Diet

Hello, I am Kimberly...live in Texas....new to eating more vegetarian diet, and I was just wondering which diet is better, a raw food diet or just Vegan? I get confused with the two, since both don't eat meat, and raw foodist don't eat wheat either, or dairy. I am starting to workout using weights for my first time, and try and build muscle, cause I have always beens small, never fat, but always ate meat, and did alot of cardio. But as I get older I notice to be careful what I eat, and it seems my abs now always looked bloated when I eat high sugared fruits, trying to stay on the raw food diet for awhile, and try it, but when I eat vegetables no problem. I thought that fruits were good for losing weight not adding it, as far as the abs go. But I am not sure my body is handling it well, and since raw foodist don't eat wheat products, and I have been okay on them, like eating oatmeal and brown rice, I don't know if it is bad for me to be consuming.

Raw veganism is a subset of regular veganism. Regular vegans do not eat anything that came from an animal. That includes all meat, fish, eggs, dairy, and usually even honey. Raw vegans only eat foods that have been uncooked, or cooked to less than 115 degrees. This means mostly fruits and veggies, with some nuts and seeds thrown in.

Personally I think the most important thing is to look at why you are changing your lifestyle. If you are doing it for purely health reasons, then my best advice is to eat as many whole foods as possible, raw or not. Also make sure you get a lot of sun for Vitamin D intake, as well as a B-12 supplement. Drinking or eating a fortified food like soy milk can also help you get everything you need.

Many raw foodists (and some vegans too!) are quite fanatical about their lifestyle, saying things like, "raw food is the only way to be healthy," or, "you will only have success on a high-carb raw diet." Please be wary of someone who says that THEIR way is the ONLY way. Many diets are quite healthy if done right, and it is just as important to pick a lifestyle that you enjoy and can stick with. So, ask any questions you have, do your own research on the subject, and try to only listen to people who have hard research to back up their claims.

If you are interested in the nutrition and health aspects of veganism and raw food diets, I recommend Becoming Raw. It is well-researched and does not make any claims that it cannot back up with scientific studies. The Amazon link is: http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Raw-Essential-Guide-Vegan/dp/1570672385

Yeah, great stuff from fallen horse. One other very important thing to remember is listen to your body. There isn't a universal best diet or right way to eat. Different people's bodies respond differently to different foods. It can be beneficial to keep a journal of what you are eating. I know it seems like a hassle but it can be super insightful. Check the fitness journal section here on the forum. Along with keeping track of workouts many of the people here that keep journals also include what they eat.

Welcome,

-Dylan

Thank you so much for answering my questions, I really appreciate the help.

Welcome Kimberly,

I'm in Texas too. This is a great state and a lot of forum members reside here.

I believe an important focus should be on plant-based whole foods. I don't worry about cooked vs. raw, knowing I'm getting a combination of both (some foods just aren't often eaten raw, such as various root vegetables and other whole foods that are more commonly cooked). By eating lots of various greens and other vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, grains, and so on, it becomes easy to get a nice balance of macro and micronutrients in a varied plant-based whole foods diet.

All the very best and welcome aboard!

-Robert

I don't think that raw Diet is for everybody. I know that it's actually works for some people. Personally for me it is not a complete Diet. I do eat lots of raw but also cooked whole foods(not industrial junk). I like complex carbs else I just have to eat like every hour. Also too much fruits and too much fiber can actually cause the bloating you are talking about.