carbohydrates for a few days (sometimes preceded by a period of intense exercise and carbohydrate restriction) before a big event.  This helps to maximize the amount of glucose the muscles take in and, therefore, helps the athlete’s endurance and overall performance.

You see, our bodies use glycogen stored in our muscles and liver.  When we are not well-fueled, these stores deplete much quicker, leaving us tapped out and fatigued.

It’s a lot like a car.  Just as you need to fill up your car with gasoline for it to run, you need to fill yourself up with glucose for YOU to run!

The more glucose we have in our system, the longer we can continue to perform (whether that be performance in an actual sport, or just everyday life activities).  And the only way to take in more glucose is to EAT!

A Daily Lesson

Getting enough fuel today for energy tomorrow is ESPECIALLY good advice if you are active early in the morning like I am.  I usually like to take my dog for a walk and then follow it up with my workout, all before 10am.  I don’t have breakfast until right afterward, so it’s important for me to make sure that I ate well the day before.

And I can always tell when I don’t because I so do NOT want to workout!  When I do get enough fuel the day before, I have MORE than enough energy for my workouts.

Practicing eating today for energy tomorrow is a good preventative measure for cravings as well.  It is much, much easier to resist tempting cooked food favorites when you’re well-carbed from the day before and on into the current day.  In fact, it’s even MORE likely that you won’t have cravings in the first place!

And What’s the Best Fuel?

Sweet fruit, of course!  As I already mentioned, our body uses glycogen.  What’s glycogen?  It’s nothing more than long chains of glucose, the simple sugar found in sweet fruit!

Go raw and be fit,

Swayze

P.S. Here are some raw recipes to help you make sure you’re getting plenty of the sweet stuff.  I’ve even included a 7-day meal plan to help you get started.

Follow the link below to learn more and purchase the e-book:

www.fitonraw.com/low-fat-raw-vegan-favorites

* What’s New?: Videos!

* Feature Article: Too Much Fruit On a Low Fat Raw Diet?!

Videos!

That’s right, more vids!  Since so many of you enjoyed the recent salad recipe video I posted, I’ve decided to keep making more…

Starting with today’s feature “article”!

So if you don’t mind, please leave a comment or email me at swayze@fitonraw.com with your feedback and suggestions for future vids!

Swayze

Too Much Fruit On a Low Fat Raw Diet?!

“Wow, that’s a lot of fruit! Isn’t that too much?  How can you possibly eat all that?!”

These are just some of the comments I receive (A LOT!) about eating a low fat raw vegan diet, so I thought I’d spend a few moments talking about the “too much fruit” issue in a video.

I think the quality in this one turned out much better. Enjoy!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Go raw and be fit,

Swayze

P.S. If enough people express interest, I’ll type up a short summary of what is covered in the video for those of you who are too lazy don’t have time to watch.

* Feature Article: My Transition to Low Fat Raw Vegan: Part III

My Transition to Low Fat Raw Vegan: Part III

I ended My Transition to Low Fat Raw Vegan: Part III last week with some of the initial benefits I experienced on raw and as well as my minute detox symptoms.

It’s now finally time to wrap things up with some advice I would offer my past self, as well as what I did right and how this all pertains to you.

My Advice to Myself

Knowing what I know now, here is what I would say to the Swayze of 2007:

*#1: Eat More Food*

Yep.  I know I’ve said it lot, but it’s true.  The key to being successful on a raw food diet is eating as much food as you care for (specifically fruit).

And all you weight-watchers out there, don’t worry.  You will still lose weight on such a diet.

And I’m not just saying this to toot my own horn or hear myself speak read my own words.  This is an important issue that I am constantly being reminded of.

I would say that my response to the vast majority of emails I receive – probably 75% – result in this simple response:

You need to eat more fruit.

Is it really any wonder that I have struggled with same problem myself?

And honestly, I was eating a good amount of calories on most days (just below 2000, which is the estimated amount that a person of my height, weight, and activity level needs).

That wasn’t the issue.

The issue was that I was still hungry!  Like many of you, I was coming from a diet of heavy caloric restriction (not to mention food with very little volume) and my body was literally calling out for more food and better nutrition.  I was still too caught up in the numbers and the “eat less, exercise more” mantra to realize it.

As a result, I would do fine for a couple of days.  Then the hunger would catch up with me and I would go binge crazy!

On the other hand, after my binge-heavy 2008 summer vacation, I started purposefully under eating on calories.  I wanted to get the excess weight off as quickly as possible.

Of course, this completely backfired.  Again, I would white knuckle for a few days, but then the lack of calories would get to me and I would eat, eat, eat anything in sight.

It wasn’t until I finally allowed myself to just eat as much as I wanted (in December of last year) that my cravings drastically decreased and, therefore, I stopped binge eating.

*#2: Slow it Down, Dude!*

This was posted on October 31, 2007 and was supposed to be my game plan for the next 30 days:

1. Between 15-18 pieces of raw fruit a day (blended or whole)
2. At least a pound of raw greens a day ( blended or whole)
3. Steamed/boiled vegetables w/ sea salt 3 times a week (i.e. corn, peas, broccoli, edamame, potatoes, etc.) for dinner
4. No more than 180 calories from fat every other day (i.e. nuts, seeds, avocados)
5. Dried fruits only on occasion
6. 6 ounces of decaffeinated tea w/ 1 tsp of honey once a day is permissible

This means…

1. No meat
2. No cheese
3. No dairy
4. No grains
5. No legumes
6. No caffeine
7. No processed foods (except honey in tea)

This was a great plan for me because it allowed me to eat high amounts of fruit, which I was already slightly accustomed to anyway, while at the same time incorporating some transition foods (i.e. tea, steamed veggies, salt) to help me make it through.

I soon got impatient and started upping the ante.  By day 18, I had cut out all steamed foods and tea in an effort to cut back on cravings.

The problem here is that once I went 100% strict raw, there was no going back for me.  I felt stuck in the “all or nothing” mindset that I am so prone to.  If I decided to incorporate some transition foods again, I felt guilty because then I wasn’t 100% raw.

Then I felt deprived and that’s when my bingeing got really out of control and I began eating foods that I had not so much as looked at in months!

If  I had just taken it slow and kept at my original plan that was well-suited to me, I am sure I would have avoided a lot of stress, overeating, and mental anguish.

I think this is another reason why I was able to stick with raw in December 2008.  Not only was I eating as much as I wanted, I also consumed salt and spices if I desired them.  As an emotional eater, it helped to know that salt was not a forbidden food and, more importantly, that I could eat it *without guilt*!

What I Did Right

It’s been 2 years and 7 days and I’m still here.

Obviously I did something right…right?

*Dedication*

From the moment I began my journey to raw, I knew it would take some work.  I knew I would have difficult days.  I knew I would make mistakes here and there.

I was okay with all that and I was prepared for it.  More importantly, I was completely dedicated no matter what.

Going raw was my #1 priority.

So many people discover raw, jump right into it, and expect it to be a piece of cake.

I sometimes receive emails from people looking for that special something – kind of like the “ah hah” moment I briefly mentioned in Part III – that will quickly and effortlessly make them a 100% raw foodist.

They want to go raw at the snap of their fingers, without any extra effort.  They want to have their cooked cake and eat it too.

Sorry, but that isn’t possible.

A healthy raw food diet is simple, sure.  But there is a big difference between simple and easy.

Eating fruit all day, greens in the evening, and limiting your fat intake is a simple concept.  Eating this way in a household full of others who do not understand and do not support you is not always easy.

Eating a meal of just bananas is simple.  Ensuring that you have enough ripe fruit on hand requires knowledge and experience.

Preparing a green smoothie of banana and celery is simple.  Planning ahead for an upcoming social event – like Thanksgiving this Thursday, for instance – can be tricky.

I’m not trying to scare you away from raw or make it seem reserved for only a select few.  When compared to any other diet on the face of the planet, a low fat raw vegan one is by far the simplest, easiest and most rewarding diet around.

Is there any other dietary plan in which you can eat pounds and pounds of food day in and day out and still maintain a sleek, muscular, sexy physique and experience energy levels that rival those of a small toddler?

NO WAY!

Low fat raw vegan wins hands down, every time.

My point is that, just like with anything worth while in life, going raw requires a little extra work.

But if you are truly dedicated and remain focused on the long-term, you will work through it all in your own time and on your own terms.

My Advice to You

If you are struggling with maintaining a raw food diet, you can certainly learn from my mistakes.

To recap:

• Eat as much fruit as you want
• Develop a game plan and STICK TO IT
• Take it slow

And most importantly, make going raw your #1 priority.  It may require a little work on your part, but the numerous benefits you will receive will more than pay you back for all your hard work.

And your tummy and taste buds will love you for it.

Go raw and be fit,

Swayze