Raw Food Diet: Do you have to say goodbye to sweet treats and desserts?

The answer to this question is “not necessarily.” There are raw food dessert recipes available which won't undo your whole day.
Do you love Apple Pie? If so, don’t despair. There are “raw food” recipes that you can use to create apple pie. It won’t be the same dessert you’re used to, but it will still taste great and provide you with a reasonable substitute.

How do you properly follow the raw food diet?

If you really desire to lose weight, it is important to follow these raw food guidelines and techniques. If you follow them properly, you will see weight loss results much more quickly. Be sure you follow some sort of exercise regimen while on a diet, since these two work together.
Also, be sure to consult your physician before starting any new diet and exercise program. This way they can determine if your body is a right fit for this type of diet and program.
If your doctor gives you the go ahead to start the raw food diet for your weight loss goals, here is a good way to begin:
* Be sure to have salads and fruit throughout the day. You can cook your vegetable meals. Starting off slowly is getting your body ready for this new change instead of just jumping right into the diet.
* You can go online to find your raw food diet recipes or even raw diet cook books. There are plenty of raw food diet recipes available for you to choose from, so that you are not overwhelmed.

Raw Food Diet - Important Things to Consider

If you decide to go with the raw food diet, here are some important things to consider:
1. You will need to carefully plan all of your meals and make sure you include all the important nutrients that your body needs to survive and be healthy. It is advisable to take a multi-vitamin or some sort of supplement to reinforce and add nutrients you may be lacking.
2. Be prepared that when deciding to go raw, you will need to buy certain appliances that reinforce your foods being raw.
3. You will need a juicer for your fruits and vegetables, since these are the only types of juices you will be allowed to consume, since they are all natural and organic.
4. Consider a blender to blend your nutrients.
5. To cut down your chopping time, you may want to consider a food processor, since this can also be easier.
6. Buy airtight containers to soak and sprout all of your nuts, beans, and grains; and use containers to store the sprouts.

Talk to a Professional before going on the raw food diet

You may consider talking to a nutritionist before going on the raw food diet to achieve your weight loss goals. Some nutritionists say that this type of diet limits foods that our bodies need like meat, potatoes, and other foods. These type of foods offer vitamins that our essential to our health.
You can reduce diseases and cancers, however, when eating raw foods that are rich with fiber. Not eating meats and processed carbohydrates may lead to nutritional deficiencies such as iron and calcium, which are so very important for our bodies. Dairies are not allowed on the raw food diet, which could be a problem.

Are there any side effects to the raw food diet?

When first starting out on any diet, you, of course, may see side effects—especially in the first few weeks, since your body is going through adjustment periods. Your body will need to discipline itself as well as detox anything you may have consumed prior to the diet.
Because your body was used to certain foods, it will not want to cooperate with a new diet; however, discipline, control, and commitment can help you achieve these goals.
Some side effects you may experience on the raw food diet may be:
* Headaches: these are very common when changing your eating habits.
* You may feel nauseous from time to time; this may be from the detoxing process.
* You may battle mild depression or even agitation and crankiness.
All of these side effects are temporary and will cease in due time. Again, your body needs time to adjust to a new way of living, especially when on the raw food diet. It may be advisable to communicate with someone who has experienced these types of changes when going on a diet.

Should You Use the Scale?

You may want to use a scale, but if you do, it's advised that you don't weigh yourself more than once per week. Weighing in every day can be discouraging since the body's weight does and will fluctuate. Try to weigh yourself on the same day and at the same time each week.
Also remember that water weight is usually lost first, and then the actual fat comes off later. Real fat loss can take time, so be patient. Build muscle if you can since muscle allows the body to burn fat.
You might not notice a difference on the scale right away. I know it took me a few weeks before pounds literally started to come off. However, you can really tell that you're losing weight by how your clothes fit. This is a great way to track your success. The real key is to try not to give up.
If you feel like you're slipping, just pick yourself up and try all over again. An occasional treat or night out is ok, but your overall eating habits must change in order to lose real weight. Make a list of all of the healthy foods you like and buy them for snacks. Only choose things you enjoy eating.

Which Snacks to Eat and Which Ones to Avoid

An important thing to know is what to avoid if and when you decide to eat a snack. Avoid foods that are high in carbohydrates like pretzels, chips, white bread, etc. Also avoid things that are very high in sugar like mentioned before. This includes cookies, cake, candy bars, and even hard candy that contain sugar.
Sugar can really throw your insulin levels out of whack. When this happens, the body converts the glucose into fat, and you still feel hungry. Try to avoid sugar at all costs. Some naturally occurring sugar in things like fruit is OK, since it is a different type of sugar that should have little or no effect on your insulin levels.
On the good side you can enjoy lots of excellent snacking foods. Nuts and sunflower seeds are very high in healthy proteins and essential oils that are good for your heart. Oats and oatmeal are another good option and they also make you feel full very quickly and for longer periods of time. The key here is twofold: choose snacks that are healthy but also choose snacks that will help you avoid those cravings later on.
For meals, you should also follow the same basic rule. Fish and poultry are better options than most red meats. Cheese is ok in moderation, and low fat cheese is even better since it does not contain as many empty calories. Avocados are a great choice for a food high in vitamins and protein. Eggs are also great. Boil some eggs and bring them to snack on or make your own egg salad sandwich on whole wheat bread.
The key to the stop watch method is much like many other diets you've probably already heard about. Remembering to curb cravings and eat healthy seems easy enough at first, but it can be more difficult as time goes on. Pulling out the timer will help you to remember that the feeling of being really hungry or wanting bad foods will pass within that fifteen minute time frame.
And, if it does not, you are not denied anything. You are not forbidden to eat food when you feel hungry; instead you have an option to eat a healthy snack that will satisfy you.
If dessert is what you crave, try a fat free yogurt with lower sugar instead. Fruit is also great, and things like cherries, plums, pears, and strawberries are all lower on the glycemic index, which means they should not cause weight gain. Of course, whole grains are also important and can help to regulate blood sugar. They also regulate your digestive system and rid the body of cholesterol.
Eating whole grain breads and pastas are an excellent alternative to white bread and white pasta.
If you do snack, and when you actually eat meals it's also important to remember to eat slowly. I have found that the slower you eat, the less hungry you will feel later on. In addition, it is better for your body and teaches it to digest the food completely and properly.
It can take up to 20 minutes for the brain to communicate to the body that it's full. This means the longer you take to eat, the sooner you'll feel full and the less you'll want to eat later on.
I have tried many different diets over the years, and some were more effective than others. Essentially this method combines some of the basic principles of these diets and allows you to get some self control back in your life. When we have control over our lives and what we put into our bodies, we have a higher self esteem and feel better about ourselves.
When I started dieting, I wanted to see results overnight much like most of the people reading. But in time I learned that it takes patience and dedication to truly lose weight and keep it off.

What the Stop Watch Method Isn't

This method is not a get thin quick scheme. Instead, it requires you to think differently and adapt your lifestyle accordingly. Once you get into the habit of pausing and thinking about what you plan to do when you get hungry or have cravings, you can then move forward in a more positive and healthy way.
It's not so much the fact that you begin drinking more water or eating healthier foods as it is the fact that you're gaining discipline. Self control is the key to kicking addictions and the key to accomplishing goals.
When a craving hits, try to remember that it should pass. Remember as mentioned before, that a typical craving only lasts about eight to fourteen minutes. If you can get through that time frame, odds are you will not be hungry when it's over. Just because you feel hungry at one point does not mean you have to stuff your face with Oreos or chips.
In time, the craving will subside and you will forget all about it. If you don't want to snack when the cravings hit, try chewing a piece of sugar free gum or eat a breath mint.

How the Stop Watch Method Can Help You with Weight Loss

The real secret to success with the stop watch method is to be fully aware of the signals your body is sending you. If you feel hungry, simply stop for a few minutes and think about it. How truly hungry are you, or do you just want to eat something? Opt for water instead and see if you still fee hungry afterwards. If so, then progress to the healthy snack and see how you feel.
By this point you should feel better, your insulin levels should be regulated, and your craving should be gone. And the best part is that you did not splurge on junk food or fast food, but instead chose a light snack that is good for you.
Perhaps the most significant part of this entire method to losing weight is the fact that you will gain more control over your life and what you eat. Once you get the control back, the rest is easy. It's learning all over again how to cope with hunger and how to make right choices that is the most difficult part.
Once you learn to get past it, you can accomplish your weight loss goals. You do not have to purchase a stop watch, but it is an effective little tool to help you remember to pay attention to what you're feeling.
Studies have actually shown that people who eat about five small meals per day instead of three larger ones can lose weight much faster. This is because our bodies should eat when it's hungry, and not when we think we are supposed to. This allows our metabolism to start working better and tells us we're still awake and ready to move on in our day.
If we don't feed the body, it can go into "starvation mode" and store fat for energy. By feeding ourselves healthy foods when we do feel hungry, we tell our body that it's not starving, but instead being fed.

Understanding How Your Body Works and How Cravings Affect You!

Understanding how your body works and how cravings affect you will help to shed light on how this particular weight loss method works. Listening to your body and understanding when and why you're hungry will help you to resist temptation and opt for healthier choices. Having something healthy with you at all times is especially important.
Since your body does tell you when it's hungry, it is much better to satisfy it with a light and healthy snack. This option will help you feel full, kick start your metabolism, and assist you with resisting temptation.
When you've been sitting at work all day and you get hungrier and hungrier, the odds are that you'll want to pitch in and order that pizza or go out to lunch and get a huge hamburger with French fries. The stop watch method can help you avoid this common mistake, and in turn help you to lose weight.
A huge key to success with this method is to really listen to your body. When you get a craving, use a stopwatch or a timer, and immediately set it for fifteen minutes. Let it run down, and drink a cold glass of water or have a small snack that is high in protein.
Some examples of high protein snacks include beef jerky or peanut butter toast. Avoid food with sugar, as these can throw your glucose level all out of whack and only intensify your cravings. As you avoid overeating when you have a craving, you're gaining self-discipline. After all, this is one of the main reasons that most diets fail.
The lack of self-control is what gets most of us into trouble when it comes to eating too much. Once you get that control back, you're on your way to losing weight.
It's a little known fact that often our body mistakes feeling thirsty for hunger. In other words, when we feel hungry, many times we are actually just thirsty. Drinking water can help you to feel full and can also let you avoid eating something you shouldn't be. Drink a tall glass of water when you feel hungry and watch your metabolism take off.
Studies have shown that water increases metabolism and helps us to be more "regular" when it comes to our digestive system.
If you choose to eat a small snack when you get a craving, be sure you make a smart choice. Foods high in fiber are great since they help you to feel full, and can also keep your digestive track working well. Apples are a great example of a food that is very high in fiber and healthy for you.
If you don't want to eat fruit, try carrot or celery sticks instead. Sometimes just the act of eating something crunchy can help you to not feel so hungry or want to munch on that bag of fatty potato chips.