Has anyone ever tried the raw, vegan diet?

I did try a raw vegan restaurant in Chicago once. I thought it wasn’t bad, I remembered trying some sort of butternut squash ravioli (literally butternut squash cut and filled with a nut filling of some sort). Not bad but some stuff is heavy on nuts and spice if that’s not your thing. Most people will probably not be open to trying, but it’s good way to try something new and healthy. Would not go for it everyday but still.

What is your diet now? Is this a big leap for you? For 96 percent of people, it's way too extreme. The only diet that works is the one that you can eat every day for the rest of your life. No fad diets achieve anything but misery and frustration.

I've been a lacto-ovo veg. since childhood 50 years ago (of course, I pass for 30). I've done raw/vegan at times but it's nearly impossible unless you are extremely motivated (like having Cancer). To me, meat is revolting, it's never been hard to avoid. I've done vegan and raw diets in Summer when it's easier but long term it's just not practical or satisfying or fun and all your friends will hate you, unless you have Cancer.

You want to be healthy and lose weight? Give up sugar and bread and cut down on the needlessly murdered animals as much as you can.

Had RAW many times.

Ick, no and why?

Yes, I was on a raw food diet for about 6 months, it was the best I had ever felt in my life. I dropped 30lbs and had amazing energy.

I just could not keep it up and gave it up, missed cooked food (and all the garbage that went with it). That was about a decade ago. I was on an 80/20 version (sushi/sushimi and seared beef allowed) not vegan

Currently I'm following the Mediterranean with majority plant based foods.

I would say buy a vegan cookbook and incorporate some meals into your lifestyle. Veganomicon is a good one, but it's more on the cooking side than raw. It also has a nice intro on how to setup a vegan kitchen.

As the other posters have noted it is difficult to maintain, Although, I’m not sure of your budget. Depending on your diet now, it may be a difficult jump to raw vegan. Also, be prepared to supplement vitamins and minerals.

Before jumping on any diet I highly, highly recommend a full blood panel and also determining your blood type.

I am now on a paleo diet, with bulletproof coffee (4x a week) and intermittent fasting. I fast 12 hours a day and eat for my blood type.

Again, I don’t where you are starting at or your reasons for exploring this diet, but good luck with whatever you choose.

Back in my vegetarian days, my husband and friends too me out to a raw vegan restaurant.

We had a good time, but laughed when we left. Never again.

r5's experience is typical and a natural place to end up. Extreme diets are for people in extreme situations.

What's your motivation? What do you want to achieve?- Without judgment, this is the most important question.

To add to r5, I remember feeling better than I've ever felt but unable to discuss it. I didn't want to sound like I was proselytizing and people get VERY VERY VERY defensive when it comes to meat, just talking about it makes them uncomfortable.

I'm very into health and fitness/muscle actually and am not looking to lose weight. I was just looking at different ideas to try. I see Carol Alt is a raw vegan proponent and she does look amazing for her age. The diet seems quite restrictive though

You want to look good or feel good? I love Carol Alt, a very successful woman on many levels. If your into health and fitness and want to move in that direction you should try it.

Ultimately, it's more important to be happy than follow any dietary rules

See a doctor. Get blood work done in advance so you have a baseline and prepare to reinvent your life.

OP, a "raw diet" is a egotistical narcissistic bullshit diet.

Veganism is an eating disorder engaged in by control freaks and attention whores.

Vegetarianism is fine as long as you don't make a production of it at every meal.

Human beings are omnivores and there's no escaping that.

I discovered a vegan soul food joint in Oakland, CA, and then when I went home and told two Black women in the running group I was in about it, they were incredulous. After giving up carbs altogether, I can't say I blame them.

I eat mostly vegan, (not raw!) but some vegetarian stuff like pizza, and baked goods. (I was never into dairy stuff because of lactose intolerance if it’s like ice cream or something concentrated, hate the taste of real butter and don’t like the taste of eggs. I make it at home, it’s vegan). When going out, I prefer a place where everyone can be happy. As a little kid I remember telling my mom I would bea vegetarian when I grew up. It’s been 31 years and I don’t miss it, although I keep hoping KFC introduces their vegan nuggets. My sister and several friends are also vegans/vegetarians so that helps.

[quote]I hate the taste of real butter and don’t like the taste of eggs.

Oh my god what the fuck is wrong with you. Nothing better than real creamery butter and fresh eggs.

r15, I hate eggs too. Comes from childhood eating a fried egg that wasn't all the way cooked. Vomit inducing.

Oh, poor little sensitive freaque, proud and squeaky, at R16 had an undercooked (in her view) fried egg once and now she CANNOT.

One will enjoy seeing her just expire the moment anything serious happens in her world, like a two-day power outage or her favorite non-dairy frozen yogurt not being stocked once in her favorite maple-cinnamon-lady-crunch flavor.

Christ. And they share such things here. You'd think they'd be ashamed or at least seek psychological care.

The reason so many model types can handle extreme diets is because they barely eat.

R17, amazing isn't it? So many of them substitute the natural stuff for chemicals as if that's healthy.

Natural stuff is made from chemicals too.

Water is a chemical.

EVERYTHING is chemicals.

Yes, several times for nearly six months each time. It was hard, I ate like a cow - literally - and I absolutely love how I felt. I think I’m a periodic vegan. I suppose even practicing it periodically, you reap some benefits. It’s like a deep cleansing.

I'm doing one-meal-a-day keto. Dinner is protein and a salad with homemade dressing. Lost 20 lbs in 6 weeks.

Agree about getting blood work.

OP, do you eat a lot of vegetables in the first place? If not, I’d start with just finding out which veg you like and eating more veg in general. Raw or cooked.

r17, what is with you and eggs. So what people don't like them. You are a bit over the top doncha think. I've been fine all my life without eating eggs. Could give a shit.

Eggs are natures perfect food. They're super versatile. They're in so many things. Hating them is bizarre.

What if you just don’t like the fucking taste (and smell) of fucking eggs? Who the fuck cares?!

lmfao how did this thread turn into an argument over eggs?

Been doing it since I was 12. I’m 80 and look 43, but my hair is very fine and my teeth are translucent. Sometimes I pass out in the afternoon. But hey I look great!

Eggs have a smell? Maybe don't eat rotten ones.

There are a million preparations. They don't all smell the same. THey don't all taste the same. WTF is wrong with you?

It's like saying "I don't like sandwiches!" There are a billion varieties, you can't possibly not like ALL of them. There's something in YOU that is the problem, not in the eggs. You need to get the fuck over it. How insane and ridiculous. Jesus.

A couple of Tabitha brown videos have come up on my Facebook feed and I watched them. She made carrot hotdogs, carrot bacon and chili using pecans as the meat substitute. The carrot dog didn’t look bad, but I would think that that many pecans would be way too rich.

r29, why are you stanning so hard for eggs. WTF is wrong with you. It's a fucking egg not Jesus.

[quote]I am now on a paleo diet, with bulletproof coffee (4x a week) and intermittent fasting. I fast 12 hours a day and eat for my blood type.

So do you just add MCT oil to your coffee, because I know paleo wouldn't allow ghee.

I'm not a big fan of eggs myself.

/dodges R29's slap

Eating raw food as a rule is stupid, but eating vegan for a few weeks is always *ahem* refreshing.

I tried this on and off for a year and feel I learned a lot from the experience, though I was only about 80% raw. First, you absolutely need a Vitamix or equivalent. Second, not all raw recipes are created equal, many are awful. They can also get repetitive (nearly all desserts have a date/nut base). Mimi Kirk's recipes were my absolute favorite though, I still crave her "Caesar" salad. Third, though it's immensely restrictive, you quickly learn that it's more about what you're adding to your diet than what you're restricting that is beneficial (it improved my mood, skin, energy levels, etc.). You will eat more fruit, vegetables, and nuts than ever before. With all of that said, it's unbelievably difficult to sustain 100%. I believe it would be much easier in a place like LA where the weather is warm, produce abundant, and there are restaurants that cater to it, but otherwise it's almost impossible. I also find the huckster culture around it to be really suspect (in a culty kind of way). If you're at all interested in it, I suggest starting with breakfast only (a green smoothie for example), then add in a raw lunch. 2 out of 3 raw meals a day seems sufficient to me.

There are ZERO health benefits to a "raw diet", it's just more female-invented eating disorder nonsense,

but by all means go for it!

Been doing it for years. It works.

I eat 90% raw food and have done so for the last 10 years. I eliminated carbs like pasta, bread and grains because for me, they were too addictive and I couldn't keep my weight down. I decided I didn't enjoy them enough to make that sacrifice. I eat 2 meals a day which consist of a big salad plus some lean protein such as fish, hard-boiled eggs, canned tuna, prawns, low-fat mozzarella. Occasionally cooked vegetables like broccoli and pumpkin. I haven't eaten meat since my teens. Snacks are fruit. If I want something like gelato or a chocolate bar, I'll buy it. If I am invited over for dinner, I'll eat whatever is served, but never meat. I seldom go to restaurants because of all the salt they use.

I am used to this diet, I don't feel deprived, and it doesn't cause any problems. Unlike most of my peers, I am slim and in good health.

Just reading R38 makes me want to head to Arby's for a double-beef-and-cheddar combo meal with crinkle fries.

The closest many DLers get to the raw vegan diet

is when they use extra large zucchini for dildos

Heh. If the diet doesn’t kill you, the sanctimony will, R2. There’s more than one path that leads to me.

R22 - tell me more. Suppose salad is a bit harder here, can I just do veggies and protein instead?

I'm sorry but I've never met a vegan who looked healthy. Always pasty or sallow with dark circles under their eyes and lackluster hair. They're also way too thin. A little meat on the bones is healthy.

R43 - I have seen some good looking ones at the gym but they were very young and also pretty much lived to work out and had discounts at good places. Ultimately, it's a short-term lifestyle. I don't think it's realistic long term.