5 Essential Tips to Follow the Raw Food Diet for Weight Loss

The raw food diet has become popular lately as a weight loss method. However, there are a lot of people who are frightened away by just the name. 'Raw food diet seems to suggest a person munching on fruits, vegetables, leaves and shoots all day long, much like our vegetarian cousins from the animal kingdom. It feels primitive, severe and radical, and almost impossible to practice. However, rest assured that there is nothing primitive about the raw food diet,and there are several tips to help you follow it in a very practical manner, in order to achieve your weight loss objectives.

Phase In the Diet

If you think that you are just going to wake up one morning and begin your raw food diet for weight loss all of a sudden, it is not going to happen. You will simply frustrate and intimidate yourself out of your effort within days if not hours. Besides, your digestive system will not be prepared to handle this sudden change, and you may confront all kinds of digestive problems.

It is a much better idea to phase into the diet gradually. Start by including raw food snacks (nuts and fruits) into your diet, and substituting fruits for processed sweets, every time you have a sugar craving. At the same time, include raw foods into your meals, like a portion of salad with your dinner or a smoothie for breakfast. As the next step, you could replace one cooked meal with a completely raw one everyday. It could be breakfast, lunch or dinner. And then, when your body is used to the feeling of raw food items, you can make your complete switch.

Not 100% Raw

Bear in mind that raw does not mean 100% raw. It is virtually impossible for anyone to practice a 100% raw food diet for weight loss. People who follow this diet plan, keep their diet about 75% raw. The rest 25% covers social occasions where cooked delicacies rule the roost, the occasional treat as well as certain regular exceptions.

Talking about exceptions, you may decide to include a certain 'extra' to your raw food diet for health reasons. There is nothing wrong in that. For instance, a lot of people continue to have soy milk to cover their protein needs.

A Lot More than Smoothies and Salads

If you thought that the raw food diet simply meant smoothies and salads, you will be surprised to find the amount of variety that can be achieved. Even with regular ingredients, people have come up with several remarkably creative recipes and alternatives for regular food items. As an example, you can easily make a 'nut milk' at home as well as 'raw cheese'.

Go Organic

This is a crucial tip, if you are going to be eating raw. After all, you don't want your body saturated with deadly commercial pesticides! With vegan and raw food diets becoming more popular, organic fruits and vegetables are not so difficult to get anymore.

Have a Time Plan

It is best to start with a 4-week raw food diet weight loss plan to begin with. See how you react, and how much success you achieve. Then you can begin another 4-week cycle, or extend your next period to a 6-12 week plan.

Bear in mind that the raw food diet is not the only healthy diet plan for weight loss. A lot of people find that it simply does not suit them or make them happy. If you are one of those, don't worry too much about it. Simply try other weight loss ideas!

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