gain - Forum - The Frugivore Diet

Please Help!? blood sugar issues and weight gain

2017-03-10T18:22:40.000Z

I don't know if this diet is right for me... I really want to stick to it, but I keep having blood sugar swings and It's causing me to eat so much. I started at 126 pounds and I am now 136. I have gained 10 pounds. I start to feel weird if I don't eat every few hours, even if I eat 800 calorie meals. My blood sugar gets to the 300's and drops to the 50's. I don't know what to do.

Help! Balancing a banana/rice based diet.

2016-08-29T17:59:18.000Z

I have gained 10 lbs from eating mainly banana smoothies and jasmine rice with bragg for several months. Although I am not raw, my diet follows the 811 RT4 HCLF plans, but I am not seeing any positive physical results. I am concerned about deficiencies with this diet and would like recommendations for fruits and vegetables that would best fit this diet. I am on a college student budget so please keep the suggestions within reason.

Will I gain weight on this lifestyle?

2016-04-06T20:55:58.000Z

I've never had an eating disorder or anything like that. However, I have restricted calories and binge eaten. I have never been at an unhealthy weight but I am not happy with how I look and feel. I know that even though my calorie restriction has never been crazy (1,000 at the worst) I have probably done some damage to my body. I'm a bit scared and I kinda just want to know what will happen to my body and weight before I start on this lifestyle!

My Family Says I'm Gonna Get Fat

2016-01-31T05:00:34.000Z

So I've been going all out on the non-restriction thing, having 10 banana smoothies every morning, another 1,000 calorie smoothie for lunch, and huge bowls of rice and pasta for dinner. My family is part of the whole "carbs make you fat" movement, so every time they see me have these meals, they raise their eyebrows and comment, "That's a lot of white rice..." "You're eating THAT many bananas?" "Wow, you're really going to town, tonight!" etc. Especially the bananas, they tell me how they've read that they're pure sugar, high in carbs, blah blah.

Besides me explaining that pure, natural carbs don't cause insulin spikes because of the fiber in the foods, I also explain to them that humans are meant to live off of plant-based carbohydrates, and that I don't believe humans should limit their intake of fruit any more than a lion should limit his intake of gazelle, or a caterpillar should limit his intake of leaves.

So I eat a lot in spite of their comments, because I'm frankly tired of restricting myself so much. All my life I've been adapting my portion sizes to the people around me, even though I knew those measly meals wouldn't satisfy me. Especially since I'm a woman, but I find myself naturally wanting to eat more than most men eat, so I feel like there's something wrong with me.

There is a little voice inside my head that tells me I shouldn't have such a voracious appetite, that I should have more "feminine" portions, but my under carbed brain allows interrupts and says, "Screw that! I'm gonna eat as much as I want, I am so done with restricting myself and feeling unsatisfied because of it. I don't care if people think I eat a too much, that's none of their business. This is my life, I'm gonna live it to the fullest, and I'm gonna EAT to the fullest!"

So thankfully, I haven't given in to peer pressure, and I don't see myself ever going back to restriction. I'm not gaining weight, so they can't throw any concrete evidence at me against my new eating habits anyway. It'll just be nice when I get the physical results to show them it's actually the reverse!

Has anyone else had any experience with people telling them eating Raw Till 4 will make them fat?

My Weigh Gain and Weight Loss

2016-01-29T20:56:25.000Z

Hey gang! I just posted a new YouTube video on my channel! Did carbs make me gain weight? I talk about my initial weight gain and weight loss. Plus I give you pointers if you're struggling to lose weight!! xoxo

Check it out below!

https://youtu.be/iIXuXf0yckM

Weight gain and going back to restriction....

2015-10-08T07:33:28.000Z

Hi Everyone!

So I wanted to share with you some of my experience on this life style. I have been a HCvegan for about 1,5 year now but I started my recovery from my eating disorder for 2,5 years. Like everybody els that comes from a background of restriction, I gained weight. At first I was fine with it but after while it started to bug me. I got tiered of not being "accepted for who I had become" by my friends and a desire to please them started to grow inside of me.

I started to restrict my calories in january this year and i lost weight fast. 10 kg was gone in two months. But like every other time I could not keep myself to the low kcal intake I had set out for me so I started to binge eat and I also had a relapse in to bulimia. After going on and of with restriction and binge eating for two months I have had enough and I realized I did not have another choice then start eating properly again.

Three months later I have gained all the weight back, plus a little more but I am so happy with who I am becoming. Even though my friends thought I was more fun when I was restricting my calories, I never liked the person I was when I was al alone. I guess I wrote this for all of you who are doubting on ever loosing weight and for all of you that are considering to go back to restriction. It have never worked, it will never work and the pleasure of being thin will fade away with the depression that comes with it.

If you have problems of gaining weight or need motivation boozt, watch this video: https://youtu.be/CNzvHAiSYug

Thanks for the carbs <3

late period/weight gain

2015-09-22T16:58:10.000Z

Hello-

I have been eating low fat raw vegan for the past month and my period is late. (There is no possibility that I could be pregnant.) I lost about 5 pounds at first, but in the past week I have gained weight & gotten acne. I figure it is because my period is about to start. I keep waiting for it to come but it is not coming! This is very frustrating, especially because of the weight gain and acne.

(I have been vegan for about 12 years, veggie for 20 years, and started eating low fat about 2 months ago. I started eating low fat raw after I did watermelon island and it was super easy! (I think the hot wether has definitely helped it feel so easy.)

Has anyone else had experience with this?

Thank you,

Avoiding initial weight gain on 80/10/10

2015-05-28T09:55:11.000Z

Hi there!

To give you a bit of my background, I went through a VERY brief period(I'm talking 3 weeks max) of calorie restricting(800 or so a day) about 3 years ago, and then another about a year later, lasting around 2 weeks(nobody can survive on 800 cals a day! Not possible). That was when I was still eating animal products. Roughly a year and a half ago, I became vegan after finding the raw till 4 movement and I began stuffing the fruit in, aiming for 3000 cals a day of fruit + cooked high carb foods like potatoes. After 8 months on that, I felt very stressed, lacked motivation to work out and had gained about 15 pounds of fat. I stopped for 5 months or so and stayed on a normal vegan diet which involved plant protein powders, cooked food, a maximum of 5 servings of fruit a day, about 1800 cals and quite a bit of veg. Ever since going off raw till 4 I've lost the 15 pounds and I'm now at a weight of 62kg and 174cm. I'm now wondering about the 80/10/10 high raw lifestyle, but since I'm a runner, I need to stay light on my feet, and I'm running competitively, so I need a diet that will give me high energy but will not make me feel heavy and gain weight. I do not have the ability to be sitting around at home doing yoga and waiting for my body to do its healing. So as of current, I'm eating 80/10/10 except for a bit of cooked veg and bean soup/rice at the end of the day + my normal salad. I'm eating roughly 2000-2200 calories and doing 1-2 hours of training a day(run, cycle, swim) at a moderate-high intensity. My meals consist of 2 bananas, 2 persimmons and a kiwi for breakfast, 3 dates, 2 apples and a banana in between breakfast and lunch. For lunch, a 3 banana green smoothie, an orange and rice paper veggie rolls(greens and veg inside). After that, I will typically consume another 2 apples/1 mango, as well as a banana or two, then an orange + grapes in my dinner salad. A serving of roasted broccoli and about 300 cals worth of soup and rice for my cooked food. However, I have been lacking energy during my hard runs and I think my performance has been suffering a bit. What adjustments can I make, and how can I prevent that initial weight gain whilst maintaining good energy levels?

Why I initially gained 60 lbs on the High Carb Vegan Diet

2015-05-14T22:01:43.000Z

Hey everyone!

I'm starting this discussion because I feel it is important to share what can happen and WHY if you come to this unlimited calorie/carbohydrate lifestyle after years and years worth of dieting and calorie restriction (aka metabolic damage), like myself! I came to this lifestyle in March 2012 after yo-yo dieting, calorie/carb restricting, fasting, taking stimulants and laxatives, smoking, drinking alcohol, binge/purging, and overexercising since 2006. My health was suffering severely (anorexia symptoms, digestive disorder, hormonal imbalances), so within one year of following this diet and lifestyle my weight went from an anorexic 120 lbs to a slightly overweight 185 lbs (I'm 5'11"), whilst experiencing immediate improvements in my digestion, hormones, sleep, skin, mental state, and overall health. I just published a very detailed blog post all about my experience here: http://www.nutritionbyvictoria.com/blog/why-i-initially-gained-60-lbs-on-a-high-carb-vegan-diet

I hope that you find the blog post helpful for your recovery if you are experiencing weight gain on this diet. Just know that it's NOT permanent! By sticking to the high carb low fat, unlimited calorie diet and lifestyle (sufficient sleep, water, exercise) you will recover the FASTEST, heal the QUICKEST, and experience weight loss EFFORTLESSLY once your body is ready to target the excess weight (after healing is complete). Initially, weight gain is absolutely necessary in order to turn the wheels of the healing cascade. My weight plateaued after the 1st year, and remained within 5-10 lbs of that weight gain after 2 years. After year 2, my weight started to shift downward, permanently. I've now lost a total of 30 lbs since coming to this lifestyle back in March 2012, and I'm experiencing the best health of my life!

Thank you so much for reading and feel free to leave me any comments/questions!

Victoria

2 year progress pic.png

8 months high carb and no changes

2015-04-21T09:28:36.000Z

Hi everybody!

So I have been eating high carb low fat vegan since November (so it's 8th month now) but I don't feel any changes. At first I tried eating as much fruit as I was able to get but then during the winter it was really expensive so I switched to eating cooked carbs. From time to time I do eat some fatty products but it isn't that much. Also, I exercise regularly (sometimes I run about 4 km, most of the time I ride bike to school which is about 20km forth and back). I drink about 2-3 liters of water per day, sometimes less.

In fact, I have experienced some changes, for example, I feel better, my hair and nails are stronger. The problem is, my weight haven't changed a bit. I mean, I haven't gained or lost any of it. Sometimes it really pisses me off... That's why I created this topic! So if anyone could tell me what I am doing wrong, I'll be pleased to hear.

Doctors opinion on 801010

2015-04-14T04:29:53.000Z

Doctors' response to my being 811 in file below.

I have symptoms that directly point to Leaky Gut.

They include:

Weight gain (gained 15, down 5)
Psoriasis
Exema
Brain fog/lack of mental clarity
Slow speech
Spotting
Swollen lymph nodes!
Red bumps/acne on chest
Swollen face
Dry skin
Migraines

All of this happens at varying times and degrees after I eat food not optimal for me. I can't eat any cooked starches or grains. I am limited to fruits and veggies only.

I can eat: bananas, datorade, persimmons, figs, berries, oranges (citrus), celery, cucumber, tender lettuce, peaches, nectarines
Moderate amounts of: melon, mango, less grapes, apples, avocado
No: Papya, pineapple, tomato, Jack fruit, cruciferous veggies, other veggies. Can't eat a lot of veg.

I have a VERY restricted diet, even for a raw vegan. And it drives me NUTS. Even this list is tentative as I become more in-tune. I'm not a hypochondriac, I will drink water out of a hose, my symptoms just make it impossible for me to ignore when something is wrong. Thus, I don't have a lot of variety to choose from.

I am trying to heal my condition by eating a low inflamation diet. But I have been eliminating foods, starting with cooked eight months ago, for two years and it feels like I am going nowhere. I thought grapes and mangos were okay, and have recently realized that I cant mono them like I want to. Cross another thing I thought was a staple off my list.

So my question is two fold:

1) have any of you experienced this if so how are you healing, what steps did you take to heal?

2) I am considering finding a leaky gut familiar naturopath to give me additional ideas to make this heal. A lot of people on curezone believe this is parasite driven, that Manuka honey, bone broth, aloe Vera, slippery elm bark, L glutamate, and so on are aids to health. I'm going to keep it vegan, no bone broth. I am open to supplements though, even though I am a supplement minimalist. And I feel a naturopath can aid with this.
But most naturopaths aren't vegan or even think low fat diets aren't optimal, though they could potentially help me with my condition further.
Does it make sense to go with a naturopath that doesn't align with me nutritionally, or even go to one at all? And if not, what do you think I should do?

Thanks for making it all the way down here :)

Cheers,
Chelsie

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Still detoxing after one year hclf ? and weight gain

2015-03-20T18:10:12.000Z

Hey everybody...

I just signed up. I thought maybe it might be a good idea to get some support from people who are on the same path...

first little history: (i am 23 years old now)

i am coming from an extreme background of drug abuse since i was born (so obviously not by choice) and followed by eating disorders since i was 12... i had to throw up for 3 years i guess... and then last year it stopped....

when it stopped i was interested in healing my body...or putting in the right food so i searched and found freelees videos... i watched a few of them and became interested in this vegan thing...than i watched the videos with the animals being abused and i cried and went vegan over night... on may 27th 2014

Since i had those eating disorders i never ate the right things, i drank tons of coffee, high fat low carb....basically: i did everything wrong :)

my weight went up and down but i always was normal weight (good figure) and one year i was really underweight . ... my lowest was 50 kg with 1,70 m hight.....also did much sport in my teenage years.... always moving and outside basically....

i always had perfect skin! ...never had problems with pimples...

3 years ago i went to thailand for 2 month and there my skin started to break out ...my nose was always the worst... always pimples on my nose... since then i had to fight my skin becoming more and more bad (but even then it was kind of okey)...W

WHEN i went vegan ... i somehow knew...that all those toxins flowing through my body had to go....and when my body realized that the torture ended, everything seemed to come out...

i sometimes drink lepacho tea to help the detoxing...it is very good...tried to eat the most fruit i can, stopped drinking coffee, fatty foods....

and i felt great.... but since then i always had kind of "detox phases" where i had all sorts of detox symtoms ....

I know this is not something that goes away over night so its okey....

but i still get from time to time extreme breakouts, especially on my nose and it is so annoying because it leaves me with those scars in the middle of my face... i try to cure it with natural remedies...

i read that the nose is linked to the liver and that the inflammations on the nose show that the liver is still not "clean"...

the other thing is that since eating enough i gained about 14 kg since going vegan

at the start 2014 may : about 61 kg

January 2015: 75 kg

now 2015: about 73

i know many are talking about initial weight gain... i watched so many videos and the most of them are talking about 5 kg or something similar :D but i gained 14 kg...thats... much ...

my question is : is this still normal ?

i really follow a hclf vegan diet...especially last year i ate almost no fat and salt at all...

the only thing i am struggling with i sleeping because of sleeping disorders...

i started to do fitness and slowly increased the amount of sport so that i don't give up and never do it again...

my second question is, does anyone know having breakouts on the nose?

and this long detox phase ?

i know i will stay vegan...but i need a little bit of ...your experiences ...to stay on track and be patient.....

wouh....long story short: is a very long healing phase normal IF there has been an extreme damage ?

Advice on Avoiding Fatty Foods?

2015-03-08T19:52:50.000Z

I have been struggling lately this Winter/Spring, considering that I seem compelled to eat more nuts, seeds, hummus, peanut butter, etc. than normal. And I FEEL like i'm gaining all of this fat on my legs and belly. I have been desperately trying to cut down on the fats to 10% once more, but it's not working...Plus, I have been craving savory foods again.

You should know: I am a female that lives on Raw 'til 4. I eat about 2300-3000Kc a day, and I struggle eating anything more (I tried 3500-4000 and does NOT work for me physically). I'm an elite athlete too (I run for 2 hours, 6X a week). Do you Fruit-bats have any advice for me?

Transitioning from Fully Raw to RawTill4

2015-02-05T01:14:46.000Z

Hi everyone!

What do you suggest is the best way to transition from eating an 80/10/10 diet to start eating Raw till 4?

I started this lifestyle 7 months ago, beginning with fully raw, then gradually started eating cooked foods at night, but still kept around 3 to 4 fully raw days. I lost weight and later stabilized to a healthy weight. Later on, I started eating Raw till 4 and started gaining some extra pounds, so I decided to go back to a Fully Raw diet for at least a month to try to go back to where I was. Still, I want my body to adjust to eat cooked food at night again. I love Raw till 4 lifestyle and I feel its the best of both worlds! So how would say is the best way to transition so I don't lose what I've gained? Thanks!!!

Weight Gain.

2014-12-17T22:55:39.000Z

Okay so from my posts i know i may say 'oh ive gained weight' or feel like i have, but seriously now. I know my body. I know i've gained weight. Im not saying i had a thigh gap but my thighs were definitely a lot slimmer before and i had a smaller 'stomach' area.
Recently, i've noticed my thighs aren't as slim and it feels like my stomach is constantly bloated/podged!
It may be because the lack of cardio THIS WEEK. Ive been working everyday so ive had no time to do so, however i still do my normal at home routine, squats, pushups, weights etc.
Its pissing me off so much because its like, this month has been a really bad month for me. ive binged, ate shit, ate healthy, restricted, over ate. This may play some part in this weight gain but i dont think it really is as the morning after i eat crappy, im not 'fat' or nor have i gained a lot of weight. - and ive not done it a lot.
The days where i've ate healthy, ive woken up heavier, looking fatter, etc.
I dont know if its just this raw till 4 jazz just catching up with me, having all this fruit sugar when im not using it to its advantage (exercising enough) or what.
I want to try the starch solution, however, the thought of having oats in the morning is scaring the CRAP out of me. I feel comfortable going for a run and then having a banana smoothie, not a banana baked porridge. The thought of eating a cooked lunch like its odd to me, its easier to just grab fruit and be on my way.
I really hope someone can help me by either giving me tips with foods, exercise, starch solution and raw till 4. Raw till 4 doesn't work for everyone and i have a feeling im one of them people. I was thinking of going fully raw but i know right now, its not going to work (for now) Im getting really down about this as i lost 20lbs of weight and i do NOT want it coming back. I do NOT want people noticing my weight gain when i have photos on facebook/tumblr of me looking smaller than i am now. I dont want friends or family to say or even think that ive gained weight when i used to get told i was too skinny at one point - which was music to my ears lol.
Thanks guys.
XxxxX

Gain weight on raw till 4

2014-11-22T23:34:15.000Z

Hi, I am on raw till 4 for 3month.I recently feel so hungry and up my calorie intake to 2800-3000kcal.But I am bloating and feel like gaining weight.I feel I will not able to lose weight with this calorie, cuz I never been skinny since I was kidsAnd struggling weight . I'm female very active. 5"3 126lb.Dose anyone who has been chubby all there life but lose weight on raw till 4?I think I need lower my calorie around 2000-2500kcal

SALT.

2014-11-21T22:21:56.000Z

I've noticed that I seem to post my titles in caps..like I'm screaming 'salt'. haha anyway I need help! I know high salt is bad and I know that you need to watch out with some tinned foods as they can be very high in salt, but what is the like 'green amber red' zone when it comes to salt? I'm good at reading fat and sugars etc like when I have tinned food or just any food. I just don't know what's bad or good when it comes to things like 'mgs' like 1000mgs freelee says like how do I know I'm not going over? I guess some of it is common sense like per 100g if there's 10g of salt in a 500g package, that ain't good lol but like I was saying, green, amber, red. green would be like 0-2g of salt maybe? just so I know when reading things, it's when some things have mgs where I have no clue, what's a 'low' salt reading in 'mgs' you get the gist. anyway hope anyone can help ):::::thanksxxxx

Why one gain MUST READ!!!

2014-11-18T17:16:13.000Z

An In-Depth Discussion of Metabolic Types and the Transition To Health

You will need to go through what I call the transition to restore your metabolism, achieve an ideal body composition and obtain optimum health. The transition is a journey of healing. You can only be in your transition if you are improving your nutrition and lifestyle habits.

During your transition your hormones will change in response to the nutrition and lifestyle changes you make and this allows you to heal. However, you will not have balanced hormones immediately—balanced hormones do not occur overnight. There are sequential steps of healing that everyone must take.

When you initiate your transition process by improving your habits, your body will begin to rebalance its hormones. Your body will also rebuild all its functional and structural biochemicals that were not made efficiently during your previous poor habits. The more damaged your current metabolism, the longer it will take for this process to be completed.

By taking the time to follow the necessary steps in the Schwarzbein Principle Program to balance your hormones, you will heal your metabolism. When you have healed your metabolism, you are primed to lose fat weight, if needed. Once you have lost all your stored fat, you are through your transition.

The Four Transition Stages

For most people, the transition to a healthy metabolism and optimal health consists of four main stages. Here is what you may expect as you journey through your transition to health. You begin at your initial starting point and then enter a healing phase that may consist of a self-medicating phase. Then you enter a fat burning phase, if you need to burn fat before you finally reach a healed state. Depending on your current metabolism, your body may skip the healing and/or fat-burning phases.

Let's look at each stage in more detail:

Initial starting point
Healing phase
Fat-burning phase
Healed state

The Initial Starting Point

The initial starting point is your current metabolism type and age when you start improving your habits and begin entering your transition. Listed to the right are the four metabolism types an individual can have.

Insulin-sensitive with healthy adrenal glands
Insulin-sensitive with burned-out adrenal glands
Insulin-resistant with healthy adrenal glands
Insulin-resistant with burned-out adrenal glands

These metabolism types are not genetic but acquired. Everyone begins life insulin-sensitive with healthy adrenal glands. It is only after years of poor nutrition and lifestyle habits that you may become insulin-resistant or have burned-out adrenal glands—or have both conditions.

Your age and how long you have had your current metabolism affect the duration of your transition. The older you are and the longer your metabolism has been damaged, the longer it will take for you to complete your transition.

Your Goal

Your goal is to stay or become insulin-sensitive and to have healthy adrenal glands or to heal them. Therefore, the goal metabolism to have is insulin sensitive with healthy adrenal glands.

If you are starting out with this metabolism, your transition to healing requires improving your daily habits to keep from damaging your metabolism.

If you start out insulin-resistant with healthy adrenal glands, your goal is to become insulin-sensitive and keep your adrenal glands healthy.

If your current metabolism is insulin-sensitive with burned-out adrenal glands, your goal is to stay insulin-sensitive and heal your adrenal glands.

If you are insulin-resistant with burned-out adrenal glands, you must heal both sides of your metabolism to reach your goal of insulin-sensitive with healthy adrenal glands.

Insulin-sensitive

It is normal to be insulin-sensitive. You are insulin-sensitive if your body responds to all the actions of insulin, including the ability to make and store fats.

The following is what happens when you eat carbohydrates if you are insulin sensitive:

Sugar is taken up by your liver.
Excess sugar in your liver is turned into triglycerides and cholesterol.
Triglycerides and cholesterol are taken up by various cells of your body.
Sugar is also taken up by your cells.
When all the sugar and fats are in your cells, blood-sugar levels start to drop and insulin levels go back down.
You eat again and the whole process starts all over

Note, however, that just as with insulin resistance, you can gain fat weight around your midsection when you are insulin-sensitive. Therefore, do not confuse having excess fat weight around your midsection with being insulin-resistant (see below).

Insulin-resistant

Eventually, from sustained high levels of insulin, you become completely insulin-resistant. All your cells are completely overfilled with fats and sugar, and they barely respond to the action of insulin. At this point you usually have high triglyceride blood levels. (High triglyceride levels are not indicators of insulin resistance only. Smoking, stress, birth control pills and drinking alcohol can raise triglyceride levels in your bloodstream also, but that does not necessarily mean that you are insulin-resistant. Do not diagnose yourself as insulin-resistant from your triglyceride blood test alone.)

When you are insulin-resistant, you have high fasting insulin levels, you usually carry your excess fat weight around your midsection and you have one or more of the following symptoms or diseases.

Abnormal cholesterol profiles: High triglyceride levels with low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels and high apolipoprotein B levels.
Hypertension: Sustained high blood pressure.
Type II diabetes: Sustained high levels of sugar in the bloodstream.
Coronary atheroscelrosis: Plaques in the heart arteries which may cause a heart attack when they rupture.
Cerebral atheroscelrosis: Plaques in the brain which may cause a stroke when they rupture.
Cancers: Abnormal cell growth. Breast, prostate and colon cancers are the most common cancers associated with high insulin levels.
Stein Leventhal Syndrome (SLS): SLS is a female clinical condition of infertility (anovulatory menstrual cycles), acne and/or facial hair.

There are three paths that lead to insulin resistance:

Years of high insulin levels due to poor nutrition and lifestyle habits.
Years of high adrenaline and/or cortisol levels due to poor nutrition and lifestyle habits.
Years of high insulin, adrenaline and cortisol levels due to poor nutrition and lifestyle habits.

If you recognize that you are on any of these paths, now is the time to change your habits!

Are you insulin-sensitive, insulin-resistant, or on the way to becoming insulin-resistant? Identify yourself here (check one):
___I am insulin-sensitive.

___I am insulin-sensitive on the way to insulin-resistance

___I am insulin-resistant.

___I am not sure, so I want to be tested; see Get Tested

Are Your Adrenal Glands Healthy or Burned Out?

Your adrenal glands make both adrenaline and cortisol. Years of over-secreting these two hormones can burn out your adrenal glands. If you have burned out your adrenal glands, you need to restore their function before you can achieve optimum health.

You have healthy adrenal glands if you can stop all your high adrenaline and/or cortisol habits cold turkey without experiencing withdrawal symptoms and completely falling apart emotionally and/or physically.

If you are addicted to white sugar, caffeine, nicotine, diet pills, alcohol, over-exercising and/or street drugs, or if you are always tired, have a "fuzzy" brain or cannot handle stressful situations, your adrenal glands are probably burned out or you are self-medicating to continue your high stress lifestyle.

Your adrenal glands are burned out if your adrenal saliva test shows low cortisol levels throughout the day.

Do you have healthy or burned-out adrenal glands? Are you on the path to burning them out? Identify yourself here (check one):

___I have healthy adrenal glands.

___I have healthy adrenal glands, but I am on a path to burning them out

___I have burned-out adrenal glands.

___I do not know so I want to be tested; see Testing

Now, put together your insulin status and your adrenal gland state to identify your current metabolism type (check one):

___I am insulin-sensitive and have healthy adrenal glands.

___I am insulin-sensitive and have burned-out adrenal glands.

___I am insulin-resistant and have healthy adrenal glands.

___I am insulin-resistant and have burned-out adrenal glands.

The Healing Phase

In the healing phase your body will repair itself from the damage caused previously by years of poor nutrition and lifestyle habits. You always have higher insulin than adrenaline/cortisol levels during this phase because this is a rebuilding time.

It may seem as if you are in suspended animation during this phase because though you are healing, it doesn’t feel or seem that way. As you improve your habits, you are rebuilding your biochemicals at a much higher rate than you are using them up, and this causes you to feel tired and to gain fat weight.

During the healing phase you expose your current metabolism because your hormones will react to your new and improved nutrition and lifestyle habits and reflect their true state.

If you are insulin sensitive, your insulin levels will fluctuate appropriately with your carbohydrate intake; if you are insulin resistant, your insulin levels will stay high while you are healing. For example, if you are insulin sensitive, your fasting insulin levels are within normal ranges, and when you eat carbohydrates, your levels rise to match your carbohydrate intake so your body can process the food. Once you process your food, your insulin levels come back down to normal.

But if you are insulin resistant, your fasting insulin levels are already higher than normal, and they will stay high even if you improve your eating habits until you have become insulin sensitive again.

If your adrenal glands are healthy, your adrenaline/ cortisol levels will respond appropriately to your habits.

If your adrenal glands are "burned out", your adrenaline/cortisol levels will stay low until your glands have had a chance to heal. You have worn them out and depleted their ability to respond as they would under normal circumstances

Here is what happens to your hormones during your healing phase
--depending upon your current metabolism

If you are insulin sensitive with healthy adrenal glands, your hormones will immediately become balanced when you improve your habits; therefore, you are instantly through your healing phase. See Chapter 18 of The Schwarzbein Principle II for more information about your healing program.
If you are insulin resistant with healthy adrenal glands, your insulin levels will remain high despite your improved habits until your body has a chance to heal and you become insulin sensitive again, but your adrenaline/cortisol levels will normalize immediately.See Chapter 19 of The Schwarzbein Principle II for more information about your healing program.
If you are insulin sensitive with burned out adrenal glands, your insulin levels will respond appropriately to your improved habits, but your adrenaline and cortisol levels will stay low while your adrenal glands heal, but they will normalize when you have completely healed. See Chapter 20 of The Schwarzbein Principle II for more information about your healing program.
If you are insulin resistant with burned out adrenal glands, your insulin levels will remain high, and your adrenaline/cortisol levels will remain low. As you heal, your insulin and adrenaline/cortisol levels will slowly normalize. See Chapter 21 of The Schwarzbein Principle II for more information about your healing program.

Unfortunately, your body will not start working efficiently the moment you improve your habits. As previously stated, you did not damage your metabolism overnight, and you will not heal it overnight. During the healing phase, you are still hormonally out of balance.

As your body begins to correct this imbalance, you may experience any number of disturbing symptoms. (The SPII individual program for your current metabolism type is designed to make your transition easier by minimizing these disturbing symptoms.)

For example, as your adrenaline/cortisol levels drop, you may feel withdrawal symptoms such as fatigue, irritability and depression. As your insulin levels rise, you may gain fat weight and/or experience salt and water retention.

The more damaged your current metabolism is, the longer you will need to stay in the healing phase and the more fat your body produces. In fact, as your ratio of insulin to adrenaline/cortisol increases, your symptoms will worsen.

As awful as this may sound, this is your body’s only way to heal. So do not be put off by the healing phase—it is simply a reflection of the damage that came before it. Since insulin is a rebuilding hormone and adrenaline and cortisol are using up hormones, you can only heal from years of using up your biochemicals by rebuilding them — this means higher insulin to adrenaline/cortisol levels. Unfortunately, even though you begin to improve your habits, the damage has already been done by your previous poor habits. Therefore, you will not instantly reap the rewards of your better habits.

For example, when people stop smoking, they may gain a lot of fat weight and feel tired and listless. They usually tell me they never should have stopped smoking because now they feel lousy and are fat besides.

What they don't realize is that the only way their bodies can heal is by raising their insulin levels higher than their adrenaline levels, so they will gain fat weight as their bodies heal from years of smoking.

The damage occurred while they were smoking, not after they stopped. The only way to avoid having to heal from smoking is to never smoke in the first place.

If you are a smoker, the best thing you can do for your health is to quit and begin healing from years of using up your biochemicals more than rebuilding them from nicotine use.

The Self-Medicating Phase

Since your insulin levels must be higher than your adrenaline/cortisol levels to heal, it does not always feel very good to be in the healing phase of your transition. It is during this time that the self-medicating phase becomes important in keeping you on your path to restoring your metabolism.

In this phase you use one or more of the following to make yourself feel good enough to continue your healing process: small amounts of stimulants, alcohol and refined sugars. Over-exercising is also a form of self-medication. Self-medicating makes you feel better in the short-term because using up your biochemicals always feels better than rebuilding them.

In the self-medicating phase you still have higher insulin than adrenaline/cortisol levels, but you narrow the gap between your rate of rebuilding and using up. Your self-medicating habits raise your adrenaline/cortisol levels closer to your insulin levels, and you prolong your transition because self-medicating keeps you closer to your current metabolism than to your goal metabolism.

It is sometimes necessary to self-medicate to get through your transition, especially if you begin with burned out adrenal glands. The Schwarzbein Principle II outlines the best ways to self-medicate if you need to.

Do not make the mistake of thinking you are self-medicating if you have not changed any of your habits! You cannot "be good" part of the time and revert to your poor habits the rest of the time. If you over self-medicate and your adrenaline/cortisol levels get higher than your insulin levels, you will no longer be in your transition process, and you will continue to damage your metabolism.

The Fat-Burning Phase

The fat-burning phase of the transition occurs after your body has done all its rebuilding in the healing phase.

You begin your fat burning phase only after your hormones are completely normalized and your metabolism is healed. Only then is your body ready to burn off the rest of your stored fat if it needs to. All of your symptoms of fluctuating adrenaline, cortisol and/or insulin will be gone, and you will feel great. During this phase you will be rebuilding and using up your functional and structural biochemicals again at an equal rate.

The Healed State

The healed state is when all of your hormones are balanced, your metabolism has healed and you have achieved your ideal body composition. You are now through your transition. When you are in this state, you are rebuilding as many biochemicals as you are using up and have the lowest risk for the degenerative diseases of aging.

Timing is Everything

The time it takes to go through the transition is different for everyone. The transition to a healthy metabolism can occur very quickly, or it can take months or years to complete.

If you have a healthy metabolism, you will be able to complete your transition quickly once you change your nutrition and lifestyle habits. If you begin with a badly damaged metabolism, however, it may take you years to completely heal. But you can heal. It is never too late. You are closer than you think.

Why Haven't I Lost Weight Yet?

During the transition from a damaged metabolism to a healed one, you will become healthier—but you will not have the body composition you want right away. Why? Because you first need to heal your metabolism before you can achieve your ideal body composition. You need to be healthy to lose weight, not lose weight to be healthy. It is only when you have completely healed your metabolism that you are primed for losing all your excess storage fat.
Do not confuse losing weight according to the bathroom scale with losing excess fat weight. If you lose weight while your metabolism is still damaged you are not just losing storage fat—you are also losing your functional and structural proteins and fats and causing further damage to your metabolism. And since protein weighs more than fat, you may think that the lower number on the scale is a good thing when it is not.

The key to becoming and staying healthy is to burn off your storage fats while retaining your functional and structural proteins and fats.

It Takes Time to Heal

The time it takes to heal your metabolism is normal and unavoidable. You may as well start to heal now; there is no alternative. The sooner you start your transition, the sooner you will get through it and obtain optimum health.

For those of you who are starting off with a damaged metabolism, you cannot escape the time it takes to heal, but you will have the advantage of knowing what you need to do to shorten your transition time.

Disclaimer: The information contained on this web site has not been evaluated by the FDA. This information is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. All material provided in the Schwarzbein Principle web site is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health program.

http://www.schwarzbeinprinciple.com/pgs/program/transitn_read_more.html

Experiences with weight gain??

2014-11-10T07:12:55.000Z

Hi lovelies!

I am in the weight gain process and hoping every day that it ends soon haha

Did anyone else gain weight when starting 811 lfhc rt4?

If so, what was your caloric intake before you started and how long did it take for you to start losing weight again?

I was eating 1300-1800 calories a days for a long long time - i would say like at least 1 or 2 years, so i have been expecting weight gain.

Any experiences you can share that might make me a little less nervous?

Thanks!

FAT THIGHS/THICK THIGHS/THIGH PROBLEM ):::;

2014-11-08T22:19:03.000Z

I've not posted in aaaaaaaages!
OKAY so. My weight has been fluctuating and i think i know why. I've been depriving myself for so long and i do have a tendency to purge (unfortunately, but its hard to get out of the habit) so on the days where i 'binge' out and eat so much because lets say, ive gone without food for 6/7 hours -not purposely- because i've been at uni all day or ive had no money so i've had to wait till i get home (i wake up at 5:40, finish eating breakfast at 7 and dont get home till about 1/2/3 and i normally just have 2-3L of water as i dont have money for lunch and i always forget to bring food from home)
ANYWAY enough of my life story, i dont like how i can see my thighs changing because when im small, thick thighs is a huge nono.
Any tips on helping to slim down thighs? i know you cant spot reduce but you are what you eat so with that, are there certain foods that cause 'weight gain' to your thighs? are there certain foods you should eat to benefit weight loss?
Thanks!
xxxxxxxx

6 Months and Still Gaining Weight- Losing Faith in This.

2014-11-05T15:20:31.000Z

I've been low sodium, low fat, Raw Till 4 vegan for six months, and vegan for 5 years. I'm still gaining weight. I went from my healthy weight that I've been at for years (113 lbs) to nearly 130 lbs. I feel so uncomfortable at this weight. I have a very small frame (all the women in my family do), and I'm 5'7". I work out three times a week, cardio for 15 to 30 minutes and 30 minutes of weight training, although the weight training is light. I easily eat 2k calories a day. I love bananas, grapes, mangoes and rice, as well as the occasional potato meal (they dehydrate me big time!) and many kinds of tropical fruits, greens, and vegetables. It really looks like I've gained fat on my stomach. I used to have abs, but those are long gone, as well as the muscle definition on my arms and legs. I used to feel good about myself, but now I just feel horrible. I don't have very much confidence because I feel like I'm carting around an extra limb! This is the heaviest I've ever been and I'm supposed to be auditioning for modeling soon. What should I do? I've been messaging and emailing Freelee for months now, but it seems she's too busy to get back to me.

Hormones, weight gain and acne

2014-10-28T00:15:53.000Z

I've been High Carb Vegan since January.

Stopped taking my hormone birth control in March.

Sometimes I wonder if that could be related to my weight gain?

I feel like there must be some adjusting going on because I've been breaking out on my neck and that has never happened in my life!

Has anyone else experienced this, or have any helpful information about it?

I also just started taking B12, I read it can help balance hormones.

Everything I read just leads me to hormone therapy, which I don't want, I'm hoping my body will just sort it out over time.

Thoughts on Quinoa?

2014-10-24T21:07:08.000Z

I'm slightly confused.
Is quinoa okay to eat?
When I google it, 1 cup, cooked has 3.6g of fat (5%) which is okay for me as i only have it once a week, if I'm feeling fearless, twice and even then I don't have 1 cup, sometimes 1/3 or 1/2. So, I don't know where I saw it (I cant remember) but I remember seeing quinoa being high in fat (in terms of %) which freaked me out for one but two, annoyed me a little because coming onto this lifestyle (which I love, don't get me wrong) was already sacrificing A LOT of things I couldn't eat, I like to have 'some' variety in my diet (I mostly eat salads - yes I know, contradicting the variety part... anyway moving on, yes so potatoes once a week, pasta every few weeks, rice once every month or two months if that..I cant cook rice that well or make it taste nice so yeah aha)
All I want to know is
1. Is it low in fat?
2. Would you eat it or just stick to rice/pasta/potatoes
3. Should I just not worry if I only eat it once a week?
4. HELLLLLLLLLP. Haha

Still gaining weight after 7 months?!

2014-10-22T06:41:47.000Z

I have been on Raw till 4 since April this year and understandably have gained weight, but as I near 7 months on this lifestyle I am rapidly losing all positivity as I am still gaining weight. I have now gained 11kg in 7 months, it is getting harder and harder to convince people this is healthy.

I am 17 years old and did not think my metabolism to be that bad, or I at least thought I would recover quicker being younger. Prior to Rt4 I was vegetarian but did restrict calories (averaging 1,200) until lapsing into a short stint of binge/ purge / starve and repeat.

I am eating between 2300 and 3000 calories per day, my sodium intake averages 500mg per day, I drink 2.5L of water per day. I am not overly active, largely because of anemia issues but do walk most everywhere I go and incorporate things like squats into my day (ie. waiting for smoothies and food, watching TV...)

My graduation is next month, I am heavier than I have ever been, my acne is also worse than ever (surely I am no longer detoxing?!?) and my anxiety is at an all time high due to this stress about my image.

Please please please provide any help or assurance you can.

Steady weight gain after 2.5 years LFRV

2014-10-18T04:49:31.000Z

Yes, I know that you've had to deal with weight gain post after weight gain post, but this one is different from the majority of those since I've been on this lifestyle for 2.5 years now. I could really use your help here, fruities--I don't know what's wrong!

I am currently in my freshman year of university (as an architecture student), and I've gained a significant amount of weight since arriving. I don't know how much because I don't have a scale and don't weigh myself regularly. I'm still eating a fruit-based, basically-raw (some pasteurized juice and dried fruit here and there) diet, although it's changed slightly in terms of types of LFRV foods because I live off the included meal plan and whatever I can buy in one grocery trip a week (some bananas, some salad fixings for when the dining hall isn't open, and maybe one other fruit). My mileage is equal to or slightly less than before school started (heavy architecture workload), with me running/cycling usually five days a week instead of seven. I get anywhere from 5-9 hours of sleep per night, depending on my studio work. Seven or eight hours is probably a good estimate of the average. It's impossible to complete my projects and still get enough sleep each night.

Below is an example of a day's food (today, for example)

Breakfast: 2 pineapples (600-700 calories)

Lunch: 4 plates cubed honeydew/cantaloupe (all the cafeteria usually serves in terms of fresh fruit), maybe 3-ish cups per plate or the equivalent of 2-3 cantaloupes? (400-600 calories?)

Snack: large Jamba Juice fruit smoothie (400 calories)

Dinner: Another 2 plates melon, + 1 cup raisins, + 1/2 cup strawberry jam, + 4 toppling plates salad w/ tomato, cucumber, carrots & cabbage (600-700 calories?)

Late-night snack: 100% pineapple canned pineapple chunks (400 calories)

3-3.5 L water

I have, on a few occasions, eaten a few things that I wouldn't normally eat--whether by accident or not: a few tablespoons of peanut sauce (on a salad), some pickled carrot and radish (thought they were raw), and some salted/steamed veggies (didn't know about the salt). However, I doubt that this is the cause of my substantial weight gain.

I usually drink anywhere from 2.5-3.5 liters per day, and I often feel thirsty. I think that this is because I'm originally from Florida, and I've moved to Austin, Texas. I distill tap water with a pitcher-type (carbon) water filter.

An example of a week's exercise:

Sunday: 5-mile trail run

Monday: very brief walking/cycling to and from studio (less sleep last night)

Tuesday: 5-mile trail run

Wednesday: 6-mile trail run

Thursday: 4-mile bike to grocery (less sleep last night)

Friday: 5 or 6-mile total equivalent "Brick" workout--about 40 minutes spinning and 25+ minutes running

Saturday: 10-12 mile long run

I have noticed a steady increase in body fat: my thighs completely rub all the time now, whereas I used to have a slight gap between them; my arms are a bit thicker, although perhaps not all of that gain is fat; my boobs (well, mostly one boob, haha) have grown noticeably. What's up? (At least, what do you surmise is up?) Is it the food? The exercise? The sleep? I don't want to keep gaining weight--that might drive me back into depression (recovered soon after beginning this lifestyle).

I greatly, greatly appreciate any advice--especially evidence-/science-based advice!!!

Much love,

Shannon

Granola? Yay or Nay? Go Raw Original 100%

2014-10-14T18:51:52.000Z

so I know most granolas are unhealthy, so I obviously go search for low fat , vegan, no bad sugars in involved etchowever, I found this one called 'go raw original 100%' and the Ingredients are:Sprouted Organic Buckwheat Groats, Organic Dates, Sprouted Organic Flax Seeds, Organic Raisins. Gluten free.low sodium low fat etcper serving, 1/3 cup, has 5% of fat which is under the 10% limitshould I not have it? would it cause weight gain?also, food combining. would it be bad to combine with fruits like bananas and dates? or banana smoothies?I just need to know if I should eat or notTHANKS xxx

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Question about weight gain

2014-10-08T17:32:26.000Z

When I first started this lifestyle I was around 85ish pounds (please note that I'm only 4'11) and now around a year later I'm around 130 ):

My typical day is:

Preworkout (only 4x a week): 2 bananas and one can of coconut water

Breakfast: 10 or more bananas (depends on my hunger level) and up to two tablespoons of coconut sugar

Lunch: one bag of dates (800ish calories) and a pound of strawberries (150 cals) and up to two tablespoons of sugar

Dinner: Varies from pasta to potatoes to rice mostly. Between 700-1000 calories usually.

I workout 4x a week doing 20-30 of HIIT. I walk around 30-60 minutes a day outside (dang, winter is coming so then i'll have to take it inside) ):

This video here shows all the mistakes I've made on this lifestyle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3vXP46-6-w&list=UU7Xuq07PHzqmqmH3v23IZKA

But I've been following guidelines very well for the last few months(except I make sweet chili sauce, but I only use one chili and I don't have any probs with it) and yes, even though I'm following everything well now, I'm still expanding. My measurements everywhere (cept for the boobs, so sad) have gone up 4-5 inches.

I sleep at least eight hours a night. Lately I've been dragging balls. It's either cuz I just quit my synthroid meds last week or it might be because of allergies due to harvesting <_<

I've just grown very worried about my weight. I love this lifestyle! It's helped me with some many problems I've used to have. But for my career and sanity, I would like to get back down to a size three (that's the size I was before I gained and lost a bunch of weight)

Any help is appreciated, thanks!!

help need advise getting overweight not obese but that's how my doc calls it

2014-10-07T19:47:45.000Z

HiI know This might annoy now but its another i have gained weight'20 Kg in total from 37-57 i was anorexic four month ago and am on this lifestyle for four month nowMy question is Will I gain back all the weight I carried bf anorexia which is 67 kg like it was in the starvation study by ancel keys?I know everybody tells me to be consistent but my mother tells me now that I shouldn't eat that much and my doctor suggested me calorie restriction.....Im 160 cm weigh 57KgEat 3500 - 4000 calories a day1-2 hours of bikingWeight lifting 3 x a weekRiding 4 x a weekDo I eat to much? I don't stuff my Face I really am hungry for thatmuchAnd dr once said starved ppls hunger is massive does that mean that I gain weight cause I am too hungry and eat too much cause there is a limit in carb consumption or my metabolism simply is fucked up?Should I continue like that when will the weight come off I don't care when but I care if I know I gotta pay for the shit I did but my mom's critique really upsets me does everyone get skinny longterm? How long is long term? Should I go fully raw? Should I try to eat low calorie foods?I eat dates and berries for b fast 1000-1500 kcals the same for lunch or rice or potatoes 1000 kcal dinner rice /potatoes and salad1000-1500 kcalShould i eat differently im struggeling with the water I drink around 2.5-3 l through my smoothie but am not consistent with drinking before every meal I also often eat fruit on topping starches and o sleep only around 7-8 hoursPlz reply ^…^

Does freelee ever have treats? OR DO YOU?! Should you? or Shouldn't?

2014-10-06T19:41:58.000Z

Freelee has a body to die for. She literally is my goal bod' but with that i know comes strict vegan diet bla bla and a shit ton of exercise
My only question is, you see all these wonderful tasty raw vegan desserts or just vegan desserts in general (low fat ones always, of course haha) does she ever bake/buy them? i know shes 'carbed up' from the fruit so she wouldn't crave but a normal human being must surely want a treat now and then?!
I only ask as if she doesn't participate in any treaties and well if you've seen her body..thats probably why shes so skinny
I have a HUGE fear of gaining weight and i'm struggling with ednos (fun times! not.)
if i know that freelee sometimes has a treat every couple of months and still can not gain weight, then thats just a huge weight lifted off my shoulders
ALSO
Doeeeeeeeeees she drink green tea at all? or is that not considered raw because its heated over a certain temp..(raw till 4)
does anyone ever have vegan treats? i love baking even though im shit at it but i love baking raw vegan/vegan treats even more!! but i never do because i dont know if its allowed on this diet for one and weight gain etc bla bla
HELP AND THANKS XXX

Bob's Red Mill, Gluten Free, Old Fashioned Rolled Oats! & Vegan Shop Treats...

2014-10-04T16:26:01.000Z

So i think i was watching a video and freelee was saying that oats were high in fat and that just screams weight gain in my head so i dont eat oats anymore (but i prefer my banana smoothie in the morning than porridge/oatmeal) but when it comes to baking, if i ever want to try raw treats, sometimes they say '1 cup of oats' or whatever
I saw on the bag, Bob's Red Mill, Gluten Free, Old Fashioned Rolled Oats is low-ish in fat (5% of fat as it says) compared to if you google 'oats' theres 10% of fat
SO, would it be okay for me to buy them and use them if i ever wanted? or should i just leave oats all together out of my diet?
Its not something im big on but when baking...yeah. haha
ALSO
Does anyone know the best vegan shop treats that our low in fat? I only say this because when im out and if i go vegan shops or places like holland and barrett or health shops, sometimes i dont have fruit on the go with me to have for lunch or theres actually no fresh fruit to buy wherever i am (say at uni, their fruit is always v.shit or theres none there?!!)
I know nakd bars aren't good as nuts + dried fruit is a recipe for a disaster and dark chocolate isn't good because thats just fat...yeah
thanks guys xx