I know many people especially ladies came to the low fat raw vegan lifestyle due to a desire to balance their weight once and for all. A large part of my own motivation to go raw included my fluctuating weight.
Today I decided to write about the scales and how they can be so inaccurate when it comes to objectively measuring fat loss/gain.

Mum & I foraged free mangoes from the side of the road today

Most of us jump on the scales, look down and frown ... generally closely followed by a few personal put-downs…but are we jumping the gun and unwittingly letting a lil’ ol number dictate our mood for the day? Without actually inquiring as to whether the weight-gain is from fat, fluid or food?

The following factors should be taken into consideration as you take that step onto the scales…

- Glycogen and water weight levels vary throughout the day so this will affect the number on the scales as much as 1/2-1.5kgs.

- If you weigh yourself at any other time than first thing in the morning before drinking water and after having a bowel movement then you are just adding your food weight in your colon to your total kgs. You may as well fill your pockets up with sand.

Free mangoes....mmmm

- Glycogen stores can also increase your overall body weight, Glycogen is the stored form of glucose, you will find it mainly in your muscles and liver, once stored with the accompanying water (water is needed to store carbs in the body) a full glycogen tank can add an extra 2 kg to your total weight! So that’s why you may see an increase in your weight overnight sometimes

- Remember the scales do not just weigh fat, it weighs fat, water, organs, bone, everything. So when you decrease or increase your weight the scales can’t deferiantiate and tell you if it’s fat or not you have lost or gained…even those Tanita body fat scales are apparently highly innacurate…I was told by a leading exercise physiologist that the scales send an electrical impulse up one leg which then hits the bladder and travels down the other leg, only ever measuring the fat in an individuals legs (& quite innacurately at that!)

I'm eating LOTS of melons lately., this will last me a few days

More accurate fat measuring techniques are skin-fold pinch test, water tank (hydrostatic weighing) where apparently you are lowered into a water tank after exhaling all air from your lungs. There is also an impedance test (which I’ve had myself & found to be fairly accurate) which works by measuring the amount your body fat impedes an electrical current.

BMI is another inaccurate way to measure bodyfat because it doesn’t descriminate between fat & muscle! My ex-boyfriend who was a top bodybuilder carrying a mere 5% BF and loaded with muscle came up as obese using the BMI scale

Half a kilo of fat is about the maximum you can lose each week, yeh there are heaps of low carb diets out there that will show an initial decrease in total body weight but is it sustainable? No way, I don’t know about you but Im sick of the yo-you diet BS… the weight that you lose from these low carb diets is only water because of the decreased intake of carbs plus the fact that the body lets go of water it has been holding to dilute the current pollution in most people’s bodies.

The scales can definitely come in handy if you are wanting to keep track of your hydration, for example – say you weigh 60kg before your run then you jump on the scales after the run and you’re 58kg, this means you have lost mostly water (& a bit of glycogen weight) so replacing those 2kgs with water first then fruit soon afterwards is extremely important to maintain our hydration levels & homeostasis, in this way the scales can be very useful…

Also glycogen stores are being lost, this is especially apparent in a person fasting, I have done many short water fasts, longest being 8 days or so. Within those 8 days I would lose about 5kg, at the time I thought it was all fat but in such a short period like that, the loss was from a depleted glycogen stores (from lack of any coming in) plus the water that accompanies the carbs and maybe a small percentage of fat after 8 days. I have always gained back every ounce I have lost after a fast…plus some.

If you are a womyn reading this I really hope you embrace muscle as your friend, it is so valuable to have metabolically active muscle tissue if we want to speed up our metabolism and lose the fat the sustainable way. Muscle takes up less space than fat so, the more you have, the slimmer you are…muscle-building strengthens bones and connective tissue, which can protect your body from injuries in daily life, enhancing balance and stability not to mention building confidence and self-esteem.

So should we be aiming for fatloss anyway? I say no. Losing something is a form of deprivation and the Low Fat Raw Vegan lifestyle is about abundance not deprivation! Who really cares if your weight fluctuates a few kgs here and there, this also happens to animals in nature, we are conditioned to think that skinny = good and while being lean and healthy is the goal, rediculous unhealthy weightloss should not be, well not if you want to keep your sanity any way….Cut your carbs, lose your mind as far as I’m concerned but that’s another blog…

If we focus on gaining health and fitness and not on losing something then our chances of success are multiplied…Keep your mind firmly focused on the healthy body & mind of your dreams and before you know it you WILL be in that body, I am a living example of this being true.

My obsession with my weight could’ve killed me in the end…downing weightloss drugs, ecstasy and other stimulants in an attempt to shed the kg’s…man glad I’m off that merry-go-round…You can read more about it here if you haven’t already….

So I guess the take home from this blog is -
Don’t be a slave to a number on the scales! Be a healthy shining example of health and fitness, build beauty from within so it shines outwards inspiring others who come in contact with you. Keep in mind that the scales are a very innaccurate way to measure fat loss and fat gain… It’s ultimately all about how you feel and when you feel vibrant & healthy you generally look vibrant & healthy! so quit jumping on the scales every 5mins and get a life! Who really cares if you have a few extra kilo’s on you anyways?? Fluctuations in weight is NORMAL and if you think getting to say 60kgs on the scales will make you happy, think again…You will get to 60kgs and you will still be unhappy and all of a sudden 55kgs will make you happy and so the painful cycle continues…I’m outa that loop! Happiness comes from within & especially easy to attain after a large fruit meal!

Keep it sweet & juicy
Lovefreelee

This is me eating all the fruit i care for, I gave up the scale obsession & started eating as much as i wanted, fruit doesn't make you fat!!...

Part 2…

So today I had a brilliant run in the hills, went a little further, about 8.5kms. On the way up a lady stopped in her car (a rather large lady) offered me a lift up the hill! It was quite funny and ironic, I think she was sort of joking too. I couldn’t go for my usual run yesterday because some car rally was on?!?! Conducted on one of the most dangerous winding hilly roads in South Australia…the intelligence of some humans never ceases to amaze me..

I have only eaten DateOrade (blended soaked dates with water) today, about 1kg of dates all up and lots of water! Wow I remember a time when I would limit myself to 1 date a day out of fear of a candida outbreak! Thank goodness the days of fearing sugar are well and truly over!

Check out this ‘banana passionfruit’ at Clint’s organic shop today it tasted a bit bland, definitely had potential though (like all fruit when its grown properly and picked ripe)

So like I said in Part 1 of this blog – I started my LFRV journey at 148 lbs, in the first 3months that crept up to 154 lbs as my body ‘relaxed’ after the years of drug/stimulant/cooked food abuse and calorie restriction (not saying this will happen to everyone, most peeps lose weight initially!). After a few months I was at 125lbs and that’s where I’m at today. My weight has fluctuated a few lbs up and down within that period, depending on my training regime (slightly heavier in the off-season) and food sensitivities,,eg tomatoes and some varieties of durian cause me to retain fluid which = an extra few pounds. I still feel my weight is coming down even more but this is not a focus for me, health and feeling great is.

Was my initial weight gain because of how much fruit I was eating? No! It is never the fruits fault, fruit is a sweet, neat little nutritious package delivered fresh from nature. It is what history we bring to the fruit diet that can affect our weight initially.

Have you ever had Medication? Antibiotics?Operations?Anaesthesia?Dental work?Headache pills?Painkillers?Weightloss drugs?Diuretics?Digestive aids?Cough medicine?….& have you ever had cooked food? Ofcourse everyone will tick off at least 2 of the above mentioned. These all take the body out of balance, we can’t just consume these substances and think they will not have a lasting effect.

So when some womyn experience weightgain when they first go on a fruits and shoots diet, it’s not actually the fruit that makes them put on weight.. It’s the bodymind finally getting a chance to relax after being hammered for a lifetime with cooked food, stimulants, drugs and calorie restriction….

chocolate sapote mousse! yes this is fruit!

Once we adopt such a healthy regime like the Low Fat Raw Vegan/811 lifestyle the body finally has a chance to eliminate the build-up of toxins. These toxins are then thrown from the lymph system/fat stores into the blood stream, causing the body to retain fluid, as it desperately tries to dilute the now circulating pollution to acceptable levels until elimination is possible…making the number on the scales go up but it’s only fluid not fat.

A the end of the day I haven’t heard of many peeps putting on weight by eating a fruit diet (except some in the initial recovery period) and most importantly the proof is the pudding…the fact that all 100% long term 811/LFRV’s/fruitarians (whatever you like to call it) are lean is hard to ignore! Get through the recovery period and all will be well! Here is a pic I took yesterday…(after a date smoothie too)

The success I have had on the low fat raw vegan lifestyle is nothing short of amazing! When I was eating a SAD (Standard Aussie Diet) I was always in fear of gaining weight (rightly so!) and predictably I did, when the body is being fed a diet that it is not biologically adapted to then there will be a price to pay and remember we are only as healthy as our weakest link.

I would like to now list the benefits I have experienced since being on a low fat raw vegan lifestyle….
* Easily maintain a healthy weight, gaining weight is DIFFICULT unless I eat salt (which i haven’t for 2years)
* Very quick recovery from intense exercise efforts
* I rarely get A pimple, my skin is always free of blackheads, oiliness, dryness or redness
* I now tan easily and have an amazing smoothness and dewiness to my skin
* My energy is always ON, I’m ready to challenge myself physically whenever needed, no more CFS
* My nails used to flake off all the time, they are now strong and also taking on a new pleasing shape
* My hair is waaaay thicker!! It’s really quite amazing, very noticeable and it grows very quickly
* My teeth always feel clean and look white, I used to have yellowing teeth, also have no teeth problems
* I used to have large deposits of dimply cellulite, now that’s dissolved
* My feet and hands were always swelled and red, they now have a natural skeletal shape & tone
* Digestion is just wonderful! I go to the toilet like clockwork, never smells, perfectly formed…when I put food in, I almost always got to the toilet afterwards, constipation is not heard of on this diet
* I have a nice flat stomach all the time (except instantly after a big meal of fruit but that goes down super quick) no more bloated fluidy belly which never went down
* My eyes used to be yellow and toxic looking (according to an ex-boyf) they are now white and healthy!
* I actually want to get out of the bed in the morning! Instead of in a comatosed state
* I find it easier to control my emotional state whereas previously I was like a loose canon
* I no longer obsess about what I eat, I just eat all the fruit I want when I’m hungry till I’m full and anyone who knows me can confirm this… so much of my younger years were consumed with food obsession
* I never feel hungry anymore! I remember always feeling hungry hence I would binge all the time, this was not me ‘numbing’ myself with cooked food it was actually my cells screaming out for nutrition! If you are bingeing then you are HUNGRY simple as that!

some cherry toms I sampled today...

A word on detox : We can’t detox until we stop ‘toxing’ (or taking in unnatural foods and substances) and how long it takes is up to our bodies not our egos…

Ok so that’s enough from me for now, thanks for listening.
Lovefreelee X

Adequate sleep is vital!

I decided to write about sleep today because to be honest, I haven’t been getting enough and I needed to inspire myself! Getting adequate sleep is an important part of living healthfully, so please take time to read the following info.

Now days it seems like the goal for many at night is to sleep as little as possible. Is there so much to do that sleep seems like a waste of time?? Well these days I can understand why most peeps feel this way… but do we end up paying for it during the day if we don’t sleep enough at night? Yes we surely do.. When we continuously don’t get the amount of sleep we need, we begin to pay the price with daytime drowsiness, lack of concentration, irritability, increased risk of falls and accidents, and lower productivity…not to mention weight-gain…

Wanna be sharp? Well forget it if you aren’t getting enough sleep...Sleep is necessary for our brain and nervous system to function properly…..When we are asleep much of the body rests, but apparently not the brain, its billions of neurons continue to send signals, even so, many experts say that sleep gives neurons (that are constantly used while we are awake) a chance to repair themselves for the following day. If we don’t get sufficient sleep, our neurons can become so depleted in energy or so polluted with byproducts of normal cellular activities that they begin to malfunction which can lead to cognitive problems, mental challenges and psychological disorders.

Animals in the wild love to sleep!…
Koalas are always snoozing! They doze for about 18-20 hours per day sitting up in the branches of a tree munching down eucalyptus leaves, I actually have many Koala’s outside my window…cute little fluffballs. Also our closest relatives sleep in one long bout at night. Baboons and chimpanzees have been said to average about 10 hours of sleep; gorillas about 12 hours and orangutans get about 14 hours of sleep each night. If these guys are our closest relatives, shouldn’t we be mimicking their sleep patterns as much as possible?
So how much should we be getting? It’s important to be getting enough! There are many factors that contribute to the amount of sleep we need – like energy output, stress levels, current fitness level and diet to name a few. …When we were running about in nature without electricity and stimulants we would’ve been getting 10-12 hours a day by default… how many peeps can honestly say they are getting that many hours everyday? How do you know when you haven’t had enough sleep?… When you would rather turn over and go back to sleep then get up and start your day, or if you find yourself yawning throughout the day and constantly looking for a place to ‘crash’…

Why do we need sleep?
Many reasons! Especially for the optimal production of human growth hormone, nature’s little beauty-injection. Increased growth hormone release is believed to be linked to the fasting state which develops in human sleep, this is instrumental in the process of skin-renewal. Skin cells regenerate faster at night than during the day. Apparently cell division happens throughout the day, but peaks around 2 am. So major skin renewal and rejuvenation occurs during sleep. If you are awake at night you will also miss out on that important surge of growth hormone.

Sleep stages…

Our immune system functions optimally if we go to sleep by 10 p.m. As we sleep, physical repair takes place between approximately 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.:. Then from about 2 a.m. to 6 a.m., we enter a stage of psychic regeneration. During this time, the brain releases chemicals that enhance our immune system. Don’t weaken your immune system and leave yourself open for infection and disease in the body!

There are 2 processes which are continually in operation inside our bodies – Anabolism and Catabolism
- Anabolism is the process of cell renewal, growth and rejuvenation, Anabolism is an ongoing process but is largely performed at rest.
- Catabolism is the destructive, ‘wear and tear’ process and is dominant during periods of activity

Together these 2 processes equate to Metabolism. When these 2 processes are in balance we have a body that is in homeostasis, this of course is the optimal state.

When Anabolism and catabolism are out of balance in our bodies because of a lack of sleep the following can occur…
- a compromised immune system because the Anabolic(repair) system cannot keep up with the catabolic(break-down)system which then slows down recovery time from illness or injury
- Mental abilities and decision-making is highly compromised which can be very serious especially if your profession depends on accuracy
- Hormonal imbalances which can lead to weight gain, diabetes, and hypertension.
- Memory loss has been shown to be a common side effect of a lack of sleep. The brain processes information while sleeping, which facilitates learning and memorisation…. having trouble remembering your kids names? well I’d be taking yourself off to bed right now!
- Insufficient growth hormone release means you don’t get your full dose of the bodies natural beauty drugs, your appearance will start to take on a drag, gray tone.
- Sleep is where energy is replenished, we need fuel from calories but energy from sleep or else we will be lethargic and ‘fuzzy’ all day
- Driving and workplace accidents due to compromised cognitive abilities
- Poor balance and blurred vision similar to a drunk person
- Fatigue, difficulty with social or personal relationships, hypertension, tremors, slower reaction time, anxiety, becoming easily irritated, unable to solve problems, inability to focus on thoughts or tasks, intolerance to activity, lowered level of energy, and clumsiness.

If you find that you just can’t fit in 9-12 hours of sleep a day then it’s a good idea to find ways to rest throughout the day. Have a ‘nana’ nap on your lunch break, stop staring at your computer screen and close your eyes for 10mins (also decrease the brightness on your screen) or sit down whenever possible instead of standing… if we are sleep-deprived these simple actions can save massive amounts of energy, which is just what our bodies may be craving.

Remember many of you may have ’sleep debt’ to catch up on… how long that will take is up to your body and other lifestyle factors you subject it to. You may be short-changing yourself when it comes to experiencing optimal energy levels, fruitful relationships and enhanced mental ability, not to mention looking your best… all good reasons to be paying the debt back now.

Apparently the hours before midnight are the most important and that’s why I’m going to now say ‘goodnight’ and squeeze in before 12!!
Lovefreelee

Me & My buddy Dan